Newsletter Term 3 2025 21st August

Kids Helpline -The largest anti bullying lesson

Theme: Be strong, Be kind, Speak up

St Mary’s students participated in the largest anti bullying lesson for Primary Schools facilitated by Kids Helpline.

The video link is available to watch at home and it outlines:

•  What bullying is and what it isn’t
• What bullying behaviour looks like
• 3 types of bullying behaviour
• Strategies to use in a situation where you or a friend are being bullied
  
• Recording + resources link: https://kidshelpline.info/anti-bullying-video-primary
  

Wellbeing week - Yr 6 students v staff lunch time activities

This week the staff and Year 6 students are having great fun at lunch times playing against each other in handball, soccer, netball and Just Dance! We know the staff have got the students covered for dance moves! We have the students and the staff tied on equal points from term 2.

Staff Professional Learning

St Mary's staff are taking part in professional learning of the new K-6 Science syllabus next week. This will be facilitated by our CEDB Learning Officer, Jan Mendham.

Discover Connect@home – A Daily Companion in Faith

Have you heard of Connect@home? Many haven’t – but once discovered, it quickly becomes a treasured part of the day. Connect@home is a daily email from the Diocese of Bathurst offering a short, meaningful reflection written by local clergy. It’s especially appreciated by those who may not be able to attend Mass but still want to stay connected with the faith community.

 Whether you're housebound, busy with life, or looking for a moment of spiritual reflection – Connect@home is for you.

Sign up today by visiting: https://bathurst.catholic.org.au/connecthome-bringing-scripture-into-the-heart-of-your-day/

Let’s spread the word – it’s time this “best‑kept secret” became well known!

Building Strong Readers: Focus on Comprehension Skills

At St Mary's, we are committed to developing confident and capable readers. This term, our staff are placing a strong focus on explicitly teaching comprehension skills across all year levels. Teachers are using evidence-based strategies to help students understand, interpret and think critically about what they read.

From predicting and questioning to summarising and making inferences, students are learning how to engage deeply with texts. Our aim is not only for students to be able to read the words on a page, but to make meaning from them - an essential skill for success across all subject areas.

Families can support this focus at home by discussing books, asking questions during reading and encouraging children to share their thoughts about stories and information texts.

Together, we’re building strong foundations for lifelong literacy.

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.)

POSITIVE LEVELS

We are very proud of all the students who have received an award for positive behaviours for learning in the classroom this term. Many students have received either a Bronze or Silver Award and are working towards Gold. The teachers recognise their efforts in following the school-wide expectations for behaviours for learning by awarding 'dojo' points. These points accrue to Level Award Certificates and a student choice of reward at each level. It's heartwarming to see how proud students are when they get to wear their slippers in the classroom, bring a teddy, choose the class game for a week, have a 'homework free' pass or have morning tea with the principal! Well done, St Mary's students! Keep up the positive behaviour!

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY

This week we have been revising expectations around the safe, respectful and responsible use of digital technology both at school and out of school hours.

AT SCHOOL, I will: 

BE SAFE:

• carry my Chromebook or iPad with two hands
• carefully place my Chromebook in a safe place before school and in the classroom
• use my device on a flat surface
• ask a teacher for help if needed
• only access sites my teacher tells me to
• keep usernames, passwords and personal information private

BE RESPECTFUL:

• only use my Chromebook or iPad for learning
• only use my own device

BE RESPONSIBLE:

• not eat or drink while using the device
• not lean on or put pressure on the screen
• not pick keys off the keyboard
• report any damage to the teacher immediately
• only use a school account at school
• bring my Chromebook to school fully charged, in its protective cover
• not use my Chromebook on the way to or from school
• hand my phone/personal device/smart watch to the office
• log-in only to my CEDB account while at school
• only add apps/extensions my teacher asks me to

AT HOME, I will:

BE SAFE:

• use my device where my parents can supervise
• only access parental-approved sites
• be careful with the information I share
• tell my parents if I experience something that makes me feel unsafe or uncomfortable

BE RESPECTFUL:

• only communicate positively and not hurt others’ feelings
• be kind, respectful and thoughtful about what I write or post online
• not access or share upsetting or inappropriate content

BE RESPONSIBLE:

• take my Chromebook home every day to charge
• remember to bring my device each day
• report any damage to my parent/carer
• be mindful how much time I spend online
• ask parents to contact the office if my device needs to be repaired
• talk to my parent/carer if I receive an upsetting message

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.

Medication must be authorised by a Medical practitioner with a letter 

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.

NO Parking in the  Bowling Alley car park

the bowling alley car park is for their patrons so please park elsewhere when dropping or picking up your children.

The PCYC has many parks that can be used for dropping off and picking up

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