St Mary's Primary School Newsletter Term 2 Week 3

Acknowledgement of Country

St Mary’s Primary School respectfully acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the
Wotjobaluk Nation, the Wotjobaluk, Jaadwa, Jadawadjali, Wergaia and Jupagalk
peoples, and recognises their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respect to the ongoing living cultures of First Nation Peoples of the Wimmera Mallee area. 

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 2 Week 3

Dear Families and Friends, Staff and Students of St Mary's,

Last weekend showed us, whether you would describe yourself as a monarchist or not, that the pomp and ceremony of the coronation of King Charles III are alive and well. In part of the coronation's proceedings, King Charles replies  “I come not to be served but to serve” which draws a distinct reference to the Gospels. King Charles, as the head of the Commonwealth and head of the Church of England, drew on faith traditions to embed his role as a world leader. We live in challenging times with the global political scene being somewhat unsteady. With courage though, may our world leaders, including King Charles, work towards building unity across nations. Hopefully with time, our leaders as can we, can learn what it really means to be of service to others as we live our lives together.

We warmly welcome to Bob Taylor as our new Gardener to our St Mary's community. Bob has worked with the Shire for a number of years and now has a quieter life with his greyhounds and gardening business. Already, Bob has made a terrific contribution to the look of the school cutting back a lot of trees and bushes especially through the front entrance and car park area - thank you Bob and welcome!

Thank you to those who joined us for our Relationships and Sexuality evening last Thursday 4th May.  If you wish to see Jim Waight's recording please email me and I will send you a link.  Please also contact myself or your child's teachers if you wish to know more about the program. 

There are quite a few activities underway at the moment that require parental permission through PAM - Walk to School Day May 19, Catholic Education Week Celebration day in Hopetoun May 24, Hercules production at the Warracknabeal Town Hall on May 25 and Lightning Premierships in Nhill on June 15.  Please check you have accessed PAM and provided consent for your child to attend these activities. And do contact me if you are having difficulties receiving these notifications.  There are further details in the newsletter for these events. 

We have had a fabulous week with great success from our Cross Country participants, and then to finish the week with our Mother's Day breakfast followed with a Liturgy and special surpise!  See further in the newsletter for more details.

Happy Mother's Day this Sunday to all mums in all forms, those with us, those who can't be with us, and for those who have passed on. 

Travel safely with God's blessings,

Nerrida

Lentils Assembly - with congratulations to Blake!

Thank you Mr Malcom and Lentils for your assembly last week. We are always thrilled to see the learning happening in our classrooms. It was a very special assembly for one Lentil - Blake - who is now a published author! Blake's story "The Writer's Wish" was chosen with a selection of other student's entries (including past student Phoenix!) and published in the Write 4 Fun "Unleashed" for 2022. Congratulations Blake and may you keep following your passion for writing! 

And congratulations to all our award winnners - there are a few!

Award Winners from the Lentils Assembly

Children's Day Kodomo no hi (Boy's Day)

In Japan, communities take the time each year, to celebrate the generation to come. To show appreciation for the wonderful children, the government called a National Holiday in 1948, to occur every year on May 5th (the 5th of the 5th). This celebration is known as こどものひ　(pronounced Kodomo no hi) or "Children's Day".We celebrated this wonderful holiday last Friday during our Japanese and Art classes. Constructing "Koi no Bori" or "Carp kites", creating a traditional Samurai hat using the art of origami and creating a mural of koi, who represent resilience and strength in the Japanese culture. The Year 6 boys assisted with distributing Barley tea and traditional Japanese sweets called "Konpeito".

(Mrs. Jess Boyd, Japanese Teacher)

Fr Matt's visits

Thank you Fr. Matt for your fortnightly visits, the children and staff enjoy having you here and involved with their learning. Here Fr. Matt visited Wheat while they made their Mother's Day gifts in Art. 

St Mary's Stewards of the Earth!

Thank you to Mrs. Fiona Holland and a dedicated group of students who are very enthusiastically rejuvenating the garden area behind the technology rooms.  There has been a lot of hard work  carried out by the students in giving up their lunchtimes in removing old garden beds and adding fresh soil for new plantings - watch this space!

