Term 3 Week 10 2024

Principal's Message

As this term comes to an end, I am filled with pride for the accomplishments of our St Mary’s students and staff. From exceptional learning and sports representation to the stunning showcase of our Arts Program through the Jumpers and Jazz display and the Arts Extravaganza, it has been a wonderful term.

Our students are exceptional in their ability to consistently demonstrate the St Mary’s Way to RISE UP. They embody the values of being Respectful, Inclusive, Safe, Understanding, Exceptional, and Prayerful in all aspects of their school life.

Whether it’s in the classroom, on the sports field, or during extracurricular activities, our students show respect for their peers and teachers, inclusivity towards everyone, a commitment to safety, and a deep understanding of each other’s needs. They strive for excellence in everything they do and maintain a prayerful attitude, reflecting the core principles of our school community. Their dedication to these values makes St Mary’s a nurturing and inspiring place to learn and grow.

It has been a privilege to be Acting Principal for the past two weeks and I wish you and your family a wonderful school holidays. 

Kind regards, Sharon Young

Religious Life of the School

Mrs Young Gets a New Name

In our ever-changing world, it is essential for us to continually reflect on how we bring our Catholic identity and mission to life within our St Mary's School community. This reflection has led all Toowoomba Catholic Schools to collaboratively review the vital role of religious leadership.

As a result, from the beginning of Term 4, the position of Assistant Principal Religious Education (APRE) has been revitalised with a new focus and title of Assistant Principal Mission and Identity (APMI).

My role plays a pivotal role in guiding Catholic pedagogy, overseeing the Religious Education curriculum, and nurturing the religious life of St Mary's. It is a privilege to ensure that our Catholic school remains a living witness to Christ's message as expressed in the Gospels.

During next term, I look forward to sharing more of my aspirations and hopes for this role at our school, and how this will shape the next chapter of our continuing Catholic faith journey.

150th Celebrations

We have a wonderful celebration planned for celebrating 150 years of the Sisters of Mercy at St Mary's. With only five weeks to go we are looking for your help to make this a memorable event for school community.

How you can help:

• Our next meeting is Wednesday, 2nd October at 3:30pm in the School Office Boardroom. Please bring your ideas and expertise!

• Memorabilia - We are looking for St Mary’s memorabilia. If you have any old uniforms, photos or report cards related to your time here or someone from your family.

• Raffle Prizes – We are seeking prizes for this event. If you know any businesses who can donate, please ask if they would be interested and we will recognise their contribution.

• Volunteer at the Festival - We are looking forward to a wonderful day of celebrating 150 Years of the Sisters of Mercy at St Mary's. It will not be a success without your help. If you are able to give an hour (or more) of your time please complete this form. Many thanks - https://forms.office.com/r/EjRXf8FTM3

• Recipe Book - Be part of St Mary's School history by sharing a favourite family recipe to be included in our commemorative Recipe Book by clicking on this link - https://forms.office.com/r/Mgdxh7it3S  Over the years these have been treasured books and we are hoping to recreate another special edition. This will be available for sale at the 150th Celebrations. All families who contribute a recipe will go in the draw to win a free recipe book. If you have a jpeg or pdf file you would like to submit please email these to Sharon.Young@twb.catholic.edu.au We are hoping to have 150 recipes for our 150th Edition so we have extended the closing date for the recipes to Monday 23rd September. We will also happily accept more than one recipe from families if you have already shared and have some more!

• Trash and Treasure – ‘your trash is our treasure’. Please send in clean, saleable items that we can use in this stall. Items could include crockery, household items, board games, decor, sports equipment, toys, clothing, dress ups, costume jewellery, hand bags, tools, gardening items. Nothing electrical please!

Mini Vinnies

Our student Mini Vinnies group have been busy this term creating a Friendship Colouring Book to be used by children who come to St Vincent de Paul's Ozanam House. 

We have also been busy on a Friday morning serving Milos to raise money for the local St Vincent de Paul chapter. Thank you to our students who provided this service and to the families who have supported it.

RU OK?

R U OK? is a national suicide prevention charity and registered public health promotion that encourages people to stay connected and have conversations that can help others through difficult times.

Their work focuses on building the motivation, confidence and skills of the help-giver – the person who can have a meaningful conversation with someone who is struggling with life.

R U OK? contributes to suicide prevention efforts by encouraging people to invest more time in their personal relationships and building the capacity of informal support networks – friends, family and colleagues - to be alert to those around them, have a conversation if they identify signs of distress or difficulty and connect someone to appropriate support, before they're in crisis.

At St Mary's, our community has been affected by loss through suicide.  So this is an important message to share. 

We are grateful to Ken Brown, from Head Space (formerly St Mary's) for dropping in some yellow donuts and asking RU OK?

Please check in on your family and friends and ask them RU OK?

First Communion Congratulations

Special congratulations to the students who celebrated their First Communion last weekend. As they continue on their faith journey we pray for their blessing.

Altar Server Training

Children who have celebrated their First Communion are invited to become Altar Servers. We will have a training session and a pizza party afterwards to give thanks. This is for current and new Altar Servers.

God's blessings to you,

Sharon Young

Assistant Principal: Religious Education (soon to be Assistant Principal Mission and Identity)

'While we place our confidence in God, we must act as if success depended on our own exertions.' - Catherine McAuley

Curriculum

Year 4's Exciting Visit from Ergon Energy!

Year 4 had the pleasure of welcoming a special visit from Ergon Energy! The students were thrilled to learn from the experts about energy safety and how electricity powers our daily lives. The team shared valuable safety advice, helping the children understand how to stay safe around electrical equipment.

After the informative session, the students got hands-on experience by exploring the various tools and equipment Ergon Energy brought along. The highlight for many was trying on the safety gear and devices used by real professionals—an exciting and educational experience for all!

We are so grateful to Ergon Energy for this engaging and informative visit.

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Jess Harper
Middle Leader: Teaching and Learning

Positive School Culture

Last week the Leadership Team had a focus on inclusive behaviours. We were very impressed with our students' ability to recognise this in each other. The award was given to 3 Butler but there were many ways that this was demonstrated, including:

• 3B (Sarayah): Letting other people join in

• 3L (Musa): A big community of people joining in together and making one big family

• 2S (Luke): Sharing ideas with everybody in the class

• 1H (Hashie): Letting people join in our games

• 2D (Huxley): Letting others sit with you when they don't have someone to sit with

• 3B (Darcy): Being kind to everyone, not just those you play with

• 2S (Colt): went to sit with someone alone at Munch and Crunch and they instantly went up to a 4 in happiness

• PB (Janine): including other friends in games

• PW (Finn): helps his friends when they're not feeling well

• 5/6D (Poppy): including people at playtimes

• 2S (Priya): invited new students to join a game

• 1H (Ella) being kind and nice to our new friends

• 3B - being kind and inclusive to new students

• 5F - inviting anyone to sit with us during eating

• 4K - inclusive by sharing a jumper

• 2S - people playing in games

• 3L - people praying in a group

• 5F - including anyone in our games

• 3B - being kind to others

• Prep B - Saying yes to others playing in our game

• 4ML - including others in our skipping

• 5F - including new students in our games

• 3B - Sitting with someone who is alone

• 5F - helping others with their learning

• 2S - sharing our smiles with everyone

What a heart-warming list of our beautiful, inclusive students demonstrating the St Mary's Way.

This week, Mr Harper has had a focus on lining up safely and Year 6H have been helping by demonstrating how to do this effectively. Mr Harper has been watching for this safe behaviour and the award was given to 1 Hopkins.

Mystery Reader

Over the last four weeks we have enjoyed some great mystery readers.

During Book Week, we had a visit from Grandma Poss and some treats as they ventured around Australia eating vegemite sandwiches, little pavlovas and lamingtons while reading 'Possum Magic'.

Lorna Moore had our Kindy students performing yoga poses as she read them, 'Rumble in the Jungle'. 

The following week, for Child Protection Week, we had a visit from Police Officers Mel and Tim. They had a delightful visit with the story of 'Macca's Makeover' and a look through a real life police car.

This week, the Kindy students were surprised with a visit from a favourite grandmother, Cherylyn Cross. It was lovely to have Nonna Cross join us to read 'I wish that I had duck feet'. She also shared some stories of when she was a little girl at St Mary's and taught by the Sisters of Mercy.

Library News

As the holidays approach, it’s the perfect time to dive into some great library books. Whether your child loves exploring new worlds through fiction or learning something new with non-fiction, reading can be a wonderful way to relax and enjoy your break.

The town library is a great place to visit over the holidays for your children. It’s a fantastic resource with a wide selection of books, and you might discover new favorites or hidden gems. Plus, the library often hosts events and activities that can be both fun and educational. 

