Newsletter Term 2 Week 8
Principal's Message
Dear Parents and Families,
Our casual dress day on Friday was a great hit with the students enjoying the chance to walk laps for MS and sample some red jelly at recess! Thanks to the SRC for organising this event which raised over $600 for the MS appeal. Many of our Year Four students received the Sacrament of Eucharist over the weekend at our parish Masses as the next step in their faith journey. They also enjoyed the party afterward!
Reports
Our teachers are currently working hard at writing Semester 1 student reports. This is a great time of the year as we celebrate our student growth and learning and we look forward to sharing this with families when reports are mailed out during the last week of June.
Flying Start and 2025 Enrolments
The forms are starting to come in and places are filling fast, especially in the 9.30am sessions, so don’t forget to contact the school to confirm a place for your preschooler. Our parent community is one of our best forms of advertising so please let your friends and family know about the great teaching and learning programs and wonderful pastoral support that exists at St Mary's when they are considering 2025 school options for their children.
Places are filling steadily, especially in the 9.30am session, so contact the school to confirm a place for your preschooler. Flying Start starts on Thursday or Friday mornings from (1) 9:00 to 10:30 and (2) 11:30 – 1:00 for all interested families. Ring the office for more information. Starting Thursday, June 13th. Registered families will receive a letter with further details later this week.
Fundraising to date
Thanks to a donation of $2000 from the St Pats Race committee, school raffle ticket sales from both this day and the easter raffle and profits from The Colour Run, the P & F have raised almost $11,000 in total this year. This money along with previous fundraising efforts will go towards the installation of our new Ninja Playground. We are finalizing quotes for this at the moment and will share details of what the course will look like in upcoming newsletters.
NCCD - National Consistent Collection of Data
Today you will find attached information for all parents about the funding for children who require extra support to achieve learning outcomes at school. This is a National Government initiative and affects all schools in Australia. Please take the time to read the information provided and feel free to make contat with school through the office or contact our Learning Diversity leader Chris, cprockter@smswanhill.catholic.edu.au for further clarification.
School Facebook Page and Instagram
Would you like to keep up to date with school events and see photos of our staff and students in action? YES! Then make sure you like our St. Mary’s Facebook page or follow us on Instagram by using the links below.
St Mary's Primary School Swan Hill
https://www.instagram.com/stmarysswanhill/?hl=en
Winter Uniform
All students should now be in winter uniform. Students do have the option of wearing shorts instead of winter pants on regular school days and shorts instead of track pants on PE days. Please make sure your child is in the correct uniform each day and only wearing PE uniform on the days they have PE and level sports.
Long Weekend & Pupil Free Day
Please note that there is no school next Monday, June 10th due to the King’s Birthday Holiday. The school newsletter will be published on Tuesday.
Enjoy the week ahead and that extra long weekend!
Kate
"We have much for which to be thankful"
St Mary MacKillop 1875
Key Dates
Friday June 7th
Assembly Foundation Orange - 12.25pm
Monday June 10th
King's Birthday Public Holiday
Thursday June 13th
Year 5 Level Liturgy - 11.30am
Year 6 Level Litrugy - 10.15am
Thursday June 13th & Friday June 14th
Flying Start Session 1
Friday June 14th
Assembly Foundation Yellow - 12.25pm
Wellbeing with Mr Prockter
RE with Mrs Davies
Year 4 - First Eucharist Celebrations
Over the weekend many of our Year 4 students celebrated their First Eucharist at our Parish Masses. It was a lovely celebration with many family and friends coming along to show their support.
PE with Miss Clark
Regional Cross Country
This year was the best conditions I have ever seen down at St Arnaud for the Regional Cross Country on Tuesday the 28th of June. We were very lucky with sunshine, hardly any wind and a temperature around 20 degrees. It was great conditions to run and also to spectate! The 15 St Mary’s students competing all did an amazing job at representing our school and can be super proud of their efforts. We have one student who has qualified for the next level. Congratulations to Mia H for coming third in the 12/13 girls race and is off to compete in Melbourne in July! Thank you to all the parents and friends for making the trip down to St Arnaud Regional to support our students.
PMP
The Foundation at Year One students have completed their first week of the PMP program. Thank you to the parent helpers and House Captains who have helped run a station activity so far. This week the students participated in bowling, jumping over ropes, tunnel ball and balancing on a low beam. Every week there will be four new station activities for the students to practice their motor skills. The students also continue to develop skills such as taking turns, listening to instructions, resilience and decision making.
School Sport Victoria Girls Football team
A huge congratulations to Mia H who has made it to the top 50 girls to be selected as part of the School Sport Victorian girls AFL team! We wish Mia all the best for the next part of the selection process.
@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.
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.
School Beanies
With the weather cooling down, now is a great time to purchase a school beanie. Available of CDF Pay for $15.
Student Broadband Initiative
The Australian Government provides a School Student Broadband Initiative through the NBN. This free initiative has been extended until December 2025. If you have already registered your access will automatically be rolled over. If you haven’t registered, check your eligibility via the QR code, or call the number provided.
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.
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
Just a reminder to sign in at the office when you are on canteen duty
Student of the Week
Happy Birthday!
