Week 3 Term 3 2023

Dear Parents and Friends,

Welcome to all our new students and families who have started at IHM this term.  We welcomed 12 new students across Reception to Year 4.  It is wonderful to see IHM continue to grow in Term 3 with our enrolment numbers now surpassing 160 students.  This is the highest number it has been in many years and highlights the strong and positive presence of our school in the community thanks to the wonderful work of our staff and families in creating such a special environment here at IHM that families want to be a part of.

At the end of Week One, it was communicated to families that I would be leaving at the end of 2023 school year.  I absolutely love the IHM community and know that the school will continue to flourish without me beyond 2023 as our staff, students and families are what make IHM the heart filled place it is. It was not an easy decision to make, and IHM will always hold a special place in my heart.

Parents and Friends

Our IHM Parents and Friends do such a wonderful job in supporting our school community.  Some ways they contribute to our school community include running Breakfast Club every Wednesday, organising special lunches for the students each term (the next one is on the 15^th  of September), preparing food for special events such as the building opening or running our Election Voting Day food stalls just to name a few. 

The P & F Committee are always looking at ways to support our community with the funds they raise.  This week the P & F donated $2500 towards resources for a Numeracy program called Bond Blocks that is currently being run in 1/2HW along with some new decodable readers for the R-2 community.  We are very grateful for their continued support in our community as they always look for ways to support our schools needs. Thank you to the P & F Team.  

I strongly encourage anyone who can to join the IHM P & F.  They only meet once per term in the evening, and it is such a great way to support the IHM community and meet some amazing parents in the process.  Please contact Julie in the front office if you are interested in joining. 

Building Opening

At the end of last term, we had our Official Building Opening for our Administration Building, Hall and Upstairs Classroom Refurbishment.  We welcomed Archbishop O’Regan, Steve Georganas MP, Member for Adelaide who represented the Australian Government, Dr Neil McGoran, Director of Catholic Education South Australia, and The Hon Tung Ngo MLC who represented the Premier Peter Malinauskas, Father Lancy and other Principals in the Western Schools Region.   It was a special day for our community. Our students sang so proudly, and we were so grateful to families and guests who could come and celebrate with our community. 

A big thank you to the P & F for donating funds to support the day along with cooking and baking for the event.  There was so much work that went on behind the scenes and could not be more grateful to Carmel Johnston and Julie Hansen for their preparation with the event along with preparing food.  A big thank you to the IHM staff, families, and students for their support on the day.  I could not have been prouder of our students and community. 

NAPLAN

Congratulations to all our Year 3 & 5 students who sat the test.  A special thank you to our teachers who have looked closely at our testing data over a few years and adjusted teaching practices to achieve excellent results.  This will continue to occur to ensure best outcomes for all our students beyond 2023. 

Our Year 3 student results were above the National Average in all five tested areas and our Year 5 students were above the National Average in Reading, Writing, and Spelling.  Across all Catholic Schools in SA, our students performed above the average, and this is something for them to be proud of.  The results were sent home at the beginning of Week 2. 

Upcoming Special Days

Father’s Day Breakfast & Liturgy

On Friday 1^st of September (Week 6) our SRC’s will be hosting a special breakfast for all the dads, uncles and special men in our students’ lives from 8:30am and will then be followed by a special Liturgy at 9am.

VIP Day

On Friday 8^th September (Week 7) we will be having our VIP Day at IHM.  This day is open to any special people in the children’s lives (it can be a mum, dad, grandparent, aunty/uncle etc).    We will be having a Coffee Van from 8.30 - 9.00am.  A special thank you to Rowland Hall who is kindly donating his time and delicious coffee to IHM for a gold coin donation from families.  All funds raised will go to our IHM Community and continue to fund important resources.

Our assembly will begin at 9.00am which is run by 1/2HW where all classes will share something on the day.  After the assembly our VIP guests are welcome back to the children’s classrooms.  The special VIP morning will conclude at 10.15am.  We look forward to seeing all our VIPs on this day. 

Parent and Caregiver Survey - Complete For Your Chance to Win a $50.00 Gift Voucher!

All families have received invitations to complete a survey (via School Stream) we are currently conducting school climate and the Catholic Education Living Learning Leading Framework.

