St Matthew’s Primary School

WEEK EIGHT
Thursday 20 June	Dance Classes St Vincent De Paul Winter Appeal - PJ Day - Bring a gold coin donation Shadow Judging Creator Workshop 4.00pm
Friday 21 June	Prayer Celebration in the Hall led by Year One at 9.00am Making Jesus Real Peer Support Groups Clothing Pool open 2.45pm Flexischools Lunch https://user.flexischools.com.au/login?returnUrl=%2Fhome
Saturday 22 June / Sunday 23 June	Confirmation Commitment Masses 6.00pm St Matthew's 8.30am St Matthew's 10.00am St Vincent's
WEEK NINE
Monday 24 June	Work Experience Student in Year One
Tuesday 25 June	Dance Classes
Thursday 27 June	Dance classes Lamont Book Fair commences Music Showcase Assembly 1.30pm in the School Hall All welcome!
Friday 28 June	Confirmation Reflection Day at St Matthew's Canberra Theatre Excursion Years 1 - 3 Clothing Pool open 2.45pm Flexischools Lunch https://user.flexischools.com.au/login?returnUrl=%2Fhome

Opening and Blessing of the Stage One and Stage Two Building Project

It was wonderful to welcome school community members and special guests to St Matthew’s for the Official Opening and Blessing of the Stage One and Stage Two Building Projects last Friday. The special guests commented on the beautiful learning spaces and how exceptionally well-behaved the students were during the ceremony. I was certainly very proud of them and their excellent participation in this event.

We are blessed to have such a beautiful learning environment at St Matthew's, which was made possible by the collaborative effort of many. I would like to thank everyone involved!

St Matthew's is well equipped for 21st-century learning!

Uniform Matters

It is time for our students to be wearing their winter uniforms. Ensuring that our students are appropriately dressed not only keeps them warm but also maintains the standard of our school community.

Students are required to wear long pants and long-sleeved tops as part of the winter uniform. These items help keep our students warm and comfortable during the school day.

On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, students must wear black school shoes. This is an important part of our dress code and contributes to the uniform appearance of our student body. Please note that joggers are not permitted on these days unless the class teacher makes a specific arrangement for particular activities.

If your child needs to be out of school uniform, please correspond with their classroom teacher.

By wearing the correct winter uniform, our students can stay warm, look smart, and focus on their learning. Thank you for your support in maintaining our dress code.

Kindergarten

This week, we have split our Kindergarten class into KB and KM. Mrs Deanne Beroukas, our permanent relief teacher, will take KM until the end of the term, and Mrs Caroline Stewart will commence as the Kindergarten teacher next semester. Caroline has a vast amount of experience teaching K-2 classes. She will be joining us from the ACT Directorate and is very excited to be joining St Matthew's School Community. 'Meet the Teacher' interviews will be arranged for parents of students in KM early next term.

Parent Teacher Conferences

During Week 10, we will be holding Parent-Teacher Conferences on Monday and Tuesday afternoons and evenings. This is a valuable opportunity for you to discuss your child's progress and address any concerns with their teachers. Bookings can be made via Compass.

Semester One Progress Reports

At the end of Week 10, Semester One, Progress Reports will be sent home digitally.

You will receive a formal A-E System Report in alignment with all ACT Catholic Schools. The A-E System Report is a common report designed to meet national reporting requirements.

Students in Year One to Year Six will receive a grade for Religious Education and the Australian Curriculum subjects: English, Mathematics, Science, Technology, History or Geography, Languages, Health and Physical Education and the Arts.

Grade descriptors
Your child’s achievement for each subject is reported against the Australian Curriculum Achievement Standards using the following five-point scale:
A: Outstanding - Demonstrates outstanding achievement of the standard. The student has an extensive knowledge and understanding of the content and can readily apply this knowledge. In addition, the student has achieved a very high level of competence in the processes and skills and can apply these skills to new situations.
B: High - Demonstrates a high achievement of the standard. The student has a thorough knowledge and understanding of the content and a high level of competence in the processes and skills. In addition, the student is able to apply this knowledge and these skills to most situations.
C: At Standard - Demonstrates achievement of the standard. The student has a sound knowledge and understanding of the main areas and has achieved an adequate level of competence in the processes and skills.
D: Partial - Demonstrates partial achievement of the standard. The student has a basic knowledge and understanding of the content and has achieved a partial level of competence in the processes and skills.
E: Limited - Demonstrates limited achievement of the standard. The student has an elementary knowledge and understanding in a few areas of the content and has achieved a very limited level of competence in some of the processes and skills.

