Term 2, Week 8 (18 June 2024)
FROM THE DEPUTY PRINCIPAL'S DESK
It is hard to believe that we are at the end of yet another term and to think that we are halfway through the year already seems to be a bit crazy. The time does seem to go quickly especially when we are watching our students move from strength to strength each day.
This term we have seen our Kindergarten students grow into their school routines and learning. This first semester of school life always demonstrates such incredible growth in these young people.
As I reflect on all that the students have achieved this term, I am astounded at the resilience and strength with which they approach each opportunity presented to them. This is demonstrated from events such as the athletics carnival, cross country events, Lipstick Luncheon, hosting the Good Samaritan Education Governing Council not to mention their commitment to their learning in our classrooms each day.
Next term we celebrate St Benedict’s Day on Friday 26 July. As a school community we look forward to celebrating together, highlighting the values of Benedict that we work to demonstrate each day.
Saint Benedict taught us that the key to living a rich, full, and useful human life is to keep our eyes fixed on the things of God. When I look into the eyes of our students, I am privileged to see Jesus looking back at me in the truest of human form.
REPORTS:
A reminder that the Semester 1 reports will be distributed to parents on Monday 22 July. Parents and caregivers will also receive a report survey link to give feedback on the report structure. This information will assist in the review of our school reports as we work to ensure they are a true reflection of your child’s learning growth and achievements.
ILLNESS AT SCHOOL:
Recently many students have been absent due to illness - in some cases becoming unwell and requiring short periods of hospitalisation.
Thank you to our parents and caregivers who ensure that your child or young person stays at home when unwell. At school we continue to encourage students to wash their hands and use sanitiser to minimise the spread of illness.
As the student vacation period begins, I wish you a restful period of time where you can enjoy the company of your child without the regular school routines for a while. A time to celebrate who they are, what they have achieved and encourage them to continue to be the best Mater Dei boy or girl they can be.
TONI SILLIS
DEPUTY PRINCIPAL
SCHOOL NEWS
MISSION & VISION
As the staff gathered for our Professional Learning last Tuesday, we reflected on our Mater Dei Benedictine Values. The Values that are instilled at Mater Dei include Love of Christ and Neighbour (Bishop McCabe), Justice and Peace (St Mary MacKillop), Prayer (Mother Gibbons), Discipline (St Benedict), Stewardship (Bishop Polding), Hospitality (Sr Mary Gregory) and Community (The Good Samaritan). We also dived deeper into the meaning of the Charism within Good Samaritan Education, through the Formation of Mission. This was consolidated by our commitment to Mater Dei’s Mission and Vision statement. The staff also explored the History of Mater Dei and how this has impacted the progress and development of Mater Dei School.
Caritas sent us a letter thanking Mater Dei for our generous donation from the Jersey Day, last term.
"The impact of your generosity is felt deeply and widely, creating ripples of positive change that extend far beyond what we can see".
CURRICULUM
1/2 Gregory Writing
Mrs Hooper and Sophie have been implementing Colourful Semantics for the writing program with the students in 1/2 Gregory.
Colourful Semantics is a system for colour coding sentences according to the role of different words. It can help children to break down sentences and understand the individual meaning of each word and its role in the sentence. Colourful Semantics can help children to better understand word order. Children can use colourful semantics to build up meaningful, well structured sentences.
Colourful Semantics is particularly helpful for students who find it difficult to order and sequence their language. Colourful Semantics also supports students to correctly answer ‘wh’ questions and in constructing more complex sentences. The easiest way to figure out what colour a word is is by asking which ‘wh’ question fits it.
Colour coded sentences and ‘wh’ questions are formed in the following way: Who? uses orange; What doing? uses yellow; Where? uses blue; When? uses brown; and Why uses purple.
1/2 Gregory students have been increasing their writing confidence and enjoying making some silly sentences too.
Work Placement - Secondary
As the semester draws to a close, our Stage 6 students celebrate the culmination of a significant chapter in their academic journey. This semester, they had the invaluable opportunity to participate in work placements, immersing themselves in real-world environments that extended their learning beyond the classroom.
These placements provided our students with hands-on experience in various industries, allowing them to apply theoretical knowledge to practical situations. The benefits of this experience are manifold. Students worked closely with Catherine (Work Placement Coordinator), Julieta and Cassie (Work placement Assistants) to develop essential workplace skills, such as teamwork, communication, develop personal goals, problem-solving, and gained insights into their potential career paths. They also built professional networks and learned to navigate the dynamics of professional settings, all of which are crucial for their future success.
As we celebrate the end of the semester, we are incredibly proud of our Year 12 students for their achievements and growth. Students who also received ‘Employer of the Month’ have also demonstrated great work ethics. Their experiences during work placements have equipped them with skills and confidence that will serve them well in their future endeavors. We look forward to witnessing their continued success as they move forward, building on the strong foundation they have established this semester.
SPORTS
Wollongong Diocese Cross Country Championships
On Monday 27th May, four secondary students represented Mater Dei at the Wollongong Diocese Secondary Cross Country Championships and on Tuesday 28th May, six primary students represented Mater Dei at the Wollongong Diocese Primary Cross Country Championships. The events took place at the Willandra Cross Country Course, at Browns Mountain near Nowra. The primary students ran the 2km course and the secondary students ran the 3km course.
