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Dear Parents, Guardians and Community,
Welcome back. We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and holiday break.
Our classrooms are ready and our teachers are primed.
Welcome to our new families and staff member Judith Alves and welcome back Angela Pezzano and Connie Karangelis.
Dear Heavenly Father,
As we embark on this new school year, we gather before You with hearts full of gratitude and hope. Bless our students with wisdom, curiosity, and a hunger for knowledge. Guide our teachers with patience, understanding, and passion.
May this school year be filled with growth, friendship, and a spirit of collaboration. Grant us the strength to overcome challenges and the resilience to persevere in the face of adversity. May Your light shine upon our classrooms, fostering an environment of kindness, respect, and love.
Amen
Our Meet and Greet is planned for Tuesday February 13. For those new to our school this is a ten minute meeting with teachers for families to share something about their child with their teacher. Basically, if there is something you would want the teacher to know, this is the time to let them know. Classes will finish at 1pm with students able to go home at this time. Students will be supervised until 3:30 if they cannot be picked up at this time. Bookings will open on Monday 5th at 2pm.
New uniform top. We are very excited that our new sport's uniform top has finally arrived and students can start to wear it. Not only does it look fantastic and celebrates our Indigenous Culture, but it is better quality and easier to wash making for a much better uniform for our students.
Playground Update. The great news is that our first major piece is being constructed now and is only a few weeks away. It is musical and the students will love it. I had further meetings with our landscape architect over the holidays to finalise our plans and drawings to hand over for tender. I also know we have a lot of trades people as parents who we hope will be able to help with construction of some of the items. The more we can do ourselves the better.
Australian Council of Education Research. (ACER) We have been approached by ACER to be involved in some research on School Reports on March 7. The session for Parents would run for 60 to 90 minutes. They will be running sessions for students and teachers also on the day.
As you may be aware, many schools, especially secondary, have moved to an on-line reporting process. Parents log in and check their child's progress throughout the year. Unfortunately, not a great deal of research has gone into this and many of these new systems have been designed by IT companies with no educational research as to why and how they do it. School Reports should always be about improving students, not just reporting on what they did. This research hopes to improve how school reports are written digitally, something more primary schools will be doing.
Project research details "In this new project, Transforming Student Reporting, we are developing a prototype of a 'digital student report card' and conducting focus groups about this prototype with parent/carer, student and teacher stakeholders. Our goal is to produce a research-informed practice guide about how student reporting in the future might embrace digital technologies to better communicate about student learning.
If you are interested in being involved with this can you send me an email or speak to me. I always do the before school playground duty, so that is a good time to catch me. ahockey@smwilliamstown.catholic.edu.au
God Bless
Anthony
Prep Parent Information Session
There will be an information session for all our prep parents on Tuesday 6th February at 6:30.
This will be held in the prep portables.
In this session we hope to address any housekeeping issues and answer any general questions you may have about the day to day practicalities of Prep.
A further opportunity to speak one on one with your child’s teacher will be provide in week three at the Meet and Greet appointments.
We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday evening.
Thank you in advance for you support.
Danielle Mahony and Charlotte Lipnicki
We are very excited about what is happening in 2024 at St Mary's and I thought I would give you a bit more information.
On our closure day list you will see we have three days titled "Flourishing Learners." Melbourne Archdiocesan Catholic Schools are releasing The Flourishing Learners position statement, Vision for Instruction
https://www.macs.vic.edu.au/Our-Schools/Curriculum-Learning-Programs/Vision-for-Instruction.aspx
which will detail the MACS strategy to support the Science of Learning. At St Mary's, as we are ahead of the game, have already started our work in this area and have begun to implement many strategies.
This year we are part of the Western Region Flourishing Learners project which involves 25-30 schools in the Western Region. Thus our teachers are about to receive extensive training to support student learning.
Flourishing Learners will focus on schools using evidence based practices that support learning. Some of this will be focused on Literacy and Mathematics, some of it will focus on discipline, some will be purely focused on the Science of how students learn, eg, moving things from short term memory (working memory) to our long term memory. To give you an example of a discipline focus, or behaviour management as we call it these days, all classes this week are learning to call to attention signals that all teachers and and staff will use so we have consistent practice across the school. Teachers will either use "Eyes Front" and the students will respond "Backs Straight," with the expectation they will stop their work, sit up straight and look at the teacher. Teachers will also use the signal 5,4,3,2,1. also using a hand signal. Teachers are also focusing this week on movement around the school, how they line up of a morning and school uniform. Students are getting daily reminders about uniform expectations hair tied up, no nail polish, white socks not black socks etc It is very simple practice, if we create a consistent environment, our students will feel more comfortable and know what to do. Other things teachers will be learning about is cognitive load theory, daily reviews of learning, retrieval practice and other practices that support student learning.
We continue our work with Love Maths this year to improve our teaching of Maths and we are also training our teachers how to use the Dibels assessment (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) this replaces the very time consuming running records that we have done previously, giving us the same data in a fraction of the time. This year some of our prep students will also complete the Maths and English on-line interviews. This is now mandated across Government and Catholic Schools so we have more system Data.
Our School Improvement Plan continues to have the focus of our four goals centred on Instructional Coaching for Teachers, Data Literacy, Student Voice and Agency and the Intervention Framework. We are half way through our School Improvement Plan and we are making great progress.
