Week 1 Term 4

Term 4 Week 2-3 Important Events

• 12 October - Mini Vinnies Murroona Gardens visit; P&F meeting, 4.30pm; Board meeting, 5.15pm
• 18 October - World of Maths workshops
• 19 October - Catholic Identity / Prayer Renewal Team meeting, 3.15pm
  

From the Principal

Welcome back for our final term of 2023! I trust everyone had a restful and well-deserved break over the holidays.

Many of you will have noticed that the mowing and other yard work had not been done over the holidays. Unfortunately, our groundsman had to leave us just before the 150th anniversary event, and we have been unable to replace him yet. We are currently in the middle of the recruitment process for a new groundsman, and will hopefully have someone employed in the near future. Thank you to those parents and community members who offered to do the mowing, etc for us. Unfortunately, TCE policy states that only employees who have passed the pre-employment medical checks are covered by their insurance, and that other staff, family, and friends are not permitted to do any maintenance work on the grounds. We are permitted, however, to employ third-party contractors who have their own insurance. So, in the meantime, Bowen Woodchipping will perform weekly maintenance on the grounds until our new groundsperson is able to start.

While on the subject of safety, I would like to remind parents of a few concerns that have come up recently:

• There is no supervision of students who are not in OSHC before 8.20am. All students who arrive before 8am must be registered with OSHC. There is a twenty-minute leeway, between 8am and 8.20am, to accommodate students who arrive by bus. Any students who arrive between 8am and 8.20am must wait, seated with their bags, in the tuckshop area. 
• The Stop-Drop-Go zone is only meant for quick drop-offs and pick-ups, where parents remain with the car, or emergency vehicle access. If you plan on walking your child in, or have a longer appointment during the day, please park further up the road in the parking bays.
• Please ensure the front gate to the school remains shut, for the safety of our students. The exception to this rule is during afternoon pick-up, when there are two staff on duty at the entrance to the school.

Thank you for your assistance in keeping our students safe!

God bless,

Mrs Alicia Ninnes. 

Religious Life of the School

Welcome back to our final term for the year everyone! It has been a jam packed year and our last term is keeping up the pace. We hope everyone is looking forward to our Christmas Concert and awards ceremony, as well as the graduation of our Year 6 Leaders. 

Melanie Menzies and Rachel Strambini will be running a prayer retreat for our Year 5 and 6 students on leadership early this term. This will give our Year 5 students the opportunity to think about what makes a good leader, in the context of our Christian faith, in readiness for their leadership speeches. 

I have placed the Term 4 Masses and liturgies below for your reference. Please come along to some of our Masses and prayer services if you are able. Students love it when parents attend and it is wonderful to see the community at worship together. 

Have an amazing final term of the year! If you have any questions please email swindridge@smbtsv.catholic.edu.au 

Many blessings, 

Mrs Windridge

Socktober! 

This term we will have two very important charity fundraisers happening. We begin the term by supporting 'Socktober' at St Mary's.  We kick this off with a whole school Mass with the theme of Catholic Mission on Friday of Week 1. This year, Catholic Mission's charity of choice is in Timor Leste. You can watch a video about the situation here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZePy8Kd5Hx8  Students are encouraged to go to https://www.socktober.org.au/fundraisers/stmarysschoolbowen and contribute. Even small amounts make the world of difference to the community of Timor Leste. On Thursday the 26th of October, we will have a sausage and popper meal deal and free dress/crazy sock day to help raise funds. Students will also participate in an awesome 'Shootout' against staff to see who is the ultimate winner! 

Later this term we will be running our St Vincent de Paul Christmas hamper appeal once again. Please stay tuned for more details as the term progresses. 

Thanks everyone! 

Students had an absolutely life changing experience at Ignite these past holidays. The theme this year was 'Wonder'. Students were inspired, and journeyed deeper into their faith. They shared ideas and learned about the heart of God and His plan for their lives. We hope students will return and see all their new friends again next year! Thanks also to the Townsville Catholic Youth Ministry for their dedication to our young people. 

Sacramental Program 2024

Mrs Young, Mrs Ninnes, Mrs Beverly Lowcock and Mrs Windridge are already busy preparing the Sacramental program for next year. We are so excited to begin this special journey with families in the local community. Please see the notice below and get in early to register your child for the 2024 Sacramental program. 

Learning and Teaching

Welcome back to Term 4! I hope that you all had a lovely break and are ready to kick off another term of learning at St Mary's. 

