Week 7, Term 3 2023 - 22nd August 2023
Principal's Reflection
Engagement Matters!
Did you know that your involvement in your child's education can make a huge difference? Research consistently highlights the positive impact of parental engagement on academic success and overall well-being. Here are practical ways to be an active part of your child's learning journey.
1. Stay Connected
Keep the lines of communication open with teachers. Attend meetings, conferences and have regular check-ins. Your insights help us meet your child's needs.
2. Nurture Learning at Home:
Create a study-friendly space, establish routines, and read together daily. A positive home environment boosts your child's educational experience.
3. Attend School Events
Participate in fairs, sports events and cultural celebrations. Connecting with the school community shows your child that you value their education. Our annual Art Show (Tue 29th Aug from 5:30pm) is always a wonderful evening. Be sure to come along!
4. Homework Support:
Monitor your child’s homework, encourage critical thinking and encourage good time management. Your involvement fosters responsibility and growth.
Lead by Doing:
Your own enthusiasm for learning sets an example. Engage in educational activities, hobbies and discussions to inspire your child.
Research Proves It.
Studies reveal that engaged parents lead to higher grades, better attendance and improved behaviour. Your involvement boosts your child's confidence and sense of belonging in school.
The staff at St Mary’s appreciate your partnership in nurturing your child's growth. Your active role enriches their learning journey and builds a strong school community. Thank you for being a vital part of your child's education.
All the very best
Wes Rose
Principal
From our Principal - Mr Wes Rose
NAIDOC Celebrations - Friday 18th August
Last Friday we (belatedly) celebrated NAIDOC week. On assembly the students were entertained by the 4MK Torres Strait Dancers, who always put on a great cultural performance. Following this, students enjoyed several rotation activities during the morning and middle sessions, including Aboriginal arts and craft, spear throwing and Indigenous games. At lunch time, students will have the option to taste some authentic Australian foods (kangaroo, emu and crocodile sausages!) I thank Mrs Karlie Tatchell, Mrs Ahwong and Jamall and the team from Deadly Choices for coordinating the activities on the day.
Book Week Dress-Up Parade
A huge round of applause to our fantastic students and staff for turning our Book Week Dress-Up Parade into a true spectacle! Today, our school transformed into a realm of imagination and wonder, as students and staff donned an array of captivating costumes inspired by beloved books.
Heartfelt gratitude to everyone who participated and embraced the spirit of the day. Your creativity and enthusiasm breathed life into characters old and new, fostering a vibrant atmosphere of shared excitement and literary appreciation. We extend our thanks to parents and guardians for their support in making this event a success. Your involvement is key to nurturing a love for reading and storytelling in our students.
A special mention to the Prep/Year 1 teachers and aides, who together with Mr Rose, Ms Lenz and Mrs Wood, performed a pantomime of ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ for the early years students.
Year 6 Camp
This Wed-Fri, our Year 6 students will travel to the Capricorn Coast for their camp, enjoying Great Keppel Island, The Capricorn Caves, Cooberrie Park wildlife centre and the dreamtime cultural centre. Mrs van Lint, Mrs Battaia, Mr Townsend, Mr Rose, Mrs McGovern and Mr McNamara will be in attendance.
Art Show Volunteers
Thank you to the many parents who have volunteered for our Art Show next Tuesday 29th August. We only require a few more parents to assist on the bar in 30 min shifts, from 6:00pm-6:30pm and 6:30pm-7:00pm. If you are able to assist during these times, please complete this link. Parents who have volunteered will receive an email to advise further details. See you all there!
Quote of the Week
"A smart person knows what to say. A wise person knows whether or not to say it."
- Dalai Lama
Youth Mass & Children's Liturgy
PLEASE JOIN US!
St Mary's School will join with St Patrick's College to celebrate our Youth Mass this Saturday 27th August, St Mary's Church at 5pm. Children's Liturgy will also be held.
Mass will be followed by a pizza outside the church. Everyone is most welcome to attend.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Terri Leotta
Assistant Principal: Religious Education
St Mary's Art Show - Tuesday 29th August
As the St Mary’s Art Show gets closer, Ms Lenz and all students are working hard on learning their genre and producing some amazing art pieces.
The entry fee to the art show is a gold coin donation (to purchase your child(s) artwork).
There will also be art displays from our photography club, teachers and parents.
