Newsletter Term 4 Week 10

Principal's Message

Dear Parents and Families,

It was lovely to have our Advent Liturgy on Friday, which was so beautifully led by our Foundation students. We are now in the season of Advent, a sure sign that the school term is flying by and Christmas is indeed just around the corner!

During the week we welcomed Mirra and Leo Tran to St Mary’s with Mirra joining 6P and Leo receiving  a warm welcome to Foundation Orange. 

Fly into Foundation Transition Program
We had the last of our future Preppies joining our Foundation classes today to try out life at school in readiness for 2024. They were very excited to participate in classroom activities and we are looking forward to them joining us and meeting their new teacher and classmates on Friday.

We also had a great turn out at the Foundation Information night with over 50 families tuning in to learn more about life at St Mary’s and we thank Beth, Rachael and the Foundation team for putting together such an informative evening.

Carols Night-Tuesday 5th December
This wonderful evening is fast approaching and we are looking forward to seeing you all at Riverside Park tomorrow evening, Tuesday 5th December.

The children, along with their teachers, Mrs Clarke and Mrs Gerakis, have been busy practising to make sure this is a special night in the lead up to Christmas. The night will begin with our choir singing, then the Year 2  children, Year 1 and then and will follow with each year level in order. The whole school song will conclude the night! We look forward to seeing you all at this special School Christmas event! The evening begins at 6.00pm with the first performance beginning at 6:30 pm sharp. Finishing time is approximately 7:20 pm

2024 Planning Day - Thursday December, 7th
Just a reminder to all families that Thursday, 7th of December is our final school closure day. This time is used by staff to work with their new team and begin preparation of curriculum to be taught in the 2024 year.

St Mary’s Orientation Day 2023 & Year 7 Transition Day
This Friday, December 8th we will hold our Orientation Day when our new Foundation children come to our school and all our existing students move up into their new classroom, meet their new teacher and begin to form relationships with their 2024 classmates. This day runs until 12.30 pm and provides a great opportunity for your child to familiarise themselves with their new classmates and teachers. At 12:30pm, our preschoolers go home and at 12.45 pm all other children return to their 2023 classrooms for the remainder of the day. Year 6 students transitioning into Year 7 are also spending time at their respective new schools in the latter part of the week. Please refer to correspondence sent out by both Secondary Schools for all details.

Your child will bring a copy of their 2024 class list home with them on Wednesday afternoon along with details about how to book in for our 2024 Meet the Teacher Chats.

Staffing Update  2024
Please find below the specialist staff  for 2024;

In other staffing news we farewell Leighton Dullard who is off to Melbourne, Jesssi Gleeson who is relocating to Barham, Aleisha Pye and Bridgette King. We also farewell Brenda Ford who is taking extended leave before retiring mid 2024. We are going to miss these wonderful staff members, but wish them the very best in their new endeavours.

St Mary’s Got Talent!
The ever popular St Mary’s Got Talent is back with students and staff alike set to enjoy the singing and dancing routines being performed by many of our students throughout the week.  Set up many years ago, it has become an integral part of December lunchtimes at St Mary’s. With the last of auditions completed today, we have three days of fabulous acts lined up over the coming days so are certainly in for a  treat!

Year 6 Graduation - Monday, December 11th
Next Monday evening, we are farewelling our Year 6 students at school with a family gathering and awards ceremony. The Year 6 Graduation Night commences with a BYO Picnic Tea at 6pm, followed by formal presentations at 7pm. Our Year 6 students have been a terrific group within the school and have been recognised by all the other students as responsible leaders. We wish them all the best as they head to secondary school. A special thanks to our Year 6 team for their work in organising this event.

St Mary’s End of Year Mass 
On Wednesday, 13th December at 11.00am we will celebrate our school year with a Mass at 
St Mary’s Church. This Mass is our way to formally reflect upon and celebrate all we have achieved this year and to say farewell to our Year 6 students and any departing staff. We hope all families can attend this Mass as it is such a special occasion for our school community. 

