SCHOOL OF WONDER

Merry Christmas!!

It has been a jam packed year of fun, growth and development by all members of the community (big and small), and it makes us so proud to be able to say we belong to the School of Wonder.

To our amazing educators, we are so lucky to have you, and the children are the beneficiaries of this on a daily basis. Without you, we wouldn’t be the safe, exciting and engaging space that we are.

To our families, your ongoing support and engagement ensure our children are able to be their best.

On behalf of Emma and I we wish all SOW families a safe and enjoyable holiday break. We hope you take time to stop and refresh during the busy Christmas season.

We look forward to seeing you all on Thursday 30 January, 2025 as we become a bigger school family of Foundation to Year 6!

-Emma & Kara, School Leaders

It was all about reflecting on the year that was at last week's School of Wonder Assembly – the final assembly for 2024. What a busy year it has been for SOW! We heard from the Foundation, Year 1/2s and Year 3/4s about some of the many things that have happened throughout the year with reflective videos and presentations.

The students assisted in putting together an Advent wreath, lighting the first candle as we patiently await Christmas. Students also watched a video which depicted the Christmas story.

It was also a chance to celebrate the amazing SOW staff. SOW Learning Mentors were given special thank you certificates for their awesome work throughout the year (the LSOs and specialist learning mentors will receive their certificates at the upcoming SOW celebration day during the last week of term).

A vast array of the School of Wonder student’s work was on display this week as families attending a huge Learning Expo.

Students from Foundation through to Year 4 showcased their incredible work from throughout the year.

It has been a huge year of learning and it’s great to see all the amazing things the children have been up to!

A huge congratulations to our students for their incredible efforts this year! You have grown so much and it has been fantastic to witness. 

 JESUS’ BIRTH STORY 

The Foundation students looked the part this morning as they acted out the birth of Jesus – a special moment that we recognise as Christmas draws near. The Nativity Play recreates the scene of Jesus' Birth and tells of how Mary and Joseph were visited by the Shepherds and Wise Men.

It is a reminder of the humble beginnings of Jesus and the love that God has for all of humanity. It is a story that has inspired people for centuries and continues to inspire us today.

The Foundation students did an amazing job participating in the SOW Christmas concert last Wednesday. Students sang Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer, Feliz Navida, Drummer Boy and This Is Me. 

Foundation students showcased their Term 4 Inquiry learning on Wednesday with families and friends. Students have inquired into the different ways we can express ourselves this term by exploring different authors and illustrators. Students learnt that stories are a form of expression and we all can express our ideas in lots of different ways. Students were very proud to share some of their author study work, including their Christmas Possum Magic recipe books, Hairy Maclary books, poetry books, The Gruffalo play, The Grinch puppet show and more.

Foundation students have begun preparing for Christmas in Religious Education. We have learnt about the meaning of Advent and have prepared our prayer spaces for the time of Advent. Students learnt about the meanings of important symbols during this time on our prayer table, like our wreath and advent candles.

Everyone had a great time at our SOW Christmas Concert last Wednesday. The Year 1/2 children sang Santa Claus is Coming to Town and Oh Happy Day with great enthusiasm. It was fantastic to see so many families enjoying the night. Big thank you to the Year 5s, Andrea, Ivy and Ellie for the Christmas Market which was a sell out. 

Transition Day was a great success on Tuesday 10 December. All the children were extremely excited and happy to be with their new learning mentor and to find out which space they will be in for 2025.

On Wednesday 11 December we showcased our work to parents and special visitors in the SOW learning spaces. The children were very proud of their work and the opportunity to share it meant so much to them.

Advent is a time when we prepare for the birth of Jesus. The Advent Wreath has been a central focus for our morning prayer during pastoral groups. The first purple candle is for Hope, the second purple candle is for Peace, the third candle is pink and is for Joy and the fourth candle is purple for love.

𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗮𝘀 𝗝𝗼𝘆

𝘎𝘰𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳, 𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘦.

