Dear Parents and Carers

It would come as no surprise to you that the number of students with complex needs enrolling in all schools has increased. I am proud that the funding support for these students has grown incrementally in an effort to support all of our students. I feel confident in telling you that St Matthew’s School places a very high priority on supporting students with complex needs, as we are morally and legislatively bound.

Complex needs can be difficult to recognise and understand on first inspection. The needs may present themselves as a form of anxiety, an inability to maintain relationships, outbursts in unfamiliar or challenging situations or withdrawal if the child’s senses feel overloaded. This behaviour might easily be misconstrued as noncompliance or poor behaviour.

A significant proportion of our school staffing is drawn from Meeting Student Needs. This is generally allocated towards the staffing of Classroom Support Assistants (CSA’s) and Classroom Support Teachers (CST’s). The CSA’s and CST’s provide support for all children in the classroom and on the playground.

 Ms Cathy Talbot leads the Classroom Support Team at St Matthew’s. She spends the majority of her time in the Kindergarten to Year Two section of the school. Cathy is supported by a highly skilled team which includes Mrs Mary Quinane (2 days, Years 3 and 4), Ms Ana Zaja (2 days, Years 3 and 4)) and Mrs Petra Cole (3 days, Years 5 and 6).

By any measure this is a strong indication of the importance St Matthew’s places on reflecting the Catholic values which define our school. We are proudly inclusive and we strive hard to meet the needs of all children whilst keeping everyone safe.

Enrolment Period

A reminder that the official enrolment period for next year’s intake runs from May 3^rd until May 28^th. Please go onto the Catholic Education Office website https://cg.catholic.edu.au/ to access an enrolment form.

Thank you to Ante Susic for his help in placing enrolment signage around our local district. Thank you also to our Years Five and Six children who assisted by letterbox dropping houses in our region. This Friday afternoon our staff will letter box drop Strathnairn to advertise opportunities for visiting our school during the enrolment period.

Have you considered a Catholic Education for your child?

St Matthew’s Primary is enrolling now for 2022

OPEN SCHOOL MAY 6: 5PM - 6PM

INFORMATION EVENING MAY 6: 6PM

OPEN MORNING MAY 12: 9.30AM - 11AM

www.stmattsps.act.edu.au

                                                                             62542653

May God bless you and your families

Graham Pollard

Principal

Through the Window

This morning, I walked past a classroom of older students, and heard a teacher’s best dramatic voice. As I peered through the window, I noticed a class of children, eyes fixed on the adult at the front of the room with a novel in her hand. Every-so-often, the teacher would stop to make eye-contact with her class and explain a new word, or wonder aloud about the motivation of a character, and then she would return to the pages of the book. At the conclusion of the chapter, she closed the book, and the students eagerly expressed their opinions and ideas about what had just been read.  

At first glance, it looks like a group of students simply listening to a story. However, this novel has been chosen very carefully, as it deals with concepts that are key to the class’s inquiry unit. Our teachers understand that reading aloud to students helps them to learn how to use language to make sense of the world, and improves vocabulary, and comprehension. It leads to amazing discussions and conversations that employ higher-level thinking. Students have an opportunity to hear a proficient reader model fluency and expression. “Reading aloud to students both slows down and intensifies the classroom experience. In a world of sound bites and half-formed ideas expressed quickly in electronic formats, students benefit from hearing complete ideas, expressed with originality and attention, such as one finds in literary language.” (Varias, 2018). Thomas Sticht (1984) demonstrated that a child's reading ability doesn't catch up to their listening ability until around Year 8, which is what makes the read aloud a perfect opportunity to expose students to texts they can't yet read for themselves. Finally, research has shown that teachers who read aloud really do motivate students to read.

Our school places a high value on the resources we have in our library and classrooms to promote good literacy practices. And we very much appreciate the wonderful work our Community Council does to support literacy achievement at St Matthew’s through their fundraising. Last week’s Colour Run (Oh! What fun!) is an example of such efforts. 

Yes - through the window, you thought you saw a group of students listening to a story, but it really was so much more than that.

