Learning
At St Mary’s School, students are encouraged to explore their world intellectually and express their thoughts in an engaging, compassionate and supportive environment. Our broad curriculum offerings enable students to be spiritually nourished, intellectually stimulated and community minded. We promote enrichment and sense of wellbeing to all students.
Students are challenged and supported to extend the boundaries of their learning experiences through a curriculum that emphasises the development of religious education, literacy, numeracy, technology, science, humanities and languages.
Building upon these fundamentals, they will develop the communication and social skills that will stand them in good stead to be active members of society who are lifelong learners. Creative expression is also vital in our school. Art, Dance, Drama and Music are all core aspects of the curriculum and areas in which students are encouraged to develop their imagination, creativity and thinking skills. Additional languages are also offered, allowing students to extend their creative thinking and immerse themselves in a culture different from their own.
Classroom teachers enhance the quality of each child’s education and help to ensure they receive the care and attention each student requires. Outside the classroom, a healthy lifestyle is encouraged through sports and outdoor activities that include ball sports, swimming, gymnastics and sporting competitions. Students also have the opportunity to try out for regional sports through a nomination and trial process.
At St Mary’s School our students are encouraged to laugh, play and develop in a dynamic and caring community that provides a holistic education whilst nourishing each individual's spiritual growth.
Our curriculum offerings provide students with opportunities for increased independence and self-responsibility as students begin the transition to our Secondary School and beyond.
Specialist areas
Instrumental Music
Offered to students from Years 3 to 10. This program is coordinated by our Instrumental Music Teacher, Mr Sam Jesson. Lesson enrolments and fees are payable in advance directly to him. Please enquire at the school office for information concerning this program.
Choir
Offered to all students. The School Choir members meet several times a week and more frequently when rehearsing for community performances.
Music, Dance, Visual Arts and Drama
Each of these areas is devoted to one of the schooling terms. All students will have a Creative Arts lesson once a week. The Australian Curriculum standards are used in programming for these areas. The Creative Arts are also embedded into other key learning areas.
Physical Education
The school is fortunate to have a Physical Education teacher who specialises in teaching sport, health and fitness. Each term the children participate in varying sporting activities whether it is for sports carnivals, team events, athletics and/or swimming.
All primary school students are provided formal swimming lessons at the Goondiwindi Regional Council Pool for a six week block during Term 1 and Term 4.
LOTE
German is taught to upper primary and secondary school students.
Library
The library offers opportunities to engage with information and stories. The Teacher Librarian works with classroom teachers to enable students to become effective and discerning users of information in all formats. All classes have a weekly borrowing session where students choose material for their reading pleasure.
In addition to class visits, the library is open during second break and students are welcome to use the facilities at these times, under teacher supervision.
Technology
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is of critical importance to St Mary’s School in facilitating and supporting learning, teaching and other administrative activities for teachers, students, parents and administrators.
Teachers incorporate ICT systems and resources into the curriculum to enhance student learning and maximise educational outcomes. Each classroom is equipped with an interactive whiteboard; laptops and iPads are available to all students throughout the school with a one to one laptop program for the secondary school students.
The library contains additional laptops and desktop computers which each class is able to use. Students are also invited to use these technology facilities during their lunch breaks.
With the increasing use of ICT we set expectations for the use of ICT for both staff and students. Our students are not only taught technology skills such as typing, using a mouse, how to create documents, send emails and search the internet they are educated about safe and responsible online behaviours including communicating ethically and legally. Students are supervised when using technology and internet access is provided through a filtered internet service; no filtering system is perfect which is why we reinforce the importance and encourage students to report anything they see or hear that is inappropriate.
St Mary’s School also has an onsite ICT Technician who provides technical support and assistance to both staff and students.
School camps
Camps have been included as part of the Year 1, 3, 5, 6 and the secondary school curriculum.
Camps afford students the opportunity to make their own decisions and organise themselves away from their parents’ guiding hands. Students are allowed to develop their own sense of self and their place in the world.
