Week 5, Term 2 2024 - 14th May 2024

Principal's Reflection

Over the past few weeks, the teaching staff, leadership team and school board have been working on revising our school behaviour management processes.  Part of our aim was to look at our current processes and explore ways to improve them.  It was decided that the following points would be our focus;

• The establishment of school rules, to enable us to have clear statements and build a ‘common language’ around expected student behaviour
• Work towards ensuring consistency around rewarding positive behaviour and attending to misbehaviour
• Development of a parent summary document that outlines the main areas of our behaviour management process.

Following consultation, I am pleased to include below (click on the link) the summary that hopefully clearly explains our processes to parents. If you have any queries about this process, please contact your child’s teacher or see a member of the school leadership team.

All the very best,

Wes Rose
Principal

From our Principal - Mr Wes Rose

Josh Arnold Music Video
Last week, Josh Arnold visited St Mary’s to begin work on composing our very own school song.  He worked with our songwriting group and has composed a great song that captures the essence of St Mary’s Mackay.  We sang the chorus on assembly last week and students found it to be catchy and appealing.

Next Tuesday and Wednesday, he will return to St Mary’s to record and film the music video. 

Time Capsule Unearthing
On Monday 20^th May from 1:45pm, we are pleased to announce that we will be ‘unearthing’ the 75^th Anniversary time capsule.   Dedicated in 1999 by member for Mackay and past pupil, Mr Tim Mulherin, and with students and parents watching on, this capsule has sat patiently for 25 years whilst the school has changed dramatically around it.  All parents and past students are most welcome to attend this unearthing.  We will display the contents of this time capsule at our community open day on Sunday 11^th August!

Centenary Cookbook – Recipes Needed!
This August, we are celebrating our school’s centenary and as a part of the festivities, we are publishing a St Mary’s cookbook that will display some favourite family favourites.  Cookbooks will be available for purchase during our centenary celebrations. As part of this project, we ask interested families and staff to submit a recipe of your choice.  Recipes must be submitted (in a word document) via email including these details: 

• Recipe Title
• Submitted by (include your names and grade in 2024)
• Recipe description, special memories you may have of this dish or of St Mary’s. (2-4 sentences.)
• Ingredients
• Method

We ask that you also include up to 3 digital photos of the recipe, your family or both and we will use as needed.  Submissions need to be received via email by 15^th May.  Please note that we may receive duplicates of certain recipes, and in this case, you may be emailed to submit another recipe.  Also, whilst we will try to include every recipe submitted, we are restricted as to the number of pages we can fit in the book.

Also, if your family or business would like to sponsor the production of this cookbook, your name and business logo will be acknowledged within the opening pages. To submit your recipes or for more information, please email smm_centenary@rok.catholic.edu.au

School Fee Changes
Please find attached the first of a series of Advice pieces, developed to inform families of the new Federal Government Funding model (Gonski model) and the impact on funding for Catholic Schools.  Over the coming months, further Advice pieces will be shared, with each piece building on the detail of the previous.  Please take the time to read each of the Advice pieces, to understand the impact of the changes on the funding for our school and School fees.

Quote of the Week

Time Capsule Unearthing

Sushi Lunch

Orders only through www.quickcliq.com.au

Please select date Tuesday 21st May and then select your food/drinks.

Sacramental Program

Please see below for information about the upcoming Sacramental Preparation sessions for Confirmation and Holy Communion.

Youth Mass & Children's Liturgy

PLEASE JOIN US!

St Mary's School will join with St Patrick's College to celebrate our Youth Mass on Saturday 25th May, St Mary's Church at 5pm. This is also the Sacramental Program enrolment Mass for Confirmation and Children's Liturgy will 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

Trivia Night - Table Sponsors Needed

We are seeking a few more TABLE SPONSORS.

$150 - Your business to provide promotional material/table gifts
$200 - St Mary’s to provide table gifts

Click the link below
https://events.humanitix.com/st-mary-s-catholic-primary...

Alternatively email melissa_mcguiness@rok.catholic.edu.au

Thank you to all of our AMAZING Trivia Night Sponsors.

Sport News

Congratulations to Shanya Stevens, Matilda Allardyce and Audrey Hartl for their selection in the 10-12 MDSS girls softball team. They will try out for the Capricornia team next week. Good luck girls.

St Mary's Battlers

Last Wednesday, we were thrilled to see our Battlers rugby league team clinch a fantastic victory against Sarina State School with a score of 16-4.  The team showcased exceptional length-of-field tries and a stellar defense against a formidable opponent.  Notable try scorers were twins, Reggie and Raidyn who scored three tries between them and Sefton Tass who also stole a sneaky try.  A defensive shout out goes to mighty middle player Flynn Pace who tackled boys twice his size, even with an injury!  Thank you to the St Mary’s supporters who came down to cheer the boys on. 

Tomorrow, we play at 4:25pm on field 2 against Eimeo Road State School. 

Athletics Carnival - Save the Date

Prep Mother's Day Morning

There is nothing more precious than sharing your little one's first year of school at the Prep Mother's Day celebration. It is always such a highlight in our calendar. A big thank you to all of the mums and grandparents who were able to celebrate with our Prep classes last Friday.

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Day of AI

Yesterday, our year 6 cohort participated in Australian Day of AI (Artificial Intelligence).  Throughout the day, students were delivered curriculum content on how AI works, types of AI and the responsible use and application of AI. To finish the sessions, students were asked to respond to the challenge of environmental sustainability in schools through the use of AI.  Groups responded with suggestions such as:

• An AI tool that used weather predictions to inform light and air conditioning use in schools
• An AI robot that sorted rubbish 
• An AI tracking device to be used on sports equipment to monitor the user and the whereabouts of the equipment
  

Belinda Battaia
Assistant Principal: Curriculum

Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month

In Queensland, the month of May is dedicated as Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month.

This annual initiative aims to:

• raise awareness of domestic and family violence and coercive control,
• highlight the support services available, and
• send a clear message that violence in our communities will not be tolerated.

The theme for 2024 is It’s in our control to end coercive control.  The Domestic and Family Violence Police Group has suggested a positive way for our schools and colleges to support victims/ survivors of Domestic and Family Violence. Police frequently use DV safe phones and distribute them to victims/survivors. DV Safe Phones generously provide free smart phones to victims/survivors where their phone has been destroyed during an act of DV and they have no safe way to contact Police.  DV Safe Phones wipes and resets all phones received and applies a DV Safe application that allows the victims/survivor to safely use the phone. 

During May, St Mary’s School will act as a collection point for old mobile phones and chargers.

Families are invited to bring in smart phones in working condition. These will then be passed on to QPS who will re-task them for use by victims/survivors of Domestic Violence.

If you have any phones which you would like to donate please send them into the school office and they will be erased and forwarded to the QPS.

Further Domestic Violence resources can be found on the following sites;

https://domesticviolence.com.au/

https://www.qld.gov.au/community/getting-support-health-social-issue/support-victims-abuse/domestic-family-violence/my-situation-is/how-do-i-help-my-community-understand-domestic-violence/domestic-and-family-violence-prevention-month

Many thanks for your support for victims of Domestic and Family Violence. 

Terri Leotta
Deputy Principal/APRE

Student of the Week

Week 4, Term 2 Student Award Winners

Community News