2024 St Mary's Primary School Fortnightly Newsletter Term 1 ending Week 3

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 1 Week 3     

This week was very challenging for our Wimmera community  with our Catastrophic Fire rating and sudden school closures across our region on Tuesday 13th February. I thank you for your patience and understanding through this Catastrophic weather event as we awaited direction from DOBCEL (Catholic Education Ballarat) and the Deaprtment of Education Victoria in order to close and send notification to our school community.  And whilst Warracknabeal's sudden schools' closures would have greatly impacted families to arrange care for children around family and work commitments on the day, I trust people remained cool and safe during the extremely high temperature and gusty winds last Tuesday. Our prayers and thoughts are with our Wimmera neighbouring communities where property has been lost and those who had to endure extreme threat of fire and nervously watch for wind change during this time. As per my email sent to families on Tuesday evening, if the sudden school closure and threat of fires has raised concerns or issues for your child that you feel we need to be aware of, would you please let myself and/or their teacher know. Situations such as those experienced today may raise and trigger emotions differently so please let us know if there is anything we need to be aware of to support your child and also your family. Attached is a document you may find supportive. 

On Thursday 8th February we held our Opening Liturgy and formally inducted our House Leaders and School Captains. It was lovely to have Fr. Matt Restall oversee the proceedings with parents and relatives present.  Our Foundation students were exceptional in walking into the Church with their Year 6 buddies and experiencing their first formal school church occassion in St Mary's Church.  Along with Father Matt and staff, the Year 6 students led prayers and reflections to begin our new year, and were then awarded their badges.

Our Water Familiarisation program was limited this week due to weather conditions.  Grateful thanks to Bec Lewis, Jess Boyd and all staff and parent volunteers for the incredible amount of work they put in to run the sessions to make this program so valuable for the students. This is such an important program to build the valuable life skill of water safety for our students.  Bec has also put tremendous work in place for the upcoming swimming sports next Friday 23rd February. Thank you also to the volunteers who have generously offered to help on the day. 

This week is the beginning of the Lenten season, which in the Christian church spans across 6 weeks of the year. Lent is a season of prayer, fasting and almsgiving (giving to the poor) which begins with Ash Wednesday and concludes at sundown on Holy Thursday.  At this point, the Easter season begins and Catholics and other Christians enter more deeply into the mystery of Christ’s Passion before Easter.

On the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, we usually have Pancake Day. Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday, is the traditional feast day before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday. Lent, which is the 40 days leading up to Easter – was traditionally a time of fasting and on Shrove Tuesday, people would clean out their pantries of all the fat, all the butter, eggs, milk, sugar etc in preparation for the Lenten fast - so pancakes were made.  This week we made our Pancakes on Friday due to Tuesday's school closure. 

After the Ash Wednesday liturgy held earlier this week we launched Project Compassion, which brings thousands of Australian schools, parishes and supporters together to raise funds for people living in some of the most vulnerable communities across the world. Last year Caritas provided support for communities in Africa experiencing food crisis. They worked tirelessly with partners in Türkiye and Syria to assist families affected by the earthquake that struck the two nations. And with your generosity, they have continued to support the work of their partners across Asia, the Pacific, Africa and here in Australia. Thank you for your support for this fundraising event. Every contribution, no matter how much, is always appreciated. 

Invitation to Prayer    

God did not invent “hurry”
- It is a human made construct
Perhaps this Lent we can slow down,
Pause - even stop -
To think about why we do what we do,
Not simply a habit,
But as a thoughtful response
To the love that sets us free
Amen

- Ann Rennie

Travel safely with God's blessings,

Nerrida

Pancake Day

Project Compassion

Enhancing Catholic Schools Identity (ECSI) Survey 

Please check your eldest child's diary for an envelope inviting families to participate in the ECSI Survey. This information will assist us in better understanding how our Catholic identity is expressed in work and practice here at St Mary’s Warracknabeal.

The Catholic University in Leuven was commissioned by the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria Ltd (CECV) to design a process and tools, based on sound research, to accomplish the goal of understanding our current Catholic identity and where the school community might like to see itself in the future.

The ECSI Survey is a key element of this process and all parents are invited to participate. The online survey gathers responses from students in Years 5 and 6, all staff and participating parents.

The survey is completed online and your responses are guaranteed to be kept anonymous. If you have any questions, please email principal@smwarracknbeal.catholic.edu.au or contact Nerrida through the school office.

Parents of Grade 5 and 6 students - please email Nerrida if you do not wish your child to participate in the survey.

All details are in the envelope sent home.

Thank you for your consideration of this request and for your anticipated participation.

DOBCEL Board meeting at St Mary's - Mass at 5pm Wednesday 21 February

Next Tuesday 20 and Wednesday 21 February the DOBCEL board will hold their meeting at St Mary's. Thank you Parent Club for catering for this event. Whilst the Board are here they will tour the school and meet with our student school leaders and available staff. There will be a Mass held at St Mary's church at 5pm on Tuesday 20 February. All are welcome. 

