NAPLAN - Parent Guide

NAPLAN will take place for students in Years 3 and 5 later this term. A Parent Guide will be attached to this newsletter to support families in understanding what NAPLAN is, how students are assessed, and how you can support your child at home. Please take some time to read through this information. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

Year Level Parent Information Handouts

This week, the Parent Information Handouts were distributed via Compass. These handouts contain information specific to each year level as well as general reminders for our whole school.

Mathematics Accelerated Program

This year, our school is taking part in the Mathematics Accelerator Program in partnership with MACS. This initiative focuses on building teacher expertise in explicit instruction, using student data carefully and responding to individual student learning needs. We will be working with mathematics experts, including Dr Ange Rogers. This is an excellent opportunity to strengthen our teaching practice and continue the work we have already begun through our Science of Learning journey across all learning areas.

Photo Permission

Today, we are sending home a new updated photo permission form. This has been a recent form updated by the Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools, our governing body.

This is a once-only form.

Once it has been completed and returned, you will not need to complete a new form each year. This will replace the orange form you would have recently filled out.

If you would like to update your permissions at any time, our administration team can assist you.

Rafael

Learning and Teaching & Digital Technologies Leader

Rafael.Fernandez@smcmeppingnth.catholic.edu.au

District Swimming

Congratulations to all our swimmers who not only attended the trials but also those who successfully made it through to the District carnival.

We had a record number of students try out to be in the team so the future of swimming is looking promising at SMCM.

From the district carnival we had many PBs and over 13 students have successfully made it to the next Divisional Carnival on March 5th at Broadmeadows pool.

Yolanda

Physical Education Teacher

Yolanda.Gross@smcmeppingnth.catholic.edu.au

Golden Children

Congratulations Henry (Yr 2 Creeds), Samaira (Yr 2 Greenfields), Liam (Yr 1 Peppercorn), Clarissa (Yr 4 Respect) and Tommy (Yr 4 Inspire), who all earned their Golden Child Award recently.

Due to personal reasons, I was away and unable to teach STEM in the final weeks of 2025, so I thought it fair to give the first two weeks of 2026, to earn the title of a 2025 Golden child, in which the above named 5 children did.

It was all 5 students' first time becoming a Golden Child and they all did extremely well to learn and share so many facts about so many different areas of learning. All students demonstrated perseverance and determination to share their knowledge in these to earn all 10 Stem Masters.

Well done to all 5 students on such a wonderful achievement!

(To earn the title of Golden Child, students must earn masters in and be able to name facts about: The planets, rainbows, bones, the solar system, clouds, the mouth, birds, towers, lightning and thunder and all 118 elements of the Periodic Table)

Mike

STEM Teacher

Michael.Caruana@smcmeppingnth.catholic.edu.au

Child Safety