Newsletter Term 4 Week 3
Principal's Message
Dear Parents and Families,
An early start this morning for a very excited group of Year 5 students who are heading to Log Cabin Camp in Creswick for 3 days of action-packed fun and activities. You can keep an eye on the fun on our socials.
What a fabulous day we had on Friday. All that work of being resilient and taking on board change with a positive mindset that our staff do with the students, was evident when our mini flood and the wet and windy weather necessitated a change of venue for the performance and accepting they would not be able to watch the full concert as all seating in the gym was required for our guests.
Always a highlight on the calendar, Grandparents & Friends Day drew a huge crowd. It was wonderful to see so many families, sharing their children's learning in classrooms, and we always enjoy chatting with the many grandparents and special friends who come along.
Each year the standard of the student's performances seems to surpass the previous and this year was no exception. The performances by each year level were just brilliant and I thank them for the way they committed to learning the dance whilst having lots of fun. You would never have picked everyone had to quickly practice on Friday morning to perform facing the opposite way due to the venue change!
Check out the St Mary’s School Facebook or Instagram this week to see all the highlights of the day.
Lastly, Friday was the final day for Ella O’Bree and her sister Rosa Ferrinda who have relocated to Echuca. We will miss both the girls and wish them all the very best at their new school.
Grandparents and Friends Event
A huge thank you to Miss Natasha who choreographed and co-ordinated the performances. They were next level! Thanks also to Ebony for her organisation of all things practical behind the scenes, Joe Dorigo who was in charge of the sound system and music, Trudy and the team in the canteen and to all the staff and parents who pitched in and helped out, a sincere thank you for willingly supporting this event and quickly adapting to meet the needs on the day. We had lots of positive feedback about our beautiful classrooms the learning that the children shared with their families and our wonderful school grounds and facilities. Special thanks must go to Tim, Gene and John for having our grounds looking so immaculate.
The P&F Raffle
The P&F did a mighty job with our raffle raising a total of $1880. All money raised will pay for the purchase of new lab coats for STEM. Congratulations to the raffle winners:
1st Prize: $500 Fuel Voucher donated by Arentz Electrical: Lochlan Corbitt
2nd Prize: 3 month Membership at the Swan Hill Aquatic & Recreation Centre: Braith Clark
3rd Prize: $250 Woolworths Voucher donated by BusBiz: Ruby Gerakis
Hats Off to Teachers - Friday October 25th
World Teachers Day falls on 25 October this year. The purpose of this day is to celebrate all teachers for their contribution to the education, inspiration and support they provide to our students.
It is timely on World Teachers' Day for families, students and the wider community to express appreciation for the commitment and dedication of the teaching profession in helping children learn and to say a special thank you to teachers who have really made a difference to the children they have taught. We will celebrate our amazing teachers at assembly this Friday, with a shout-out on our socials and also with a special treat
Casual Dress Friday 25th
October is Mission Month and this Friday our fundraising efforts go to supporting Catholic Mission, who support families in need across the world. Our theme for the day is ‘GO BRIGHT’ meaning that brightly coloured clothing can be worn to school. The theme for Catholic Mission this year is ‘Go and Invite Everyone to the Banquet’. This message of inclusion raises the question of what unites us all and presents a valuable opportunity for growth and unity, requiring everyone to open their hearts and minds to each other.
School Hats
Throughout Term 4, students need to be wearing their school hat when playing outside. They should not be wearing any other hats, caps or beanies - only a St. Mary’s hat. Please make sure your child’s name is clearly labelled on the hat. We look to parents for support in reinforcing our Sunsmart policy regarding hats.
I would ask that any family who believes that they will not be here at St Mary’s in 2025 to let Kate know (via email kquin@smswanhill.catholic.eud.au or a phone call) as this information affects possible class structures for next year. Thank you for your consideration.
I hope you all have a great week. Just a reminder that as the students are going to perform the Grandparents day concert for each other on Friday before lunch, there is no Assembly this week.
Kate
"Never See a Need Without Doing Something About It"
Mary MacKillop - Sisters of St Joseph Foundress
Key Dates
Monday October 21st - Wednesday October 23rd
Year 5 Camp
Friday October 25th
No Assembly
Casual Dress Day
Division Cricket
Monday October 28th - Thursday October 31st
Year 6 Camp
Friday November 1st
Assembly 12.25pm - Foundation Blue
Regional Basketball
Monday November 4th
Pupil Free Day
Tuesday November 5th
Melbourne Cup Public Holiday
Wednesday November 6th
State Athletics
Wellbeing with Mr Prockter
Standard 4: Families and communities are informed and involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing.
