Dear Parents,

This year, all schools in the Diocese of Sale are implementing a new Learning Management System (LMS) called SIMON. SIMON has the capacity to:

• facilitate the online delivery of learning programs for individual students and student cohorts
• enable schools to track and monitor student progress over time
• facilitate reporting on student achievement
• provide a portal for communication with parents
• record student attendance.

Throughout Term 1 the staff at St Mary’s have been using SIMON to record student attendance and our Semester 1 Student Reports have also been set up using this system.

The next step in the implementation phase of SIMON is provide a portal for communication with parents. The Parent Access Module, known as PAM, is the platform in which this will occur. PAM has many features, however as this is new to all of us, the implementation phase will be gradual.

Shortly, you should all receive an email notification from noreply@stmyarram.catholic.edu.au in regards to setting up your new Parent Access Module (PAM) account. This email will provide you with information regarding the set-up process. Please read the information carefully and complete the required steps, as per the instructions. All families are required to register as this will eventually become St Mary’s main Learning Management System.

NAPLAN

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) assesses Literacy and Numeracy skills that are essential for every child to progress through school. Our Year 3 and Year 5 students will participate in the annual NAPLAN tests in reading, writing, language conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy, during the week of the 11^th – 14^th May.

NAPLAN can be a daunting task for some students, however the teachers will ensure that the students are familiar with the types of questions in the tests and will provide appropriate support and guidance. You can support your child by assuring them that NAPLAN is just one part of the school program and that they simply need to try their best.

WINTER UNIFORM

Throughout Term 2 and 3, students are expected to be wearing their full winter school uniform. St Mary’s has a fabulous uniform, and when worn correctly, it looks very classy. The correct uniform is listed below:

Girls Winter Uniform:

• Grey tunic, grey skorts or grey pants
• White long-sleeved polo shirt with emblem
• Grey tights/grey socks
• Royal blue school jumper
• Black leather school shoes
• Blue/white or grey ribbons
• Blue/black/grey or white scarf and beanie

Boys Winter Uniform:

• Grey school pants
• White long-sleeved polo shirt with emblem
• Blue school jumper
• Grey socks, black leather school shoes or boots
• Blue/black/grey or white scarf and beanie

Kind regards,

Joel

This term we are learning about 'Creative People’ and have been looking at the life and works of Leonardo Da Vinci. After studying his most famous painting ‘Mona Lisa’, students were asked to create and write about what their 21^st Century Mona /Lisa might be doing, as shown in these Drawing & Water Colour Paintings.