2024 Term 1 Week 9

Learning and Teaching

The NSW education system is reforming the curriculum which will be taught in all classrooms from Kindergarten to Year 12. The new curriculum, as a result of the NSW Curriculum Reform, will give students more time to focus on key learning areas so that they can acquire a deeper understanding of central concepts. It will ensure students develop strong foundations for learning, life and work in a complex and fast-changing world.

This reform has been informed by extensive consultation with teachers, parents and education experts, and is underpinned by extensive research. Curriculum reform involves change that spans many aspects of schooling, including teaching, learning, assessment and reporting to parents. New syllabuses provide schools with a unique opportunity to re-focus and place curriculum at the heart of school planning. Key curriculum changes include:

• building strong foundations for future learning with new English and mathematics syllabuses for Kindergarten to Year 2
• an entirely new curriculum from 2022 with new syllabuses focused on what is essential to know and do in early and middle years of schooling, and key learning areas in the senior years
• providing more time for teaching by reducing the hours teachers spend on extra-curricular topics and issues and compliance requirements
• strengthening post- school pathways with new learning areas for Years 11 and 12 that clearly link learning to future employment and study options.

The new curriculum will ensure every student develops strong foundations for learning, life and work. The reforms are vital for the young people in our schools today, and for those who will arrive in the years to come. More information can be found on the NSW Department of Education and NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA)

Kind regards

Jas Stuart

Assistant Principal Learning and Teaching 

Breakfast Club

A big thank you to our Stage 3 students who serve our St Mary's community on Wednesday mornings at Breakfast Club. 

Thanks to Mrs Carter who kindly donated some delicious homegrown honey to Breakfast Club.  It's safe to say the students thought it was un-BEE-lievable!

Services Available: 

Student Wellbeing Officer:

• Enhance student learning and wellbeing outcomes by identifying and establishing support networks for students with staff, the school community, and locally-based government services and community agencies.
• Support transition, between schools and post-school enrolments by working with transition coordinators and external providers. 

Meet our Student Wellbeing Officer: Lindsay Tulloch 

To all our wonderful families,  

I’m pleased to introduce myself and my key responsibilities as the Student Wellbeing Officer for St Mary’s Primary.

I work in partnership with the school community, including students, parents, school staff, and community organisations, to support student well-being here at St Mary’s. My goal as a Student Wellbeing Officer is to promote student safety, resilience, and prosocial behaviours. My role allows me to work with students one-on-one and/ or in small groups. 

This role works collaboratively with external agencies and creates referral pathways for students and families to child and family support agencies. 

Evidenced Based Programs that I am skilled in running to support students are:

Storm Birds - Stormbirds is an education program that supports children and young people to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to understand and manage experiences of change and loss following natural disasters.

Seasons Of Growth - Seasons for Growth is a small group education program that supports children and young people to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes to understand and respond well to experiences of change, loss and grief.

Seasons for Growth supports children and young people who have experienced change and loss, including, although not limited to friendship changes; family separation; loss or death of someone they care about; loss of a pet; relocation and forced migration; living away in out of home care; physical or mental illness; or impacts of war, terrorism or pandemics.

To access these programs, students may be referred by Parents, Teachers or a Leadership Team Member. A student might be referred to me for support in areas such as building self–esteem, resilience, conflict resolution and coping skills, peer mediation, or to be connected to external support and youth services. 

For more complex issues, referral is made through our Assistant Principal Mission, Dominique Montford, to ensure the most appropriate course of action.

My role is not to provide psychological assessment or therapy; rather, I am part of the pastoral care team at St Mary’s, offering comprehensive support to students and their families.

I wish all families a wonderful and safe Easter,

Lindsay Tulloch

Family Connect in Schools (FCIS) Program 

This free service is available to all families at St Mary's Primary who may require assistance.  

The FCIS Program provides an early intervention response to the needs of families, children, and young people. FCIS can provide a case coordination approach to supporting families by linking them to the supports and services they need in the community.

The challenges that families may need support with may include:

• NDIS navigation
• Housing support
• Disability support
• School attendance
• Financial stress
• Parenting support
• Emotional wellbeing
• Navigating services / advocating for families
• Domestic Violence support

If this is a service you would like to access for your family or would like to know more, please reach out to Assistant Principal Mission, Dominique Montford or Student Wellbeing Officer, Lindsay Tulloch.