SAC meeting Wednesday February 28 6:00pm

Our firt SAC meeting for the year will be on February 28 at 6:00pm.  Our SAC members for 2024 are James Gregson (Chair), Courtney Williams, Jess Boyd, Dale Stephan and we welcome new members Jess Lang, Kyle George, William Hewitt and Sally Anderson.  The role of a SAC member is to provide informed advice and a community voice in supporting me as Principal in my leadership responsibility for the St Mary's educational community. The role of the School Advisory Council is to support the overall governance of DOBCEL and is asked to:
- assist with stewardship of the Catholic vision, ethos and culture of the school 
- provide strategic advice and support to the Principal on matters relating to school operations and ongoing improvement
- fairly represent the views and needs of the school community
- assist with promoting the school and Catholic education generally in the local  community
-  have what is best for the students at the heart of all advice it offers 
School Advisory Council members are in the privileged position of being able to formulate and offer informed advice to the Principal.

Please contact any of our SAC members or myself if you have matters aligned to above to be discussed at SAC. 

School Photos 5th March

Students will have school photos on 5th March. Please return your forms as soon as possible. Forms for student -family photos are available at the office. 

Bus travellers and notes

Thank you families for including notes into your children's diaries when there are changes to bus travel. Please, if there is no note in the child's diary or phonecall/email to school regarding changes, (eg being picked up from school or walking to sport etc) it is our understanding your child is to go home on the bus. If children tell us otherwise, contact will be made home to clarify. Children will need to remain at school until parent contact is made. 

PAM /SIMON - Medical, Interview Bookings and Excursion Permissions

Thank you families for connecting with and using PAM on the SIMON Everywhere App. Most families now are accessing PAM for interview bookings and adding student absences. PAM is also the area where you access your child's academic reports.  PAM is also the point of contact to inform you when a student has had an injury at school.  If you are still not connected to PAM, or are having difficulties, please contact Nerrida or the office. 

Please check on PAM you have given consent for your child to attend the Swimming Sports on Friday 23rd February and the Circus Day excursion to Warracknabeal Education Precinct on Thursday 29 February.

School Swimming Sports February 23rd

Friday February 23rd will be our School Swimming Sports at the Warracknabeal Memorial Pool. Thank you Bec for organising and overseeing the event and thank you also to all staff and parent volunteers who will be involved on the day.  Parent Club have generously offered to provide hospitality to the volunteers and also a sausage sizzle for the students.  As well as their regular fruit and morning tea, students may also require additional lunch with their sausage as swimming is hungry work!

Swimming is our first House competition for the year. For families new to the school, students are to wear their House colour top  - red, gold or blue. Please contact your child's teacher if you are unsire of which house your child is in. 

Could volunteers please be at the pool from 9:00am to help set up.

The first events with the Year 6's Iron Person Challenge will start at 9:30 am, with students in the 9-12 age groups competing in the morning.  The younger children will remain at school and then walk to the pool for lunch break. Lunch break is anticipated to be from 11:45-12:15 pm, after which the the students aged 5-8, with support from the older students, will participate in piggy back, noodle and kickboard races. The events should finish just after 1:00pm and then along with presentations all should be over by 1:30 pm. A more detailed program will be available through email and FaceBook closer to the event.

We understand this is a big day especially for our younger students and also appreciate parents have travelled into town to watch their children. If you know you will be attending the swimming sports and will be taking your child/ren home after the swim program, would you please put a note in your child's diary or email your child's teacher. 

Students not going home directly from the pool with their parent will be escorted back to school until dismissal at 3:15pm. 

Students who qualify will represent St Mary's in Horsham at the regional events on Wednesday 28th February. Parents will need to provide transport.

Little Desert Tennis Trials 7th March

The Little Desert tennis trials will take place on Thursday 7^th March at the Horsham Lawn Tennis Club Courts. Starting time will be 9.30 am and estimated finishing time 12pm (depends on numbers). Families will need to provide transport for their children to and from the venue. 

Please consider the following information before deciding whether or not you would like your child to participate in this activity.

- It would be preferable that the child is playing competition tennis and is in grade five or six.

- This format is an individual competition; schools may only send a maximum 3 boys and 3 girls. Schools are required to run their own selection trial if you have more than three capable participants.

- Children participate in a Round Robin tournament. Matches are to 4 games with a tie breaker at 3 all. Two boys and two girls will be selected to represent our division at the conclusion of this trial.

- The two boys & two girls selected will be required to attend the Greater Western Region Championship in Ballarat on the 26^th Region tennis information can be found on the SSV website. https://www.ssv.vic.edu.au/

- Students are required to score and umpire their own matches.

Children are to bring drinks, hat and sunscreen.

Please contact Nerrida if you would like an application form.

School Sport 2024

Children across age groups in Years 3-6 will have many opportunities to enage in sporting activities and if successful, may represent St Mary's across a variety of interschool, regional and perhaps even state events.  Qualifying students from our Swimming sports will represent St Mary's at the regional level in Horsham on Tuesday 28th February. 

The school sport Victoria web site is a very good resource to familiarise yourself with. It has division, region and state dates for all sports as well as rules and regulations. 

