Week 6/7 Newsletter Term 2 2024

Weeks 8 and 9 - What's On

• Thursday, 6 June - 5.15pm P&F Meeting
• Tuesday, 11 June - High Jump Event at school; Celebration of School Officers' Day
• Wednesday, 12 June - Athletics Carnival at the Sporting Complex 
• Thursday, 13 June - 3.15pm Prayer Renewal Team meeting; 5.15pm Board meeting
• Friday, 14 June - Under 8s' Day at Queens Beach State School

Principal News

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As we move into June, I want to take a moment to reflect on our recent celebration of National Reconciliation Week at St Mary's Catholic School, which took place from May 27 to June 3. This important week was dedicated to learning about and reflecting on the shared histories, cultures, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It was a time for all Australians to explore how we can contribute to achieving reconciliation in our country.

What is Reconciliation Week?

National Reconciliation Week is marked by two significant dates in Australian history:

• May 27: The anniversary of the 1967 referendum, when Australians voted overwhelmingly to amend the Constitution to include Aboriginal people in the census and allow the federal government to create laws for them.
• June 3: The anniversary of the 1992 Mabo decision, where the High Court of Australia recognized that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have rights to the land — rights that existed before British colonization.

Theme for 2024: "Now More Than Ever"

This year’s theme, "Now More Than Ever," encouraged us all to understand the critical importance of reconciliation in our current times. At St Mary's Catholic School, we hosted a variety of activities and events to engage students in meaningful learning and reflection.

Highlights of Our Celebration

• Monday, 27 May: Our Year 4, 5, and 6 First Nations students attended the Whitsunday Regional Council Sorry Day event. This was a profound experience, allowing them to connect with the broader community in acknowledging the significance of National Sorry Day. Photos from the event are attached in the gallery below.
• Wednesday, 29 May: The whole school participated in a reflection session and practiced dadirri, a form of deep listening and reflection from Aboriginal culture. This practice helped students connect with nature, themselves, and each other in a calm and respectful way. Students returned to class to complete a reflection poster, and some of these are attached in the gallery below.
• Friday, 31 May: We concluded our week with a Reconciliation Week breakfast, followed by the planting of the first plants in our native garden. This garden will serve as a lasting reminder of our commitment to reconciliation and the environment.

Why Does It Matter?

Reconciliation Week is an important opportunity for us to come together as a community and commit to building stronger relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. By participating in this week, we showed our respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and our commitment to a more inclusive and unified future.

Thank you to everyone who participated and contributed to making Reconciliation Week a meaningful experience for our school community. By reflecting on our Reconciliation Week activities, we can continue to foster a deeper understanding and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, contributing to a more inclusive and harmonious society.

Thank You to the P&F

I would also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our Parents and Friends (P&F) Association for organizing a highly successful Family Fun Day. The event was a wonderful opportunity for our school community to come together, have fun, and strengthen our bonds. Your hard work and dedication are truly appreciated, and the positive impact of the day was felt by all who attended. My personal thanks goes to the Family Fun Day subcommittee: Angela Gonzalez, Sarah Romano, Lindy Anderson, Tara Stocker, and Rachael Dodd. Without the tireless efforts of this group of enthusiastic women, the Family Fun Day would not have been the huge success that it was!

Prep Enrolment Process for 2025

I am pleased to inform you that, following the successful Prep Open Day on May 11, interviews for Prep enrolments for 2025 have been occurring over the last two weeks. We have enjoyed meeting our prospective new students and their families. The first round of offers for Enrolment in Prep 2025 will be released on Monday, 3 June. We look forward to welcoming our newest members to the St Mary's Catholic School community.

God bless,

Alicia Ninnes

Reconciliation Week Photo Gallery

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Religious Life of the School

Hello everyone, some of you may not be aware that Mrs Beverly Lowcock is coordinating the Sacramental Program this year, with the help of Mrs Young and myself. Bev does an amazing job in this role and has a wealth of experience teaching young people about Christian life. She shares her faith with enthusiasm and skill, sparking a real love for God within the hearts of these candidates. This year we have 12 candidates completing their training as young Catholics, and they will be joining the St Mary's parish officially as fully confirmed members on July 28th. Please consider coming along to this special Mass and passing on your congratulations to these children and their families. 

Thank you to Mrs Young, Mrs Menzies and the Year 2 students for leading a wonderful Mary Help of Christians whole school meditation and prayer service last week. We loved the flowers you hand made for Mother Mary and the special prayers of intercession as well. Great work Year 2! 

Mary Help of Christians Meditation

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WEEK 8 - Please note Family Mass has been rescheduled for this term.

WEEK 10- Whole school end of term Mass, Friday 21st June, 9 am St Mary's Church (led by Year 1). 

Learning and Teaching

Inclusive school communities support all students - including those with disability – to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

Inclusive education benefits teachers, leaders, families, and students with and without disability.

Saint Marys is proud to be an inclusive school, for more information as to how inclusion benefits students please see below.

This fortnight we would like to celebrate the incredible efforts in terms of writing improvement. There has been great growth in the Year 3 classroom and it is a credit to the efforts that the students' teacher Mrs Rees and school officers Miss Lindy and Miss Christine are putting in daily with the children.

At the start of the year, one of our learners was a reluctant writer and would only write one sentence. A term and a half later, look at what the learner has produced. We are all very proud! 

Kind Regards,
Krystal Land
Acting- Assistant Principal Pedagogy and Learning

Week 5 Awards - Be My Best

Principal Awards

Congratulations and well done to all our Principal Award recipients!

Week 6 Awards - Show Respect

Birthdays

State of Origin - Meal Deal & Free Dress

Family Fun Day

On behalf of the P&F and the Family Fun Day crew, we would like to thank all of the many volunteers for making the day possible. We appreciate every little and big part you all played in making Saturday a day to remember and be proud of!

The day also wouldn’t be possible without our very valued sponsors!

Photos from the Family Fun Day

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We hope you all enjoyed the day!

Three cheers to our amazing P&F! Hip, Hip, Hip, Ray, Ray, Ray.

Our school is so blessed to have a wonderful group of P&F Volunteers! Thank you, for all you do. 

Reconciliation Week

Reconciliation Reflection and Dadirri

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WRC Reconciliation Week Ceremony

My New Gallery

Festival of Athletics Townsville

14th – 16th June 2024, Townsville

Nominations are now open for the 2024 Festival of Athletics. This event is open to all ages and abilities – regardless of whether you're a club member or not. 

Go to https://festivalofathletics.com.au/ for more information.

Guidance Counsellor News

In this edition of SchoolTV - POSITIVE PARENTING

Despite the best efforts of parents around the world, the reality is, there is no such thing as the
‘perfect parent’. However, arming yourself with the right information is a good start!

Research shows, that one of the most important protective factors in the lives of young people, is
a close relationship with a supportive adult. With the mental health of today’s young people being
at an all-time low, it is simply not enough to parent effectively. Parents need to familiarise
themselves with practical skills, knowledge and strategies when it comes to raising children. Many
parents today are over-protective, resulting in children being less independent, unable to problem-
solve or self-regulate. Parents are failing to set clear boundaries, which is unfortunately making
kids feeling less secure. There is too much pressure on kids today. Parents fill their days with too
many activities in an effort to avoid their child’s boredom.

In this edition of SchoolTV, parents will learn what is the best approach for primary and secondary
school aged children. We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this edition
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 Positive Parenting edition of SchoolTV
https://smbtsv.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/positive-parenting 

The Resilience Project

Mary's Munchkins Playgroup

Tuckshop Menu

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

Cooinda Family Centre

School Dental Service