Week 3 Term 2 2023

Dear Parents and Friends,

I hope all the mums, grandmothers and special women had a lovely day on Sunday.  A big thank you to all the women who were able to join in our Mother’s Day Breakfast and Liturgy last Friday. It was so wonderful to see so many mums, grandmas and special women celebrate the beautiful gift that is them.  Thank you to the IHM Staff for putting on the delicious breakfast.  Our IHM staff are always going above and beyond in supporting our school community. 

Important Change to Permission Forms/Notices

There is an important change that has occurred this term.   IHM will no longer be sending home paper permission notes regarding excursions or upcoming events.  We have moved all our correspondence online to School Stream.  If you haven’t already done so, please set up a school stream account to receive communication, permission forms and other notices. 

If you would still like a paper permission note as you do not access services online, please contact Julie in the front office to organise this.

Zones of Regulation – Parent Workshop

Since 2022, IHM has been engaged in a Partners in Practice Project with Motivate Kids Occupational Therapy. This was made possible jointly through a grant from Catholic Education South Australia and our own budgeted commitment to the professional learning of our staff.  Rochelle Mutton, Director and Senior OT, and Jordan Liseno, Senior OT, have been working with our staff and students over this time to ensure our practices and environments are supportive of students’ sensory needs, as well as developing the skills of our students to regulate in their environments to maximise learning and wellbeing.

Rochelle and Jordan will provide an opportunity for parents/caregivers to learn more about the connection between children’s wellbeing and regulation, as well as regulation techniques that can be used at home to support behaviour and wellbeing.  This is an excellent opportunity for our families and should not be missed! 

An invitation via School Stream will be sent this week.  Please let us know if you are able to attend. It will be held on Wednesday 7th June 6.30 - 7.30pm in our IHM Hall. 

IHM Reports Semester 1 – General Capabilities

As mentioned in previous newsletters our IHM formal School Reports will be changing this year.  Previously in our school reports, we have provided some indication on how your child is performing in reference to the General Capabilities.  The General Capabilities in the Australian Curriculum encompass the knowledge, skills, behaviours and dispositions that, together with curriculum content in each learning area and the cross-curriculum priorities, will assist to live and work successfully in the twenty-first century.   Families will still receive information about your child and how they are performing with the General Capabilities however, the amount of detail provided will look different. 

Each newsletter families will be provided with some information about one of the General Capabilities.  This week’s focus is Ethical Understanding. It involves students in learning to behave ethically, exploring ethical issues and interactions with others, discussing ideas, and learning you be accountable as members of a democratic community.

What students at IHM demonstrate:

• Listening to and considering others’ points of view
• Considers consequences of their own and others’ actions
• Explores rights and responsibilities for themselves and others
• Discussion of ideas and issues.

Please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher if you wish to discuss your child and the General Capabilities further.

Have a safe and wonderful week.

Annette Diassinas
ACTING PRINCIPAL

Catholic Education Week

Catholic Education Week is being celebrated this week in Catholic schools throughout South Australia from the 15th – 21st of May 2023.

This week is an opportunity to reflect on and share all the things that we love about Immaculate Heart of Mary and what makes our community special. 

Join us on social media this week in sharing Facebook posts about the reasons you love our school and being a part of our IHM community, using the hashtag #LoveMyCatholicSchool.

Children’s/Family Community Mass Sunday 28^th May, 9am

On Sunday the 28^th of May at 9.00am our school will host a special School Community Mass, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church (252 Port Road, Hindmarsh). This Mass will be celebrated with members of the Hindmarsh/Findon Parish and students and families from St Joseph’s Hindmarsh, St Michael’s College, Our Lady of La Vang and Nazareth schools.

On this day we will celebrate the Feast of Pentecost. At Pentecost, Christians celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles. This feast marks the end of the Easter season and falls 50 days after Easter.

This mass provides a great opportunity for families to support one another in teaching their children about the Catholic faith and allows the opportunity for children to take part in the Children’s Liturgy.

Families are invited to stay and share in a morning tea following the mass.

Southern Cross

The current edition of the Catholic newspaper put out by the Archdiocese called,’ The Southern Cross,’ is available at; www.thesoutherncross.org.au

Thought For The Week:

Show your children love, tenderness, gentleness, patience, and respect, and they will treat others likewise.

