Week 1/2 Term 3

Principal's News

Dear Parents and Caregivers 

The second half of the year has certainly commenced and everyone seems to be settled back into the school routines. From an administrative point of view, we are already commencing planning for 2026. Parents and carers would have received an email today regarding information related to the upcoming government census on 1st August. The government census dates are in February (state) and August (Federal) and are instrumental for all schools - state, catholic and independent - in relation to funding and is based on student enrolment numbers. At the local level of schools, planning for staffing - teachers and non-teaching staff - needs to start in Term Three in order to be ready for the start of the new year, and is impacted by any staff departures or absences for leave, along with student numbers as well. 

To that end, all staff this week have been asked to complete a short form to indicate their 2026 intentions regarding availability and any potential leave requests. As we work towards finalising teaching and facilities plans for 2026, we also rely on a confirmation of families intentions regarding enrolments, in order for us to plan for the new year. All parents / carers will receive an email today with a short response form (4 questions - Yes/No) to assist us with our 2026 preparations. If you could complete that form by next Friday it would benefit the school greatly. We look forward to your continued partnership with the school for 2026

If you have driven past the school at night this term, you will have noticed our upgraded Security lighting around the school which is a welcome improvement. The Air conditioners in the Arts room have also been replaced this term in readiness for summer and unfortunately, it seems that summer will be back with us very soon. We have seven new shade trees planted along the front of our school thanks to our generous P and F who have purchased them for us. Thank you to Mr Oliver Freeman, one of our groundstaff, who has planted them and attended to them with stakes and water and fertiliser. Our very generous P and F have already purchased another 7 trees to run down the side boundary on that top oval as well, so we will very soon have a lot of natural shade being generated on that top oval. Our P and F meet once a month at school in the staffroom, and will meet next on Thursday 7th August at 5:00pm. All are welcome. 

We were blessed today with the informal meeting of Miss Jaclyn Kelly, our new Year 3 teacher starting formally on Monday. She met with staff and her new students today so that she would be best prepared to hit the ground running next week. It was lovely to meet her face to face and I know that her students will enjoy getting to know her better this term. We now have a Miss Jaclyn Kelly in Year 3 and a Ms Kelly Jackman in Year 1, so if you have a child in both you have a tongue twister. Ms Jackman commenced in Year 1 formally this term and has already got off to a great start. 

Our Parent - teacher interviews will be in Week 8  of this term and were mentioned in the last newsletter by our Assistant Principal Mrs Land. We will have further details regarding interviews in our next newsletter (along with a subsequent email) including how to book a time with your child’s teacher. Our Pre-Prep classes for Term 4 are being prepared now and further information regarding these details will be sent to the relevant parents in Week 4. Last term we had a practice of our Lockdown drill and this term we will do a Fire drill practice. These emergency drills are practised and refined each term. 

Our school board will meet next month for our AGM and this is the meeting where different board positions become vacant and then filled again for the subsequent 12 months. As mentioned last term, we are currently looking for new Board members to join our existing Board, so please make contact with me through the front office if you are interested in serving the school community in this manner. Membership is open to all members of the parish and school community with some eligibility criteria that apply. Examples of eligibility criteria include such things as a commitment to uphold the Catholic ethos, identifying strongly with the Catholic identity of the school and in possession of a blue card. St Mary’s School board is a body with consultative responsibilities and functions limited to those set out in the school board constitution.

I would like to thank everyone for the great start to this term and I look forward to working with you all again. 

Yours sincerely

Rodney Lane

Acting Principal

Religious Life of the School

At St Mary’s, our commitment to the Mercy values of justice, compassion, and outreach is not just part of our identity—it’s central to everything we do. These values are non-negotiable and deeply essential to forming young people who are not only academically capable, but also kind, courageous and socially aware. These values are what set our school apart and help give our students the confidence and character to make a real difference in the world.

This term, we are proud to once again be offering a number of Social Justice opportunities that allow our students to live out these values in meaningful and practical ways. Events and initiatives include:

• Dressed by Vinnies – a fun and reflective day that raises awareness around second-hand fashion, sustainability, and the importance of supporting local charities.
  
  
• Frankly We Care Fundraiser – students will have the opportunity to purchase lunch in support of the Bowen Neighbourhood Centre’s work with the homeless and vulnerable.
  
  
• Murroona Gardens Visit – Mini Vinnie students will visit and spend time with the elderly in our local aged care facility at our ‘Adopt a Grandparent’ morning tea, learning the importance of presence, dignity, and listening.
  
  

We are blessed to be working closely with St Vincent de Paul and the Bowen Neighbourhood Centre, two wonderful community organisations doing life-changing work right here in Bowen. Together, we hope to make a positive impact on the lives of those most in need. The Bowen Neighbourhood Centre would also like to thank St Mary’s parents and carers for their generous donations of blankets and sleeping bags last term.

In Week 3, we will be celebrating Catholic Education Week in Australia, a time to recognise and honour the rich faith, learning, and community spirit within Catholic schools. As part of our celebrations, we warmly invite all families to join us for a whole school Mass on Tuesday the 29th of July at 9:00am in the church, led by our Year 5 students.

God Bless,

Mrs Windridge
Assistant Principal and Chaplain

Learning and Teaching

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome back to Term 3! It has been lovely getting into the classrooms to see all of our students’ settled and ready for another wonderful term of learning. 

