Newsletter Term 2 Week 9
Principal's Message
Dear Parents and Families,
I hope you had a lovely but also restful long weekend and enjoyed the beautiful weather on offer.
There is always so much good news to share about our school and the wonderful staff who work here. This week the spotlight is on Foundation! Our Foundation children have been at school for 6 months and it's incredible to see how far they have come in their learning.
If you haven't yet had the chance, check out this video that shows how proud they are at being able to write long stories and lots of words!
Flying Start and 2025 Enrolments
We are busy getting ready for Flying Start which commences this Thursday. We are still taking enrolments for this fantastic program with the 9.30 am sessions proving to be very popular. If you still need to do so, remember to contact the office 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.
Message Sticks
Last week St Mary's received the Northern Zone Aboriginal Message Stick, one of 5 travelling throughout our region as the Ballarat diocese celebrates 150 years. Four of these Message Sticks are being carried from school to school this term, symbolizing the interconnectedness of all our school communities, from the Murray to the sea. It was a particularly special occasion for us, as the creator of the message sticks, Vicki Clark lives locally and attended our Rite of Reception Ceremony. How special is this photo of Vicki’s granddaughter receiving the message sticks on behalf of our school?
Years 4,5 & 6 Cyber Safety Workshop
This Wednesday, we are fortunate to have Leading Senior Constable Jodie Ebinger presenting an information session for our Year 4 and also Year 5 & 6 students outlining the legalities around Internet Use and Cyber Safety. These workshops are a regular on our school calendar and this term we have asked Jodie to speak to the students in response to parental concerns about their children’s use of social media and devices outside school hours. For parents wanting to learn more about TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube to help their child stay safe online, there is a wealth of information on the eSafety Commissioners site https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents
Parent Survey- your opinion matters!
We value your opinion about what we are doing well and anything we could do better to continue to continue to improve our school. I would encourage all parents to take a few minutes to complete this short survey which asks for your feedback on a range of areas of school operation.
St Vinnies Winter Appeal
At St Mary’s we place a strong focus on Social justice and try to live out the Gospel through our actions. One example of this is our commitment to the St Vincent De Paul Winter Appeal. The Winter Vinnies Appeal provides emergency relief to people at risk and experiencing homelessness. Over the next two weeks we are asking for donations of non-perishable food which will be organised into hamper bags and distributed to those in need in our community. This appeal is being coordinated by our Student Representative Council (SRC).
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 ring the office or contact our Learning Diversity leader Chris; cprockter@smswanhill.catholic.edu.au for further clarification.
Have a terrific week and look forward to seeing many of you at assembly proudly led by Foundation Yellow,
Kate
"We have much for which to be thankful"
St Mary MacKillop 1875
Key Dates
Tuesday June 11th
School in Action Tour 9.30am
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
Wednesday June 19th
Junior Hub Official Opening
Thursday June 20th & Friday June 21st
Flying Start Session 2
Friday June 21st
Year 5/6 Division Winter Sports
Wellbeing with Mr Prockter
Curriculum with Mrs Hall
Foundation: Specialists
At St. Mary's, our Foundation children continue to delight in a wide range of specialist subjects designed to foster their interests and creativity. We offer an enriching Specialist Curriculum that includes:
- Italian: Through engaging language activities, children explore the basics of Italian, enhancing their linguistic skills and cultural awareness.
- Music: Our music program encourages young learners to express themselves through singing, playing instruments, and understanding rhythm and melody.
- Drama: Drama sessions allow children to develop their confidence, communication skills, and imagination through role-playing and performance.
- Art: In art classes, students experiment with various materials and techniques, nurturing their artistic talents and creative thinking.
- STEM: Our STEM curriculum introduces foundational concepts in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, promoting problem-solving skills and curiosity about the world around them.
- Physical Education (PE): PE activities focus on physical development, teamwork, and healthy living, ensuring that children stay active and enjoy movement.
These subjects are designed to cater to the diverse interests and talents of our foundation children, providing a well-rounded education that inspires creativity and a love for learning.
PE with Miss Clark
Foundation and Year 1 PMP
The Foundation and Year 1 students completed their second session of PMP activities last week. They included activities such as Yoga balancing poses, Basketball dribbling and shooting, hopscotch and bean bag catching. The students will have two more sessions of PMP left. Thank you to all the parent helpers and house captains for running the station activities.
Year 5 and 6 Division Winter Sport
The Year 5 and 6 students will have their last training session with the Mackillop students this week before the Division Winter Sport competition held on Friday the 21st of June. Students will compete in either Football, Netball, Soccer or T-Ball. Parents and guardians please refer to the permission note on PAM for details of the day.
@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.
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!
