Wellbeing
A Special Term for Our Grade 6 Students
For our Grade 6 students, Term 4 is particularly significant, as it marks their final term with us at St. Mary's. It can be both an exciting and challenging time, filled with milestones and preparations for the transition to high school.
Teachers and staff are here to support them every step of the way, and we encourage open conversations at home to help them navigate these changes with confidence.
This year, St Mary's embraced new ways to help all our students build skills and strategies for life’s challenges, espeically transitions. Alongside Positive Education, we incorporated the Berry Street Education Model into our curriculum, combining Positive Psychology with practical tools that foster emotional regulation, resilience, and personal growth. By bringing these approaches together, we aimed to create an environment where students could "feel good and do good," strengthening relationships, building positive emotions, and encouraging healthy habits.
Positive Education Enhanced Curriculum (PEEC) and the Berry Street Model has taught our students that life isn’t about being happy all the time or avoiding difficult emotions. Instead, we emphasised that a full range of emotions is a natural part of a meaningful life. Rather than clearing obstacles from a child’s path, we aim to prepare each child for the journey ahead, equipping them to handle setbacks, develop empathy, and build inner strength for a resilient future.
Through lessons in relationship-building, realistic self-talk, emotional control, and resilience, students have practiced expressing gratitude, valuing their strengths, showing curiosity, and finding purpose in helping others. These lessons, woven throughout all subjects, have provided a strong foundation for learning and personal growth, making Positive Education and the Berry Street Model a core part of our curriculum.
I have had the privilege of seeing these lessons in action during a recent excursion with our Grade 6 students. As they explored the concepts of Science and Matter through inquiry, I witnessed firsthand how Positive Education and the Berry Street Model have shaped their interactions. Our students showed positivity, teamwork, and respect, building friendships and creating memories that I know will last. I am incredibly proud of the growth and resilience they have demonstrated this year, which has highlighted how our curriculum is positively impacting their lives.
A special thank you to our incredible Year 6 teaching and education support team—Vivian Clarke, Martinique McKenzie, and Kylie Collier for their tireless efforts in fostering the growth, resilience, and wellbeing of our students. Their dedication and passion have truly made a difference in preparing our Grade 6 students for the next chapter of their lives.
Foundation Orientation 2024-2024
As we prepare to send off our Year Six students in the coming weeks, we have also welcomed 56 new Foundation students to St. Mary’s. Some have come from existing St. Mary’s families, while others are new to our community, and we are excited to welcome each one of them! These young learners will participate in three transition days with us, which will help them explore their new environment and learn about some of the exciting parts of primary school life, like making new friends, following routines, and trying out different activities in the classroom.
The first two transition days were filled with a buzz of excitement mixed with a few jitters. Meeting new classmates, navigating school routines, and spending time in a big classroom for the first time felt like a lot. For some parents, especially those sending their first child off to school, this time was equally emotional and exciting. If you are an existing St. Mary’s family, we encourage you to reach out and welcome a new family to our beautiful, warm, and supportive community.
During these orientation days, there were a wonderful mix of excitement and a few nerves as our new Foundation students settled in. The classrooms were filled with laughter, discovery, and the occasional shy introduction. One child asked, “Is it snack time now?” as they first entered the room, while another whispered, “This is the biggest classroom ever!” It was truly heartwarming to hear their funny and innocent questions as they took their first steps into this new chapter. We are all looking forward to watching our new Foundation students grow, learn, and thrive in the welcoming environment here at St. Mary’s, and we can't wait to see them officially join us in the new year.
We also want to take a moment to thank our incredible Foundation team—Rebecca Kay, Caitlan Tobin, Julie Bianucci, and Sharon Butler who have worked tirelessly in preparing and organising for our new students. Their dedication has ensured that the first introduction to primary school has been special, memorable, and truly wonderful for each child.
Celebrating World Kindness Day at St. Mary’s
On Wednesday November 13th, we celebrated World Kindness Day, a special day to recognise the power of kindness to make a difference. At St. Mary’s, kindness is a key part of our values of respect, resilience, and responsibility. Through our curriculum, students learn empathy, gratitude, and the importance of helping others.
This week, students engaged in various acts of kindness to celebrate. One of the highlights was the creation of our Kindness Tree. Students wrote down kind acts they had done on colourful leaves, which were then added to their kidness tree. The Kindness Tree symbolises the growth of kindness in our community and serves as a beautiful reminder of how small acts of kindness can make a big impact. Some of our Grade 3 students completed anA to Z: Random Acts of Kindness Listwhere they came together to create inspiring an "alphabet" of happiness.
Our Year 2 students read a book called 'Kindness is my Superpower', and made their own beautiful kindness flowers.
On each petal is a way that they can show kindness in the world around them, both in school and at home. The day serves as a reminder that simple acts of kindness can have a powerful impact for everyone.
We’re proud of our students’ kindness and look forward to seeing it continue to grow in our community, inspiring others to act with compassion and care.
Warm regards,
Daniela Day