Primary School News

Once again, we have had two extremely busy weeks in the Primary School with lots of end of year activities taking place. Last Friday saw all the existing Primary students and the new boys joining us for 2018 to meet their new teacher and the boys got to see who was going to be in their class. Later that day, the Year 3 class went to Latitude for their end of year activity. The Year 2 students the day before went to The Piccadilly Theatre to see ‘The Star’ which tells the real story of Christmas.

On Monday 4 December, the Primary School community gathered together in the evening to celebrate the successes of the primary students for 2017 at the Primary Awards Night. It was a lovely evening where all the students were acknowledged for something they have achieved this year, and as a community we celebrated the Year 6 students graduating from the Primary School. At the end of the evening we also had an opportunity to thank the teachers who will be leaving the Blackfriars Priory School Community at the end of 2017. We have since heard of another teacher who will be leaving us, so we say farewell to four teachers at the end of this year:

Mrs Smantha Slee
Mrs Cara Oosterbaan
Mr Cameron Brealey
Mrs Teresa Mori

At the Primary Awards Night, we also presented the following awards to some of our Year 6 students:

St Albert the Great Award for consistent academic excellence in the Primary School – Isaac Jacobs
Bl Pier Giorgio Frassati Co-curricular Award for the most outstanding contributor to the Co-curricular Program in the Primary School – Declan Dunne
St Dominic Award to the student who exemplifies the qualities of St Dominic – Harry Boyd-Turner
The Year 6 Music Award went to Dominic Nguyen for his commitment to the music and instrumental programs
The Year 6 Japanese Awards went to Isaac Jacobs, Nathan Sewart, Jack Hodby and Harry Boyd-Turner
The Year 6 Art Awards went to Isaac Jacobs, Kevin Dang and Jaiden Dang

This year the Br Patrick Hynes Scholarship was award to Daniel Mazzarolo in Year 5 in recognition of his aptitude to study and his commitment to the ideals and values of the school.

Thank you to all the students, staff and families who attended the evening, and a special thank you to Mr Simon Cobiac, Mrs Anna Mirasgentis, Fr Matthew Boland and a special thanks to Rachel Sanderson MP, State Member for Adelaide and Shadow Minister for Child Protection who came attended our celebration.

As the year ends I would also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for your support for the last three terms. It was always going to be a challenge stepping into the shoes of the Head of Primary, but as I look back over the time I am truly grateful for this amazing opportunity. It has not always been easy but luckily, I had the support of Mrs Anna Mirasgentis and Mr Simon Cobiac who I could turn to for advice and point me in the right direction. I would also like to thank all the Primary School families for the encouragement you have given your sons daily to become the best they can possibly be.

It has been an amazing experience to be able to lead such an energetic and enthusiastic group of teachers and students. I look forward to working with them next year wearing a different hat, as the Classroom Teacher of the Year 1 class. Another challenge I am looking forward to sinking my teeth in to.

Term 4 the Advent term, is the time when we reflect on the year that has just passed; looking back at our achievements and preparing for a time when as families we can celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Looking back over the year some students have written about a program they were involved in to help with their literacy skills – Rainbow Reading is a reading program that Mrs Jez Bonig one of our ESOs runs.

Dominic – Rainbow Reading has helped me to work well. If the work gets too tricky Jez will help me. There are lots of things I have learnt. I learnt to work independently.

Aiden – Rainbow Reading has helped me working with other people. I enjoyed the word finder the most. I like Rainbow Reading because it makes me confident and fluent with my reading.

Jack – Rainbow Reading has made me more confident when I read. I like Rainbow Reading because I made more friends. I read every night for 20 minutes. Jez is very funny most of the time. I like Rainbow Reading because I like to read.

Ben – I like Rainbow Reading because it has helped me do stuff independently. My favourite part of Rainbow Reading was the word search and the prizes. It helped my reading so I could move up to higher levels. It was exciting and fun. PS Jez is the best.

On behalf of the Primary School staff I would like to wish everyone a very Happy and Holy Christmas and a safe New Year.

Mrs Alison Ronoastro

Acting Deputy Principal – Head of Primary