Primary News
Melanie Sluyters
Collaboration between home and school is the key to unlocking a child's full potential.
In the journey of education, one of the most powerful forces for a child's success is the partnership between parents/carers and teachers. When these two influential adults in a child's life work together, communicate effectively, and support each other, the path to academic and personal growth becomes much smoother.
For parents of daughters especially, this collaboration can make all the difference in nurturing confidence, curiosity, and achievement. By establishing a strong working relationship with your daughter's teacher, you create a support system that spans both home and school - the two environments where she spends most of her time.
The parent-teacher relationship is not simply about attending scheduled conferences or signing permission slips. It's about creating an ongoing dialogue that centers on your daughter's unique needs, strengths, and challenges.
When parents and teachers work together effectively:
- Your daughter receives consistent messages about the importance of education
- Academic or behavioural issues can be addressed promptly from both sides
- Teachers gain valuable insights about your child's home life and learning style
- Parents understand classroom expectations and can reinforce learning at home
- Your daughter sees that the important adults in her life are working together
Every child faces obstacles in their educational journey. When difficulties arise for your daughter, approaching them as a team with her teacher creates a powerful problem-solving force.
Rather than positioning yourself against the teacher or school, frame conversations around "How can we work together to help her succeed?" This collaborative approach keeps the focus where it belongs - on your daughter's needs, and avoids the adversarial stance that can develop when communication breaks down.
Partnership isn't just about solving problems. It's also about celebrating achievements, both large and small. When your daughter reaches a milestone, overcomes a challenge, or shows improvement, share this joy with her teacher. These positive exchanges strengthen your working relationship and reinforce your shared commitment to your daughter's growth.
The partnership you build with your daughter's teacher does more than support her current academic year. It models healthy collaboration and problem-solving that she will carry forward into future relationships. By witnessing how you and her teacher work together respectfully and effectively, she learns valuable lessons about communication, respect, and the power of teamwork.
A successful educational journey for your daughter isn't determined solely by test scores or marks. It's measured by her development as a confident, curious, and engaged learner. When parents/carers and teachers join forces, they create the conditions for this success to flourish—not just for one school year, but for a lifetime of learning.
Learning Conversations
With the above in mind, a reminder that our Learning Conversations will be held in the Cahill Centre (College Hall) on Thursday, March 27 and Tuesday, April 1. All parents with children from Kindergarten to Year 6 are asked to attend these important discussions about your child's progress. Students in Years 5 and 6 are expected to attend and participate in these conversations. The booking system was sent home last week - if you haven't yet scheduled your appointment, please do so as soon as possible and if you are having issues please do not hesitate to contact Student Services on 62167900.
Community Culture
Parents demonstrating respect toward College staff creates a positive and collaborative environment essential for student success. When parents adhere to the established behaviour policy, they model appropriate conduct for their children while fostering productive communication channels with educators. Additionally, respectful interactions preserve the professional learning environment, allowing educators to focus on their primary mission of educating students. A copy of the policy linked to positive behaviours is available on the College website.
Our Positive Primary Culture
Each Friday our students are recognised by the Primary community for one or more of the following values - Respect, Resilience, Compassion and Contribution. Below are our award recipients from the last two Friday gatherings.
| Student | Value/s Celebrated | Reason | Nominated by |
|---|---|---|---|
Elsie Davis (Yr 3) | Contribution Compassion | For her exceptional kindness and genuine care towards her classmates, as well as her consistent dedication to learning through focused participation, thoughtful contributions, and always putting forth her best effort. | Mrs Hall and Ms Wallace |
Hazel Holden (Prep) | Respect Compassion | For being a friendly classmate and for greeting others with a hello and big smile. | Ms Wheeldon |
Harriet Kennedy (Yr 2) | Resilience | For never giving up, even during tricky lessons. Harriet has been working hard and making a lot of progress in English. | Ms Thatcher |
Ella Brooks (Yr 6) | Resilience | For her perseverance and determination in tackling challenging math problems. Despite the difficulties, Ella showed incredible resilience and dedication, ultimately succeeding in completing her math task. | Mrs Fazackerley |
Hazel Maslin (Yr 3) | Contribution | For her valuable contributions, consistent and active participation in lessons, sharing her insightful ideas, and demonstrating a genuine eagerness to learn and grow. | Mrs Hall and Ms Wallace |
Jennifer Hu (Yr 2) | Compassion | For always waiting for her friends before going out to recess or lunch. Jennifer is gentle and kind to everyone. | Ms Thatcher |
Christelle Ghanam (Yr 6) | Compassion | For showing care and compassion towards staff and other students | Mr Pikunic |
Mavis Miller (Yr 1) | Respect and Resilience | For always showing care as she interacts with her peers and teachers. Mavis is thoughtful and kind, and always talks through any worries or problems. | Mrs Murphy |
Nora Binny (Yr 1) | Compassion | For her thoughtful prayers for others and kindness towards her classmates. | Mrs Murphy |
Chess
Each Tuesday in the College Library our Primary students come together to participate in Chess sessions. At the moment we have students from Year 1 - Year 6 but we would love to see any Year 7 or 8 students in these sessions.
Noodles
I kindly ask that you refrain from sending 2-minute noodles and a thermos of boiling hot water to school for your daughter’s lunch. I am more than okay with students bringing warm food in a thermos but when constructing it on site and trying to balance open dry noodles and hot water there is a significant risk of burns. Thank you for helping keep all our students safe.
End of the day - OSHC
A message from our OSHC team that if you are going to collect your daughter please ensure you have communicated this with the team through KidsSoft.
Palm Sunday and Stations of the Cross
Participating in Palm Sunday reenactments and Stations of the Cross provides irreplaceable spiritual formation opportunities. These sacred traditions bring the Easter story to life, allowing students to personally connect with Jesus's journey and sacrifice. By actively participating in Palm Sunday celebrations waving palms and proclaiming "Hosanna”, children experience the joyful welcome Jesus received entering Jerusalem. Walking through the Stations of the Cross develops empathy and understanding of Christ's suffering while teaching vital lessons about faith, perseverance, and redemption.
These immersive experiences help children internalise Catholic teachings beyond classroom instruction, fostering deeper religious identity and creating meaningful memories that strengthen their relationship with God and community.
Letters went home last week informing parents about our two upcoming liturgies, Palm Sunday Reenactment and Stations Of the Cross. All parents are welcome to attend either liturgy with the Palm Sunday Reenactment for Early Years on Monday 7 April at 12:00pm and Stations of the Cross being presented to the whole Primary at 12:00pm on Thursday 10 April.
Traffic - Road Safety
Our Kiss and Drop is designed for quick, safe drop-offs and pick-ups. When using these zones, pull completely into the designated area, stay in your vehicle, and have children exit or enter as quickly and safely as possible from the left hand side of the car. Never call or beckon your child across the road, as this creates a serious safety hazard. Instead, always park legally and walk to meet your child if they are in the College grounds.