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JUNIOR SCHOOL
Teaching & Learning
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St Gregory’s College – An IB World School
After a rigorous authorisation process, St Gregory’s College Junior School became an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School from 2022, offering the Primary Years Programme (PYP) in Kindergarten to Year 6.
IB World Schools share a common philosophy; to nurture the skills and
understandings necessary to become self-aware and self-determining life-long learners with the values and principles of internationally minded citizens.
Teaching and learning in the Junior School is built upon a philosophy of inquiry that celebrates curiosity, encourages students to be active participants in their learning, celebrates collaboration, questioning, global perspectives, personal challenge and achievements. At St Gregory’s College, learning is a lifelong journey. This is our primary focus with our learning community that is being built. The PYP promotes global mindedness and a focus on students being the centre of their own learning through a guided inquiry approach. The programme combines best research and practice from a range of national systems, with a wealth of knowledge and experience from international schools, to create a relevant, significant, challenging and engaging framework for all children. Establishing a clear balance of explicit teaching encapsulated with the spirit of wonder and inquiry is a focal point that as a staff we have targeted.
When you visit the Junior School classrooms, you will quickly gain perspective that the classes are alive with wonder and inquiry. Weekly collaborative planning with grade teachers and specialists brings current resources and strategies to the forefront of learning. Reaching out to the community makes
meaningful connections and opens the world up to our students. The use of our local experts and primary resources is a key ingredient to an engaged and profound unit of work.
This year, experiences have included parent guest speakers to share their migration stories, a visit from boarding students who call Lord Howe Island their home to share knowledge about their place, an online meeting with a Volcanologist, a visit from an artist to share their creative process and a collection of artefacts for students to inquire about the past. Students are encouraged daily to think not only locally, but globally. Teachers are also encouraged to look beyond their local community, visit other schools and make connections with PYP educators around the world.
Parents are amazed at the wonderings that the students come home with and are encouraged to be part of this learning community. Our parents are valued participants of the learning process. They are welcomed to attend regular workshops that are led whether this may be on
Literacy in the Junior School, an introduction to the PYP, anxiety workshops or Mathematics workshops with experts like Professor Catherine Attard. The Units of Inquiry are displayed and visible in the playground; students learning is shared on Seesaw and later this year, Year 6 will hold the inaugural Year 6 Exhibition where they will showcase their independent units of inquiry.
Junior School Community Outreach Project
This year we began a new and exciting program for the students in the Junior School. Students from Year 5 have been travelling to Mater Dei each fortnight, as part of a new community outreach program. This project is a unique
opportunity where students from the Junior School have been working with the students from Mater Dei assisting them and working together to solve challenges and complete tasks.
So far, students have participated in small group activities based on the important life skill of money. Our St Greg’s students worked alongside the Mater Dei students to help them identify the coins used in our money system. They played bingo, programmed Bee-bots and even completed obstacle courses. The students have thoroughly enjoyed interacting with the students of Mater Dei and are anticipating when it will be their turn to visit again. The program will continue throughout the year with students from Year 6 as well. We also look forward to welcoming students from Mater Dei to the Junior School later in the year.
Liturgical Celebrations in the Junior School
We have been very fortunate this year to be able to begin celebrating many wonderful liturgical events again in the Junior School.
We hosted a beautiful Mother’s Day Liturgy in the Brother Luke Hall. The day began with the students walking up the Marist way with their mother’s and along the way collecting a flower that had been made especially for them. We then celebrated a lovely morning tea in the hall before our SRC leaders led us in a beautiful and touching liturgy that celebrated all the things we love about our mothers.
We have celebrated two Junior School Masses in the chapel this semester. One mass was led by Year 6 with an Easter celebration theme and another by Year 1 with a theme focusing on creation. Both masses were a beautiful celebration with the choir and Mrs Limbrey leading us in song and all students of the Junior School demonstrating reverence and respect.
