Newsletter Term 1 Week 2

Principal's Message

Dear Parents and Families,

We had a very positive start to our school year last week and it was wonderful to see our classrooms and the playground full of happy children. Our Foundation children loved their first opportunity to meet and work with their Year 6 PALS on Friday, brekky club was a very social gathering place, and it was equally as exciting to get into all classrooms and see children bright and energized and ready to start another school year! 

 It was also fantastic to see many families taking the  the opportunity to bring their child to the classroom and meet their teacher and other staff who work in that room.

School Photo Day - Tomorrow Tuesday February 6th
Get those hairdos happening and make sure the shoes are polished, as it’s school photo day tomorrow, Tuesday 6th February! On school photo day, students wear the normal school uniform they would wear on Tuesdays. This means if your child has PE or Sport on Tuesday, they would wear their Sports uniform. If they don’t, they wear their regular school uniform. All information has been sent out via PAM. The students' individual and class photos will be taken on this day. If you have any concerns or queries regarding your school photo order please give the office a call.

Beginning of School Year Liturgy - Thursday, 8th Feb
All families are warmly invited to join us on Thursday the 8th Feb at
9.15 am to celebrate the 2024 Beginning School Year liturgy in the gym.

The first few weeks...
In the first few weeks of this year we focus on “Learning To Learn” at St Mary's. Time is spent on creating a safe and supportive learning environment, getting to know all students' DNA (Dreams, Needs and Abilities) and on establishing learning routines and expectations. There is also a strong emphasis on developing a culture of understanding and respect for each other in our school, supporting children to build their skills of resilience, have a growth mindset and relish taking on challenges. Across the classes we are discussing the different kinds of learning dispositions that we can develop  and how we  can live out the St Mary’s Way.

Positive greetings and taking the time to say hello and how are you is our first School Wide Positive Behaviour focus and it has been delightful to see and hear the children taking the time to practise up this very important life skill as they interact in the yard and in class.

I love this short video we put together to show our students  just what positive greetings look like and thank our staff who volunteered their children for a few cameo appearances.

Mac's Back!!- our school wellbeing Dog
Mac, our school wellbeing dog started back on the  job last week and has been busy visiting different classroom and getting used of our school grounds. Is certainly a very popular staff member and is well cared for by our team of students called the 'Mac Monitors' who care for this at break times throughout the day.

PALS
Our Foundation and Year 6 students got together last week for their first PAL session and had an absolute blast! Check out these special friendship moments

Keeping in touch – Our communication with you  
Throughout the year there will be times when you need to contact your child’s teacher(s) or one of the senior leadership team. We encourage frank and open discussions at all times and would suggest that any matter, major or minor, is best dealt with sooner rather than later. If there is something you are concerned about, unsure of or puzzled by regarding your child we would encourage you to touch base with us. While it may be convenient to try to catch a teacher before or after the school day, this may not be the most appropriate time to have an in-depth discussion about your child.  So how do you do this? Phone or email to the school, who will contact the class teacher asking them to call you.  We strongly encourage all families to join our school Facebook page www.facebook.com/stmarysswanhillvictoria as it captures many different events occurring at the school while our Instagram page #stmarysswanhill gives you lots of insights into what is happening on a day to day basis around the school. In particular, our Facebook page is a handy quick reference if you want to check  details about upcoming events as these are always promoted on this platform. Our school website www.smswanhill.catholic.edu.au provides a very comprehensive overview of the school and the snapshot tours are well worth a look. 

In terms of other communication, please ensure that you have set up your PAM account. This platform will keep you up to date with weekly reminders and the newsletter. We showcase key events in The Guardian and upcoming events regularly on the local radio station and on our Facebook and instagram pages.

Assembly celebrations 
Friday assemblies are held in the gym and are an opportunity to celebrate the week at school. Each Friday assembly is run by a different class who lead us in prayer and we like to enjoy a whole school sing along at these gatherings as well. Parents, family and friends are most welcome to assemblies, we would love to see you there and hope you can also stay on and enjoy lunch with your child in our beautiful playground.
Look out for our School captains at the Gym entrance, who will show you where to sign in and direct you to your seats. We often video the Students of the Week award winners and share this on our school Facebook page. 4I are leading our first school assembly on Friday 16th February.

Parent Carparks
We will continue with our system of students with surnames  A-L using the carpark near the office and M-Z using the parent gym carpark at the start and end of the day.

Have a great week as we all get back into the swing of school life,

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

Key Dates

Tuesday February 6th
School Photos
Wednesday February 7th
Foundation Rest Day
Thursday February 8th
Start of Year Mass 9.10am
Swimming Trials (Year 3 - Year 6) 1pm-3pm
Friday February 9th
Backflips against Bullying incursion
No Assembly
Tuesday February 13th
Shrove Tuesday
Wedneday February 14th
Foundation Rest Day
Ash Wednesday Liturgy 9.10am
Monday February 19th
Division Swimming

Wellbeing with Mr Prockter

Child Safe Standard 3: Families and communities are informed and involved.

