Classroom News
PREP
We are flying through this term in every sense of the word - it's gone so fast, we are learning so much and having the best time.
We have concluded our subtraction unit and are moving on to place value skills ready to hit the ground running in term 3.
We are very impressed with how our Preps have picked up our new sounds and heart words in stage three. The word ‘was’ has been our big focus as the a is making the /o/ sound and the s is making the /z/ sound. We are learning to recognise this word and spell it off by heart.
We have been delving into our social explorers learning and have read all 5 books. We are incorporating this social language into everyday scenarios inside and outside of our classroom.
We look forward to the last few weeks of term!
Archie - ‘I like to play in the playground and do the school work.’
Kaythriel - ‘Playing with my friends in the playground.’
Scarlett - ‘I like doing science, I like playing in the playground and I like sport games.’
Henry M - ‘I like playing footy on the oval with my friends and playing soccer with my friends too.’
Gemma Blake gblake@smcolac.catholic.edu.au
Elissa Rodger erodger@smcolac.catholic.edu.au
GRADE 1
We hope all our families enjoyed the long weekend. Despite the wet and chilly weather, the three day break was a welcome one.
It’s been a busy time in Year 1 as we complete assessments in preparation for reports and Learning Conversations. In literacy, the children have enjoyed exploring Fantastic Mr Fox, comparing the written text with the film version. We look forward to sharing their learning with you during our upcoming conversations.
In Maths, the children have completed a unit on measurement, using informal units through hands-on tasks to explore and develop the language needed to understand key measurement concepts.
Last Friday, Leah and Judy’s class led a beautiful Prayer Gathering. Tomorrow morning, it will be Bec and Paula’s class turn to share their Prayer Gathering in the church. We warmly welcome all Year 1 families to join us in prayer. It is a wonderful opportunity to see what your child has been learning about in Religious Education.
A few friendly reminders:
Fruit Break: We have fruit break each day, and we’re noticing more students arriving without fruit and requesting to get some from the staffroom. As there is not always fruit available, we kindly ask families to pack fruit each day.
Cold Weather: With the colder weather settling in, please ensure your child has a jumper and an extra layer to wear during break times. For our bus travellers, a coat is also recommended as they move between the classroom, bus line, and the bus itself.
Leah Martin lmartin@smcolac.catholic.edu.au
Rebecca Murray rmurray@smcolac.catholic.edu.au
Judy Carr jcarr@smcolac.catholic.edu.au
Paula Parish pparish@smcolac.catholic.edu.au
GRADE 2
It’s been another busy and productive week in Year 2! We are thrilled to have completed all of our assessments and could not be prouder of the progress each student has made. We look forward to sharing their achievements with you during our upcoming Learning Conversations in the final week of term.
Literacy Booster Packs: This week, all Year 2 students received a Literacy Booster Pack. These are not intended to be extra homework, but rather optional tools to support your child’s reading development at home. The goal is to build fluency and pacing, as well as to practise decoding nonsense words with greater speed and accuracy.A fun way to use the passages is to set a one-minute timer and see how far your child can read—then try to beat that score the next night! Repeated reading of the same passage helps build fluency and confidence. Thank you for supporting your child’s reading journey in whatever way works best for your family.
In Numeracy, we have been exploring a range of addition strategies. These include:
Using a number line to jump in parts
Identifying and working with fact families (e.g., 3 + 4 = 7, 4 + 3 = 7, 7 - 4 = 3, 7 - 3 = 4)
Counting on from the larger number to solve equations
These strategies help build number flexibility and mental maths confidence.
As the weather turns colder in the mornings, we’ve noticed a lot of jumpers being taken off and left behind. Please make sure your child’s name is clearly labelled on all clothing so that lost items can find their way home.
Thank you for your ongoing support.
– The Year 2 Team
Emma Roberts eroberts@smcolac.catholic.edu.au
Matt O'Dowd modowd@smcolac.catholic.edu.au
Amanda Delorenzo mdelorenzo@smcolac.catholic.edu.au
GRADE 3
At this point in the semester we are busy gathering the data we need to make professional judgments about where your child sits according to the Victorian Curriculum. Recently we have completed PAT Reading and Numeracy, as well as a Cold Write, Dibels testing and some Essential Assessments. If your child tells you they have been working hard- believe them! We couldn’t be more proud of their efforts and their resilience during this important time.
As we enter the last few weeks of term it is a regular occurrence for children to become unwell. Please remember that the classroom is an ideal environment for germs to spread. If your child is unwell, please let them rest at home.
This week we have had the opportunity to show off our writing skills by planning and composing a narrative piece of our choosing. It is great to see that so many skills learnt in the junior years are still being refined and grown in the children’s minds. We can’t wait for you to see their finished pieces.
