Photo Gallery & Classroom Learning

Kindergarten - Welcome to school!

Religion

On Shrove Tuesday, our Kindergarten students enjoyed a very special treat when their Year 6 buddies came to visit and serve them delicious pancakes. The older students did a wonderful job helping, and sharing the celebration, showing great leadership and kindness. It was a lovely opportunity for our Kindergarten and Year 6 students to connect, and everyone enjoyed the tasty pancakes and time spent together before Lent.

On Land Swimming Games

While the other classes were at the pool, our kindergarten students had plenty of fun enjoying their own water-themed activities. They took part in exciting noodle races, practiced their “swimming” skills by moving through hoops, and "splashed" around playing sharks in the water. It was a joyful time filled with laughter, teamwork, and lots of smiles!

Mathematics 

This week in Maths, we began an exciting new topic on patterns. Students have been exploring, identifying, and creating repeating patterns using colours, shapes, numbers, and objects. They have enjoyed spotting patterns in everyday life and explaining the rule that makes each pattern continue. It has been wonderful to see their growing confidence as they build, extend, and describe their own patterns!

Year 1 

ENGLISH - planning for our Big Write on Friday about being a Superhero.

Morning Play - Students have the opportunity to connect with their friends and prepare themselves for the school day when they arrive prior to the school bell at 8:50am.

Swimming Carnival - the children had a great time at the Swimming Carnival on Monday

Year 3 

Growing Together, Learning Every Day

It’s hard to believe we are already at the halfway mark of Term 1! We are absolutely thrilled with how the Year 3 cohort has settled into the routines of the more structured classroom learning. 

📚 Learning Spotlight

Here is a look at what we’ve been exploring in the classroom:

• English: We are becoming Reading Detectives! This week, we focused on "Inference"—learning how to find clues in the text that the author doesn't explicitly tell us. Ask your child what "reading between the lines" means tonight!
• Mathematics: Our focus has been on Place Value. We’ve been working with four-digit numbers, mastering how to expand them (e.g., $3,452 = 3000 + 400 + 50 + 2$).

• Science: We have been learning that there are three stages of matter- Solids, Liquids and gasses.

   

💡 Tips for Home

Now that the initial excitement of the new year has calmed, students might start feeling the "Week 5 slump." To keep the momentum going:

1. The 15-Minute Rule: Aim for 15 minutes of independent or shared reading each night. It makes a world of difference in vocabulary building.

2. Number Talk: While driving or at the shops, ask your child to identify the value of digits in larger numbers (e.g., "In the number on that sign, is the 5 in the hundreds or tens place?").

    

🗓️ Dates to Remember

• Library Day: Thursday — please remember your library bags!
• Home reading journals: Friday + timestables 
• NAPLAN Practice: We will be doing some low-stress "familiarisation" activities in class next week to help students feel comfortable with the format
• Big Write- Thursday: see below the tips to prepare at home...

🏆 Weekly Wins

A huge shout-out to Year three for their reverence during the Ash Wednesday Mass. 

Year 4 

Congratulations to Year 4 for your participation and reverence at our Ash Wednesday Mass this week.

Just a reminder: We are looking forward to seeing you all at our Year 4 Parent Information night on Monday 23rd February commencing at 5:30pm.

English - Book Study “The Island” by John Heffernan - Peter Sheehan

How do we find happiness? And once we find it, how do we hold on to it?

“This book tells the story of an island on which a hard-working tribe lives. They rarely smiled, and never laughed, and although there was much beauty on the island, no one noticed. No one, that is, except a little blind boy.”

“The blind boy brings happiness to the people of the island. He shows them how to laugh. But that’s not enough for them. They want to capture this happiness and keep it forever.”

“If only they knew.”

Mathematics - Representing Numbers using Place Value

Tips for parents:

Rounding can be a very challenging concept for many students. Most of the time students try to memorise the rules: if the number to the right is less than 5, round down; if it is 5 or greater, round up. This is a good rule if students are rounding a bunch of numbers on a worksheet for rote practice but not when they are trying to relate rounding to estimating or real-world concepts. The more you practise rounding in everyday situations with your child, the more links to estimating will occur.

We really want students to see the entire number and how that number relates to other numbers near it. Increasing children's understanding of rounding will develop their number sense at a deeper level.  It helps for children to make connections to numbers and see logical progression between numbers.  Below are several rounding games/activities to play with your children to develop their rounding skills and build their number sense.

GaGa Fun in Year 4

Year 5

What a fantastic week we have had in Year 5! So many excited faces ready to cheer on their sporting houses and compete in the Swimming Carnival. 

Just a reminder: We are looking forward to seeing you all at our Year 5 Parent Information night on Wednesday 25th February commencing at 5:30pm in the Year 5 classrooms.

Commendation Recipients

Each week, class teachers select students who have repeatedly demonstrated the core values of St. Mary's - Living Well, Learning Well. Students are selected for being a Learner, being Safe, or showing Respect and kindness toward others. 

English 

This term, our classroom has been transformed into a hub of creativity as we dive deep into the world of narrative and descriptive writing. We aren’t just writing stories; we are learning how to build worlds and hook our readers from the very first sentence.Forget "Once upon a time"... we have been perfecting the art of the Sizzling Start, learning to drop our readers straight into the action, a moment of suspense, or a vivid description to grab their attention immediately. We are also exploring how a strong narrative structure ensures our stories have a clear direction, building tension until we reach that "aha!" moment. 

