Mel Maria Catholic Primary School

“Everything we do in our Catholic schools is about bringing the light of Christ’s Gospel

to children’s learning in all its dimensions.

We are called to let the joy of our faith shine through the gifts and talents, we bring to our work.

We are challenged to bring out the best in one another and in the children entrusted to our care.

Jesus calls us to discipleship. Discipleship means involvement. In our calling, as disciples, and as educators in a Catholic school, we make the Good News visible to all through our words and actions.”

(Bishop’s Mandate)

Dear Parents and Carers

On behalf of the staff of Mel Maria Catholic Primary School, I would like to welcome all students and their families to the new school year. Our dedicated staff have worked very hard over the break to prepare the grounds, buildings and teaching programs for the 2024 school year. We are indeed very fortunate to have the school and facilities that are provided here at Mel Maria Catholic Primary School. I particularly welcome the new students and their families joining the Mel Maria Catholic Primary School community for the very first time. I am sure you will feel part of the community in no-time at all.

We all know that children receive the best education when parents and staff work as a team. Parents’ enthusiasm, support and involvement are integral to the success of our school as are the skills, dedication and professionalism of teachers. Together, staff and parents can provide educational excellence for every student, so that they can achieve their personal best. Together, we can support one another to provide a friendly learning environment and celebrate our achievements.

Education today is a complex engagement because of the intensity and variety of external influences particularly through various forms of media and electronic communications. Our school has a special role in assisting every parent with the education of their children, so that all children will develop a sense of personal responsibility and learn the correct use of freedom. Throughout the year, our school will also provide experiences of liturgy and prayer as invitations to know and experience the enormous love and special friendship of God. I hope our school will be a place where staff, students and families have opportunities to experience God’s presence in our lives. I pray that the school year ahead, will see our staff and parents in genuine partnership in our collective role and faith education of the children at Mel Maria Catholic Primary School.

It was tremendous to see all our students return to school looking so refreshed and energised for the new year. I couldn’t believe how much some of our students had grown and changed over the break . . . don’t our Year One students look so grown-up in their School Uniform?

Congratulations to all our mums and dads on getting their children ready for the start of the year. I appreciate it, it can be very hectic trying to organise all the things necessary for the new school year. Well Done! Thank you also for making a real effort with the School Uniform, as this is most important, particularly as we try and set the standard and expectation from the beginning of the year.

Transition to 2025

It is wonderful to see that work has begun on the buildings as we transition to our new model in 2025. The Executive Director shared in his ‘Welcome Message” with all Catholic school in Western Australia “ . . . works will also begin on the two sites of Mel Maria Catholic Primary School - St Joseph Pignatelli Campus in Attadale and the Pater Noster Campus in Myaree which will facilitate the roll-out of its new world class innovative education model.”

We are truly excited about our future and all that it will bring for the students and their families as we adopt this new model. Much planning and preparation will be taking place this year to help our students transition to their new campus (if that is the case). Our staff are motivated to commence this new model and the feedback from the community has been positive. We have had over 30 new students enrol this year as they are looking forward to better opportunities for their children.

Kindergarten 2025 – Applications are Now Due

Enrolments are now being taken for siblings and new students wishing to commence Kindergarten at Mel Maria Catholic Primary School in 2025. Families with children eligible for Kindergarten in 2025 are required to fill out a Kindergarten Enrolment Application Form.

Kindergarten places are limited so it is important that parents within the Mel Maria Catholic Primary School community submit their applications as soon as possible. Forms can be obtained from the office or on the school website.

Parent Details

If your details have changed over the last six weeks, e.g. contact details, addresses workplaces and /or family circumstances, please email Mrs Sylvia Tamigi on 6330 0500 and advise her of the changes so the school’s database can be updated.

Permission to Use Student Images 2024

If you would like to amend your child’s permission to use student images from 2021 then please contact your child’s class teacher directly. All permissions given in 2023 will rollover to 2024 unless otherwise advised.

Family Sundowner

I encourage all families to attend this event on Saturday 10 February. This event is coordinated by the Mel Maria Catholic Primary School P&F Committee. This occasion is a way of celebrating your child/ren’s first few weeks at the school, as well as an opportunity to meet other parents and welcome NEW families to the Mel Maria community. This event will be held at the Melville Tennis Club from 4:00pm – 8:00pm.

