Week 2, Term 4 2022 - 11th October 2022
APRE's Reflection
Dear Parents,
As you may be aware during October St Mary’s joins together to pray The Rosary at 1:45pm.
The Rosary is the oldest and most popular of all Catholic devotions, and one that has been strongly promoted by the church since the 15th century. When most Christians were illiterate and when books, including bibles, were unavailable except in monasteries, a string of beads or seeds provided a simple means for the faithful to re-create their attachment to the events of the Gospel as they prayed the prayer that Jesus taught and repeated the words of Gabriel and Elizabeth to Mary.
The rosary has served many purposes and many different sorts of people over the centuries and continues to do so.
The rosary is complex and multipurpose devotional. To be able to hold a real object while praying is not only comforting; it can connect us physically and mentally with our prayer. It is an objective reminder that Christ is present here and now.
As our year 5 students recite the words over our speaker and explain the story (the mystery) we are praying about, students are prompted to take the information and make meaning for their lives today. They are also brought into contact with the life and message of Jesus and his followers. They are challenged to apply this example into their everyday interactions.
Terri Leotta
Assistant Principal: Religious Education
https://www.americamagazine.org/issue/424/article/rosary
https://fineartamerica.com/art/hail+mary
From our Principal - Mr Wes Rose
P&F Bike-a-Thon
St Mary’s P&F is proud to host a Bike-a-Thon fundraising event! Last year’s event was a huge success and it would be great to see as many families and friends of St Mary’s in attendance.
Date: Sunday 16th Oct from 8:30am – 10:30am
Venue: Blue water Quay (Playground/Park near Bluewater Lagoon)
Cost: $7.50 per person (entry fee covers sausage on bread. Booking via this link.)
Prizes for best dressed boy/girl, best dressed family, best decorated bike.
Theme: Life’s a Beach!
Staff Training
Today, our student protection officers (Wes Rose, Terri Leotta and Wendy Parker) attended the Diocesan Student Protection conference via ZOOM.
This Thursday, our school leadership team (Wes, Belinda Battaia and Terri Leotta) will attend the regional strategic planning day, where we will join the teams from other Mackay Catholic schools where we will focus on the strategic directions for the school for 2023. During our absence, Mrs Belinda van Lint will be acting principal.
Families Leaving
As our total enrolment drives many aspects of our school (staffing, budget, class sizes and structure) it is important that we try to be as accurate as possible in predicting the school enrolment for 2023. If you know that you will be leaving at the end of the year, please notify the office as soon as possible. Your assistance with this matter is greatly appreciated.
Quote of the Week
"The highest result of education is tolerance."
-Helen Keller
From the Office-Finance Department
Please note that school fees for Term 4 were issued last week.
If you have not received a copy of your statement, please contact the finance office smm_finance@rok.catholic.edu.au or 4951 1743 so that we can email your statement to you.
Kathy Parrish
Finance Officer
Indigenous Cultural Immersion Activities
LAND Program Presentations
The first session of our L.A.N.D (Landscapes and Native Dance) program was presented to our year 5 and 6 cohorts yesterday.
The presenters, Melanie Kemp local Traditional Custodian from the Yuwi people along with Patrick Thaiday local Torres Strait Islander man and experienced Bangarra dance troupe engaged the students in two one-hour sessions of hands-on shared knowledge and experience. They shared cultural practices pertaining to the native lands (Yuwi Region) sea, sky, Lore, traditional languages and ceremonial activities and how they are an interrelated system within cultures.
The students sampled finger lime cordial, smelt lemon myrtle leaves, learnt a contemporary Torres Strait Islander dance routine and were enthralled to learn of the many different practices and uses for trees and their value in First Nations society.
Over the coming weeks, all St Mary’s students will participate in these sessions. Thank you to Mrs Karlie Tatchell for working closely with our school to ensure that our students continue to receive relevant, practical and hands on experience to strengthen our connections to First Nations and Torres Strait Islander Culture and Community.
Belinda Battaia
Assistant Principal: Curriculum
Socktober
Thank you to all who participated in our Sock Stack Competition last week. Your $1 means so much to others in need!
Congratulations to the year level winners; Adeline, Olivia, Finn, Kai and Zac who chose either a skipping rope or handball prize and to overall winners Ava and Harper, who also received a tuckshop voucher.
This Friday it’s 'Bring your Pet Sock' Day. $1 entry.
There will be a parade and winners chosen from categories: most like it’s owner, hairiest, most unusual, friendliest and best in show.
Terri Leotta
Assistant Principal: Religious Education
socktober+2022&tbm=isch&chips=q:socktober+2022,online_chips:socktober+catholic+mission:K3b1urrsbC8%3D&rlz=1C1GCEA_enAU962AU976
Youth Mass & Children's Liturgy
Please join us!
St Mary's School will join with Mercy College to celebrate our Youth Mass Saturday 22nd October at St Mary's Church at 5pm. Children's Liturgy will also be held.
Mass will be followed by a supper outside the church which the whole family is most welcome to attend.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Mrs Terri Leotta
Assistant Principal: Religious Education
P & F News
2022 St Mary's Bike-a-Thon
Is your bike ready?
- Wash your bike.
- Do your brakes work?
- Are your handle bars tight?
- Check your tyres - Are they flat?
- - Do they have a puncture?
- Do you have a bell?
- Check your chain, is the chain is rusty?
- Don’t forget your helmet
- Riders are encouraged to wear closed in shoes
- Drinks, ice-blocks and raffles will be on sale - CASH ONLY
Helpers are required for the bike-a-thon this Sunday 16th October 8am-10am. If you are able to give any time at all, please contact our Events Co-ordinator, Bianca Miles on 0438 818 273.
