2025 St Mary's Primary School Newsletter Term 1 Week 4

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.

Principal's News

Welcome to the fourth week of the school year. Needless to say, in this short period of time, it’s been busy. We have already had Getting to Know You Conversations, the School Swimming Program, Foundation Assessment days (continuing Wednesdays) and a school closure day. If you are new to school life, brace yourself; it doesn't slow down. 

For just over a week our children have participated in the School Swimming Program. I would like to thank the dedicated staff and volunteers that helped make this such a success. We are extremely grateful for the meticulous work that Bec and Jess B have put into planning lessons, organising rosters, grouping children, making it fun and so much more. We thank you. 

This Thursday we will have our first School Assembly led by the Yr 5/6 in the Library at 09:00am. Families are warmly invited to attend all our Assemblies and various events held throughout the year. Unfortunately I will be absent (Principal Meeting) for this event.

Recently, I met with Fr Sajan to discuss the Beginning of Year and Commitment Mass  Friday 28th February at St Mary’s Church.  This is a very important celebration, particularly for our school leaders and school community. All families are invited to attend.

For the safety of our children, we ask families to be extra vigilant in the car park, remembering to reverse park and avoid walking through the bus area use carpark walkways. We also invite families to park in the staff car park if they would like to (entry via Lyle St). 

Thank you for entrusting us with the education and well-being of your children. 

Our St Mary’s newsletter will be published on Tuesday each fortnight.

Key Dates

Prayer

A Friendship Blessing

Creator God, as Pilgrims of Hope, we pray for one another along the journey of 2025. With confidence we pray for one another using this reflection;

May you be blessed with good friends.
May you learn to be a good friend to yourself.
May you be able to journey to that place in your soul where
there is great love, warmth, feeling, and forgiveness.
May this change you.
May it transfigure that which is negative, distant, or cold in you.
May you be brought into the real passion, kinship, and affinity of belonging.
May you treasure your friends.
May you be good to them and may you be there for them;
may they bring you all the blessing, challenges, truth,
and light that you need for your journey.
May you never be isolated.
May you always be in the gentle nest of belonging with your anam ċara.

Amen

FLARE Professional Learning – improving literacy outcomes

The St Mary’s staff had their first professional development session on Structured Literacy in Horsham last Thursday. In this introduction to Structured Literacy and the Science of Reading, we explored the history of literacy instruction and the latest research about how the human brain learns to read and write. We took an in-depth look at existing instructional practices and how we might improve them in light of the cognitive science recommendations.

 Why It’s Important:

- Foundation for Literacy: Structured Literacy provides a strong foundation for all students, ensuring they develop essential reading and writing skills.

- Support for Struggling Readers: It is especially beneficial for students with learning difficulties, such as dyslexia, by offering clear, structured methods to help them succeed.

- Consistency and Clarity: The systematic nature of the approach ensures that students receive consistent and clear instruction, which can improve their overall literacy skills.

Congratulations 'Warracknabeal Wildcats' Girls Basketball Team 

February 8th through to the 9th of February, the Warracknabeal Wildcats under 14 girls had a basketball tournament in Portland. These girls had heaps of success winning every game and even making it into the Grand Final.

Grand Final day was nerve racking as the Wildcats  had to verse the best Div 2 team around, Hamilton Hurricanes. At half-time the Wildcats were up by 2 points, the scores being 12-10. We ended up winning the tournament by 5 points and all taking home a trophy. At the end of the tournament, I (Harlow) scored 41 points in total and ended up being the third highest scorer for the U14 girls division. 

Harlow Yr 6

What's Happening around our school

Students in both Canola and Lentils have been investigating the states of matter. They had a great time and enjoyed experimenting with creating gases from chemical reactions to inflate balloons.

Friday 7th of March is the World Day Of Prayer. On this day people get together to pray for a country. This year the Cook Islands have been chosen. St Mary’s are doing a casual clothes day on Thursday 6th March to raise money. Students can bring a gold coin donation to contribute to the donation going to the Cook Islands. The Year Five and Six class will attend the mass service at St Mary's church and take the money the school has has raised to put in the donation.

Heidi Year 6 

We are a BARR school (Bushfire at Risk)

Pleae read the communication below. As a Bushfire at Risk school, on days there is a Catastrophic fire danger forcasted in our district, the school will close. Other educational providers in our area will also close, and there will be no school byses running. We need to receive notification from the Department if Education and also DOBCEL in order to close. The school will always endeavour to notify families as soon as practical. We did have two Catastrophic school closure days earlier this year. 

Please ensure you have downloaded the SIMON everywhere app to receive the first notification of a sudden school closure through PAM, as this is the official school emergency notification platform.

Then emails will be sent to families, followed by a Facebook update. 

We are  SunSmart

Children must leave their hats at school at the end of each day. If hats are not brought to school, children will be required to play in the shade.  Please ensure HATS CLEARLY LABELLED.

When it comes to using sun protection, temperature isn't a good guide. You can’t see or feel UV but UV is the part of the sun that can damage skin and eyes and lead to skin cancer. SunSmart advises that Victoria’s UV levels start to rise from mid-August. 

Please remind your child to wear their hat, clearly labelled with their name.

 For SunSmart information visit

 https://www.sunsmart.com.au/advice-for/schools-early-childhood

DOBCEL Strategy 2035

Please find below a letter from Catholic Education Ballarat Executive Director, Tom Sexton and DOBCEL Board Chair Terry Harney regarding the DOBCEL Strategy 2035.

This letter introduces the new strategy that all DOBCEL schools will be working through over the next ten years.

Child Safety at St Mary's

St Mary's is committed to zero tolerance of child abuse, committed to listening to and empowering children and young people and keeping children and young people safe. We are committed to being proactive in the care, wellbeing and protection of children and young people. Child Safe Standard 11 as below highlights what we as an organisation must do. regarding documentation. If you ever have any concerns, regarding the safety and wellbeing of your child please contact the Principal. Your information makes us more aware of what needs to be addressed and how we can improve. 

For more information please visit this link Child Safe Standards 

School Fee Information

Thank you to all the families who have returned their Fee Payment Plan for 2025 and or have paid their fees in full. Please remember if you pay your fees in full by the 28th February 2025 you will be entitled to a $100 discount. If you have not yet provided your Health Care Card for 2025 could you please do so by the 10th February. Fee Statements will be emailed early next week. Any concerns or questions please feel free to contact the office.  

Dental Van

Today your child will have a Dental Van form in their school bag. The Van will be at school on Thursday 6th March. This is not compulsory it is a family choice. Student forms must be returned to school by Friday 21st February - late forms will not be accepted. 

ICT, Code of Conduct and WWC

Thank you to all the families who have sent back the ICT and Code of Conduct forms that were sent home last Friday. If week. If you have not returned these forms yet could you please do so ASAP. If you have signed up to help out with Swimming Carnival this Friday could you please check in that the school has a current copy of your Working With Children Card?

Thunderstorm Asthma

School Transitions

Community News

Issue One of Book Club was sent home last week and is due on Wenesday 12th February.

Owning your own books is something special! I hope that you will encourage your child to order books this year. Each order helps earn free books and teaching materials for our classroom, however there is never any obligation to order. I know of no better way to encourage reading than to allow children to choose the books they want to read.

The Shed Project - Expressions of Interest

The Shed Project has been operational for 6 years, and is excited that our purpose built shed is almost ready for habitation. Reverend James - the shed co-ordinator - is seeking an expressions of interest from families who would their children to participate in 2025.