What does a “C” grade mean in this reporting system?
To provide a universally consistent base for school/teacher judgement of student learning across ACT K - 10 schools, the “C grade” will indicate that the student has demonstrated satisfactory achievement of what is expected against each Achievement Standard.
The learning standard described by each of the Achievement Standards embodies high expectations of learning achievement. To be awarded a “C” grade using these standards represents a significant achievement.

Kindergarten Achievement Descriptors

Kindergarten students' achievement for each subject is reported against the Australian Curriculum Achievement Standard using the following four-point scale:
Above Expectations - Demonstrated achievement above the standard. The student applies the curriculum content and demonstrates a very good understanding of the required knowledge. The student demonstrates a high level of skill that can be
transferred to new situations.
Meeting Expectations - Demonstrated achievement at the standard. The student typically demonstrates they are working with the curriculum content, with a sound level of understanding of the required concepts, procedures and skills.
Working Towards Expectations - Demonstrated achievement towards the standard. The student is becoming aware of the curriculum content and demonstrates a basic understanding of aspects of required knowledge. Relevant skills are beginning to be developed.
Experiencing Difficulty Demonstrated limited progress towards the Standard. The student is demonstrating limited understanding of the curriculum content and required knowledge.

How are grades decided upon?

The student learning outcomes on school-based reports reflect the learning outcomes from work units and major assessment items taught. These, in turn, will incorporate language from the curriculum skills and understandings in both the content and Achievement Standards.
Teachers moderate the student work samples and assessment pieces internally and against the ACARA national annotated student work samples associated with each of the Achievement Standards to ensure student work is assessed consistently.
Work samples are available to students, parents and carers to support student learning at http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/.

How will Semester 1 reports differ from those issued at the end of Semester 2?
The Australian Curriculum Achievement Standards describe the expected student achievement after being taught the curriculum for the entire year of schooling.
The Semester 1 A-E System Report will reflect student progress towards the end-of-year Achievement Standard. The semester 1 grade reflects the level to which a student is ‘on-track’ in achieving their final grade. The Semester 1 report is a “Progress Report”.
The Semester 2 A-E System Report is summative, and the grades allocated indicate the overall achievement the student has made. This judgment is based on evidence gathered by the teacher throughout the entire year.

If a subject is only taught in one semester of the year, will teachers be required to report on it in both semesters?
Student learning in any area continues to be reported only during the semester in which it is taught. For example, if a subject is only taught in Semester 1, the grade allocated in the Semester 1 report will be summative. The subject will not appear in the Semester 2 report.
Subjects taught only in Semester 2 will not appear on the Semester 1 Progress Report. The result for that subject will appear at the end of Semester 2 as a summative grade.

Reporting on Personalised Learning Programs

Some students who access a Personalised Learning Program will also receive a modified report sharing the student's progress, growth and achievements.

Ensuring a Safe Dismissal: Our Duty of Care

At St Matthew's, the safety and well-being of our students are our top priorities, extending beyond the classroom to include their departure each afternoon. It is our duty of care to ensure that all students leave the school premises securely and under appropriate supervision. To facilitate this, we have established clear procedures that must be followed by all students, parents, and staff.

Approved Methods for Student Departure:

1. Signed Out with a Parent or Carer at the Front Office

2. Kindergarten/Year One Playground Pick-Up Gate

3. End Senior Corridor Door

4. OSH Club After School Care

Prohibited Exits:

To maintain a secure and orderly dismissal process, students are not permitted to leave the school via the classroom sliding doors or the K-3 end corridor door. These exits are not supervised during dismissal. We kindly ask all parents, carers, and students to adhere to the approved exit procedures to ensure everyone’s safety.

