St Raphael's School Parkside

As the “Too Pretty to Do Maths” T‑shirt makes headlines, St Raphael’s School is sharing a different message with our community:

Too H.O.T. Not To

– H.O.T. standing for Higher Order Thinking and celebrating every child’s capacity to be a confident mathematician.

Higher Order Thinking (H.O.T.) is a simple idea: it’s the set of skills that help you solve problems, join the dots between different situations, and use what you know in new ways.

In a rapidly changing world, these H.O.T. skills are vital for future success. Maths is one of the best and most straightforward subjects for building this kind of transferable thinking - measurement in cooking, angles in a game of pool, estimating time, or comparing prices at the shops. When children can take a concrete maths skill and apply it to a new situation, they are practising H.O.T. Thinking.

Through our annual Maths Movement, Amazing Maths Race and Tournament of Numbers, we focus on fluency, confidence and joy in learning, and we actively challenge the idea that you’re either “good” or “bad” at maths, or that appearance has anything to do with mathematical ability.

Last week, more than 90 children and adults joined us for our 2026 Maths Movement Amazing Maths Race, exploring six hands‑on maths stations filled with problem‑solving, curiosity and, most importantly, fun. The feedback was loud and clear: “We had fun!” – and when kids enjoy learning, confidence grows.

Through our Tournament of Numbers, interactive maths story time visits to kindergartens and playgroups, and our Family Guide to Confident Maths, we're empowering our students and the wider community for a bright and inspired future. To get your copy of our guide head to the web page here - https://www.raph.catholic.edu.au/news-events/the-maths-movement-real-world-maths-unleashed

In short, our students aren’t “too pretty to do maths”.
They’re Too H.O.T. Not To.

We are proud to congratulate Nadine and Theresa on being nominated by St Raphael’s School for recognition during National Volunteers Week.

In response to an invitation from The Hon Alice Rolls MP, Member for Unley, our school had the opportunity to nominate two outstanding volunteers who generously give their time and energy to support our community. Nadine and Theresa were chosen in recognition of their ongoing commitment, dedication, and the valuable contribution they make to the life of our school.

In recognition of their service, they were invited to attend a special breakfast at Parliament House alongside fellow nominees from across the council area.

Their willingness to support school events, initiatives, and daily activities does not go unnoticed, and we are grateful for the positive impact they have on our students and staff.

We thank Nadine and Theresa for their continued generosity and service, and we congratulate them on this well-deserved acknowledgement.

This week and next week's Book Club Playgroup books are

This Wednesday [tomorrow] OH DEAR, LOOK WHAT I GOT!
Next Wednesday [last term 2 book club] TIME TO GO TO THE PARK.

See you at 9:15am https://www.raph.catholic.edu.au/community/book-club-playgroup

It’s a big week at St Raphael’s, with two exciting events just around the corner.

Tomorrow (Wednesday) is our School Disco. Tickets are $5 and must be purchased via Qkr so your child can join the fun. Whether they are ready to hit the dance floor or just give it a try, all students are encouraged to come along. Our staff will be there to support, encourage, and ensure everyone feels included.

Then on Friday, we’re celebrating the World Cup with a special themed day. Students are invited to wear the colours of their favourite nation, from jerseys and scarves to a splash of team colour. A gold coin donation is requested, with funds going towards new school soccer kits.

Students can also come together in the Hall at 11:30am to watch part of the World Cup and share in the excitement.

We cannot wait to see our students dancing, celebrating, and showing their team spirit.

Our good friends at Goodwood Community Centre are running an oral health session this Friday.

Why does dental health matter?

https://www.unley.sa.gov.au/Eventbrite/GCC-26-06-HW-Why-dental-health-matters-seminar1989366615098

Cooking, packing lunches, gardening and even fitting everything in the school bag all use measurement. Our 2026 Maths Movement invites students to estimate, compare and measure in real-life contexts so maths feels meaningful and practical.

https://www.raph.catholic.edu.au/news-events/the-maths-movement-real-world-maths-unleashed

mathsrace

St Raphael’s School is incredibly proud to celebrate our talented students who were selected as finalists in the City of Unley’s Fish Tank Youth Entrepreneurship Program.

Fish Tank is the City of Unley’s flagship initiative, empowering young people aged 8–25 to develop and pitch innovative business ideas for the opportunity to receive prize funding and mentorship.

Last week, our students attended the Pitch Night at Council, representing St Raphael’s with confidence, creativity and professionalism. It was a proud moment for our school community to see their ideas shared on such a respected platform.

Congratulations to our two finalist teams:

• Alex and Ethan, who presented “Furball Fun Pet Hair Gel” a creative product designed to keep pets’ fur smooth, shiny and tangle-free, with thoughtful consideration given to ingredients, pet comfort and owner convenience.

Alex - "I was excited because I got to present my business Hair Gel and receive feedback from the judges."

• Evan and Leo, shortlisted for “Instant Pick Up” an innovative electronic system to streamline school pick-up, improving safety and reducing congestion. Many will remember this impressive project from their STEM MAD success last year.

Ethan - "I was happy to see other people's business, and the food provided by Unley Council was delicious!"

We commend these young entrepreneurs for identifying real-world challenges and developing practical, imaginative solutions. Their participation in this program reflects outstanding initiative, collaboration and forward-thinking.

Congratulations to all involved. You have made our school incredibly proud.

City of Unley

Recently, our Reception and Year 1 students became recycling experts during a fun and engaging incursion with KESAB Environmental Solutions.

Led by Kerrie, students explored how to sort waste correctly and learned the important role of each bin – from recycling and organics to general waste. A highlight of the session was the energetic “Recycling Relay,” where students worked in teams to sort items into the correct bins. It was fantastic to see them thinking carefully, applying their knowledge, and having so much fun along the way.

We are grateful to Unley Council and KESAB Environmental Solutions for providing this valuable learning opportunity. It has been wonderful to see students already putting their learning into action in the classroom, making thoughtful choices about waste during eating times.

Here’s what some of our students had to say:

“I liked when I put the papers in the yellow bin. Kerrie taught me that. I had lots of fun learning about the bins.” – Ella
“When we recycle things, they can be reused.” – Hannah
“All the fruit on the planet should go in the green bin.” – Ricardo
“I liked when we got to sort the bins out at the end.” – Eve

KESAB environmental solutions City of Unley City of Unley