Week 6/7 - Term 2

From the Principal

This week we have celebrated National Reconciliation Week, promoting unity and understanding between First Nations peoples and non-First Nations Australians.

The National Day of Healing, observed on May 26, acknowledges past mistreatment of the Stolen Generations. The Deadly Learners from Years 4, 5 and 6 were invited to attend the Bowen community event at the Sound Shell to learn more about the impact of the Stolen Generations and the process of healing that has occured in North Queensland since the "Bringing Them Home" report in 1998.

Our students showed great respect while listening to the speeches, including the personal story of one lady who had been taken from her family as a child. They also enjoyed learning more about First Nations culture through hands-on activities and demonstrations of dancing. Lazariah Prior (Year 2) and Zane Prior (Prep) performed the traditional dances with the Juru dancers.

National Day of Healing and Reconciliation Week

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This knowledge is increasingly important as we transition to the new Australian Curriculum Version 9.0. First Nations perspectives and Cross-Curriculum Priorities are being given a greater emphasis in the new version of the Australian Curriculum, highlighting the importance of including them in our Annual School Improvement Plan under the pillar of a Climate Conducive to Learning. The Cross-Curriculum Priorities focus on People, Country / Place, and Culture, with Identity at the centre.

I thank everyone for their engagement with this important national event over the past week.

God bless,

Alicia

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.

Mary Help of Christians:

This week we celebrated the Feast day of Mary Help of Christians as a whole school. Thank you to the parents who made a special effort to join us in this lovely meditation and prayer service. Thank you also to Mrs Young, Ms Strambini and the Year 4s for organising and running this event. 

St Vincent de Paul Retreat and Pentecost:

On Sunday, 21 May, St Vincent de Paul members congregated at St Mary’s school for a special retreat based upon the theme ‘Renewed by the spirit’. The society serves those in need regardless of creed, ethnic or social background, health, gender or political opinions. Vincentians rely upon the Holy Spirit to help them to be an instrument of God’s peace for those whose paths they cross. This tied in well with our recent Church celebration of Pentecost, on Sunday the 28th of May. ACTS 2  Each year we celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles gathered, full of fear, in the upper room in Jerusalem. This marks the very beginning of the Catholic Church. Like the disciples on that first Pentecost, we too have fears in our everyday lives due to the troubled nature of our current world and society. We welcome the Holy Spirit into our hearts and lives, asking for hope to fill frightened hearts and a renewal of spirit as we come out of the Easter season. 

Social Justice/St Vinnie's Day: 

Students in Grades 2-6 will be walking to St Vincent de Paul’s on June 9 to purchase an outfit and to raise funds for our local store. They will be visited by the Youth engagement officer from St Vincent de Paul’s Townsville on the same day to participate in Social Justice activities. Although Prep and Year 1 will not be participating this year, they are welcome to buy an outfit prior to the day to model in the fashion parade in the afternoon session. Please keep an eye out for the permission letter and return this as soon as possible. 

Youth group:

Our older youth group members will be volunteering their time at our local St Vincent de Paul’s store on June 17, if anyone is interested in getting involved, please email swindridge@smbtsv.catholic.edu.au The whole youth group will also be taking a scenic walk up Mother Beddick on this day (Saturday 17th) followed by a picnic. We will send home a letter about this soon!

School Masses and Liturgies:

Year 1 will be having a small class Mass next Friday, 9 June, at 9am in the Church. In the final week of school, we will have a whole school Mass on the Friday morning, also at 9 am in the Church. All parents and community members are warmly encouraged to join us for these special occassions. 

I hope you all have a safe and restful weekend.

God bless, 

Mrs Windridge. 

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.  

Celebrating 150 Years of St Mary's

This week we are focusing on the 1950s.

Past students are invited to email their photos to the school email address to be included in future newsletters.

Please email photos to bwn@tsv.catholic.edu.au 

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.

Order forms are avaialble on our school website at https://www.smbtsv.catholic.edu.au/150-years/commemorative-brick-fundraiser/

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.

Blah Workshop

This week, nominated students in Grades 4 and 5 participated in a workshop called 'Blah: A Communication Challenge'. Students were visited by an experienced coach who provided oratory education in which they were challenged to write a speech and look at what makes a good speech, also what makes someone a good communicator and other important public speaking and oral language processes. Students had so much fun and we are very grateful to the Rotary club in Ayr for providing this incredible opportunity to our students. 

