Term 2, Week 3

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Dear parents, caregivers, students and friends of St Mary Magdalene’s,

As we come to the end of the third week of Term Two, classes are in full swing with our students seeking to build on the success of Term One. From the beginning of the term we have continued to develop our emphasis on a strong learning culture where everyone strives to achieve their personal best.

While our teachers do a remarkable job in staying abreast of latest educational trends and implementing them into their daily practice, your assistance is also vital. You can never under estimate the impact of parents in developing a learning culture.

Here at St Mary Magdalene’s we commit ourselves every day to the aims of all Catholic schools:

• “We know our students by name and by heart”.
• “Our community is underpinned by a spirit of openness, sensitivity and respect, which generates a real sense of inclusion and belonging. It’s these everyday connections between faith and action that let every child know they matter”.
• “We work in partnership with families to educate and nurture the whole person, helping them to be thriving, capable learners as well as extraordinary human beings.”
• “Inspired by Jesus, our Catholic faith and spirituality, we instil values that last well beyond the schooling experience, they’re ingrained for life.”
• “We believe that each child has an inherent goodness that can change the world and it’s our privilege to be a part of their journey - because an intangible piece of your school lives with you forever”.

Connecting Life, Faith and Learning

Leadership Team

Chris, Ciara, Melissa and Leah

National Sorry Day is an Australia-wide observance held on May 26 each year. This day gives people the chance to come together and share the steps towards healing for the Stolen Generations, their families and communities. Stolen generations refer to Indigenous Australians who were forcibly removed from their families and communities.

The Aboriginal flag is one of the symbols of National Sorry Day in Australia.

For more information visit the National Sorry Day website HERE

This year, 2021, marks twenty years of Reconciliation Australia and almost three decades of the Australian formal reconciliation process.

Over this time, support and engagement with reconciliation has steadily grown, with far greater awareness of the complexity and magnitude of First Nations cultures and knowledges.

Today, many more Australians now understand and acknowledge the brutal impact that British colonialism and the modern Australian state have had on First Nations families, communities, and ways of life.

After three decades of a formal process, reconciliation is now at a tipping point.

In 2021, reconciliation is more than just raising awareness and knowledge. The theme More than a word. Reconciliation takes action, urges the reconciliation movement towards braver and more impactful action.

While we see greater support for reconciliation from the Australian people than ever before, we must be more determined than ever if we are to achieve the goal of the movement—a just, equitable, reconciled Australia.

What Reconciliation Australia does

Reconciliation Australia is the national body for reconciliation. We are an independent not-for-profit organisation that promotes and facilitates reconciliation by building relationships, respect and trust between the wider Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

The organisation focuses on influencing organisations, people and policies.

Three program areas deliver services, resources and advice to support reconciliation action within Australian businesses, schools, community groups, and government organisations—the Reconciliation Action Plan program, the Narragunnawali: Reconciliation in Education program, and the Indigenous Governance program.

Influencing people is conducted through a range of activities, using tools to educate, inform and engage all Australians in reconciliation, with National Reconciliation Week the flagship event.

Influencing policies involves producing authoritative research to inform the national conversation, including through the State of Reconciliation in Australia Report and the Australian Reconciliation Barometer.

What is National Reconciliation Week?

National Reconciliation Week (NRW) is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. The dates for NRW remain the same each year; 27 May to 3 June. These dates commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey— the successful 1967 referendum, and the High Court Mabo decision respectively. Reconciliation must live in the hearts, minds and actions of all Australians as we move forward, creating a nation strengthened by respectful relationships between the wider Australian community, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

At its heart, reconciliation is about strengthening relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous peoples, for the benefit of all Australians

For more information about National Reconcilliation Week visit their website HERE.

 St Mary Magdalene’s School will welcome a new staff member next week – but this one is a more hirsute than the usual employee!

Our librarian Carol Major will welcome her new Australian Lions Hearing Dog, Kate. Kate is an 18-month-old Chihuahua cross who will be performing a very important job to assist Carol in her daily life. 

Many of our older families will remember Carol’s previous assistance dogs, Gertie and Astro.

Australian Lions Hearing Dogs will visit our school this term to talk with students and staff about the work Kate does and help us all adjust to Kate’s arrival.

Kate will be on a lead whenever she is out with Carol, and when she is not with Carol, she will be taking a break in her crate in the library.

Here are some tips we need to follow as Kate settles in our community:

• Please do not approach Kate or attempt to pat her. Speak with Carol if you are interested in finding out more about Kate.
• Please do not touch Kate without permission from Carol.
• Never offer food to Kate.

