Year 5 has had a busy start to Term 2. Students began the term researching about World War I and the role that women played at war and back at home. They enjoyed researching soldiers, reasons the war began, comparing the role of women in 1910 to now and sharing their presentations with their peers. In English this term, Year 5 will be learning about persuasive text and how to use persuasive devices effectively in their writing to try and change people’s opinions. So far the students have explored this concept through many different Speaking and Listening games and activities where they get to debate and express their point of view and build up persuasive vocabulary. Soon we will begin wiring some expressive, emotive and very convincing pieces of writing.

In Maths, Year 5 have been learning about Whole Numbers, focusing on finding Factors and Multiples. Through learning these topics we are getting better at our multiplication tables too!

Year 6 students and teachers enjoyed a busy and productive Term 1, and Term
2 has been even busier already!. The first week commenced so swiftly with a
Staff Development Day on Monday, ANZAC Day on Tuesday, the continuation
of the 2023 Leadership programme on Wednesday, the Confirmation
Preparation Day on Thursday, attendance at the ANZAC Memorial service at
McCabe Park on Friday and the celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation
on Saturday evening.

Our leadership programme facilitator,Cameron, demonstrates with the assistance of Max, how to complete one of the challenges.

Darcie, Holly and Ruby G. in a “tangle” as they try to “unravel”the secret behind successfully releasing the ropes.

The Da Vinci Decathlon is an academic competition designed to challenge and stimulate the minds of school students.

Students compete in teams of eight across 10 disciplines: engineering,
mathematics and chess, code breaking, art and poetry, science, English, ideation,

creative producers, cartography and legacy.

The GSFM team will compete on Wednesday, 10 May, at The Illawarra Christian School, Cordeaux Heights.

Our team, pictured above is: Standing: Patrick, Elias, Ria and Darcie Sitting: Ruby, Joseph and Holly

Absent: Olivia.

Year 6 attended the RSL Sub Branch ANZAC Memorial Service at McCabe Park Wollongong on Friday 28 April. 

The aim of the assembly is to inspire youngsters to appreciate the ANZAC legend and legacy, and to pause to reflect on the service and sacrifice of many young Australians who have defended our nation and national interests for more than a century. 

It was a lovely service and we were proudly able to have some students involved in speeches, singing and the laying of a wreath on behalf of our school community.

The Edmund Rice Band performed, other schools in the Wollongong area also participated  and the Australian Navy Cadets Unit (Training Ship Albatross) took post.

Edward P spoke on behalf of the Good Samaritan Community. His speech “ What ANZAC means to me” was well presented and very well written. 

Getting up before the sun to watch the dawn service, Anzac biscuits, the Last Post, a footy match.  This is what comes to mind when I think of ANZAC day and all the ways we remember the men and women who have served our country.

But what I think is most special about Anzac Day is hearing the stories.  Hearing about what life was like either on the battlefields or back home. Stories that would otherwise be forgotten or hidden in the past.

One story in particular really made me think about what being an ANZAC means. It was about a boy named James. In 1914, when World War 1 started, James was14 years old, that is only a couple of years older than me.  

You had to be 18 years old to go to war but James wanted to go and fight in order to protect our country, so he lied about his age.  James was a kid like you and I who lived at home with his mum and dad and 5 sisters.  He made the brave decision to leave his family to go to a battlefield in a country far away.  To leave his comfortable family home for cold, wet, trenches.  To leave playing footy and cricket with his friends to witness his fellow soldiers be shot and killed.  I can’t even imagine making that decision, I complain when my Mum asks me to leave a game I’m playing to unpack the dishwasher or pick my clothes up off the bathroom floor.

James is just one story of thousands of stories and ANZAC day makes me think about how I can be more like these ANZACS, not just on one day, during one moment's silence but everyday.  I can be courageous and stand up for what I believe in, like standing up to a bully in the playground. I can make sacrifices in my everyday life, maybe choose to help someone instead of doing what I really want to do.  I can not give up when things get hard but keep going and strive to do my best.  

These are the values of the ANZAC spirit that James and so many others had and by continuing this spirit we can honour and show our respect to these people.  This is what ANZAC day means to me.

Written by Edward P