Newsletter Term 3 Week 8
Principal's Message
Dear Parents and Families,
The weather was perfect and the students were definitely very excited to participate in this very popular school event! We had a fantastic day at the Senior Athletics Sports and thank Miss Clark, the staff and parent helpers for making this such a successful day. Next Tuesday September 6th, we will do it all over again, with our Junior Athletics Day happening here at school.
In other exciting staff news, Mr Jacob Cleeland and his wife Mel welcomed Hudson Nash into their family on Tuesday while Mrs Stacey Hanns and Tim are now the proud parents of Ed who was born on Thursday.
Student Led Conferences and 3 Way Chats
This Wednesday 31/8 has been set aside for staff to complete our second round of Parent/Teacher Interviews. It has been terrific to see so many parents booking in via PAM and if you have not yet done so, it is not too late to book in this week. This is a great opportunity for all parents to book a time to spend with your child’s teacher. Our Year 5 & 6 students will participate in Student Led Conferences while our Year 1-4 students will run 3 Way Chats with both parents and their children required to attend. Foundation children will have Parent/Teacher interviews where the children are not required to attend. Please ring the office if you have any issues with your PAM booking.
Junior Hub Update
It's exciting to think we have a builder appointed and will be starting work on the new junior hub soon. The successful tenderer was Nathan Condely, a local builder, whose most recent project has been the new soccer league hub at Ken Harrison Reserve. We have started to relocate some of our staff and programs, with the ‘big move’ taking place on our school closure day on September 7th. While we are building, our Year 5 classes will be rehoused in Room X and the Art, Music, Italian rooms, while our specialist staff will move to smaller spaces around the school.
The junior hub will provide 8 contemporary classrooms which offer flexible working areas and which all open into a large internal learning street. Complete with offices and wellbeing spaces, the junior hub will enhance our current school facilities and allow us to start to reduce the number of portables used as classrooms. at the school. All going well, we expect to move into the new hub at the start of Term 2, 2023.
First Aid in Schools
First Aid in Schools Program is a free program delivered by St John Ambulance Professional Trainers, teaching primary school students on the importance of First Aid and what to do in an event of an emergency. The team are working with us Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this week delivering this very valuable program to all year levels. It has been great to see so many levels making connections to this incursion in their Health inquiry units.
Father’s and Special Friends Celebration
This Friday 2nd September, we are holding a special event to celebrate all of the Dads and special male figures in the lives of our students. Come along between 10.15-11.30 to see your child in action in the classroom and hear all about what they are learning before spending some time with them on the yard at recess.
I hope the week ahead is a good one for you and your loved ones and that our Dads and caregivers have a lovely day on Sunday,
Kate
Key Dates
Monday August 29th - Wednesday August 31st
First Aid in Schools Program
Wednesday August 31st
Parent/Teacher Conversations
Friday September 2nd
Fathers & Special Friends Event 10.15am-11.30am
Assembly 5 Orange 12.25pm
Tuesday September 6th
Junior Athletics (Foundation-Year 2)
Courage & Crowns Workshop 2 - Year 5/6 Girls
Wednesday September 7th
Pupil Free Day
Friday September 9th
Assembly Foundation F - 12.25PM
Monday September 12th
Division Athletics
Tuesday September 13th
Foundation Camp - More information to come
Friday September 16th
Assembly 6W 12.25PM
End of Term 3 - early finish
Wellbeing with Mrs Gook
Courage and Crowns–Part 2
Our first evening workshop facilitated by Meagan Simpson was very well received by families and we look forward to another Mother/Daughter evening on Tuesday September 7th. Look out for the flyer which is coming home this week.
Megan will also be doing a session with the Year 5 and 6 girls in the afternoon of Tuesday the 7th September.
Curriculum with Mrs Hall
2022: Young Writers Competition: Smile
This year again as a school, we are proud to be participating in the Young Writers Award, which is kindly organised by our local library. The competition is devised to inspire students to write a narrative piece of no more than 500 words. This year’s theme is ‘Smile’. The competition consists of 7 categories; Grade Prep, Grade 1/2, Grade 3/4, Grade 5/6, Year 7/8, Year 9/10 and Multi-class.
