Week 4/5 - Term 2

From the Principal

St Mary’s offers a warm and inclusive Catholic school community. We believe that each person is made in the image and likeness of God, and as a result, we value and respect each individual. We know that all children are learners and that each child is unique. For this reason, we prioritise inclusive practices each year in our Annual School Improvement Plan. Inclusion is about ensuring that no one is left out of any part of school life from learning and the curriculum, to relationships and play time. Inclusion is about intentionally planning for the success of all students.

Catherine Antonio, our Inclusive Practices teacher, works with St Mary’s staff to ensure that our school caters for the diversity of learners within our school population, most especially that our students with disability are supported to engage purposefully in learning. Catherine ensures that all Student Individual Education Plans are renewed each semester in collaboration with parents, specialists and classroom teachers. She also meets with teachers fortnightly to guide the work of teachers in the classroom in accordance with the needs of the students.

All teachers at St Mary’s have engaged with professional development on the Disability Standards. These standards emphasise that Inclusive education is a legally-supported, evidence-based way of delivering education that recognises the individual characteristics of students. It ensures that teachers are offering learning and teaching adjustments to allow all children to access the curriculum and to be a part of their school community. For children living with disability, ensuring that they have the same educational opportunities as other students is critical to enabling them to reach their full potential and become happy, contributing members of society.

At St Mary’s, our teachers, school officers and Inclusive Practices Teacher work together with our Guidance Counsellor and Visiting Specialists from Townsville Catholic Education to ensure we are responsive to the needs of all our learners. Specialists from Townsville include hearing specialists, vision specialists, speech language pathologists and English as an additional language experts. Teachers also receive advice from specialists such as psychologists, psychiatrists and allied health workers, including occupational therapists, which they embed into their planning for teaching and learning.

I would like to acknowledge the work of Catherine Antonio, our Inclusive Practices teacher, in this space and her dedication to supporting our students in collaboration with their teachers and parents. 

God bless,

Alicia

Prep 2024

We are currently taking Prep enrolments for 2024.  If you have a child beginning school next year or know someone whose child is due to begin Prep, please get your enrolment forms in ASAP. These forms can be found on our school website. Please follow this link to access our current enrolment form.   Don’t forget about our Prep Open Day on Saturday, 27 May. The Open Day will be held from 9am to 11am in the Prep classroom and will include:

• information stalls
• free snow cones and sausage sizzle provided by the P&F
• fun Prep activities, including robotics kits provided by Townsville Catholic Education
• take home stationery packs

Parents and students of 2024 Prep students are invited to join us on this day to get a taste of what Prep is like. Please RSVP to the Office so we know you are coming.

Religious Life of the School

Good afternoon everybody, I hope you are all well. Please see below  items related to the Religious life of our school. Email me anytime at swindridge@smbtsv.catholic.edu.au with any questions or to get involved in any of our school projects or activities.

Prayer Renewal: 

We have now begun the work of Prayer Renewal at St Mary's with the establishment of the prayer renewal team. This team will work on an audit of the St Mary's prayer life and create an action plan for a more recontextualised prayer life at our school. The word 'aggiornamento' is Italian for an updating, or modernisation, and by examining how and why we pray at our school we can better meet the spiritual needs of our community within a more personal, contemporary context. If you are interested in joining this team please contact Suzette or Alicia at the school office. We will share with you our progress as we move through the project steps. 

Murroona Gardens:

Our Mini Vinnies students truly enjoyed their visit to Murroona Gardens last week. I have included some pictures below. I am hoping we can return again soon to bring some cheer and kindness into the residents day. 

Laudato Si: 

May 16-24 is when we recognise Laudato Si` week in Australia. Laudato Si is the letter Pope Francis wrote to the world regarding climate change in 2015. This week is an opportunity for us to touch upon our responsibility as Christians to be stewards of creation and contribute in some small way towards the protection and restoration of our 'common home'. Teachers have discussed this theme and completed activities to help students connect to this important movement. This year, Catholics all over the world are also celebrating Pope Francis' eighth year since the release of his encyclical letter, Laudato Si, with the movie 'The Letter'. The letter tells the story of individuals' journeys to Rome to talk to the Pope about climate change, and showcases new insights into Pope Francis' history. See: http://www.theletterfilm.org/watch/ 

Below are some illustrations of Pope Francis by Keira, Bela, Sophia and Liberty in Year 5. 

