Learning & Teaching 

LITERACY - Vira Pirrotta

Reading at Home 

In today's busy world, many parents are juggling multiple responsibilities, after-school activities and work commitments, making it challenging to find a time to read with your child. However, reading together and listening to your child read aloud is one of the most valuable investments a parent can make in a child's reading development. 

Reading aloud to a parent is so important as students not only improve their fluency but build their understanding of the text they are reading. Fluency is reading a text accurately, quickly, and with expression. Reading aloud naturally encourages fluency as readers aim for clarity in their vocalizations. 

Both reading aloud and fluency play an important role in ensuring effective comprehension and fostering a love for reading. When children read aloud, students become more conscious of the text. This consciousness often results in better comprehension because the reader has to process the information at multiple levels: seeing the word, vocalising it, and hearing it.

Reading aloud helps readers, especially young learners, improve their pronunciation. It also provides an opportunity to pause and understand unfamiliar words, thereby expanding vocabulary. For beginner readers, successfully reading a passage aloud can also be a significant confidence booster. It reinforces their capability and motivates them to take on more challenging texts. Fluent readers recognise words and comprehend them simultaneously, making reading a more enjoyable and efficient experience.

Parents, listening to a child read aloud provides an immediate opportunity for feedback. They can correct mispronunciations, discuss challenging words, or tackle misunderstandings about the text on the spot.  

As the school year comes to an end it is important that we continue reading every night with our children. Remember every story shared is a lesson learned and a step towards fostering a lifelong love of reading. 

Which student will you expect to be more successful in school and life?

SPS SPEECH PARENT INFORMATION SESSION 

9 am - Wednesday 25th October 

STEM SPACE 

Teaching your child something new can feel overwhelming. Where do we start? What can we do to help our child learn effectively? Cognitive Load Theory breaks down how our brains learn. Come along to hear more about how our brain holds information and some daily practical ways you can improve your child's learning. Lizzy Williams will also answer any questions you have about speech pathologist services at St. Fidelis. 

Speech box - Cognitive Load Theory.pdf

CURRICULUM OVERVIEWS 

As part of our reporting process, our teachers and specialists provide an overview outlining the key learning and events of the term ahead. We welcome any parent involvement in any of our programs.

Please find attached the Term 4 Curriculum Overviews for each Year Level. 

Have a lovely week,

Vira

SUSTAINABILITY - Annette Gasbaroo

What is happening in Sustainability?

Indigenous Garden

Our Year 5/6 Indigenous Garden group are continuing to research and prepare our proposed garden space.  Last week our learners engaged in researching and sorting out our existing plants. They discovered that we have a few existing indigenous plants that are suitable for our Indigenous Garden.

They began by cleaning up the existing area and sorting out what plants are suited for the proposed space. 

We are excited to announce that in partnership with Angela Foley from Merri-Bek Council we will be working together to establish our Indigenous Garden. Angela Foley met with a few students to discuss the possibilities of creating our Garden. Going further, Angela will engage with our children providing them the opportunity to establish our Indigenous Garden.  We look forward to working in partnership with Angela. 

Remembrance Garden

Our Foundation to Year Four learners continue researching, preparing, maintaining and establishing our Remembrance Garden.  The children engaged in researching what plants would be suited for our Garden.  They discovered that the following roses: 'Remember', 'Loving Memory' and 'Spirit of Gallipoli', are a variety of roses that represent Remembrance Day and how significant they are for this special celebration. 

Other flowers that represent Remembrance Day are Rosemary, Poppies, Daisies and Forget-me-knots. These flowers including the roses have been planted in our Remembrance Day garden planter boxes. This week our learners will continue planting, preparing and maintaining our planter boxes. 

Annette 

NUMERACY - Colleen Monaghan

Congratulations

A huge congratulations to: 

• Xavier Carr (Yr. 6) for his amazing score in the Australasian Primary School Maths Olympiad (APSMO). He received the highest score for our St. Fidelis team.  One-off a perfect score!
• Maya Woodhouse (Yr. 6) for achieving the second-highest score in this year's APSMO
• Christian Pappas & Ethan Mercadante (Yr. 6) for achieving 3rd place.
• Madeleine Leahy (Yr. 6) for receiving the Excellent Effort Award. 
• Caleb Porter (Year 4) for receiving the Budding Star award.

