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SCHOOL NEWSLETTER

17 August 2023| Week 5

Upcoming Dates

  • 20th August: Cathedral Parish Feast Day - Mass 9.30 am followed by morning tea in the MacKillop Hall.
  • 22nd and 23rd August: Parent/Teacher/Student Goal Setting Interviews - Rooms 6, 7 and 14
  • 18th August: Awards Assembly - 8.30 am
  • 21st - 25th August: National Book Week
  • 22nd August: Marty Ogle visit for Making Jesus Real
  • 25th August: Assembly Room 16 - 8.30 am
  • 31st August: P&F Father's Day Stall
  • 1st September: Father's Day Liturgy - Room 7, 8.30 am
  • 3rd September: Father's Day
  • 8th September: Pupil Free Day - Staff Professional Development
  • 9th September: Save the date, Bunnings Sausage Sizzle Fundraiser
  • 14th September: School Concert
Event details will be updated on SchoolStream closer to the event date.
Please check the EVENTS tab regularly and add event details directly to your calendar!

Principal's News

Week 5, Term 3, 2023

Dear Parents and Caregivers

Catholic education forms individuals with more than just skills, but with the virtues to live life as transformative agents in our communities. By cultivating faith and making connections to each student’s life through the modelling of positive relationships encompassing hope and love, students from St Mary’s are being prepared for living a life well lived.

I have been a part of Catholic education for over 20 years and feel extremely blessed to be part of a school community which embraces more than the academic but allow students, parents and staff to be guided by the story of Jesus and led a full and flourishing life. Next week we welcome Marty Ogle from MJR back to our school community.

At St Mary’s we will continually strive to nurture hope in our students' hearts, inspiring them to dream big, work diligently, and contribute positively to the world around them Making Jesus Real in everything we do.

We encourage our students to treat one another with kindness and compassion, creating an environment where everyone feels valued and supported. In times of difficulty, it is the hope we share that unites us and strengthens our bonds as a Catholic school family.

I believe that we not only prepare our students for academic success but also equip them with the resilience to face life's challenges. They learn to view setbacks as opportunities for growth and to maintain a positive outlook amidst trials and have hope for the future. In the link below Wilson McCaskill discusses the best way to look at success for your children and elaborates on why success should be measured through Helping Children Find Their Path.

Bottom line: help your child find their path in life. That will inevitably bring them happiness and success.

On that note we value your affirmation and feedback about how we are doing as a school community and encourage all families to complete the Tell them from Me parent survey. This survey will close at the end of next week and we encourage as many families as possible to take the opportunity to complete this valuable survey tool.

The survey can be accessed at the following link: http://tellthemfromme.com/smpcsparent

School closure is scheduled for Friday 8th September for purpose of staff professional development in Catholic Identity.

OSHC is available for bookings as required and Community of Learners remains open. Program of events to be sent out soon to all families. Where service is required, please make your bookings to secure placement.

A reminder that to make a booking for OSHC, as per our school policy, all fees are to be up to date.

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 website

In faith and love,

Rosie Harrison
Principal

Prayer

Religious Education News

Making Jesus Real



Making Jesus Real (MJR) is a program that is centered around the belief that we are the image of Jesus to all people around us. We are His representatives and our actions should reflect His values. In scripture, Jesus says that we are part of his family and that the way we treat others should be reflective of the way we would treat Jesus.

At St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, MJR is not seen as an ‘extra thing’ to ‘do’. It is a values based philosophy, it becomes’ the way’ we do all things. MJR filters through everything we do and say during the course of any given day.

The MJR program aligns with the school Religious Education curriculum and Values Education/ Wellbeing/ Social Emotional Learning. The values that we encourage and promote in our program include: care and compassion, respect, honesty and trustworthiness, understanding, tolerance and inclusion. The values encourage students to do their best, treat others fairly, be responsible for their actions, follow principles of moral and ethical conduct and stand up for the rights of others.

Next week, we have the privilege of having Marty Ogle visit our school and work with every class around MJR. We look forward to having him share his knowledge and experiences with us.

Key Dates:

Father’s Day Liturgy - Week 7 on 1st September (Room 7)
School Feast Day Mass - Week 8 on 7th September (Year 6 students)


Clare Nolan
Religious Education Co-ordinator

Parents and Friends News

Our wonderful P&F have once again sought a great assortment of gifts that our students can purchase for their dads, grandpas, pops and papas as well as all the other special men in their lives.

Gifts will range in price $1-$15 and will be held on Thursday, 31st August with a time allocated for each class to attend.

Please ensure all money sent to school is clearly marked with your child's name.

Thank you

PE News

Pokemon Cards and Other Toys


Please remember that students should not bring toys to school. We have a growing problem with toys being brought in backpacks that end up being lost, broken, or are creating a distraction in the classroom and inequity in the playground. This includes trading and gaming cards (such a Pokémon cards). These should not be brought to school. Please talk to your child’s classroom teacher if you believe they need to bring an item that assists them to transition into school each morning.

Thank you in advance for your help with this.

Tell Them from Me

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".

Thank you for your continued support and cooperation.

Playgroup

School Canteen Services Update

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.

To accommodate this change our existing "2nd Break" service has been updated to "Lunch" service.

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.

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.

Throughout Term 3 we will be aiming to phase out all window cash sales.

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

Violin

2023 School Terms


Term 1, 2023 Monday, 30 January 2023 - staff return
Wednesday, 1 February 2023 - students return
Thursday, 6 April 2023 - last day term one

Term 2, 2023 Monday, 17 April to Friday, 23 June 2023

Term 3, 2023 Monday, 17 July 2023 - staff return
Tuesday, 18 July 2023 - students return
Friday, 22 September 2023 - last day term three

Term 4, 2023 Monday, 9 October 2023
Thursday, 14 December 2023 - last day for students
Friday, 15 December 2023 - last day for staff

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  • 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.
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Want to avoid fees when topping up your Flexischools account?

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.
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.

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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