As in the past, you are encouraged to bring your own picnic dinner, or avail yourself to the food trucks which have been organised for the evening. Once again, this promises to be a fabulous community gathering to start the school year.

Master Minds at Mel Maria

We're excited to introduce "Master Minds at Mel Maria" (#MMatMM) a new initiative aimed at enhancing the learning experience for our Year Five and Year Six students across both campuses. This year, we're implementing this integrated inquiry model designed to stimulate curiosity and foster collaborative learning.

In Master Minds sessions, students will delve into discovery learning through thought-provoking provocations. Guided by their teachers, students will explore a range of scenarios, global questions, and problems, allowing them to develop critical and creative thinking skills.

Inquiry-based learning flips the traditional approach to education on its head by prioritising investigation and problem-solving. Rather than presenting information upfront, students are encouraged to ask questions, design investigations, and communicate their findings.

How does inquiry-based learning benefit our students?

The following are some examples:

1. Social Interaction: By engaging in group discussions, students develop reasoning skills, agency, and ownership over their learning.

2. Exploration: Through exploration, students cultivate curiosity, resilience, and optimism.

3. Argumentation and Reasoning: Encouraging discussion and debate fosters engagement in scientific concepts and improves critical thinking skills.

4. Collaboration: Students learn to collaborate effectively, enhancing their teamwork skills.

5. Positive Attitudes Towards Failure: Embracing failure as part of the learning process promotes reflection, resilience, and continual improvement.

We're thrilled to embark on this journey of inquiry-based learning with our students and look forward to witnessing their growth and development throughout the Master Minds program.

Parent Information Nights

We were delighted to witness such strong parent turnout at the Information Nights this past week. The school was abuzz with excitement as parents engaged with teachers and learned about the exciting plans ahead for their children this year. The dedication and effort by our staff in their planning is evident in the high quality of instruction our teachers provide. As I've reiterated numerous times, fostering a positive partnership between home and school is paramount. Remember, your child's class teacher is your primary point of contact for any concerns you may have. Don't hesitate to reach out to them.

The Code of Conduct describes the minimum Standards of conduct in all behaviour and decision making to ensure the safety and well-being of students. The Code applies to staff, students, volunteers, parents, and guardians.

We take this opportunity to direct members of our community to review our Code of Conduct. These statements are aimed at ensuring the protection and wellbeing of students in our care. In addition, awareness of the Code of Conduct ensures that adults do not put themselves in potentially vulnerable positions; for example, adults use the ambulant toilet when on site and do not use student toilets. Please take a few moments to review our Code of Conduct.

Code Of Conduct Statements

1. You act safely and competently.

2. You give priority to students’ safety and well-being in all your behaviour and decision making.

3. You act in accordance with the values of the Gospel as defined in the Code of Ethical Conduct.

4. You conduct yourself in accordance with laws, agreements, policies, and standards relevant to your relationship with the school community.

5. You respect the dignity, culture, values, and beliefs of each member of the school community.

6. You treat personal information about members of the school community as private and confidential.

7. You give impartial, honest and accurate information about the education, safety and well-being of students.

8. You support all members of the school community in making informed decisions about students.

9. You promote and preserve the trust and privilege inherent in your relationship with all members of the school community.

10. You maintain and build on the community’s trust and confidence in Catholic schools and the Church.

11. You act reflectively and ethically.

12. You allow students to have a voice in their education, safety, and well-being.

Keeping Safe Program

The Education Act mandates the teaching of a Protective Behaviours program in all schools. At Mel Maria Catholic Primary School, we follow the Keeping Safe Program.

The Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum (KS:CPC)aims to help children learn to recognise abuse and develop ways of protecting themselves from abuse and, in wider terms, covers rights, relationships, responsibilities and ethical behaviour. Stay tuned for updates throughout the year.

Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum

Each term we teach students about respectful relationships and child safety. Themes included that we all have the right to be safe and can help ourselves to be safe by talking to people we trust.

CEWA Child Safe Framework

This framework of nine elements combine supporting a child safe culture, healthy and respectful relationships and extended guardianship in school communities, based on the latest research and recognised best practices. Teachers are responsible for delivering this curriculum to students. Please view the video below for an introduction to the framework.

https://childsafe.cewa.edu.au/introduction-key-concepts/

Tips for developing independence and executive functioning skills.

