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SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
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17th December 2021| Week 10
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Important Dates
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- 17th December 2021: School Office closed
- 17th January 2022: School Office reopens 9 - 3 pm
- 27th January 2022: School Uniform and Book Shop open
- Wednesday, 2nd February 2022: Students return for 2022 school year
- Friday, 8th April 2022: Catholic Education System Pupil Free Day
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Principal's News
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Week 10, Term 4, 2021
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Dear Parents and Caregivers,
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Catholic schools should be faith-filled, hopeful and loving places for all who are a part of the school community. I believe that St Mary’s is just that. We display our faith through our compassion for others, our love for God and the way in which we all model this every day. Being hopeful is engrained in how we approach today in our world, right here in Darwin and far-reaching. We constantly reach out to those in need, within our school community and wider. As for our love, we follow the message of Jesus: ‘love God and love your neighbour’ and as I live each day at St Mary’s I can feel this in the way each person greets each other supports each other and our 4 –R’s and Making Jesus Real model how to have a relationship with God through prayer. From this, I am reminded that love is a verb, not a noun.
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If I reflect upon the year that has been 2021 at St Mary’s the first thought that comes into my mind is the strong parent representation that we have. Our parents are gracious, supportive and engaged with our school community and provide St Mary’s with a wonderful network far beyond our front gates. Thank you to our parents, we appreciate you and all that you do for our school!
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Wishing everyone a safe, happy and holy Christmas break. I look forward to seeing you all back in 2022,
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Uniform Reminder
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Please ensure that your child has the correct uniform requirements including the correct footwear, socks and school hat. Please support us in our endeavour to adhere to our uniform guidelines, which can be found in our Parent Handbook or school webpage.
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Step Up Day and 2022 Classes
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Step Up Day: Last Tuesday’s Step Day was a wonderful glimpse into what next year promises to bring. With any change comes not just excitement but also a little anxiety. It is normal for children to express that that are anxious or worried about being with a new teacher or a different group of friends. In the course of their schooling children will have many different teachers and will forge life- long friendships with people they have not yet met. The process we work through is very transparent and aims to capture the most optimal learning environment for each individual child.
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2022 Class Preparations: As we commence the preparations for student placement for 2022, parents are requested to trust the staff at St Mary’s with the process of class allocation. Our practice at St Mary’s is very transparent – we invite every child to trace around their hand and, after some helpful tips from their teacher, the children write the names of friends they work well with inside each of the five fingers. Staff then work through these lists and endeavour to place the children with at least one of their selection. This first draft is then shared with previous teachers and specialist staff to ensure that past experiences can be taken into consideration. The Leadership Team then cross reference these lists with any other information we might have, and the lists continue to be circulated until we are satisfied with the combination.
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Parents are welcome to contribute to this conversation, but we ask that you do not request a specific teacher for your child. Requests such as these cannot be met. If you do have any concerns or queries, please put your concerns in writing to the Principal. And don’t forget, positive conversations at home about the inevitable changes ahead to ensure a happy transition.
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Tips for Transitioning into School
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BE PREPPED FOR SCHOOL: TIPS FOR TRANSITIONING
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Your little one’s introduction to Transition can seem equal parts anxiety-inducing and exciting – and it’s important to be prepared for a range of emotions from both yourself as parents and carers as well as from your child. Finding the right school for your family and being prepared to support your little one’s emotional needs can make the process much easier than you may think.
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Starting Transition is not just about the first day of school, but rather setting your child up for a smooth transition from early learning to a life of education. Parents should work in partnership with their chosen school to make this big step much less daunting. According to the Victorian Education Department, “successful transition programs contribute to 60 per cent of student learning improvement in academic and social development”. With this in mind, the school’s transition program is imperative to not only your little one’s adjustment into Transition, but also their long-term academic outcomes so be sure to attend information sessions and educate yourself on the school’s transition period and how it can assist your little one is to insert text.
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Finding the Right Fit for a new school
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Choosing a school with a successful transition program offers families and schools the opportunity to get to know one another and brings the entire family on the journey from enrolment right through to the first year. It gives your child the chance to build relationships with teachers and peers, as well as feel comfortable, confident and supported in their new learning environment.
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Common objections: “I don’t want to go to that school!”
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Make sure your child has the chance to be heard. Get down on their level or bring them up to your level so you are eye-to-eye. Ask them what they are concerned about and reassure them that their feelings are valid rather than dismissing how they are feeling. It is likely they are worried about not knowing anyone or not fitting in, so you can comfort them by letting them know their classmates will be feeling the same way and will want to make new friends, too. You could also reassure them by explaining their pre-transition days will give them the chance to meet new friends.