This is an important opportunity for you to let us know how things are going for you and your child/ren. Please be assured that your feedback will be anonymous and confidential. CESA and school staff will use the data to identify strengths and areas to work and build upon as part of our continuous improvement.

You can easily complete the online survey at www.NSIPartnerships.com.au and enter the code IHMLLLP in the start questionnaire field. It only takes 3 - 5 minutes. The closing date for the survey has now been extended to MONDAY 21st AUGUST. Send a screen shot of the completed page to the office and you’ll go into a draw to win one of 3 gift vouchers.

Have a safe and wonderful fortnight.

Annette Diassinas
ACTING PRINCIPAL

Book Week is fast approaching. All schools Australia-wide celebrate this event and it serves to inspire and motivate our IHM school community in the pleasure of reading. Our school library will have on display the shortlisted titles from a variety of categories. Teachers will ensure that students have access and opportunity to read all these nationally recognised books.

Watch the Children's Book Week® 2023 theme announcement, featuring this year’s feature artist, Matt Ottley on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRWj-sKSwBk

Students will also be celebrating Book Week through their involvement in the following whole school activities.  

Invitation to Parents and Grandparents: Reading to Children   

Each year we have parents, grandparents and family members reading to children from Reception to Year 6. It is always a great success for both the students and their loved family members. As a result, we would like to extend an invitation to parents, grandparents and other family members to participate in the week’s celebrations by reading stories to children at IHM.  

You may bring along a favourite title from home or read from an assortment of books that will be available in classrooms. Please speak with the relevant class teacher regarding your availability and choice of book. Readers are welcome from Monday 21st to Thursday 25th August from 8:45 to 9:15am.

Favourite Books and Buddy Reading Experience: Shared Reading

Students can bring their favourite book to school. It can be a picture, fiction, or nonfiction title, a new or a long-time favourite. Over the week, students will share, read, and view these books with their own class and with their ‘buddy’ class. These established ‘’buddy partnerships promote relaxed and enjoyable reading experiences.   

IHM School Vote for Early Childhood Book Winner

Every year the Year 5/6 class runs the R-6 vote for IHM’s Best Early Years Childhood Book title. The school does not always agree with the CBCA.  We cannot wait for the Year 5/6 leaders to reveal IHM’s most popular title for 2023!

Meerkat Productions - Frank’s Red Hat by Sean E Avery

Meerkat Productions will be hosting an online play about never giving up on our talents even if they are not appreciated because one day the appreciation may come, and possibly from someone whom we would least expect it from.

Frank is a penguin with ideas. Mostly terrible ones. That is why his fellow penguins are nervous when he shows them his strange new creation. Something they had never seen or expected to see in their cold and colourless Antarctic world — a red hat.

City of Charles Sturt Library Visits

Adding further to the celebrations this year, the City of Charles Sturt Library is running sessions for students incorporating activities related to Book Week.  We will need parental help to walk some classes to and from the Hindmarsh library on Port Road at Hindmarsh. Teachers will reach out for help.

Book Week Dress Up Parade & Assembly -  Friday 25^th August  

It’s that time of year again…time to get creative and think of some fantastic dress up ideas for our Book Week Dress up Parade.  The theme this year is ‘Read, Grow, Inspire’  and we encourage the students to come dressed as a favourite book character or within the scope of the theme.     

Our Dress up Parade will immediately follow the announcement of our IHM book vote results at our 9am assembly. Our school leaders will facilitate these proceedings alongside Mrs Diassinas.    

Students will parade around the school block and it will certainly be a fantastic opportunity for the students to show case their costumes!  

Information Link - Families can access further information using the following link to the CBCA website:  https://cbca.org.au/cbca-book-week   

The theme of "Read, Grow, Inspire" focuses on how literature has the capacity to develop a child's inner world and how it can plant the seed of inspiration for them to express their own creativity.

Children are almost like plants and literature the sun, the soil, and the water. Through literature, students can grow and flourish. Book week not only celebrates the wonderful relationship between children and books but also honours the authors and the role they play in child development.

Welcome Back for Term 3

I extend a warm welcome back for the start of Term 3. I hope you all managed some time to relax and enjoying time with family and friends during the school holiday break.

Student Leaders Vinnies Food Appeal - Can You Help?

Beginning this week and running through until Friday 8^th of September (End Week 7) our School House Leaders are running a Food Drive to support families in our local community who are finding it increasingly difficult to put food on the table as a result of ‘cost of living’ pressures.

