Photo Gallery & Classroom Learning

Kindergarten 

English

We are learning to:

• Read and write tricky words like and going
• Read and write our new letters: o and c
• Make read and write words using our learnt sounds

Maths

We are learning to:

• Describe and compare lengths

Religion

We are learning to:

• respond to Scriptures including the Resurrection of Jesus
• Use the word alluida (praise the lord)

Visual Arts

We are learning to:

• Follow a step by step drawing
• Use a colour wheel to select like colours

Year 1

Welcome back to Term 2! We hope you all had a wonderful break and are ready for another exciting term of learning, exploring, and growing. The first two weeks have been full of energy, curiosity, and enthusiasm from our Year 1 students!

Religion:

We are learning that after the Resurrection Jesus appeared to His disciples. We will become familiar with the Resurrection story, including the Road to Emmaus and identify Easter as liturgical season. We will explore the concept that "Jesus is with us."

Reading:

We are continuing to enjoy books together as a whole class. We are listening to the rich text, focusing on developing vocabulary and looking for opportunities to comprehend the text using written clues (literal) and inferred information (reading between the lines).

Writing:

We are learning to write Super Sentences independently. We know to use a Capital letter at the beginning, and a full stop at the end. We know that our sentence tells us about something, and it must make sense. 

Maths:

We are learning about Combining Groups - Addition. 

Tips for parents:

Combining quantities focuses on using addition to solve problems.

You can help your child at home by:

               *   practising quick recall of double numbers to 10. Use double domino tiles to extend thinking to doubling numbers to 20

               *   finding and discussing numbers in everyday life that are not meant to be used with place value, such as phone numbers, pin numbers, bus numbers and postcodes

               *   using number bonds, or ‘friends of 10’, to assist with simple addition and subtraction problems. For example, 4 + 6 = 10, 6 + 4 = 10, 10 - 4 = 6, 10 - 6 = 4

How To Teach Number Bonds? | Maths – No Problem!

               *   using number bonds to solve addition problems by making groups of 10.

For example, the problem of 26 + 8 can be solved by taking 4 from the 8 and adding it to the 26. The new problem of 30 + 4 is much easier to solve

               *   solving problems using their knowledge of doubles. For example, the problem 8 + 9 can been seen as double 8 (8 + 8) which is 16. Add one more to make 17

               *   building number bond knowledge to understand ‘friends of 20’. These number pairs are 11 and 9, 12 and 8, 13 and 7, 14 and 6, 15 and 5.

Science:

This term we will be learning about the needs of living things and we will design and make an environment for the needs of the animal.  

ANZAC Day:

It was very heartening to witness the children who were able to represent our school at the ANZAC Day parade. Thank you! 

As part of our focus and learning in Year 1 the children created their own ANZAC artwork, relating to a story we shared called ANZAC Ted. We were impressed! (The artwork is displayed ready for the Art Show.)

Year 1 enjoyed our excursion to the Gymnastics Shed this week.  It was enjoyable to see the children trying new things, listening and participating with enthusiasm and good skills.

Quick Reminders:

• Home Readers: Sent every Monday and Thursday.
• Talk Homework: Sent home with Home Readers each Monday. Accessible in Compass.
• PE: Thursday = Yellow sports uniform
• Library Day: Thursdays – don’t forget library bags
• Sports Day: Friday -Coloured shirts 
• Art Show: Week 2 - Tuesday 5th May, 5:30-6:30

Year 3

Year 3 attended gymnastic Wednesday morning. The students learnt a range of gymnastic skills while completing a circuit. Year 3 had a great time and are already asking when we can go again!

Year 5

As we start Term 2 we welcome two new students into our Year 5 cohort, Scarlett and Lily! 

