Newsletter - 7th December 2023
Principal Report
Dear parents and carers,
Unbelievably, here we are at the conclusion of another school year. I would like to thank each one of you for your support for us this year, as we work the very best way we know how, to provide an enriching education for your students, opportunities for them to explore and celebrate their personal gifts and talents, growth in their understanding of navigating the complexities of life and relationships and faith to sustain them for the future.
As leader of St Mary's, one of the things I am most proud of is a growing sense of generosity of spirit in our school culture. This is evidenced in the way staff willingly give of their personal time for the benefit of the students: in the provision of a myriad of lunch times clubs, attendance at after school events and meeting with you before and after school. The students also have this beautiful generosity of spirit, highlighted yesterday when, after announcing the Year Five leaders for 2024, the children's first thoughts were for each other. I am also proud of the beautiful diversity of this community and for everyone's commitment to inclusive practices that embrace us all.
I hope that you find time this holiday for deep rest. For yourselves and your families. Deep rest involves truly taking a break from the routines and rhythms of daily life. It is stepping outside. Having a break from social media and devices. Allowing yourself time to just be. This is my wish for you and your children. May you all have a safe and happy Christmas time, with a renewal hope that this season promises.
I would like to close for the year with this prayer, shared with staff at a recent meeting:
At the end of this school year we give thanks to God:
For all the teaching and learning that has taken place in our school, both in and out of the classroom;
For the talents and gifts that have been shared and the challenges that have been faced;
For the burdens that have been lifted and the hurts that have been healed;
For the respoect and care that has been given.
We give thanks for the friendships that have jsut begun and for those that have been strengthened;
For the faith that has been lived in our daily struggles;
For the hope that has lifted our hearts when days are dark and for the love that has kept us going.
We give thanks for the community that we are, and hope to be, and we ask you Lord:
Bless our families as we take these holidays and may our time together during this year leave us with memories to cherish.
Pour out your love on us that we may return renewed and refreshed to continue our next chapter together.
Bless the families that will leave us at the end of this year. Bless our graduates. We give thanks for the gift of them.
We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Religious Education
Prayer for Peace in the World at Christmas
Lord, Jesus Christ,
You are the true King of peace.
In You alone is freedom found.
Please free our world from conflict.
Bring unity to troubled nations.
Let Your glorious peace reign in every heart.
Dispel all darkness and evil.
Protect the dignity of every human life.
Replace hatred with Your love.
St Mary's Presentation Day
St Mary's Presentation Day will be held this Friday 8th December from 12-1 pm in St Mary's school hall. All families and friends are welcome to attend. There is limited seating available in the hall.
Year 6 Graduation Mass
Year 6 Graduation mass will take place next Monday evening on the 11th December at 5.45pm at St Mary's Church. All Year 6 students are required to be at the church at 5.30pm dressed in full school uniform. All families welcome.
Christian Leadership Awards
Chrisbel Jithin
Audrey Challinor
Annabelle Lawford
Oscar Weily
Hannah Sara
Charlie May
Eva Soley
In Recognition of a "Positive View of Life"
Liam Kerslake
Michael Jerin
Isabelle Jerome Alex
Miguel Varikkatt
Miles Daems
Rihanna Robin
Nasochi Odoemene
Carter Hinchcliff
Ada Golding
Lincoln Seymour-Burgess
Lillian Venner
Elliott Furner
Thulasii Sathiah Seelan
Zoe Tracey
Imogen Morrish
Jeante Ormsby
Molly Tracey
Edie Wait
Hassan Al Haboubi
In Recognition of "Community & Common Good"
Oliver Howarth
Rafhael (Zach) Ilog
Samuel Jacob
In Recognition of " God's Presence in the Whole World"
Mia Porter
Mia O'Donnell
In Recognition of "Hope and Resurrection"
Isabel Boardman
In Recognition of "Search for Truth & Wisdom"
Class News
Year 1 Gold
What a fantastic term we have had! Year One has learnt about insects, earthworms and plants in Science. They have drawn maps of the school and found out about rainforests and deserts in Geography.
