Term 4 - Week 4 2017

Dear Parents and Friends,

The P&F AGM is on this Wednesday 7th November at 7pm.  I invite all parents and friends to come along.  I would like to take this opportunity to formally acknowledge the work of Hamish Hutton (President), Tony Woods (Treasurer) and Ben Farmer (Secretary) who will be stepping down.  Hamish will be leaving the school at the end of the year, for a few years at least, until his youngest child starts school.  We looked through our photos to find a picture of Hamish, who was in so many - helping out at school events or working tirelessly behind the scenes of school events.  This photo of Hamish at a recent swimming carnival sums up his support for the school.  Thank you Hamish, you will be missed by all.  Tony and Ben will be around for a few more years and I would like to thank them both for their encouragement and obvious love of the school.  

It was wonderful to see Nellie B in Year 6 receive the Fred Hollows Award for Humanity at Parliament House from Gabi Hollows and Education Minister Rob Stokes.  Nellie was recognised for her efforts in fundraising and raising awareness of Refugees during Refugee Week. Nellie’s teacher Mr Andrew King, recognised her potential and encouraged her to take part in the campaign. Photos of Nellie receiving her award are on the School Blog.  Well done Nellie, we are proud of you!

Our children continue to inspire us with their sporting achievements. Hamish S and Charlie D in Year 5 are representing the school at a high level in cricket and basketball respectively next week. We wish them every success!

I warmly invite all parents and friends to our upcoming Celebration of Learning on Tuesday 14 November between 9-10am.  This is a wonderful opportunity to see our classes in action and be part of our community of learners. Every parent knows the difference an outstanding teacher makes. We see it in a child who begins to ask good questions about how the world works. Large-scale research clearly shows that in any given school year, the single biggest factor that affects how much a student will learn is his or her individual teacher. It is no wonder that when we think of schools that meet students’ changing needs, the first thing many think of is great educators.

The best teachers are active researchers, in two important ways. Firstly they are researchers of their students: they carefully observe their pupils, and from knowing them deeply, are able to engage them in learning that is both meaningful to their own lives and academically enriching. Secondly, they are researchers in the practice of teaching, actively seeking out strategies as educational data on the field evolves and children’s needs change.

We look forward to seeing you at our Learning Celebrations.

In the busy lead up to the Season of Advent it is easy for us all to forget to take time out and reflect on who we are as people of faith. In the words of Pope Francis we can take great joy. “From my point of view, God is the light that illuminates the darkness, even if it does not dissolve it, and a spark of divine light is within each of us.” Go forth and enjoy the busy weeks ahead.

Enjoy a relaxing weekend.

Peace and God bless,

Beverly

Principal's News Term 4 - Week 3

Dear Parents and Friends,

A warm welcome back to the final school term for 2017!

 The following weeks will bring great excitement as we prepare for our new learning spaces following the building project.  Our new school will ensure that the teachers have the resources, space and inspiration they need to realize the full potential of every student.

The estimated date for completion of the building project will be January 29^th which will allow the St Mary’s staff the necessary time to move in before school commences on Wednesday January 31^st. Once all classes are settled we will be inviting all families to be part of a special tour to see the classrooms in action.  As you can imagine all staff members and students are looking forward with great anticipation to working within the new spaces.

During the Spring vacation I had the opportunity to visit a number of progressive schools in Toronto, Canada. These schools have been established to provide an education where young people can be successful as individuals through magnificent teaching and leading where there is a focus on high-quality relationships, pedagogy and belief in children’s competence. These schools are deeply rooted in their communities and foster innovators, nimble problem-solvers and engaged citizens, boosting math comprehension, cultivating creativity and using technology to broaden the parameters of learning. They are exploring why the role of schools is expanding to nurture students’ social-emotional skills and growth mindsets, and how vital this broader definition of education is to children’s long-term health, happiness and success. I could see strong links between the Australian schools and of those in the province of Ontario in the realisation of this vision and how we as parents and teachers work closely together.

It was a delightful experience to participate in Mrs Kate Crisp’s Year 2 class liturgy this morning. The children spoke about the significance of the values of love and compassion in our world today and how as children they respond to each other in the class and in their own families. These opportunities where children can focus on their faith through the scripture stories and relate it to everyday living where they themselves can make a difference is a powerful means of learning. It was very encouraging to see our beautiful children reflecting in this positive way.

Enjoy a relaxing weekend.

Beverly Coffey