3788 Fax: 2157 6390

Tel: 2157 3194, 2158

rimary.c@gov.mt
E-mail: stpaulsbay.p
ay/
olnet.gov.mt/stpaulsb
Website: http://scho

info

,
Maria Regina College
y School,
St Pauls Bay Primar
s Bay SPB 09, Malta
School Street, St. Paul

Message from the College Principal

Message from the Head of School
50 Sheep for Ethiopia and 700 for Puttinu
Show & Tell
Animals Around Us
Book Week
Christmas Activities
Christmas Concert

President

Christmas Train Ride

School Council Members

St Pauls Bay Primary becomes

a Microsoft Mentor School
Swimming Lessons

Ms Beatrix Asciak

Seg./Treas.
Teachers rep.




Parents rep.

Carnival Celebrations

School Head Ms Josette Dalmas

Mr Mark Azzopardi
Ms Judith Dimech
Ms Sharon Darmanin
Ms Tedia-Anne Church
Ms Antonia Calleja
Ms Milicent Borg

Class Photos
Dinja Wada
Celebration Day
Some of the crafts done by

year 5.3 - Starfish

School Album
Lessons using X-Box Brain Training

and voting system

Cov

Penalty shootout with Justin Haber

Designed by
BRAY chris - St Pauls Bay
mob: 77727172 email: yarb.c@hotmail.com
Printed at
Print Right Ltd. - Qormi
tel: 21 250 994 email: sales@printrightmalta.com

Our Students on NetWorks

contents

Editor
Mark Azzopardi

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The Mesmerizers 2012-2013

School Annual
Maria Regina College
St. Pauls Bay Primary - 2013

02
03
05
06
07
08
09
10
12

In Loving Memory of Diandra Borg

WOMAD Workshops
College School Activities
Lets go BOCCI
Kindergarten 1 Concert
Kindergarten 2 Concert

Mr. Mario Testa M.ED, B.A (Educ) Hons, D.E.A.M

Maria Regina College

Message from the

It is important for parents and teachers to

understand that we should nurture this
thirst for knowledge. Children need time to
be listened to and time to be spoken to. In a
world where mobile phones, tablets, internet,
Facebook and other social networks take
over lives, children are finding less time to be
heard and to be addressed. Children live in
a fantasy world where everything is possible
and everything is magical. We should allow our
children to enjoy their childhood. There is no
need to have our children behave mini adults
but we should have adults who are able to

look at the world through a childs perspective.

Let us give them time and let us give them
tools to encourage knowledge.
As a school we shall be endeavouring to create
a reading community within our school. Books
encourage creativity, they open up interesting
worlds. Reading books to or with our children,
helps them grow up into thinkers. We intend to
upgrade the school library and class libraries,
so that our pupils have the right books at
hand. We need parents to be on board and
nurture the love for reading at home. We can
read magazines, e-books, leaflets, practically
anything that has print and is age-appropriate.
Together we can help our children to grow
up enjoying their learning experiences and
presenting to them interesting worlds. A childs
world should be fun, enriching, interesting and
relevant. The school together with parents
should ensure that a child is given the right
opportunities with the adequate resources
and that is our work in the coming years.

Message from the

Education is our passport to the

future; for tomorrow belongs to
those that prepare for it today.

As we grow up we miss the way we used to

look at the world through the eyes of a child.
For our children, the world is a playing field full
of new discoveries and scenarios. Things we
take for granted , children question in order to
seek ,learn and acquire knowledge. We have
to take time out of our busy schedules to stop
and see the way children see the world and
answer their questions. When questions are
answered, their thirst for knowledge increases.

Head of School

School Annual
June 2013

Over the past years our College has made

various advances in the area of teaching
and learning and we are proud to say that
many of our students have done really well in
exams. What is more as a College we do not
only look at the academic side of things but
provide every student with the opportunity
of a holistic education which focuses on the
necessary skills that each student irrespective
of his educational level needs to acquire to
survive in such a competitive world. To this
end school life has to be something looked for
by every student knowing that he or she will
encounter professionals who have a personal
interest in ensuring that the student develops
to his or her full potential.