Why the Best Parental Control Is You
Instead of flipping a switch, be the voice in their head
If your kid's online, there have probably been times when you've wanted to track everything they've texted, see their entire social media history, or just shut off the internet entirely. Those are the times you wish for the perfect parental controls -- something that will grant you all the access and authority you want without making a bad situation worse. The truth is, while clicking a few buttons on a hardware device or downloading a monitoring service seem like no-brainers, the most effective parental control is free and knows your kid very well. That's right: It's you. Digital tools and settings can help you stay on top of your kid's online life, but can't replace staying involved, having conversations, and helping them make responsible choices. Need more convincing?
Here are the key reasons why you are the best parental control around:
Fighting tech with tech can fail
If they put their minds to it, kids can defeat almost any parental control. One of the truisms of the digital age is that your kids probably know more than you do, and it's easy for them to Google "How do I get around parental controls?" and read step-by-step instructions for dismantling your carefully chosen software or device. Of course, there are tools that do what they promise and offer you some comfort and control … at least for a while. So, if shutting down the internet via a tap is helpful for your family, pairing it with conversations likely will make it more effective. And if your kid does an end run around your parental control, let them learn to code so they can channel their skills in a positive way.
Spying isn't sustainable
Kids -- especially older kids -- may feel like parental controls invade their privacy. According to one study, the loss of trust prompted by parental controls can weaken your whole relationship. Simply shutting the internet off is one thing, but if you try to track your kid's social media accounts or read their text messages, they may just create new profiles and take their conversations to other platforms far away from your prying eyes. Instead, when you decide it's time for them to go online or have a phone, let them know upfront that you'll do spot-checks -- not to "catch them" or get in their business -- but to support them as they learn balance in the digital world. If you decide to use parental-control devices or platforms, integrate them into ongoing conversations so they can serve as a safety net as your kid is learning the ropes. The world of digital media and its influence on our kids are far too complicated for simple solutions or ultra-strict oversight.
What you say makes more of an impact
Instead of flipping a switch, be the voice in their head. Teaching and modelling a healthy approach to the online world will have a much more lasting impact. Being able to shut down the internet in your home at key times can be very helpful, but it's also a bit like always fastening your kid's seatbelt for them: Eventually, we want them to remember to buckle up on their own. To get a kid to really remember something, research shows that some information requires repetition over time. A combination of showing them a healthy approach and discussing media and tech use over time, on multiple occasions, will help kids regulate themselves and build skills to carry into adulthood. When you say things like, "Remember to think before you post," "Don't talk to strangers on the internet," and "Use strong privacy settings," they'll remember. As new technology comes and goes, we are our kids' North Star, the constant guidance in a constellation that keeps changing shape, and tech-based parental controls will never shine as brightly as our influence.
Sharing instead of shutting down sparks learning
Sometimes we let our kids use devices because we're looking for a few minutes to get something finished, and setting time limits and doing spot checks -- verbally or with digital parental controls -- is important. But the more we can watch and play with our kids, the more they'll learn from the media they're using. Research shows that just sitting with your kid while you watch heightens their awareness, which can make them more receptive to learning. It can also boost literacy skills and empathy, and -- since we know our kids best -- when moments come up in media that apply specifically to our kids' lives, we can use those instances to start a discussion, ask questions, and make connections. Also, the more we model this dialogue with media for our kids, the more they can look at it critically, ask questions themselves, and take away lessons for their own lives.
Article by Christine Elgersma
Posted 11 April, 2018
Published by Common Sense Media
Have a great week everyone🙂
Mr Prockter
Curriculum with Mrs Hall
Museum in Motion Spectacular
As part of the Year 5 History Inquiry Unit last term - "Museum in Motion Spectacular," students were assigned a creative and educational project focusing on significant events that shaped early Australia. Working in pairs, students researched a key moment in history, design, and constructed a diorama to visually represent this event. Additionally, students prepared a multimedia presentation and recorded a short narration explaining why their chosen event holds importance in Australian history. This hands-on activity allows students to explore history in a meaningful way while developing their research, design, and presentation skills. The children finished off the unit by showcasing their new learning for the whole school to see!