My story is about…
Maggie: “Friends who are walking to school when something happens”
Axel: “Two friends who are chased by creepy bots”
Ella: “Two girls who are asked to stay in a stable overnight…there are unexpected events”
Jack: “An alien that breaks into a man’s house”
Chase: “Two boys who are friends, find an arachno-robot at the base of Mt Fumes”
Jade LoRicco jloricco@smcolac.catholic.edu.au
Deb Holland dholland@smcolac.catholic.edu.au
GRADE 4
Another fantastic week in Year 4!
Our students have been working incredibly hard, especially during testing, where they’ve been showing everything they know to help their teachers prepare end-of-semester reports. We’re proud of their effort and determination!
Outside of testing, the learning hasn’t stopped. In Inquiry, we’ve continued exploring the concept of Identity by diving into the world of Mr. Men and Little Miss. Soon, students will begin planning and writing their own stories inspired by these characters.
In Religion, we’ve been learning about Mary and her significance in the Catholic Church. Last week, we explored the Rosary and reflected on The Joyful Mysteries.
In Literacy, we’re wrapping up our Leo and Ralph unit. This week, the focus is on using direct speech effectively, and on planning and writing strong resolutions and conclusions for our own narratives.
In Numeracy, we’ve completed our unit on decimals for this term—a topic we’ll revisit later in the year. The students have shown great progress, and we commend them for their amazing effort! This week, we’re launching into our new unit on addition and subtraction, exploring a range of strategies to help us solve problems with confidence.
Here is some feedback from our Grade 4s:
Tadeo Martija - “In Maths we have been working on decimals, which I have been really enjoying.”
Mia Lee-Archer- “In class we have been practicing our handwriting , if we can join our letters we get our Ls, and if you get Ps you can start using a blue pen."
Tommy Henry- “Last week we went to Central Reserve and played footy, It was amazing because I am in Year 4 and I was really lucky to play.”
Jiya Jacob- “In Inquiry we are making our own Mr. Men or Little Miss characters and it has to have an emotion. It has been really wonderful.”
Keep up the great work, Year 4!
Important Dates for Term 2
Friday 20th June - Open Classroom and Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea
Friday 27th June - Grade 4 Matt Prayer Gathering
Friday 4th July - Grade 4 Maegen and Susie Prayer Gathering
Matt Absalom mabsalom@smcolac.catholic.edu.au
Maegen Potter mpotter@smcolac.catholic.edu.au
Susie Scott sscott@smcolac.catholic.edu.au
GRADE 5
Wow, what an amazing camp we had last week! We were so proud to receive such lovely feedback from the staff at YMCA Anglesea, who commented on how polite and awesome our students were.
Camp was packed with adventure and team spirit. On day one, we kicked things off with the giant swing and archery. Day two was jam packed with activities including radio rogaine, skateboarding, mountain bike riding, and team initiatives. A huge shoutout to those students who showed persistence and determination while learning to ride a bike, our students' resilience was truly impressive. On our final day, we wrapped up with beach team activities, including some exciting relays on the sand.
In Numeracy, we’ve been exploring all things angles. Students have been learning how to classify different types of angles and use a protractor with accuracy. It’s been great to see their confidence grow as they apply their knowledge in hands-on tasks.
In Literacy, we’re eagerly anticipating the ending of our class novel The Night They Stormed Eureka. We’ve also been working hard on our history passion projects, developing research skills and learning how to present information clearly and confidently.
Over the next couple of weeks, the students will be completing their History Passion Projects, which will culminate in an Open Classroom Morning on Friday the 20th of June. Pop this date in your diaries. We hope to see you there.
A friendly reminder to keep bringing in student diaries each day and getting them signed at least once a week, thank you for your ongoing support!
Let’s hear about camp from some of our year 5’s
Ritz - Getting to hang out with all of my friends was my favourite part of camp.
Anna - My favourite part of camp was participating in all of the activities.
Samrat - My favourite part of camp was getting to be with all of my friends.
Harmony - The giant swing was the best part of camp.
Rachel Downard rdownard@smcolac.catholic.edu.au
Rachael Cahill rcahill@smcolac.catholic.edu.au
GRADE 6
Last Friday, our students showed great determination and teamwork as they participated in Girls Footy and Boys Netball, despite some very challenging weather conditions! The Boys Netball team made it all the way to the Grand Final and played an excellent game, narrowly going down to Sacred Heart.
In the classroom, we’ve continued developing our Historical Narratives in Literacy and have been exploring angles in Numeracy. We’ll be moving into multiplication and division next. Some of our students have also been busy rehearsing for St Mary's Got Talent auditions happening next week.
Looking ahead to next Friday, June 20th, we have a big morning planned with our Prayer Gathering, Open Classroom (immediately after), and the Biggest Morning Tea from 10am. Parents are warmly invited to attend, we can’t wait for the students to show you what they’ve been working on! Have a great weekend!
Jess Downard jdownard@smcolac.catholic.edu.au
Jodie Hassett jhassett@smcolac.catholic.edu.au
Katie Monaghan kmonaghan@smcolac.catholic.edu.au