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Upcoming Dates
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- 23rd July: Trivia Night, Year 5/6 Camp Fundraiser
- 26th July: Transition to Year 2 Possum Magic Excursion
- 27th July: Assembly Room 13
- 28th July: Darwin Show Day Public Holiday
- 3rd August: Junior School Athletics Carnival
- 4th August: Assembly Room 6
- 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 1, Term 3, 2023
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Dear Parents and Caregivers
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Welcome back to Term Three! We hope you have had a wonderful holiday break and are looking forward to an exciting term ahead.
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With NAIDOC Week occurring during the school holidays, we have begun the term with a focus on NAIDOC celebrations, including a school excursion and an assembly presentation. Miss Coccetti and Mr Stephen Lyons are preparing the students for a special NAIDOC focussed Assembly in week 3. These celebrations are one of the many ways we can celebrate the culture and history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
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Increased Enrolments across the school
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We welcome many new families to St Mary’s this term. With our enrolment numbers increasing it has necessitated the need to employ additional teaching staff. As a teaching team we are looking at how we can best meet the needs of our students and maintain the provision of quality teaching and learning across our school community. I will communicate with our school families early next week as to what this will look like in planning for our school for the remainder of the year.
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It has been wonderful to welcome Mrs Lisa Boyd to St Mary's as our Acting Deputy Principal for the next twelve months. Lisa brings to St Mary's a wealth of experience and expertise in leading within Catholic Education. I trust you will all make Lisa and her family welcome to our beautiful school community. We also welcome Chaya Kumar and Queenie Chiu to the school this week as they commence their roles as Inclusion Support Assistants. We also welcome back Mrs Tara Venn to St Mary’s. Tara has also hit the ground running providing additional support in the Year 3 / 4 classes this week. We also welcome our new school counsellor Miss Laura McCormack, Laura will begin sessions with our students from Week 2 of this Term. I have no doubt that these ladies will make a significant contribution to the Learning and Teaching at St Mary’s.
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We have received the individual student NAPLAN reports for Year Three and Year Five for the 2023 National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests. It is important for parents to note that for the first time, student results are reported against nationally agreed Proficiency Standards. Previously, student results were reported on a 10-band scale. An ACARA Parent Brochure on the Proficiency Standards will be sent home with each child's report. Further information about Proficiency Standards can be found at ACARA's NAP webpage.
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Upcoming Commonwealth Government Census
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This August our school is required to provide both student and staff data to the Commonwealth Government as part of the annual census process. This data enables the government to determine our annual recurrent funding allocation. Student and staff names are not provided as part of this process. For your information, please find the Commonwealth Government’s privacy notice included at the end of the newsletter for your review and record.
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The best way we can keep our children safe online is to talk to them before giving them any access to devices. As children spend more time online, they may have to deal with a number of online issues. Having regular conversations about their digital lives is essential, to know when to step in and offer help and support. Setting up boundaries before they are allowed online can help children make smarter choices about how the interact and behave online. There are many issues for parents to consider such as:
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Cyberbullying Parental controls
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Building ‘digital intelligence’ is essential for our children to be able to successfully navigate the digital world. The eSafety Commissioner website is the best place for parents to access online safety advice. This link provides excellent advice for parents of primary school students: Good habits to start young.
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This Sunday is our Year 5/6 Camp fundraiser at Darwin Trailer Boat Club. Tickets can be purchased from the front office for $20 cash per person. Tickets will also be available for purchase on the evening.
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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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We welcome Lucy and Grace; Harrison and Nicholas; Ezekiel and Eulalie; Amyrah and Ram; and Vehaan and families who join our school community this week.
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In faith and love,
Rosie Harrison
Principal
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Prayer for Start of Semester
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Lord, as we prepare for the coming of a new semester,
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make us ready, attentive and available to hear you.
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Thank you for the gift of being able to rise each day
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with the assurance that You walk through it with us.
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Thank you for the gifts of creativity and uniqueness, and
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the energy to put them to good use.
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Religious Education News
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World Youth Day celebration
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All families are invited on Sunday the 30th of July at St Mary's Cathedral 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 11 will attend on Tuesday 25th at 12pm and Room 16 on Wednesday 26th at 12pm.
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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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Child Care Subsidy
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Some information regarding changes to Child Care Subsidy.
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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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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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