Top Tips to Support Separation Anxiety

 ** While this email has been written about separation anxiety, the practical strategies mentioned will help you help your children when they have mild nerves through to extreme anxiety.

If you have a child who suffers from separation anxiety, you know how much of an impact it can have on the entire family. At times, you can find yourself easily getting caught up in the big emotions and you may not know how to move forward or your current strategies aren’t hitting the mark anymore. This email aims to give you insight and practical tools to help you deal with separation anxiety and bring calm to your child’s life (and yours too!)

Did you know that separation anxiety doesn’t just have to be related to the separation from a person?! Children can experience separation anxiety when leaving, or spending time away from, places, toys, pets and objects, however the most common form of separation anxiety is from a parent.

Separation anxiety is when a child is fearful of being apart from a person, place or thing, most commonly a parent or carer. Often the children feel that they can’t cope on their own without this person, place or thing.  

Putting in place a new morning routine or a specified routine before leaving the house at any time of the day, can help ease your child’s anxiety for school drop off, before school care, extra-curricular activities or even when visiting friends and family! From personal experience, providing a routine in which the child feels safe, is based on your child’s strengths, interests and needs, can make a difference in just two days.

Below is a list of actions that you can set up in your routine to help ease the pain, stress, tears and frustration for both parents and children in your home. Each activity has been chosen as it supports optimal function of the nervous system and the brain:

-    TV off and happy, upbeat music on when it’s time to get ready to reduce cortisol and increase serotonin and endorphins.

-    Visual chart of what to do to get ready to help the pre-front cortex with organisation.

-    Rewards when morning chores are completed for a dopamine hit. E.g. sticker charts, money for the canteen.

-    Clothes, food, things your child needs to take to school for the day prepared the night before to reduce stress of last-minute prepping/finding things.

-    Choosing a toy to hold/play with to help them feel safe and to encourage oxytocin.

-    Having an activity to complete when your child gets to school so they have something planned that they enjoy rather than worrying what they will do. 

-    Exercise for 5-10 minutes E.g. walking to school, jumping on the trampoline, or following along to a ‘Just Dance’ on YouTube to get the blood pumping, emotional energy moving through the body and endorphins flowing.

-    Encourage positive self-talk such as “I can do this", to remind your child’s brain that they are capable and calm the amygdala.

-    Wearing a watch to give them information on time for when you will leave home, how long until the school bell, how long until home time etc.

-    Talking through a simple step by step social script/what to expect chat around school drop off and the day ahead starting the night before, repeating again in the morning and as you pull up at school to help your child feel more comfortable.

-    A set plan for what happens every day when your child gets to school from drop off, play time and entering the classroom. There can be a lot of unknown and overwhelm from morning crowds at school drop off. Set a plan. E.g. Meeting a friend in the playground, waiting til bell time with your child, going to the office first to meet a trusted adult who walks your child to their teacher or calls their teacher to collect your child from the office.

-    Reminder of how your child will get home, the time they will see you again and what fun thing you will do after school.

-    Physical touch with hand holding, kiss and cuddle for connection and to release oxytocin.

-    Remind your child to use mindful breathing to calm themselves down if they feel anxious or worried during the day and de-activate the stress response.

I encourage you to have many discussions with your child about how anxiety is a normal human emotion that everyone feels to different degrees. Explain that our amygdala (flight or fight part of the brain) is just trying to keep us safe even when it tricks us with perceived danger. 

There is scientific evidence to show that when an emotionally heightened person is interacting with a calm person, the mirror effect in the brain kicks in and the heightened person will automatically and gradually calm to the other person’s level.

I know that as parents and teachers we are humans and have feelings and reactions too, but when a child in your care is experiencing separation anxiety, it is imperative that you do your best to stay calm…try to hold your reaction in until a later time after drop off if you can.

Your child’s anxiety may present as aggressive or seem ‘naughty’ (fight responses), or appear ignorant or disengaged (flight responses) which can trigger us, but learning to respond with love and kindness in difficult situations, even when your heart is breaking for your child or you are in a rush to leave and get somewhere on time, is the best choice to manage the situation and support your child.

Please introduce and practise the above tips when your child is calm and not in the middle of a meltdown. When they are calm and cooperative, they can understand, be more receptive and then learn to apply the tools that you are teaching them. 

Our top tip for you when managing separation anxiety, is it start with co-regulating your child’s emotional system. This means you guiding them through each step, being there with them in that moment, and encouraging them to copy along with you. Then as they progress through the routine and have the skills to calm themselves down, you can allow your child to focus on self-regulation.

Remember, you and your child aren’t alone. Always seek support in form of professionals, other parents in similar situations, and understanding family and friends. And be kind to yourself. I promise it does get better!

Have a great week everyone!