School Masses and Liturgies:

Please join us, if you are able, for our Mary Help of Christians whole school meditation next week, on Friday the 26th at 11:20 am (in the big shed). Students really do love it when families and friends join us for these special occassions. There will also be a whole school Mass to finish off the term on Friday the 23rd of June, at 9 am in the Church (led by Year 2 and 4 students). 

I hope you all have a safe and restful weekend.

God bless, 

Mrs Windridge. 

Celebrating 150 Years of St Mary's

1940s - Stella Maris

Stella Maris College, a secondary school for girls, opened its doors in 1943 with Mother Dympna and Sister de Chantal taking on the task of educating girls at Sub-junior and Junior level. They also accepted a senior student from Proserpine who went on to become the first student  to complete the Senior level course at Stella Maris. Three other students, Lucy Denham, Connie Bussutin, and Josie Gustaveson, also completed the Senior level in the 1940s.

By 1948, a Commercial course had been added to the College curriculum. This subject was taught on five ancient typewriters and when the time came for Public Examinations, local businessmen generously lent the students their typewriters. Results in these examinations were always good and a tribute to the skill and dedication of the nuns.

The increased emphasis on Science and the rapid approach to the technological era in the 1970s made it impossible for Stella Maris College to exist with the meagre resources available. The declining number of vocations and shortage of Sisters emphasised the problems.

Many of our current parish members, including Gloria Fisher and Cheryl Hammond, attended Stella Maris College and have fond memories.

150th Anniversary Event

Design a Brick Fundraiser

The 150th Anniversary Committee will be holding a Design a Brick Fundraiser, providing the opportunity for past and current students and their families to have a brick engraved with their name, for installation in our school grounds.

More information will be released in the coming weeks about purchase options.

We hope many families will be as excited as we are about the opportunity for our families to leave a lasting mark on the school.

Award Winners Week 4, Term 2

In Week 4, our weekly awards were presented to students who have been following Mary's Way by Showing "C" Care and compassion.

Mary's Way Award Winners:

Back row: Knite Land, Dwyatt Schultz, Beau Roach, Austin Stevens

Front row: Paulo Ngauamo, Delta Lane, Amy Das

Praise Note Winner of the Week:  Manning McVeigh-Davey

Star Reader:  Edie Grieve

Award Winners Week 5, Term 2

In Week 5, our weekly awards were presented to students following Mary's Way by showing "S" Safe,Just and Fair/

Mary's Way Award Winners: 

Back Row: Sophie Boyle, Andew Firth, Bailee-Maree Tapp, Laharnah Nelson

Front Row: Sadie Murray, Makayla Kelly

Paise Note Winner of the Week:  Dwyatt Schultz

Star Reader: Aaliyah Klaus

Extra Activities

P&F News

Mary's Munchkins Under 8's Day

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Birthdays

Birthdays

Asha Lane                                                                    Tahlia Hundy                                         Oliver Foster

Sophia Nicholls                                                                                                                             Austin Stevens

Mason Drysdale-White                                                                                                                               

Tuckshop Menu Term 2

Mary Mackillop OSHC

OSHC at St Mary’s Catholic School is now operating Monday to Friday from  6.30 am to 8.30 am and 2.45 pm to 6.00 pm.

The government has announced changes in the way that Child Care Subsidy is worked out. The income limit for CCS will be increasing to $530,000, meaning that the cost of OSHC will reduce for the majority of families. The changes will come into effect on 10 July.

Currently the service costs $17.50 for Before-School Care, and $22 for After-School Care, before CCS reductions are applied. Food (breakfast and afternoon tea) is provided at no extra cost. Please see below for more information about the upcoming reduction in fees.

If you would like more information or to register, please contact Miss Rob on 0428 216 062 OR at bowenoshc@mmcnq.catholic.edu.au

Weeks 6 to 7 Important Events

• 23 May - Arts Council performance: "Brilliant at Being Resilient"
• 25 May - 5pm Indigenous Education Advisory Group meeting
• 26 May - National Apology Day community event; Mary Help of Christians whole school meditation
• 27 May - 9am - 11am Prep Open Day
• 1 June - 5pm P&F meeting
• 2 June - Year 3 Class Mass; Yr 4/5/6 Blah (Public speaking) workshop
  
• 4 June - Mulkadee Workshops

NCCD

Community News

Kids' Car Show