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As the term draws to a close I always like to reflect back and count my blessings and endless times where I have been grateful. I feel like this term in particular we have been able to open the doors of the school and authentically have you our parent community a part of the school life. It has been a long time coming and it reminds me of the joy it brings to the staff, the students and to you our parents and carers. From invitations to assemblies, sporting events, garden club, classroom helpers, P&F meetings and prayers and liturgies. Your support and involvement means a great deal to the students and to me, it helps to bring to life our Vision and Mission.
At next week’s assembly we will have the opportunity to recognise and celebrate the students that are actively living out our school Vision and Mission. The entire assembly will be dedicated to these special end of term awards, placing the importance of our new vision and mission at centre stage. We invite parents and grandparents to join us in acknowledging these students and their commitment to the values of our school and what makes us unique as a Catholic school.
I sincerely wish all families and staff a restful break with plenty of quality time spent together doing the things you enjoy. If you are travelling please be safe and we look forward to hearing about your adventures. Thank you to the staff who again have gone above and beyond and continued to navigate another challenging term, yet very rewarding.
Excellence in Learning Award criteria
God Bless
Mrs Belinda Hughes - Principal
Term Two Class Visits
This term I have had the privilege of visiting all classes across the school during their Religious Education lessons. It has been heart warming watching the students making connections with scriptures to their everyday lives and celebrating and sharing God’s word in so many ways. I have had the opportunity to engage in bible stories and reflections, Christan meditation, singing, prayer sessions and liturgies.
This week during my visit with Year Six we explored the fruits of the Holy Spirit and how they are an indication of God’s presence in our everyday lives.
Each gift was represented in the form of a coloured bead, these beads were joined together to make a key ring during a prayer session.
During prayer we reflected on how each gift can be made visible through our words and actions with others in our everyday lives.
Dear God, we pray for the fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
We know that these fruits are life’s greatest blessings.
May we use these blessings to help others find faith in your Word.
Amen
Confirmation 2022
On Tuesday the St Michael’s Parish celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation. Father Ken led us in the Liturgy. It was a very special time for our Year Six students who received the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, guided by Father Ken’s words and reverent Homily. We would like to thank Father Ken for his ongoing support of our students and families.
“May today there be peace within you.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts you have received, and pass on the
love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing you are a child of God. Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us.”
- St Therese de Lisieux
Grace and Blessings
Mrs Steph Brown - Religious Education Coordinator
New Pupil Free Day
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All Catholic Schools have been allocated an extra Pupil Free Day At St Michael’s this will be scheduled for the end of the school year on Monday 19 December. This means that the last day for students will be Friday 16 December. |
Reporting Timeline and Student Led Conferences
Friday 24 June, Week 9, Year 1-6 students will receive their Semester 1 reports. The Semester 1 report, will demonstrate student’s academic achievement in relation to what they have learnt in Term 1 and Term 2. Reports will be released via Compass. This will be followed by Parent/Teacher Interviews in Week 10. There will be one late night of interviews on Tuesday 28 June. Interview bookings will close on Friday, 24 June.
This year we are pleased to return to Student Led Conferences in Years 3-6. Teachers are working with their class to prepare the children to be able to talk about their learning progress and how they use their learning goals and success criteria to improve in their learning. This means that students will need to attend the parent teacher interviews from Years 3-6.
Kindergarten parents will not receive a formal report, however we still have the opportunity for a parent / teacher interview in Week 10.
We look forward to sharing your child’s journey at school with you.
Over the past few weeks, the students have engaged in a range of activities that looked at how to play in a friendly way in order to maintain friends and build positive relationships. Through the various activities, children discovered the importance of taking turns and having consistent rules throughout a game. The groups also focused on the skills of winning in a friendly way and coping with losing. The students participated in various activities and discussed how to accept the outcome of a game, no matter what it is, in a friendly way in order to maintain those friendships.
In next week’s final session of the Peer Support module ‘Keeping Friends,’ students will be participating in a board game, reinforcing all of the concepts and skills that have been learned over the past 7 weeks. They will be reminded of the qualities of a good friend and the skills needed to maintain friendships and make new friends. Each Peer Support group will have the opportunity to celebrate what they have learned and the new friendships and connections they have made.
The student’s have all engaged in the sessions with great eagerness each and every week. It has been so rewarding to watch the growth of not only our student leaders but all the participants in the groups as they worked together on tasks each and every week.
Some students were asked to reflect on their experience of the Peer Support sessions. Here is what they said………
In Peer Support:
- l have enjoyed being greeted with a friendly smile each and every week.
- l like how my peer support group explains the task and they don’t just leave without really telling us what to do.
- l like how my groups include everyone and never exclude people with activities they don’t understand.
- I have enjoyed the games and the way that all the classes are brought together in groups, because all of them include some of the younger classes that show us how to be friendly and kind.
