Learning & Teaching 

LEARNING & TEACHING - Vira Pirrotta

Welcome to Term Two 

We are excited to welcome everyone back for what promises to be a vibrant and engaging Term 2! This term, students will be immersed in rich learning experiences that celebrate the diversity of cultures both within Australia and around the world.

Through our Inquiry Unit, students will explore the concept of cultural diversity, recognising that understanding and respect for different cultures are integral to working and living together. Our explorations of the commonalities and differences within and between cultures will encourage students to appreciate how culture influences values, beliefs, and behaviours.

Term 2 promises to be full of exciting learning opportunities, with curriculum newsletters attached to provide you with an overview of what’s happening across each area of learning. We encourage you to take a moment to read through them to see the wonderful experiences planned for the students. We look forward to a fantastic term of learning, discovery, and celebration!

Term Two Dance Program

We're thrilled to share that our highly anticipated dance program started today! The excitement was palpable as students eagerly participated in the first session of the 10-week program, delivered by the fantastic team at Dance Til You Drop.

This year, the program has been beautifully aligned with our Inquiry Unit's big concept of cultural diversity, giving students an excellent opportunity to explore the richness of cultures from around the world through dance. Every Monday, students will engage in a structured and interactive program that helps them develop key skills in movement and coordination. Today, they had a fantastic time learning different dance styles while building on the fundamentals of dance, such as rhythm, timing, and spatial awareness. Adding to the fun, even the teachers couldn’t resist joining in on the dancing!

It’s set to be one of the year's highlights — a fantastic celebration of movement, creativity, and global cultures. Stay tuned for more updates as we dance our way through Term 2!

LITERACY NEWS - Bernadette Parnis

Welcome back, everyone!

Term 2 is shaping up to be a busy one for Literacy learning, and I’ll be sure to keep you updated throughout.

Save the date - We have an InitiaLit Information Session and Learning Walk scheduled for Tuesday, 6th May at 9 to 10am for our Foundation parents. I will be sharing information about the why, what and how of the program, showcasing the great learning happening in our Prep classrooms, and answering any questions you may have. Please see the attached flyer for further details. We hope to see you there!

May is Scholastic’s National Family Reading Month designed to encourage families to read together on a regular basis with the belief that it will create strong reading habits. We all understand how important reading together is and the lasting impact it can have on our children’s success in school. I am also aware that it is not always that easy to put into practice with our busy schedules and increasing competition with screen time.

That is why I am encouraging you to take the 31-Day Challenge (click here to register) to inspire you to make reading together for at least 10 minutes every day a focus, with the aim of creating positive, long lasting reading habits and lifelong readers!

Wishing you a great term ahead.

Bernadette Parnis

Literacy Leader

bparnis@sfmoreland.catholic.edu.au

Scholastic’s National Family Reading Month 

NATIONAL FAMILY READING MONTH is an initiative that represents the heart of our business— literacy being the key to learning and achievement. We believe that all children, with the help of their families and reading role models, can benefit from a lifelong love of reading.

This year marks the 29th Scholastic’s National Family Reading Month (NFRM), which encourages families to read together on a regular basis to create strong reading habits. Most of us know how important reading together is and its long-term value to our children’s success in school and in life. However, we also know it is not always that easy to put into practice with our busy schedules and increasing competition with screen time.

That is why we ask you to take the 31-Day Challenge - to inspire you to make reading together for at least 10 minutes every day a focus, to create positive, long-lasting reading habits and lifelong readers!

NFRM will launch on, THURSDAY 1ST OF MAY 2025, AT 11 AM AEST where it will be livestreamed all across Australia and New Zealand via Facebook and YouTube. Mr Luke will read his book Guess What We Are Doing Today? together with illustrator Chris Kennett and kick off the 31-Day Challenge, as we READ EVERY DAY! READ MORE IN MAY!

You are invited to go to our website to download more assets and join the 31-Day Reading Challenge with us. Visit scholastic.com.au/nfrm for downloads, reading tips and exclusive content from Mr Luke. Let’s encourage the 31-Day Reading Challenge and celebrate National Family Reading Month together! It would be wonderful to have as many families as possible join us in celebrating National Family Reading Month. Please sign up using this link: https://scholastic.e-newsletter.com.au/NFRM2025

Bernadette Parnis

Literacy Leader

bparnis@sfmoreland.catholic.edu.au 

BOOK CLUB - ISSUE 3

Orders due back by MONDAY May 5.