Mr Prockter :)

RE with Mrs Davies

Beginning of Year Liturgy - Thursday 8th February
This Thursday morning we will be holding our Beginning of Year Liturgy in our school gym. Fr James and the school captains will be leading a lovely liturgy celebrating God’s love and the love that we can share with one another this year together at St Mary’s. All staff and students will receive a blessing and special prayers to help strengthen and guide them through the year ahead. This will begin at 9.15am - all families are more than welcome to attend.

PE with Miss Clark

Swimming Trials- Years 3-6
Students that are interested in participating in the Swim Trials would have received a hard copy note last week. The trials will be held on Thursday, 8th February at the Swan Hill Town Swimming Pool (outdoor) beginning at 1.15pm for students 9 years and older. 

This is an OPTIONAL event and students who participate must be able to swim 50m (1 lap) non stop in order to try out. On the day, each child who wishes to participate will be given the opportunity to swim in the stroke(s) that they have nominated. All strokes will be 50m. We will record their time for each nominated stroke to determine the fastest 2 swimmers for each event in each age group to qualify for the DIVISION SWIMMING competition held later in the month. Thank you to those parents that have said yes to volunteering for this event. Any more parent helpers would be much appreciated to time students and recording results. 

Students need to ensure they pack their bathers, towel, goggles, drink bottle, hat and have a returned permission note for Thursday.

Team VIC Trials
This is for highly skilled students to try out for the Victorian State teams. This is a parent driven process of registering online, paying a fee and attending trials after school. These trials are only for students who are turning 10, 11 or 12 this year. Some of the sports included are AFL, Soccer, Netball, Basketball. To check out the full list of sports and trial dates please visit the website Team Vic Sport and Registration Key Dates 

The School Sport Victoria (SSV) Team Vic representative program provides a development platform for Victoria’s emerging student athletes to participate in the annual School Sport Australia (SSA) Championships. SSV coordinates the selection process for Team Vic teams in partnership with relevant state sporting organisations.

Please read the Team Vic Information Sheet on the sport page before registering. This document contains important information on the SSV Team Vic Program, in relation to eligibility, registration, selection, participation costs, and financial assistance.

Please also read the Team Vic Principal Endorsement process for 2024.

The registration for some sports opens on February 1st and closes early March. If you are interested please make sure you register quickly. If you do register, if there are local trials they will most likely be after school.

For further information please feel free to contact Tim Croft 0439032354 or Max Carroll 03 50321336 (Swan Hill PS)

@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

Camps, Sports & Excursions Fund (CSEF)
Applications for CSEF close on 28th June 2024

If you hold a valid means-tested concession card or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible for CSEF. The allowance is paid to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions or sporting activities for the benefit of your child. The annual CSEF amount per student is $150 for primary school students.

HOW TO APPLY:
New applicants should contact the school office to obtain a CSEF application form or download from the CSEF website www.vic.gov.au/camps-sports-and-excursions-fund

If you applied for the CSEF at your child’s school in 2023, you do not need to complete an application form in 2024 unless there has been a change in your family circumstances.

You only need to complete an application form if any of the following changes have occurred:
* New student enrolments; your child has started or changed schools in 2024 or you did not apply in 2023 
* Changed family circumstances; such as a change of custody, change of name, concession card number, or new siblings commencing at the school in 2024.
 If you are unsure please contact the school office on 50332541.

If you are eligible for CSEF you are also eligible for the Family Fee Assistance Scheme. The FFAS amount for 2024 is $860.00. This amount is credited against your school fee account once your CSEF application has been validated.

Making Bus Changes on PAM
We encourage you to make bus changes via your PAM account. This includes bus passes, not on bus, change of bus etc. Please note that students can only travel on Country Buses that they are registered for.

*Log in to your PAM account.
*From the three line menu in the top right hand corner, select “Transport Passes”.
*Ensure the date is correct, displayed above the student schedule table.
*Click on the “Edit” button of the child you wish to add/remove from a bus. 
*“Select New Route” will allow you to add your child to a bus, add your child to a different bus or select “No transport needed” if your child is not to travel on the bus on that particular day.

Scheduled Transport - this is for children who are on a regular bus schedule. It is the bus that your child would usually catch on that day.

Actual Transport - the bus that your child is catching on that particular day eg. if a change has been made.

Bus changes via PAM must be made by 2.30pm. For last minute changes, contact the office on 50332541. You can action bus changes up to 7 days in advance. If your child requires a permanent schedule change, please contact the office. Need assistance? Please contact the office 50332541.

Book Club - Issue 1 orders close Thursday February 15th
Scholastic Book Club Issue 1 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

Naming of school items
Please make sure all school items are clearly labelled, in particular jumpers and hats. This ensures they can be easily returned.

News from the Canteen

We are looking for volunteers to help in our school canteen during 2024. Volunteer hours at 11.30am - 1.30pm. If you have a Victorian WWCC and would like to assist, please contact the office on 50332541.

Orderding 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

Birthday Wishes

Introducing our School Captains...

Community News