As your child grows, nurturing their independence and executive functioning skills becomes crucial. These abilities enable them to succeed academically and navigate life's challenges. Here are some tips to assist you in fostering their development:

· Encourage responsibility: Assign age-appropriate tasks and responsibilities, such as organising their backpack, managing their homework schedule, or completing chores. This instils a sense of accountability and enhances their organisational skills.

· Establish routines: Having consistent routines helps students develop effective time-management skills. Encourage a structured study routine, including time for breaks, which aids in concentration and productivity.

· Teach goal-setting: Help your child set attainable goals and guide them in breaking these goals into smaller, manageable tasks. This foster planning and prioritization skills, promoting a sense of accomplishment.

· Encourage problem-solving: Allow your child to independently solve their own problems whenever possible. By doing so, they learn critical thinking, decision making, and resilience, essential qualities for success.

· Promote self-advocacy: Encourage your child to express their needs and concerns in school and other settings. This empowers them to seek support, ask questions, and advocate for themselves effectively.

· Develop resilience: Help your child understand that setbacks are part of the learning process. Teach them to view challenges as opportunities for growth, reinforcing perseverance and adaptability.

Remember, fostering independence and executive functioning skills is a gradual process. Be patient, supportive, and provide opportunities for your child to practice these skills consistently. Together, let's equip our children with the tools they need to thrive.

Lexia Core5 Reading

This year your child will be using Lexia Core5 Reading, a fun computer-based program that has helped millions of students. The activities in Core5 support and build on our classroom curriculum and focus on developing reading skills in six areas: phonological awareness, phonics, structural analysis, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

Here’s how Lexia Core5 Reading works:

• Your child begins Core5 at a starting point that fits their needs and works in online activities throughout the week.

• Online activities include direct instruction and feedback as your child learns new skills.

• Progress and performance in the program is reported so teachers can provide help when needed.

• Paper-and-pencil activities are also used for practice and may be done in school or brought home.

• Achievement certificates may be sent home to celebrate success and to show progress in the program.

PowerUp Literacy

Older students in Year 5 and 6 may then progress onto Lexia PowerUp Literacy The activities in PowerUp support and build on our English language arts classroom curriculum, focusing on three areas essential to becoming a proficient reader: word study, grammar, and comprehension.

School Grounds

A reminder to families that students should not be on the school grounds prior to 8:15am. Mel Maria Catholic Primary School provides supervision from 8:15am until the official school bell at 8:40am. Please note classroom doors open at 8:30am this gives students the opportunity to get organised and settle in. On entering the school grounds during the day all visitors are asked to enter via the front office. A reminder that no dogs are allowed on the school grounds either before or after school.

PN: Parking and Use of Roads at Drop Off and Pick Up

We would like to remind families that supervision before school commences from 8.15am – 8:40 am and after school 3:00 pm – 3:20 pm. We remind parents to be courteous and not queue up for drive through before 2:55pm, as this restricts our Kindergarten families and creates congestion.

Arriving after school at 3:10 pm does alleviate some traffic congestion, so if you are able to come a little later please do so. Students will never be left unsupervised.

The City of Melville has reminded the school about parking and importance of following the road rules. As a school community, we continue to set ourselves the highest of standards in regard to the wellbeing of all. We have a school Code of Conduct and we thank you in advance for being considerate and patient when collecting your child/children.

It’s great to see so many families taking advantage of this wonderful weather and community to walk or ride to school.

SJP: Parking - Early Childhood.

Please remember that the parking outside the Pre-Primary and Kindergarten becomes a through way at 3:00pm. DRIVE THROUGH uses the lane to keep the traffic flowing. The ranger patrols this space as clear parking signs are in place. Please remind family members to observe the signs.

Ros Nichols and Jo Scouler

Ash Wednesday Mass

We will celebrate Ash Wednesday Mass with our students on Wednesday 14 February at 9:00am families are welcome and encouraged to join us for Mass on each campus.

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. Lent is the forty days (excluding Sundays) leading up to Easter. The number forty is significant as it refers to Jesus’ forty days in the desert prior to beginning his ministry of teaching.

On Ash Wednesday, Catholics and some other Christian denominations receive ashes in the shape of a cross on their forehead or sprinkled on top of their head. These ashes are created from the palms used during the previous year’s Palm Sunday Mass.

They symbolize penance, which is appropriate as Lent is a season of penance and remind us of our own mortality. During the Mass, as the priest or lay minister applies the ashes, he says “Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return.” Anyone who attends a Mass can receive ashes, not just practicing Catholics.