Home-school links are very important and we

make a strong appeal to parents to keep having
a focused interest in their son or daughters
education. Each College school ensures that
parents are welcome to school and that
continuous dialogue and communication
is a must. It is a real pleasure noticing how
appreciative the students are when they
know that a healthy link exists between home
and school. As educators we need to embrace
the following quote by EL Hajj Malik Shabazz
(Malcolm X) which says that:

It is a childs world after all

Ms. Josette Dalmas

02

The principal goal of education

is to create individuals who are
capable of doing new things, not
simply of repeating what other
generations have done.

Notwithstanding, as a College we are never

and should never be content with what has
been achieved to date. We need to keep on
researching and coming up with new ideas
and teaching strategies which will reach every
student irrespective of the home background
or life situation. It is a reality that our College
is one of the Colleges which hosts many
foreigners. This can be a challenge yet also
a blessing. Mixing with other students who
come from different countries enriches the
school and hence the student if one adopts
proper strategies of integration.

Maria Regina College St Pauls Bay Primary

College Principal

Our College logo is clear, simple and focused.

As professionals we need to always be
Creative, Innovative and Professional. Teaching
and learning is the most important area which
needs to be constantly evaluated so that
standards are not only kept but upgraded. As
Jean Piaget rightly puts it:

Maria Regina College

St Pauls Bay Primary

03

50 sheep
for Ethiopia

and...

700
for

Puttinu
We reached our aim! We collected1185.60for Ethiopia, that means 50 sheep for 50 families. We also collected a big amount of
pencils, rubbers, rulers, sharpeners and copybooks to be used in schools in Ethiopia. The founder of the movementJesus in thy
neighbour, Fr. George Grima, visited us during our morning assembly. He was very happy to receive such a big donation and
thanked all the students, members of staff and families of St. Pauls Bay Primary.
We also appreciate the work done by Puttinu Cares, also because there were children from our school who benefited
from the help offered by Puttinu. Earlier this year we had organised a casual wear day when all students
and staff came at school wearing casual clothes. During this day we collected donations
for Puttinu Cares Foundation and the total amount collected was 700. Mr.
Andrew Decelis from Puttinu Cares came to visit us during our assembly and
he was presented with the money by our Assistant Head of School. This was
another noble gesture coming from our school.

We would also like to thank you all for helping!

04

School Annual
June 2013

Maria Regina College

St Pauls Bay Primary

05

ANIMALS AROUND US
Year 4.1 teacher and Learning Support
Assistant together with their students organised
an activity called Show and tell. All the
children were given the opportunity and were
encouraged to participate by bringing to school
anything related to a hobby, favourite sport, etc.
and make a presentation about it to their peers,
while we filmed the presentations and took
photos. All the students were looking forward
to it and were eager preparing hilariously for
the day. Students who practised the same
hobby or sport were given the possibility to pair
or group up. Such activities, besides being an
oracy exercise, may enhance childrens selfconfidence and self-esteem. This was a great
success and most of all the children enjoyed it.

06

School Annual
June 2013

During this scholastic year, the Year 2 classes were engaged in creating a project related to animals. The theme of
this project was Animals Around Us. Each class focused on various activities. Some of the work included drawings
of the childrens favourite animals, animal puppets made out of recycled material, creative writing, poetry, bookmarks
comprising fact files, charts, posters and booklets. The children were highly motivated and enthusiastic to participate in
this project. This was a fruitful experience for the children since it enhanced their imagination and creativity. Childrens
work was displayed in the schools foyer.

Book Week

Ms. Rita Antoinette Borg brought a number of puppets for

her storytelling sessions with the Kindergarten and Year 1
pupils. The children participated actively in the storytelling
sessions. The Year 2, 3 and 4 pupils had the opportunity to
personally meet Ms. Natalie Portelli a name synonymous
with childrens books. The children had the chance to ask
her questions about her books and her writing. The Year 5
and 6 pupils met another author, Ms. Rita Saliba, who writes
for both children and adults. Some of her childrens works
Roald Dahl, a famous author of childrens books, described
have been published in Senduq Buffuri, Senduq Kuluri and
the magical power of books in a couple of sentences how
Kalejdoskopju - textbooks that the pupils are familiar with.
a girl called Matilda learnt about different cultures and
The Year 6 pupils work about their favourite author or book
countries just by reading about them. Children and people
was displayed in the schools foyer. At the end of the week,
who love reading are acquainted with the power of books
all the staff working at the school spent 30 minutes reading
however there are others who have not yet discovered the
from a book of ones own choice.
potential that lies within the pages of a book.