Mother's Day breakfast, liturgy and learning walks

We had a fabulous turn out of mums, grandparents and special carers for our Mother's Day breakfast with students and staff, enjoying warm croissants, a cuppa and a catch up. Thank you to staff who assisted in preparing for the morning, serving and cleaning up.  After breakfast we met in the library for a short liturgy, and then a highlight for guests was a special video of all the children sharing their love for their mums. Thank you Sarah-Jayne for putting this together - the link will be available on our family Facebook page.  Then lots of families went for a walk through the classrooms to see the children engaging in their learning (except the Art room was off limits as students finished off their surprises for mum!). 

From our liturgy,  a prayer. 

Dear Lord, let us remind ourselves that nothing can be more strengthening than a mother's love for her child. And no love could be greater than Mary's love for her son, Jesus. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen

Happy Mother's Day for Sunday!

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Walk Safely to School Day Friday 19th May

Friday May 19 will mark National Walk Safely to School Day an event when all Primary School children will be encouraged to walk and commute safely to school.  Championed by the Pedestrian Council Australia this community event seeks to encourage children to lead a healthier more active lifestyle by simply including a walk in their day. Furthermore it aims to raise awareness of the health road safety transport and environmental benefits that regular walking or alternative active transport (especially to and from school) can provide for the long-term well-being of our children.

On Friday 19th May, for Walk Safely to School Day, Warracknabeal Police, along with school staff, will be escorting children to school. Children from St Mary's, Warracknabeal Primary School and Warracknabeal Special Development School will be participating, leaving from ANZAC park at 8:30 am. Bus travellers, please note all bus travellers coming to school will disembark at ANZAC Park on this day in the morning and walk to school. Bus travel home as per regular arrangements. Bus companies have been notified

Families who usually drive their children to school, are encouraged to drive their children to ANZAC park instead for children to walk to school. Parents and carers are also welcome to walk with their children from ANZAC park to school. There will be staff on site at school from 8:30 am for those needing to come directly to school. 

PAM notification  A  notification for consent will be sent out through PAM. All bus travellers and all students meeting at ANZAC park - please tick CONSENT.  If your child will NOT be walking to school from ANZAC park and will coming straight to school, please tick NO CONSENT.

Catholic Education Week celebrations 24th May

On Wednesday 24th May our school will travel by bus to St Joseph's Primary school in Hopetoun for a fun day to share experiences and hospitality with our fellow St Paul VI Parish schools.  Our Ladies Help of Christians, Murtoa, and St Patricks, Nhill will also be joining us there.  We had the priviledge of hosting this day last year and the students had a wonderful day coming together across all the rural St Paul's Parish Catholic schools to engage in activities and play with each other.  Students can wear their sports uniform on this day.  Permission forms have been sent through PAM. 

School Cross Country - WWSA bannerette winners!

Well done to our Cross Country team of 15 runners -  Evan, Issac, Campbell, Colby, Olivia, Mia, Arielle, Bianca, Miki, Harlow, Heidi, Chloe, Ryan, Charlie and Pippa! A terrific effort from all of you. Your combined efforts and point aggregates means collectively you have brought the banner home two years in a row! Congratulations to Miki and Evan who both ran 3rd overall from over 30 competitors in their age groups, and have now made it through to the next round at Warrnambool on Monday May 29th.  We also had terrific individual results with other competitors placing in the Western Wimmera division of the competition. 

9-10 Girls Miki 1st;  11 Girls Pippa 2nd;  11 Boys Isaac 2nd, 11 Boys Charlie 3rd; 12-13 Girls Bianca 2nd and 12-13 Boys Evan 1st.  1st place winners will receive a medal; with ribbons for 2nd and 3rd. When these arrive we will present these to the students.  Thankyou to Andy Malcolm, Alyssa Muller and the parents involved in driving and supporting the students for the event. We caught a sunny break in the day and it was a great experience for all. Click on the photos below to scroll through for a better view. 

