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Message - Deputy Principal (Teaching and Learning)
Dear Families,
It is hard to believe we are one-quarter of the way through the school year. Our students and staff are looking forward to a much-needed break from routine and time to recharge after a longer than typical Term 1. The fatigue felt by families and staff is understandable when we consider that we have not had a consistent term of learning since Term Four 2019. For our Year 2 students, this is the longest that they have been onsite at school since they began in Foundation. Our students and staff must be congratulated on the way they have worked together over the term, always with the St Thomas values of Safety, Respect and Learning at the centre of all that they do.
Comparative Assessment Writing Project
This term we were fortunate enough to have our Years 3 and 4 students participate in a new, Australia-wide writing project through the researchers from ‘No More Marking’. The project uses comparative judgement to support teachers when assessing student writing. Comparative Judgement simply asks each marker to make a series of judgements about pairs of tasks. The marker looks at two stories and decides which one is better. This is then repeated multiple times with student samples. We have already received some valuable results from this project which will enable our teachers when explicitly teaching writing.
In the later part of the year, the Years 3 and 4 students will provide another writing sample for teachers to comparatively judge. This will support us to measure the impact of our teaching as well as identify each student’s growth over time.
Looking forward to Term Two
It has been such a blessing to be able to provide consistency for our students, staff and families over the past term; developing our stamina for sustained learning onsite. We look forward to building on this term’s success, offering another term of engaging and rigorous learning in Term 2, including:
- F -6 integrated learning focus – Earth and Space Sciences
- NAPLAN – Years 3 and 5
- The Sacrament of Confirmation
- School Tours and Enrolment Information Sessions
- National Sorry Day
- Catholic Education Week
- World Environment Day
- Pentecost Multicultural Day
- Year 4 Swimming Program
- Grade 5 Camp: Forest Edge
As we approach Easter and the celebration of Jesus’ glorious Resurrection, our hope is reinvigorated. I pray that this time of renewed hope is used as an opportunity for all to respond to social injustice by placing our talents, gifts, forgiveness, compassion and support at the disposal of others. May we ensure that Easter is a time where we live a message of hope for others fuelled by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Wishing you all a restful, relaxing and renewing holiday break.
With best wishes,
Peta Overbury
Deputy Principal – Teaching and Learning
The pinnacle of the Catholic year is fast approaching. Just as we finish the school term, Palm Sunday will kick off Holy Week for Catholics around the world. On one hand, its great that we have this time to focus on Holy Week during the school holidays but on the other we don’t get to share the learning of this most special time, in the moment, with our students. Classes will resume after the holidays with a big focus on Easter and what that means to Christians.
Palm Sunday Mass gives us the opportunity to enter the drama of Holy Week. We listen to the events unravel from when Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey, the betrayal of Jesus on the night he shares his last meal with his followers, his brutal death on the cross and his burial… saving the punch-line for Easter of course!
I hope everyone has a beautiful holiday over Easter and is able to absorb the awesomeness of the most loving act known to humans!
Term 1 - Report from School Leaders
Catholic Identity & Religious Education (CIRE) – Andrew McDermott – CIRE Leader
Key work in RE has been for teachers to become familiar with the diocesan RE curriculum, ‘To Live In Christ Jesus’. Utilising the RE curriculum with an Inquiry approach (in much the same way as content from the Victorian Curriculum) is intended to give teachers more confidence in the teaching of RE.
Next term, we continue with this same focus paired with the creation of inspirational, rich questions to open up RE units of work. This taps into the natural curiosity that children have with RE.
Father Denis will help teachers understand the parish vision for the new church by presenting at a staff meeting, early in term two. This will enable staff to share with students the process for and vision for the building that will house the parish worship.
Teaching and Learning
The 2022 school strategic direction in Teaching and Learning includes a focus on expert teacher behaviour. This term, staff have participated in professional learning about the teaching of reading, reviewing current research regarding the science of reading to inform their classroom practice. Teachers have also spent time assessing all students so that this data can be used to determine what students need to be taught in the areas of English and Mathematics. Recently, teachers collaborated on designing learning for Term 2 which will focus on teaching the Earth and Space Sciences. Teachers have looked at the curriculum content and the achievement standards for this curriculum and will be asking students to contribute their ideas to this learning as well.
Inclusive Education: NCCD and WSAPBS
The 2022 school strategic direction in Inclusive Education includes a focus on meeting the needs of our students at their point of need. In our Whole School Approach to Positive Behaviour we have launched a Consequences Framework that aligns with our School Wide Expectations of Safety, Respect and Learning. We have invited Student Voice into the space to ascertain what our students need to feel safe and respected at school and what they believe are natural and logical consequences for behaviours. We invited Mary Ellen Davis to our professional learning day this term to further explore teacher behaviour and our responses to behaviours through the Consequence Framework.
As a staff we continue to identify areas of need in our students and make adjustments accordingly. This term we have met and discussed students in our communities and what adjustments and support is required for them to access the curriculum on the same basis as their peers. This week we have facilitated Parent Support Group meetings for our students requiring substantial and extensive adjustments. We have discussed the Personal Learning Plan and level of achievement with the families as well as the goals prepared for Term 2.
Professional Learning Leaders – Kathy Zandona (3-6) and Sarah Chappell (F-2)
The PLL's at St Thomas working under the guidance of executive leadership work closely with the Community Learning Leaders (CLL).