Please be advised that due to transport issues beyond our control, Book Fair has had to be postponed for a week. Mrs Fellows will still have all of the fun extra activities happening in the library, it will all begin on Mon 16th Oct. 

Some of the events that will be occurring in the Learning and Teaching space for our teachers this term are: 

- Version 9.0 Australian Curriculum QCAA Assessment PD,

- World of Maths Celebration, 

- 2024 NAPLAN Preparation, and,

- The Writing Project Expo- Celebration Day.

I look forward to sharing more about these events with you all throughout the course of the term.

Kind regards,

Krystal Land

Learning and Teaching Adviser

From the Guidance Counsellor

In this edition of SchoolTV - RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIPS

Fostering a nurturing environment of respectful relationships within your family holds the key to not only harmonious living, but also improved academic outcomes for your children. As parents and caregivers, embracing the art of teaching children about respect at a young age sets the stage for a lifetime of healthy interactions and empathetic understanding. It will help cultivate a positive environment where communication flourishes, conflicts are resolved constructively, and bonds are fortified.

Teaching children to respect themselves and others will open up avenues for both personal growth and academic achievement. Fostering an environment where respect is not just a word, but a practiced behaviour, will empower young people with essential life skills. Effective communication, active listening, and the art of compromise, will provide your child with a solid foundation that will transcend family interactions and help them collaborate effectively with peers, teachers and the broader community.

Equipping children with an understanding of healthy versus unhealthy relationships is an important aspect of their development. It will guide them to make informed choices, foster positive connections, and set boundaries that contribute to their emotional wellbeing. Understanding the nuances between healthy and unhealthy relationships provides children with the essential tools to navigate their social world, build self-esteem, and cultivate meaningful relationships.

In this edition of SchoolTV, learn how to empower young people in healthy interactions to embrace differences and forge connections that honour their self-worth.

We hope you take time to reflect on the information 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 Respectful Relationships edition of SchoolTV
https://smbtsv.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/respectful-relationships

Sports News

Swimming lessons have started for 2023!

On Fridays, please remember to send your child with:

• swimmers,
• sun-safe swimshirt,
• towel, goggles (optional),
• swim cap,
• appropriate footwear,
• sunscreen.

Please have items marked with your child's name and in a named bag.

If your child is arriving at school with their swimmers on underneath their uniform, please also remember to send a pair of underwear to change into after the lesson.

On Thursday, 5 October, Mrs Ninnes and Mrs Windridge met with three of our school dads to discuss setting up a school rugby league team. Thank you to Nick Gentle, Levi Nowlan and Lona Kaifoto for offering to help Mr Blake Sulusi in training our students!

Watch this space for more information as it becomes available!

Award Winners Week 10, Term 3

In Week 10, our weekly awards were presented to students who have been following Mary's Way by showing "S" - Safe, Just and Fair.

Mary's Way Award Winners:

Back row: Tahlia, Sophia, Anderson, Laila (from Week 9), Mahir

Front row: Mila, Alex (from Week 9), Maddie

Praise Note Winner of the Week:  Noah

Star Reader of the Week:  Maggie

Award Winners Week 1, Term 4

In Week 1, our weekly awards were presented to students following Mary's Way by showing "B" - Be My Best.

Mary's Way Award Winners: 

Back Row: Wilhelmina, Charlotte, Anna, Aislinn

Front Row: Joey, Maggie

Paise Note Winner of the Week: Mateo

Principal's Awards

The following students have reached 10, 20, 30, or 40 praise notes this year! Congratulations on your efforts in following the Mary's Way!

150th Anniversary Event

Birthdays

Birthdays

 Miranda, Danny, Indy, Joel, Robert, Matilda, Charlie, Maggie

Stellar, Samantha, William, Sophie, Darragh, Andrew, Enoch, Mia, Laharnah

P&F

Tuckshop Menu Term 4

Mary Mackillop OSHC

The St Mary's OSHC welcomes Mrs Danielle McVeigh-Davey as our new Coordinator!!

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 came 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 Camila on 0428 216 062 OR at bowenoshc@mmcnq.catholic.edu.au

School Student Broadband Initiative

The School Student Broadband Initiative, in partnership with NBN Australia is providing unconnected school aged students and their families with free internet for 12 months.

This Initiative aims to boost education opportunities by providing up to 30,000 Australian eligible families with school age children (K-12), with free nbn-powered broadband internet at home.

For more information on how to apply and grant guidelines follow the link:

NRL Workshops

Bowen Blazers Swim Club

Come and Try night, this Tuesday, 10 October.

Healthy Lunch Boxes Cooking Class

School Dental Service

UQ Research Project