- I like how the peer Support leaders help us with the tasks instead of just giving instructions and leaving us to do it by ourselves. I think peer Support helps and encourages us to be the best person we can be. It helps a lot, and at the end of the day, it always puts a smile on my face.
- My leaders help us learn new ways to be kind and how to introduce ourselves. It always puts a smile on my face.
- I loved learning new things. I also liked how we were able to join new groups and how we worked together to help others through interacting and solving problems.
- I have enjoyed learning how to make strong friendships, forming groups, playing games, talking and chatting about friends.
- I really enjoyed playing educational games and learning new things about people in other classrooms. I really cooperated in discussions and loved working in teams and meeting new people. I also learnt some ways to see what people are like in other classes.
- I loved helping younger students understand and how the leaders were so supportive and how they guided us carefully through the sessions.
- I enjoyed learning new things about how I can be a better friend to others.
- I liked how kind and caring everyone was in my group. We really worked together in teams and we all are happy and learn together.
- I have enjoyed playing fun games, working with other people, gaining confidence to ask or to join people in games and learning new things.
- I have enjoyed learning new things and meeting new people. It makes me stronger with talking to different people and with the peer support leaders.
Now that the Peer Support Program for 2022 is coming to an end, we will still continue to foster the important bonds and messages that the program has developed in our students. To help maintain these bonds and support networks, one day each week in Term 3, the students will come together to eat their lunches in their Peer Support groups to reinforce the friendships that they have made.
See YouTube link for student reflections
Mrs Chelsea McLeod and Mrs Ronelle Peardon
Mini Vinnies Winter Appeal:
This term, the Mini Vinnies hosted an extremely successful Winter Appeal so that we could provide warm items to those less fortunate and enable them to stay warm and dry during these cold Winter months. Each classroom was provided with a basket for students to collect their warm items. Everyone participated so well and we were able to donate 7 full baskets to St Vincent’s De Paul!
John Denning presented the school with some beautiful books from the Lions Club as a form of appreciation for St Michael’s hard work and to encourage students to continue to read.
We thank you for all the support you have provided to the school, the Mini Vinnies team and the community for this Winter Appeal!
Miss Negus and the Mini Vinnies team.
Year 4
English
This term we have been focusing on Imaginative Texts in English. The student’s have worked both collaboratively and individually to create texts using both our Learning Intention and the co-constructed success criteria linked in with the 7 Steps to Writing. The students have worked hard on the structure of their texts and have really focused on a range of literary devices to really engage their audience.
This term both the student’s and I have provided both verbal and written feedback through using 2 stars and a wish. The students listened to the feedback and worked hard to take on the wishes before handing in their final piece of writing for the term.
I have been so impressed with the development of each and every student’s writing throughout Term 2. Here are some snippets of different parts of the student’s texts. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I did.
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Sizzling Start by Maggie, Tully and Lila Loneliness was something Harry was used to. Everyone said that, even his parents. At school it was no better. Harry constantly got bullied. Harry wished he could have a normal and happy childhood but nothing ever changed. He was tall and rather skinny with blackish hair. There was also one thing Harry never told anyone. He had no friends because he never wanted any, even though it seemed like he did. He was afraid of what they might think of him even if he was being himself. |
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Sizzling Start by Erica It was just a normal night and suddenly I heard a BOOM! I got out of bed and slowly tiptoed down the steps and outside to see what was happening. The next thing I noticed there was this big tree growing in my backyard. And there were these big glowing balls attached to the tree. |
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Sizzling Start by Liam As time went on I started shaking and breathing deeply. I could hear the floorboards creak, my stomach rumble and my heavy breaths. I saw tiny little mice. I was so thirsty but there was nothing there, not even a drip. |
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Sizzling Start by Clancy and Jack M Boom! Boom! As I hear thundering footsteps in the distance. I step outside of my cave and I look and roar, it’s a big monster! But I have to defeat it for my land. It was changing up its magical power for battle. I was so ready for this. As I charged at the monster, it roared at me with its blue power. But I punched him and he wasn’t even scared of me but I wouldn’t give up. |
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Sizzling Start by Maggie The storm seemed to have chased the stars away as a dark, black blanket fell over the sky. I shudder with cold and fear as I stumble closer and closer towards the frightening lights flickering in the distance. I reach out my hand to touch the horrible, terrible, scary, creepy and all round evil ‘danger tree.’ That is what everyone calls the closest tree to the city. I don’t understand how a tree can be evil, but even I am a tiny bit scared. But only a little. I edge closer and closer to the tree with every step. I lift out my finger to feel the wispy but dead bark and…. |
