Term 3, Week 1 - 15th July, 2021

From the Principal

Dear families,

Welcome back to Term 3. I hope you and your children are feeling refreshed and energised, and ready for another busy term of learning.

Professional Development Day Reflection

We started the Term with a Pupil Free Day, where staff participated in professional development around our Tier 1 Project: Inspire Maths. We explored the proficiency changes in the review of Australian Curriculum Mathematics and were introduced to the Early Year Problem Solving Initiative. Our teachers also had the opportunity to share what they are doing in their math classrooms with other schools. Please see some pictures below of our students exploring measurement using unifix cubes, problem solving using the Maths Box resources and an example of the interactive math vocab wall in the 3-6 classroom.

Math Chat

(Source: Youcubed)

Please find our fortnightly math task below. We encourage you to complete the task with your child and share with us. Please email casey.robinson@twb.catholic.edu.au if you would like to share.

Queensland Catholic Education Week

Celebrated annually in week 3 of term 3, Catholic Education Week is an opportunity for all 309 Catholic schools in Queensland to celebrate and promote their distinctive mission and ethos.

Our school was blessed and opened by Bishop Roper on the 28^th of January, 1951. This achievement was a tribute to the tireless dedication and passion of the Sisters of St Joseph who were committed to delivering Catholic education to the area.

We will be celebrating Catholic Education Week with a liturgy on Monday the 26^th of July at 2:15pm. All are very welcome. Throughout the week, I will be interviewing our students on what they love best about being a part of our school and sharing with our community.

Run 4 Fun Club

Mrs Robinson is offering a run club this term, beginning next Monday the 19^th of July. This run club will be offered to students in Year 3-6 and is an optional extra curricular. We will be sending out permission forms for students that are interested in participating. The Run 4 Fun Club allows all students to improve their physical fitness by giving them the opportunity to be active.

Who: Year 3-6 students only (optional) and any interested staff or parents

When: Every Monday, 7:30am

Where: All students to meet at the pews under the school at 7:30am

We will be working up to running along the path at Callandoon Street, crossing under the bridge, past the bowls club, to the end of the Olive Groves. Our runs will begin at 2km, and we will eventually attempt to run a 4-5km.

What to bring: Please wear sports uniform, including school hat. Please ensure students are wearing appropriate footwear for running. Please pack a water bottle.

Prep 2022

Our Prep numbers for 2022 are looking very positive! We have been working hard as a school to build positive connections with our local kindergarten, advertising our school to the wider community and highlighing the wonderful things that St Maria Goretti can offer! I thank our wonderful staff and parents for continually spreading positive messages about our school. If you know someone who is considering sending their child to St Maria Goretti, please encourage them to make an appointment with me to discuss any questions they may have. My door is always open.

MacKillop Way Focus Week 1-5

Our focus for this week 1-5 of Term 3 is “Work with constancy and courage”. Teachers and students will be on the look out for people who are:

• Being enthusiastic and putting in a big effort
• Using their time well in class
• Being well organised (homework, library, etc.)
• Responding to bells promptly
• Responding to instructions promptly.

Mac Zone Track & Field

Congratulations to Kaylah, Mitchell, Danika, Daniel and Riley  who have been selected to attend Mac Zone Track & Field on the 29^th of July based on the times and distances achieved at the Talwood Small Schools Athletics Carnival. We wish them the best of luck!

Yours in education,

Casey Robinson

Principal

“Only think a little, pray a littler and try to remember that God will bring about what He sees best, in His own time, and that His ways are not our ways.” (Mary MacKillop, 1882)

Students of the Week

MacKillop Way Award

Jessie Apted was awarded the MacKillop Way Award in Week 10 of last term. Congratulations Jessie! 

Sight Word Certificates

New Athletics Records!

