We have many exciting activites planned for Book Week coming up in Term 3 from August 22nd to August 26th. One activity will be a dress up day on Firday August 26th. Students are encouraged to come to school dressed as their favourite book character. Home made costumes are cheaper, more sustainable and encouraged! 
Take a look at some examples for inspiration.

 

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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For this weeks Community News we have our Church Bulletin, news from Emmanuel College & Mount St. Josephs, Basketball Summer Season, a free workshop with local artists, and a Sports Education Program for ages 3 - 8.
Church Bulletin

Emmanuel College News

Interested in playing Basketball?

Williamstown Community News and Events

Mount St Josephs 2024 Enrolments

APPLY NOW
We are a nurturing faith and learning community where each individual is
encouraged to excel in their academic, co-curricular and personal goals whilst
bearing witness to the gospel values.
Students wishing to attend Mount St. Joseph Girls’ College for Year 7 in 2024
should apply in Grade 5 of their primary school education.
Applications for Year 7 in 2024 are now open. Apply online via the College
website. The closing date for applications is Friday 19 August 2022.
For application to Years 8-12, there is no application closing date, but vacancies
are limited and waiting lists may apply.
For all enquiries, please contact:
Sherri Collins: registrar@msj.vic.edu.au
133 Maidstone Street, Altona
(03)8398 2000
www.msj.vic.edu.au



Creative Music

Foster Caring

Free Workshop

Children aged 5 to 12 years are invited to take a journey with local visual artist Frances Loriente, Wiradjuri Soprano Shauntai Batzke, Kokatha/Mirning musician Bart Willoughby, Yvonne Rigney Ngarrindjeri/Kokatha dancer and guest Taungwurrung, Yorta Yorta elder Maxine Briggs together with Indigenous elders explore what a totem represents through, colour, music, song and dance through these free workshops at Woods Street Arts Space in Laverton.

 

Dates:

Saturday 6 August 10am to 12.30pm

Sunday 14 August 11.30am to 1.30 pm

 

Exhibition and  performance:

Sunday 14 August, 2 to 3pm

 

Bookings essential:  www.trybooking.com/CAXBW     

 

Children 5 to 6 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or adult carer.   Children are asked to bring a healthy snack along and wear comfortable clothing.

For more information please visit: www.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/Community/Whats-On/The-Colour-and-Sound-of-my-Totem or The Colour And Sound of My Totem Facebook event

We would also like to thank Mancini Real Estate for their continuous support to St Mary's Altona


                                         

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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In the lead up to our Spring into Happiness and Kindness Day (aka Yellow Day) on 1st September, our Wellbeing leaders, Andy and Judah are calling on the community to spread some happiness and kindness in their daily interactions.  At assembly last week they spoke about their mission. 

 

"We ask you to be kind everyday leading up to yellow day and to pass on the message - BE KIND towards others and BE HAPPY. Share a smile every day!"

The first message they sent out to the classes was
 

actionforhappiness.org also implores us to be be kind especially during the month of August and they offer us ideas about how we can do this daily in their Altruistic August calendar.  This is a great opporunity to talk with your family about altruism (showing a selfless concern for the well-being of others) and how we can spread happiness and joy throughout our community.

Download the calendar here
Go to their website for more information

What will your first action be?

Have a great weekend

Andy, Judah & Marg Masseni
Wellbeing Leaders

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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We are especially looking for lids in shades of the colours of our house teams nows.  Please place them in the boxes outside the staffroom. Esure they are washed and clean before your drop them in. 

Lids that are collected will be used in a special art project.

 

Thank you
The Special Art Team & the House Captains

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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This term is a busy one for all things Religious here at St Mary's. We will be celebrating the Sacraments of Eucharist and Confirmation and there will be feast day masses and prayer assemblies to attend also. In terms of our Sacraments, Eucharist (First Communions) will be held over three Saturdays (July 23, 30 and August 6) at the 9:15am service. Most people have already booked in but for those who haven't, please check Operoo for the booking form.

Confirmation will be celebrated this year for our Year 6 students on Saturday August 20th here at St Mary's church. There will be two services, one at 11am and one at 2pm and a booking form went home today on Operoo for families to select their preferred time.

Masses that you may want to mark on your calendar include

• Grandparents day mass on Wednesday 27/7 at 9:15am
• The Feast of Mary of the Cross MacKillop on Monday 8/8 at 9:30am
• The Feast of the Assumption on Monday 15/8 at 9:15am
• We will hold a celebration in honour of Father's Day on Friday 2/9. Details closer to the date

There are also two prayer assemblies you may wish to attend:

• The Year 1/2 classes are hosting with a focus on the Eucharist on Monday 01/08 at 2:30pm
• The Year 5/6 classes are hosting with a focus on Confirmation on Monday 22/08 at 2:30pm

Yours in Faith
Matthew Taylor
Religious Education Leader

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In Term 1 staff attended a writing professional learning day called VCOP and the Big Write. We have started to implement the program in our classrooms through games, activities and Big Write sessions. We have a special whole school Cold Write coming up on 15th August. Read below for more information

VCOP & Big Write

What is VCOP and Big Write?

VCOP and Big Write is a teaching approach based on the research of Ros Wilson, an expert based in the UK. It focuses on four main aspects of the writing process (VCOP) and provides children with the skills to improve their own writing through self-assessment. We have four mascots that represent each section of VCOP.

V is for Vocabulary:

Vinnie Vocabulary is our vocabulary mascot. He assists students in the use of ‘WOW words’ in their writing. Wow words are words that are also known as ambitious vocabulary, this is based on the students’ age and ability.

C is for Connectives:

Connie Connectives is our connectives mascot. She supports students in using connectives (joining words) to change their simple sentences into complex sentence.

O is for Openers:

Ollie Opener is our openers mascot. Ollie encourages students to use varied openers to ensure their writing doesn’t appear ‘boring’.

P is for Punctuation:

Penny Punctuation is our punctuation mascot. Children are taught the names of the different types of punctuation and they learn to use them in their writing.

VCOP SESSIONS:

VCOP sessions are integrated in writing sessions. These sessions are based on one or more of the VCOP elements and provide students with lots of fun and engagement. Ros Wilson insists that “if children can’t say it, they can’t write it”.

BIG WRITE:

Big Write is a celebration of students’ learning. This is conducted weekly or fortnightly. The biggest difference between Big Write and the ‘everyday’ writing session is the environment. The classroom has a different atmosphere. The lights might be dimmed and quiet music is playing. Students work silently and the teacher takes this time to conference with students one to one and look at their individual writing goals. Sometimes before a Big Write session ‘Talk Homework’ will be sent home to allow the students opportunities to talk about their upcoming writing.

COLD WRITE:

A Cold Write is where students are not given the opportunity to talk about the topic before writing and the learning aides are removed. This is an opportunity for students to display what they know without the assistance from external resources.

TALK HOMEWORK:

Talk Homework is sent home to allow the students opportunities to talk about their writing, gain ideas from family and friends and to assist in making the most out of their Big Write session.

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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