The 3/4s have been exploring “𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘴 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺” by responding to the godly play. Their ideas and responses are nothing short of amazing! The detail into each representation depicting the birth of Jesus was pure 𝗷𝗼𝘆 to see.

Making a Splash at Aquamoves!

This week, children have been completing swimming lessons at Aquamoves, and what an adventure it’s been! From practicing water safety to perfecting their strokes, every session has been full of laughter, learning, and splashes of success.

Year 3 and 4's Magical Christmas Celebration

Our talented Year 3 and 4 students delivered an unforgettable evening of festive cheer, spreading holiday joy through music and song!  Highlights included a heartwarming rendition of 12 Days of Christmas with fun, creative lyrics that had everyone singing along, a lively performance of Jingle Bell Rock that got toes tapping and spirits soaring, and the soulful Little Drummer Boy, beautifully capturing the spirit of the season. The students inspired us all with This Is Me, a powerful anthem celebrating their resilience and growth after an incredible year of learning. It was a magical evening filled with music, joy, and the true spirit of Christmas! 

Inquiry Expo: 

Year 3 and 4 Simple Machine Expo: Innovating Solutions

Year 3 and 4 students amazed us with their creativity and problem-solving skills during their Simple Machine Showcase. As part of the Inquiry Unit How the World Works, they tackled real-world challenges such as lifting a log stuck on a road or transporting objects using an inclined plane.

Using materials like cardboard, bottle caps, and strings and among others, the students designed and constructed working simple machines, including levers, pulleys, and inclined planes. Their innovative creations brought practical solutions to life, showcasing the power of hands-on learning and inventive thinking!

During literacy lessons, the children have been researching Christmas traditions from around the world. They explored how different countries celebrate and crafted festive Christmas trees to display what they learnt about Christmas trees. 

Foundation

During this Term, Foundation students have explored a variety of cultural events celebrated in Italy such as Venice Carnivale, Paper lantern festival and of course, Christmas with La Befana which allowed students to create their very own masks, lanterns and La Befana dolls. We have also learned about the four seasons and the kind of weather you might expect for each season.  

Year 3/4

This term, the Year 3/4 students have been learning how to discuss the weather and have become weather presenters where they created a script, weather forecast and have presented the weather in Italian language.

Please support our staff, and remember that drop off for children is from 8:30am. This is when staff are on duty. Prior to this any staff onsite are preparing for the day ahead, duty of care requirements mean children onsite require supervision and doing this takes staff away from their important preparation time.

Collection from school: 3:15pm-3:30pm. This is when the North Yard is staffed. It is our duty of care from 3:30pm to relocate children still onsite into the admin entrance to await collection. After school is not a play time for down ball, sandpit, ball/running games etc.

Play after school should only take part with parent/carer supervision.

Kara McCann & Emma O’Keeffe - School of Wonder Leaders

kmccann@sackialla.catholic.edu.au

eokeeffe@sackialla.catholic.edu.au

We are committed & dedicated educators

Teaching and Learning:

Our aim as Educators is always to improve student learning outcomes for all our learners. We continue to strive to improve our professional practice to ensure that our learners get the very best learning opportunities and outcomes. Our SOW team works collaboratively to provide thought provoking learning experiences to our learners. Our learner assets (collaboration, communication, self-management, thinking and researching) are life long skills that set our young people up to life long learners and to continually question, explore and challenge their thinking. Please direct any teaching and learning inquiries to Kara McCann kmccann@sackialla.catholic.edu.au

Wellbeing:

Wellbeing is a holistic term that encompasses all aspects of a student's life, including their physical, social, mental and emotional state. It is often defined as a sustainable state of positive mood and attitude, resilience, and satisfaction with self, relationships and experiences at school.

Wellbeing at St Anne’s is driven by the themes of doing our best, allowing everyone to succeed. Please direct any wellbeing inquiries to Emma O'Keeffe eokeeffe@sackialla.catholic.edu.au