Also, don’t forget to check if you have any overdue books at home. Returning them on time ensures that others can enjoy them too, and it helps keep our library running smoothly. Happy reading! 

Sport

Ball Games Competition

Once again, we hosted a fantastic Ball Games Competition for Warwick District Schools. Our students were highly competitive, and we’ve picked up some new strategies to practice for next year from the overall winning team - West Warwick School.

Throughout this past term, Mrs Byrne and Mrs Young have been greatly impressed by our students’ support for one another. We’ve observed how our students have grown more confident in their skills and enhanced their ability to work as a cohesive team.

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Swimming

Swimming will commence again in Term 4 for all students Prep-Year 6. This is covered by the School Fees Activity Levy.

This swimming note has all the details, including dates and what to bring. We have also secured a date for the 9-12 year old swimming carnival next year - Monday, 3rd February 2025.

Student Awards

Spotted Rising Up

Congratulations to all the students who have been 'Spotted Rising Up'. The prize winners were Molly Ryan and Abby Latham, which was announced at  on Friday, 13th September.

Please celebrate with your child if they have brought home a Spotted Rising Up slip. It means that they were 'spotted' displaying one or more of the RISE UP positive behaviours. 

Administration

As we approach the school holidays, we want to extend our best wishes to all our students and staff. May this break be filled with joy, relaxation, and memorable moments. Stay safe, enjoy your time off, and we look forward to seeing you refreshed and ready for the new term!

Parent Engagement Network

As we celebrate our 150th anniversary, we extend our deepest gratitude to our incredible sponsors.

Your generous support has made this milestone event possible.

Your commitment and contributions have not only helped us honor our rich history but also paved the way for a bright future. We are truly grateful for your partnership and look forward to many more years of collaboration and success.

Thank you for being an integral part of our journey!

Notices

Outside School Hours Care (OSHC)

Are looking for any old electronics to pull apart and discover what makes things work. If you have any at home that are waiting to be thrown out please send along to school.

Vacation Care

Bookings for Spring Vacation Care at St Mary’s OSHC are now open. Permanent bookings can be made until week 9 Friday, 6/09/2024. Any bookings made after this date will be booked in as a casual fee.

Please find attached the vacation care program for the spring holidays!

During vacation care, one week’s notice is needed to delete any vacation care bookings.

Keep reading for some important reminders including:

• Hot food policy
• Appropriate and sun-safe clothing
• Labelling clothing
• Toys and technology from home
• Smart watches and mobile phones
• Spare clothing

We appreciate all parents taking the time to read through these important reminders.

Hot food

Hot food is not permitted at OSHC for the safety of children and educators. This includes microwave meals and cup noodles.

Appropriate and sun-safe clothing

All children MUST wear appropriate, sun-safe clothing and shoes. This includes dressing your child in t-shirts, broad-brimmed hats, and enclosed shoes every day. Singlet tops and caps are not permitted, and any inappropriate, unsafe clothing may result in staff sending children home to change or contacting you to provide appropriate clothing. If your child has their own sunscreen, please ensure the service is aware of this and that either an OSHC educator or your child has access to the clothing.

Labelling clothing

We highly recommend that all clothing and accessories including lunch boxes, water bottles, hats, and containers, where possible, are labelled by families before sending your child to vacation care. This allows for us to send all lost property home.

Toys and technology from home

Toys and technology from home are not permitted at vacation care. Any items that arrive with the children are brought in at your own risk. We have a fun and exciting program that will keep your child engaged without the use of property from home.

Smart Watches and Mobile Phones

Smart watches and mobile phones are not permitted at OSHC.

Spare clothing

We ask that all families from prep to grade six have a spare change of clothing including a shirt, underwear, pants, and socks are packed in the case of an emergency. Each day at OSHC looks different and we thank all families who pack spare clothes in readiness.

Water Bottles

As the days start to warm up and we plan for more outdoor play during these vacation care holidays, its essential that all children have a named water bottle with them. This is especially important if your child prefers not to drink tap water or out of the bubblers.

Kind regards, Katrina Pratt

Watoto Children’s Choir

Free admission.
All the way from Uganda, East Africa, the Watoto Children’s Choir is performing songs from their brand-new album, “Better Days—There Is Hope”. Come join us on
Sat 5th October at 2pm at Warwick Baptist Church
for this vibrant celebration of God’s love. 
Register for Watoto Choir: https://forms.gle/kr2JZaDZ8q6N6GxC9