NUMERACY NEWS - Colleen Monaghan

REMINDER: Parent Session Thursday 1st May  9am and repeated at 2:30 “How to help your child with learning their times tables”

Numeracy in Action – Making ANZAC Cookies!    

This week in Numeracy, students in Foundation applied their maths skills in a real-world context by making ANZAC cookies! Throughout the session, students measured ingredients using cups,  practiced reading and following procedural texts, and explored concepts such as fractions, estimation, and time.

It was a fantastic opportunity for students to see how important measurement and careful timing are in everyday tasks. Plus, the delicious end result was a great reward for their hard work and teamwork!

Learning through hands-on activities like this, helps students make meaningful connections between classroom concepts and the world around them. Here is the Recipe we used with the students:

Anzac Biscuits  

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Plain flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup coconut
• ¾ cup caster sugar
• 150 gm butter
• 4 tablespoons golden syrup 
• 1 teaspoon bi carb of soda 

Method:

• Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan forced)
• Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
• Mix flour, oats, coconut and sugar in a bowl.  
• Place butter and golden syrup in a saucepan over medium high heat and stir until butter has melted.
• Add baking soda and stir to combine - it will fizz up, this is normal. Immediately remove from heat.
• Pour butter mixture into flour and mix until just combined.
• Roll level 1 tablespoon mixture into balls, flatten into patties. Place balls, 2.5 cm/1" apart, on prepared trays.
• Bake for 15 minutes, swapping trays halfway during cooking, or until deep golden. (Bake 12 min for chewy biscuits!)
• Stand on trays for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool - they harden as they cool!

Building Strong Foundations: Daily Reviews in Mathematics

At school, we have introduced Daily Reviews as part of our Mathematics program. Each day, students spend time revisiting key maths concepts they have previously learned. These short, focused sessions help strengthen their understanding, build confidence, and ensure important skills stay fresh in their minds.

Daily Reviews and retrieval practice are important parts of our maths program. Their purpose is to help students strengthen their memory, build fluency, and deepen their understanding of key mathematical concepts.

By regularly revisiting skills and ideas they've learned before, students move knowledge from short-term to long-term memory. This makes it easier for them to apply what they know to new and more challenging problems. Retrieval practice also highlights any gaps or misconceptions early, so they can be addressed quickly.

Through quick reviews, problem-solving, and discussions, students gain confidence, improve their number sense, and develop the flexible thinking needed for success in maths - both now and in the future.

Daily Reviews focus on:

• Practising number facts and mental maths strategies
• Revisiting key topics such as place value, measurement, and problem solving
• Identifying and addressing gaps in understanding
• Building speed and accuracy in mathematical thinking

Research shows that regular review helps students retain knowledge over time and makes it easier to learn new concepts. You can support this at home by encouraging your child to talk about the maths skills they are practising and by playing quick maths games or asking everyday number questions.  You can also help by encouraging your child to practise basic facts, talk about different ways to solve everyday maths problems, and reflect on what strategies work best for them.

PE & SPORT NEWS - Michael Jennings

INTERSCHOOL SPORT

SCHOOL SPORT VICTORIA

St Fidelis Primary School is an affiliated member of School Sport Victoria and competes in various sports within the Coburg District. The Coburg District aims to provide the children with the opportunity to participate in well-organised and enjoyable sporting events that are an extension of school based Sport & Physical Education programs. It is our school’s belief that children benefit greatly from visiting and competing with other schools within the Coburg District.

TERM 2 EVENTS

SSV COBURG DISTRICT WINTER SPORT COMPETITION

Friday May 2 - Friday June 27

ELIGIBILITY

Grade 6 (priority) and Grade 5 students

SPORTS:

Boys/Mixed AFL 9s Football, Girls AFL 9s Football, 

Boys/Mixed Soccer, Girls Soccer, 

Boys/Mixed Netball & Girls Netball.

PLEASE NOTE:

Round 5 Summer Sport matches scheduled for Friday 21 March have been postponed until Friday 2 May (Term 2 Week 2)

SSV COBURG DISTRICT CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS

The Annual SSV Coburg District Cross Country Championships is to be held at Jackson Reserve, Coburg (Coburg Athletics Track) on Monday 19 May 2025, commencing at 9.45a.m.and concluding by 12.15pm (Back-up day: Wednesday 21 May 2025).