Thank You
Congratulations to our parent green card draw winner Kylie Rogers. Kylie has helped with numerous events this year and we thank her for her time and support in making our events such a success.
St Mary's Christmas Fair
Year Level Christmas Fair Coordinators
As we start the preparation to the St Mary's Christmas Community Fair, we are currently seeking preferably two (2) Fair Coordinators from each year level. If you are interested in volunteering your time, can you please contact Tanya Davies on 0438 138 392 or email tanya_davies@rok.catholic.edu.au
Stalls
Prep - Fairy Floss & Snow Cones
Grade 1 - Mini Cent Sale
Grade 2 - Cold Drinks
Grade 3 - Hot Chips
Grade 4 - Bar
Grade 5 - Sweet Stall
Grade 6 - BBQ & Food Preparation
Sport News
Thank you to ALL the students who got involved with Jump Rope for Heart!
A huge thank you for the effort skipping and fundraising for the Jump Rope for Heart program last term. Together we raised an incredible $3615 and this money will all go towards vital heart research and education programs.
We’ve loved seeing so many smiling faces skipping on the playground and in sports lessons. Our Jump Off Day was a huge success with all students show casing some amazing skipping skills. Congratulations to Alfie Moffat and Harry Roberts who won our P-2 and 3-6 Everlast competitions at our Jump Off. A great effort boys. Thank you to the families that came along to support our skipping event. You can see some photos from the afternoon below.
Congratulations to our top 3 fundraisers!
Kolby (3B) $756.04
Eddie (Prep C) $686.75
Hannah (4K) $343.06
Students who raised money for JRFH and were rewarded with a JRFH prize will receive their prizes mid-term. There is also a bonus prize for our top 3 fundraisers and all students will receive a certificate with their prize.
Keep up the skipping everyone and thanks again for the hard work!
Simone Sibley
HPE Teacher
St Mary's Swimming Carnival
Student of the Week
Week 1, Term 4 Student Award Winners
| Prep C | Lincoln | For the focus and attention to detail you put into your artwork. Your portraits this week were amazing! |
| Prep C | Emily | For being a polite, kind and helpful class member. You are always happy to help your teachers and classmates with such pride and responsibility. Thank you for being you! |
| Prep P | Lorde | For a great start to Term 4! Thank you for working so hard with your writing and heart words this week. Keep up the wonderful work Lorde! |
| Prep P | Lochlan | For a great start to Term 4! You have been listening well and have worked hard to complete your work in class this week. Keep up the wonderful work Lochlan! |
| 1B | Hunter | For your skill and accuracy when completing your maths facts this week. You were so quick to work out the problems you were given. Well done! |
| 1B | Ramani | For your positive attitude and improvement in reading. Your BOOST teacher is very impressed! |
| 1L | Harry | For your application on tasks this week and motivated approach to term 4! |
| 1L | Chet | For your awesome start to term 4. We love your enthusiastic approach to your learning! |
| 2A | Sinead | For the care and effort you make to present your bookwork beautifully. |
| 2A | Finn | For approaching all tasks with a positive attitude and a smile! |
| 2B | Ayden | You are always so patient, diligent and continuously encouraging your classmates. You are a wonderful role model in 2B. You are a SUPER STAR! |
| 3B | Olivia | For the thoughtfulness and concern you showed this week. I really appreciated you checking to see how I was each day. |
| 3B | Harlen | For the creative way you described your holidays in your acrostic poem. Great writing! |
| 3M | Jake | For the good choices you have made this week and the way you have ignored distractions around you. Keep up the excellent work Jake! |
| 3M | Shanya | For your excellent choice of descriptive language of when continuing the Ocean of Dreams poem. Keep up the great work Shanya! |
| 4C | Hadlee | For your conscientious approach to your studies and active participation in our writing lessons. Your writing shows excellent consideration of what it would have been like to experience something new in the past. |
| 4C | Zander | For choosing a character from a class story to write an insightful recount about first encounters. Well done Zander! |
| 4K | Harper | For the commitment and effort you have been putting into your HaSS assignment. You have ‘juggled’ lots of commitments this week and still go the extra mile to ‘get the job done’. You are amazing! |
| 4K | Noah | For working persistently during your explicit reading and spelling lessons with Ms Anderson. Your dedication and hard work is paying off - your fluency in reading is improving and so is your spelling. Keep it up! |
| 5L | Coco | Coco, when your technology teacher tells me they are so impressed with your focus and skills in class, that makes me feel so proud of you!!! You have shown persistence and determination to complete your work. Keep up the huge effort!! |
| 5L | Thomas | Tom, your teacher is super impressed with your willingness to complete your figurative language writing tasks. It’s ‘music to her ears’ to hear you say you wanted to get things finished and she knows it’s definitely ‘not over your head’ to get it all done!! Well done! |
| 5R | Ava | For the positive attitude and smile you bring to class every day. You are a wonderful role model for your peers. |
| 5R | Archer | For the effort you are making to complete your work and stay on task. Keep trying hard Archer. |
| 6M | Jesse | For your creative and gripping fantasy narrative. It was so exciting to read. Great writing! |
| 6M | Lucas | For the research, hard work and confident presentation of your grandfather's migration journey. It was very informative and interesting. |
| 6V | Fynn | For excellent bookwork this week. Thank you for taking so much care with the presentation of your work Fynn. Keep up the great work! |
| 6V | Yongkang | For sharing your comprehensive knowledge of the Asian continent with your classmates and displaying excellent research skills to solve the Asian Country Detective Cards with speed and accuracy. |
Community News
