Newsletter Term 1 2025 3rd April

Parent Student Teacher Interviews 

Parent Student Teacher interviews will be held on Tuesday 8th and Wednesday 9th April in our school hall. Parents and students are both welcome to attend this interview. The interview times allow for 10 minutes to talk to your child's teacher. If your child is present at the interview, they may discuss their English and Maths goals for Term 1. All teachers will follow a structured format in the interview which may include discussing your child's behaviour, their ability to follow instructions, social and emotional wellbeing, progress across all Key Learning Areas, particularly Maths and English, areas for development, and possible samples of your child's work. This is also a time to celebrate your child's achievements for term 1. Please make sure you make an appointment through compass for a meeting time.

Parents save the date! Police liaison talk for parents 

We are also hosting a talk from our Police Liaison Officer, Senior Constable Sarah Archer, for parents prior to interviews on Tuesday 8th April at 2.30pm at St Mary's School in the music room (next to our Hall). Topics will include keeping our children safe online as well as addressing other requests by our parent CaFE group. This is an important topic for parents and schools and a great opportunity for us to work together reinforcing the same messages around student safety.

Student attendance

Our level of student attendance at school is required by government law to be 95%. It is important students only miss school when they are unwell, as missing school leads to gaps in student learning. Families will be contacted by phone call or email/letter and required to attend a attendance improvement plan meeting to discuss how we can remove possible barriers and work together to make sure your child attends school and maintains the required attendance rate of 95%.

STAFF DEVELOPMENT DAY

Last Wednesday, our teaching staff attended a professional learning day, focusing on further implementation of the new English syllabus. Author and presenter, Louise Dempsey from New Zealand,  led the day. We had many takeaways and some great ideas about structuring our English block. It was a very worthwhile opportunity to further enhance our teaching practice with a focus on oral language, reading and writing instruction. 

The NSW Premier's Reading Challenge is now open and St Mary’s Catholic Primary School is excited to be participating!

What is the NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge?

The PRC is a statewide Challenge that encourages students to develop a love of reading for leisure and pleasure in students and enables them to experience quality literature. It is not a competition, but a challenge to encourage each student to read, to read more, and to read more widely.

All students who complete the challenge and have their reading record validated by the school’s PRC coordinator will receive a certificate signed by the Premier of NSW.

How many books do students need to read?

Students in Year 3 to Year 6 are challenged to read 20 books independently. At least 10 of these books must be from the relevant Challenge booklists, and up to 10 books can be personal choice books.

If a book is from an approved PRC series, students can enter up to 5 books as Challenge books, and can read up to 10 other books from the same series as Personal Choice books. More information on the rules of the Challenge can be found on the PRC website.

Books must be added to a student’s online reading record by Friday 22 August 2025 in order for their reading record to be validated and receive a certificate.

How do students log their reading?

Students can access the PRC’s Student Experience site using their DoE username and password, or can log into the site via the Student Portal.

We complete online entering in library lessons.

How can students find books on the NSW PRC challenge lists?

Books in the St Mary’s library on the PRC challenge list, have a green sticker on the spine for the year 3-4 challenge and a purple sticker indicating a book on the year 5-6 challenge. The identification number is recorded on a white sticker on the front cover. 

Students record books they have read in library lessons. 

Mrs Fredericksen  

PRC Coordinator name:   Mrs Fredericksen  

Get Ready – Order Your Winter Uniform Now! 

As the weather cools down, now is the perfect time to prepare for the winter school term. Avoid the last minute rush by ordering your child’s winter uniform before the holidays. 

Our uniform shop has everything your child needs to stay warm and comfortable, including  key winter items like jackets, long pants, jumpers, etc. 

Visit the uniform shop during [opening hours Fridays 8.45am until 9:30am or order easily online via Flexischools.

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.)

SPB4L

This week, we have been looking at safe, respectful and responsible use of digital technology and expectations for the Athletics Carnival. Kindergarten and Year 1 have been revising the expectation of using kind words.

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY

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
  

ATHLETICS CARNIVAL

I will:

BE SAFE:

• wear my hat and sunscreen for the day
• stay in the correct area
• follow directions by teachers and leaders
• sit under the house tents during designated break times

BE RESPECTFUL:

• listen to instructions from my age leader
• stay with my age leader 
• ask permission to go to the toilet and go with a buddy
• wait patiently in line for my turn (shot put, discus and long jump)
• keep my hands and feet to myself
• use kind words

BE RESPONSIBLE

• arrive at school on time and place my bag in the usual area
• have my recess, lunch and water bottle
• stay with my age group leader
• listen to announcements (for 200 m/800 m and relays)
• look after my belongings
• put my rubbish in the correct bin and leave the area tidy
• go to my age leader to mark my name off before leaving the carnival

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