The following students have made the shortlisted entries on behalf of St. Mary’s and have had their entry submitted to the library. We wish them all the best.
Foundation: Fletcher Cleeland, Raya McKenzie, Billie Gleeson, Audrey Miller
Year 1: Lola Violi, Darcy McLaughlin, Rosie Anderson
Year 2: Kaleila Ocampo, Willow Cadd
Year 3: Farhan Hussain, Ellie Woodburn, Scarlett Free
Year 4: Ella O’Bree, Kathleen Kennedy, Willow Vearing, Belle Lovell
Year 5: Georgia Martin, Eliza Lawry, Ella Carrison, Oliver Spinks
Year 6: Jobe Crow, Esperana Rodriguez, Indi Hall, Anmol Kaur, Ella Whately, Lil Hucker
PE with Miss Clark
Senior Athletics
The Senior Athletics Carnival took place last Friday at Ken Harrison Reserve for Years 3-6. The weather on the day was perfect, which allowed all involved to enjoy such a major event of the sporting calendar. It was great to see all the children trying their best at all of the events, encouraging others and really enjoying the day. Many thanks must go to all of the teachers and parent helpers who made the day run so smoothly. The results of the winning house and age champions will be revealed this week!
The Division Athletics is being held on Monday the 12th of September again at Ken Harrison Reserve. Students will be notified if they have qualified for this event this week.
Junior Athletics
Preparations continue to be made for our Junior Athletics (Foundation - Year 2 students) event being held on Tuesday the 6th of September at our St Mary’s school oval. A note on PAM will be sent home this week to ask for parent volunteers to help out at events. The timetable for the events is below;
Cricket SEDA College visit
St Mary’s has landed a unique opportunity to work with SEDA College in partnership with Cricket Victoria. Our Year 5 students will be participating in a free Cricket clinic this Tuesday 30th of August with a group of 3 uni students along with a supervisor with the aim of engaging regional schools to increase participation in Cricket.
Gymnastics Active After School Program
A reminder that this week is the last session for the Gymnastics after school program on Thursday the 1st of September.
RE with Mrs Davies
A Prayer of Gratitude for Creation
God of the universe,
we thank you for your many good gifts - for the beauty of creation and its rich and varied fruits, for clean water and fresh air, for food and shelter, animals and plants.
Forgive us for the times we have taken the earth's resources for granted and wasted what you have given us. Transform our hearts and minds so that we would learn to care and share,
to touch the earth with gentleness and with love, respecting all living things.
We pray for all those who suffer as a result of our waste, greed and indifference, and we pray that the day would come when everyone has enough food and clean water. Help us to respect the rights of all people and all species and help us to willingly share your gifts today and always.
Amen.
Fiona Murdoch, Eco-Congregation Ireland
Sustainability with Mrs Ward
Some amazing work from the students in 4N, who created posters about everything they know about how to live a sustainable life.
@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
Rapid Antigen Test Collection - Weeks 5-8
You can collect your test kits from the office window for Weeks 5-8 (2 boxes per student) between 8.30am and 4pm. Please notify the office via email if someone else will be collecting them on your behalf.
Book Club - Issue 6
Scholastic Book Club Issue 6 has been sent home. We will not be accepting cash payments for orders. Please order online following the instructions below.
Issue 6 orders are due by Wednesday August 31st
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
Signing in at the Office
Just a reminder to bring your Working with Children's Check with you when you visit our school and remember to sign in and out at the office.
Breakfast Club
Breakfast Club is kindly asking for donations of vegemite and jam. Donations can be dropped at the office.
News from the Canteen
Meal Deals are available Monday - Wednesday!!!
Our cut off time for CDF Pay orders is 9.30am
We are in the process of putting together our canteen roster for Term 4. Please email the office if you are able to assist.
office@smswanhill.catholic.edu.au
CANTEEN ROSTER:
