Assistant Principal

Jacky Guardascione

Feast of St Mary MacKillop - 8 August

Australia's first saint, was born in Melbourne in 1842 and, from a young age, showed a strong commitment to helping others. At just 16 years of age, she began working to support her family. While working as a governess in Penola, South Australia, she met Father Julian Tenison Woods. Together, they founded the Sisters of Saint Joseph and dedicated their lives to educating children and supporting those in need through schools, hospitals, orphanages and shelters across Australia.

Despite ongoing health challenges in her later years, Mary remained faithful to her mission of service and education until her death on 8 August 1909. Her legacy continues to inspire people through her example of courage, compassion and unwavering trust in God.

Mary MacKillop's path to sainthood was confirmed through two miracles recognised by the Vatican. The first involved a young Sydney woman suffering from terminal leukaemia who made a complete recovery after prayers were offered through Mary MacKillop's intercession. The second involved Kathleen Evans, who was cured of inoperable lung and brain cancer after praying for Mary's help. These miracles led to Mary MacKillop's canonisation in 2010, making her Australia's first saint.

The Role of Daily Arithmetic in the Mathematics Lesson

A focus this term for our teachers and students is daily arithmetic which plays a vital role in developing strong mathematical foundations for primary school students. Through regular practice, children build fluency with number facts and calculation strategies, enabling them to solve problems accurately and efficiently.

Consistent arithmetic practice helps students develop confidence with addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. As these skills become automatic, children can focus more effectively on higher-order mathematical thinking, such as reasoning, problem-solving and applying concepts in new situations.

Written arithmetic also strengthens working memory and provides opportunities for revision and consolidation of previously taught skills. Regular exposure ensures that key concepts are retained and builds a strong foundation for success in all areas of mathematics.

While we work on this at school, here’s how you can help at home!

In the Car

Number Plate Maths – Use the numbers on number plates to practise addition, subtraction or multiplication.
Count in Patterns – Count forwards and backwards in 2s, 5s, 10s, 3s or 4s.
Quick Fire Facts – Ask simple number facts such as "What is 7 + 8?" or "What is 6 × 4?"
Number of the Day – Choose a number and ask questions such as:
- One more/one less?
- Ten more/ten less?
- Double it?
- Half of it?
Times Tables Challenge – Take turns asking multiplication facts and related division facts.

At Home

Card Games – Use playing cards to practise addition, subtraction and multiplication.
Board Games – Games involving dice help develop counting, number recognition and mental calculation skills.
Shopping Maths – Calculate totals, work out change, compare prices and estimate costs.
Skip Counting Practice – Count while jumping, skipping or bouncing a ball.
Fact Family Practice – Use three numbers (e.g. 4, 5 and 20) to create multiplication and division facts.
Number Hunts – Spot numbers around the house and discuss their value.
Daily Arithmetic Challenge – Solve 5–10 quick arithmetic questions together and celebrate improvement.

You can also ask these questions (changing the numbers depending on the age of your child) EVERY DAY!

What is double 12?
What is half of 30?
What is 25 plus 10?
What is 50 minus 20?

What two numbers add to 100?
How many ways can you make 24?
How many groups of 4 make 20?

The only way to LEARN Mathematics is to DO Mathematics!

(P Halmos)

Jacky Guardascione

Assistant Principal