SCHOOL OF WONDER

I hope the long weekend treated everyone well and you were able to take some time to rest, recover and explore the passions and interests we can sometimes run out of time for. The weather was kind! 

Wet weather fun!

As previously communicated, children in the School of Wonder are welcome to bring their gumboots/umbrellas on days that are a little soggy. Children can change into their gumboots for recess and/or lunch time to explore the puddles safely. Please name your child's gumboots and pack a spare pair of socks just incase any water enters their boots.

Important upcoming dates:

June 18 - Student Free Day

June 27 - Year 3/4 Learning Expo

June 28 - Last Day of Term 2

August 22 - Book Week Dress-Up Day (info to follow)

August 23 - Student Free Day

SOW Assembly

Next SOW assembly - Monday 17 June - 3/4 Bliss

Arriving at school:

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.

SOW Leaders 

Emma O’Keeffe & Kara McCann

On Tuesdays at recess the School of Wonder students meet in Studio 2 to complete different arts and craft activities. Over the next few weeks, students will be making God Eyes, which will be hung in Amy and Cindy's learning spaces. A God's eye is a spiritual object made by weaving a design out of yarn upon a wooden cross. Often several colours are used. 

The School of Wonder children enjoyed getting outdoors today for physical education sessions with Learning Mentor Ryleigh last week.

Students participated in a variety of age-appropriate physical activities which focused on experimental fun as well as coordination. The students were able to gravitate to what activity they were eager to participate in and rotated throughout a variety of different activities throughout their sessions.

It’s great to see the smiles on the children’s faces as they enjoy being active and getting some fresh air in the school yard.

While this week in PE, the rainy weather gave the children an opportunity to explore the curriculum area of health and safety actions we take to keep both ourselves and others safe in the classroom, hallways and outside. 

Children created rough drafts of a poster and then completed a good copy which will be displayed in the relevant areas to serve as a reminder how and why we keep each other safe. Ryleigh was impressed with the creativity, knowledge and level of effort put into health and safety posters. 

Pizza Making

The Foundation children in Nikea's class have learnt how to make pizza from scratch. The activity comes after the class has inquired into different products and the process of change they go through from farm to plate. 

Over the past two weeks, the children have explored wheat farmers, making pizza dough and pizza sauce from scratch as wheat is used to make flour - a main ingredient in pizza. Tomatoes also come from a plant which we used to make our sauce.

Enjoy this fantastic video of the students talking about the process and what they learnt along the way:

This was followed by a visit from local Orchardist Nathan Barolli this week. Nathan explained his role as an Orchardist and the process fruit goes through before it arrives at the supermarket and in our lunchboxes. He also touched on the technologies used on the farm and what happens with apples/fruit that can't go to the supermarket.

He bought in some fresh Pink Lady and Granny Smith apples straight from the cool room for us to enjoy!

Check out the video of the students during the visit below:

St Anne's College Visual Arts Learning , Mark Almond, demonstrated a landscape watercolour painting for the Year 1/2 children. Mark talked about creating art using different mediums, and painted a picture live in front of the children discussing technique, tools/materials, depth, and the thinking that artists do when they create art. Mark discussed how ‘artists don’t make mistakes’ but they turn their errors into ‘something else’ in the picture. 

Mixed Media Artworks

Students in 1/2LH utilised a variety of different mediums to create beautiful artworks in class today. Some of the methods included painting, collages and scrunched up crepe paper. It is so enjoyable seeing the children utilising their imaginations and being creative in class! The student's drew inspiration from everything - with one student saying crepe paper artwork was inspired by an upcoming family holiday to visit her grandparents.

They proudly shared their artworks with the Year 5 students who were wonderful participants, engaging enthusiastically with the Year 1/2 children, asking questions and investigating into what they had painted and why. They then provided feedback to the group about what they noticed.

St Vincent de Paul visit

It’s all about giving a ‘hand up’ and not a ‘hand out’ – that’s the important message the Year 1 and 2 children received this morning when they heard from Ray Holland from the Shepparton South branch of the St Vincent de Paul Society or ‘Vinnies’.

Ray spoke with students about St Vincent’s incredible life, becoming a priest at 19 and dedicating his whole life to helping those in need until his death at age 79. St Vincent worked tirelessly throughout his life to draw attention to the needs of the poor. 

Ray inspired the children to demonstrate these values and thanked them for all the ways they have already contributed to Vinnies through the St Anne’s College community.

The children were curious during a question and answer session and asked lots of questions about St Vincent and his life as well as how Vinnies assists people today.

Starting with just five people, the organisation has grown to 800,000 people worldwide who volunteer in 155 countries, assisting around 30 million people every day!

Vinnies came to Australia in 1853 and there are 4000 members in Australia today, known as ‘Vincentians’.

Ray encouraged the children to think of all the ways they could give someone a ‘hand up’ from simply donating warm clothes or blankets this winter to helping Vinnies buy much-needed food vouchers for Shepparton residents in-need. 

Thank you to Ray for sharing his knowledge with the children and for inspiring them with ways they can have deep compassion for others. The presentation formed part of the Year 1 and 2 Religious Education Unit - Called to Mission - and how we care for others.

Mini Expo

The Year 1/2 students in LH and CL shared their learning via a mini expo this week. Children experienced stories - 'Zaccheus' or 'Jetty Jumping' - which we reflected using art and digital images, and then set up a display to share. 1/2LH visited 1/2CL, then 1/2CL visited 1/2LH. Children were very confident and capable speakers, they asked great questions and were respectful to each others reflections.

Children in Year 3/4 have started designing a new communication device. Some students chose to collaborate with their fellow students while others chose to work independently to strengthen their self-managing skills. Students have come up with some exciting designs which they will begin making later this week. 

Religious Education

Children have been unpacking ‘The Prodigal Son’ as part of their Religious Education unit. Last week Kara and 3/4AW reflected on the story through Godly Play. Godly Play is an experience of hearing a story told orally, with props/figures used to ‘show’. Children were then invited to express their wonderings about the story in their own way, using a variety of mediums - written, drawn, created, acted out, etc.

The reflection can take on the retell of the bible version, a connection to the message or lesson from the story, or a personal connection to an experience like that in the story. The children were very reflective, reverent, and respectful.

Learning Expo

The Year 3/4 children will hold a Learning Expo to show what they have been completing as part of their school work around the idea of communication. The children have been learning about the various methods of communication during the unit. Children will showcase their designed and developed method of communication and its features during the expo. 

WHEN: Thursday 27 June, 2:30pm - 3pm

Parents/carers and family members are welcome. Please enter via the double doors near the wooden steps between the two Foundation classrooms, where there will be a sign-in form. Please ensure you complete this form before entering the expo. 

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.

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