St. Michael's Primary School ~ Term 3, Week 8 - Copy

IMPORTANT DATES

Principal's Message

Dear Families,

As Term 3 draws to a close, I want to thank you all for your continued support and involvement in our school community. It’s been a busy and rewarding term, filled with learning, celebration and connection.

School Concert
Our Performing Arts Concert on Friday was a huge success with a great turnout. Our students have been rehearsing with enthusiasm, and we loved seeing them shine on the stage. Thank you to our staff and volunteers who have helped bring this event to life. 

A huge thank you to Elli from Border Dance Works for their choreography of this performance.  Ellie attended St Michael's for five weeks to rehearse with the students and thank you to her enthusiasm and dedication, their performance was outstanding! 

Father’s Day Breakfast & Liturgy
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us for our Father’s Day Breakfast and Liturgy. It was a beautiful morning of reflection and celebration, and we’re grateful to all the families who made it so special.

First Nations Music Concert - This Wednesday
On Wednesday 17th, our students will attend the First Nations Music Concert in Tallangatta, joining other local schools for what promises to be a powerful and inspiring experience. We’re especially excited to see JK-47, a proud First Nations rapper whose music speaks to identity, resilience, and truth-telling.

This event is more than just a concert—it’s an opportunity for our students to engage with the rich cultural heritage of Australia’s First Peoples. Acknowledging and celebrating First Nations voices is a vital part of our commitment to reconciliation and cultural understanding. Through music, storytelling and shared experiences, we hope to deepen our students’ respect for the oldest living cultures in the world and inspire them to be thoughtful, inclusive citizens.

We thank the organisers for creating this space for connection and learning, and we look forward to being part of it.

Farewell and Best Wishes to Holly
As we wrap up the term, we also prepare to say goodbye (for now) to Holly, who will begin her maternity leave. We wish her all the very best for this exciting new chapter and can’t wait to meet her little one when the time comes!

Wishing You a Safe and Fun Holiday
Thank you once again for a wonderful term. We hope you all enjoy a safe, restful, and fun holiday break. We look forward to welcoming everyone back for Term 4, refreshed and ready for the final stretch of the year.

Warm regards,

Marsha Ardern
Principal

REMINDER - Volunteers Update

We’ve made some changes to our volunteer process to align with best practices in Child Safeguarding. All volunteers are now required to complete an online form, available on our website. If you need assistance accessing it, please contact the school office.

St. Michael’s Primary School is committed to child safety and the inclusion of all children.

Confirmation Program at St Michael's

Wodonga Catholic Parish in conjunction with St. Michael's Parish will conduct Confirmation and First Eucharist Program for 2025.

Please let Mrs Moffat (Religious Education Leader) - know if your son and or daughter would like to participate in the Sacrament of Confirmation/ Eucharist (First Holy Communion). 

This is a 6 week program held each Wednesday at 3:30 until 4:15 in the St Michael's Library. 

The 6 Weekly sessions will run on Wednesdays from 3:30 to 4:15 at St Michael's School Library with Mrs Moffat. 
Dates are:  10^th and 17^th September, 15th, 22nd, 29^th October and 5^th November.

Confirmation & Eucharist Sacrament Mass options are: 
- Saturday 8th November at Sacred Heart, Wodonga, 5:00 pm 
- Sunday 9th November at Sacred Heart, Wodonga 8:30 am OR 10:30 am.
- Sunday 9^th November at St Michael's, Tallangatta at 11:00 am.

Any questions please email Mez Moffat at mmoffat@smtallangatta.catholic.edu.au Or call the St. Michael's School Office on (02) 60 712386 

Thank you. 

Mrs Mez Moffat 

Performing Arts Concert

Wow - what a wonderful performance from our students (and staff!) on Friday evening!  Thank you again to Elli from Border Dance Works for her amazing choreography and rehearsals. 

Tree Planting with Landcare

On Thursday 11th, the whole school visited a farm on Bryants Gap Road for a revegetation project. Students and staff had a wonderful day in the outdoors, planting over 500 trees and shrubs.  Thank you to Mrs Moffat for organising the day and Simon from Landcare Upper Murray for coordinating the day. 

Grade 1 - Ms Kaycee Frew

Dear Year 1 Families,

As we wrap up another wonderful term in Miss Kaycee’s class, we wanted to take a moment to share some of the exciting things we've been doing in Mathematics—and how it’s all tied in with Miss Kaycee’s graduate inquiry project.

