Term 1, Week 7, 2025

Last Wednesday marked the start of Lent. We celebrated with pancakes on Shrove Tuesday and then paused for Ash Wednesday. We acknowledge the work of Amiee Tullio for her preparations and dedication to special Liturgical events.  The phases of the moon determines when Easter is each year and of course our Lenten journey begins with Ash Wednesday. The distribution of ashes reminds us of our own mortality and calls us to repentance and is a time to take stock of our spiritual lives. During Lent, we are challenged to ‘do something extra’ for others or take time to think about how we can be called to Jesus.

Last week, our students participated in the Classroom Pulse Check-In survey. This survey provides a quick and simple way for schools to check in with students about their experiences at school. It focuses on key areas such as learning, relationships, belonging, and well-being. By asking students a few questions each term, we can better understand how they are feeling and identify any social, emotional, or learning needs. Working proactively to support students and improve their overall school experience is essential for fostering effective learning. Student responses are thoughtfully analysed, and if any concerns arise from the survey, the school will reach out to parents directly. This initiative reaffirms our commitment to ensuring every student feels valued, supported, and fully engaged in their learning journey.

Over the next fortnight our Year 3 and Year 5 students will participate in NAPLAN. We understand that this can be stressful time for our students. Rest assured that we plan effectively to set all students up for success by providing brain breaks and modifying timetables so students don’t experience cognitive overload.

As a community we wish Angela Rose all the very best for her maternity leave. Angela’s final day at St Mary Magdalene’s will be Friday of Week 8. We know Angela will be a wonderful mother and look forward to hearing some baby news soon. We welcome Ms Natalia Oosthuizen who will replace Angela for the remainder of 2025. Natalia is an experienced middle and upper primary teacher who is excited about joining our community. Angela and Natalia will ‘team teach’ in Week 8. Please join us in welcoming Natalia to our supportive community.

At times, you may receive a message from your child’s teacher or Leadership about days absent. Please understand that these messages are coming from a place of care. It is important that students attend school every day. We understand that at times sickness and family events pop up and so we thank you for always informing the school when your child is away. We draw your attention to the information regarding attendance and the school’s processes further within the newsletter.

A reminder that our school day concludes at 3:00pm. All students need to be collected by 3:15pm. Lately, we have had some students who are still sitting in the office beyond 3:30pm. This creates uncertainty for children and also makes it a challenge when staff need to attend meetings. Please ensure a phone call is made to our Front Office if you know you are running a little late. 

Our student leaders held their first meeting with Mr Molyneux on Wednesday. What an exciting and motivated bunch we have. There were lots of great ideas shared and we are looking forward to some different ways we can impact our community in a positive way.

Finally, families of children from Year 3 – 6 will see that students bring home a 2025 ICT Form to be signed. This form talks about the acceptable use of electronic devices. We encourage a parent/child conversation about how we use the internet and technology safely at our school. There is a section on the form for both parents and students to sign.

Shaping our future together,

Gareth and Belinda.

School Attendance:

Regular school attendance is vital for children’s learning, well-being, and future success. Frequent absences disrupt cumulative learning and can impact educational outcomes.

The Legal Requirement Under the Education and Children's Services Act 2019, school attendance is mandatory for children aged 6 to 17. Parents are legally required to ensure their child attends school regularly. Failure to comply, without a ‘prescribed reason’ or approved exemption, may result in legal consequences for the parent.

Attendance Concerns Habitual non-attendance is defined as 5-9 absences per term, while chronic non-attendance is 10 or more. Parents must provide valid reasons for absences, late arrivals, or early departures. The school monitors attendance and uses data to identify trends and concerns.

School Practices

• Accurate attendance recording is crucial and reported to government and Catholic Education South Australia (CESA).
• Parents must notify the school of absences by 9:00 am. Unexplained absences are followed up promptly with an SMS, your response is vital.
• Persistent unapproved absences trigger a formal process, including family meetings and collaboration with social workers when necessary.

By ensuring regular attendance, families support their child's learning, well-being, and legal obligations. The school is committed to working in partnership with families to address barriers and promote positive attendance habits.