Well done to all who participated this year and represented our school. 

Maths Games' Days

As previously listed, these games days will be as follows: (We really could do with parents in the morning session for the juniors, middle and senior days. Thanks to all who have offered their time.)

Juniors 1/2 - Thursday 26th October 

Foundations – Wednesday 1st November 

Middles – Thursday  9th November 

Seniors – Thursday 23rd November 

We are inviting parents to come along to the day and help us with the sessions. If you are available for all of the day, some of the day or one session please let me know. I would love to see as many as possible on these days.  It is lovely hearing the kids so excited for the day, especially those who enjoyed these days in previous years.

STEM - Joe Frazzetto

LEGO MASTER- RYAN EVANS 

Last Thursday, Ryan Evans, a LEGO MASTERS finalist, attended St Fidelis to facilitate a group of our Year 6 students who have been selected to participate in the First LEGO League Challenge on Monday 13th November 2023 hosted by St Oliver Plunkett Primary School Pascoe Vale Primary School. 

The first LEGO League is a friendly competition. At the heart of the challenge, teams of students ages between 9-16 engage in research, problem-solving, coding and engineering – building and programming a LEGO robot that navigates the missions of a robot game. As part of the Challenge, teams also participate in a research project to identify and solve a relevant real-world problem. 

The FIRST LEGO LEAGUE'S philosophies include: 

• Discovery: We explore new skills and ideas.

• Innovation: We use creativity and persistence to solve problems.

• Impact: We apply what we learn to improve our world.

• Inclusion: We respect each other and embrace our differences.

• Teamwork: We are stronger when we work together.

• Fun: We enjoy and celebrate what we do!

Ryan Evans entertained and explained to the students how to design and code robots to complete specific tasks using the LEGO Spike Prime kit and program. It was great to see the students be creative, imaginative and eager to problem-solve the challenges. Ryan was very impressed with the 10 students and believes they will do well in the challenges. Ryan Evans sent an email after working with the students, 

“I had an absolutely awesome day with you and the team yesterday! Such a lovely bunch and your team is fabulous.”

The next few Fridays, the First LEGO League Squad will be organising, preparing and training for this major event. Our team is called the St Fidelis Robo League. We wish the squad the best of luck in the coming weeks. 

Daniel Gaffney,  Madeleine Leahy, Maya Woodhouse, Isabella Joson, Raphael Sicura, Emily Mallaurino, Catherine Francione, Luca Sortino, Christian Xerri, Ethan Mercadante

We look forward to a great day for our very FIRST LEGO LEAGUE Challenge Competition.

STEM MAD SHOWCASE

Congratulations to: Zara Azzopardi, Erica DeFazio, Gemma Piotti, Mia Nightingale and Scarlett Falsetta Spina. Their prototype, The Carbon Eliminator, was runners up in the category of the  Royal Botanical Gardens Victoria Inspired by Nature Award Primary.

The Carbon Eliminator

The Carbon Eliminator is a revolutionary technology that will enable to biomici a flower by going through the photosynthesis process. However, the Carbon Eliminator is the height of the Wind Turbine, it is self-sustainable, and it transforms carbon dioxide into fresh oxygen. This technology will be constructed and built in areas where deforestation and industrial mining have occurred, such as the Brazilian rainforest. By the Carbon Eliminators biomici the photosynthesis process around the world, this will hopefully support and heal the planet’s environment and produce a cleaner environment for future generations.

Visual Art - Joe Frazzetto

View the YouTube Video to see the wonderful artwork from the Year 3/4 students working with pastels and paint to create what they believe ‘Our Place in Space’ looks like. And the Year 5/6 students explored a variety of Artists and their artwork. Studying the artists’ artwork, transferring parts of the artwork to design and create a paper mache mask. 

SPORT & PE - Michael Jennings

Congratulations to Sebastian, Louis & Harry who competed in a three-day tournament in Shepparton this weekend. Their team was not defeated or conceded any goals throughout the entire tournament and won against Geelong in a nail-biting final to take out the 2023 Liga Cup. Champions!!!