Term 3 Week 6 2023

Principal's Message

Dear St Mary's Community,

This week we celebrated the much-awaited Feast of the Assumption Day, and our excitement grew as we anticipated the profound impact this special day holds for our students and our entire school community. This annual event is not merely a tradition but a day that deeply influences the values we uphold and the connections we nurture within our St Mary's family.

The Feast of the Assumption, observed on August 15th, commemorates the blessed event of the Virgin Mary's bodily assumption into Heaven. This day invites us to reflect upon the devotion, humility, and unwavering faith that Mary exemplified throughout her life. Just as Mary's life was dedicated to selflessness and service, our Feast of the Assumption Day serves as a reminder of our commitment to fostering a spirit of compassion and generosity within our school community.

At St Mary's, this day is not only an opportunity for spiritual reflection, but it's also a time of unity and celebration. Our students, teachers, staff, and families come together to participate in a range of activities that honour Mary's virtues. From Mass with Fr Franco, reflection activities within the classroom to acts of kindness and community service projects at our Market Day; this is an opportunity for us all to witness the power of faith in action. Mary’s legacy shows us that through her virtues, she transformed the lives of countless people.

Our Feast of the Assumption Day isn't just about celebrating within our school walls; it's a day that extends our ethos of service beyond our community as students are inspired to embrace Mary's qualities and apply them to their lives. As we celebrated, we emphasised the importance of kindness, humility, and service. Our students engaged in our annual Market Day by designing an opportunity for others to enjoy a tasty treat, be involved in an activity or showcase their amazing talents. Each grade decided what they would contribute to Market Day and then more importantly, who their chosen charity would be to receive monies raised. Extending a hand to those less fortunate in our broader community.

I extend my heartfelt gratitude to our dedicated staff, especially Mrs Young whose vision each year for this day is a blessing; our supportive parents, and our exceptional students for embracing our annual Feast of the Assumption Day. Together, we create an environment that empowers our students to leave a positive impact on the world, just as Mary did many centuries ago.

As we eagerly await next year's Feast of the Assumption Day, let us recognise the lasting impact it has on our students. Their participation, enthusiasm, and dedication to the values we uphold remind us that we are nurturing not only the academic within our students but also how to be compassionate and responsible members of society.

Let’s continue to voice together that, no matter how small our actions are, we can create a ripple effect of positivity and change.

Please note that we are currently trialling 2 security cameras within our school to support safety with our school gates. If this trial is successful, then we will be installing more within our school grounds. 

Potentially, next Wednesday, 23rd August between 10am and 11am members of the union, both teachers and support staff will be participating in 'stop work' action. During this time your child will continue to be supervised to support duty of care but no curriculum will be attended to. Confirmation of this potential action will be communicated to you asap. Have a lovely weekend!

God bless!

Regards,

Emma Timmins

Principal

Religious Life of the School

Feast of the Assumption of Mary

This is always such a special day for our school. Our students brought the mass alive with their respectful, confident reading and glorious singing. 

Prev

Showing images 1 - 8 of 18

Next

Thank you to everyone who was able to support our St Mary's Market Day. Each class and the library ran a successful stall and chose a charity to support with their fundraising. A fantastic $1404.40 was raised to support these charities.

Prev

Showing images 1 - 8 of 38

Next

Father's Day Invitation

We would like to invite all our fathers, grandfathers and special men to school for a special Father's Day event. You are invited to our liturgy led by our Prep classes, then a visit to our classrooms and we will then all have a picnic and play. Please RSVP by Tuesday, 29th August on this form -  https://forms.office.com/r/s6DDHvapEN 

Father's Day Stall

The St Mary's Parent Engagement Network (PEN) will again be running a Father's Day Stall.  The stall will be held on Wednesday, 30th August for all classes.

The stall will be bursting with lots of great gifts that Dad will just LOVE!  There will be a variety of gifts priced at $5.  The stall is a great way for your child to select and purchase a surprise gift for their Dad.  All profits from the stall will support the PEN projects for this year. 

If you would like your child/children to purchase gifts from the stall, please send $5 along with your child in an envelope with your child's name on the front.  Envelopes can be brought to your child's teacher or the school office from Monday, 29th August.  The students will be able to purchase ONE gift on the Wednesday.  Additional gifts will be available for purchase on Thursday, 31st August.  Money for purchases on the Thursday must be brought in on Thursday, 31st August.

Parent helpers on these days would be most appreciated.  Please let the office know if you can help.

First Communion

Workshops began last week for students and their parents preparing for their First Communion either on a Tuesday or Thursday at 3:30pm in the Parish Office.

St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal

This term, we will continue to have our cuppa and chat for adults on a Friday morning and Mini Vinnies will be selling warm milos for $2. If you have any other food or warm blankets to donate to St Vincent de Paul please send them to the school office.

