Learning & Teaching 

TEACHING & LEARNING - Vira Pirrotta

TERM 4 - Health and Wellbeing Focus 

This term, the students will engage in many learning opportunities designed to deepen their understanding of how we change physically, emotionally and socially as we grow and develop and how we keep ourselves safe and healthy.  

Year 5 and 6 students 

The Year 5 to 6 students will participate in a parent-child session facilitated by Open Door on Wednesday, October 17th. At this session, the students and parents will participate in an online presentation about puberty that educates the students about physical changes for boys and girls and why they happen. They will discuss emotional ups and downs, how to handle them, and how to respect themselves and others.

Open Doors is a non-profit educational and counselling organisation that supports parents and educators with resources and programs about resilience, puberty, respectful relationships, sex education, and adolescent health. It is a values-based organisation endorsed by Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic School. 

The session will include:

• Introduction and Icebreaker activity 
• Introduction to puberty: a time of physical and emotional change; a time of questioning and sometimes worry.    
• Watch video 3. The content includes puberty facts for boys and girls and emotional ups and downs. Other messages include handling change and uncertainty, talking to a trusted grownup when you need support or information, identifying social media pressure (body perfection, selfie culture, viewing and sharing internet pornography), and acting in safe ways.
• Activity - parents & children complete a worksheet about puberty facts given in the video.
• Introduce and watch the section from video 2. Content - body systems, including the reproductive system, explanation of sexual intercourse and how a baby begins (given in the context of married love and including preliminary information about the menstrual cycle as it relates to conception). 
• Activity - parents and children complete a worksheet to help them remember facts about conception.
• Emotional aspects of growing up – recognising body signals when we are down and managing down times.
• Other messages include the importance of family, different types of families, and support networks.
• Guided conversations between parent/guardian and child about -

1. What makes us unique to each other
2. How parents and other support people can help us when we have a problem or need correct information
3. Practising how to make safe decisions when under pressure or feeling anxious, unsure or unsafe (cyber safety scenario)

• Concluding remarks and encouragement for parents to continue the conversations at home.
• Things to take home: The Girls’ Changes or Boys’ Changes brochure and Problem-Solving wallet card for the children; brochures, etc., are available for parents.

Foundation to Year 4 students 

The Foundation to Year 4 students will engage with picture storybooks and the Roar program to deepen their understanding of how we change physically, socially and emotionally. They will explore the following questions.

• How can we understand and manage our feelings?
• What can we do if they are feeling worried or unsafe in a situation? 
• What safe adults can help me if they are feeling unsafe? 
• What is public, and what is private?
• What public and private information do I share online? 
• Who is safe to talk to online? 

Parents, please be assured that each topic will be discussed at an age-appropriate level. 

Parents Session - Growing up Online run by CyberSafety Solutions - November 11th 2024 

The session  will cover the positive benefits of technology as well as what parents need to be aware of:

• Reality & Risk. The reality of the online world. It’s not a matter of if – rather than when.
• What are kids doing online. Learn the latest apps and platforms your kids are either on, want to be on or are being told about at school. TikTok, Omegle, Discord, Yolo, Wink & more.
• Online Grooming. What is it and when/how does it occur? Preventative measures. What are the warning signs & what should you do if you suspect this is happening to your child?
• Cyberbullying. What it is, where it happens, what it looks like, how to prevent it, and what to do if it occurs. Also the legal consequences and the possible criminal charges.
• Sharing Nudes. The taking and sending of explicit images.The social and emotional consequences as well as the Law and the serious issue of Sextortion.
• Problematic Gaming.  How to manage digital devices in your home to avoid problems and what to do if/when they arise.
• Exposure to damaging content. Including online pornography & site that encourage suicide, self-harm & eating disorders.
• Top Tips: How to assist the children in your care in staying safe online with rules, parental controls, and restriction passcodes.

 The session will conclude with time for questions.

LITERACY NEWS - Bernadette Parnis

Welcome back, everyone.

As always, our teachers have planned engaging learning experiences to enhance students' literacy skills. A new term presents fresh opportunities for growth and goal-setting, making it essential to establish effective home learning routines from the outset.

At St. Fidelis, reading is a vital component of homework. Students are expected to read each night for a designated period tailored to their year level. The importance of reading at home cannot be overstated.

For our junior school students, home readers are designed to build confidence in reading aloud with accuracy, fluency, and expression, while also nurturing a love of literature. These books should be manageable, allowing for 95-98% reading accuracy. Teachers regularly monitor your child’s progress and introduce more challenging texts during guided reading sessions.

The middle and senior school students can borrow books from our extensive library or classroom collection to read at home. Independent reading is crucial for improving comprehension, verbal fluency, and general knowledge. 

Research shows that students who read regularly become stronger readers, perform better on achievement tests across subjects, and possess greater content knowledge than their non-reading peers.

Reading aloud together is one of the most impactful activities parents can engage in with their children. By fostering a love for reading through shared experiences, you can significantly enhance their language, vocabulary, comprehension, social skills, and confidence as they read to you.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or want further information.

Bernadette Parnis

bparnis@sfmoreland.catholic.edu.au 

ITALIAN NEWS - Rosa Fokianos

BUONGIORNO!    

BENTORNATI  A TUTTI! (Welcome back, everyone!) 

I hope you all had a relaxing term break and are now ready for our final trimestre (term) of the year, a busy one at that! 🙂

Bentornata to Mrs Watson this week, who as you know went over to Italia towards the end of last term for a Principal’s Conference. I can’t wait to hear some of her stories including places that she visited whilst there. Bentornati also to a number of families in our school community that went overseas over the last few weeks, I’m sure you all have some amazing stories that you may like to share in class this term.

 Melbourne Italian Festa 2024 (MIF2024)

Over the weekend, ottobre 5 e 6, (as I mentioned in the last newsletter for Term 3), the Royal Exhibition Building hosted the second Melbourne Italian Festa. 

It was a jam packed Italian event that included children’s choirs - the inaugural "Zecchino d'Oro" in Melbourne show, dancing, a magic show, face painting, Italian travel information, car displays, cooking demonstrations and of course different food and wine stalls and lots more for everyone to enjoy. I was lucky to go ieri (yesterday) with my family and friends, where we looked around at all the stalls, listened to some music and ate some buonissimo cibo, including pizza,  pasta e cannoli.

I have included below some photos I took during the Festa. If you weren’t able to go this year, I hope this article has inspired you to perhaps go to next year’s Italian Festa. 

Alla prossima volta…Until next time.

Saluti da signora Rosa 🌹