Year 5 are learning to take ownership of our growth through our "Bump It Up" wall. This visual tool allows us to look at different levels of writing samples, identify where our own work currently sits, and see exactly what "ingredients" we need to add to our writing to reach the next level of excellence. This helps students learn that our literacy journey doesn't stop at just writing. During reading sessions, we are using Reading Strategies to dig deeper into the texts we encounter. By constantly predicting, questioning, and making connections (text-to-self, text-to-text, and text-to-world), we are becoming more thoughtful and critical thinkers.

Religion

This week, our community transitioned from the celebration of Shrove Tuesday into the quiet reflection of the Lenten season.

We kicked things off with plenty of pancakes, a delicious reminder of the tradition of using up rich foods before the fast begins. But beyond the syrup and sprinkles, our students explored the deeper meaning of "shriving": the act of clearing the heart and preparing ourselves for something greater. We are learning that Lent isn’t just about giving things up, but about making room for what matters most. By practicing the three pillars of prayer, fasting, and kindness, we are working to tidy our hearts and prepare ourselves for the joy of Easter.

CAPA - Creative Arts

In Creative Arts, students have been exploring the human form. They have been focusing specifically on mastering individual facial features and practicing the use of correct proportions while drawing self-portraits. Looking ahead, students are now taking their knowledge of 'old' and 'new' to collaborate on a unique art piece which will be entered into the Armidale Art Show. We look forward to sharing more details on their progress and the final artwork soon. Watch this space!

Swimming Carnival

Off Year 5 go to the Swimming Carnival...

Year 5 buddies up with Year 1

There’s nothing quite like the buzz of new friendships! This week, our Year 5 students officially teamed up with their Year 1 buddies for morning tea. It was wonderful to see our Year 5's stepping up as mentors and our juniors beaming with pride as they got to know their new "big" friends. Our buddy system is about so much more than just a snack together. By pairing older and younger students, we create a school environment where everyone feels safe and welcome. These relationships help our Year 1 students feel a true sense of belonging, while giving the older students a chance to practice leadership, empathy, and responsibility.

Year 6

Shrove Tuesday

On Shrove Tuesday Year 6 lived up to our school motto of Serviam (to serve) by preparing and serving pancakes for their kinder buddies. We then linked the experience to our learning in science around reversible and irreversible changes and the changes in the state of matter that occurred to the ingredients when preparing and cooking the pancakes.

Maths 

Over the past week students have been learning to use vertical and horizontal number lines and using the term integer to describe whole numbers.

Tips for parents:

• Use Real-Life Examples:
  • Relate the concept of positive and negative integers to everyday situations. For example, use a bank account to explain deposits (positive) and withdrawals (negative).
• Visual Aids:
  • Utilise visual aids like number lines, counters, or colored chips. These can help children visualise the concept and understand the direction of positive and negative numbers.
• Temperature Analogy:
  • Explain the concept of positive and negative numbers using the analogy of temperature. Positive numbers could represent above-zero temperatures, while negative numbers represent below-zero temperatures.
• Consistent Language:
  • Use consistent language when referring to positive and negative numbers. For example, always refer to moving to the right on a number line as adding, and moving to the left as subtracting.
• Real-world Scenarios:
  • Provide examples of real-world scenarios where positive and negative integers are used, such as elevations above and below sea level or gains and losses in a sports game.

Here are some tips for parents to help their children navigate the new school year:

1. Create a Routine

• Establish a consistent daily schedule, including wake-up times, meals, homework, and bedtime. A routine can help reduce anxiety and ensure students are prepared and organized.

2. Stay Positive and Encouraging

• Encourage your child by focusing on the positives. Talk about exciting opportunities and new experiences the new school year might bring, rather than stressing over challenges.

3. Open Communication

• Keep an open line of communication with both your child and their teachers. Make sure your child feels comfortable discussing any concerns or challenges they face.

4. Get to Know the School and Its Expectations

• Familiarise yourself with the school’s policies, events, and goals for the year. This will help you stay informed and better support your child.

5. Prepare for School Supplies Early

• Help your child get organised by shopping for necessary school supplies ahead of time. This can minimise last-minute stress and make them feel more prepared.

6. Encourage a Growth Mindset

• Remind your child that challenges and mistakes are part of the learning process. Encourage them to embrace setbacks as opportunities to grow.

7. Stay Involved

• Attend school events such as parent-teacher meetings or school orientations. Staying involved lets your child know you care about their education and gives you insight into their school environment.

8. Promote Good Study Habits

• Help your child establish effective study routines, break large tasks into manageable chunks, and encourage regular review of class materials to build confidence and mastery.

9. Support Social Connections

• If your child is starting a new school or class, help them with social situations. Encourage them to make new friends, join extracurricular activities, and practice good social skills.

10. Address Anxiety

• Some students may feel anxious about the new school year. Talk openly about their concerns and provide strategies for managing stress, such as deep breathing exercises or visualizing success.

11. Celebrate Achievements

• Celebrate the small victories and accomplishments your child achieves throughout the year to help build confidence and reinforce positive behavior.