Our Mini Marists have been working hard behind the scenes this semester to help organise many events, particularly our Lenten appeal for the Marist Solidarity. Mini Marists are a group of students across the Junior School who are committed to helping others and living in the way of Mary. This year the Junior School families donated chocolates that were put into hampers by our Mini Marists. These hampers were won by students at the Junior School through a raffle. For every $1 they donated they received a raffle ticket. The Junior School was able to raise lots of money to donate to the Marist Solidarity and our friends in Timor Leste.
Mrs Robyn Bowen Leader of Learning - Religious Education K-6/ Year 1 Teacher
Junior School Students Get a Taste of Leadership
A group of the Junior School Student Leaders were invited by Mr Peter Sidgreaves to the NSW State Parliament. Along with other schools from the Macarthur region, these young leaders were given the opportunity to listen to Mr Sidgreaves speak about his role in State Parliament and his dedication to serving the people he represents.
The students participated in a role play in both chambers of Parliament, sitting in the actual seats where important decisions are made and laws are passed. It was a wonderful opportunity to visit our State Parliament and ask questions of our Liberal State Member for Camden.
Mrs Diana Ivancic Acting Head of Junior School
World Read Aloud Day
The Junior School celebrated World Read Aloud Day (WRAD) on Tuesday, 2nd February this year. This annual event is traditionally celebrated on the first Wednesday of February, however our school swimming carnival was already scheduled for this day. The aim of WRAD is to provide an opportunity for people in every country to celebrate the joy of reading aloud. WRAD was founded in 2010 by LitWorld - a nonprofit organisation founded by literacy expert Pam Allyn. LitWorld’s mission is: “Strengthening kids and communities through the power of stories”. This year’s Read Aloud was the organisation’s 12th and the Junior School’s 1st. In true Junior School form, our World Read Aloud event was broadcast to each classroom with, not only an English read aloud, but a bilingual read aloud by Acting Head of Junior School, Mrs Ivancic and Spanish Language Teacher, Senora Grados. They always have so much fun sharing language and stories with our students.
This year’s carefully selected text was “A Hundred Thousand Welcomes” by Mary Lee Donovan. It is a special text that promotes inclusion and multiculturalism by sharing the many different ways that people around the world say “Welcome”. It was a wonderful start to our school year,
welcoming back old students and teachers and welcoming all of our new students and staff to our school.
Mrs Rachael Cosentino Acting Assistant Head of Junior School
National Simultaneous Storytime celebrates Family
National Simultaneous Storytime is an initiative of the Australian Library and Information Association. This initiative aims to see over one million young people reading the same book, at the same time, throughout the world. On Wednesday, 25th May, this year our students were one of the 2,186,347 people in 31,865 locations reading ‘Family Tree’ by Josh Pyke and illustrated by Ronojoy Ghosh. Our students watched our very talented Spanish Teacher, Senora Grados read this year’s book in both English and Spanish before lunch. They also loved watching their friends talk about family and what it means to them.
During our Library lessons, each student created a leaf portrait to include on our school family tree. They were all strung together in their class ‘groups’ and then all together in our school family. They are loving trying to find their leaf and looking for all of
their friends’ portraits. This installation is such a beautiful addition to our Library, we may just keep it forever!
Mrs Rachael Cosentino Acting Assistant Head of Junior School
Spanish Classes for Parents
St Gregory’s Junior School introduced Spanish language classes in the Junior School last year. As an International Baccalaureate School delivering the Primary Years Programme (PYP), all students from Kindergarten to Year 6 learn a language. This year, Mrs Paula Grados opened her classroom to parents and carers to learn Spanish too! Every Tuesday morning before school, parents come and join in the fun – learning basic language, songs and even a bit of dancing! Teachers have also been attending as they want to be able to communicate with the students.
At the Junior School, we are a learning community, and we invite students, parents and teachers to learn together. The PYP encourages a globalminded approach to learning. Students watching their parents and teachers learning new things is a great life – lesson. Learning together, makes it fun along the way.
Mrs Diana Ivancic Acting Head of Junior School
