Newsletter Term 3 - 19th September 2024

Dear parents and carers,

Thank you for your support for yet another very busy term at St Mary's.  As you would be aware we (along with other schools in Orange) are in the midst of an outbreak of Whooping Cough.  Please take the time to read the Department of Health Guidelines on how we are obliged to mitigate the risk of others contracting this illness.  The most important thing is to have your child tested if there is a persistent cough as antibiotic treatment is advised along with a period of isolation.

Today we had our wonderful police liaison officer, Jane Heffernan, in to school to talk to the Year 5 students around safe behaviours and what to do if you feel yourself affected by anything that makes you feel uncomfortable.  We are so lucky to have Jane who builds wonderful relationships with our students, so that this generation will understand how Police are here to support the community and keep us safe.

After the departure of Adam Crouch last week we are advertising for a new Grounds and Maintenance Officer.  Interviews for this position will take place next week with a view to the new officer commencing Term Four.  We are also recruiting for teachers for 2025 as our school moves from 18 to 19 classes next year.  We have been fortunate to have been overwhelmed with high quality applicants, which is a nice position to be in. Please remember us in your prayers as we make these important decisions for staffing for 2025 to provide the highest quality education possible for your children.

I wish all students whose sporting teams are playing in finals this weekend the very best of luck.  We are having a wonderful day next week of wearing our team colours... whatever that team may be!   This day is on Thursday 26 September with a gold coin donation for the Fight Cancer Foundation.  

May God bless you all for a safe and happy term break.  We have a pupil free day for Staff Professional Learning on Monday 14 October, so will look forward to seeing our students' smiling faces on Tuesday 15 October.  Please remember that hats are compulsory for our students in Term Four as part of our summer uniform.  

Kindest regards,

Gayle Stratton

End of term message 

As Term 3 concludes, we reflect on the spiritual growth and insights gained throughout the term. It has been inspiring to witness the deepening of faith and understanding among our students. Highlights of the term include Confirmation, reflection days, Mary MacKillop Feast Day, the Feast of the Assumption, visits from the priests, liturgies, grade Masses, class Reconciliation, the Christmas Art and Storytelling competition, and the staff spirituality day.

As we approach the end of the term, let us continue to embrace and live out the spiritual lessons we’ve explored. May everyone find peace and renewal during the break.

New School Prayer

We are pleased to share that staff and students have collaborated to create a new school prayer that deeply reflects our commitment to learning, our cherished school values, and our patron saint, Mary Help of Christians. This will be prayed daily in our classrooms and at school events, enriching our spiritual life and guiding us in faith and learning.

We thank you God, for bringing us together today as your friends.

We pray that our school be a place of learning, justice and love.

Grant us the strength and courage to care for one another and all of creation.

May St Mary’s always be a place where we love to learn and learn to love. 

Mary, Help of Christians, pray for us.

Amen.

English - Assessment Criteria

As a staff, we have been working on feedback strategies to assist students in the classroom to improve their reading and or writing skills. One of the strategies for improving writing is the use of modelled texts and success criteria. Teachers have been using levelled texts to demonstrate to students what to include in their own writing to successfully meet the learning criteria. They then display the criteria so that students can use it to check and improve their own work. This is sometimes referred to as a 'Bump It Up' wall - as students can use it to 'bump up' their vocabulary choices or enhance their independent writing. 

Our teachers have been creating rubrics for the new English units to align to the new syllabus. This enables them to see what the students know and can do, which helps to measure progress and guide future learning. It also serves as a tool for making judgements about student achievement, using the A-E scale for reporting at the end of the semester. Below, are two examples from Year 4 and one from Year 2.

Sally Curran

2024 CaFE Grade Reps

Kinder: Alicia Holmes, Stacey Tracey (Kinder Orientation Night, Set up Kinder FB group)

Yr 1: Olivia Day-Gorham, Amy Hinchcliff (Kinder Welcome Morning Tea)

Yr 2: Renee Davis, Alicia Holmes (Mother’s Day gifts)

Yr 3: Mel Balchin, Olivia Day-Gorham (Mother's Day breakfast)

Yr 4: Jess McGrath and Katrina Holway (Father's Day gifts)

Yr 5: Kym Flitcroft, Kellie Pickering (Father's Day breakfast)

Yr 6: Kate Pulbrook, Sharon Collins (Easter Egg raffle and eggs. Organise Yr 6 2024 end of year event)

Bathurst Diocesan Community Sport

Dear Parents,

Keep up to date with sporting events and achievements across the Bathurst Diocese. Search CEBD community sport or use the following link. 

https://sites.google.com/bth.catholic.edu.au/cedbsportcommunity/

SEVERE REACTIONS TO ‘NUTS’ & ‘EGGS’
As some of our students have a ‘nut’ and/or ‘egg’ allergy, we ask that nuts, nut
products and eggs NOT be packed as part of school snacks and lunches.
Sometimes even contact with nuts or eggs can trigger the severe reaction. This
severe allergy is called ANAPHYLAXIS and can be life-threatening.
Please, NO eggs, peanut butter, Nutella, nut products, etc.

(Check those labels to see that products do not contain nuts.)

Playground equipment

With the opening of the new primary equipment last week, we established some rules around being safe, respectful and responsible while playing on the equipment.  These rules were shared with all primary classes and revised each day. The infants classes also reviewed the expectations for using the equipment on their playground. These include sharing, taking turns and only using the equipment of the grade's rostered day. We also reminded students that they are to stay away from the equipment area after school. 

Reporting Unsafe Behaviour

This week, our focus has been on keeping ourselves and each other safe. This includes taking action or reporting unsafe or concerning behaviours to the teacher or responsible adult. We expect that students will look out for each other, 'speak up' if they are concerned and that their concerns will be taken seriously.

Whooping Cough (Pertussis)  Alert

Children with whooping cough should not attend school or childcare because of the risk of spreading the infection to others.  If you have whooping cough your doctor may prescribe antibiotics.

Mycoplasma Viral Pneumonia Infection Alert in School 

Medication at School-  Parental  Advice

If your child requires medication that needs to be administered during school hours, please bring the medication to the school office, where it is stored safely. This includes asthma inhalers.

Students can come to the office at an arranged time to have the medication administered by trained First Aid Officers.

The office does not have Panadol, unless parents supply and complete a form for their child only.

Thank you 

Children with communication devices such as iPhones and Smart Watches must be handed to the school office in the morning before class and collected at the end of the day. This includes any device capable of taking photos.

Please support your child to meet this school requirement.

If you need to contact your child during school hours please call the school office.

2025 Expressions of Interest for St Mary's OSHC

(Outside school hours care )

2025 Expression of Interest are due Friday 27th September 2024. Positions will be offered as of 28th October 2024. 

Positions are limited and are offered based on the order in which we receive enquiries. 

or families yet to notify St Mary's OSHC of their interest in 2025, please email the Service Coordinator via stmarysoshc@centacarebathurst.com.au

Thankyou 

St Mary's Uniform Shop

is run by  Parent Volunteers and is open from 8:45 am for an hour on  Friday Mornings. 

If you have put your order through Flexi schools it will be packed the following Friday and sent home with your child.

Dear Parents & Carers

Please label students' clothing , so we can return them from lost property with ease.

Clothes that don't have names will be returned to the clothing pool, if not collected by the end of term.

Thank you