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Upcoming Dates
- 28th July: Darwin Show Day Public Holiday
- 4th August: Assembly Room 6
- 7th August: Picnic Day Public Holiday
- 10th - 11th August: Year 4 Camp
- 11th August: Assembly Room 8; Transition celebrating 100 days of school
- 3rd September: Save the date, Bunnings Sausage Sizzle Fundraiser
- 14th September: School Concert
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Event details will be updated on SchoolStream closer to the event date.
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Please check the EVENTS tab regularly and add event details directly to your calendar!
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Principal's News
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Week 2, Term 3, 2023
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Dear Parents and Caregivers
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At the end of Term 2 you will have received your child’s Semester 1 academic progress report, highlighting their overall A-E grade for each learning area and comments around what they can do, as well as what needs further development. These reports are just one piece to the overall puzzle of understanding where your child’s learning needs are at, complimented by the upcoming 3 way - ‘Parent-Student-Teacher' interviews in Week 5 of this term. St Mary’s have traditionally held ‘3-way Parent-Teacher’ interviews which are a valuable, three-way conversation between teacher, parent and child discussing their child/student learning. One of the key aspects of this process is the valuable contribution of the student learner and their voice in their learning feedback.
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You may be asking yourself ‘why?’ Here are the research-based reasons for why your child should attend their academic interviews.
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- Open Communication and Collaboration – parent-student-teacher interviews provide a valuable platform for open communication and collaboration between all stakeholders involved in your child's education. They enable you, as parents/guardians, to share vital insights about your child's strengths, challenges, and aspirations. Simultaneously, teachers can offer personalised feedback on your child's progress, academic achievements, and areas where additional support may be needed.
- Ownership of Learning - by attending the interviews, your child takes ownership of their learning journey. They explain firsthand knowledge of their progress, strengths, and areas that may require improvement. This empowers them to actively engage in setting goals and working towards achieving their academic potential.
- Active Participation - during the interviews, your child has the opportunity to contribute to discussions about their education. They can share their thoughts, goals, and challenges with both you and their teacher, fostering a sense of agency and accountability in their learning process.
- Strengthening Relationships - attending the interviews allows your child to build stronger relationships with their teacher and yourself as parents/guardians. This open line of communication cultivates trust, which is essential for creating a supportive learning environment. Your child will feel more comfortable reaching out for help, sharing concerns, and seeking guidance when needed.
- Recognising Growth and Celebrating Achievements - the interviews provide a platform for celebrating your child's growth and achievements, big or small. It is an opportunity to acknowledge their hard work and perseverance, boosting their self-esteem and motivation.
Thank you for your ongoing commitment to your child's education. We believe that their attendance at the parent-student-teacher interviews will greatly contribute to their growth and success. Together, we can create a strong foundation for their future achievements and truly empower them for success.
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We are currently taking enrolments for 2024 across all year levels, including Community of Learners (3-5 years). Over the past few weeks, I have been meeting with many new families coming to our school. If you know of anyone who is looking at enrolling their child for next year, please be sure to let them know we are available for interview or a tour of our school. All information about our school can be found on our school website.
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If your circumstances have changed and you will not be returning to St Mary’s in 2024, please notify us in writing. This assists us in preparation of 2024 when confirming staffing and number of classes.
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I will be in Hobart next week for Australian Primary Principal’s Conference. This is a three-day conference with the theme being: Refreshing Leadership and Inspiring Futures. I will return to school Thursday 3rd August.
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Enrolments for 2024 Transition: Enrolments from families outside of our existing families are now open for 2024. Existing families of St Mary’s are encouraged to return enrolment forms as soon as possible to ensure places are kept for our existing families.
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An enrolment pack is available online from our website or alternatively from the front office in Lindsay Street. Children who are born between 1st July 2018 to 30th June 2019, are eligible for entry into the 2024 Transition class.
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Enjoy this beautiful cool dry season weather while it lasts,
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In faith and love,
Rosie Harrison
Principal
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Prayer
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Religious Education News
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World Youth Day celebration:
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Remember that all families are invited on Sunday the 30th of July at St Mary's Hall to celebrate World Youth Day. This will be a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the mission of the church.
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The celebration goes from 9:30am starting with Mass at St Mary's Cathedral celebrated by Bishop Charles, followed by festivities until 2pm. At the celebration there will be food, drink, live music and activities for people of all ages to participate in. People are welcome to come and go, they don't have to stay the whole time if they have other things going on.
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Throughout the term each class will attend a midday Mass at the parish. These dates will be in the newsletter in the next few weeks. All are welcome to attend. Next week Room 14 will attend on Wednesday 2nd at 12pm.
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This Sunday's Gospel is from Matthew 13:44-52. The Reign of God is also known as the Kingdom of Heaven. It takes place on earth and reaches its fullness in heaven.
Often in school, business, politics and social settings people try to assert their own power and take control of things. Where have you seen this happen?
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When people surrender their life to God’s power, life is different. Then people don’t try to control things or one another; they try to work together so that God’s way rules. This rarely occurs on earth, but it happens once in a while. There is peace, understanding and cooperation, and no fear, competition or dishonesty.
Have you ever seen this happen? If so, where? What was the situation?
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Do you think you can do anything to help bring forth the Reign of God – at home, at school, at your job, with your friends? Why or why not? What would have to happen to create a little heaven on earth?
