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Newsletter, W6, T3, 2024

Principal's Report

Dear Parents & Carers,

Welcome to the newsletter, I hope you enjoy reading about all the wonderful things that have been going on in our school since the last report.

As usual, we have been very busy here at St Mary’s, doing our very best to ensure we provide our students with a wide variety of quality educational experiences.

Thanks to Maryanne Leslie, Lydia Kamau, Kirsten Neyland, Ash Roper and Sereima Waqalevu for putting together a wonderful Science Week. A very special mention to our Year 7 & 8 students for the incredible work they did preparing and presenting the Science Fair. I’m sure those who were able to come along to see the Science Fair would agree that the quality of the work displayed and the level of engagement shown by both the presenters and their audiences was exceptional and something to be very proud of. It was great to have students from the Robinvale College join us for the very informative and entertaining Fizzics Science Show on Thursday to round off the week.

Thanks also to Jess Baldock and the students who played a part in our Feast of the Assumption Masses. Thank you to all the students and staff who made the celebration special. As a Catholic school it’s important that we participate in Masses and recognise significant events on our liturgical calendar to maintain our Catholic identity, further develop our relationship with the parish and connect to our faith.

Well done and thank you to Carly Sidorow, Ash Roper, Ebony Dickie and Ferne O’Loughlin for organising our Book Week celebrations. It was terrific to see so many book characters come to life at our annual Book Week Parade. Thank you to the parents who put so much time and effort into the costumes at home and to those who came along to the parade to support our students. It was lovely to see our students enjoying themselves while, importantly, putting a focus on reading. Thanks to Mr Lowry for MCing the event.

This week our Year 5/6 students and staff (Leanne Chirchiglia, Will Lowry, Jess Baldock & Nicole Zappia) are away on camp at Campaspe Downs near Kyneton. While on camp the students will have the opportunity to participate in many exciting adventure style activities while enjoying the company of their peers. School camps are vital in assisting students to develop independence and personal skills that will support them throughout their education and into adulthood. Well done to everyone who participated. We wish our campers a happy and safe week and look forward to hearing about their adventures when they return.

A friendly reminder that this Friday, 23rd August, is Student Free Day. No students are required at school on this day, enabling staff to gather together to participate in professional learning. This Friday we will focus on reviewing our school’s Vision & Mission which forms the values and foundation that guides our school.

Please be aware that 2025 enrolements are now open. If you have, or know someone who has, a student that they wish to bring to St Mary’s next year please come into the office to collect an enrolment pack. Transition for next year’s Prep students will start in Term 4. It’s particularly important that students starting school in 2025 enrol early so they don’t miss out on this first step. Prospective families, from Prep or any other year level, are most welcome to book a time to come and learn more about St Mary’s, speak to me or have a tour of the school. This can easily be arranged by calling the office.

Also, if you are aware that your child/children will not be returning to St Mary’s in 2025, please call the office or send us a message to let us know, if you haven’t already done so. It’s important that parents make this contact as we need to ensure we have accurate information to assist in transferring the student to their new school and keep our school records up to date.

Next week is a huge week with Athletics Day scheduled for Tuesday 27th August and Fathers Day/Footy Colours Day happening on Friday 30th. We are looking forward to seeing many of you at school for these fun annual events.

Recently we had a special visitor here at our school making a promotional video showcasing our wonderful school along with our amazing staff and students. Keep an eye out on our Facebook page for its premier in the coming weeks. There are more than a few future stars featured!

Kind regards,

Andrea Welsh

Wellbeing

The SWPBS focus for next week is to listen to others.

Primary News

Foundation

Last week we had a busy week filled with lots of Science Week experiences! We enjoyed the Year 7 and 8 students' presentations and admired their creativity whilst dressing up in our own lab coats. In class, Foundation students explored technology's role on various farms and showcased their creativity by drawing their ideal farm and imagining the technology or robots they would use. We then ended the week watching an engaging science show which showcased fascinating experiments with gases and small explosions.

In their reading lessons, students have been introduced to new sounds such as z, zz, and ch, while also reviewing sounds like sh, qu, and ee. Our math lessons have continued to focus on reviewing 3D shapes and subtraction, and we’re excited to dive into new concepts.