School Closure Days 2024
1 |
Start of 2024 |
Monday 29th January |
2 |
Love Maths Professional Learning (PL) |
Thursday 28th March |
3 |
Flourishing Learners (Pl) |
Friday 26th April |
4 |
Flourishing Learners (PL) |
Friday 16th August |
5 |
Flourishing Learners (PL) |
Monday 21st October |
6 |
Time in lieu- pre Melb Cup |
Monday 4th November |
7 |
Staff End of 2024 (Last Student Day 17th Dec) |
Wednesday Dec 18 |
8 |
Time in lieu |
Thursday Dec 19 |
9 |
Time in lieu |
Friday Dec 20 |
St Mary’s Faith News
School and Parish Connections
Faith Formation Focus at St Mary’s in 2024
-
Prayer and Praying
Pope Francis has proposed that after a year of reflecting on the fruits of the Second Vatican, 2024 should be a year dedicated to prayer.
At St Mary’s we can put this into practice by focusing on how to pray independently and collectively. We can pray for unity as we work together for a safe community. We can pray that all of us at St Mary’s treat others with kindness and respect. We can also pray for those who are sad, sick or lonely and give them our hope.
Last year, Fr Greg began dedicating the 10:30, Sunday Mass on the Last Sunday of each month to the children, especially those attending St Mary’s school. As a community, I hope that the school children and their families take the opportunity to share in joining the parish community at the St Mary’s Masses where the children take the lead in the Mass, reading and singing in the choir. We all have our strengths and talents to share. This is an opportunity for the children to share these with the school and parish community.
St Mary’s School Prayer
Creator God,
We at St Mary’s school pray that we continue to live by the Gospel in our work and play.
Help us to care and respect for each other as Jesus teaches us.
Bless everyone in our school, parish and beyond as we go forth and work together as followers of Christ to reach out to those in need.
Jesus be in our thoughts. (use thumb to make a cross on your forehead)
Jesus be in our words. (use thumb to make a cross on your lips)
Jesus be in our hearts. (use thumb to make a cross on your heart)
Amen
This prayer was created by the staff at St Mary’s in 2021, with the help of Fr Elio. It is the prayer the children will say each morning as part of their prayer time and will be prayed together at Assemblies.
I invite all families to pray this prayer together at home so that everyone in our school community knows the school prayer.
- St Mary of the Cross -Mary MacKillop
Mary Mackillop will be a focal point of our faith formation this year. As a school we will develop a better understanding of her values and teachings.
We would like to update the current Christian Leadership statements and make them relevant to the children today. This will be a priority for term one. Each year level will work as a team (teachers and students together) to decide on the values they think are important and marry them with Mary MacKillop’s teachings.
Once the statements are finalised these will be shared in the newsletter.
As a school, we are also hoping to organise some visits to the Mary MacKillop Heritage centre in an effort to develop the students understanding of the life and mission of our Patron Saint, St Mary of the Cross.
Some important Dates to Remember for Term 1
Event |
Date |
Time |
Where |
Ash Wednesday & Beginning of School Mass |
14th Feb |
9:15 am |
Church |
Feast of St Joseph - led by Yr 3 / 4 |
19th March |
9:15 |
Church |
Sacramental Program 2024
There have been some changes to the Sacramental Program this year. This is to ensure the program runs smoothly.
The biggest change is that the Year 3 students will make their reconciliation in Term 1 and then make their First Eucharist with the Year 4 students if term 2.
Information booklets for Eucharist and Confirmation will be sent home shortly.
There will be some additional dates added for Parent information sessions.
Sacrament |
Term |
Date |
Where |
Notes |
Reconciliation Year 3 students |
1 |
Tuesday 5th Wednesday 6th Friday 8th March Time: 4:00-6:00 and Saturday 9th March Time: 10:00-12:00 am |
Church |
Will need to book a time early in Term 2 |
Eucharist - 3 / 4 RM |
2 |
Saturday 18th May 6:00 pm |
Church |
No booking required |
Eucharist - 3 / 4 C |
2 |
Saturday 25th May 6:00 pm |
Church |
No booking required |
Eucharist - 3 / 4 T |
2 |
Saturday 1st Jume 6:00 pm |
Church |
No booking required |
Confirmation - 6 D |
3 |
Tuesday 27th August - 6:00pm |
Church |
No booking required |
Confirmation - 6 S |
3 |
Wednesday 28th August - 6:00pm |
Church |
No booking required |
Confirmation - 6 A/K |
3 |
Thursday 29th August - 6:00pm |
Church |
No booking required |
Shrove Tuesday – volunteers required
In celebration of Shrove Tuesday, we’re looking for a volunteer to coordinate Pancake Day on Tuesday 13 February. This is a fun day, where parents get together to cook pancakes for the children to enjoy.
This usually runs from around 8am to recess. Pancake mix is donated by parents along with condiments and electric fry pans. In addition to a Project Lead, we are also looking for volunteers to help cook the pancakes and distribute to students on the day.
If you are available to coordinate the day, or help cook, please email cg@smwilliamstown.catholic.edu.au
Thanks for your help.
P&F Coordinating Group
St Mary's School is a Child Safe School and as such complies with all aspects and legal obligations that relate to the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005 (VIC)
St Mary's Families Supporting Each Other
Financially: Did you know that families often financially donate to support other families. This may come in the form of offering to pay for another families school fees, camp fees or other costs. We cannot give money to another family directly, however we can use that money to supplement their school fees, camp fees etc.)To support another family in our school, use our normal bank account with a reference;
ST MARY'S FAMILY SUPPORT DONATION
Bank Account BSB 083 347 Account Number: 658206494
Second Hand Uniform Shop: Many families donate old uniforms to our second hand shop. These second hand uniforms are either resold or donated to families in our school.
Book Exchange: Did you know we have a book exchange near the entry of our school? Many families use this to donate and swap books.
St Mary's Parish School Building fund (Tax Deductable) You may also choose to support the school by making a donation to the St Mary's Parish School Building Fund. All donations to this fund are tax deductable. Funds can only be spent on a set criteria which include building maintenance, repair, replacement or a new building. BSB: 083 347 Account Number: 153900034