In Mathematics, they have learnt about arrays, and how to read information in graphs and 3D objects.
Year One has played cricket and danced enthusiastically. They know about the season of Advent and have been preparing our classroom for Christmas. We have even had an elf visiting us to check on our excellent behaviour.
But ... the best improvement has been with reading. Year One are amazing readers!
They have grown so much and had a lot of fun along the way.
Well done Year One Gold!
Kindergarten Gold
Religion
We are learning that Advent is a time of waiting. We are so excited about Christmas when the baby Jesus was born!
English
We are learning about the structure of a narrative by reading imaginative texts like ‘It’s a Miroocool!’ by Christine Harris.
Visual Arts
We listened to violin music as we recreated ‘The Apples’ by Henri Matisse. Did you know that Matisse loved to use bright colours and some people called him ‘Le Fauvre’ which means ‘Wild Beast’ in French? 
Mathematics
This term we have had a focus on Measurement and Space. We have learnt about length, mass, 3D objects and volume. We have made analog clocks with rocks and learnt how to tell the o’clock time! 
Science
We have been learning about Wild Weather including weather symbols, thermometers and how animals survive hot and cold weather
Did you know that flamingoes stand in water and chickens moult their feathers to stay cool in Summer? 
Christmas Assembly
We performed ‘The Nativity Play’ for our assembly. It was so beautiful!⭐
School Disco 
We had so much fun dressing up and dancing at our school disco! We danced to the Nutbush and the Chicken Dance! 
2023 School Disco
On the 23rd of November, the annual St Mary’s disco was enjoyed by many of the students of our school. Individuals performing the worm or conga lines were everywhere you turned.
The event was organised to a very high standard by our wonderful Term Four Student Representative Committee (SRC). The planning phase of the event involved choosing and debating the theme's ideas, organising music that would ensure the most dance moves could be showcased, and creating posters to guarantee students of the school were well informed of crucial information. The members of the SRC team that helped create this event should be very proud of their efforts, often missing lunchtime play to help this disco be the best it can be.
Seeing all the smiling faces and other students in the school having a great time is an excellent reward for the SRC members and this conveys their dedication and mateship qualities to the school and one another.
Thank you for all the work this term helping to organise the Disco term 4 SRC team.
J.C & E.C
2023 School Disco
Curriculum News - Maths Enrichment
Em2 Maths Enrichment is an extension program for talented students to widen their mathematical knowledge and skills. Patrick, James and Anishvar were selected to participate in the Newton Enrichment Program, one of the Australian Maths Trust competitions. Mrs Charlton from the CEDB delivered the program to the group of students from all across the Bathurst Diocese. Mrs Curran assisted with facilitating the lessons and submission of competition answers. These students worked very hard to improve their mathematical thinking and reasoning, especially to explain their solutions in depth. The problems were extremely challenging and all three boys should be congratulated for all achieving a Credit.
Uniform Week 10
Canteen News
Student Wellbeing
School Wide Positive Behaviour for Learning (SPB4L)-SCHOOL UNIVERSALS
As learners at St Mary's we are expected to:
BE SAFE BE RESPECTFUL BE RESPONSIBLE
The aim of SPB4L at St Mary's, is to actively teach and model positive behavioral expectations through consistent, reasonable, and proactive strategies that will foster positive relationships with students, staff, and parents.
BE SAFE ❖ We will keep our hands and feet to ourselves ❖ We will follow the rules of the game
BE RESPECTFUL ❖ We will use kind words ❖ We will follow the teacher directions
BE RESPONSIBLE ❖ We will include others and play fairly ❖ We will engage in our learning
Parent Information
Community News
Lost property
Please come and take a look in our cupboard if you are missing clothing, drink bottles & lunch boxes etc.
We have many items with no names so we cannot reunite them with their owners
We also have Childrens' Prescription glasses in lost property, please contact the office if they belong to your child.