Victorian State Teams

Nominations for Vic state teams close the end of February. If you have a talented child in AFL, cricket, netball, basketball or soccer wishing to trial for one or more of these sports, please go to the school sport Victoria website for more information and online entry.  It is up to parents to complete these forms and bring in to school for students to trial for state teams.

https://ssv-cms.eduweb.vic.gov.au/Pages/SSV-Home.aspx

Student Absence from School - Every Day Counts

It is a legal requirement for parents to explain absences from school. Please remember to log on to PAM and state if the absence is due to sickness, doctor’s appointment or family reasons. Alternatively you can email or phone the school prior to 9:30 am on the day of absence, otherwise an absence SMS will be generated. If there is a scheduled absence please advise us in advance. 

Every Day Counts

Going to school every day is the single most important part of your child’s education.
Students learn new things at school every day– missing school puts them behind. Of course we do not want children to come to school if they are ill, and their health is priority. But please consider if the reason for your child to miss a day of learning is important. If your child's school report shows less than 90% attendance for the semester, that represents at least 1 week absent a term or two weeks absence over a semester  -  at least 10% of learning opportunities missed. 

Family holidays - if there are planned holidays during school term time, parents are to notify Nerrida at principal@smwarracknabeal.catholic.edu.au. Please do not write a note in a diary or talk to a teacher for long planned absences, this must come through me, as the Principal has the responsibility for overseeing attendance and all reasons for absences.   For known absences of 3 days or more, parents are to contact the Principal. 

Get Back to School Ready with the School Student Broadband Initiative: Free nbn internet until December 2025!

To boost education opportunities and narrow the digital divide, the Australian Government is providing up to
30,000 eligible families with no internet at home a free National Broadband Network (nbn) service.
The Australian Government has announced that they have extended School Student Broadband Initiative, which
now means free nbn internet service for all new families that take up the offer until 31 December 2025.

How can SSBI help your child?
• Children who can access online learning at home as part of their education are more likely to engage in
classroom activities.
• Access to fast internet at home can also support children to build their digital skills, learn how to safely
use the internet and participate in a world that is more dependent on digital technology.
Is your family eligible for the SSBI? To be eligible your family must:
• Have a child living at home that is enrolled in an Australian school (up to year 12 including Prep in
Qld/Vic/Tas, Kindy in NSW, Reception in SA, Transition in NT/ACT and Pre-Primary in WA).
• Not have an active nbn Internet service at home. (Having a mobile internet service does not affect
eligibility).
• Live in a premises that can access the nbn via a standard connection – this will be checked for you.
• Not have had an active nbn connection during the previous 14 days.

Check your eligibility, by following these simple steps:
1. Contact the National Referral Centre on 1800 954 610 (Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm AEDT) or by visiting
www.anglicarevic.org.au/student-internet.

2. The National Referral Centre team will then help assess your eligibility for the SSBI, by checking several things including your residential address and current financial situation.

3. If eligible, you will be issued a voucher which can be redeemed at any of the participating SSBI retail
service providers.

4. If further assistance is required, the National Referral Centre will also be available to assist with
contacting your SSBI retail service provider of choice and providing follow-up support.

Contact the National Referral Centre on 1800 954 610 (Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm AEDT) or by visiting
www.anglicarevic.org.au/student-internet.

School TV: The Wellbeing Barometer 2024

The Wellbeing Barometer survey has proven to be an invaluable tool for schools, providing insights into the state of youth mental health and wellbeing. Whilst last year’s results focussed the spotlight on areas of concern, there were also many highlights that demonstrated the resilience and adaptability of students and emphasised the necessity of prevention strategies.

Participating in this year's survey, will assist in identifying areas of strength and concern, as well as pinpointing opportunities for early intervention. Previously gathered information has helped support families as they navigate difficult conversations that enable understanding and foster connections to build relationships.

This survey is part of an ongoing, longitudinal study, with the results being instrumental in tailoring support for students and their families. Participation is strongly encouraged, as it provides a comprehensive view of students' experiences, challenges, and achievements over the past year. Its aim is to capture a comprehensive picture of young people's lives, allowing for a tailored approach to enhance mental and emotional wellbeing.

We encourage you to take a few moments to complete a survey for each of your children. This will help us determine the nature and extent of your concerns and how best to support families in the months ahead. Responses remain anonymous and will only be reported on an aggregated basis. You are asked to base your responses on observations made in the last 12 months.

Acquiring the skills for future independence, taking healthy risks, and giving young people the opportunity to emancipate from parents, are key developmental tasks that are essential if we are to stave off the impact of mental illness in the future. Please reflect on the information offered in this Special Report, and as always, we welcome your feedback. If this raises any concerns for you or your child, please reach out to the school or seek professional medical advice.

Here is the link to your special report https://smwarracknabeal.catholic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-wellbeing-barometer-2024-au

School Fees and CSEF

Thank you to all the families who have paid their student levy. If you are a current Health Care Card holder would you please make sure you come into the office and complete a Camps and Excursions Form along with a Family Fee Assistance Form to be able to have your fees reduced. Fee statements were emailed to you at the end of last week. If you have any concerns regarding fees please make the time to contact the Principal.

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