Week 1 and 2 Commendation Recipients:

Living Well, Learning Well: 

As our Year 5 students continue to grow and develop, they often encounter the natural challenges that come with navigating complex friendships and discovering their place in the world. This journey of self-discovery can be rewarding, yet at times, difficult to manage. A significant focus in our classrooms has been on self-respect, kindness towards others, and the mindset students bring to school each day. To better understand these dynamics, students recently completed a confidential survey regarding their wellbeing in the classroom and on the playground. While the results highlighted that students are generally happy coming to school, they also revealed that some unkind behaviours are not being reported to staff, making it difficult to address these issues effectively. This feedback is essential for us to implement targeted strategies that ensure every child feels safe, valued, and respected. While we remain committed to fostering an inclusive environment, we urge parents to also have constructive conversations with our young people around positive relationships.

Brain Breaks: 

By taking 3–5 minutes between lessons to move, stretch, or play a quick game, our students:

• Boost Productivity: Shifting focus actually helps information stick.
• Reduce Stress: It clears the mental "clutter" before starting a new subject.

• Improve Focus: A quick burst of movement increases blood flow to the brain, making us ready to tackle the next task.

   

The children look forward to these moments! Whether it’s a high-energy "Just Dance" video, or a quick round of "Wordle," the classroom atmosphere instantly transforms.

Mathematics: 

To begin the term, Year 5 have been learning to collect and collate information as well as construct graphs. Students have been loving the social nature of this unit where they have had the opportunity to work in pairs and survey their peers on their chosen topic. 

Helping your child with representing and interpreting graphs and tables

• Measure the height or weight of your child and track the changes over time on a graph.
• The next time you come across a graph in a newspaper on a topic that would be interesting to your child, sit down together to try to interpret it. Work together to answer questions such as: What is this graph telling us? How do we know whether the information is true? Is there a different way of representing this information? Is there anything that you don't understand?
• ­Show your child household bills which include graphs, such as a water or an electricity account and ask questions such as, How much more or less water did we use this time compared to the last bill? How can we save more water? How much do you think our water usage will go down if we do that? How much money do you think we will save?

Year 6

Here are a few of the Big Writes Year 6 wrote in Week One persuading their audience of the need or lack of a need for rules.

We Need Rules

My friends, imagine a life without rules - Freedom, a life without responsibility and eternal happiness. 

Think Again!

No police, no punishments, no jail, eternal suffering, death, torture, robbery and no one to keep the economy thriving. Someone could kill you and get no punishment. Rules are the only thing keeping our economy together but the influence of this beastly world may have you considering alternatives. When the majority of the class said we don’t need rules I recognised the beast of foolishness had dawned upon a great number of you. I believe the sad reason for this is that our politics have failed us greatly and in many ways! This is why our generation should stop this monstrosity! We are the future’s only hope… The horrific powers of death, robbery and disunity will dawn upon us unless we change!

Villains would break into shops, markets and houses to rob the remaining things and never get affected by the law. Schools would get broken into and robbed of every last pencil shaving. The world would be a heap of empty houses ruled by crime lords. Hard working people would get robbed by people who never did anything to help another person. Money would become worthless as people could print their own money and the world would collapse, all because of YOU!!!

The economy would fall under no one's hands and civil wars would break out. Shops would get robbed until their last penny so they would not operate anymore. Farmers would get robbed of their cattle and  crops causing a major famine throughout countries and making many starve.  Inflation will rise faster than a rocket. Friends into enemies, allies into betrayal and unity into wars.

How many lives do you have on Earth? ONE (unless you are a cat) and that life is precious. With no rules preventing murder bad people will go around shooting random people. School shootings will happen daily with no police force to stop them. Houses would catch on fire and historic landmarks would become nothing but piles of black ash. Your ways of thinking are wrong. You don't know what will happen unless you realise the truth…

In conclusion, remember these words I have said. We have two paths in the future, one leads to suffering and war but the other one leads to hope and a better future (or Jesus comes back before we turn into dust and all that is remembered of us is our poetic gravestone). Goodbye my friends but may the words I have said settle deeply into your minds.

Breaking news!

Unjust rules in school!