The books transported her into new worlds and

introduced her to amazing people who lived exciting
lives. She went on olden-day sailing ships with Joseph
Conrad. She went to Africa with Ernest Hemingway and
to India with Rudyard Kipling. She travelled all over
the world while sitting in her little room in an English
village. (Roald Dahl, Matilda)

Reading is given importance throughout the whole

Therefore as part of the Book Week activities, three local
scholastic year and not just during Book Week. One of the
childrens books writers were invited to our school to talk to
major goals of the educators within our school is to make
our pupils about writing, how authors are inspired to write
children appreciate the joy, knowledge and wisdom one
and the joy of reading.
can achieve through reading because a book is like a garden
carried in the pocket (Chinese proverb).

08

School Annual
June 2013

Christmas
Activities
During December we
organised different
activities at school. Year
6 children learnt how
to do a crib, while other
children exhibited their
cribs in our school library.
These participated in a
national competition.
Children also had photos
with Father Christmas
and at the end of the
term each child at our
school was given a present
sponsored by the School
Council.

Maria Regina College

St Pauls Bay Primary

09

as
ristmert
Ch nc
Co

St. Pauls Bay Primary becomes a

Microsoft Mentor School

Three years ago our school was

one of the 30 schools from around
the globe selected to be a Microsoft
Pathfinder School. This year we
made another step forward. Our
school was given the status of
Mentor School by Microsoft. This
means that we are amongst the
best schools in the world when
it comes to technology, creativity
and innovation.

12

School Annual
June 2013

He pointed out that their job

did not stop at teaching as they
helped children overcome social,
emotional
and
behavioural
problems.
Seeing these children succeed was
the best reward.

We do not look at our school as

a place where children come to be
spoon-fed, or to learn academic
The mentor school status was subjects.
given to our school by Microsofts
Vice President Anthony Salcito to We look at school as a big house
Mark Azzopardi who represented with many children where we
our school and is also the person teach and learn from each other.
in charge of this project. He was We seek to make things fun, but
also selected for an interview on at the same time we seek good
Salcitos personal blogs where results academically.
he interviews global heroes in
We integrate IT in everything
education.
we do, and this helps to enhance
In the interview, Mr Azzopardi the skills of our staff and the
spoke about the importance children who are capable of doing
of weaving technology into incredible things, he said.
education.
This a very big achievement for
He dwelt on the challenges faced our school and we should be proud
when a handful of people tried to to be amongst a small number of
hold back change and he believes mentor schools around the world.
teachers ought to be paid more.
Maria Regina College
St Pauls Bay Primary

13

Swimming lessons

Carnival Celebrations

Swimming lessons were organised for all Year 5 children. These were held at
the National Pool Complex in tal-Qroqq. During these sessions our students
acquired various skills while they had a lot of fun. Swimming together with a
healthy diet help us to be healthier and stronger.

We celebrated Carnival in style with our special guests

Gorg and Pawlu from TVM. Our school Carnival was also
featured on TVM news. We had loads of fun as always!

