Head of Gioia House

As we come closer to the end of Term 3, I would like to take this opportunity to thank parents for their continued support. We congratulate the girls on their commitment to and engagement with academic, pastoral and co-curricular activities throughout the term. I extend my gratitude to all the Gioia teachers and support staff for their dedication and care for all students.

The last day of the Term 3 is 21 September. Term 4 commences on Monday 10 October. Students are to return to school in summer uniform, including the College hat.

Year 5 NAPLAN results

NAPLAN results are in and preliminary analysis of the data is certainly positive. After two years of COVID and extensive lockdowns, our Year 5 students were participating in NAPLAN for the first time and should be so proud of their efforts in these assessments. 

One of the main benefits of NAPLAN Online is that it is tailored (or adaptive) testing; the test presents questions of higher or lower complexity depending on a student’s performance. Tailored (or adaptive) testing is designed to assess a wider range of student abilities and to measure student achievement more precisely. It takes students on different test pathways, depending on their answers. A student’s overall NAPLAN score is based on the number and complexity of questions they answer correctly. 

At Santa Sabina College, teachers analyse the NAPLAN results to celebrate success, inform our planning and address areas requiring improvement by incorporating future goals into students’ Individual Learning Plans and across the school. By now, you should have received your daughter’s NAPLAN results. Your daughter’s class teacher should be your first point of contact for any concerns you might have about your child’s results. 

You may have heard through the media that, due to low participation rates, there is a delay in the release of comparative state and national analysis data. We continue to work through our analysis of our individual school data and will share more results in the coming weeks. 

As always, there’s plenty going on in the classrooms, some of which you may or may not hear about at home. Here is a snapshot of a few highlights of the last couple of weeks in Gioia House.

Learning about Mary

In Year 6 Religious Education classes, students are learning about Mary – the faithful disciple. To enhance their understanding of Mary, students were challenged to answer the following questions and explain their thinking.

  • How was Mary a model of faith and discipleship?
  • How is Mary a model for the Church? Complete the sentences:
  • Mary is a model disciple for me as a believer because….
  • Mary demonstrates faith and trust by….. 

Here are some of the students’ responses 

Mary is a model disciple for me because she sets a standard of what we want to be. She has many qualities, but most of all, she was always humble, kind, courageous, faithful, peaceful, and patient. Hail Mary was full of Grace, just like Hail Mary says. She devoted her life to helping the poor, she recognised the importance of a personal relationship with Jesus, and her wish was to take us by the hand to his throne. Mary wanted what was best for us which is a truly authentic relationship we share with God. She is a faithful disciple and is the one I look up to most.
Alessia Mastroianni

Mary is a model disciple for me as a believer because she was faithful to God. As a disciple, she demonstrated faith by agreeing to have Jesus. She was very humble and never showed off what she had. Olivia He

Mary stuck by Jesus even when times were tough and she is a resilient, kind and protective mother. She loves all humans unconditionally and values our love for her. Mary demonstrates faith and trust by trusting God, and being faithful that everything will be OK in the end. Also, knowing that God or Jesus will take her into heaven.
Rose Khoury

Mary is a model of the church because she trusts god and follows her heart she suffered for God, lived for God and cared for the gift of Jesus.
Ella Mackie

I believe that Mary is a model for the Christian Church as she harnesses many fruits and powerful qualities that can inspire and encourage others. She devoted her life to her son God and was by his side all the way, even after his death. Mary is a model disciple for me as a believer because she was filled with such love, faithfulness and devotion. Mary demonstrates faith and trust as she agreed to carry the King in her womb. Mary was a great advocate and a leader for all.
Tiana Charbel

Mary is a model disciple for me as a believer because she loves and trusts God wholeheartedly and sets an example for us all as Christians as a faithful woman and mother.
Niamh Back

Mary inspires me to be trusting and have faith in God. She followed her son throughout his life, she was strong and brave when she had to witness her son being killed without being able to do anything. Mary always had faith and trust in God to keep his word. She encourages me always to stay strong and faithful to God.
Ever Melvin

Year 5 Outdoor Education experience

Finally, the day has arrived for our Year 5 students to embark on an outdoor adventure. Tallong welcomed the students with famous scones and sunshine. You could hear the excitement everywhere. The students appreciated nature, learnt a lot about themselves, developed new skills and formed new friendships.

May God bless you and keep you safe.

Stella Azizian
Head of Gioia House