Yours in peace and love,

Mrs Sarah Lowe

Invitation

All families and friends are invited to our Semester One Music Showcase Assembly next Thursday, 27 June, at 1:30 p.m. in the School Hall. Mrs. Deighton has been industriously preparing each class, which will present two musical items for your enjoyment.

Year 5 Camp at Birrgai - Wednesday 12 - Friday 14 June

Day 1 - Maya M

"On day one, we left school at about 9:15 and arrived at about 10:00. After we arrived, we had lunch, which was about 12:30, and the lunch was really good. If you're a picky eater and you're worried about the food don't be, it's so good and the staff are really nice. It was my birthday and they made me a whole cake! We had free time after that. They just let us do our own thing, but they have boundaries for the wildlife, which is really thoughtful. After we did this thing called the 'Crate Climb' which is where you and a friend have to step on to crates that everyone stacks until you fall. Don't worry, though, because you're attached to a harness, and you're really safe. So, I rated the experience a 10/10!

Day 2- Jemima S

"Day 2 was my favourite day out of the whole camp. First, we had breakfast (which was a cereal buffet). Then, we grabbed our Birrigai bags and got straight into our first activity, which was called team rescue. What we had to do was get across a range of obstacles using these giant planks of wood (the hardest obstacle was the swing), and my team won! Then we went straight to the giant swing. We got a full-body harness and got clipped onto a rope. Everyone had to pull a rope and you got to say how high you wanted to go, you would pull a piece of string and start to go up and down really quickly. It was so much fun! After that, we had lunch (which was make your own roll), and then we headed over to the GIANT flying fox. It was so cool how fast we zoomed across the sky. I loved it! Our last activity for the day was a team trek. We all had to find boxes and do the activity inside of them. Then, after we did the activity, we took a photo of it and moved on to the next box. After that, we had dinner and a movie night. It was a really nice way to end the day."

Communication

St Matthew’s Primary School values and promotes partnerships between parents/carers, students, and staff. We are committed to respectful, measured, sensitive, and constructive communication. By adhering to these principles, we aim to strengthen the goodwill and positive partnerships between the school, our families, the parish, and the broader Catholic community, enhancing our children's well-being and learning opportunities.

In most instances, if parents and carers have concerns regarding their students' social, emotional, or academic needs, they are encouraged to contact the classroom teacher in the first instance. Please email your child’s class teacher or contact the front office to make appointments for face-to-face or telephone meetings.

On most days, because they are attending to teaching or other supervision responsibilities, teachers are generally unable to read or respond to emails between 8.30am and 3.30pm. So for time-sensitive or non-urgent matters, such as lost clothing or changes to pick-up routines, parents are encouraged to telephone or email the front office.

With the exception of extenuating circumstances or in an emergency, staff are not expected to access, nor to respond to emails outside normal working hours (ie 8.30am to 5pm). However, you can expect that your emails will be responded to within two school days.

Child Safeguarding Corner

The Child Safe Standards provide us with tangible guidance about how to create cultures, adopt strategies and act to put the interests of children first to keep them safe from harm. Each fortnight, I will present one of the standards and ask you to reflect on how you think we’re addressing the recommendations. We welcome ideas and feedback from our families and community!

Child Safe Standard 4: Equity is upheld, and diverse needs are taken into account

This standard aims to ensure that our students are provided with opportunities to participate to their full potential. This standard is important because our children need to build relationships, skills, and knowledge and have access to resources that keep them safe. By adapting to children's diverse needs, we can give them opportunities to feel welcome and participate in activities and programs.

Our aim is to prioritise this standard for child safety in what we say and do:

Our teachers actively anticipate children’s diverse circumstances and respond effectively to those with additional vulnerabilities
Our students have access to information and support and know how to report a concern if they need to.
We pay attention to the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children with disability and children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

If we are addressing this standard successfully, we would expect our children to say:

I feel proud of my background.
I am treated fairly.
I feel included.
I feel safe to talk about my differences.

We now have a page on our school website dedicated to Child Safeguarding, and we encourage you to view it.

