Movie Excursion

As a special treat to the students for all of their hard work this year we will go to Goulburn on Monday 16 December, within school hours, to watch a movie and have a picnic lunch and play in Victoria Park.

The children will be watching the new release of “The Addams Family”, an animated comedy.

Please let the school know if your child will not be attending this excursion so that supervision can be arranged at school. 

Future Leaders

The voting for our 2020 Captain roles occurred on Monday with the announcement of our 2020 School Leaders at our End of Year School Mass and Changeover Ceremony on Thursday 12 December at 9.30am. Please note the badges will be blessed and presented at our Leaders Induction Mass on Thursday 6 February 2020.

Explicit Teaching and Learning Pilot

Next year St Mary's Primary School is one of three Archdiocesan Schools participating in an Explicit Teaching and Learning Pilot. This project seeks to improve student outcomes by supporting teachers to develop their classroom practice. Whilst the focus is on K–2 students, the content of the project is relevant for all teachers K–6. At the centre of the program, the model is a twelve-month professional development and instructional coaching program offered by Associate Professor Lorraine Hammond each term for four terms.

Through a combination of professional learning, lesson demonstration (modelling by an instructional coach), lesson observation and feedback, teachers are supported to improve their knowledge of the learning brain and capacity to teach students using instructional strategies that are systematic, direct and explicit. By providing practical professional learning, with follow-up instructional coaching, this program supports teachers to transfer evidence-based strategies into their own practice, in their own classroom, efficiently and effectively. Participating schools will not be required to stop any initiatives or programs currently underway – the explicit teaching and learning project is additive. 

The Explicit Teaching and Learning Pilot experience is a spaced program, over four terms, that includes:

Four hands-on professional learning days
Teachers learn the why and how of explicit instruction through discussion of the evidence, lesson demonstrations with students and video exemplars. Critically, each professional learning day provides teachers with the opportunity to practice explicit lesson delivery with students and receive immediate coaching and feedback.

Multiple rounds of instructional coaching to consolidate learning
In addition to coaching during the professional learning days, teachers are supported as they implement new strategies in their own classrooms. Lorraine Hammond will travel to each school to observe teachers, offer feedback on their instruction and provide opportunities for self-reflection.

Leadership support
Leaders are supported to develop the necessary skills to sustain and embed explicit instruction in the school, including taking part in professional learning, lesson observation and instructional coaching.

Building a network and shared resources
Teachers can support one another and build a network committed to further developing their expertise and sharing resources and materials.

Who will deliver the program?
Associate Professor Lorraine Hammond is a specialist in high-impact instruction, including explicit instruction and direct instruction. She has worked with schools in numerous cities and regions across the country to support the sustainable implementation of effective instruction. She is experienced in coaching leaders, adapting to the challenges of each school’s unique context and working one on one with classroom teachers to support effective practice. Dr Lorraine Hammond will deliver the professional learning, demonstrate lessons, observe lessons and provide feedback for each participant of this project.

2020 Term Dates for Students