Upcoming Events

21st and 22nd August - Parent-Student-Teacher Interviews

23rd August - Book Week dress up

24th August - First Nations Committee Meeting at Assumption College

25th August - Year 6 Parish Mass @ 9am

9th September - First Communion & Family Mass - St Mary's Church @ 6pm

10th September - First Communion - St Mary's Church @ 8:30am

30th August - Year 1 Liturgy @ 9am

31st August - Father's Day Liturgy - led by Prep @ 10am

31st August - Year 6 Transition Program at Assumption College @ 12-3pm

1st September - Pupil Free Day

6th September - Year 2 Liturgy @ 11:40am

7th September - School Ball

8th September - Year 3 Parish Mass @ 9am

8th September - Warwick Ball Games

13th September - Prep Liturgy @ 9am

14th September - First Nations Committee Meeting at St Mary's

15th September - Year 1 Doyle Assembly @ 2:15pm

God Blessings to you and your family

Sharon Young

Assistant Principal: Religious Education

Curriculum

Cyber Safety in a Digital Age: Guiding Our Children on Their Online Journey

With our world becoming increasingly digital, ensuring our children's safety online is a paramount concern. Just as we teach our children to look both ways before crossing the street, we also educate them about digital literacy, cyber safety, and digital citizenship as integral parts of our curriculum. But this education shouldn't be confined within the walls of our school.

We believe in a partnership between educators and parents, emphasising that the responsibility of guiding our children through the vast online universe is a collective one. Ensuring they interact safely and responsibly online not only stems from our teachings in school but also from the reinforcement of these values at home. We encourage parents to join us in this mission, understanding and enhancing what their children learn in school by fostering safe online habits at home.

Engaging with Your Child's Digital World

• Share the Experience: Dive into your child's online world. Play games, explore apps, or simply surf their favourite websites together. Not only does this create bonding moments, but it also provides an avenue to discuss online behaviours.

• Open Dialogue: Keep communication channels wide open. Regularly check in with your child about their online experiences, the friends they interact with, and any challenges they encounter.

• Reassurance is Key: Make sure your child knows they can approach you with anything, without the fear of losing internet privileges. Their comfort in sharing matters most.

• Spot Behavioural Changes: Any sudden mood swings or changes in behaviour? It might be tied to their online experiences. If you're concerned, seek advice from professionals, be it your GP, a psychologist, or a school counsellor.

Setting the Digital Ground Rules

• Collaborative Rules: Establish age-specific guidelines for online access. Seek your child's perspective, ensuring they understand potential risks.

• Family Tech Agreement: Consider creating this essential document which lays out how all tech devices are used in your home. This could include acceptable online behaviours, types of websites to visit, and online duration. eSafety offers templates for families with kids under 5 and those aged 5-8. For older children, the Family Online Safety Contract from ThinkUKnow Australia is an excellent resource.

• Consequences: Define clear repercussions if rules are breached. Discuss these with your child to ensure they understand.

• Parents' Commitment: Children often mirror what they see. By demonstrating the online behaviour you expect from them, you set an unwavering standard.

Harnessing Technology

• Know Your Devices: Equip yourself with knowledge about the devices in your home. Set them up with optimal privacy settings and employ parental controls to monitor and regulate screen time and content.

• Choose Wisely: Before allowing an app or game download, visit App Store or Google Play for age ratings and user reviews. The Australian Classification Board also provides data on online movies and games.

• Stay Updated: Platforms like NetAware (UK), Children and Media Australia, and Common Sense Media (US) provide information about trending apps, games, and websites.

A Note on Omegle

Recently, it came to our attention that some students have accessed the website Omegle. For those unfamiliar, Omegle is a platform that pairs users randomly for one-on-one video or text chat sessions, without requiring any registration. This poses significant risks as children may encounter inappropriate content or be exposed to potential predators. The tagline for this website says it all: 'Omegle: Talk to Strangers!'

Action Steps for Parents:

• Discuss with your child: If they're aware of Omegle, discuss the potential dangers.
• Block the website: To prevent access, consider using parental controls or specialised software.
• Regularly monitor their online activities: Staying informed is the best way to ensure safety.

Let's remember, in our faith-filled community, it's our collective duty to shield our children from potential online threats and guide them towards a responsible and informed digital future. If you would like any further support from the school around this, please don't hesitate to let us know!

Inspiring Young Artists

On Friday, Mrs Wright lead some inspiring young artists on a journey of producing a grid scale drawing of a subject or object using drawing and sketching techniques. This is a sneak peek at their masterpieces.

Have a wonderful fortnight!

Jessica Harper
Middle Leader

Positive School Culture

In Week 7 our staff will be on the lookout for the class demonstrating the most positivity when greeting others around the school. This could include saying 'Good morning!' 'How are you?' and 'Have a great day!' 

By doing this, our students continue to build a positive and welcoming community for all at St Mary's!

Student Awards

Congratulations to the following students who received an Award for Friday, 18th August 2023:

Spotted Rising Up

Congratulations to all the students who have been 'Spotted Rising Up'. The prize winners were Charlotte R and Amber B, which was announced at Assembly on Friday, 18th August.

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

School Fees

Just a reminder that school fees for Term 3 are due on Monday, 21st August.

If you haven't received your statement by email or have any questions, please contact the School Office.

