28th April 2022
Principal News
Colour Run and Cross Country
Students were covered in colour, full of energy and experienced an afternoon of joy on the last day of Term 1. Our school colour run was a huge success with tremendous amounts of positive feedback from parents and students. It is wonderful to grow the energy and fun around sport in our school. Please enjoy the photos below.
School Fees
We would like to remind families that all outstanding fees are due as a matter of urgency. Term 2 invoices will be sent via email next week. When families enrol their children at a Catholic School they are asked to enter an agreement for the payment of school fees. The level of fees is kept as low as possible so the school is available to all families seeking a Catholic Education for their children. This level is decided on the assumption that all families pay a share of the school’s costs through the regular payment of school fees. Our expectation is that:
- Fees are paid in full after the account is received, or;
- An arrangement is made for regular Direct Debits to the school bank account, so as all fees are paid over time, or;
- In cases of financial hardship, the parents/caregivers make a confidential arrangement with the Principal for part payment, extended payment or concession of the fees amount.
Please contact the school office to make any overdue payments by the end of next week, Friday 6th May 2022.
ANZAC Day
What a wonderful representation from St Mary’s on Monday at the ANZAC Day March. The students marched proudly and showed their respect for people in the armed forces, both past and present. Feedback about the students' behaviour and conduct has been overwhelmingly positive from the community and I wanted to share this with our entire school community by mentioning it here today. Thank you teachers, staff members, parents and students for your efforts.
NAPLAN
Online NAPLAN practice tests were conducted with Year 3 and Year 5 students last week. The purpose of this practice test was to ensure our internet and laptops were sufficient for the testing format this year. Students were not restricted to the testing conditions for this process which provided a relaxed experience for their introduction to NAPLAN online.
NAPLAN dates for this year are Tuesday 10th – Thursday 12th May. The testing will be delivered in an online format (excluding the Year 3 Writing test). If you have any questions about the testing process, please do not hesitate to contact the school.
St Mary’s uses NAPLAN data, along with anecdotal data from classrooms, standardised testing such as PAT R, PROBE, running records and formative and summative assessment, to inform teaching and enhance student learning.
Show Holiday
A reminder that we have our annual show holiday on Friday, 13th May. Our students have been working hard to produce a high standard of work for the show display! Please take the time to visit the schoolwork pavilion to have a look. Show work results will be published in the newsletter following the show.
Uniform Reminders
Just a reminder that plain black shoes are to be worn with the formal school uniform. Joggers are permitted on sports day. Coming into winter, the only acceptable winter apparel is plain navy track pants and jumpers or the school jacket which can be purchased from the uniform shop. Girls are permitted to wear a plain white/navy skivvy and boys a plain navy skivvy.
School hats are currently very well stocked in a variety of sizes.
Have a fabulous fortnight.
Cheers,
Katrina
APRE News
Ukraine Fundraising
During the holidays, we received a letter from Bishop McGuckin, expressing his appreciation for our students' efforts in fundraising for Ukraine. Please see below. Well done St Mary’s!
Sacramental Program
This term, our sacramental candidates will journey towards making their first Holy Communion. We welcome the St Mary’s community to support our candidates by attending their first Holy Communion Mass on June 11th, at 6pm.
Mercy Value – Hospitality
This term, our students will be learning about the Mercy value of Hospitality. Catherine McAuley showed hospitality and continued to show hospitality to all, even when she was not acknowledged or thanked. This is a very challenging concept; everyone likes to be acknowledged! On our PFD and in professional learning community meetings so far this term, our staff have reflected upon the following story taken from Catherine’s life and how they would have reacted in the same circumstances. If we find this challenging, one can only imagine how challenging it is for our children to show ‘hospitality’! We look forward to journeying with our students this term, modelling and living hospitality, so they may learn to do so as well.
The Hospitality of Catherine
'There are many examples of Catherine’s hospitable spirit but perhaps the most striking is that of Mrs. Harper. One day when Catherine was visiting the sick poor in Dublin, she discovered an old woman living alone in a hovel. Her name was Mrs. Harper and the early manuscripts describe her as a maniac. Though she had previously been somewhat well off, she was now desperately poor and mentally unstable. Catherine took her to Coolock House and cared for her. Though Catherine would certainly have offered her a comfortable room, she respected Mrs. Harper’s choice to live under the steps near the kitchen. She rarely appeared during the day but crept through the house at night stealing food and whatever else struck her fancy. Though the household was disrupted by her and the staff disliked her, Catherine continually called on them to extend kindness to Mrs. Harper as she herself did. In the face of this patient and forbearing hospitality, Mrs. Harper exhibited an intense dislike for Catherine and returned every kindness with unpleasant and unreasoning behaviour. Nevertheless Catherine cared for her until she died several years later. Catherine’s maxim, “It is for God we serve the poor, not for thanks”, may well have emerged from this experience.