All the students ran extremely well and produced personal best results:
Primary:
9 years boys MC - 2nd Aaron
10 years boys MC - 2nd Kristian, 3rd Chase
11 years girls MC - 1st Lilly Rose
12 years boys MC - 2nd Marco, 4th Hayden
Secondary:
13-14 years boys MC - 1st Corrado, 2nd Matthew
13-14 years girls MC - 1st Maria
15-16 years boys MC - 2nd Cooper
Cooper, Matthew, Corrado, Marco, Lilly-Rose and Hayden were selected to represent Wollongong Diocese at the next level.
Mackillop and Combined Catholic College Championships
On Wednesday 5th June, six Mater Dei students represented the Wollongong Diocese at the Mackillop and Combined Catholic College Championships at Sydney International Equestrian Centre. In the primary events we were represented by Marco, Hayden and Lilly-Rose, in secondary we were represented by Matthew, Corrado and Cooper.
Our primary students ran the 2km course and our secondary students ran the 3km course. Lilly-Rose won gold in the 11years girls MC, Marco won bronze in the 12 years boys MC and Matthew won bronze in the 13-14 years boys MC. These three students will now go on to compete at the NSW PSSA and NSW All Schools Championships next term.
Last year's school captain Jack attended the day and supported and guided our students.
WORKPLACE LEARNING
Term 2 Workplace Learning (WPL) concludes for students in Week 8. There is no WPL in Week 9.
'Workplace Learning Host Thank You Morning Tea' will be held on Wednesday 26 June. Students to please wear full winter school uniform on this day.
Workplace Learning commences over staggered starts in Week 1 and 2 of Term 3.
Term 3 WPL paperwork will be sent home in student diaries. Please complete and sign paperwork and return to school.
Please reach out if any questions or concerns.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
Country Fair Mufti Day - Friday 28 June
To support the Mater Dei Country Fair on Sunday, 27 October 2024, our first Country Fair Mufti Day is Friday 28 June (Week 9).
- Donations of toys are being requested.
- Students can wear casual clothing to school on this day for making a donation. They are still required to wear closed in shoes and should wear appropriate clothes for accessing normal school activities.
- All donations are used to make our baskets for the Chocolate Wheel.
Thank you for your amazing support of our donation days!!!
22 July - NAIDOC Week Recognition
22 July - Reports distributed to parents
26 July - St Benedict’s Feast Day Mass and Celebrations
5 August - P&F Meeting
9 August - P&F Canteen Day
12 August - Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences this week
13 August - Year 6 Mass with Bishop Brian
19 August - Staff Spirituality Day (PUPIL FREE DAY)
31 August - Sacramental Mass Mater Dei Chapel
UPCOMING EVENTS
St Benedict's Feast Day Mass
Country Fair
As per the Principal's earlier correspondence via Compass
Trek for Opportunity 2025
Contact Sarah Ryan on 02 4654 8708 or via email sarahr@materdei.org.au if you would like any further information about the Trek for Opportunity 2025.
STAFF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Recently, Mater Dei school staff gathered for a professional learning day. The purpose of the day was to engage in a collaborative inquiry process in order to examine our professional practices.
A collaborative inquiry is when teachers work together to investigate something, identify a problem of practice or find out more about a topic. Instead of just one person doing all the research or asking questions, a group of teachers join forces.
Our day enabled staff to share ideas, ask each other questions, and work together to identify where we need to improve so that we continue to meet our students’ learning needs.
The inquiry process requires a team effort where everyone is able to bring their own thoughts and skills to the table to learn and understand.
We are excited about the results coming out of our inquiry and the ongoing impact we will be making on student learning and growth.
MAISY'S CORNER
Wherever she goes, Maisy leaves her paw print on the hearts of those she meets. Through playful interactions, comfort, and support, she helps create lasting memories for students, staff, and friends. Thank you, Maisy, for spreading joy and companionship in all that you do. Maisy now has her eyes set on the holidays after an incredible term filled with memorable moments!
This week students had the opportunity to connect with CSC’s beloved canine friend, Sable.
2024 IMPORTANT DATES FOR PARENTS
FORMS & PROCEDURES
PARENT FORMS AND SCHOOL DOCUMENTATION
School documentation and common forms are stored in Compass for parents to access at any time. Parent Forms can be found by following these steps on your Compass App:
(Steps 1-3 are for App users only)
- Click on the student
- Click on the 3 lines in top left corner
- Click Open in Browser
- Click on Community Icon (2 heads)
- Click on School Documentation
- Click Parent Forms
ATTENDANCE EXEMPTION FORMS
Any families who wish to apply for attendance exemptions to attend therapy services in 2024, please download the Application for Leave Exemption form on Compass, complete and return to schooladmin@materdei.org.au
2024 AFTERNOON ARRANGEMENTS
In the event of either of the following:
- Student needs to be collected by a different family member or family friend over 18 years of age
- Student needs to be collected by parent INSTEAD of usual taxi arrangement for a specified day
Parent/Guardian is required to advise the school of the change, and MUST include the full name of person collecting, PRIOR to 2:30pm on the day of the change. This may be done via one of the following options:
- Noting change in student diary
- Phoning School Reception on ph. 4655 7481
- Emailing schooladmin@materdei.org.au
If your child needs to be collected by a service provider - a Parent/Guardian is required to complete a Collection by a Service Provider form (available on Compass) and email it to schooladmin@materdei.org.au
This form must be received PRIOR to 2:30pm on the day before the new arrangement is to take place.
If unable to provide the full name of the staff member collecting, the Parent/ Guardian is required to arrange the Service Provider to notify the school via schooladmin@materdei.org.au email by 2:30pm on the day the student is to be collected.
2024 SCHOOL DROP OFF / PICK UP PROCEDURES
COMMUNITY
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