Paula Clark
ACTING ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL – RELIGIOUS IDENTITY AND MISSION

If your child or anyone you know has a child that turns 5 before 31st October they are eligible to commence school in Term 3 this year on 25^th July.  If so, great news - fees for Terms 3 and 4 will be waived. For an Enrolment Form or more information please contact Julie.

P & F Meeting

The next P & F committee meeting is being held on Thursday 25th May 2023 at 7pm in the IHM Hall.  New parents and caregivers are welcome to attend or join the committee which meets once a term.

Sausage Sizzle Lunch

On Wednesday 31st May we will be having a sausage sizzle for the students and orders can be placed and paid for via Qkr (under P & F Sausage Sizzle - 1 sausage & bread $3.50, 2 sausages & bread $7.00, Fruit Box $2.00). Orders to be in by Monday 29th May.

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Belinda & Cindy
CO-CHAIRS - P & F COMMITTEE

School Fee Statements

School Fee Statements have been sent home with your child today. Please check your child's bag. If you have any queries in relation to fees please contact our Finance Manager Kristina Neumann at: kneumann@ihm.catholic.edu.au.

School Card Applications

Another reminder for families to apply for School Card if they think they may be eligible. School Card must be applied for each school year and approved School Card applicants can receive a 40% discount on their school fees. Please see Julie for an Application Form or visit the website for more information and to apply online:

http://www.sa.gov.au/topics/education-and-learning/financial-help-scholarships-and-grants/school-card-scheme

This week Cyber-Safety Agreements have been distributed to all families via School Stream (under Forms). Each year we ask all families to read and discuss this information with their child. The document contains:

• Strategies to help keep students cyber-safe
• Cyber-safety, social media and your child
• Cyber-safety Use Agreement.

After reading the Cyber-safety information and Use Agreement, please sign and submit via School Stream. 

There is still time to register for next Term’s Drama class Commencing Monday Week 2 of Term 3 for students in Years 1-6.

Below is the link to register:

https://www.stickytickets.com.au/y445u

Chris Asimos is excited to announce that he is taking expressions of interest for an afterschool drama program in Term 3: Drama Kids!  Chris is already familiar to our IHM students after running a 6-week Drama workshop with our students in Term 1. 

The program will be led by veteran actor and teacher Chris Asimos, who has extensive experience in teaching and performing.

During the program, students will have the opportunity to develop their acting skills and explore their creativity through a range of activities, games, and exercises. They will also work together as a team to put on a mini theatrical showcase.

Chris Asimos has a wealth of experience in theatre, having performed in a number of productions both nationally and internationally. He has also directed several successful plays and taught drama to students of all ages. With his guidance, students will have the opportunity to learn from one of the best in the business and develop their own skills as actors and performers.

Premier's be active Challenge

This year IHM students will be taking part in The Premier's be active Challenge. The Challenge is to be physically active for 60 minutes a day, for 5 days a week, for 4 weeks minimum but we are encouraging 10 weeks. If students can do this, they will get a medal! 

Today students from Reception to Year 2 have received a Premier's be active Challenge Record which they can complete in their own time. Students in Years 3 - 6 will receive their record tomorrow.

Good luck and have fun being active!

Astrid-Marie Powell
SPORTS COORDINATOR

Families are reminded that this Friday 2nd June all students will be going to the Adelaide Botanic Gardens to celebrate World Environment Day.

PLEASE NOTE

• All students must arrive to school at 8:30am on Friday morning so that we can depart on time to walk to the tram stop.

• Students need to wear their correct school uniform, school hat and bring wet weather gear in case of rain.

• Student need to bring a packed recess, lunch and water bottle in a disposable bag.

Bond Blocks – Maths Programme

This term 1/2 HW are trialling a new maths intervention programme which builds fluency with number.  The programme is based on research which discovered that children in Year 1-3 tend to rely on their fingers to count, have difficulty recalling basic facts and don’t always use the best strategy to work out number problems. 

We are currently focusing on numbers 1-10, using a variety of activities to build number recognition, fluency and vocabulary.

We are enjoying building our numeracy skills and playing the games with our bond blocks buddy.