NAPLAN: This week our NAPLAN Student Summary Report (SSR) arrived via post. Our admin ladies will be sending these home to all parents by the end of week 3. If you have any questions about the content of the report, please book a time to discuss it with your child’s teacher. 

DIBELS: Last term all students across Prep-Year 6 completed their Middle of the Year DIBELS test. 

The DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) test is a set of short, standardised assessments designed to measure early literacy skills and is used by educators to:

• Screen for reading difficulties,
• Monitor student progress,
• Inform instruction and intervention.

The teachers and I have been busily using the data to inform our instruction for Term 3. We have formed targeted groups and regular activities to address the needs of our learners. We are looking forward to doing the End of Year DIBELS test to see the difference that we have made with our students' literacy levels.

PARENT-TEACHER INTERVIEWS: In Week 8 Parent-Teacher Interviews will be held. These will be offered to all parents but not compulsory to attend if your child is a C standard or above, unless you have concerns that you need to discuss. If your child is a D or E standard for any Learning Area we ask that you book a Parent-Teacher Interview. 

IEP Meetings: These will be held in Week 8 of this term as well. Please remember if you are unable to attend in person, we can conduct this via video conferencing or a phone call.

Sound Scout Testing: At the end of this term I will be spending some time testing the hearing of each Prep student. Please keep an eye out on Compass for further details about this. Sound Scouts is an app that has been developed in collaboration with Australia’s National Acoustic Laboratories. It is used to detect conductive (middle/outer ear), sensorineural (inner ear), and auditory processing/difficulty hearing in students. 

Kind regards,

Krystal Land 

Assistant Principal Pedagogy and Learning

Music & Art News

We’ve had a lovely start to term 3 in Arts and Music. This week, our students have been mixing media, testing their knowledge, and having a whole lot of fun in both visual arts and music.

Year 1: Mixed Media Koalas!
In Visual Arts, our Year 1 students have been busy crafting the cutest koalas you’ve ever seen—using mixed media! Students loved experimenting with different art tools to make their koalas stand out. 

Year 4: Musical Instruments Kahoot!
Meanwhile in Music, our Year 4 students put their instrument knowledge to the test with a high-energy Kahoot quiz! They were challenged to identify a range of musical instruments by name, sound, and family. It was a fun, interactive way to check their understanding while using technology to learn. The room was buzzing with excitement, teamwork, and just a little bit of friendly competition!

Year 6 leaders report

Today we are interviewing Mrs Young who is our school’s Christian Meditation leader.  

What is Christian Meditation? 

Christian meditation is known as a prayer of the heart. It helps us to learn more about ourselves and God. It also brings us into a closer relationship with God.

Why is it beneficial for students to learn how to participate in Christian Meditation?

In a very fast paced world, it's important to give children an opportunity to settle their minds and slow down our thoughts. It also helps students to focus their attention and can also have effects such as increased energy levels and a greater ability to express your emotions 

How often should students participate in Christian meditation? 

In a class room at least three times a week and the recommendation is one minute for each year of age  for example, if you're 11 you should do eleven minutes. 

It is Catholic Education week, next week, so is there anything special we are doing for our meditations?

To coincide with Catholic Education week, next week it will also be Meditation week. Each class will open up their rooms and invite parents to come and join us for meditation. We would love to see as many as our families here to join us.

As leaders of our school, we would like to thank you for your efforts to support Christian Meditation in our school. We would also like to thank Mrs Windridge for the awesome job she does leading us in our faith development.  

Bailee, Charlotte and Elishia

Class Awards - Week 10 - Safe, Just and Fair

Class Awards - Week 1 - Be My Best

Principal Awards

Birthdays

Our Year 3 Teacher

School Photo Update

Parish News

St Mary's Catholic School - Vision for learning

After seeing feedback from various stakeholders, we are pleased to share our Vision for Learning at St Mary’s!

Over the past months, we’ve engaged in meaningful conversations with students, parents, staff, and members of the wider community to gather their insights and aspirations for the future of learning at St Mary’s. Their voices have been instrumental in shaping a vision that is both ambitious and grounded in our shared values.

We look forward to bringing this vision to life through innovative programs, continued professional development, and strong partnerships with our families and community.

Together, we are building a future where every learner can thrive.

Why Attendance Matters!

Did you know that every day at school counts? Regular attendance builds routine, confidence, friendships, and a strong foundation for learning.Check out our simple tips below to help make mornings smoother and get your child to school, every day!

Bowen and Whitsunday Sub District

Friendly Reminder

Stop, Drop, Go Zone

Uniforms

Uniforms are available for purchase from the school office. Reminder that uniform days have now changed, please see below:

Formal Uniform - Monday, Tuesday, Thursday

Sports Uniform - Wednesday and Friday

Specialty, commemorative and representative shirts - Friday

Bowen Community Auskick

An Auskick representative will be attending St Mary's Catholic School assembly on Monday 28th July to showcase and explain more about Auskick.

Community News

Mary Mackillop OSHC

OSHC at St Mary’s Catholic School is now operating Monday to Friday from  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.

Food (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 Sue on 0428 216 062 OR at bowenoshc@mmcnq.catholic.edu.au

School Dental Service

Tuckshop