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Offer plenty of opportunities for communication prior to their first official day so your little one has an understanding of what to expect. You can start to mention big school, school uniforms and how proud you are of them or involve school talk in playtime at home. The Queensland Government offer a ‘Starting School Game’, which is available to download online and includes games and information encouraging parents and kids to talk about starting school in a playful way. If you find your child is overwhelmed or worried about starting school, this is a fun way to get them accustomed to the idea.
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Common objections: “I want to stay home with you!”
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It can be so difficult to see your little one upset at drop off, but reassuring them and being prepared for how they may react will help you to respond to the situation. Kids Matter recommends learning from other transition periods and tailoring an approach that suits your little one’s temperament. For example, think about a time your child experienced another transition period. What approach helped them through this stage? Use this experience and tailor it to this situation.
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Transition class and Beyond
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Once your child is settled into school, clear communication with the school is crucial for ongoing success. Schools see education as a partnership between schools and families and parents and carers are welcomed as members of the school community.
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Farewell to our Year 6 students
To the following students and families leaving our school community this week -
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Vania; Tori and Isaac; Xavier; Amelia; Charlotte and Amelia.
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And to our Year 6 students and families heading to middle school in 2022 either in Darwin or interstate -
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Harrison; Kaiden; Thomas; Lachlan; Christina; Aliza; Abhaydeep; Mason; Reighley; Esmee; Evan; Mattia; Grace; Nicola; Mina; Dolly; Jazmyn; Balin; Paul; Matilda F-L; Shamah; Vihaan; Matilda J; Andreas; Mackenzie; Roshan and Harjaap.
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Religious Education News
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St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal
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Thank you for helping bring the joy of Christmas into the lives of those who need it most with your generous donations.
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Religious Education Co-ordinator
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Start of the 2022 School Year
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The 2022 school year begins on Wednesday, 2 February 2022 at 8.15 am for all students. Children are asked to be at school at least ten minutes before classes begin in order that they may find their classrooms and be ready to begin classes at 8.20 am. Please remember to pack lunch and recess separately as lunch goes in a container in the cool room. The children are also able to have a water bottle in the classroom with them each day.
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The school book and uniform shop will be operating from Thursday, 27 January 2022 from 9 am to 3 pm each day. All uniform and book packs can be purchased from the office from this date.
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Please note, book packs can be paid for at this time and will be distributed to teachers for use in the classroom.
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21st Century Dance Concert USB
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Re-live the fun of our 21st Century Dance concert!
You can order your copy of the concert which was professionally recorded by Dreamedia. To order now online, click the button below or complete the "Concert USB Order Form" found in the FORMS tab on School Stream.
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There are only a handful of remaining USBs available - please order soon to avoid disappointment!
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2022 School Book and Levy Fees
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BYODD Program
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Technology is an educational tool to support learning... it does not replace the learning of key fundamental skills!
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Devices for Years 4 to 6 next year can still be ordered for our BYODD - Bring Your Own Designated Device program. To ensure delivery for Day 1, Term 1 the order cut off date is 6th January 2022. Ordering is made easy via our dedicated online portal.
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Additionally, we know of an 'as new' second hand designated device, which a family is looking to sell - price negotiable. If interested please contact our Deputy Principal Christine Ferreira via email christine.ferreira@nt.catholic.edu.au.
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Ordering is made easy via our dedicated online portal. All information can be found in the BYODD Parent Information and device specification guide, which was sent home to all Year 3/4 students and those without a designated school device in Year 5. We encourage you to learn more about our device supplier Edunet by watching the short video linked below.
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Outstanding School Fees
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Thank you to the many families who have already finalised their school accounts for 2021. To those families who still have fees outstanding please be aware
that payment is now due and fees need to be paid assoon as possible.
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If you believe that that you will not be able to pay your school fees account by the end of the school year (16th Dec, 2021) or are having difficulties making payments, please contact the office and make an appointment to arrange a payment plan. Payments can be made at the School office by cash or EFT. Credit Card payments can be made over the phone or electronic payments can be made directly to the school.
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Our account details are as follows:
Account Name: St Mary's Catholic Primary School
Branch Number: 085-933
Account Number: 39 686 0268
Reference when processing your payment:
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School Fees: Please quote your Family Ref (at the bottom right of the statement).
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Out of School Hours Fees: Please quote your Family Name and OSHC
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Community of Learners: Please quote your Family Name and COL
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To request an updated statement for School Fees please contact our finance officer Louise Higgins on louise.higgins@nt.catholic.edu.au.
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OSHC and COL statements are processed and sent out weekly by our Bookkeeper Kathy Zerafa.
