Week 1 Term 3 2025

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Welcome back to Term 3! We hope all our families enjoyed a restful and refreshing break and are ready for another exciting term of learning and growth. This term is filled with wonderful opportunities for our students, including new learning experiences, special events, and chances to build on the great progress made so far this year. We look forward to working together with you to continue supporting every child’s learning journey and making Term 3 a positive and rewarding one for all.

We welcome the following students and their families to IHM commencing in Reception in Term 3:

William, Archie, Tejas, Oliver, Sia, Florence, Gabriel, Aarya, Zenna, Jaime, James, Chelsea, Nora and Anthia who will commence in Year 1. We can’t wait to support them to grow and learn in our community.

PBIS Focus

Each fortnight at IHM we have a key focus on positive behaviour and explicitly teach, reinforce and recognise students who are demonstrating the focus rule. Last term our House Leaders and SRC established rules about group games at recess and lunch, including soccer and basketball.

In Weeks 1 & 2 our focus is: ‘We responsibly follow game rules.’

Student Celebrations

It is always wonderful to hear about the accomplishments of our students both in and outside of school. We thank piano music tutor Holly George for sharing some special news.

Year 5 student, Jacob Taylor sat his first AMEB Piano for Leisure Exam on Saturday 21^st June.

The AMEB (Australian Music Examinations Board) is a nationally and internationally recognised accreditation body for music examinations. Jacob was awarded a High Distinction (A+) for his performance – an outstanding achievement! AMEB exams challenge students to perform at their best and continually extend their craft. They provide a valuable opportunity for young musicians to grow in confidence, technical skill, and musical expression.

Jacob was examined in all areas of music, and as noted by the examiner:
“You comfortably met all requirements across technical work, repertoire, sight-reading and general knowledge.”

The report concluded with high praise: “You have shown the makings of a mature and confident performer.”

Well done Jacob! Your dedication and hard work are truly commendable and have led to a fantastic result.

Term 3 Events at IHM

Don’t forget our live calendar has all the events happening at IHM and is regularly updated. Some upcoming whole school events for Term 3 to lock into your calendar include

Week 3

• Catholic Schools Open Week.  Principal School Tours - Tuesday 5^th and Friday 8^th August 10-11am              
• Friday 8^th August - 2.00pm Open Afternoon for all families including BBQ

Week 5  

• Friday 22^nd August - 9.00am Book Week Parade (Theme

Week 7

• Wednesday 3^rd September - School Photo Day
• Friday 5^th September - 8.30am Father’s Day Breakfast

Important - Council Notification

We have been advised that the City of Charles Sturt is preparing to commence road rehabilitation works along Drayton Street, Bowden. It is anticipated that the works will commence between July to September 2025 (subject to weather and other factors). It is council’s aim to undertake the majority of the works along the section of Drayton Street that is next to the oval during the school holidays in order to minimize impact on the school, however, exact timing is still to be determined.  

As the works could potentially have an impact on families with drop off/pick up for school we wish to inform you of this notice. We understand the impact roadworks have in our school neighborhood and would ask that families are patient, respectful and show courtesy to road users, neighbours and each other when navigating these impacts. The school will work with our community to facilitate the safest and easiest possible access to our site during this time. 

Living, Learning, Leading Surveys

Each year all catholic schools in South Australia participate in the Living, Learning, Leading Surveys to gather feedback about their school from parents, students and staff. These surveys are important to us as they help to determine areas of excellence and areas for future growth. Results from the survey are shared at our AGM and the School Board uses the data to determine future goals for the strategic plan.  

We really value your feedback and hope that you will take the time to complete the online survey for IHM in 2025. This year we are striving for high participation and have a family pass to the Adelaide Zoo to give away to a family who completes it.  

The survey should only take 3-5 minutes to complete.This is an opportunity for you to let us know how things are going for you and your children and also for the continuous improvement of IHM. Your feedback is greatly appreciated and is anonymous and confidential.

Simply go to: www.NSIPartnerships.com.au and enter the code IHMLLLP in the 'Start Questionnaire' field.

For more information about the survey please click on the link below:

LLL Survey Flyer

Once you have completed the survey please click the following link to be in the draw to win the family pass to the Adelaide Zoo. Good luck in the draw!

https://forms.office.com/r/YQHLdfP0Xa

Thanking you in anticipation.