Fr Warren’s Birthday
On Saturday evening (April 23rd) during Parish Mass, we celebrated a milestone birthday for Fr Warren. Thanks to all who attended. Happy Birthday Fr Warren! Thank you for all you do for our school. Please see photos below.
Learning Support
There are many things taking place in the Learning Support space this term. This term I will be visiting in Weeks 3, 5 and 8. Please feel free to pop in and say hi. Also, if you would like to arrange a meeting, please send me an email so we can arrange a time to meet while I’m there: belinda.phillips@twb.catholic.edu.au
This term, teachers are beginning to consider their requirements for the NCCD. The Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD) takes place every year. The NCCD is a collection that counts the number of school students receiving an adjustment or ‘help’ due to disability and the level of adjustment they are receiving to access education on the same basis as other students. I have attached a Parent Fact Sheet for your perusal and please feel free to ask me any questions you may have regarding this.
On Monday 16th and Tuesday 17th May in Week 5, when I am visiting, the Prep students will be having their Prep Vision Screening completed. These will be conducted on Monday and Tuesday. Parents will need to return the consent forms sent home for their child to be screened. This will take place at school.
The Auslan sign for this edition is to match with the change in season.
Autumn:
With your hands in front of your face – fan yourself as though to say it is a cool temperature.
Have a great Term 2!
Kind regards,
Belinda Phillips
Library News
Welcome Back
May is officially National Family Reading Month!
We invite you to take the Reading Challenge.
- Enter the reading challenge here. You’ll go in the draw to WIN one of 5 book packs!
- Track daily reading all May with the fun Sea Creature Reading Log.
- Follow along with Scholastic Australia on Facebook for tips, inspiration, motivation and more fun giveaways!
- Find family reading tips and fun resources at https://www.scholastic.com.au/scholastic-in-the-community/national-family-reading-month-2022/
All participants will be emailed a certificate and a Scholastic book voucher at the end of the challenge. YEAH!
Book Club
Orders due Thursday 4th May
Feel free to pop into the library with any queries or simply for a chat.
Alice & Michelle
HPE News
Hi St Mary’s Families,
Welcome to Term 2, another term starting out with a bang! First week we had Regional Netball Trials in Roma for 10-12yrs. The team played very competitively and came away with two wins. Well done to Georgia Hindmarch who was selected in the possible and probable team. Our regional boys and girls touch football teams travelled to Miles. Well done to all students who trialled and congratulations to Harry Thomas who was selected as a shadow for the South West Team. This week I am off to Eromanga with the district cross country team and the boys 10-12yrs regional rugby league team will be travelling to Roma to compete in the South West Trials this week as well. Best of luck to these students.
In Health students are starting new units this term. Please keep an eye out for wonderful photos as our term progresses.
Please remember if you have any concerns about your child in PE or Health, please feel free to contact me via Class Dojo or Email susan.mcinnes@twb.catholic.edu.au
Yours in PE and Health,
Ms Mac.
Prep News
Welcome back to term 2! A fun filled term with a brand-new classroom .
Over the last week of term students participated in the school colour run. Students loved the obstacle course, and all had a fun filled day.
During our first week we explored what ANZAC Day is all about and created a wreath. Students collected all our objects that had fallen into the garden around the school . When we returned to the classroom, we decided to make it in a tear drop shape. Students worked with Mrs Couch to create the wreath.
Please take a look at students working in our new prep classroom. Students read "Pig the Pug" and had to identify their favourite character. They have been enjoying writing and exploring words.
We look forward to the exciting learning adventures we are going to get up to.
Thanks,
Imogen Hunt
Year 1 News
YAY! Welcome back to term two. With this term being a short term, there is a lot happening in Year One. Events have already kicked off, with commemoration of the ANZACs on Monday and Deadly Choices beginning on Thursday. We have started our Pig the Pug unit this week, looking at how Pig’s character changes throughout the book and what events occur that cause him to change. We are excited to start looking at Australian coins and what we could buy at the Charleville Show.
Year 2 News
Welcome back to term 2!
This term we are looking at:
- English – narratives
- Math – introducing multiplication and division. Focusing on Australian money later through the term.
- HASS – geography
- Science – chemical science and combining materials.
- Religion – how stories in the bible challenge us.
We are very busy this week creating some wonderful artworks and writing our submissions for show judging.
Year 3 News
To begin this term, we have been learning about money in maths! We are learning to give change from a dollar value using different combinations of coins.
In other curriculum areas we have been busy at work as well.
- In English we are working on our writing skills to prepare for NAPLAN
- In Science we are learning about states of matter
- In HASS we are continuing to learn about geography
- In religion we are learning about sacraments
Year 4/5 News
Year 5/6 News
April Birthdays
Clara Alexander, Claire Armstrong, Addison McLeod, Pippa Rose, Lacie Capewell, Edwina Jansen, Ashley Russell, Jaydan Thompson, Miss Short, Fr Warren Padilla.
Uniform Shop
The Uniform Shop will be open next Thursday 5th May from 2:30-3:00pm.