Learning & Teaching 

LEARNING & TEACHING - Vira Pirrotta

REPORTING at ST. FIDELIS

Our reporting focuses on communicating the learning and teaching at St. Fidelis Catholic Primary School so that students, teachers and parents can work together to improve student learning. 

The ways we report at St. Fidelis are:

Term Curriculum Overviews 

The overviews inform parents about what their children will learn throughout the term. The information in this overview will give you an overview of the key learnings across the curriculum for Term Two.

Celebration of Learning 

The celebration of learning is more than just displays of student work. It is a time for students to share and reflect on their learning with an authentic audience. It allows them to share their learning with their parents, peers and the school community.  

Weekly Newsletters 

The weekly newsletter aims to help parents include parents in the learning through photographs, articles and children’s work samples. This allows parents to talk about their child’s learning at home. 

Semester Reports

At St. Fidelis, we issue reports to parents twice a year in July and December, to formally record students’ progress in different curriculum areas. This semester’s report will indicate your child’s progress in the 8 Learning Areas and capabilities of the Victorian Curriculum. The reports will show your child’s progress against the achievement standards. 

The 8 Learning Areas are English, Mathematics, Science, Health and Physical Education, Humanities, The Arts, Technologies and Languages.

The 4 Capabilities include Critical and Creative Thinking, Ethical, Intercultural and Personal & Social. 

Parent/Student/Teacher Conversations  

The parent, student and teacher conversations are an opportunity to discuss progress and growth. The student will share their learning with their parents and reflect on their progress for the year. The teacher will share observations, data and work samples so that parents and guardians are informed about their child’s strengths, challenges, and growth. 

• Friday 12th May - Curriculum Overviews emailed to parents via Audiri 
• Wednesday 31st May - Celebration of Learning- 3:30pm -4:30pm
• Thursday 1st June - Celebration of Learning 8:30am- 9:15am
• Wednesday 12th July - Reports made available to parents 
• Monday 17th July - Parent/Teacher/Child Conversations 1:30pm - 7:30pm

SKOOLBAG NAME CHANGE

We’re excited to announce that our school communication platform, Skoolbag, has upgraded, and will now be known as Audiri! 

We understand that change can be challenging, but we want to reassure you that Audiri will still provide parents with all the important information and updates you're used to receiving. The only difference is that the platform will have a new name and will be easier to use!

Your user name and password will stay the same – the only thing you need to do is update the app on your phone when prompted by the app store. 

To upgrade to Audiri, all you need to do is go to the App or Play Store and update your Skoolbag app - just open the app store on their device, go to the updates tab in the App Store, or the My apps & games tab in the Google Play store and select the update button.

 Please see the attached flyer for further information: 

FAMILY ENGAGEMENT - Leanne Wenckowski

If you are intending joining Story time in 2023, can you please email Leanne Wenckowski with your name and the number of children attending so that I have an idea of numbers interested. "lwenckowski@sfmoreland.catholic.edu.au

SPORT & PE - Michael Jennings

Covid 19 Information

COVIDSafe measures have changed but all Victorian Catholic schools are required to continue to implement important practices to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

St Fidelis' Primary School will continue to take the important steps of ensuring COVID Safe measures are in place. Air purifiers are in use, external ventilation is maximised, good personal hygiene is encouraged and face masks continue to be made available for staff, students and visitors who wish to wear them.

Vaccinations

COVID-19 vaccinations continue to be the best way to protect individuals, families and school communities from the severe effects of COVID-19 and reduce the spread of the virus. Please note that vaccination is no longer mandatory for staff or visitors in any Victorian school.

Rapid antigen testing

It is recommended that rapid antigen tests (RATs) are used by students and staff:

• If you have symptoms of COVID-19 infection, no matter how mild

• If you are a household or close contact of someone who has COVID-19

• If you are a social contact of someone who has COVID-19.

The Department of Health recommends that all Victorians should report their positive RAT result to the Department of Health online, or by calling 1800 675 398. Staff are recommended to report a positive COVID-19 test result to their school on the day they receive a positive test result.

