Dear Families,

Firstly I would like to thank all the families who attended our Art Show last Wednesday. It was wonderful to see the community come together after such a long time apart. We were able to raise $5000 which is an amazing effort! Please take the time to complete a short feedback form below.

During Semester 2, the Grade 2 children explored the Catholic Social Teaching of Solidarity. As part of their learning in Religious Education the children and teachers created a cookbook with the children's very own delicious recipes. The primary purpose of the Grade 2 Cookbook was to raise funds for St Vincent De Paul, which is a very special organisation that our school supports each and every year. I would like to thank families for helping us raise a total of $947! What an amazing effort.

Tomorrow, Friday October 28, we celebrate all the wonderful achievements of our teachers. The teachers here at STM are committed to developing the whole child to make sure they have the best possible future. They have shown great resilience during challenging times so please take a moment to share your “hats off” selfie to celebrate teachers, and to tell us what they mean to you. Grab your hat – beret, beanie, bucket, bowler – and create a post on social media, making sure to use #WTD2022 and @aitsl.

A reminder that Monday 31 October is a school closure day for learners. This is a report writing day. The Melbourne Cup public holiday is Tuesday 1 November.

Staff are currently looking at class lists for 2023, if you have an concerns please email your class teacher who will then alert Anneliese and myself.

Our sports co-ordinator Sarah Tarquinio sent through an Operoo form yesterday detailing our swimming program. Please complete this form as soon as possible.

This is just a reminder to families that school fees and levy should be paid up for the year, this includes the swimming levy. October statements will be sent out next week. If you have an outstanding balance, please ensure this is finalised. If you are experiencing any financial difficulties, please contact the office to make an appointment to meet with me

STMPA is seeking volunteers to help us with the Bunnings sausage sizzle confirmed for the 6th of November. If you can spare an hour or two on a sunny Sunday, please sign up via the roster here. More information will be shared shortly.

The Car Park is continuing to be finalised and should be complete in November. There have been some delays due to inclement weather. We have had some neighbours calling the school expressing their frustration over parents parking over their driveways and blocking them, please be mindful and respectful of our neighbours property.

Staff News:

Congratulations to Stef and Tyrone Folino on the birth of their baby girl Aria and to Jess and Adam Vainieri on the birth of their baby boy Santino! We wish both families all the very best.

Changes to COVID-19 isolation requirements:

It is strongly recommended that students:

• who test positive for COVID-19 should stay home and isolate for five days

• should not attend school after five days if still symptomatic

• who are symptomatic but have not tested positive should not attend school.

Where students become symptomatic at school, they should:

• be collected by their parents/carers

• undergo testing for COVID-19.

Term 4 is always a great term that brings with it the sun and warmer weather. Please ensure that your child brings a hat and sunscreen to school.

Thank you all for you continued support this term,

David Hurn

A big congratulations to the following students who have completed the Premier's Reading Challenge this year! Around 66,000 students across Victoria participated in the challenge! Well done to all our fabulous readers!

Check out today's second last instalment of the MORE CLASSROOM NEWS! Our twice termly curriculum update about the awesome learning happening across our classrooms!

Arts Festival Feedback Form

Thank you for joining us at the 2022 STM Arts Festival last Wednesday evening.

We would like to use your feedback when planning the next event as your opinion is really important to us.

Below is a link to get to the feedback form for the 2022 Art Show.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfQZrb-auKKlkZbGVfTKfCjse7Y_x81dJebM6GEUBmdYcDfWg/viewform?usp=sf_link

Annette Mantello

Specialist Art Teacher

Dear Families,

After completing two successful events to close term 3, STMPA started term 4 with an extremely successful Arts Festival. The event was very well planned and coordinated with a great line of entertainment by our little super stars!

A big thank you to parents, family and friends who attended the arts festival, what a great turnout. Huge thanks to STMPA members and STM staff who assisted with sausage sizzle it would have been chaos without your help!

Volunteers needed!

STMPA is seeking volunteers to help us with the Bunnings sausage sizzle confirmed for the 6th of November. If you can spare an hour or two on a sunny Sunday, please let the front office know. Further details will be shared shortly.

Upcoming Events

Below is the exciting event line up for term 4. Dates and times will be shared once they are confirmed.

• Bunnings sausage sizzle – 6th November 2022

• Tonys Pies

• Mango Drive

• End of year celebration for parents

• Carols BBQ

Vacant STMPA positions

Two positions are still vacant and seeking volunteers to join as STMPA Secretary and Classroom Representatives of 5B.

Communication Channels

Various channels (Facebook, WhatsApp, Messenger) currently exist where regular information is shared amongst parents of each year level. Your classroom representative can direct you to the right channel for up-to-date information STMPA activities.

Regards

Umith

Stop. Look. Listen. Say.

Recently, I saw a remarkable act of parenting delivered in difficult circumstances. A mother calmly won cooperation from her very excited four-year-old daughter just minutes after an unexpected visit from a neighbour and her children.

It was time for bed but Miss Four-Year-Old looked too wound up to go. Her mother calmly said, “Harper….stop!” There was a long pause between the two words, giving Harper time to take notice.

“Look at me, please.” Harper made eye contact. “Now listen.”

“I want you to go into your room. Put on your pyjamas. Then choose a book.” Three instructions only.

“Harper, what did I just say?”

“I’ve got to go to my room. Get my pyjamas and a book.”

“Great! Off you go!”

This mum used the stop, look, listen, say method to get her daughter to cooperate. Her use of clear, simple language was admirable but it was only part of the success formula of this technique. Body language, tone of voice and eye contact all played a part.

This mother oozed credibility, so it was little wonder her daughter complied. In fact, this mother managed like a cat, which is a metaphor for managing with credibility.

If you struggle to get your kids to do as you wish, it’s probably your body language and tone of voice that give you away. That is, it’s less what you say and more about how you say it that makes a big difference. When speaking in a credible or cat-like (a metaphor for credibility) way the following factors come into play:

Steady voice

A cat-like parent will speak with a flat, clipped but friendly voice. This mother used a strong firm voice when she spoke. She took a slight pause between each sentence, which allowed the messages to sink in.

Still head

Your head stays still when you talk. A still head indicates calmness, confidence and authority. This mother also smiled as she spoke, which kept the mood friendly.

Strong body

Your body follows in line with your head. A still, steady posture rather than a body that’s bobbing around, leaning forward or slouching sends the message that you expect cooperation.

Palms down

Your palms will most likely face downwards as this indicates calm and authority. When your hands face the ground it’s far harder to speak with cadence in your voice, which is essential for friendly conversations rather than gaining cooperation.

Look away

In this example, the mother was able to initiate eye contact by saying to her daughter, “Look at me.” She made sure her daughter got her message. But she also took her eye contact away once she knew her message had been heard, rather than stay and be drawn into an argument. Cats will withdraw eye contact, even move away rather than stay and debate a point.

This mother’s cat-like management technique was no accident. She’d practised this method often in low stress situations so that it’s easy to use in difficult circumstances, even when she is tired.

Sports people know they revert to their lowest level of skill when they are fatigued, so they continually practise their skills so they become automatic. That’s as true in parenting and relationships as it is on the sports field. By practising new skills in low stress situations you can maintain your effectiveness and your relationship with your children when you’re tired or in unforeseen circumstances.

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