This term, our math lessons have been filled with hands-on, practical learning experiences. This has been part of Miss Kaycee’s professional inquiry, which explored the question: “What effect do hands-on resources have on students’ number acquisition and numerical abilities?”

Throughout the term, the students have been actively engaged in a variety of tactile and movement-based activities designed to help deepen their understanding of key number concepts. Some of the highlights have included:

🟢 Playdough Arrays – Students created their own rows and columns using playdough to better understand the concept of arrays. This hands-on activity helped build a strong visual and physical connection to early multiplication skills.
🔢 Tactile Number Charts – Skip counting became a multi-sensory experience with textured number charts. This allowed students to physically track patterns in numbers, supporting both engagement and understanding.
⭕ Hula Hoop Grouping – We used hula hoops on the classroom floor to explore grouping and number partitioning. This helped students physically move and arrange numbers into sets, making abstract ideas more concrete and accessible.

These activities made our math sessions more dynamic and enjoyable—not just for the students, but for the educators as well! We've observed increased participation, confidence, and a stronger grasp of number concepts across the class. It’s been truly rewarding to see the growth in students’ number knowledge over the term. The hands-on approach has not only supported deeper learning but also encouraged curiosity, collaboration, and a love for maths.

Thank you for all your support throughout the term. We look forward to building on this learning next term!

Warm regards,
Miss Kaycee & the Year 1 Teaching Team.

Grade 2 - Ms Bianca Kennedy

Dear Families,

We’ve had a wonderful few weeks in Grade 2, filled with hands-on learning, creativity, and connection with nature. The students have been enthusiastic and engaged across all areas of the curriculum, and we’re excited to share some highlights with you.

In Maths, we’ve taken our learning outdoors, using chalk to explore arrays, sharing strategies, and number investigations. The fresh air and open space have made these lessons even more enjoyable and interactive.

In Religion, we’ve begun a new unit on Creations. Students have been reflecting on the beauty of the world around them and discussing how we can care for it. This tied in beautifully with our recent Tree Planting Day, where we proudly planted around 578 trees—an incredible effort that shows our commitment to the environment.

We’ve also been making the most of the sunshine, enjoying outdoor activities and taking time to appreciate the changing season.

In Literacy, we’ve introduced a new comprehension strategy: finding the main idea of a text. This helps students understand what a story or passage is mostly about, and they’ve been practicing this skill during shared reading and independent work.

Excitement is building as we rehearse our dance for the upcoming concert. The students have been practicing with great enthusiasm and teamwork, and we can’t wait to share their performance with you.

Thank you for your continued support. It’s been a joy to see the students grow in confidence and curiosity.
We look forward to more learning adventures ahead!

Warm regards,

Mrs Kennedy and The Grade 2 Team

Wodonga Catholic Parish News

Hello, it is time again for me to share our Bulletin,

Please be aware we are launching a new website however it is not quite…. Ready.  This presents a few issues one being Parishioners are not able to access the Bulletin through the website platform. I am hoping some of you will share this via your fb pages as will I.  

Fr Andrew welcomes the sharing of our  ‘Office  Space for RENT’ advertisement. Its on page 8 (also attached as a jpeg). We are also asking for parishioners ‘ donate a Mass Book’ to be presented to our Confirmation and First Eucharist Candidates at the presentation of the Creed during Sunday Masses in a few weeks. Donations are $5 per book this only covers the cost of the book and postage.  (cash or card payments available ).

Thank you so much for your support.   

Kind regards

Sonni 🌻

Try not to let the rain camouflage the beautiful colours in your world.  

What's On

Community Concert - Tallangatta - 17 September 

Rosewood Music Camp - Strathbogie Rangers, Victoria

Border Triathlon Squad

The Border Triathlon Squad are excited to offer to you our 2025 Duathlon Series.

Our events are fun, family-friendly community events designed to encourage kids of all ages and abilities to get active, try something new, and enjoy the outdoors.

We’re especially passionate about offering a welcoming option for those who may not be interested in team sports.

It’s a great opportunity for students to build confidence, fitness, and friendships in a supportive environment.
The events are short, safe, and achievable—even for beginners! Below is a flyer for your consideration.

Thank you so much for your time and support in helping us promote healthy, inclusive sporting opportunities for local kids.

Warm regards,
Jeremy Kent
Border Triathlon Squad        0427 314 207