Live music, a bar and food will take place on the green. Bento boxes are available to pre-order from www.quickcliq.com.au, Click on Meal Order, select the date as 29/08/2023 for the item to be available, select Special Event Menu, then Art Show Bento Box.
This event is always a highlight of the St Mary’s calendar and we look forward to seeing everyone from the St Mary’s community on the evening.
Father's Day Stall
Our wonderful P&F are making it easy to spoil Dad again this Father’s Day!
Students will have an opportunity to buy Dad something special from our Father’s Day Stall which will be set up inside the school hall next week (see dates below).
Andrew Chinn Visit
Yesterday, we hosted a special visit from Andrew Chinn, composer of many of our favourite religious songs. Our students and staff always enjoy Andrew’s visit, it was brilliant!
Sacrament of Confirmation and Communion
On Saturday night Bishop Michael confirmed twenty of our students and they also made their First Holy Communion.
Congratulations to our recipients and thank you to the Sacramental Team for assisting parents to prepare the students.
Student of the Week
Week 6, Term 3 Student Award Winners
| Prep P | William | For amazing work during our art lessons this week. You put a lot of thought into your drawing and painting, working carefully until your creation was complete. Great work William! |
| Prep P | Vivienne | For wonderful work during our art lessons with Ms Lenz this week. You listened carefully, followed all the instructions and tried your very best! Thank you for your amazing work Vivienne! |
| Prep R | Samuel | For trying so hard in maths rotations. You created patterns all by yourself and were able to explain the types of pattern. Well done! |
| Prep R | Adriel | For always listening so attentively in carpet learning time. Thank you for always trying your best in everything you do. |
| 1B | Lochlan | For the effort and persistence when doing your handwriting. You have improved so much with your letter formation. Super work! |
| 1B | Jasmine | For always showing such great speed and accuracy when competing dail math mentals. What a star you are! |
| 1K | Lincoln | For teaching 1K amazing facts about Australian animals. You have been awarded for your incredible knowledge. For incredible improvement in handwriting and sentence structure. Amazing effort this week! |
| 2A | Brooklyn | For demonstrating persistence to improve your spelling skills. Keep up the wonderful effort, Brooklyn! |
| 2A | Alexander | For the wonderful progress you are making in your reading. Super effort, Alex! |
| 2L | Jackson | Jackson you are becoming a maths super whiz kid! In RTI this week you have shown persistence when calculating multiplication using arrays and repeated addition!!! Way to go!! |
| 2L | Imogen | Imogen you continue to blow your teacher away with the amount of effort you put into your learning. Amazing efforts and results to match. Keep up the fabulous work! |
| 3B | Nathan | For the patience and support you always offer to your classmates when needed. It is greatly appreciated. |
| 3B | Meeka | For the creativity you used when writing your recipe for an Upstander. Well done Baker Meeka! |
| 3P | Ruby | For excellent use of the rule of three and adjectives when writing. Well done Ruby! |
| 4A | Isabella | For your beautiful submission to the Earthcare Art Competition. You have a gift for all things creative. We wish you good luck in the "People's Choice" voting on Facebook. |
| 4A | Annabelle | For entering the classroom each morning with a huge smile; ready to take on the day. You have also amazed us this week with your organisational skills. Well done Annabelle! |
| 4C | Matilda | For your wonderful participation in class discussion and your commitment to learning. Keep up the great work! |
| 5SA | Sophie | For your extra efforts in honing your math skills. Extra revision at home and coming into class early to get teacher support clarifying those concepts you were unsure of, shows real maturity and great determination. Congratulations! |
| 5SA | Max | You showed great determination in completing the Maths Online review tasks, even using your own time to make sure you worked through everything. Congratulations on having such intense focus and concentration! You also had some brilliant inquiry responses in your science task last week that show a great level of complex thinking. Well done! |
| 5T | Ellie-Harper | For the positive attitude you have showed in Mathematics this term. You are working hard to overcome challenges to deepen your understanding. Well done Ellie-Harper! |
| 6M | Nathalie | For your ability to stay focused and complete tasks to the very best of your ability. You work independently and take pride in your work Nathalie. You are definitely ready for high school. |
| 6M | Travis | For the positive, can do approach you take to all learning tasks and challenges. You don't give up and this attitude will take you places Travis. |
| 6V | Ava | For the effort and focus you have displayed when completing your DRA reading assessment. Well done Ava. |
| 6V | Mia | For incorporating all of the elements of a fantasy text into your writing. Your excellent use of vocabulary and fantastic imagery is to be commended Mia. |
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