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Lightning Premierships in Nhill 15th June

Barley and Lentil students are involved in the Lightning Premierships to be held in Nhill on Thursday 15th June.  Students will be participating in TeeBall, Netball and Football and will practice these in Sport as of Monday 15th May, so please ensure your child is wearing their sports uniform next Monday. A PAM permission form will be sent shortly.

Thank you to Sarah Spicer and Emma Mansfield who will assist Netball and Football. All parents are welcome to come along, and if there is room on the bus you are welcome to travel with the students. Please note students will travel together as a team on the bus. Please email Nerrida if you would like to come on the bus with us. Football players will wear their school sport shorts and a football jumper (provided) and must have a mouthguard.  Netball and Tee Ball players will wear their own sports shorts and St Mary's representative top (provided).  Further details will follow. 

No ADHOC Bus Travel for Watchem and Aubrey Buses

There will be no ADHOC bus travel for the Watchem and Aubrey Bus, this includes town bus travel if you have not been registered. These buses are full so no ADHOC travel can be permitted.

Fee Statements

Fee statements have been sent to families - please check your emails.

Creek Walks

From Mrs. Fiona Holland:

This term we are incorporating Science into our Technology unit and investigating our local Yarriambiack Creek. We are very fortunate to have this so accessible to incorporate it into our work.

During the term, each class is visiting the creek three times to observe the environment, check water samples that I will collect and take back to school and investigate animal and plant life that lives around the creek.

Each class has a particular focus:

• Chickpeas and Wheat – Animal life
• Barley – Plant life
• Lentils – Maintaining healthy water quality

Consent forms have sent home through PAM. Please ensure these have been completed and contact me at fholland@smwarracknabeal.catholic.edu.au if you have any questions.

Thank you, Fiona Holland - Technology Teacher

Catholic Education - a point of difference.

Many families will now start to pursue the secondary educational pathways for their upper primary children for 2023 and beyond. As families who have already chosen a Catholic faith-based education for your child's primary years, I invite you to consider the opportunity for your child to continue their education in a Catholic setting. 

As a Catholic Diocesan School, St Mary's belong to the Parish of St Paul VI. As part of our Parish, St Brigid's College in Horsham is our nearest Catholic secondary provider. Please see the information following as to the opportunities St Brigid's can offer your child and call St Brigid's College on 5382 3545.

St Brigid's Scholarship and Bursary Opportunities.

At St Brigid’s College there is a range of Scholarship opportunities available for students from Year 7 through to Year 12.

Scholarships at St Brigid’s College reflect our core values which celebrate succeeding together, respecting, inspiring, valuing and empowering our students – because at the heart of what we do is offer an education for life.

We believe in the pursuit of academic excellence, but we also admire a student whose pure motive is to participate in all that is on offer at St Brigid’s College. Our goal is to create courageous, lifelong learners that add to the abundance of our collective being. St Brigid’s College is an inclusive school and we hold the belief that a student desiring a Catholic Education should not be denied.

A range of scholarships are on offer including Bursaries. The Bursary Fund enables the College to establish places for worthy students from a wide range of backgrounds who may otherwise not be able to attend St Brigid’s College. These are awarded at the discretion of the Principal or Business Manager and assessed on the information provided by the applicant. The nature of a bursary is determined by the Principal.

For further information, please call the College on 5382 3545  regarding scholarships and bursaries or please visit the website 

https://www.stbc.vic.edu.au/learning-teaching/scholarships/

Book Fair May 22nd, 23rd and 25th - in the Meeting Room and Coloring Competition

The Book Fair is coming to St. Mary’s! It will be arriving on Monday 22 May and will be operating Monday, Tuesday and Thursday of that week. Come by before or after school on these days to shop a wide range of new titles, for all age groups. There will be competitions in each class for students to win vouchers to spend at the Book Fair. Colouring competitions will be sent home and are due back 9.00am Friday 19 May.

Parent Club Fundraiser- Wonder White Recycling Program

Recycle, earn and play. A fun, easy way to fundraise. White, wholemeal, low GI, wraps all of the above. Collect Wonder white bread bags and send them into the school in the specially marked box. The more bread bags we can collect, the more reward points we can earn, therefore the more sports equipment we can collect for the school.  (Emma Mansfield)