Week 4/5 Newsletter Term 4 2024

Term 4 Week 6 & 7 - What's On

• Wednesday 6 November -Instrumental Music Showcase 5pm
• Friday, 8 November - Year 5 Leadership speeches, 1:30 pm
• Monday, 11 November - Remembrance Day Liturgy
• Wednesday, 13 November - World of Maths

Principal's Welcome

At St. Mary's, we are committed to nurturing a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment for all our students. This commitment is at the heart of our Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) policy, the Mary's Way, which promotes a culture where every child is supported to thrive, grow, and learn. Our PB4L approach is rooted in creating clear expectations for behaviour, celebrating successes, and offering guidance that respects each student's unique journey. As we approach 2025, this dedication will be further strengthened with the rollout of Team Teach training across the Townsville diocese.

Team Teach is a program focused on promoting positive handling strategies and behaviour support, especially for students with complex profiles, including those with trauma backgrounds and disabilities. I am pleased to share that I will be receiving the training first this coming Monday, allowing me to be fully prepared to support our staff when they, too, undertake this important learning early in 2025. This training will equip us all with a range of tools to manage challenging situations compassionately, reinforcing our commitment to ensuring every child feels safe and respected. Through Team Teach, our staff will learn proactive strategies to defuse potential conflicts, recognize signs of distress early, and respond with empathy and understanding. This approach aligns seamlessly with our school's Mercy charism of compassion and outreach, calling us to reach out with love, kindness, and dignity to each individual.

This initiative reflects our Catholic social teachings, particularly the "preferential option for the poor" and the "respect for the dignity of the human person." By recognizing and supporting the unique needs of students who may be vulnerable, we are living out our faith in meaningful ways, putting our beliefs into action. In keeping with our Mercy values, we see each child as a precious individual created in the image of God, and we strive to support them fully, especially those who may need extra assistance.

We look forward to working together as a community to bring about this positive change and to support the success of every child. Thank you for joining us in this journey of compassion, respect, and growth.

God bless,
Alicia Ninnes

Religious Life of the School

Good afternoon everyone. We hope Term 4 is progressing well. We understand that the Christmas season, and Term 4, can be a challenging time for individuals and families. It can certainly stir up personal and/or financial distress for many people, which can impact upon our ability to cope well and live healthily. If you or someone you know is in need, please drop by the school office, ring to speak to Alicia or myself, or contact me at swindridge@smbtsv.catholic.edu.au All conversations are highly confidential. We are able to offer support in a range of capacities, including referrals, food vouchers, clothing and more. If your family needs clothing for a special occassion, for example Graduation, we are also happy to assist with this. 

"If we are to share our lives with others and generously give of ourselves, we also have to realize that every person is worthy of our giving. God created that person in his image, and he or she reflects something of God’s glory. Every human being is the object of God’s infinite tenderness, and he himself is present in their lives."
Pope Francis: Evangelii Gaudium - The Joy of the Gospel (paragraph 274), 2013

May God's blessings be upon you, 

Mrs Windridge. 

All Saints Day Meditation and Prayer service:

All Saints' Day, observed on November 1st each year, is a special time for the Church to honour the Saints and pray for loved ones who have passed. Today, we gathered as a whole school to light a candle and pray for the forgiveness of sins, asking that eternal peace be granted to all. We also gave thanks for the Saints’ blessed works and presence as they watch over us. Have a wonderful All Saints day today, and we encourage you and your family to share a prayer for lost loved ones during All Souls' day tomorrow (Saturday, November 2nd). Catholic Christians draw a distinct line between the modern concept of Halloween and the traditions of the Catholic Ethos. The true meaning of Halloween is about promoting the significance of All Saints and All Souls day, and the focus of our prayer life at this time. 

My New Gallery

Thermomix winner, ticket no. 139:

We want to thank everyone who supported the Thermomix raffle so that our young parishioners could attend Ignite this year. We congratulate the winner, Kylie del Solar, on her brand new Thermomix! We highly appreciate the enthusiasm, assistance and well wishes shown to these youths by the community. 

Learning and Teaching

Embracing Age-Appropriate Pedagogies: Tailoring Learning to Each Stage of Development

As educators, understanding the developmental stages of our students is crucial in creating effective and engaging learning environments. Age-appropriate pedagogies are teaching strategies that align with the cognitive, emotional, and social needs of students at various ages. By adopting these approaches, we can enhance student engagement, foster a love of learning, and promote academic success.