Library News

Book Week 2023

The Children’s Book Council of Australia Book Week will be celebrated across the country from 19-25 August.  We will be celebrating at St Mary’s with displays of this year’s shortlisted titles, themed craft activities at lunch and snack breaks (sign-up sheets at the library) and, of course, our annual Book Week Dress Up Day on Wednesday 23 August.  The theme this year is Read, Grow, Inspire and we look forward to seeing all students in costume with a copy of their book on parade.

More details about Book Week and this year’s award winners can be found at: https://www.cbca.org.au/.

Scholastic Book Fair

Thank you to all the wonderful St Mary’s families for making our annual Book Fair a tremendous success!  We appreciate your ongoing support with both Book Fair and Book Club, which earn valuable new resources for our school.  Thank you too to the wonderful parents and staff members who volunteered their time to help us in the shop this week.  Your support is greatly appreciated! 

We look forward to offering our final Book Club for the year in Term 4.

Premier’s Reading Challenge

A reminder that the Premier’s Reading Challenge forms are due back to the library by 25 August.  All forms must be signed by a parent / carer and students who successfully complete the Challenge will be presented with a certificate later in the year.  More details can be found at: https://readingchallenge.education.qld.gov.au/.

Sport

Southern Downs Athletics Trials

We had an amazing team of 41 students compete at the Southern Downs Athletics trials earlier in August. Congratulations to all of our students for the high level of sportsmanship and participation.

We had some great results from the trials:

Aiden B - 11 year old boys - 3rd in 800m Run

Sophie B - 9 year old girls - 4th in High Jump

Darcy B - 11 year old boys - 3rd in Long Jump and High Jump

Deakon B - 9 year old boys - 1st in High Jump

Harper B - 9 year old girls - 2nd in 1500m Run and Long Jump; 4th in 800m Run

Riley B - 9 year old boys - 3rd in 200m Dash; 4th in 80m Dash

William Ca - 12 year old boys - 4th in Discus

Bonnie C - 10 year old girls - 2nd in Discus

Xavier F - 10 year old boys - 1st in Tetrathlon; 3rd in Shot Put

Sammy G - 10 year old girls - 2nd in Tetrathlon; 1st in High Jump and Long Jump; 2nd in 100m Dash and 200m Dash

Patrick K - 11 year old boys - 1st in Discus

Abby L - 9 year old girls - 2nd in 200m Dash and Long Jump

Charlie M - 12 year old boys - 1st in High Jump; 4th in 200m Dash and 1500m run

Maeve M - 11 year old girls - 2nd in Long Jump; 3rd in 100m Dash and 1500m Run; 4th in 200m Dash and High Jump

Luke N - 9 year old boys - 3rd in High Jump and 4th in Long Jump

Charlotte R - 10 year old girls - 4th in High Jump

Josh R - 11 year old boys - 2nd in 1500m Run

Archie S - 11 year old boys - 3rd in Shot Put

Millie S - 9 year old girls - 3rd in Long Jump and 4th in High Jump

Jacob S - 12 year old boys - 3rd in 800m Run

Bobby-Lee S - 9 year old girls - 1st in High Jump

Maha T - 12 year old girls - 1st in Tetrathlon; 2nd in 100m Dash; 4th in 200m Dash

Special mention goes to Sammy Groves for taking Age Champion for 10 year old girls.

There was so much action on the field that no-one seemed to remember to take any photos!

Darling Downs Athletics Trials

On Monday and Tuesday, ten students from St Mary's represented our school in the Southern Downs team competing in Athletics for the Darling Downs trials in Toowoomba.  A big congratulations goes out to all who competed on these two days. 

Two of our students, Sammy G who came 2nd in both long jump and high jump and Patrick K who came 3rd in discus were selected to compete in the Darling Downs team at the upcoming State Trials.  A special mention goes out to Bobby-Lee S who came 2nd in high jump but unfortunately due to her age, is unable to compete further.  But look out next year for this little star !

Tennis State Championships 

Congratulations to Lawson who competed at the State Championships for Tennis over the weekend. He competed in both the singles and doubles competitions and he was awarded 38th in the state. We know that he is going to be a tennis player to watch in the future!

First Nations AFL Visit

Last week some of the First Nations students from Assumption College and St Mary's visited AFLs Brisbane Lions Brighton Homes Arena to watch a training session and tour the brand new facilities. The students especially loved meeting some of the players and having a kick around in the training nets and on the fields. Special thanks to Mr Wooding for organising this trip for us.

Prev

Showing images 1 - 8 of 26

Next

Tuckshop

Tuckshop Helpers Needed !

We are still in need of more regular tuckshop helpers on Wednesday and Thursday mornings.  If you are able to volunteer your time for either of these days it would much appreciated, so please contact the school office.

Parent Network

Trivia Night

Our annual Trivia Night is fast approaching and we now need to know numbers for table bookings and child care, so please give us a call and we'll make sure you're on the list.

50/50 Raffle Tickets - Please return your raffle tickets to the school office, sold or unsold.

Booking Tables - Please contact the office to book your table as they are filling up fast.

Child Care - Please let us know if you would like your child/ren to be supervised during Trivia night as we are offering a child care minding service during this event.

Parenting Ideas

Notices