My New Gallery

From the Guidance Counsellor

In this edition of SchoolTV - BODY IMAGE

Kids today are more obsessed with their body image than those in past generations. This is partially influenced by the media and their social connectivity. Encouraging kids to have a healthy body image in childhood, can lay the foundations for good physical and mental health later in life.

A recent study highlighted that body image is one of the top three concerns for Australian youth. Over half of girls in high schools have tried to lose weight. One-third of teenage boys wanted to be thinner and another third wanted to be larger. Children need to understand that their body shape and size is not a reflection of their health or success. Parents and schools need to work together to help kids understand that everyone is born with their own ‘body-suit’.

In this edition of SchoolTV, parents will learn how to encourage their child to have a positive body image and why it is so important to their mental health.

We hope you take time to reflect on the resources offered in this edition of SchoolTV and we always welcome your feedback. If you have any concerns about your child, please contact the school guidance counsellor for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to the Body Image edition of SchoolTV

Award Winners Week 6, Term 2

In Week 6, our weekly awards were presented to students who have been following Mary's Way by showing "B" Be My Best.

Mary's Way Award Winners:

Back row: Lily Finau, Adison Jenkins, Tahlia Hundy

Front row: Leroy Frieberg, Arthur Watson, Oliver Pilcher

Praise Note Winner of the Week:  Asha Lane

Star Reader:  Matilda Teitzel

Principal's Awards - 10 Praise Notes: 

Back row: Joel Young, Rafferty Pilcher, Ahkeem Byers, Chelsea Woodward, Bailee-Maree Tapp, Mia Cernusco, Samantha Pugh, Manning McVeigh-Davey

Middle row: Holly Kahler, Harry Sylvester, Aaliyah Klaus, Hudson Mee, Jayden Kirk, Angus Murray, Evan Moxham

Front row: Maggie Romano, Zach Leyden, Elishia Petersen, Paulo Ngauamo, Edie Grieve, Zane Prior, Arthur Watson

Principal's Award - 20 Praise Notes: Emerson Graf

Award Winners Week 7, Term 2

In Week 7, our weekly awards were presented to students following Mary's Way by showing "S" Show Respect.

Mary's Way Award Winners: 

Back Row: Ella Willson, Aislinn Ninnes, Evan Moxham

Front Row: Mason Drysdale-White, Indy Kaifoto, Nataya Byers

Paise Note Winner of the Week:  Jaicee Petersen

Star Reader: Enoch Zhang

MiniLit and MacqLit Achievements

The following students were given certificates at Parade this week to celebrate graduating MiniLit Level 1 and MacqLit.

From left to right: Paulo Ngauamo, Caleb Brockbank, Penelope Jones, Jake Land, and Ava von Pein.

Extra Activities

P&F News

St Mary's P&F is super excited to invite you all to another school disco, but this one is going to be fancy dress!  So come dressed up as any of your favourite things. This could be anything, from your favourite book character, or sports hero, to your favourite animal. We would love to see all your creative outfits on Friday, 16 June from 6pm.  Prizes on offer!!! 

This night will bring together our school community and we will have some delicious food, drink and more on offer. If you are a parent or friend and are interested in helping out on this night, please reach out to St Mary's P&F in person, or on the email pandfstmarysbowen@gmail.com. 

You may also have heard that next term we will be holding a Musical Bingo night at the Grand View Hotel, this will be on Saturday, 12 August, and tickets will soon be available!

You can catch up with all the P&F updates at our next meeting on Thursday, 8 June, from 5.30pm in the St Mary's School staff room.

Prep Open Day

My New Gallery

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Birthdays

Birthdays

Knite Land                                                                               Hudson Mee

Mahir Beygirci                                                                         Rafferty Pilcher

Aislinn Ninnes                                                                         Alsu Aminova                       

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 8-10 Important Events

• 8 June - 5.15pm Board Meeting
• 9 June - 9am Year 1 Class Mass
• 13 June - High jump event
  
• 15 June - High jump event; 3.15pm Catholic Identity Team meeting
  
• 16 June - Under 8's Day at Queens Beach State School; P&F Fancy Dress Disco
• 18 June - 8am First Communion and Confirmation Mass
• 19 June - Athletics Carnival
• 23 June - 9am End of Term Mass; MMBDO

NCCD

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