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Semester Two Academic Reports
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It has been a very busy week of finalising and generating Reports for all St Mary’s students. Semester Two Academic Reports have now all been sent to the email address kept on our school records. Evidence of Learning Folders have also been sent home with your child/ren to accompany the Academic Report.
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In the event that you have not received the Report via email this evening, please kindly contact the front office so that we can follow up for you.
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We encourage all families to take the time to read and discuss the Report Card with your child. We take this opportunity to congratulate the students of St Mary’s for their successes in learning this year and hope that each achievement, be it ever so small, is acknowledged and celebrated. We thank the teaching staff for the time, care and dedication which has gone into the Report writing process.
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Well Being at Home
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Finding Ways to Relax: We have reached the end of another school year that has been positive, rewarding, challenging and unpredictable. As we all prepare to unwind and take some time-out over Christmas, it is important to find ways to make time for self- care in this season of giving. This article has some ideas that may be useful to help us embed relaxation and mindfulness into our daily life. These routines can be particularly useful during the current Covid restrictions, yet are also just as useful in daily life once things return a bit more to normal. By taking time out each day or each week to practise self-care, you can support your mental health and wellbeing for right now and the future.
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Artfully Mindfully: Getting creative can help you practice mindfulness. There are ways to be creative, even if you are someone who does not usually enjoy arts and craft. Artfully, Mindfully is a YouTube page that has a range of ideas to help you get creative. Things like mindful colouring are great for your wellbeing & can be easy to learn how to do. Check out the YouTube page for Artfully, Mindfully here:
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Spiritual Meditation: Meditation is a very special method of praying. Prayer is bringing your mind, soul and spirit to God’s presence. Catholics meditate and engage in mental prayer to be able have an intimate conversation and relationship with God. But it can be really difficult to know how to do this or even where to begin. Hallow Dailies have ten minute meditations for spiritual reflection. You can find these meditations here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTl4nO4-srY
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Smiling Minds: Smiling Mind is a meditation app for young people. It has been developed by a team of psychologists and uses mindfulness to boost calmness, contentment and clarity. Mindfulness meditation has been shown to help manage stress, resilience, anxiety, depression and improve general health and wellbeing.
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Watch and Learn: Kids HelpLine don't just offer support over the phone to young people, but they also have great informative videos for young people too. Topics include self-care, mental health, wellbeing and family & friendships. Watch their videos here: https://www.youtube.com/user/kidshelpline10
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Starting Positive: How can we start this New Year happier? Things have certainly not been easy over the last year, and we are still in difficult and uncertain times. The best way to try to handle our difficult emotions and experiences is by focusing on what we can control. January’s Action for Happiness calendar by encourages everyone to focus on small steps to try to boost happiness - for ourselves and others around us - to spread kindness and hopefully inspire others to do the same. You can access January’s calendar here: https://www.actionforhappiness.org/january
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Enrolments for 2022
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Help spread the word! Enrolments for 2022 are now open
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If you would like an enrolment package, please contact the school office. If you have already received an enrolment package for your Transition 2022 child, please complete and return to the school office as soon as possible so your enrolment interview can be scheduled. If your child is currently enrolled in the St Mary’s Community of Learners Pre-school program you will still need to complete a School enrolment form for Transition.
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As a result of our current enrolment numbers for Transition in 2022 we are delighted to share with our school community that we will have two small Transition classes of around 15 students. This will give 2022 Transition students an optimal learning environment for their first year at school.
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Please note, that until enrolment paperwork is received at the school office, we cannot hold places for Transition 2022. Therefore, if you currently have a child at St Mary's and have a younger sibling starting Transition next year, please let the school office know as soon as possible.
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In the Event of a Cyclone
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As we are now in the cyclone season in the Top End, families are reminded of our school procedures in the event of a cyclone. School closures are announced by the Department of Education and are broadcast to the public on the local TV and radio stations. In the event that government schools are closed, Catholic schools will also be closed. Please listen to the radio or TV for updates in relation to school closures and reopening. We will endeavour to keep families informed via our school app – school stream, facebook and email, but this will be dependent on the availability of power and personnel.
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December Kindness 2021
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Download our School App
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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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Canteen Online Orders
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To streamline processes across the school, this term we will be phasing out paper bag lunch orders from our canteen in an attempt to be only online from 2022.
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We encourage families 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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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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Final playgroup session for the year will be on Friday 10th December
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Thank you all so much for making our first year of Playgroup sessions at St Mary's a huge success! Please continue to spread the word... we look forward to seeing you all back in 2022.
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St John's Catholic College, Darwin
Year 7 2022
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Information regarding Year 7 2022 at St John's Catholic College.
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What is happening in Darwin
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