Week 7 Term 1 2024

Dear Parent and Caregivers,

On Friday our pupil free day involved staff engaging in professional learning. Teachers unpacked the Australian Curriculum Version 9. In 2008, all governments agreed a national curriculum was needed to deliver an equitable, quality education for all young Australians and the national curriculum was then developed over a number of years. The national curriculum is reviewed every 6 years and the 2020– 2021 review resulted in the Australian Curriculum, Version 9.0.  States and territories implement the Australian Curriculum according to their own timelines. The latest Australian Curriculum Review made improvements to the Foundation to Year 10 curriculum by refining, realigning and decluttering the content. IHM has completed new curriculum mapping and will be using this to teach in 2024.

NAPLAN

Students in Years 3 and 5 will participate in the NAPLAN tests over the coming fortnight. NAPLAN gives a snapshot of student learning and is used in conjunction with a variety of other assessments to inform teaching and determine students’ progress and achievement.

Student Leaders

We congratulate our student house leaders who received their badges at our assembly last Thursday. We look forward to experiencing their leadership throughout 2024.

Celebrations

Parents are invited to attend the school liturgies and assemblies associated with these important events for our community.

• Harmony Day - Thursday 21^st March - Students can wear cultural dress or orange top/accessories with their uniform. Assembly will be held Thursday 21^st March at 2.20pm and will be led by 2/3 HW.
   
• Holy Week - See Jhovana Fenu’s newsletter article.

Parent Partnership

We would like to thank Miriam Davison and Rhiannon Mercurio who are donating their time and skills to continue our “Green Hearts” program. Miriam’s horticultural skills and Rhiannon’s chef skills are being paired to create an enhanced experience of ‘paddock to plate’ for our students. See the Green Hearts newsletter article.

If you have time or a skillset that our IHM students would benefit from we would love to hear from you. Expanding our student’s experiences through authentic and engaging learning and community involvement is greatly valued.

Regards,

Julie Hancock
PRINCIPAL

Catholic Identity

Lenten Journey to Easter

Our Catholic Identity at IHM is inspired by the messages of Pope Francis. This Season of Lent, Pope Francis reminds us of the following:

• We have the gift of freedom and personal decision
• To slow down and pause- pause in prayer and presence, just like the parable of the Good Samaritan offered his full presence to a wounded man.

Prayer

Feasting and Fasting
by Ruth Burgess

The desert waits,
ready for those who come,
who come responsive to the Spirit’s leading;
or who are driven,
because they will not come any other way.
The desert always waits,
ready to let us know who we are –
the place of self-discovery.
And whilst we fear, and rightly,
the loneliness and emptiness and harshness,
we forget the angels whom we cannot see for our blindness,
but who abide with us
when we are ready for what they can give us.
Amen.

Commissioning Mass

On Sunday 25^th February IHM Staff together with the staff from St Joseph’s School Hindmarsh, were commissioned by Father Santhosh. We accepted God’s call to promote our Heart Spirituality in our leadership and mission through our words and through our actions.

We thank all the staff at St Joseph’s School, Hindmarsh, Father Santhosh, and all the Sacred Heart Church community for your blessings.

Year 5/6 Mass: The Transfiguration

Our Year 5/6L led our Mass on the Transfiguration. We heard about how Jesus took his disciples to a special place where they could be alone. Jesus’ disciples Peter, James and John were able to see and hear amazing things. They saw Jesus shine brightly and heard God’s voice telling them that Jesus is the Son of God.

In the Homily, Father Santhosh reminded us that in life we too experience extraordinary events. Life is full of wonder and sometimes challenges, however God’s love will always enfold us.

At the end of the Mass, 5/6L shared how they are continuing to learn about the work of Project Compassion and the impact of the work of Caritas Australia.

We thank Father Santhosh for being our celebrant, 5/6L and the families who attended.

Upcoming Liturgies and Masses

All Families and young siblings are welcome to attend
Wednesday 13^th March: We Belong to an Inclusive Community - Led by 2/3HW

Holy Week: All Liturgies / Easter Mass - Time: 9am / Location: IHM HALL

CESA Pulse Survey Check In

Each term, Catholic Education SA will undertake a Classroom Pulse Check In. Each Catholic Diocesan School participates in the survey. The purpose of the Classroom Pulse Check In is to find out how students are feeling about their experience of school.

Students will each be asked some simple questions about:

• Identity
• Learning
• Relationships
• Belonging

Your child’s responses will help us to identify any potential social, emotional or learning needs that they may have. They will also be used by Catholic Education SA to help highlight trends across Catholic Schools that may need to be addressed.

At IHM Pulse Surveys are conducted Week 5 and Week 6 of each Term. You can view sample Classroom Pulse Check Ins below:

Reception to Year 3 click Here
Year 4-6 click Here

Further Information, including Parent Questions and Answers Click  Here

PBIS - Positive Behavioural Interventions and Supports

IHM are proud to announce that this year we will be adapting an evidence based program for teaching social and emotional learning. Together with Catholic Education SA, we will be implementing PBIS - Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support.

PBIS is a framework, where learning about ‘how to behave’ is treated like a subject. We will collect data: what are we observing that needs addressing? We will then intentionally plan and explicitly teach the desired skills within the curriculum. Like with all our academic subjects, we will monitor and review growth and process and continue to plan accordingly.  

Each week we will have a whole school behaviour focus that will be acknowledged at each assembly. This week’s focus was ‘safe lining up’. 4/5F were recognised for their efforts and won the Principal’s School Award. Well done 4/5F!

We look forward to continuing to share student achievements and growth with you.

Mr. Alex Ferrier will be leading this significant school initiative. We look forward to building our understanding on best practices and approaches to support student wellbeing and engagement under his leadership.

