St Mary's Primary School Newsletter Term 4 Week 8

Acknowledgement of Country

St Mary’s Primary School respectfully acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the
Wimmera Mallee area, the Wotjobaluk, Jaadwa, Jadawadjali, Wergaia and Jupagalk
peoples, and pays respect to the ongoing living cultures of First Peoples.

As partners in Catholic Education and open to God’s presence, we pursue the fullness of life for all.  St Mary's Catholic Primary School  is committed to the safety and well-being of all students.

Key Dates

Principal's Report

Welcome to Term 4 Week 8

This Sunday is the first day of Advent. 

The use of the wreath and candles during Advent are a longstanding Catholic tradition that was originally adopted by Christians in the Middle Ages as part of their spiritual preparation for Christmas.

The wreath and candles are full of symbolism tied to the Christmas season. The wreath itself, which is made of various evergreens, signifies continuous life. The circle of the wreath, which has no beginning or end, symbolizes the eternity of God, the immortality of the soul, and the everlasting life we find in Christ.

 The wreath as a whole is meant to remind us of both the immortality of our souls and God’s promise of everlasting life to us through Christ.

The candles also have their own special significance. The four candles represent the four weeks of Advent, and one candle is lit each Sunday. Three of the candles are purple because the color violet is a liturgical color that signifies a time of prayer, penance, and sacrifice

The first candle, which is purple, symbolizes hope. It is sometimes called the “Prophecy Candle” in remembrance of the prophets, especially Isaiah, who foretold the birth of Christ. It represents the expectation felt in anticipation of the coming Messiah.

On Monday 28th November our school will join together for a short Advent reflection after lunch.  As we light the first candle, the Candle of Hope, we will say: “We light this Advent Candle today as a reminder of the coming of Christ, the light of the world.  We light the candle of Hope as we continue to wait for Christ’s return.”

Our prayer we will pray is:

Dear Lord, you bring hope into hopelessness and light into our darkness.  In moments of silence each day, speak to us.  Show us glimpses of your kingdom, so that we may be faithful as we prepare together for your coming.  In the name of Christ we pray, Amen.

A lovely way we will come together as a Warracknbael community will be through the Prelude to Christmas, to be held at the Uniting Church this Sunday 27th November, the first day of Advent.  I look forward to seeing all our St Mary's families there for this eucemenical occasion to celebrate all faiths of our community in Christ in this Advent season. 

Also, a reminder to families for our school closure day on Thursday December 1st. 

Travel safely with God's blessings,

Nerrida

Prelude to Christmas - this Sunday!

Students have been practicing the songs at school and we have been heading to the Uniting Church this week for rehearsals. The students and staff have worked very hard for this event!

Would families please have their children at the Uniting Church by 6:00pm.  Students are to wear full summer uniform. It will be a warm night so no jumpers please. As this a formal school event, held in Church, please no tinsel/ coloured ribbons or Christmas decorations to be worn - school uniform hair attire only. Simple earrings eg gold/silver studs or sleepers as per uniform requirements. 

Families must contact Nerrida if their children will not be at the event on Sunday - staff are putting a lot of time and effort in organising and rehearsing not only the songs but also the children's seating and placement on stage. We would appreciate to know if there will be students not here. This is a whole school event which all are expected to attend.

A reminder the songs are at the end of the newsletter, so please encourage your child to practice!

Please check your child's diary every day for notes!

Would all parents please check their child's diary every day for notes.  At this very busy time of year there is a lot of notifcation being sent home and it is essential parents check school bags each night - staff are finding letters for home still in bags and diaries which have been sent a few days previously. 

Circus Skills Workshop

Thank you Clint from Circus Challenge for the amazing experience for our students this week.  With his theatric circus skills, Clint inspired students to pursue their goals with persistence, focus, and flair. The students were truly the stars of the day, and everybody had a fantastic time. The show was a catalyst for motivating students to step outside their comfort zones and try new things.  Clint guided the students (and staff!) through a series of fun circus challenges providing all with the opportunity to learn amazing, difficult, and rewarding skills.  There was Juggling, Plate Spinning, Diabolo and Acrobatic Balance to engage everbody of all ages.  It was a terrific afternoon!

Chickpea Assembly and Student Awards

Last week Chickpeas presented a fabulous assembly - hopefully you have had the opportunity to see the video on our family Facebook page.   Below are our most recent award winners!

Transition - Foundation Students 2023

All of our new transition students and families should have received in the post their invitation to the transition days, which begin next Tuesday 29th November. The purpose of these mornings is to allow the children to become familiar with the school routine, the process of getting to school, playing with the other children, learning the layout of the school, as well as meeting the teachers and support staff.

The dates and times for these  mornings are below. The school day begins at 9.00 a.m., Recess is at 11.00 a.m., Fruit break is 10.00 a.m., Lunch time is 1.30 p.m. with pick-up time at 1.45 p.m. On the longer day Tues 13th December, the children are invited to eat lunch with the school children before they go home at 1:45pm

(The school has a 'play before recess/lunch' policy. The children stop for recess at 11:00 and the lunch time break at 1.00 p.m. and go straight out to play. When the bell rings everyone comes in to eat their snack/lunch. Letting the children play before they eat stops food being wasted, lets them run off a bit of steam after being cooped up inside and helps them settle for learning. The fruit break at 10.00 am keeps them going until 11.00 a.m.