Events will be conducted for boys and girls in the 10, 11 and 12/13 year age groups. 

The 10 year old boys and girls run 2km. Students turning 9 this year can compete in the 10 year age group. Students younger than this cannot compete.  The 11 and 12/13 year old boys and girls run 3km. Age groups are determined as of 31st December in the year of competition. Therefore, whatever age the student is turning this year or has turned this year, will be the age he/she competes. Each event commences at the track, continues into nearby parkland and concludes back at the track.

Each school can nominate up to 7 competitors for each event. 

Teams will be chosen by Week 3 during PE classes.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION TIMETABLE

TUESDAY

1/2NA, 1/2VS, 1/2CW 

WEDNESDAY

5/5NT, 5/6ZK, 5/6MC

3/4BP, 3/4SH

1/2VB 

THURSDAY

FAM, FLW, FOS

SPORT TIMETABLE

FRIDAY (WEEKLY INTERSCHOOL SPORT)

YEAR 5/6 

FRIDAY (END OF EACH TERM GALA SPORT DAY)

Congratulations 

On the first Saturday of the school holidays Rafael, Hunter and Tommy won their Under 12's basketball grand final. 

Congratulations also to Gus who was selected and played in a state baseball tournament on the holidays. 5 games over 2 days out at Knox, he represented his club Essendon in the Little League competition. 

ITALIAN NEWS - Rosa Fokianos

BUONGIORNO!  

Bentornati a tutti per il secondo trimestre! (Welcome back everyone for the second term!).  I hope everyone had a lovely vacanze, (holiday break), relaxing, giocando con amici e famiglia (playing with friends and family), as well as mangiando (eating) and festeggiando Pasqua insieme (celebrating Easter together).

Firstly, I would like to say a quick thank you to the due nonne (two grandmas), Grace Masini (Olivia and Alessandro Masini’s nonna) and Tina Sbaraglia (Orlando and Leo Bonacci’s nonna), that came in during the last day of Term 1 to talk to the grade 3/4‘s about Easter traditions and how they celebrate Pasqua (Easter). It was an insightful presentation by them both. The children were very interested in what the nonne had to say about Italian Easter traditions first hand. I wonder if anyone had some traditional colomba (Easter dove shaped cake), over Easter? I certainly did and I’m still eating some now! 😋 

Last term Grade 5/6 also learnt about the Italian cultural festival of Carnevale, culminating in making masks. See below some of the finished products:

 Giovedì passato, il 24 aprile (Last Thursday), as you all know that it was St Fidelis’ feast day. Part of the day was also dedicated to making things for ANZAC day, which was going to take place the following day, (venerdì 25 aprile). Ms Monaghan and myself organised with some teachers to make some ANZAC biscuits with all the Foundation children. They loved this activity. I wrote up the ingredienti (ingredients) for the ricetta (recipe) below. 

As you can see from the photos below, everyone had a great time measuring, making and were also excited to eat them after school!

Finally, I would also like to mention, as we all know by now, the sad passing of Papa Francesco - Pope Francis, last lunedì mattina, (Monday morning) 21 aprile, nel  Vaticano (Vatican city), Italy. Aged ottantotto (88 years old), he died after suffering a stroke and heart failure. Papa Francesco was the leader of the Catholic church for dodici anni (12 years) and was known as il Papa della gente, (the people’s Pope), loved and respected by millions of gente (people) worldwide.♥️

As a sign of reverence for the Pope, each Italian session last week had a few minutes of silence and reflection dedicated to Papa Francesco. 🙏 I’m certain that there would have been many families in our St Fidelis community that watched his funeral sabato sera alle ore 18:00, (Saturday night at 6pm), which was actually 10am Saturday morning, in Italy, (as they are currently 8 hours behind). I, along with my famiglia (family), certainly watched the service. 

He has now been laid to rest in his favourite church, la Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, not too far from St Peter’s Basilica in Rome. May he rest in Peace. ✝️ 

As you can see it has been a very busy first few days of Term 2. I look forward to writing up more articles throughout this term. 

Until next time…buona settimana! (Have a good week).

Signora Rosa 🌹