2024 Start of Year Meet the Teacher Chats
Before the end of the school year, you are asked to book a timeslot for our annual 'Meet the Teacher Chats' which are conducted at the start of the school year. You will receive instructions and a code on how to log in to select your preferred time on Monday, 29th January or Wednesday, 31st January. Please look out for the flyer detailing how to book a time.

I hope you have a great week and are enjoying the lead up to Christmas with your family,

Kate
"We have much for which to be thankful"
St Mary MacKillop 1875

Key Dates

Tuesday December 5th
Christmas Carols Evening - 6pm
Thursday December 7th
Pupil Free Day
Friday December 8th
Orientation Day
Monday December 11th
Year 6 Graduation - 7pm
Wednesday December 13th
End of Year Mass - 11am
Thursday December 14th
Break up day activities
Friday December 15th
Final Day for students
Tuesday January 30th 2024
First day for all students

Wellbeing with Mr Prockter

Child Safe Standard 3: Child and student empowerment– Children and young people are empowered about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously.

Poor mental health in children and young people cannot be ignored
Economies stand to lose an estimated NZD$560 billion a year due to mental disorders among young people according to new analysis.

UNICEF Aotearoa New Zealand highlights the urgent need to support mental health and wellbeing in children and youth following the release of UNICEF's flagship report The State of the World's Children 2021; On My Mind: promoting, protecting and caring for children's mental health.

UNICEF's most comprehensive look at the mental health of children, adolescents and caregivers in the 21st century - even before COVID-19, children and young people carried the burden of mental health conditions without significant investment in addressing them.

According to the latest available estimates, more than 1 in 7 adolescents aged 10-19 is estimated to live with a diagnosed mental disorder globally. Almost 46,000 adolescents die from suicide each year, among the top five causes of death for their age group. Meanwhile, wide gaps persist between mental health needs and mental health funding. The report finds that about 2 per cent of government health budgets are allocated to mental health spending globally.

Michelle Sharp, UNICEF Aotearoa New Zealand CEO, says there are high numbers of young people with mental health issues in Aotearoa and the cost to society is significant.

"In Aotearoa, mental distress among youth has increased significantly over the last decade and around 21% of adolescent boys and girls aged 10-19 live with a mental disorder. Support for their well-being must continue to be prioritised and it will require a whole of society approach to ensure all children and whānau get the support they need."

The report recognises the importance of digital technology to support mental health and psychosocial support and credits SPARX, a computer game developed in New Zealand and funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Health, with finding an innovative solution to help young people with depression, anxiety or stress.

Professor Sally Merry, who led the team who created SPARX, says the technology sector is playing a valuable role in supporting mental health.

"We are living through exceptionally difficult times and our children and young people are having to deal with challenges we would prefer that they didn't have to face. At times like these it is important to provide tools that can help develop resilience," says Merry.

"Technology has its downsides, but it also provides a medium through which we can disseminate effective strategies known to support mental health, across countries, direct to the users, 24/7. SPARX teaches cognitive behavioural therapy skills and we have shown in rigorous research that it is effective. With government support, we have been able to deliver this to young people in all areas in New Zealand since April 2014."

Diagnosed mental disorders, including ADHD, anxiety, autism, bipolar disorder, conduct disorder, depression, eating disorders, intellectual disability, and schizophrenia, can significantly harm children and young people's health, education, life outcomes, and earning capacity.

While the impact of COVID-19 on children's lives is incalculable, a new analysis by the London School of Economics in the report indicates that lost contribution to economies due to mental disorders that lead to disability or death among young people is estimated at NZD $560 billion a year.

The report notes that a mix of genetics, experience and environmental factors from the earliest days, including parenting, schooling, quality of relationships, exposure to violence or abuse, discrimination, poverty, humanitarian crises, and health emergencies such as COVID-19, all shape and effect children's mental health throughout their lifetime.

While protective factors, such as loving caregivers, safe school environments, and positive peer relationships can help reduce the risk of mental disorders, the report warns that significant barriers, including stigma and lack of funding, are preventing too many children from experiencing positive mental health or accessing the support they need.

New Zealand is highlighted in the report as suicide and depression have been linked to experiences of racial discrimination among Māori young people and indigenous groups around the world also face discrimination-based risks to mental health.

