NAPLAN Testing 2018

Next week the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) 2018 tests for Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 students will be held on Tuesday 15 May, Wednesday 16 May and Thursday 17 May 2018.

NAPLAN tests assess student knowledge and skills in writing, reading, language conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy.

Below is the Junior School NAPLAN testing schedule:

Tuesday 15 May 8:45am – 10:00am Language conventions
Tuesday 15 May 11:00am – 12:15pm Writing
Wednesday 16 May 8:45am – 10:00am Reading
Thursday 17 May 8:45am – 10:00am Numeracy
Catch-up tests Catch up sessions will be arranged as necessary, between Wednesday and Friday

Due to NAPLAN testing there will be no assembly for this week.

For further information about the tests, please visit the VCAA website at www.vcaa.vic.edu.au or the NAPLAN website at www.naplan.edu.au

 

Junior School Assembly Captain’s Reflection

Gratitude by Charlotte Upton

Gratitude is about being thankful for everything that you have, and not asking for more.

Studies have shown that if you are grateful for what you have, it can increase how happy your life is, which is good for your mind and also for your body.

You can show gratitude by being thankful for your teachers, and for how much effort they put into making your learning experience fun and interesting.

You can also be grateful for how hard your parents work, to ensure that you have a great schooling experience that is both fun and challenging.

Most importantly, you can show gratitude for the little things in your life, like having a bed to sleep in, clothes to wear and food to eat. We can easily take these things for granted, but we shouldn’t.

Being grateful for what we have is a choice that we can make every day. So why not start each day thinking about all of the things in your life that you should be grateful for, like parents who love and care for you, and going to an amazing School like St Catherine’s.

I like the quote from Robert Braathe that says, “Gratitude and attitude are not challenges, they are choices”.

So, let’s choose to start practising gratitude today!

Developing Rich Questions in Year 4

This semester in Barbreck, each Year level has had a different focus in Humanities, whether it is History, Geography, Economics and Business or Civics and Citizenship. The Humanities are about examining the complex processes that have shaped the modern world [1], connecting the past with the present and inviting us to think about the truth of what it means to be human.

Studying Humanities allows our students to connect to the past and empowers them to think and change the future. Students learn to deal critically with information while building language and literacy skills becoming active, informed and responsible citizens.

In Year 4, students have combined their learning at camp, where they discussed the longevity of Indigenous culture in Australia, with classroom activities raising their awareness of Australia’s First Peoples and their own place in Australia. This followed on from our earlier study of laws and rules, allowing the students to discover how these differ in various cultural settings. Of greatest significance has been the questions these studies have raised and observing the passionate engagement that has taken place.

Below are some examples of the types of questions the girls have devised. They often surprise us with their thinking. We encourage you to ask your daughter what questions she has about the world around her – you too may be surprised by her level of curiosity!

How did the Indigenous people know which foods to eat?

Were there any other creators or guardians that they believed in?

How did the first people know how to survive?

Did Mungo man and woman think just like us?

How did the stars help guide their dreaming stories?

Why did the Indigenous people feel so connected to the land?                                                             

How would the 700 different nations communicate?

1 http://victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au/the-humanities/introduction/about-the-humanities

Ms Simone Schilte
Year 4 Teacher
Blast from the Past

As part of our History Unit of Investigation, Year 2 invited some past students of St Catherine’s to share their memories.

What a wonderful response to our panel of past students. All the memorabilia certainly sparked some interesting discussions. An  ‘Old Boy’ – Lachlan Armstrong (’95), brought a level of excitement to our annual discussion of former life at St Catherine’s. Some did not realise that boys actually attended St Catherine’s. Students were well prepared with their questions and the parents and friends responded with their enchanting recollections.

The highlight of discussion was the ‘freezing,’ outdoor, swimming pool, with Gina McNamara (Milne ’94) sharing how she was requested to swim in the cold, autumn weather for an upcoming article. Mrs Scambler (Drummond ’62) shared her boarding house experiences, while Mrs Julia Thomas (’54), Nina Aberdeen (Kirby ’94), Sarah Foote (Scambler ’93) and Susie Farrer (Cook ’93), entertained the girls with their experiences – particularly the naughty ones.

The Years 1 and 2 students were totally immersed throughout this history discussion. Our guests brought a totally new level of understanding – one that is very difficult to achieve by mere classroom teaching. A sincere thank you for all involved.

Mrs Loretta Iacuone
Year 2 Teacher
IOUs for Lunch orders

Please note that as of Term 2, any IOUs for lunch-orders will need to be settled by parents through the Flexischools payment system, providing greater efficiency and ease in paying any outstanding amounts owed. The Junior School Office will no longer collect money but will still contact parents before sending girls to the Café, to seek permission for their daughter to purchase lunch if it has been forgotten.

When you login to the Flexischools website, you will be notified if you have an outstanding amount, then follow the instructions provided: www.flexischools.com.au.

If you have any questions regarding the process, please contact Flexischools directly or the Junior School office.