Dear parents and friends,

Welcome to Term 2. I hope you enjoyed your holidays and are refreshed and ready for another term of learning and activities. I had a wonderful time in New Zealand fly fishing, trekking and doing some photography. It was definitely different weather with the thermals and beanie getting a good workout ! 

Another term brings new challenges and learning for the term. We are continuing some excellent programs that are showing results in our students learnings:

Maths - Learning Through Doing - an engaging hands on learning high impact learning of maths which is supporting all students learning

English - in our younger grades using synthetic phonics which incorporate the development of phonemic awareness, phonics, comprehension, vocabulary and fluency. 

Minilit and Maclit evidence-based, explicit and effective literacy intervention program for teaching reading skills to children

Dibels - staff last term were trained Dibels. Dibels is designed to be short (one minute) fluency measures that can be used to regularly detect students at risk, and monitor the development of foundational literacy and reading skills from Year 2 to Year 9. This data is then informing staff to plan future lessons and outcomes for students. 

Religion - ECSI last year students, staff and parents completed the ECSI survey as part of our school renewal process. This data is now being used to ensure that we continue to strengthen our Catholic Identity and that our teaching of Religious Education is modern, sound and meeting the needs of our students. 

Auslan

Last Term our Year 5/6 students used the MEG spanish platform. After discussion with teachers and students, we feel that this program was not meeting the needs of our students and catering for a variety of learning types and needs. We have researched other forms of language programs and will implement Auslan in Year 5/6. 

We will be using Auslan Education Services which is aligned to the Australian Curriculum Version 9. The program is delivered in video format, which provides the explicit learning. There is also a teacher guide that helps the teacher each lesson.  

The Year 5/6 students this term  will learn about:
‘What is Auslan?’ (Australian Sign Language). Auslan is a signed language using the
hands, with no voice, which is used by the Deaf Community. They will learn the Auslan Alphabet, and frequently used signs associated with Colours, Family, School, Farm Animals, and Describing Animals. The students will learn to sign Numbers in Auslan using their dominant (writing) hand.
The topics taught are the core for future learning in Auslan.
This learning will be introduced through explicit sign teaching videos, games, stories, and group practice. Learning Auslan involves both expressive (signing) and receptive
understanding skills (reading back what others’ sign), hence activities are designed to develop these skills. The students are encouraged to participate in lessons related
activities and to share their learning and understanding with their peers and teacher.
At this level, along with increased expectation regarding non-voicing, the students are taught to respond and ask questions in Auslan. They are encouraged to work more independently, in some activities with a partner and learn to comprehend Auslan in stories developing their receptive/’reading back’ skills.

Family and Community Engagement or FACE  

The first FACE meeting will be on Tuesday 6th May 2025 5.30pm - 6.30pm

(Children are welcome) 

FACE is to replace our CSP - it is not about fundraising (but yes sometimes we will discuss this) but working together to make our school the best. We will be meeting to discuss educational issues, social issues (e.g.internet safety), parenting ideas etc. Children are welcome to attend and play at school whilst you come and enjoy a cup of coffee and cake and become involved in your child's education. Research has shown that if parents and school work together the outcomes of education are more positive. 

Agenda for this meeting will be :

1. Phonics & Reading in 2025 at St Colman's - What is it ? How are we using it to improve your child's learning? 
2. Trading, MAB, multiplication of two digits - demystifying maths to help your child
3. CSP funds - what would we like to buy for the school ....
4. Future FACE events e.g movie night, family pool night, 
5. Debut of the Year - how can I help out !