Petra Cole

Assistant Principal

Petra.Cole@cg.catholic.edu.au

This Sunday’s reading from the Gospel of John is taken from middle of the Last Supper discourse. Jesus speaks about his relationship to his disciples. In his metaphor of the vine and the branches, Jesus is referencing the Hebrew Scriptures. In the Hebrew Scriptures, Israel is the vineyard, and Yahweh himself tends the vineyard. One of the primary themes of John’s Gospel is to show Jesus to be the fulfillment of God’s promises to Israel.

In this passage, Jesus teaches his disciples that his relationship with them will not end after his death; he will remain with them always. This unity between Jesus and his disciples is the basis for their ability to continue to do the work that he began.

Jesus also teaches his disciples about the importance of the words he has taught to them. Just as Jesus will remain in the disciples, so too will his words. We come to know Jesus through the Scriptures, the living Word of God. Our commitment to be Christ’s disciples is sustained through God’s Word. This commitment is also strengthened by our life of prayer and nourished by the Eucharist. Through the Eucharist, Jesus dwells in us, remains with us, and transforms us so that we might bear fruit in his name.

This week as a family talk about the ways in which we are invited to relate to Jesus as his disciples today—prayer, Scripture, the Eucharist etc. When we do these things, Jesus promises to remain with us and to lead us to serve others well. Pray together that we will continue to be attentive and open to Jesus as he works in our lives today. 

(Adapted from Sunday Connection, Loyola Press)

Confirmation
Please pray for our Year 6 students as they prepare to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation at the end of this term. For those families who have not completed the registration process on QkR!, please do so as soon as you can so a home formation pack can be sent for you to be completed with your child.

Have a great week!

Sharee Thomas

Religious Education Coordinator (Acting)

ACT schools will participate in NAPLAN Online testing in May. At St Matthew’s, our test dates are as follows:

Late last term, Year 3 and Year 5 undertook practice test sessions. This was an opportunity to test our IT systems and student devices, and to familiarise staff and students prior to the testing window.

As a parent, you can become familiar with NAPLAN Online tests by visiting the public demonstration site, http://bit.ly/naplanonline. The purpose of the site is to familiarise students with the type of items they will see on NAPLAN Online and related functionalities. This level of familiarisation is worthwhile to help students understand and be comfortable with the format of the test.

NAPLAN is just one assessment in a suite of assessments that are used at St Matthew’s to differentiate our teaching and learning. The best way you can help your child prepare for NAPLAN is to reassure them that NAPLAN tests are just one part of their school program and let them know that they should simply do the best they can on the day. A good night’s sleep, a healthy breakfast, and a reassuring hug is all that’s needed to help your child get ready for a NAPLAN test day.

If you have any questions about this or wish to discuss your child’s participation in this event, please contact Petra Cole (Assistant Principal: petra.cole@cg.catholic.edu.au).

Further information on NAPLAN Online, including the public demonstration site, is available at www.nap.edu.au/online-assessment/naplan-online.

Scholastic Book Club Issue 3 orders are due by Thursday May 6^th.

Sincerely,

Sally Judd

Teacher Librarian

Happy birthday wishes to Callum E, Ruby M, Levi M, Claudia L, Oliver S, Cecilia J, Sarah B, Olivia C, Indiana S, Asees Kaur S, Stesha H, Grace B, William M, Katie H, Flynn R, Mason A, Max S, Sienna F, Abigail C, Sitti A, Suhaavi K, Tayananiswa D, Ty B, Jayden W,  who celebrated birthdays in the holidays and to Jack F, Cody D, Annabelle F, Matthew G, Katya H, Laura P, Zoe R, Dailen B, Max M and Amma C, who recently celebrated birthdays.

Mother_s_Day_Stall_2021.pdf

Mother_s_Day_Stall_2021 _pdf 194.12 KB

Thank you to the Community Council for helping us to purchase many wonderful new books this term!

St Matthew’s Clothing Pool

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Thank you to those parents who have put their hands up to be parent reps for classes. Your assistance in this role is greatly valued. There are stil a few classes needing a parent representative. If you haven't volunteered and have the time to help in this role, plesae contact the front office.