This week we were very excited to dress up as a book character and present our costumes to the school with a fun song. Well done Foundation on everyone dressing up. Whether it was a costume from home, school or handmade we were very impressed!

The Foundation students are eagerly anticipating their upcoming excursion and Prep Tea, which is sure to be a memorable experience for all.

Year 1/2

Welcome to Week 6! We are well into Term 3, and we are incredibly proud of how much the students have achieved so far.

Class Presentation Success

Firstly, we want to extend a big congratulations to all the students in 1/2 AD for their fantastic efforts in their recent class presentation. The hard work they put into preparing and delivering their speaking parts was evident, and we are so proud of each and every one of them. They did an amazing job, and I hope you enjoyed the presentation as much as we did!

Informative Writing

This term, we've been focusing on informative writing. The students have been learning how to research, organise, and present information on various topics. It's been wonderful to see them develop their skills in this area, and the progress they've made is impressive. Be sure to ask your child about the informative pieces they've been working on in class.

Reading at Home

Thank you for your continued support with reading at home. As always, it is so important for the students to be reading regularly. We kindly ask that you continue to support your child by encouraging them to read at least four times a week at home. This practice greatly enhances their reading fluency and comprehension skills. Also, remember to sign reading journals!

Upcoming Sleepover

Lastly, a reminder that we are all looking forward to our upcoming school sleepover in Term 4. It’s going to be a fun and exciting experience for the children. Please refer to the recent letter for more detailed information.

Thank you for your ongoing support. Let's keep up the great work as we head into the second half of the term!

Year 3/4

We would like to warmly welcome Jill Appleton to the Year 3/4 team. Jill comes to us with a wealth of knowledge and experience. Welcome Miss A!

It is hard to believe we are halfway through the term! Students have been busy learning about the rhyme and rhythm of poetry in reading and writing.

Here is an example of poem with some rhyming words:

A frog with eyes so wide and bright,

Catches flies with sheer delight.

Its spots and dots all round and fat,

Lands with a splat on the mat.

We have learnt some interesting facts about the Olympics and the events that have occurred in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Students enjoyed our Book Week celebrations this week where students had the opportunity to dress up as their favourite book character.

Next week we will be having our Athletics Day. We are looking forward to a fun day where students will have the opportunity to represent their house colour with pride.

Performing Arts

During Term 3 all Primary classes have been learning about music. We have learnt about body percussion, beat, rhythm, and how to identify percussion instruments. This week students have had a go at composing their own simple rhythms using the percussion instruments.

Secondary News

Year 7/8

What a hectic few weeks it has been, but what fantastic educational experiences our Year 7 & 8 students have had! Last week, our students truly shone during the Science Fair Project and the Fizzics Science Show. The hard work, creativity, and dedication that went into each project was clearly evident, and we couldn’t be prouder of our students. A special thank you to the Robinvale Mens Shed who helped and supported our students with some of their projects and to all the parents who came along to support their children’s exhibitions—it was wonderful to see such strong community involvement.

This week, we are thrilled to welcome Mr. Meban to our secondary team of staff. Mr Meban is a very talented teacher and we are so pleased he has joined us. Tuesday marked the beginning of an exciting new partnership with La Trobe University as our Year 7 & 8 students embarked on their STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Maths) journey. The focus of this class is on Renewable Energy for the Future, a topic that is not only relevant but also essential for our students as they learn about sustainable practices and innovative technologies. Mr Meban will also be introducing our students to the languages of Spanish, German, and French. This is a wonderful opportunity for our Year 7 & 8 students to explore new cultures and languages, broadening their horizons and enhancing their global understanding.

Our Year 7 & 8 students will be participating in the ESSI Money Challenge over the next two weeks, with the challenge closing on Friday, 30th August 2024. This interactive game is a fantastic opportunity for students to learn valuable financial literacy skills in a fun and engaging way. We encourage you to have a conversation with your child about what they’re learning and the decisions they’re making in the game. It’s a great way to reinforce these important life skills at home!

We look forward to the continued growth and learning opportunities that this term has to offer. Thank you for your ongoing support!