PBIS School Team

Suzie Wallace:            Year 2/3 Teacher/Pastoral Care Leader
Kelsey Thompson:     R/1 Teacher
Antonia Papazaharoudakis: 3/4 Teacher
Rachel Belperio:         Education Support Officer - Co-Educator
Kristine Rebeiro:        The Arts Specialist Teacher
Julie Hancock:            Principal
Jhovana Fenu:            APRIM/Learning Diversity

For more information, please visit: Positive Behavioural Interventions and Support: PBIS  Raising Young People in Positive Learning Environments RYPPLE

Jhovana Fenu
Assistant Principal-Religious Identity and Mission/Learning Diversity
Email: jfenu@ihm.catholic.edu.au

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is an annual simultaneous administered assessment for all students across Australia in Years 3, 5, 7, and 9. The tests are scheduled from 13–25 March 2024, in the domains of:

• Writing,
• Reading,
• Conventions of Language (spelling, grammar & punctuation),
• ​and Numeracy.

All tests will be undertaken online, except for the Year 3 Writing test which will be in paper format.  NAPLAN online tests better meet the needs of all students and allow 'tailored testing', giving students questions that are better suited to their ability, resulting in better assessment and more precise results.  Students will be adequately prepared at school to use the online testing environment.

At Immaculate Heart of Mary School, we are dedicated to preparing students for these assessments and using them as one of many tools to understand and support each student's learning journey. While we must ensure students take the NAPLAN tests seriously, it is also essential that they are not overwhelmed by the experience. Students and their families can also prepare for the NAPLAN online by completing practice tests on the NAPLAN Online public demonstration site. The site can be accessed at: https://www.nap.edu.au/online-assessment/public-demonstration-site.

If parents/families should have any queries regarding NAPLAN and student participation, please do not hesitate to contact your class teacher, Sonia Bianco & Catherine Hulley (NAPLAN Coordinators) or Julie Hancock (Principal).

The key dates scheduled are as follows:

In Term 2 we are beginning to offer some food education along with the Green Hearts Program that is held at lunch time.

We will be focusing on using all our garden has to offer, as well as some basic cookery skills. Unfortunately, our kitchen cupboards are a little bare of gadgets and utensils. So we are asking families if they have anything the would like to donate to the program.

Some of the things we need are:

• blenders, nutribullet or stickblenders
• chopping boards
• mixing bowls
• strainers
• peelers
• wooden and steel spoons
• ladles
• scales
• large containers for produce
• baskets for collecting produce
• old jars suitable to sanitise
• oven trays
• big pots for making jams

If you think you have anything that maybe useful, please drop off in box near lost property in the admin building. 

Thankyou,
Green Hearts!

Discover the World of Reading…

Our school has had a longstanding commitment to the Premier’s Reading Challenge (PRC). As in previous years at IHM, we integrate the PRC into the class literature and literacy focus. Class teachers manage student participation and reading activity and we encourage families to continue their support and involvement through the school and our magnificent community libraries. Additional Student Reading Records are accessible via IHM or the PRC website.

KEY INFORMATION ABOUT THE PREMIER’S READING CHALLENGE (PRC)

What is the Challenge?

The PRC is an annual Reading Challenge open to all students in South Australia. Its primary focus is to promote reading for enjoyment as well as develop general literacy skills through the world of books. At IHM, we strongly promote and support participation in the Challenge at all year levels.

How does it operate?

Students need to read 12 books. Eight of these books need to be from their appropriate year level book list (issued by the Challenge) and the remaining (4) can be of their own choosing (and of a similar standard to those on the list). There are three categories for book selections dependent on the year level of the student: R-2, 3-5, 6-9. The Challenge list books are available in our school library and colour coded to match each category (sticker on the spine of the book).   

Each student receives a Student Reading Record 2024 to complete in class and the classroom teacher signs it.

When does the Challenge end?  -  6th September 2024

Are the students acknowledged for their participation and completion of the challenge?

Students are rewarded for every year of participation and in the primary years of school, the awards are:

Certificate – 1^st year
Bronze medal – 2^nd year
Silver medal – 3^rd year
Gold medal – 4^th year
Champion medal – 5^th year
Legend medal – 6^th year
Hall of Fame medal – 7^th year

Who can I ask for help should I need it?

If you have any questions about the Reading Challenge please ask your child’s teacher or myself. Public libraries also actively support the Challenge. Information is also accessible on the Premier’s Reading Challenge website:

http://www.premiersreadingchallenge.sa.edu.au/PRC/

Enjoy the Challenge!

Sonia Bianco & Catherine Hulley
LEADERS OF LEARNING

Easter Raffle Reminder

The P & F recently launched their Easter Raffle and each family received a book with 10 raffle tickets to buy or sell.

• $2.00 per ticket
• 5 great Easter Baskets to win
• Raffle drawn on Thursday 28th March 
• Return all raffle books sold or unsold to the Office by MONDAY 25th MARCH
• More tickets available from the Office

Happy Easter and Good Luck to everyone!

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 23rd July 2024.  If so, great news - fees for Terms 3 and 4 will be waived. For an Application Form or more information please contact the Office.

We are also still taking enrolments for 2025. Please ensure you have submitted an Application Form.

Soccer Season 2024

Last week every family received information about the 2024 soccer season. If you would like your child to particiapte in the Saturday morning competition representing IHM, please complete the Soccer Registration Form and return to the Office by TUESDAY 2nd APRIL 2024 - late registrations cannot be accepted. Spare forms available from the Office.

Once teams have been finalised a letter will be sent home with all relevant information. See letter and registration form attached:

__files/d/17322/Soccer_Interest_2024.pdf