ELIZABETH CATHOLIC PARISH SACRAMENT PROGRAM

The Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist form the Sacraments of Christian Initiation. If your child is 7 years of age (or older) and would like to be involved in the program for 2025, please contact Amiee Tullio for more information.

atullio@smm.catholic.edu.au

St Mary Magdalene’s Port Adelaide Powerplay Program.

Our St Mary Magdalene’s students from R-6 are being treated to a football clinic experience during their PE lesson as part of a new program Port Adelaide is involved in.

The Power Play program is aimed at driving grassroots engagement and inspiring the next generation of football stars.

As part of the program, players from Port Adelaide’s AFLW team have been running football clinics at St Mary Magdalene’s School this term with all our students taking part in the structured clinics run over four weeks.

Under a partnership with the SANFL and AFL, the players have been using the clinics to encourage participants to have fun while learning foundational football skills with a view to engaging children and their families and creating lifelong links to the game.

St Mary Magdelene’s School Year 1 & 2 NRL Gala Day Friday 28/02/25

Our Year 1 and 2 students recently had an exciting day out at a NRL Gala Day at St Mary Magdalene’s. The day was filled with fun, enthusiasm and energy as our students eagerly participated in a series of friendly, games and matches. 

 It was heartwarming to see the children displaying great teamwork, sportspersonship, and a genuine love for the game. The event provided a wonderful opportunity for our students to develop their rugby skills in a fun and supportive environment.

Throughout the day, our young students demonstrated remarkable determination, respect and resilience.

The gala day was not just about winning or losing but about learning valuable life lessons such as cooperation, respect, and perseverance.

Special thanks to all the staff and co-educators from R-2 and leadership for your support and help with supervision

St Mary Magdalene’s Port Adelaide Powerplay Program.

Our St Mary Magdalene’s students from R-6 are being treated to a football clinic experience during their PE lesson as part of a new program Port Adelaide is involved in.

The Power Play program is aimed at driving grassroots engagement and inspiring the next generation of football stars.

As part of the program, players from Port Adelaide’s AFLW team have been running football clinics at St Mary Magdalene’s School this term with all our students taking part in the structured clinics run over four weeks.

Under a partnership with the SANFL and AFL, the players have been using the clinics to encourage participants to have fun while learning foundational football skills with a view to engaging children and their families and creating lifelong links to the game.

St Mary Magdelene’s School Year 1 & 2 NRL Gala Day Friday 28/02/25

Our Year 1 and 2 students recently had an exciting day out at a NRL Gala Day at St Mary Magdalene’s. The day was filled with fun, enthusiasm and energy as our students eagerly participated in a series of friendly, games and matches. 

 It was heartwarming to see the children displaying great teamwork, sportspersonship, and a genuine love for the game. The event provided a wonderful opportunity for our students to develop their rugby skills in a fun and supportive environment.

Throughout the day, our young students demonstrated remarkable determination, respect and resilience.

The gala day was not just about winning or losing but about learning valuable life lessons such as cooperation, respect, and perseverance.

Special thanks to all the staff and co-educators from R-2 and leadership for your support and help with supervision

Hello Families,

I hope everyone has enjoyed a wonderful and restful long weekend. We are already more than halfway through the Term and what a term its been so far! In OSHC we have been doing a lot with slime! We have been exploring slime as a play and sensory resource. We have had all sorts of slime, with all sorts of textures out to explore.

We have had in OSHC slime with a jelly like texture that wibbles and wobbles, slime that can stretch… and stretch… and stretch, slime that was just too sticky and wet and finally during our pupil free day we had the most interesting slime of all… slime we could EAT!

Through all this slime exploration the children and staff have learnt a lot. We learnt to describe what we could see and feel, we learnt how to mix and measure to create our own slime, we learnt that different ingredients will have different results, we but most of all we learnt to have fun!

It's been a busy and productive start to the year in Ms. Haylock's class! Students have been diving into persuasive writing, learning how to structure their arguments using the OREO method (Opinion, Reason, Example, Opinion). This has been helping them develop clear and convincing arguments for various topics.

In art, the class has been exploring the world of monochromatic design. They’ve been experimenting with different shades of a single colour to create striking, visually cohesive pieces that showcase their creativity.

With NAPLAN just around the corner, students have been preparing for the upcoming assessments. Everyone has been working hard to practice key skills, ensuring they feel confident and ready for the challenges ahead.

Keep up the great work, everyone!