14

School Annual
June 2013

Maria Regina College

St Pauls Bay Primary

15

kinderone

16

kinder 1.3

kinder 1.7
School Annual
June 2013

1.2

1.9

kinder 1.8

1.4

kinder 1.5

1.6

kinder 1.10 1.11

kinderone

kinder 1.1

kinder yearone

two

kinder 2.2

year 1.1

kinder 2.3

kinder 2.4

year 1.2

kinder 2.5

kindertwo

year 1.4
kinder 2.6

year 1.3

kinder 2.7

year 1.5

yearone

kinder 2.1

yeartwo yearthree
year 2.2

year 2.3

year 2.4

year 2.5

year 2.5

year 3.1

year 3.2

year 3.4

year 3.3

year 3.5

yearthree

yeartwo

year 2.1

yearfour yearfive
year 4.2

year 5.1

year 5.2

year 4.3

year 4.4

year 5.3

year 5.4

yearfive

yearfour

year 4.1

yearsix

yearsix

year 6.1

year 6.2

year 6.3

Dinja
Wada
Dinja Wada is an initiative organised by Birdlife Malta
within schools. It consists of a set of activities related to
the environment that can be carried out by different year groups
throughout the scholastic year.
The activities vary from storytelling, making big books, observing
nature, learning about the migration patterns of birds, learning about
how destruction of habitats takes place and how this can be prevented and
how we, as human beings, can look after our planet. Points are awarded for
the activities carried out.
Throughout this scholastic year, the students council has also held assemblies
related to nature. The pupils shared information about Maltese trees on Arbor
Day. On Earth Day, members of the students council shared information and
a video about the earth and launched a campaign to encourage the pupils to
collect money to sponsor trees that are being grown in Foresta 2000, a
nature reserve run by Birdlife Malta.
The Maria Regina College St. Pauls Bay Primary School has been awarded
the Dinja Wada gold award for the activities that were carried out
throughout the scholastic year 2011-2012. This scholastic year we
are working hard as we hope that we will be awarded the gold
award again.
Special thanks goes to all the teachers who organise
these activities for their pupils since learning to
take care of other creatures, plants and the
community in general will help our pupils
become responsible citizens in
society.

year 6.4
Maria Regina College
St Pauls Bay Primary

25

Celebration Day

Celebration Day was held in May. During this celebration we presented a show called Its a childs world after
all, written by our head of school Ms. Dalmas. This included acting, singings and dancing. Children from all year
groups participated. Prizes were presented to those children who did well in last years exams but also to other
children who did special effort to improve holistically. Prizes were presented by Hon. Deborah Schembri. This
years celebration day was really a huge success!

26

School Annual
June 2013

Maria Regina College

St Pauls Bay Primary

27

Some of the crafts

Some of the crafts

After we studied about vertebrates : we

recycled paper and carton to make
beautiful birds. Fawzi Khalifa
We also coloured in the St Pauls Bay
Emblem, as we had learnt about it during
Social Studies. Jonathan Mizzi
Out of the nets of shapes, using cartons
of different colours, we did lovely 3-D

School Annual
June 2013

shapes. Lovina Bergamini

I really enjoyed doing Paper Flowers for
our Spring Project. Naomi Fenech
I like doing crafts with my friends and really
enjoyed myself making paper flowers
using different materials. Aimee Scicluna
Everyone who enters our class says what
a lovely class we have because all our
crafts are hung up. I love my class very
much. Matthew Sammut
Before Christmas we did Houses out of
shoe boxes and when we put them all
near each other we had a whole village!
Nicole Ioseliani

Our class is special because we did many

crafts about Jesus too like Crosses and
Bookmarks. Shanaya Farrugia
I loved working on my Carnival Mask. All
the masks that we made are hung up in
our classroom and they are so colourful
and original! Jessica McCorkindale
For Valentines Day we created mobiles
using three different sizes of hearts which
we then hung in our classroom. They
move around with every little breeze.
Shania Frendo
Crafts need creativity to be made. I have
been inspired by many crafts we did
especially the Chinese Dragon because

mine was the King!! I have also learnt to

recycle as most of the crafts we make
are made out of plastic tubs, magazines,
fabric and pegs. Jake Mallia

I really enjoyed working on a very big

project titled Our Garden. We used fabric
to create trees, a pond, flowers, clouds
and also a doll on a swing. Sarah Hanna

After learning how we can communicate

using facial expressions we created Faces
out of paper bags. Amy Blackburn

During Lent our class organized The Way

of the Cross during morning assembly. We
learnt the acting during the breaks and
we really enjoyed wearing the costumes
and presenting the story of Jesus to the
school in the morning. I was a Roman
Soldier in this story. Aiden Felice

We also made slogans with our Lent

promises and then we created a lovely
chart which we hung in our religion
corner. Rebecca Mifsud
We enjoyed working on a Wordsearch
filled with the names of the crafts that we
did with our peers. Raouf Cuschieri and
Tomas Strazdins