Kind regards,

Julie Hancock
PRINCIPAL

Prayer

Fifth World Day for Grandparents and The Elderly 27^th July 2025

'Blessed are those who have not lost hope' Sirach 14:2

Happy are those whose spirit hasn’t condemned them, and who haven’t given up their hope.
Happy is he that hath had no sadness of his mind, and who is not fallen from his hope.
If a person has a clear conscience and never gives up hope, he is certainly to be congratulated!
Happy are those whose conscience does not reproach them, those who have not lost hope.
Blessed is the man whose conscience does not reproach him and who has never lost hope.
Happy are those whose hearts do not condemn them, and who have not given up their hope.
Blessed is he whose heart does not condemn him, and who has not given up his hope.(BibleGateway2025)

Click HERE to read message for His Holiness Pope Leo XIV

Parish Bulletin

Sacrament of First Communion and Confirmation

Norah, Eva-Lee, Harley and Artie are currently preparing for the Sacrament of First Communion and Confirmation. Their celebration will take place on Sunday 17^th August at the Sacred Heart Parish, Hindmarsh.

Expressions of Interests are now open for the next Sacramental Cycle in Term 4 2025 - Sacrament of Reconciliation. If you would like your child/ren to take part in our Sacred Heart Sacramental Program alongside St Joseph’s Hindmarsh, please email Jhovana Fenu - jfenu@ihm.catholic.edu.au.

All students are required to be 8 years of age or older and have celebrated the Sacrament of Baptism in a Catholic Church.  

Term 3 Masses

Father’s Day Breakfast and Liturgy - led by 1/2H and 1/2K

On Friday 5th September all the Fathers, Grandfathers and those that we love as fathers are invited to a special Father's Day Breakfast from 8:30am. This will be followed by a liturgy which is being led by Year 1/2H & 1/2K.

School-Wide Positive Behaviour Focus

As we begin Term 3, let’s remind all our students that they are thriving people, capable learners, and leaders for the world God desires.

Our students have the capacity to be independent, and our encouraging words play a vital role in building that independence - ultimately preparing them for future learning.

When children take responsibility for themselves, they strengthen their resilience muscle and grow in self-confidence. One simple yet powerful way to foster this is by encouraging students to:

• Carry their own school bag
• Unpack their belongings
• Organise themselves for the day ahead

They can do it!

These small daily habits and routines build a sense of achievement and control, as well as help ease the transition into the school and classroom environment.

Children’s Safety Comes First

The safety of our students is paramount, and it’s everyone’s responsibility. School drop-off and pick-up times are the busiest parts of the school day, and we kindly remind all families to follow the South Australian Road Rules to keep our children safe:

• 25km/h speed limit applies whenever children are present
• It is illegal to use a handheld mobile phone while driving - this includes in the Kiss and Drop Zone. Please keep your phone away
• No parking in the Kiss and Drop Zone - if your child is not ready and waiting in the zone, please find a designated parking space so traffic congestion does not occur
• Do not park in driveways

We know that finding a park close to the school can be challenging during these peak times. Please:

• Be mindful of other families and leave enough space between cars in designated parking areas
• Avoid U-turns and three-point turns - East Street is a narrow road with limited space, and such manoeuvres increase risk

At times children can be difficult to see and may behave unpredictably, so extra caution is always needed around schools.

Thank you for your continued partnership and commitment to keeping our students, families and staff safe.

Positive Parenting Conference

The Catholic School Parents SA is presenting a parenting conference titled Stronger Families. For more information about this conference please click on the link below:

Stronger Families

Separation Anxiety

If you would like some information about separation anxiety please read the attached flyer:

Separation Anxiety

Kind regards,

Jhovana Fenu
APRIM

Term of Wonder: Learning Through Stories, Art & Exploration

This term at IHM is full of exciting opportunities to inspire creativity, imagination, and a love of learning as we celebrate Book Week: Book an Adventure and launch several engaging events across the school.

Students will be busy preparing entries for our annual Story Writing and Art Competition (the second year running), with winners to be announced during our much-loved Book Week Parade. Throughout Book Week, students from all year levels will enjoy virtual author and illustrator visits, including sessions with Anna McGregor, Jess Racklyeft, and the ever-popular Andy Griffiths.  Some classes will also be involved in library visits at the Hindmarsh library.

IHM is also proud to be hosting the ‘Think Tank’ G.A.T.E.ways enrichment program this term, a full-day event designed to extend and challenge high-potential learners in critical and creative thinking. Through a series of engaging and thought-provoking workshops, students will explore real-world problems, exercise critical thinking, and unleash their creativity as they collaborate with like-minded peers. Delivered by experienced G.A.T.E.WAYS presenters, the THINK TANK experience encourages curiosity, innovation, and deeper learning — helping our students to think beyond the classroom.