Teachers will send home Religious Education Guideline letters explaining the content and activities for each year level during the Lenten period.

CARITAS BOXES will be sent home with each family as a focus on our co-responsibility to respond to those in need in our community and how children can contribute through action and contributing at home.

As a Catholic community we will be Praying throughout lent for many of our Church intentions during this Year of prayer.

“Prayer unites us; it makes us brothers and sisters. It is in prayer that our hearts find the strength not to be cold and insensitive in the face of injustice. In prayer, God keeps calling us, opening our hearts to charity.”

Pope Francis

Dear God,

Bless this school which we have built for the education of our young people.

Bless our students and teachers, our parents, employees

and all who promote sound education in our community.

May our children grow in wisdom, age and grace before You and all Your people.

May this school always be a home of truth and wisdom,

of faith and good will toward all.

Through the prayers of Our Lady, St Joseph and St Joseph Pignatelli,

may this school help our community and build Your kingdom of justice, light and peace.

Amen

What a wonderful start we’ve had to Pre-Primary. The children have settled in well and have been busy getting to know each other and their new environment. They have had fun dancing, painting, creating and constructing. Listening to stories, role playing in the camp site and meeting their new teachers in Specialist Classes.

It has been lovely getting to know our new families and we are excited to work alongside you and your child’s learning journey. As part of our oral language program, the children will be sharing a photo of their family and discussing their favourite things to do together.

We were very excited to welcome our new class pets!! In Pre-Primary Red we have lots of Spiny Leaf Insects and Pre-Primary Green have a red Siamese Betta Fish. Over the course of the term our inquiry into living things will involve observing, questioning and describing changes in the world around us. The children will have the opportunity to explore and wonder about living things and share their knowledge and understandings with each other.

We look forward to a wonderful term of fun and rich learning experiences!

What a fantastic start to the 2024 school year! The Pre-Primary students arrived eager and very excited to begin their Pre-Primary Learning Journey. It was a smooth and successful transition into full time schooling.

The classroom provided a safe and supportive environment which delivered engaging and innovative learning opportunities for our students to explore, investigate, create and discover.

Friendships were made, relationships nurtured, and students established their emerging autonomy, interdependence, resilience and sense of agency.

In Science and during our investigation/inquiry learning sessions, the Pre-Primary students have been learning about Phasmids (stick insects). How they grow, how they eat and what they need to stay alive?

Physical Education Lesson Expectations

All students from Pre Primary to Year Six are expected to have their hat and water bottle with them for all physical education lessons. This Is especially true in these warmer months, as it allows PE staff to send students for quick drinks breaks to keep them hydrated and healthy during lessons.

Your assistance with alding our students with getting these organised is appreclated!

Mel Maria Faction Swimming Carnival

Friday 1st March, 2024; Outdoor Pool, HBF Stadium

SwImming Carnival Event Selection

25m or 50m Freestvle

25m or 50m Breaststroke

25m or 50m Backstroke Open 100m Freestyle (swimming against students from Year 4-6, aimed at

squad or very confident swimmers) Open 50m Butterfly (swimming against students from Year 4-6, aimed at squad or very confident swimmers)

Important general information:

if able to do so, students are expected to compete in atleast one event throughout the day. if your child is unable to do this, please let me know as soon as possible.

• Students who are able to swim the full 50m are strongly encouraged to do so.
• Students may choose one of the 25m or 50m events available; they can choose one or none, but not both.
• 25m events are not part of interschool selection.
• Open events (100m Freestyle and 50m Butterfly) are held with students from Year 4-6 racing against each other.
• Students who are not confident diving from the blocks or edge of the pool are allowed to start in the pool for their race. Students are expected to wear navy or black one-piece bathers. Rash shirts are permitted as well, and the jammer style bathers are suggested as a substitute for boardies or swim shorts.

Event Nomination Process

A QR code will be sent out via SeeSaw this week. Please scan that code and follow the link to the Event Nomination Form. These codes are year level specific so if you have more than one child in Years 4-6 please make sure you are filling out the right form for the right child.

Students most recent swimming level is asked for in the form, so it might be worth locating that ahead of time. This gives me a rough guide or which division to place students in, especially for new students and Year Fours who have not competed at the carival before. I have told students that if they aren't sure about nominating for an event to tick YES - it is easier for me to withdraw a student from a race rather than try to squeeze them in somewhere.

