Dear Parents,

At the beginning of Term 2, we introduced a new way of teaching spelling. All staff received a full day of professional learning and have continued to build on their knowledge and skills in professional learning teams this term.  SMART is an acronym for the sequence teachers follow to teach words to students (Say, Meaning, Analyse, Remember, Teach). There has been a very positive response from teachers, so I thought I would catch up with some students to see what they think.

This Term in Year 6 we started a new spelling called SMART Spelling. It is a brilliant way to advance our vocabulary and to teach us how to spell new words. I am enjoying using many of these words in writing my narratives and persuasive texts. I wouldn’t exactly say it is loads of fun but it requires a short amount of time each day and it is an effective way to help us be better. So I like it much better than any other spelling programs we have used.  Maddy D Yr 6

We do SMART spelling in Yr 6. Each Monday we choose 10 words from either the red, orange or green lists. We learn how to break up our words into ‘graphs’ which helps us to spell words more easily and identify the number of sounds, syllables and the tricky part of each word. The graphs are helping me to break the words down and be a better speller. On Friday we do a spelling test and so far I am getting 10 out of ten!

Darby C Yr 6

In Year 1 we do SMART spelling. We like it because we get to learn how to spell tricky words and its fun! Every time we do spelling we learn new things.

Stephanie Yr1

I like SMART spelling  because you get to write in sentences and use fancy writing using glitter pens. Miss Moore really likes it when Kiera does her twirly writing.  We do spelling every day. Every Friday we do a test and I’m doing really well.

April Yr 1

Outstanding Achievements by St Paul’s students

Olivia Lentzios in 3AW has been selected for a special part in this years ‘Winter Showcase Concert’ for the Australian Girls Choir, where she will perform at Robert Blackwood Hall on 15 June. Olivia will be performing  a solo poem as well as a solo singing part. A hidden gem! Congratulations on an outstanding achievement and best wishes for your big night.

Congratulations to Luis Sutton (Yr 5) and Murphy Behnk (Yr 6) who have played in the National Basketball Tournament over the long weekend and came 7th in Australia. Great work boys. Many of our students play at high level basketball and we are proud of their achievements. Luis Sutton has also been invited to attend the ‘Victorian Metro Showcase’  which is a camp for high performing athletes over a four day event in July.

     

     

Parents Teacher Interviews

On Friday of Week 9, all students will receive their Semester 1 Reports. I have read each child’s report and feel very proud of their achievements. I would like to thank all the staff for their care, dedication and professionalism as they support students in their growth and learning. In Week 10 we welcome parents to meet with their child’s teacher to discuss the report , view evidence of learning and set goals for the Semester ahead. Parents are asked to book their appointments online when they receive the booking details. This will be emailed on Friday.

Grandparents and Special Visitors Day

Despite a cold and blustery morning, our hearts were warmed as we celebrated this very special event on the school calendar. The day began with prayers, stories and songs as we celebrated and gave thanks for the wonder of grandparents and special people in our lives.  Our visitors were soon put to work in classrooms as the students shared a special activity before coming over to the Hall for a sumptuous morning tea. Thank you to Mr Ed Dooley and Matilde for preparing the Liturgy, to the staff and students for welcoming the visitors into their learning space and to Audrey Craig & Bec Belej and the team of parents who prepared and served morning tea. The Year 6 students did an outstanding job of serving on tables and making everyone feel welcome. Thanks also to Mr Aaron Juliff for preparing the slideshow. 

 

  

New Website Live

Last Friday the new school websites went live. In our revamp of the way in which we communicate with current families and prospective families we have created our e-Newsletter, Schoolzine App and now the new website. I thank the school boards for their input to the design and content of the webpage and we would certainly appreciate any feedback as to how we can improve it. We see the eNewsletter with all the current parent information in the sidebar and the App for our existing families and the website as a first ‘port of call’ for next families.

The St Paul’s site is https://spbentleigh.catholic.edu.au/

Keep warm and have a great week.

Catherine