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Sizzling Start and Backfill by Lila Thunder cracked across the misty night sky, and soon there was nothing but dark, gloomy clouds. Something swished in the olive green bushes as the shadow levitated over the grass getting closer and closer and not far behind it grass was turning black and soon it faded into the soil. Balls of fire emerged from the darkness and soon they were covered in dark slimy vines. Everlyn blacked out and her dream was no better than her imagination. The moon shone its mysterious light over the girl and soon she woke up to see her dream come true…. |
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Sizzling Start and Backfill by Xavier ROOOOAR! I heard it in the late afternoon as my radio burst out. From my safari camp site, I went out to explore. I ran as fast as lightning. I’m Daniel and as a young man I’m going on an extreme adventure in Africa. After I heard the roar I got in my Jeep and went to explore. I came across some lights. They were beautiful but they might be dangerous because they were getting brighter and looked like they were about to burst. |
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Sizzling Start and Backfill by Elijah I heard a noise as I ran outside. “It's a forest,” I said. “Charge battle for the forest,” I say. The archers joined me and my friend Johnny boom saw fire orbs…….. Ahh! My name is Jacob. I am 19 years old. I live in a cottage in the woods with friend Johnny Boom. Everyday I collect firewood In the woods for a daily campfire. In the distance I saw an orb I went over to explore. |
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Pebble (small problem) by Georgia As I tried to find my way home, I couldn’t. It was no use. A big fat tear rolled down my face. I thought I was over but then I stumbled into a bunch of green crazy vines. What have I done? I was twisting and turning but I couldn’t get out. I grabbed a branch and pulled myself out. I got up and screamed yes! I did it. |
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Sizzling Start and Backfill by Mahli Ahhh! As Jake sensed something was wrong. Glowing flaming shiny balls of light were shining above him. The lights were coming towards him as they were reaching out from the tall tree. “I want to get out of this place!” I yelled as I turned my head and stopped for a minute. I heard a boom! And Crash! As a tear was falling down on my face my hands were sweating as if I just ran a 100k run but then I remembered it was for my daughter Rebecca. Jake ran faster than lighting and jumped over root after root but then he tripped…. Earlier that day Jake was wearing his lucky blue soft jumper and comfortable shorts, he also had really messy hair from staying up all night trying to ring doctors for his daughter. Jake could barely walk; he was sweating in fear as he walked to the house. He decided to ring the doctors again hoping that they would answer. As he rang doctor after doctor,finally one doctor answered he said, “There is only one cure to help your daughter” Jake replied, “What is it?” As the doctor said, “it is in the mysterious forest”. As Jake got ready to go the doctor said with a croaky voice. It is very dangerous in that forest as Jake left the house in fear. |
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Sizzling Start and Backfill by Monte Bang! What was that? I heard Harry barking outside. I grabbed my lamp and ran outside. But just as I was about to bring Harry back inside I saw a mysterious flash of light in the forest. Two seconds later I was out in the pitch Black Forest shouting private property leave now! But as I saw where the blinding lights were coming from I realised it wasn’t a person! They were glow moths! I thought they were extinct years ago. At least they were the eggs. I really want to see one crack but they might attack me so not the best idea. Earlier yesterday I heard a Big Bang that shook the whole town. It must have been another group of them. There’s another group of them! So cool! But just as I turned around to go home a big bright egg started to crack! |
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Pebble (small problem) by Jack B While Tim was eating something caught his eye out the window. “Huh why is the forest glowing? I better go ask Bill. Hey Bill, what's that in the forest?” questioned Tim. “Oh that, an old man planted an alien substance, the council tried to destroy it but they never made it back alive so it’s off limits.” Later that night Tim couldn’t sleep. He couldn't stop thinking about the tree so he set off to destroy it. |
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Pebble (small problem) by Taj, Edison and Jack M The devil book took him to an evil land full of devils. The book flew him to a stone in the middle of a river of lava and began to turn Mark into a devil. He screamed, then his eyes glowed red. The transformation was complete. Mark looked up, he had never felt better, his eyes glowing and he had red black horns on his head, a jagged tail coming out of his back. |
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Rock (medium problem) by Jack M It was a normal day in the land of light but there was a dark and gloomy tree growing. No-one noticed it at first till more trees started to grow and cover up the balls of fire. Then one day a shadow as dark as the crystal night came into their home and turned everyone into shadows till only Tom was left. He had to go to the mountain of light and destroy it to bring light back. He grabbed his light and some food and water. It was a long journey. When he got there there were a lot of shadows he had to find a way to get to the mountain of light. |