Transition Dates are:

• Tuesday 29th November, 9.00 a.m. -11:00 am.
• Tuesday 6th December  9.00am – 12:00 pm.
• Tuesday, 13^th December 9.00am – 1.45pm  (State-wide Orientation day )
  

Kinder children need to bring a hat, snack for Recess, fruit (for fruit break) and lunch

If you have any questions about the transition days, please ring the school on 5398 2001.

We look forward to meeting you and your child as we begin your child’s primary school education. This is the beginning of a wonderful partnership to enhance your child’s learning.

Transition - Grade 6 to Secondary

The transition day for the Grade 6 students attending Warracknabeal Secondary College will be held on  Thursday 8th December.

Please note on Tuesday 13th December, there will be a whole school transition in the morning, for 2023 Prep to Grade 6 students to be in their new classes. Staffing for these classes is still being finalised. 

Our current Grade 6's are still to come to school on Tuesday 13th December.  In the morning while the rest of the school is undertaking transition activities, Ms Holland will meet with the Grade 6's to become familiar with the new Child Safety Standards and to seek their input into creating student friendly standards for our school.  Normal classes will resume after recess. 

Student Wellbeing

What is  a Growth Mindset?

“Growth mindset” has become a bit of a buzzword in education and business sectors so it is important to fully understand what this actually means for the learning of our children. Those who believe their talents can be developed, through hard work, good strategies, and input from others have  a growth mindset.  They tend to achieve more than those with a more fixed mindset (those who believe their talents are innate gifts). This is because they worry less about looking smart and put more energy into learning. When learners embrace a growth mindset, they become empowered and committed to their learning. It’s critical for teachers and parents to reward not just effort but learning and progress, and to emphasize the processes that yield these things, such as seeking help from others, trying new strategies, and capitalising on setbacks to move forward effectively. 

In the video below, Dr Kaylene Henderson provides advice on how to use praise to promte growth mindet in children. 

School TV - Bullying

This month on School TV - Bullying

Bullying is an ongoing or repeated misuse of power in relationships, with the intention to cause deliberate psychological harm. Bullying behaviours can be verbal, physical or social. It can happen in person or online, via various digital platforms and devices and it can be obvious or hidden. Bullying in any form or for any reason can have immediate, medium and long-term effects on those involved, including bystanders.

Despite the efforts made to reduce bullying behaviours, the research tells us that one in four students still report being bullied every few weeks. However, not all negative behaviour should be considered bullying. The key difference is that bullying does not stop on its own. It’s important young people learn how to identify behaviours that are rude, behaviours that are mean, and behaviours that are related to bullying.

Often the reasons for bullying can be complex. Some young people do it to get approval from others, some do it to regain control, whilst others may do it because it makes them feel safe. Supporting young people as they work through their emotions will help them unpack the motivation and reason behind the behaviour.

In this edition of SchoolTV, caregivers can better understand why some young people engage in bullying behaviours and what to do to support a child experiencing it. We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this month’s edition, and we always welcome your feedback.

If you do have any concerns about the wellbeing of your child, please contact the school for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Below is the link to this month's edition. 

Child Safe Standards - A Summary

Graduation Mass, Stomp and Basket Tea

Our school’s Grade 6 Graduation Mass, which is also our End of Year Mass, will be held on Thursday 15th December at 5:30pm. It is expected all our families will attend this special celebration to give thanks for our school year and farewell our Grade 6 students.  It is especially important all our Foundation students also attend, as they are the Grade 6 buddies and will be part of the Mass proceedings.  Fr Matt Restall will be celebrating Mass with us. Families, friends and parishioners are warmly invited to this special celebration. Students will sit together as a school.  Our new Foundation students and families are also warmly invited to attend this special event.

After the Mass, we will return to school for the students to present their STOMP dances to their families, which will run for approximately 20 mins. Afterwards will be the opportunity for a basket tea if families wish to bring tea along to stay and share hospitality with others.  

Please ensure your child has eaten afternoon tea/a light snack before Mass at 5:30pm, otherwise they won't have tea until about 7pm. 

For our organisation, if your child and family are unable to attend the evening of the Dec 15th, please notify Nerrida.   Thank you. 

Community News

Uniting Wimmera Summer Camp 2023

Uniting Wimmera have been hard at work organising what will be their third Summer Camp at Roses Gap and are now ready to start taking expressions of interest from students to become Campers.

Please see the flyers below. Closure date for the Expressions of Interest is December 2^nd

Facilitators of the camp are also seeking enthusiastic community members that would be interested in volunteering their time to be Camp Leaders, and help us give children a memorable experience they can tell their peers about once the new school year begins. 

All relevant information about being either a Camper or Camp Leader is provided on both flyers, as well as contact information should you parents/carers have any queries.

Songs for Prelude to Christmas Sun Nov 27

Parish Bulletin