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Feast of the Assumption - Week 5 on 15th August (School to attend Parish Mass)
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Father’s Day Liturgy - Week 7 on 1st September (Room 7)
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School Feast Day Mass - Week 8 on 7th September (Year 6 students)
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Religious Education Co-ordinator
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100 Days of Transition
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Tell Them from Me
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Kiss and Go
As we strive to ensure the safety and efficiency of our daily drop-off and pick-up routines at St. Mary's Catholic Primary School, I am writing to remind you of the "Kiss and Go" rules and the importance of adhering to them.
The Kiss and Go Zone, located on Cavenagh Street, plays a crucial role in maintaining a smooth flow of traffic during these busy periods. It allows parents to drop off or pick up their children quickly and safely, minimising congestion and ensuring the well-being of all students. Please take the time to review our school Kiss and Go video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=7&v=8p3NoK0xSFU&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stmarysnt.catholic.edu.au%2F&source_ve_path=Mjg2NjY&feature=emb_logo
To reiterate, the Kiss and Go Zone operates during the following times (please refer to signage):
Morning Drop-off: 8:00 am - 8:30 am
Afternoon Pick-up: 2:35 pm - 3:05 pm
During these designated times, it is essential to observe the following guidelines:
No Parking: Please remember that parking is strictly prohibited within the Kiss and Go zone during its operational hours. This is enforced by Darwin City Council and is in place to maintain a steady flow of vehicles and ensure the safety of all students. Stopping briefly to drop off or pick up your child is permitted, but please refrain from parking, entering the school and leaving your vehicle unattended. Please note that vehicles left unattended are subject to parking fines.If you prefer to park and walk your child to the school gate, please use the Lindsay Street student entrance.
Efficient Drop-off/Pick-up: When using the Kiss and Go zone, we kindly request that you pull up as far forward as possible to allow other parents to access the area efficiently. This simple gesture helps prevent unnecessary congestion and delays.
Stay Alert and Patient: As the Kiss and Go zone can become busy, it is crucial to exercise caution and remain patient while waiting for your turn. Be mindful of pedestrians, other parents and ensure the safety of all students and staff members. If the zone is full, do a lap around the block until you are able to safely enter the line.
By adhering to these rules, we can collectively create a safer and more streamlined drop-off and pick-up experience for everyone involved. We deeply appreciate your cooperation in helping us maintain an environment that prioritises the well-being of our students.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the Kiss and Go zone or any other matter related to St. Mary's Catholic Primary School, please do not hesitate to contact the front office.
Remember to always "choose safety, over convenience".
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Thank you for your continued support and cooperation.
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NCCD
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Playgroup
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School Canteen Services Update
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We are excited to announce a new update to our school canteen online ordering and services that will make ordering your favorite foods during recess easier than ever before. Starting this term, our canteen will offer a new "Recess" ordering service that will allow you to pre-order your child's snacks and fruits for the recess break.
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To accommodate this change our existing "2nd Break" service has been updated to "Lunch" service.
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Like our existing service orders need to be placed before 8:40 am each day via the Flexischools platform (see instructions at the end of this newsletter). The menu options will be available on the school app and will include a range of healthy and delicious options that cater to all tastes and dietary requirements. Once the orders are received, the canteen staff will prepare the food and have it ready for students to pick up during the designated recess eating time at 10.40am.
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We believe that this new service will help reduce waiting times at the canteen and ensure that students have more time to enjoy their recess break. By ordering ahead of time, students will also have a greater selection of food options to choose from, and can rest assured that their preferred meals and snacks will be available when they arrive at the canteen.
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Throughout Term 2 we will be aiming to phase out all window cash sales.
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As always, we welcome your feedback and suggestions. Please feel free to share your thoughts with us, and we will do our best to incorporate them into our future plans.
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Music News
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2023 School Terms
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Term 1, 2023 Monday, 30 January 2023 - staff return
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Wednesday, 1 February 2023 - students return
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Thursday, 6 April 2023 - last day term one
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Term 2, 2023 Monday, 17 April to Friday, 23 June 2023
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Term 3, 2023 Monday, 17 July 2023 - staff return
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Tuesday, 18 July 2023 - students return
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Friday, 22 September 2023 - last day term three
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Term 4, 2023 Monday, 9 October 2023
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Thursday, 14 December 2023 - last day for students
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Friday, 15 December 2023 - last day for staff
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Download School Stream
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Why download the App?
- Receive instant notifications for important news and classroom updates.
- Complete permission and absentee forms.
- Keep up to date with events and save event details directly to your own calendar.
- Order from our school canteen.
Don’t forget to turn your notifications on – so you don’t miss any important notices!
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Want to avoid fees when topping up your Flexischools account?
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Click below to download a step-by-step guide on how to top up your Flexischools account without a surcharge via Electronic Bank Transfer
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To streamline processes across the school, in 2023 we are only accepting online orders for lunches.
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All families need to set up an account for online ordering through Flexischools, which is linked directly in the School Stream App. Details on how to set up an account can be found in the “CANTEEN” tab of School Stream. There is no need to download the Flexischools App, it can all be accessed from the School Stream App.
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You can find the Canteen menu in School Stream. Please note daily orders close at 8.40am. Any orders received after this time, will be fulfilled subject to availability of stock and may be substituted for a basic sandwich.
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What is happening in Darwin
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