We created many crafts for Easter like

Easter Cards, Easter Chickens and the
Easter chick box. Finn McNamara

We were inspired by James Rizzi to draw

Skyscrapers. One can admire these
drawings which we displayed on the
notice board outside our classroom, in
the corridor upstairs. Max Bonett
Together with my friends I worked on
a very big cardboard (which we had
kept from the packing when we had
our starboard installed) to create a
wonderful Aquarium. We cut pieces of
paper from magazines and made a big,
lovely mosaic piece of art. Ryan Attard
We had such fun making all the above
crafts and I will surely remember this year
for the rest of my life! Malthom Lee Cassar

Maria Regina College

St Pauls Bay Primary

done by Year 5.3 - Starfish

done by Year 5.3 - Starfish

28

Hello my name is Shaun and I will

introduce you to the crafts we did this
year. We started off by doing The Life
cycle of a Butterfly using plastic cups that
we recycled. Then we did the Friendship
Hands using recycled carton. Shaun
Micallef

29

Penalty shootout with

JUSTIN HABER
We organised a penalty shootout and our special goalkeeper was
Maltas National Goalkeeper Justin Haber. We brought food items to be
given to families in need and had the opportunity to shoot penalties.
It was very nice to have Justin Haber at school, and after the penalty
shootout he also attended one of our choir rehearsals.

30

School Annual
June 2013

2012-2013

Our students on

Children from our school were guests during the special Christmas edition
of the TV programme NetWorks, presented by one of our teachers Mark
Azzopardi. It was a unique experience and a good way to end the year.

In Loving Memory

Diandra
Borg

It was the early morning of last Friday 26th

April 2013 when my mobile phone rang. It
was somewhat early in the day to receive
a phone call from a friend and colleague
of mine who spent years teaching together
at St Pauls Bay. So my heart couldnt but
not miss a beat hastily pushing the answer
button.
True to my word it was horrific news. Not
even in the wildest of dreams did I ever
imagine this. Diandra had passed away;
one of my past pupils. Shivers ran through
my spine and what followed was a dull
moment of silence.

32

School Annual
June 2013

I havent yet surpassed this moment and

it will be difficult to do so. Its so hard
to encapsulate what I remember or miss
the most of Diandra. Flashbacks of her
memory in year 6.2 of the scholastic

year 2008-09 continue streaming into my

mind. She was a lovely, quiet and obedient
student in a receptive and compliant
class which made that scholastic year a
memorable one. I was continuously gazing
at her trying to instil a smile in her shy face
and attempting to read her eyes striving
to see whether she did understand what I
was teaching. I still recount those moments
when, during break time, I explained to
Diandra academic difficulties, when I used
to joke with her and her class mates, her
pleasant smiles she used to give me after
such jokes notwithstanding difficulties and
examination challenges which, I have to
say, Diandra managed to overcome. These
memories will leave a legacy in me which
I will fondly cherish.
I am still deeply struck and shocked to
say the least at the loss of such a young

friend. This was lightning out of nowhere.

She loved me as her teacher, I loved her
as my wonderful student (as all the rest of
the other students after all). There existed
great affection between us. I feel honoured
to have spent a whole year teaching her,
proud to have tried my very best with her
and all. Notwithstanding the heartbreaking
instance during her funeral, I felt
overwhelmed by the presence of most of
her class mates. They were all in line with
their sense of duty. Together we had the
privilege to enjoy her physical presence, a
presence which is now spiritual and held
close to our hearts. Diandra is overlooking
us and overjoyed by such profound esteem.
I have been your teacher Diandra, but it
is you who is now teaching us the lessons
of life. These are the terrible mishaps of
life. One lives thinking of nothing but

suddenly... there you are! Life is short,

beautiful but terribly unjust. Amidst all this
grief I must thank God for giving me the
privilege to teach and get to know you. I
must say that the Lord surely knows his
choices.
I feel that we will meet again one day
Diandra. May you rest in peace dear friend.
You deserve to be in the presence of the
Lord almighty.
Stefan Borg
(Diandras yr.6 teacher 2008-09)
Diandras funeral was held at St.
Pauls Bay Parish Church. Year 6
children from our school led by Mr.
Mark Azzopardi, Year 6 teachers and
LSAs together with our Head of
School animated Diandras funeral.