RE with Mrs Davies
Confirmation Enrolment Masses
It was lovely to see many Year 3 children and their families over the weekend masses as they continue their journey of Confirmation over the coming weeks. Thank you to Fr James and Mary for all of your organisation and support with the program. Over the coming weeks you will receive further emails with weekly preparation programs before our celebration over the weekend 16/17th November.
PE with Miss Clark
Regional Athletics
We had a great day at Bendigo yesterday for Regional Athletics. In the hot conditions, our students can be really proud of their efforts, especially those who were their first time competing at a Regional level event. Lots of our students jumped, threw and ran faster and further than they did at the Division level.
The following students received a medal for their events;
Aarav B 1st Long Jump
Judd O 2nd 200m and 100m
Mia H 1st Relay and 2nd 200m
Ivy P 1st Relay
Rubi K 1st Relay
Samantha P 1st Relay and 3rd Hurdles
Archie O 3rd 200m
Jai P 2nd Shot put
Harrison B 3rd Shot put
A further congratulations to any student who finished first or second in their event as they are off to the State level in Melbourne in early November...we had quite a few this year!
And very exciting news.....
TWO RECORDS WERE BROKEN
Our Year 11 girls relay team broke the record which was 1:00.49 from Echuca PS since 2017.
Mia, Rubi, Ivy and Samantha ran their relay in a time of 59.9 seconds!!
And our second record breaker was Aarav for Long Jump breaking the record of 4.10m since 2014 and jumped 4.13m!!
A big thank you to all the parents who were able to drive down to Bendigo.
St Mary’s singlets
I am missing quite a few St Mary’s blue singlet tops from students attending sports events such as Regional Athletics most recently and Football last term. If any student has a singlet top at home could they please return it asap as students will need these for some sporting events coming up which include State Athletics and Regional Basketball.
Division T20 Blast Cricket
Goodluck to students participating in the Division T20 Blast Cricket competition this week on Friday the 25th of October. St Mary’s has two boys teams and one girls team participating which is made up of the Year 5 and 6 students who chose Cricket as their Summer Sport at the start of the year. These teams will be versing other schools at the Swan Hill and Tyntynder ovals with a chance to progress to the Regional level!
@2 Murlong Before & After School Care
The Out of School Hours Care program, @ 2 Murlong, is operating out of the gym hub and provides before and after school care for school age children in the Swan Hill area. Please express your interest via the following link;
https://prodadmin.myxplor.com/enrollment/index/dHdBOThsSW9JeHUxYTEwaHNxZlMrdz0
News from the Office
Working with Children Check
A reminder to bring your Working with Children Check with you if you are coming on to the school grounds for volunteer purposes.
Country Bus Travel
Country Buses are to be used for registered travellers only. If Country Bus travel is required in an emergency, please contact the office so that the appropriate paperwork can be completed.
Book Club - Issue 7 orders close Monday October 28th
Scholastic Book Club Issue 7 has been sent home. We will not be accepting cash payments for orders. Please order online following the instructions below. This is the link for LOOP, which will allow you to make an online order and payment;
https://mybookclubs.scholastic.com.au/Parent/Login.aspx If you are not registered for LOOP, click on the link above and create a new account. You will need to enter your details, add children and select our school (typed as is here); St. Mary's SWAN HILL
If you have any questions or are having trouble with the LOOP ordering system, please contact the office via email office@smswanhill.catholic.edu.au
Book Fair Monday October 21st - Friday October 25th
The ever popular Book Fair will be back from Monday October 21st - Friday October 25th. Children will bring home a wish list with last orders due by Friday November 1st.
News from the Canteen
Volunteers Needed:
We are always on the lookout for volunteers in our school canteen. You just need your VIC WWCC. Volunteer hours at 11.30am-1.30pm. Please email office@smswanhill.catholic.edu.au if you are able assist
Ordering from the canteen:
Recess and lunch orders are placed online only via CDF Pay. The orders close at 9.30am each day, so it is recommended you place your order the night before. Our canteen is a very busy, so late orders will be offered limited options. Please contact the office if you need help with CDF Pay.
https://smswanhill.cdfpay.org.au
Canteen Roster
Just a reminder to sign in at the office when you are on canteen duty
Happy Birthday!
Highlights from Grandparents Day