Congratulations to these 3 students who broke St Maria Goretti records at our carnival in Talwood:

8 years 2oom sprint - Old record 44.97 seconds. New record 41.15 seconds by Connor McPherson

8 years Long Jump - Old record 255cm. New record 280cm by Connor McPherson

9 years 800m - Old record 3.10 minutes. New record 3.02 minutes by Daniel Mead

12 years 800m - Old record 2.57 minutes. New record 2.49 minutes by Kaylah McPherson

Life and Learning in the Library

Welcome to Term 3 in the library!

We will be celebrating the 2021 Book Week theme OLD WORLDS, NEW WORLDS, OTHER WORLDS this term, culminating in our dress-up parade on Thursday 26th August (Week 7). Together we will explore the stories and genres that belong to these worlds and enjoy the award-winning books.  

Inquiry Challenge 

Year 3 – 6 students will be using their information skills to form a response to the question; 

 What have new worlds learnt from the old worlds of ancient nations and peoples? 

 We will share the result of our inquiry on Thursday 26th August. 

 2021 Scholastic Book Fair – Save the date! Wednesday 8th - Tuesday 14th September 

Highly Recommended  - Australian Geographic - https://www.australiangeographic.com.au 

Scroll to the bottom of the homepage and sign up for the free newsletter. It offers great reading, great information and great images! 

 Happy reading everyone! 

Anne Anderson 

Homework Hub

Happy Birthday!

Learning Support Teacher role

The learning support role is a specialised role and requires specialised skills.

The Learning Support Teacher is an integral component of supporting planning, teaching and learning.

The learning support role has three main areas of responsibility:

1. Teacher collaboration – working collaboratively with Classroom Teachers
2. Intervention – working directly with small groups of students ideally, although not exclusively, within the class environment supporting fundamental skills
3. Administrative tasks associated with the school-based learning support processes of identification, planning, intervention, monitoring and resourcing in consultation with school leadership teams

• Teacher collaboration.

Learning Support Teacher collaboration with Class Teachers is the most impactful of all intervention. This involves Learning Support Teachers regularly and collaboratively planning with teachers to support them to successfully differentiate for all vulnerable students including students with disabilities, students with learning difficulties and high potential learners. This collaborative planning ensures that learning intervention occurs not only on direct LST contact with students but across the curriculum within classrooms.

• Intervention: Learning support intervention is the direct support of small groups of students. This is in response to teacher collaboration and targeted assessment. This intervention is in support of class-based planning. It is implemented, evaluated and facilitated for students primarily within the classroom and/or in targeted situations, on a withdrawal basis. Early intervention (Years P-3) takes priority but not to the total exclusion of students with additional needs in the middle and upper school.

• Administrative tasks:

Students who have significant learning needs may receive administrative duties:  These duties are wide and varied. They may include:

1. Supporting, monitoring and consulting with school leadership regarding school based identification, planning, intervention, monitoring and resourcing processes that reflect school needs
2. Collating and interpreting individualised assessment results
3. Meeting with parents to interpret specialists’ reports and to discuss their child’s needs
4. Gathering relevant data and writing referrals and reports for outside agencies and diocesan specialists
5. Regular liaison with specialists such as therapists, counsellors, and medical personnel and interpreting their advice and recommendations for teachers
6. Facilitating the Education Adjustment Program within the school
7. With the support of school leadership, ensuring that the necessary documentation pertaining to Planning for Personalised Learning is reflective of school wide needs
8. Support, together with Class Teachers, of School Officer programs within the school. Facilitating regular professional learning opportunities for School Officers is a component of this role.
9. Liaison with relevant external agencies during periods of transition in the education of students with additional needs.
10. Maintaining current records of direct intervention programs with individual students including assessment results and program details.

In summary, the Learning Support Teacher supports Classroom Teachers to support students so that they are able to reach their full potential in a supportive, nurturing classroom environment. The Classroom Teacher is always your first point of call when it comes to discussing the educational needs of the student.

Parent Partnership Forum

Tuckshop Roster

Tuckshop Menu

Kids Yoga and Meditation Program

We are partipating in a yoga program every Monday this term for our physical education lessons. Please see more information about the program below.

Pathway to Prep

Notices