Our School Leaders are partnering with our local St Vincent de Paul Chapter to invite families who are in a position to do so, to donate any of the following items:

• Long life milk
• Rice
• Pasta
• Biscuits
• Tea
• Coffee

Please see the advertisement in this newsletter and any donations can be made to your child’s classroom. 

National Day against Bullying and Violence - Friday 18^th August

On Friday 18^th of August 2023, Immaculate Heart of Mary School is participating in the National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence (NDA).

The NDA is Australia’s key bullying prevention initiative for schools, connecting schools and communities to implement workable solutions to prevent bullying.

To show our support for this day we are encouraging all students to wear a splash of orange on the day as a reminder to show kindness to others.

Planning for a safe and supportive school community requires a whole-school community approach. Whole-school responses to bullying prevention builds positive and supportive school environments by incorporating strategies for intervention at all levels, inclusive of students, teachers, parents and carers.

Three key characteristics outlined in the national definition of bullying distinguish bullying behaviours from other negative behaviours which are not bullying.

The key characteristics of bullying include:

1. Power imbalance
2. Deliberate intent to cause harm, and
3. Ongoing and repeated behaviour.

While the following behaviours are not bullying, they may still be serious and require intervention at home and at school:

• Arguments and disagreements (where there is no power imbalance)
• Single acts of social rejection or unkind behaviour, or
• Isolated incidents of aggression, intimidation or violence.

It is important for our whole-school community, including our staff, parents, carers and students to have a clear understanding of the definition of bullying to be able to correctly identify and respond to incidents of bullying. The full national definition along with further information can be on the bullying.no way website. https://bullyingnoway.gov.au/

Feast of St Mary of the Cross Mackillop

On Tuesday 8^th of August we celebrated the Feast of St Mary of The Cross MacKillop. This is the day she died in 1909 in Sydney at the age of 67. Mary’s influence on education and bringing God to the people, especially the poor, is one of the most remarkable stories in our Australian story.  She remains our only Australian Saint. She was an ordinary person who had deep love for God, deep love for people, a deep love for the poor. Mary believed that education sets a person free, and she believed that Catholic children should learn about their faith with the support of their parents and in school. Although Mary favoured the poor and the marginalised, she welcomed all and she befriended people at different levels of society.

Casual Day Friday 7^th July -  Fundraiser For Vinnies Winter Appeal

Thank you to all families who supported our gold coin donation casual clothing day, on the last Friday of Term 2. Your generous support allowed us to raise $60.00 for the Vinnies Winter Appeal.

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:

“A kind word spoken can make another’s day. A kind word not spoken leaves an empty hole. “

Paula Clark
Assistant Principal – Religious Identity and Mission

The IHM P & F committee would like to thank all the community for the sale of the raffle tickets sold and everyone that helped with baking for the cupcakes day.  

The fundraising held last term raised funds to help with new decoder readers for the junior grades. 

If you would like join our school community come and get involved, have fun and meet some other parents. We hold one meeting each term please speak to the front office if you wish to be contacted to join. Everyone is welcome.   

Lastly, Belinda and Cindy are stepping down from Co-Chairs of the P & F at the end of the year. If you would like to be Chair/Co-Chair please reach out or chat with Annette.   

Belinda and Cindy
CO-CHAIRS - P & F COMMITTEE

Story Dogs News

Immaculate Heart of Mary School is very excited to have a new regular visitor to our school to help the students with their reading. ‘Zalee’ and Rachel will be visiting every Wednesday and Friday and they are super excited and looking forward to meeting everyone.

The Story Dogs program partners with the classroom teachers to help students with their reading. ‘Zalee’ and Rachel will help the same students each week. The students will come out of their classroom, sit one-on-one with ‘Zalee’ and Rachel, and read to ‘Zalee’.  ‘Zalee’ loves to listen and will not mind if the student makes a few mistakes, she just wants to have a fun time so that books and reading become a joyful experience.  

‘Zalee’ is a gorgeous Golden retriever who loves lots and lots of pats, and sleeping.  ‘Zalee’ has been practicing at home with her new reading rug and books so that she will be ready to help the students. She is super excited about starting.

If you are interested in volunteering in this rewarding program, please contact natalieb@storydogs.org.au

Welcome ‘Zalee’ and Rachel!