Mel Maria Catholic Primary School

Dear Parents,

As the long weekend approaches, we are half-way through Term One.

Our students are well settled into new routines and have established new friendships and relationships. Such happenings are an important part of creating a successful and

engaging learning environment.

Our staff are committed to teaching with high expectations, delivering engaging curriculum-aligned lessons that challenge every learner to grow.

Students on each campus were invested as leaders this week. Year Two students and Year Six students were presented to our learning community.

Our trust and expectation in the gifts and abilities of each person to show leadership in each setting were celebrated.

Year Six parents joined us for Mass celebrated by Fr Don and Deacon John on the primary campus, and leadership badges were presented. Our learning community is looking forward to seeing strong leadership qualities contributing to community life at Mel Maria.

Year Six parents gathered for morning tea provided by our Year Five families with true Mel Maria hospitality. Preparations are under way for Year Six camp where students will be given many opportunities to practice their leadership gifts and strengths.

Thank you to the community who have nominated to be reps for our P&F Committee. Your contribution in building community at Mel Maria will be valuable and is much appreciated.

Our P&F meeting has been rescheduled for Tuesday, 10th March, at 6.00pm at the Early Childhood Campus in the library. Apologies for the unavoidable date change.

We look forward to and invite all members of our school community to come to the meeting to plan for a great year of community events and celebration of community life at Mel Maria. Your presence does make a difference.

Thank you for your warm wishes and prayers for Mr Hille that I have been receiving. He greatly appreciates your support.

Regards

Ros Nichols

Principal

In this season of Lent our community is provided with a very special opportunity to reflect and engage with all this liturgical season offers us as individuals and as community.

The three-fold, inter-related Lenten practices of prayer, almsgiving and fasting have their foundation in scripture. They are a rich dimension of the Christian life and also that of other religious traditions. We are called to a regular practice of prayer, almsgiving and fasting throughout our daily lives.

Our students will be engaging with this learning at all year levels of school life, in the lead up to Easter. You will have opportunities to engage with their learning. Teachers will have sent home Religious Education letters detailing Lenten Learning for your child’s year level.

The late Pope Francis asks us: “Do you want to fast for Lent”?

Here is what he shares.

"Fast from hurting words and say kind words.
Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude.
Fast from anger and be filled with patience.
Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope.
Fast from worries and have trust in God.
Fast from complaints and contemplate simplicity.
Fast from pressures and be prayerful.
Fast from bitterness and fill your hearts with joy.
Fast from selfishness and be compassionate to others.
Fast from grudges and be reconciled.
Fast from words and be silent so you can listen."

Dear Families

At last weekend’s Mass, the Gospel reminded us that temptation is a natural part of life. As we begin Lent, we often think of it as a time to “give up” treats or tempting indulgences. This year, we invite our Early Childhood community to “take up” something meaningful. Acts that encourage our children to be giving and show gratitude, empathy, and kindness.

It was also wonderful to witness the vibrant Dragon Dance at the weekend Pater Noster Mass, celebrating the beginning of the Chinese New Year. This joyful display of colour and energy beautifully echoed the spirit of renewal, reflection, and fresh beginnings that guide us through the season of Lent.

We were delighted to introduce our 2026 Year 2 Leaders of the Early Childhood Campus, presented to our students and parent body on Monday, 23 February. It was a joy to celebrate this milestone with their families, and we look forward to supporting them in their leadership throughout the year.

Faction Friday Fun

Each Friday, our younger students come together for ‘Faction Friday,’ spending time with friends from all four Mel Maria factions. In Week 2 they enjoyed choosing icy treats, and last week they loved dancing to our favourite Just Dance! songs. These simple, joyful moments help friendships grow across our class groups.

Wishing you all a wonderful mid-term long weekend. May God’s blessing be with you all during this time of rest and togetherness. We look forward to welcoming everyone back refreshed for the weeks ahead.

Yours faithfully

Danielle Damjanovic

Head of Early Childhood Campus

Year One has made a lovely start to the term, settling into new routines with confidence and plenty of smiles. It has been wonderful to see the children building friendships, showing enthusiasm for their learning and growing in independence each day.

In English, we have been enjoying the story of The Gingerbread Man, using it to build our speaking and listening skills and to help us write simple recounts. Students are practising strong sentences with capital letters and full stops, while developing their reading skills through Sounds-Write and shared texts.