Sharp says that New Zealand has commitments to both UNDRIP, UNCROC and Te Tiriti o Waitangi and we need to ensure all children have a nurturing and enabling environment for them to thrive.

"Mental health is unequivocally a human right. We must protect vulnerable children and their whānau and care for those facing the greatest challenges. While the statistics are sobering reading, we commend The New Zealand Government for their increased financial commitment to support mental health, and the dedication of schools, caregivers, community groups and those who are continuing to speak out and demand action to improve outcomes for our rangatahi."

Have a great week everyone! 🙂
Mr Prockter

Curriculum with Mrs Hall

BIG Summer Read! 
It's that time of year again when Swan Hill Regional Library joins in Public Libraries Victoria's BIG Summer Read! The BIG Summer Read commences on December 1 this year and finishes on January 31 , 2024, students can register at Swan Hill library or on 'Libby' our Outreach Vehicle from December 1 (to be eligible for the library's major prize draw) and/or online through the Beanstack app at any time (for the chance to win a state-wide prize provided by PLV). Students can  read their way through the summer holidays for a chance to win some awesome prizes! See attached flier for more details or click on the following link https://www.plv.org.au/projects/big-summer-read/  for further information. 

RE with Mrs Davies

Advent Liturgy
Last Friday was a lovely celebration of the beginning of Advent with the Foundation children and Fr James leading our whole school Liturgy in the gym. It was lovely to see lots of parents and friends joining us for this special occasion. 

What is Advent?
Advent, which begins the Church’s liturgical year, began on Sunday, December 3. Advent encompasses the four Sundays and weekdays leading up to the celebration of Christmas.

The Advent season is a time of preparation for our hearts and minds for the anniversary of the Lord’s birth on Christmas.

The first candle, which is purple, symbolizes hope. It is sometimes called the “Prophecy Candle” in remembrance of the prophets, especially Isaiah, who foretold the birth of Christ. It represents the expectation felt in anticipation of the coming Messiah.

The second candle, also purple, represents faith. It is called the “Bethlehem Candle” as a reminder of Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem.

The third candle is pink and symbolizes joy. It is called the “Shepard’s Candle,” and is pink because rose is a liturgical color for joy. The third Sunday of Advent is Gaudete Sunday and is meant to remind us of the joy that the world experienced at the birth of Jesus, as well as the joy that the faithful have reached the midpoint of Advent.

On the fourth week of Advent, we light the final purple candle to mark the final week of prayer and penance as we wait for the birth of our Savior. This final candle, the “Angel’s Candle,” symbolizes peace. It reminds us of the message of the angels: “Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men.”

Though the Mercy Home Advent wreath does not include a white candle, this is a tradition that has become popular in modern day adaptations.

The white candle is placed in the middle of the wreath and lit on Christmas Eve. This candle is called the “Christ Candle” and represents the life of Christ. The color white is for purity—because Christ is our sinless, pure Savior.

PE with Miss Clark

Specialist classes will finish this Wednesday the 6th of December. I wish everyone a safe, happy and active holiday. Farewell to our Year 6 students and good luck at your new schools next year! 

St Mary’s tops
Just a final reminder for any students that have borrowed a St Mary’s top for a sporting event to please return it to the front office or PE office if you still have it.

@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

Breakfast Club Donations
We are kindly asking for donations of Vegemite for our Breakfast Club Program. Donations can be left at the office.

Rapid Antigen Tests
We have excess supply of Rapid Antigen Tests available for families. You can collect test kits from the office between 8.30am and 4pm. 

Donations to our second hand cupboard
We are currently accepting donations of the following second hand uniform items; polo shirts, grey shorts and sports shorts.

News from the Canteen

How to order:
Ordering from our canteen for recess or lunch is online via CDF Pay
https://smswanhill.cdfpay.org.au/
Orders are to be placed by 9.30am. We recommend ordering the night before.

If you are able to help in the canteen during Term 4, please contact the office on 50332541 or email office@smswanhill.catholic.edu.au

Birthday Wishes

Week 9 Highlights

Community News