By Reporter, Elise McMahon

Here, at the scene of the crime, teacher Mr Garraud tells the story:

“Since Tuesday, kids have been complaining about unjust rules in St Mary’s. No-Hat, no-play, no cake for students on teacher’s birthdays and must play on cold days have been targeted. I don’t know why! Maybe ask some of them!” 

Abigail, a girl in Year 6 Blue tells us about a particular unjust rule:

“ I am 100% sure that No-hat, no-play targets kids. If this rule was just, everyone would have to wear hats! Imagine Messi, about to walk on to the field, and the ref says, “ Everyone ready? Ugh… Messi! You need to wear a hat!”. 

No adult would wear a big floppy hat when playing a sport! Of course, kids who bring their hat must wear their hat, but the kids who forget can still play under shade like a tree, or in the shadow of a cloud! SO THERE! Okay, go away now, I need to get back to work because I have got an F- on every test so far! Bye!”

Now to Luke, a boy in Year 6 Blue, who has strong opinions on a certain rule:

“ So, you know how teachers get cake in the staff room on a teacher’s birthday? The students don’t get any! While the teachers decapitate the cake, the kids sit in agony doing maths. We want to celebrate too! If we got cake, we would get a reward for all of our hard work in class!

But, it isn’t only a good thing for the students, it’s good for the teachers too! They get more people to celebrate with, so it’s just like a huge party! If you are wondering how we would get cake for every kid in the school, we wouldn’t. 

Only on your home teacher’s birthday would their students get cake! If your home teacher doesn’t have a birthday on a school day, we can have cake on an available day! Trust me, it is totally worth it to change this rule!”

Leigh, a girl in Year 6 Blue dislikes a rule with passion:

“ When it’s really cold, we still have to play outside! The students get so cold, even with jackets and jumpers on, still cold! Even teachers suffer in the freezing air! NOT FUN! Yes, students like to play outside, but not when it is windy and yuck! 

When we are inside, most kids draw, play a board game, watch a movie or chat quietly with their friends. After staying inside peacefully, we are even more peaceful in class! No need for meditation, playing inside = peace! Just think about it!”

This situation is not yet under control, and many students have joined a protest and have a petition. To sign it, call 0427 860 342 or search Stmary’spetitionsigning.com.au. 

Thank you for listening to 

The news, news all day, every day, except on Sunday and Saturday!

 Should we have rules 

I can not believe that some people actually think it would be ok for the world not to have rules. Just think about it for a second, no rules means no police, no one to stop criminals, no stopping people from shooting others. The world would become a battlefield that no sane person would want to step into. 

First things first, if there are rules everyone has to go to school; and I know that doesn't sound very appealing for many people but if we didn't have to go to school there would be people in their 30s that still can’t read a menu. It would also mean that there would be a massive shortage of staff in common jobs like shopkeepers, bakers or even just any job that includes mathematical thinking. This could lead to things such as food shortages and not many trained teachers or medical professionals. 

Think about this for just a second, no rules means no limits. I know that might not sound like much but that can mean there could be absolutely ridiculous dangerous things happening like a five year old driving a car while there is a naked person running in the other direction. You see, we have all of these amazing rules to stop anarchy (people going crazy and doing anything they want) but removing them will just bring it back - what’s the point of having famous people write rules if we are just going to remove them all over again.

Rules also do the very important thing of not letting people get murdered: if we remove rules you're pretty much saying “Shoot me now.” If we removed rules the population would drop dramatically and there wouldn’t be anyone to do everyday jobs like teaching, shopkeeping and many more. Also, if nowhere was safe to go most people would just stay rotting in their house. This can negatively affect a person's mental health leading to loads of people suffering from things like depression and other mental health problems. 

To wrap this all up, we need to keep rules; because if we remove them the human population will end up going extinct pretty fast. It would happen from a mix of all different things but it will definitely eventually end up happening. So, never go around saying we don't need rules because people like that are the exact reason we need them.