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Rock (medium problem) by Jasper H, Clancy and Jack B I glided through the sky and it was pink and beautiful. I flew for what felt like 4 hours. My eyes started watering and I yelled for help! The book lowered and I started wishing I never saw the portal. I was below the clouds. I felt something cold and wet touch his nose. It was snowing and my glasses froze…. |
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Boulder (largest problem) by Freya When they left I stayed back.I told them I wouldn’t leave until the glowing orbs arrived. As soon as they left the orbs suddenly appeared again. I got mad. I grabbed a stick and ran up to an orb.I started to talk to myself. Then I stared at the orb and stabbed the stick into the orb.I got sucked inside the tree. |
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Boulder (largest problem) by Sofia, Eliza and Drew Ahhh! An evil spacecraft has hit us, throwing TNT at us. Oh no! That was not TNT, it was a portal…… Ahh! It looks like it is heading somewhere. It looks like we're going to…….. Ahhhh! One second, why does this massage chair feel so good? Ok this adventure is going to be long. We have been here for a while. Let's head home. As they jumped off the plane before it went into the portal Olive suddenly summoned a dragon. Fletch used his super speed to make a pupa-chino and ran onto the scaly, neon, fire breathing dragon. |
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Character wrap-up by Olivia Crash! The ceiling started to crumble and pieces of the roof were falling. I screamed and my parents grabbed a hold of me. I tripped over. The building was becoming diagonal and half of me was about to fall. My family and I grabbed onto my mum's hand. “Mum, what do I do now?” “ You try to stay alive,” answered my mum. My hands were becoming sweaty and I slipped falling off the treacherous cliff. I landed in my pool and all the buildings were destroyed, people were groaning and moaning. Not sadly, but… I don’t know. I was home! Finally! All my wounds started to heal. My family and I were finally reunited! |
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Exciting ending up by Edison, Taj and Chayce The giant king alien has three tails and big spikes all over his back and sharp teeth with blood all over them and piercing red eyes. He has giant wings and cool horns. He's a beast. We will not survive. Then they try to chuck it in a jail cell but we slip out of the net and grab our hoverboards and ride back to our ship. We get on the ship and fly to the next planet to try and find our Mum……… |
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Exciting ending up by Nate, Kai and Flynn Clonk! Boom! Bang! As the monsters come back I look around and say, “p-please don’t hurt me.” “We won’t hurt you, we just want to play.” “Well I don’t, go away” I turn to run but I trip on something. It was a wand, a big thick brown wand. I grab it and say “COMMANDO!” The wand swished and turned as red sparks flew out of the tip, then the monsters started to rebuild Stonehenge and the Pyramid of Giza. Guess I won’t be getting any chores after all! |
Mrs Chelsea McLeod - Year 4 Classroom Teacher
Diocesan Cross Country
Congratulations to Clancy M for being a part of the winning Diocesan 10yrs boys Cross Country team. What an amazing effort! Clancy has been awarded a gold medal for this wonderful achievement.
Athletics Carnival
A reminder that tomorrow is our school athletics carnival at Beaton Park. All parent helpers and 800m runners will need to be at the track by 8.30am.
Thank you to the P&F who have organised a coffee van to be onsite for anyone who would like to purchase a hot coffee and or snack!
Miss Emma Wragge - Sports Co ordinator
Gold Award
- Hamish Mc
- Eliza R
- Ruby W
St Michael's Blue
- Ruby W
- Hamish Mc
Mufti Day
We are looking forward to Term 2 Mufti Day, which will be on Week 10 – July 1, 2022. This term our Mufti Day theme is Crazy Hair and Sock day! Kids are to come to school dressed in their normal school uniform with the addition of a crazy hair style and/or colourful socks! All students are encouraged to bring a gold coin donation which goes towards the P&F.
Term 3 - P&F General Meeting
Week 4, 11th August 2022, 6.30pm for tea and coffee, Meeting commences at 7pm
Miss Eliza Treble will be the guest speaker and will be discussing the implementation of the new syllabus and the role of decodable texts. Please send through any questions you would like raised to pandf@smtdow.catholic.edu.au by Thursday, 4th August to allow for the committee to prepare.
SAVE THE DATE - Friday 4th of November
We are VERY excited to announce the return of St Michael’s Trivia Night. Happening on Friday 4th of November 2022, we welcome all parents to come along and join in on the fun. Many more details and opportunities to be part of this wonderful night will be shared with the school community over the coming weeks.
If you're interested and would like to help organise or contribute to this event or have any questions about the night, we would love to see you at the next P&F meeting which will be a hot topic on the agenda!! Or alternatively please send through an email to the P&F team - pandf@smtdow.catholic.edu.au.
Thank you!
Music, Dance & Drama
We have an upcoming Open Mic Afternoon. It is on the 26th of June and there is a Morning show (11am-12pm) and an afternoon show (12:30pm-1:30pm). I would like the St Michael’s vocal group to perform. I will be contacting the parents directly, but I thought if there was anyone else who wanted to come and watch their friends perform, they can!
Here is the link for the tickets: https://musicdancedrama.com.au/events/
Thank you for your support!
Bethany Bracamonte - Assistant Director/Vocal Teacher