Students (or their parents) should also report a positive result to their school.

Rapid Antigen Tests are still available from St Fidelis School and also available for all Victorians from Council sites. People can get 2 free packs (10 tests) for themselves and 2 free packs (10 tests) for each of their household members. People with disability and their carers can get up to 4 free packs (20 tests) in line with existing RAT distribution for people with disability. Further information can be obtained at the Council Rapid Antigen Test Program.

Face masks

Staff and students who wish to wear a face mask are supported to do so, and St Fidelis School will continue to make face masks available for staff, students and visitors. The Department of Health recommends that masks should be worn by a person who is a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 when leaving home. Additionally, the Department of Health recommends that masks should be worn by a person who has COVID-19 for at least 7 days after a positive test when they need to leave home.

Infection Prevention and Control

All staff, students and visitors to school will practise good hand hygiene, particularly on arrival to school, before and after eating, after blowing their nose, coughing, sneezing or using the toilet. Staff will direct or supervise young students where required.

Management of Suspected Cases of COVID-19 in Schools

A ‘suspected’ case means a person who displays any COVID-19 symptoms who has not yet tested positive for COVID-19. The staff member, student or visitor who is symptomatic will be recommended to undergo testing for COVID-19.  Parents of students who are symptomatic will be asked to collect their child from school and to keep them home until they are no longer symptomatic.

Management of confirmed cases at school

The Department of Health recommends that a person who tests positive to COVID-19 report that result to their employer, school and household. Where a student or staff member is identified as a positive case, the following steps should be taken:

Principal actions: identification and notification

1. Parents/carers should inform the school by phone or written notification if a student tests positive to COVID-19 (via a PCR or rapid antigen test).

2. Students who report a positive result are recommended to isolate for a minimum of 5 days and not attend school until their symptoms have resolved. Students who isolate as a result of a positive COVID-19 test will be supported in the same way as students with an extended absence due to illness or injury, with learning materials provided to support

their continued learning.

3. There is no longer a requirement for principals to inform the school community of a positive case associated with the school.

Schools must treat health information, including positive COVID-19 test results, in accordance with the school Privacy Policy. COVID-19 diagnoses are not to be shared or discussed unless the individual (or their parent/carer) provides consent, or unless schools are legally obliged or authorised to do so.

SSV Coburg District Cross Country

The Annual School Sport Victoria (SSV) Coburg District Cross Country Championships is to be held at Jackson Reserve, Coburg (Coburg Athletics Track) on Wednesday 17 May 2023, commencing at 9.45a.m.and concluding by 12.15pm (Back-up day: Wednesday 24 May 2023). Each event commences at the track, continues into nearby parkland and concludes back at the track. Events will be conducted for boys and girls in 10, 11 and 12/13 year age groups. 

The 10 year old boys and girls run 2km. The 11 and 12/13 year old boys and girls run 3km. Age groups are determined as of 31st December in the year of competition. Therefore, whatever age the student is turning this year or has turned this year, will be the age he/she competes.

Each school can nominate up to 7 competitors for each event.St Fidelis Primary School Years 3-6 students have been provided the opportunity to compete at St Fidelis Cross Country Time Trials during physical education lessons. The St Fidelis Cross Country Team will be finalised by Wednesday 10 May 2023.

SSV Coburg District Term 2 Sport

At the end of Term 1 and the commencement of Term 2, St Fidelis Primary School’s Grades 5/6 students have participated in practice sessions for the St Fidelis Football, soccer and netball teams in preparation to compete in the School Sport Victoria (SSV) Coburg District Winter Sport Competition. 

Primarily this is a Year 6 competition and Year 5 students are included if required. If not participating in his/her sport chosen, your child may be invited to play one of the other sports on offer.

SSV Coburg District Winter Sport games will be played on Fridays during Term 2,  commencing at 11.30a.m. and concluding at 1.00p.m. with the exception of games against AIA. These games will be played from 9.30am-11.00am.