In Mathematics, we are exploring numbers to 120 and strengthening our number sense along the way. Students are developing their understanding of place value, comparing and ordering numbers, and sharing their thinking using hands-on materials and class discussions.

In Science, our learning has connected beautifully with pancakes and gingerbread as we explore how materials can change. Students have been investigating how ingredients can be mixed, heated or shaped, and discussing what happens during these changes using both every day and scientific vocabulary.

Through our You Are Strong program, students are also learning how to be “Friendship Ninjas” developing skills such as kindness, resilience, problem-solving and using positive words. It has been wonderful to see them practising these skills in the playground and classroom as they build strong, respectful relationships.

We are very proud of the positive start Year One has made and look forward to watching our students continue to grow in confidence, kindness and curiosity throughout the term.

It has been a busy and engaging few weeks in Year Four!

In English, students have been demonstrating their writing knowledge with BrightPath. Alongside this, we have been exploring poetry, drawing inspiration from author Pie Corbett and his engaging approach to writing. Students have experimented with poetic devices such as onomatopoeia and alliteration, discovering how carefully chosen words can create rhythm, mood, and imagery within their work. It has been wonderful to see how confidently they are playing with language to make their poetry more expressive and engaging.

In Visual Arts, we have been exploring the colour wheel. Students have been learning about primary, secondary, and complementary colours, and how artists like Romeo Britto use colour to create mood and contrast.

We can’t wait to see what the rest of the term has in store for us.

Kindergarten 2027 – Applications are Now Due

Enrolments are now being taken for new students wishing to commence Kindergarten at Mel Maria Catholic Primary School in 2027.

Mel Maria Catholic Primary School will continue to offer three, four or five days of Kindergarten in 2027.

Kindergarten places are limited, so it is important that parents within the Mel Maria community submit their applications as soon as possible. Forms can be obtained from the office or on our website.

NAPLAN 2026 - 11 March – 23 March

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is a literacy and numeracy assessment that students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 sit each year. It is the only national assessment all Australian students have the opportunity to undertake. As students progress through their school years, it is important to check how well they are learning the essential skills of reading, writing and numeracy.

NAPLAN assesses the literacy and numeracy skills that students are learning through the school curriculum, and allows parents and carers to see how their child is progressing against national proficiency standards.

NAPLAN is just one aspect of a school’s assessment and reporting process. It does not replace ongoing assessments made by teachers about student performance, but it can provide teachers with more information about students’ educational progress. NAPLAN also provides schools, education authorities and governments with information about how education programs are working, and whether young Australians are achieving important educational outcomes in literacy and numeracy

Click here for more information:

https://www.nap.edu.au/docs/default-source/naplan/naplan-information-brochure-for-parents-and-carers.pdf?sfvrsn=2551405e_14

Metacognition: How Thinking About Thinking Can Help Children

Metacognition is a word for something most of us do every day without even noticing: thinking about our own thoughts. Reflecting on our own thoughts is how we gain insight into our feelings, needs, and behaviours, and how we learn, manage, and adapt to new experiences, challenges, and emotional setbacks. When children hit challenges such as a hard math test, it can be tempting for them to give up. In order to thrive, children need to be able to go from “I can’t” to “How can I?” Metacognition can help.

Metacognitive skills can also help children manage their feelings and boost self-esteem. The strong feelings children have when they feel frustrated can easily turn into negative self-talk. For example, “if I failed the test, that means I’m not smart.” Metacognitive thinking can help children think things through. For instance: “I failed the test because I wasn’t ready. How can I be more prepared next time?”

Parents can help children learn metacognitive thinking. Start by asking open-ended questions that will help your child begin thinking in a more reflective way. For example, “can you tell me more about why you think that?”

It’s also important to help children think through times when they get upset. Asking them to think about their behaviour can help them learn to manage difficult situations in a better way: Why do you think you got so upset when Dad changed the channel?

For the full article click on the below link:

https://childmind.org/article/how-metacognition-can-help-kids/

Reference

Child Mind Institute. (2024, Feb 5). Metacognition: How Thinking About Thinking Can Help Kids. https://childmind.org/article/how-metacognition-can-help-kids/

Sharlene Epis

Social Worker

BEd, MSW

sharlene.epis@cewa.edu.au