If you have any questions or feedback about how we are addressing this Standard or about our new Child Safeguarding page, please email me (petra.cole@cg.catholic.edu.au).

Petra Cole

Assistant Principal

Upcoming Events

Please keep in mind some of the following events that will be occurring over the next few weeks of the term.

Week 8

St Vincent De Paul Fundraiser (PJ Day) - Thursday - GOLD COIN DONATION

Prayer Celebration led by Year One - Friday 9am in the Hall

Confirmation Commitment Masses - Saturday and Sunday

Week 9

Confirmation Retreat Day for all of Year 6 - Friday in the Hall

St Vincent De Paul Fundraiser

St Vincent De Paul is running its annual Winter Appeal, and at St Matthew’s, we are asking for donations of new warm clothing items (e.g., beanies, gloves, jackets). These can be dropped at the front office or brought in via your child. We will continue to collect these until the end of June. Together, we can support the good works of St Vincent’s and allow them to help those who need it in our community.

MJR Focus

This Friday, we are having our second session of our ‘Make Jesus Real’ (MJR) groups. We will focus on the gifts or charisms God has given us. We love the opportunity to explore these with the students as they learn how we are all truly unique. Discussing this with your child may be an excellent chance to focus on their personal strengths. Below is an example of the charisms that we are focusing on. It would be a wonderful exercise for the whole family.

Wisdom: The gift of wisdom helps you make good decisions.

Knowledge: This gift helps you want to learn and understand more about God and the world around you.

Faith: Faith is a strong trust in God, even when things are tough.

Serving: Serving is the joy of helping others in practical ways.

Teaching: The gift of teaching helps you explain things so others can understand and learn.

Encouragement: This gift helps you make others feel better and more hopeful.

Giving: Giving is sharing what you have with others generously.

Leadership: Leadership is guiding and helping others to do their best.

Kindness: This gift is about being kind and caring, especially to those who are suffering.

Hospitality: This gift is making others feel welcome and comfortable.

Craftsmanship: This is the ability to create beautiful things that can help and inspire others.

Music and Worship: This gift helps you praise God through music and singing.

Prayer: You like praying for others and their needs.

ACT Cross Country Championships

A big congratulations to both Alastair (Year 4) and Elsie (Year 6) for representing St. Matthew’s PS at the ACT Cross Country Carnival. Alastair placed 33rd in his race and Elsie placed 1st in hers. Elsie will be representing our school at the Australian Championships which will be held at Yarra Glen, Victoria later this year. Well done to both students!

Alastair- “I ran my hardest and that the competition was really strong”.

Elsie- “I am very excited but also nervous about the Australian Championships at Yarra Glen in Victoria”.

Athletics Carnival - 30 July

Our Athletics (Track and Field) Carnival is approaching. The carnival will be held at the AIS on Tuesday, 30 July (Please note the change of date). If there are any parents interested in lending a hand on the day, please contact Mr. Payne (dillon.payne@cg.catholic.edu.au). Any help is always greatly appreciated to make these days a success.

Nationally Consistent Collection of Data

Book Fair - Commencing next Thursday!

Term 2 Fundraising

Chocolate boxes

Thank you to everyone who responded to the Chocolate Box fundraiser. The boxes will be sent home this week.

End of term disco coming up!

On Thursday, 4 July, we’ll be hosting an end-of-term disco in the school hall. The disco will be held during school hours:

K-2: 12.40pm - 1.10pm
Years 3-6: 2.00pm - 2.45pm

For $5 students will receive entry to the disco, a glow stick and an icy pole. Payment can be made via Qkr (instructions below). Funds raised will go towards new Chromebooks. If parents wish to make a larger donation, they can 'Pay for a friend'.

All students will have the opportunity to attend the disco, and modifications will be made for those who require them.

Instructions on how to download and use QKR

Term Two Open Meeting

Thank you to the people who attended and contributed to our Open Community Council meeting on Tuesday.

The next open meeting will be held on Tuesday, 10 September, save the date.

Contact Us

If you have any suggestions for other fundraising avenues or any questions in general, please feel free to talk to us at school or reach out via email.

stmatthewscommunitycouncil@gmail.com

Kylie and the Community Council