Any parents had questions about Kate please see the Leadership Team.

Since 1980, Australian Lions Hearing Dogs (ALHD) have provided a set of “furry ears” to many hundreds of Australians, all made possible from the ongoing support of our generous donors and the Lions Clubs across Australia. Each Hearing Assistance Dog costs ALHD upwards of $37,000 to train, deliver and support, and is gifted free of charge, to its deaf or hard of hearing new owner.

Hearing Assistance Dogs not only increase the quality of day-to-day living, they also help alleviate many of the conditions often associated with deafness and hard of hearing, these being depression, anxiety and communication withdrawal. As reported through a recent Federal Government Senate Inquiry into hearing, these conditions have been shown to contribute to cognitive decline and potentially increase by a factor of five, the likelihood of developing dementia.

Training a Hearing Assistance Dog takes approximately 6 months and is split into two parts; public access and sound training.

An Australian Lions Hearing Dog has the same public access rights as a guide dog for the blind. It is essential therefore that they are comfortable and relaxed in a range of outdoor settings. Consequently, trainee Hearing Assistance Dogs are put through an intensive socialisation program where they are trained to accompany their future deaf or hard of hearing owners into shops, restaurants, workplaces and on public transport.

The second part of their training focuses on alerting their future recipient to sounds. All our dogs are taught to respond and physically alert their owners to 10 common household sounds including mobile phones, people knocking at the door, alarm clocks, babies crying and smoke alarms. This is also customised to each recipient, ensuring that their Hearing Assistance Dog will work to their individual requirements.

If you are after any further information about Kate or Australian Lions Hearing Dogs please visit our website lionshearingdogs.com.au

The National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is an annual assessment for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. It has been an annual event for schools since 2008.

ACARA (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority) provides the following information for parents about this program: “The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is an annual assessment for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. It has been an annual event for schools since 2008. NAPLAN assesses skills in Literacy and Numeracy that are developed over time, through the school curriculum. NAPLAN is not a pass or fail type test, but rather shows how students are progressing in numeracy and literacy skills against national standards for all Australian children. It also provides valuable information that allows schools and governments to better target effort and support to help all students achieve their potential and acquire the basic skills to help them build successful and happy lives.” All students are expected to participate in the tests.

NAPLAN tests fundamental skills rather than specific content, and as such is not a test for which students can study or drill. A good discussion to have with your child regarding NAPLAN is to let them know that NAPLAN is just one part of their school program, and to reinforce to them that they did their best they can on the day. An individual student NAPLAN report will be issued by the school later this year (Term 3). Parents can use this information to monitor how their child is progressing and to identify any areas of concern. Parents may also wish to use their child’s results to discuss progress with teachers.

This week students in Year 3 and 5 at St Mary Magdalene’s School will be undertaking the NAPLAN assessments online. Students had the opportunity to become familiar with the online testing format through a practice test last term. Further details about NAPLAN testing can be found online at https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/parent-carer-support/

Thank you to Michelle Menadue for her work in assuring that all of the test materials were checked, distributed and then collected in a timely manner.

Last week was Catholic Education Week, we celebrated and acknowledged the commitment Catholic Education South Australia has in raising the hearts and minds of each individual in our community by connecting to the Living Learning Leading Framework and sharing the Catholic Education Week Prayer, signs around the school informed the community of this celebration. These signs also inform the community that there are no school fees for mid-year Reception families in 2021. If you have any friends who are considering a Catholic Education for their children please encourage them to join a tour at our school by booking online for a Wednesday 10am tour or by contacting Lisa on 8255 6144.

The 2021 Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) is a national census of early childhood development of children in their first year of full-time school. This survey is held once every 3 years and provides information to inform planning and improve services and supports for children and families. Results for individual children are not reported on and data about each child is deidentified.

From May to July 2021 teachers will complete the instrument for all children in their first year of full-time schooling. If parents/carers consent to the collection of their child’s information they do not need to do anything. Parent/carers only need to contact the school if they do not consent to the collection of their child’s information.

To find out more about the AEDC you can the website www.aedc.gov.au

Book Fairs help our school stock up on resources to enrich your children's education. Best of all, each Fair provides kids access to more books.

More books means more choice, which means kids get to read the books they want to read. The right book can ignite a passion for reading, so we encourage families to work together to create a reading culture at home. Reading expands the mind and nourishes the imagination. 

You can discover the books HERE. Download the catalogue HERE.