10 May 2023

Principal - Ms Katrina Dunne

Welcome to Week 4!

The staff and students have had a productive return to school with some additional extracurricular classroom activities as we prepare for the local show next weekend and our termly class liturgies each week. Thank you to our families that have been able to attend these celebrations and we look forward to sharing more greatness with you all throughout the term.

Tuckshop Volunteers Needed!

We require helpers in our school tuckshop each Friday. If you would like to get involved, please see the contact for Betty Couch in the newsletter this week. Tuckshop runs every Friday (with some preparation required on Thursdays).

Show Holiday

A reminder that we have our annual show holiday next Friday, 19^th May. Please take the time to visit the schoolwork pavilion and celebrate your child’s efforts this year. Show work results will be published in the newsletter following the show.

Year 5/6 Fundraising

Our Year 5/6 students are off to the Sunshine Coast for their camp next term. The students and parents of Year 5/6 will coordinate some fundraising events in the coming weeks. Please look out for our Mother’s Day raffle tickets that the students will be selling this week. Upcoming fundraising activities include: Homestyle pie drive, Hot Milo cups from Week 6 this term, Pizza and Movie Night on Friday 2^nd June in the Performing Arts Hall, Car Boot sale on Saturday 3^rd June, Bingo Night on Saturday 29^th July at St Mary’s Cobb and Co Hall and a possible Golf Day in Term 3.

School Fees

Term 2 school fee invoices were emailed to families yesterday, Tuesday 9 May. Please contact the school office if you haven't received your invoice. Statements will be issued later this week showing any credits that families may have.  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.

Have a fabulous fortnight!

Cheers,

Katrina

APRE News - Mrs Kirsty Lines

Staff Blessing and Children’s Mass

A huge thank you to all of our families and St Mary’s staff who attended Parish Mass and our staff blessing on Saturday, May 6^th.  A special thank you to Fr Peter for leading us in prayer and leading the congregation in the blessing of staff.  Everyone is warmly invited to support our First Eucharist candidates at Parish Mass on June 3^rd at 6pm as they make their first Holy Communion.  Please enjoy the photos below of the Mass from May 6^th.

Prayer Assemblies

Thank you to Yr 4 for their inspirational Prayer Assembly on Friday, May 5^th about teachers – Jesus, who was a teacher and an inspiration for our teachers today as well as parents, who are their children’s first teachers.  We look forward to 5/6’s prayer assembly this Friday, May 12 at 11:10am in the PAH.  5/6 will explore the miracle of Our Lady of Fatima.  Please note there will not be a Prayer Assembly show week due to the Show Holiday.

Happy Mother's Day

There will be Mass on Mother's Day, Sunday May 14^th at 9am.  All are welcome!  Wishing all the mums here on Earth and in Heaven a very Happy Mother's day!

God bless,

Kirsty Lines

APRE

Learning Support News - Mrs Belinda Phillips

It was wonderful to see so much student growth last week. I enjoyed sitting with so many students, hearing them read and confidently show understanding of what they were reading. Mrs Lines and I have been working with students to develop their reading and comprehension so far this term. Well done and thank you to all families who have been working with their children to develop their reading skills and confidence since the Easter holidays. A productive and positive partnership is key to improving student outcomes and we are so grateful to our wonderful families for the value they place on their child’s learning.

Our Auslan sign this newsletter is eat/food (used in the same way)

• Fingers on top of thumb (kind of like eating a burger)
• Bring your hand to your mouth.
• Repeat the hand to your mouth.

Wishing you a wonderful week ahead.

Belinda Phillips

Library News - Mrs Michelle Sheehan

Step into Stories

On Tuesday students in Years 2 – 6 completed an online session with children’s author and illustrator James Foley. His picture books, chapter books and comic books include the multi-award winning Stellarphant, Chickensaurus, My Dead Bunny and the Toffle Towers series written by Tim Harris. The one hour hands on session was most enjoyable and informative.