During term one our focus for this leadership team has been working on trust, collegiality and support for one and other. This includes a weekly meeting to build the team's relationship, a weekly catch-up between the PLL and CLL and supporting the CLL at the planning table.
Term two will see us continuing to support the CLL in their role, however there will be more of a focus on using evidence to inform planning. In addition to working with the CLL's we will have a focus on developing a plan to support and mentor our graduate teachers.
Foundation Transition 2022 (and the learning from 2021) – Sarah Chappell – F-2 Professional Learning Leader (and previous Foundation team leader)
In the unprecedented times of 2021 and 2022 we have had to regularly strategise and change up procedures to maintain the health and wellbeing of all of the school community. One very impactful area was our Foundation transition and settling in procedures.
Despite our youngest learners having a more limited exposure to school before enrolling, their start was very smooth and their resilience shone through. Density limits meant parents were not able to drop their child to the classroom, and while we worried this may be tricky for some, we actually found the opposite. Once again, the children’s resilience and readiness shone through, the awkwardness of Mum or Dad trying to leave after 10 minutes in the room was removed.
Each day started with access to the hands-on games and the children played safely and happily with their new classmates. Quickly we observed our young learners learning the morning routines of tidying up, joining the class prayer and answering their name as the roll was called. We were also impressed with how they carried their own bags and speedily located their names on lockers and popped their bag in.
Slowly over the first week they also learnt where to independently put their book bag, lunch and snack. In short, these two years have provided us with evidence that the children settle more smoothly when independence is supported from day one.
Our takeaway from the past two years is that while we know that parents would prefer to come into classrooms, the evidence is that this had actually built up a dependence on families with carrying bags, unpacking and in many instances made separation a challenge. We know that in most cases children had developed this independence at Kinder and we were in fact reintroducing it!
So where to for the future? We acknowledge parents would like to be more involved and see the classrooms in actions, we propose this model prior to Christmas children will be able to attend three play sessions to meet all community adults and parents will be invited onsite for an evening parent information session in the learning space. When the children commence formally we will commence with a drop off on the basketball court as we did so successfully this year. During term one we will schedule in classroom visits, a community picnic, and parent teacher meets to support families. We will also update the space in action on Seesaw and in the Foundation newsletters as we have had very positive feedback about this from families.
Year Six leadership program – Kathy Zandona (3-6 Professional Learning Leader and previous 5/6 team leader)
Having our students in leveled classes this year has provided a much-needed opportunity for our grade six cohort to build upon their leadership knowledge and skills.
This has included workshops presented by 'Aspire Higher' to deliver two sequential leadership days, one at the end of 2021 and the other term one 2022. As a result of this work and with input from staff and students we have co-created a plan for leadership for Year 6 students in 2022.
The St Thomas community has set up leadership groups, ranging from a Marketing and Promotion team to a Social Justice Team. Students had to write a persuasive letter to their teacher explaining and persuading why they should be a part of the team they selected. These teams will meet each week and are led by the grade six teachers, specialist teachers and leadership. The first week of team meetings (beginning in term two) will include each team creating expectations, a team charter and identifying areas of responsibility. The students will be acknowledged and recognised within the school community when they are presented with their Grade Six Polo shirts and receive their Student Leadership badge.
On the 1st April. students got to begin their role of leadership by presenting each class in the school with a St Thomas Candle. This candle represented the light of Jesus and all other religions and beliefs that our school community shares. The candle also had the quote ' Aspire not to have more but to be more,' Oscar Romero. The meaning of the candle and the quote was workshopped with the grade six students and staff and then shared throughout the school.
The work around student leadership will be ongoing throughout 2022 and into the future.
Sibling Photos
A reminder that sibling photos will be taken on Tuesday 26th April.
Before School Drop Off
Dear Parents,
The school gates do not open for student supervision until 8:25am. Students should not be dropped off or arrive before this time. Village OSCH is available for before school care if early drop off is required.
Early Pick Up
Dear Families,
Occasionally, there are times when you need to pick up your child early from school. It might be an appointment or due to an emergency, but these things happen.
To help you in these situations and to minimise the impact on school logistics, we ask that you adhere to a window of time that is most convenient for everyone.
We request that if you are picking up your child early, to do so:
[before the lunch break -1:45pm] or [after the lunch break- 2:30pm] and before 3:00pm
Avoiding the lunch break and before 3pm will be quicker for you, especially when time is of the essence. We hope this can ease the task of getting to an appointment or dealing with an emergency.
Thank you for your consideration.
FOUNDATION ART
Foundation students have created a name recognition poster using stickers, crayon drawings and food dye painting resist technique. These artworks are on display in the art room.
GRADE 1 & 2 ART
Grade 1 and 2 students have worked together to create a collaborative mural inspired by quilt patchwork. Students looked at colour, line, shape, pattern, repetition, symmetry, and even linked fractions into their artwork. These murals will be displayed in the Grade 1 and 2 community area.
GRADE 3, 4 & 5 ART
Grade 3, 4, and 5 students have studied the American contemporary artist Jen Stark. Students have created Drip Drawing Paintings inspired by her melting optical illusion techniques. Students looked at the colour wheel and how colours work together, then added values that are important to them as a school community. These murals will be displayed in the grade 3, 4 and 5 community areas.
GRADE 6 ART
Grade 6 students planned, designed and painted typography artworks to reflect the values students hold important in the school community. In small groups students worked together on font design, colour theory, line, shape, pattern, repetition, balance and unity. Students framed their own artwork and are now deciding the best locations around the school for these artworks to be viewed.