WOMAD
Workshops
The week which started on the 29th April and ended on Sunday 5th May 2013 was
an unforgettable one for a number of our pupils. It was a week full of imagination,
creativity and fun.
Children from Years 4 and 5 who attend the Maria Regina College St. Pauls Bay
Primary School were invited to participate in a workshop organised by Malarky.
This is a co-operative of multi-skilled artists based in South Wales. Andy ORourke
the artistic director is a visual artist who has been designing and creating carnival
costumes and decorative structures for the last 8 years. It was possible for
Malarky and other artists to come to Malta thanks to WOMAD World of Music,
Arts and Dance and to St. James Cavalier which coordinated the activity between
WOMAD and the schools. This organisation carries out hands-on workshops in
schools around the world.

the biggest lion and lampuka we have ever seen in real life. The lion was made
of cardboard. Then it was covered in colourful crepe paper while its head was
decorated with paper flowers. Inside it was filled with sweets and it served as the
piata.
Another extraordinary creation was the lampuka. It was made out of bent reeds,
covered in plastic and foil. It was so huge that it was made as four pieces which
were then attached together.
The climax of the weeks event was reached on Sunday 5th May 2013. The
children met at St. James Cavalier at half past twelve. They put on their costumes,
hats and fetched their colourful flags. Then they were divided into two groups:
the first group accompanying the lion while the second group accompanying the
lampuka.
The atmosphere in Valletta was charged with joy and energy as a group of students
played lively music during the parade through the streets of Valletta. Many people
gathered round to watch the parade. They enjoyed watching children dance to
the music and the St. Pauls Bay piata and lampuka being swayed to the beat
of the music.

Three British artists, Andy, Chris and Gough who are part of the group Malarky
together with two Maltese artists, Kamy and Matthew, visited the Maria Regina
College St. Pauls Bay Primary School and worked with the children who
participated.
The pupils were provided with patterns, they cut through these patterns, stuck the
pieces together, applied big fish eyes to make fancy fish hats. Coloured foil was
attached to these hats so once the hats were worn, they looked like a whole fish.

The highlight of the afternoon was reached when it was time for the Maria Regina
College St. Pauls Bay Primary School pupils to tear open the piata and discover
the treasure it held inside!

Another interesting workshop was the creation of stained glass flags showing sea
life! These flags were decorated with coloured patterns of fish, starfish and even
jelly fish! They looked really great when sunlight was reflected through them!

Well, all in all, it was a week full of hard work and fun. The children and the
people who attended and watched the parade could actually see that music, art
and dance unite people from different cultures!

The pupils, with the help of the artists, changed plain plastic aprons into fish
costumes. They worked hard to make their costumes look as shiny as possible
to resemble fish swimming in the sea!

34

After the parade, all the participants, teachers and childrens families gathered at
the ruins of the theatre in Valletta to enjoy the shows that the pupils, from various
schools around Malta, have prepared together with the visiting artists. There
were artists from Sicily, Africa, the United Kingdom and Jamaica. Some of the
participating pupils danced, others beat drums, some sang and

Special thanks go to Ms. Palmier from St. James Cavalier, Ms. Casaletto, Ms.
Fenech, Ms. Pisani, the participating children and their parents for their work,
dedication and commitment before and throughout the week of activities without
whom such an activity would not have been possible.

On Thursday and Friday, the artists together with the pupils started working on
School Annual
June 2013

Maria Regina College

St Pauls Bay Primary

35

Some of the crafts

College School Activities

36

Lets go

BOCCI
School Annual
June 2013

This year we started practicing a

new sport, the bocci game. We went
to the Bugibba Pitch to practice
and after some lessons we can say
that we are now little experts. It
was so much fun. We would like to
thank the committee and volunteers
of the Bugibba Bocci Club for this
wonderful experience.

Maria Regina College

St Pauls Bay Primary

37

Concert
School Annual
June 2013

Kindergarten 1

38

Kindergarten 2 Concert

Maria Regina College

St Pauls Bay Primary

39

Lessons using X-Box brain training

and voting system

Casual Wear Day

artin
Borza ta San M
for everyone

Easter trip to

40

School Annual
June 2013

Choir Unplugged

Music

Easter present for

everyone

blic

Czech Repu

Staff 2012-2013

ow for
Magic Sh
n
ten childre
Kindergar