During the season, ‘home’ games of soccer and football will be played at Shore Reserve and netball will be played at St Fidelis Primary School. When playing ‘away’ games, all interschool sport players will travel by chartered bus, departing from St Fidelis Primary School to the respective venues, returning to St Fidelis Primary School accompanied by 

the teachers in charge.  Please note that there will be a charge per player for each away game to cover the cost of the bus hire.

The St Fidelis sports uniform will be worn for all games. Players need to bring drink bottles filled with water and sunscreen along to all games.

SSV COBURG DISTRICT

Winter Sport Fixture 2023

MAY 12 ST FIDELIS  V  ST BERNARDS (HOME)

Football & Soccer at Shore Reserve, Reynard Street, Pascoe Vale South. 

Netball at St Fidelis PS, Saunders Street, West Coburg.

MAY 19 NEWLANDS V ST FIDELIS (AWAY)

Netball & Football at JE Moore Reserve, Gilbert Rd, Reservoir Soccer at Jackson Reserve, 26 Murphy Street, West Preston

JUNE 2 ST FIDELIS V AIA (HOME)

Football & Soccer at Shore Reserve, Reynard Street, Pas Vale Sth.

Netball at St Fidelis PS, Saunders Street, West Coburg.

STEM - Joe Frazzetto

The Huddle- Game Day Excursion

As part of our STEM program, our Year 5/6 students attended the North Melbourne Football Club to participate in “The Huddle”  program called Game Day at Arden St, North Melbourne Football Club last week. Game Day is an immersive AFL-themed excursion aligned with the Victorian Curriculum and engages Years 5 and 6 in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics using cutting-edge technology.

The excursion took place in their brand-new, state-of-the-art facility. Students had a fun and memorable day. They had to think critically and work collaboratively to complete Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics challenges, such as building a pendulum to kick a ball through the goals. 

Students also explored concepts such as artificial and emotional intelligence, grit, and mindset and identified the characteristics that support students ‘to win’ throughout life.

The students observed the North Melbourne Kangaroo players train at the Arden St Oval. Jack Gallagher, who barracks North Melbourne, met his footy heroes.  It was a day of discovery, fun, challenges and teamwork!

STEM AT SCHOOL

This week, the Foundation students started to explore with LEGO Coding Express. The students were excited to get their hands on the LEGO Kit. Wow!!! The students were collaborating, problem-solving, thinking, constructing and coding. The LEGO Coding Express introduces students to early coding concepts that naturally spark their curiosity, creativity and desire to explore and learn. Students built straight and Y-shaped tracks to code the train to travel forward and backwards. Students controlled the train by Bluetooth and used iPads to code the train to reach a specific location. The students did not want to leave the  STEM lesson because they were so engaged and excited.

Check out our Early Coders.

The Year 3/4 and 5/6OS students have been focusing on designing and creating their own Mars Rover to sense, collect and return a rock sample to the base to be analyzed. Students have been working collaboratively and using their imagination to explore and discover different ways to improve the Mars Rover. One student said, “We could design a Mars Rover that could fly, and it could take photos of the terrain.”

WOW!!! Our students are thinking outside the box! Check out our future engineers!

ITALIAN NEWS - Rosa Fokianos

BUONGIORNO!

Bentornati a tutti per il secondo trimestre! (Welcome back to everyone for the second term!) 

I hope that your child/ren has/have been practising some of their Italian language learning at home. Language teachers can only do so much in the short 1 hour per week that each grade receives. Remember, like many things, the more practise they get, the higher the chance of retaining the language.

Shortly, Ms Pirrotta will be including the school's curriculum overviews for the term, so I haven’t  included the content in this newsletter. 

I would also like to mention that this coming Sunday, (domenica 14 maggio), as most of you may know, is going to be Mother's Day, (La Festa della Mamma). I would like to take this opportunity to wish all the mamme, nonne, e zie and special females in everyone’s family in the St Fidelis community…Buona Festa della Mamma! I hope your child/ren do something extra special with you, or for you, on that day! 💕  

A presto…

Signora Rosa 🌹