Dear Families,

Thank you to the many families who have made a booking for the Parent and Teacher Interviews in the final week of Term (Monday 30th June and Wednesday 2nd July). The exchange meeting is an opportunity to review the progress and development of each child, and discuss steps for future improvement. The Semester 1 academic report will be issued at the end of next week.

It is recommended that the report is read in full prior to the meeting. Further information about accessing the report when published can be found below. The report will include reporting against the new Victorian Curriculum in Mathematics 2.0, and these changes are also described below.

Warm Regards,

Deputy Principals: Joelle Diakrousis and Anthony Speranza

SRC Update - Acknowledgement of Country

After consultation with classes and all members of the school, the SRC convened this week to have a sneak peek of the selected design for the Acknowledgement of Country that will be displayed in the front office. We thank all of the students and staff for voting.

The Year 6 leaders are also developing a new initiative - a suggestion box in each classroom so that students can submit their school ideas and be collated for each meeting. The reps are collecting empty tissue boxes in the next few weeks so that they can begin construction on these, ready for Term 3.

Curriculum Update: Revised Victorian Curriculum Mathematics Version 2.0

We are pleased to inform you that the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA). have revised the Mathematics Curriculum, as Version 2.0. This mathematics curriculum is now fully implemented in our school. Here are the key points you need to know:

New achievement standards: The revised Mathematics Curriculum includes changes to the achievement standards used by teachers to assess and report student learning from Foundation to Year 10.

Aggregated reporting: Under the new curriculum, teachers will report against the achievement standard as a whole, providing a single, aggregated score in Semester 1 and Semester 2.

Alignment with local curriculum: Our school’s teacher judgements align with our Mathematics Curriculum program.

Strand-level information: Our school has recorded and used information from each of the six strands in Mathematics Version 2.0 to provide feedback on student progress.

Holistic judgement: At a school our teachers use learning evidence from the strands taught each semester to make a holistic judgement that accurately reflects where your child is on the learning continuum for Mathematics Version 2.0.

We believe these updates will provide a clearer and more comprehensive understanding of your child's progress in Mathematics. Please note that due to the change in curriculum, the Semester 1 report will only show achievement, while the Semester 2 report will display both achievement and growth.

Release and access of Semester 1 Reports

Semester 1 Reports will be ready for viewing on Friday 27th June via the nForma Parent Portal (https://portal.nforma.com.au/login)

Please note that parents must use their email address registered with the school to access their account.

For further information, please see the attachment below or contact the office for support (office@spmentone.catholic.edu.au)

Australian Mathematics Competition, Tuesday 5th August

Thank you to the families who have expressed an interest in joining the Australian Mathematics Competition in August. Registration will remain open until the end of term.

The Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC) is Australia’s longest running, largest and most well-known maths competition for students. The AMC contains a range of problems designed to challenge and extend students with proficient problem-solving skills from Years 3 to 12. Students interested in this competition can participate in the Middle Primary division for Years 3 and 4 and the Senior Primary division for Years 5 and 6. Participating students will complete the competition on a device and are given 60 minutes to answer 30 questions, 25 multiple choice and 5 written solutions ranging in difficulty. The topics covered include basic arithmetic content such as Fractions and Ratios, Algebra and Pre-Algebra, Geometry, Measurement, Statistics and probability, Problem-solving (including enumeration).

The cost to register for the competition is $9.00 per student. The school will facilitate the competition and will supervise the students.

If you would like your child or children to be registered for this competition please complete the form below:

https://forms.gle/da1at2e4GRbngCcp8

You will then be contacted at the start of Term 3 to finalise registration and organise payment.

Smart Watches at School

We kindly remind families that smart watches are not permitted at school. These devices can be a distraction to learning and may pose privacy concerns. If a student is wearing a smart watch, they will be asked to remove it and store it in their bag for the duration of the school day. We appreciate your support in helping us maintain a focused and respectful learning environment for all students.

Resilience Groups Year 3 & 4 (Formerly Bounceback)

Mrs Diakrousis has resumed her small group Resilience sessions this week. At this stage, the groups will be offered to Year 3 and 4 students only.

These sessions will explore a range of strategies designed to support the development of resilience through small group activities and discussion. Our first focus will be on worry—what it is, how it affects us, and what we can do about it.

During the sessions, students will:

Develop an understanding of what worry is and how it feels in the body
Learn strategies to manage worry, such as Worry Time and mindfulness
Build resilience through strengthening emotional literacy and self-regulation

The program will run as an eight-week block, with sessions held once a fortnight in the afternoon.

We look forward to supporting our students as they continue to grow in confidence and emotional wellbeing.

Before School Drop-Off Reminder

We kindly remind all families that students should not be dropped off at the school gate before 8:30am. This is to ensure the safety and supervision of all children. Our school gates open at 8:30am, and three staff members are on duty from this time to welcome and supervise students. If you do arrive before 8:30am, we ask that you remain with your child until the gates are open.Students who walk or ride to school are encouraged to time their walk to arrive between 8:30-8:45am. Thank you for your support in keeping our students safe.

Random Acts of Kindness

We would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to the following students for their outstanding display of kindness and compassion towards others. Your willingness to support, encourage, and uplift those around you has set a wonderful example for our entire school community. It’s incredibly inspiring to see students across different year levels go out of their way to make others feel valued, included, and respected.

Your acts of kindness—whether through small gestures or significant efforts—are powerful reminders of the positive impact we can all have. Thank you for embodying the values that make our school a welcoming and caring place for everyone. Keep up the amazing work!

Week 9

Ashley B. (3IM) For always looking out for others on the playground, showing kindness by checking in with classmates and offering help when it's needed. Ashley's caring nature makes our school a happier and safer place for everyone.

Alexander B. (3IM) For always having a smile on your face and being a kind, caring friend to others. Her cheerful attitude brightens the day and makes everyone feel welcome and valued.

Year 3 & 4 Learning Expo