National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) is held annually by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops, and many other places around the country. This year we have six of our dads helping us celebrate NSS on the 24^th May, with each reading the picture book, The Speedy Sloth.

South West Reader’s Cup Competition

Ten students from Year 5/6 have been selected to compete in the South West Reader’s Cup Competition on Monday 19^th June held at Charleville School of Distance Education. Each team reads the same set of books, and then competes with other teams to answer quiz questions from the books.

Some of our Reader’s Cup students, engrossed in their books.

Curriculum News - Mrs Vanessa Alexander

Hi families,

I hope you have had a wonderful fortnight.

Just quickly, this week I would like to remind families about the book “Stolen Focus” by Johan Hari. Our school library has several copies, and I would encourage you to come up and take a copy home. It is an easy read discussing the challenges we face in a digital world.

Along the same theme, I would also like to remind everyone Rachel Downie, hosted by the Charleville State High School, will be holding a community session at the Town Hall on Monday 15^th May at 5:30pm. The title of her talk is “Get Your Techno Power Back”. After seeing Rachel speak a couple of years back, I would recommend all parents to make the time to attend.

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Vanessa Alexander

Middle Leader: Curriculum

Year 3 News - Miss Katherine Spalding

Hello from Year Three,

As we enter week four our learning is well and truly underway.

We are grateful to Mrs Lines for taking us to the St Mary's church. We were inspired as she shared her rich knowledge of the church and communities’ history. This has set the foundation to our religion unit as we explore sacraments and significant rituals in the Catholic tradition. 

Our learning this term includes informative writing in English, exploring states and territories of Australia in HaSS, and scientifically experimenting how different materials melt! We are busy preparing our pieces of cursive handwriting to enter the show. Can’t wait to share our hard work!

Year 4 News - Miss Taylor Morrison

Welcome to Term 2 families and friends!

At the beginning of the Term, students were lucky enough to receive a visit from the Royal Flying Doctor's Simulator. Year 4 were so excited to jump inside and have a go at the different roles!

This Term, we continue working with our Year 1 Buddies on social/emotional understanding. We got to know our new buddies by reading them a story in the Library. Students worked so well together!

Last week, we presented a Prayer Assembly on Teaching. Students performed so wonderfully and shared who around them teaches like Jesus and how. We definitely had some tears in the audience!

This Term, we look forward to continuing our learning and developing our knowledge and skills in all areas of the Curriculum!

Have a lovely fortnight everyone.

Warm regards,

Miss Morrison and the Year 4 Crew.

Year 5/6 News - Ms Amy Halliday

5/6 have been working diligently on their poetry items to submit as show entries. We have some absolute beauties, and I am very impressed by the effort and enthusiasm students have demonstrated while crafting their writing. We will also be entering some self-directed drawings that students have been working on. Those items were done independently and using students’ preferred tools. Our Prayer Assembly will celebrate Our Lady of Fatima. We have been astonished as we learn of her works, their direct association with creating peace on Earth, and how connected those are to our Mercy Values.

May Birthdays

Tuckshop News - Mrs Betty Couch

TUCKSHOP URGENTLY NEEDS VOLUNTEERS  

For tuckshop to continue in the current format your help is needed one day each term on either Thursday (preparation) or Friday. 

Would I please be able to have a volunteer each week from the following classes -

WEEK  4- YEAR  3- PARENT 

WEEK  5- YEAR 4- PARENT 

WEEK  6- YEAR  5- PARENT 

WEEK 7- YEAR 6- PARENT 

WEEK  8, 9 & 10 - PARENT FROM ANY CLASS

Please contact Betty on 0447271607 to offer assistance.

Tuckshop next week will be a Meal Deal held on Thursday 18 May as Friday is the Charleville Show Holiday. Orders to be placed on Wednesday 17 May. Please note that only the meal deal will be available.

Thank you for your support,

Betty

P & F News

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