Understanding Age-Appropriate Pedagogies
Age-appropriate pedagogies are grounded in developmental psychology and educational research, emphasising that learning experiences should match the developmental capacities of children. 

Here’s how these pedagogies vary across different age groups:
1.    Early Childhood (Ages 3-5)
In early childhood education, play-based learning is paramount. Children learn best through exploration, imagination, and social interaction. Activities that encourage creativity, such as art projects and role-playing, support their developmental needs. Teachers provide a rich, stimulating environment that promotes hands-on experiences and fosters curiosity.

2.    Primary Years (Ages 6-11)
At this stage, children begin to develop more complex thinking skills. Pedagogies should incorporate structured activities that encourage collaboration and problem-solving. Group projects, inquiry-based learning, and interactive storytelling can engage students and help them make connections between concepts. Assessments focus on individual progress and provide opportunities for self-reflection.

Last semester Amanda Bannister from the TCE office visited our staff and facilitated PD around age-appropriate pedagogies and how this aligns with the changes to Version 9 of English. She also visited our school again this term to work with our Prep teacher for 2025, to further build capacity in the space of age-appropriate pedagogies. We thank Amanda for investing her time to come to our school and upskill our staff.

Kind regards,

Krystal Land
Acting Assistant Principal Pedagogy and Learning

Guidance Counsellor News

A Special Report: Healthy Study Habits

In today's world, where distractions are abundant and the pressure to excel is high, guiding children to develop healthy study habits is more important than ever. As students aspire to achieve academic success, the cornerstone of that achievement lies not just in their intelligence or drive, but in the study habits they cultivate.

It's essential for students to recognise that good study habits aren't merely about spending extra hours hitting the books. It's more about quality over quantity and having a more balanced approach. Emphasising the value of a routine is essential. Consistent study times establish a sense of structure and discipline, turning studying into a natural part of their daily routine rather than a burdensome task.

Additionally, how students approach their study sessions is equally important. Taking regular breaks is a crucial part of this process in maintaining focus and preventing burnout.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle that includes sufficient sleep, a balanced diet, and consistent physical activity are indispensable elements that will significantly impact your child's ability to study effectively. Fostering these healthy habits is one of the most valuable gifts we can offer children, paving the way for a lifetime of learning and achievement.

This Special Report will help you support your young person as they embark on studying for exams.

We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this Special Report, and as always, we welcome your feedback.

If you do have any concerns about the wellbeing of your child, please contact the school for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to your special report:
https://smbtsv.catholic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-healthy-study-habits-au

Week 4 Awards - "Compassion & Care"

Week 5 - "Safe, Just & Fair"

Birthdays

Prep Bee-Bots

In Technology, our Prep Class has been exploring coding through the use of Bee-Bots. They made their own trailers to cart materials; with some discovering that, if they put too much on their trailer, the robot would not move! 

My New Gallery

Crazy Sock and Hair Day

St Mary's turned up in style last Wednesday with staff and students sporting their 'Crazy Socks' and 'Crazy Hair' to help raise awareness for Children's Mission Day and funds for those in need in Mongolia.

My New Gallery

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World Teachers Day

Happy World Teachers’ Day!

We are so grateful for our caring and dedicated teachers! 

Thank you to Townsville Catholic Education for our cheesecake and our school officers for our yummy morning tea.

Day for Daniel and P&F Disco

St Mary's honoured the memory of Daniel Morcombe and the importance child safety last Friday by wearing red to school. The St Mary's P&F Association then rounded off the day with a school Disco, once again recognising this important day and theming the night with red. All up, the day was a fantastic success! Thank you to everyone in our community that got involved! From the students, parents and staff that wore red; the families that attended the disco and our amazing P&F for organising yet another incredible school event. 

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After School Sport - Netball Training

Swimming Lesson Timetable

Breakfast Club - Tuesday & Thursday, from 8am in the little shed

Gardening Club - Thursdays

The Murri Bus Project

Community News

The Resilience Project

Mary's Munchkins Playgroup

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

Cooinda Family Centre

School Dental Service

Tuckshop Menu