All this information and more was sent out via SeeSaw late last week. If you did not receive this information, please let me know and I can forward it on.

David John and Damian Williams

Physical Education Teachers

Dr Justin Coulson is the co-host and parenting expert on Channel Nine’s Parental Guidance, the founder of happyfamilies.com.au, and one of Australia’s most trusted parenting, relationships and wellbeing experts. His Happy Families podcast is the #1 podcast in Australia for parenting and family issues.

Dr Coulson will be visiting our school to work with our staff on topics such as Wellbeing and building positive attitudes. This will be a ticketed event held on Monday 11 March at Tompkins on the Swan 6:30pm – 8:00pm. Tickets haven’t gone on sale yet. We will let you know when they do as there will be a limited number and he will only be working with our parents for one night. I strongly encourage parents make the most of this opportunity and come and listen, ask questions, and find out further information about raising our children.

Over the past decade he has helped countless families with his 9 books about raising children, his hundreds of media appearances (including all of Australia’s major news outlets, and he has also published in the Washington Post and the New York Times), and two viral videos that have been viewed a combined 85 million times!

Justin earned his PhD in Psychology from the University of Wollongong. He and his wife Kylie have been married since the late 1990s and are the parents of 6 daughters.

Saint Joesph Pignatelli Parish

Saturday: Commitment Mass, 17 February at 5:30pm.

Sunday: Commitment Mass, 18 February at 9:00am.

Pater Noster Parish

Saturday: Eucharist Commitment Mass, 23 March at 6:00pm.

Sunday: Eucharist Commitment Mass, 24 March at 9:30am.

Please refer to the parish website to download the enrolment forms.

Welcome back to you all and a very special greeting to those families new to the Mel Maria community.

As the school social worker, I am here every Monday and Thursday; a brochure outlining my services is available on the website and from the office. In summary I offer, at no cost to parents, private and confidential counselling to all students and families in relation to any school-based issues. These can include the impact of outside events (including covid-19) on a child’s performance and behaviour at school. Parent consent for the social worker meeting with students is generally sought but I am always available to assist staff with general pastoral care and support should on the spot assistance for children be required.

I also work with the teachers in the classroom, running short programmes that complement the curriculum, for example protective behaviours, social skills, problem-solving strategies, handling conflict and respecting diversity.

I will be including in the newsletter and via Seesaw some regular tips regarding parenting and/or short articles about children’s social skills or other developmental needs. The first of these for this year, helping children settle in to school, follows:

Helping children return to school

The links below will take parents to a couple of articles about helping children settle into the new school year. Your child’s teacher and the school social worker are also always available to provide support, reassurance and assistance as students start or continue their school journey.

https://bestprograms4kids.com/brushing-up-on-friendliness-skills/

https://bestprograms4kids.com/new-start-new-friends-dealing-with-the-wobbles/

The Be You and the Raising Children Network sites are also helpful sources of information for parents around a wide range of topics dealing with children’s well-being:

www.beyou.edu.au

https://raisingchildren.net.au/

If you would like a hard copy of any electronic articles, please email me. This is general information only; if parents/guardians have any particular concerns about their children’s behaviour whether at home or school, please contact either myself or their teacher so a helpful individual plan can be worked out.

I look forward to working with you all, and wish you and your children every success and blessing in the coming year.

Christine Pittman

christine.pittman@cewa.edu.au

Mel Maria Choir

Choir rehearsals for Year 4-6 will commence in Week 3 of Term 1 at your child's campus. Commitment is for the whole academic year.

SJP: Wednesday 14 February at 8:00am in the SEEDS room.

PN: Thursday 15 February at 8:00am in the hall. Please wait outside the hall so Camp Australia can organise before the start of choir.

It will be wonderful to see some new faces as well as past students return!

No musical experience is necessary but a responsible and enthusiastic attitude to learning is expected.

Please read the permission slip carefully and fill in with your details and hand it to the office as soon as possible. Places are limited and . I will not be able to accept students once places are filled.

Thank You

Genevieve Sumich

School Term Dates for 2024

Term 1: Monday 11 March

Term 2: Monday 15 April - Friday 28 June

Term 3: Monday 15 July - Thursday 19 September

Term 4: Tuesday 8 October - Friday 6 December

Pupil Free Days for 2024

Term 1: Monday 11 March

Term 2: Tuesday 4 June

Term 3: Friday 16 August, Friday 20 September

Term 4: Monday 7 October