In addition, our talented Flourishing Hearts participants are preparing to showcase their creativity, with their artworks being entered in the Royal Adelaide Show Junior Art and Design Competition for the first time.  We wish them luck!

In August, we celebrate National Science Week at IHM with the theme “Decoding the Universe – Exploring the Unknown with Nature’s Hidden Language.” Students will be invited to explore the wonders of science through hands-on activities, investigations, and discussions that connect maths, patterns in nature, and the mysteries of the universe.

We can’t wait to see our students ‘Book an Adventure’ through storytelling, art, and inspired learning this term.

Playberry Laser Update - Boosts in Reading Across All Year Levels!

Now in its second year at our school, the Playberry Laser program is having a powerful impact on reading outcomes. With its explicit, direct instruction, students across all year levels are developing stronger decoding, fluency, and comprehension skills. Recent data assessments confirm what we see every day in the classroom—our students are making strong progress.

Student Progress by Year Level

Reception: Students moved from recognising just a few letters and sounds to confidently beginning to decode and read simple words—an outstanding foundational shift.

Year 1: Students increased their reading fluency by over 20 words per minute and showed major gains in decoding and segmenting skills.

Year 2: Average oral reading fluency jumped by 32 words, and comprehension accuracy rose, confirming that students are not just reading faster—but understanding more.

Year 3: Students made solid progress in both speed and comprehension, improving fluency by 13 words and maintaining strong reading accuracy.

Year 4: With an impressive 44-word gain in fluency, students also lifted their comprehension scores.

Year 5: Already strong readers improved by another 17 words per minute on average, with comprehension accuracy rising by over 5%.

Year 6: As our oldest students prepare for secondary school, they’ve shown steady growth in both reading fluency and comprehension—ensuring they are ready to tackle more complex texts with confidence.

Supporting all Learners

Students who need extra help are quickly identified through our assessment process and supported through targeted Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions.

More Than Just a Program

While Playberry Laser forms a strong foundation for reading instruction, its impact is also amplified by what teachers do throughout the rest of the school day. Reading and writing are embedded across the curriculum, giving students frequent and purposeful opportunities to consolidate their skills and these integrated practices ensure students are not only learning to read—but reading to learn, write, understand, and think.

Thank You, Families

We also want to sincerely thank our families for the vital role you play at home. Your support with home reading and follow-up practice is helping to reinforce and extend what’s being learned in school.

Thank you for partnering with us in your child’s reading journey.

Professional Learning Focus: Supporting Gifted and Talented Learners

On the recent pupil-free day, all teaching staff and co-educators at IHM came together for a powerful day of professional development focused on giftedness.  Led by CESA System Coach Kirsten Maycock, staff were guided through a deep exploration of how to better identify, support, and challenge high-potential learners.

What is “Giftedness”?

Gifted students are those who show exceptional natural abilities in areas such as thinking, creativity, emotions, or physical skills. These abilities can show up in many ways—not just in test scores!

What Are We Already Doing—and Where Are We Heading?

• Understanding gifted students: Our educators recognise that some students think deeply, ask big questions, and care strongly about fairness. This PD affirmed that we’re on the right track—and encouraged us to keep building on this understanding.
• Identifying giftedness: Teachers and co-educators have already been using a mix of data and classroom observations to spot high-potential learners. The session helped refine these approaches and introduced new tools to strengthen what we’re already doing.
• Supporting all learners: We’ve always aimed to make learning engaging and challenging for everyone. This PD reinforced that by supporting gifted students, we raise the bar for all learners—and we’re committed to continuing this inclusive approach.

Types of Giftedness

Teachers explored four main areas:

• Intellectual – quick thinkers and deep learners
• Creative – imaginative and original
• Social/Emotional – great leaders and empathetic friends
• Physical – talented in movement and coordination

Tools and Tests

We learned about tools like AGAT, which help understand how students think and solve problems. These tools help teachers plan better lessons for everyone.

Why It Matters to IHM

We believe that by identifying and supporting gifted students, our school creates a positive, challenging, and inclusive environment where all students can thrive.

What’s Next?

Teachers will continue to look closely at classroom data and student behaviours to make sure every student continues to get the support they need.

Later in the term, as part of our commitment to enriching our gifted students and gifted students from other schools too,  IHM’s will host THINK TANK, a G.A.T.E.WAYS enrichment program that fosters critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration through engaging, real-world problem-solving workshops.

We’re also working on several other projects behind the scenes—stay tuned for updates.

Sonia Bianco & Catherine Hulley
LEADERS OF LEARNING