Dear Parents/Carers,

Welcome to Week 1. Term 4 already. Wow this year is really flying by!! There is lots happening so please read the newsletter carefully.

As you are aware, due to the impending weather, we have had to postpone the Community Council fete. It was scheduled for this Friday but it has been rescheduled for Friday the 22^nd of November. We look forward to this fabulous community event and thank the many people who have volunteered their time. You can still donate to our stalls which are featured at the end of this newsletter. These donations can be dropped to the school hall during school hours.

Late last term, Mrs Emma Speedy organised some new sandpit toys for the students to play with during recess and lunch. These additions to the playground will prove quite popular and we thank Mrs Speedy for identifying this need.

Today St Mary’s launched its new positive behaviour approach with ‘Gotcha’ cards. These will be given to students that have been identified by teachers exhibiting positive playground behaviours before school, at recess and lunch. They will then place their names on the card and place them in the barrel outside the Learning Support building. Each Friday at assembly we will draw out a primary student card and an infant student card. The winners will receive a canteen voucher.  

During the holidays two of our teachers Nickey Harland and Lauren Manchur gave up their time to attend Catholic Education Canberra Goulburn’s HITP (High Impact Teaching Practice) Intensive in Canberra. The program, grounded in the Science of Learning, delved into how to effectively implement High Impact Teaching Practices in classrooms. Nickey Harland, who is considered an excellent practitioner, was asked to be a lead teacher at the intensive. She demonstrated these practices and provided observation and feedback to other participants. Dr Lorraine Hammond, who has been employed by Catholic Education as an expert in the area, provided Nickey with tips and feedback that will only benefit educational outcomes at St Mary’s. Thank you to Nickey and Lauren for their dedication to St Mary’s and their commitment to providing their students with quality teaching and learning. Below is a snippet of the impact Catalyst and High Impact Teaching Practices have had on our system.    

At the end of Term 3 we farewelled the Patton (John Year 2, Ella Year 3) and the Greenwood (River Year 2, Riley Year 5) families we thank you for your contributions to St Mary’s and wish you well in the future.

Remember my door is always open.

Principal

Damian Collins

During the last few weeks of last Term the St Mary’s Learning Support team were provided with extra training in MacqLit and MiniLit. This is so important as our school commits to providing a quality learning experience for all students. This training is a testament to our Learning Support team’s vision of providing quality support to all students.

Mackillop Athletics Trials - Sydney

The following events are in the calendar in the next few weeks.

The Compass Calendar is updated to show Mass times, sporting events, important events.

Day	Event	Location
Friday 18th October	POSTPONED POSTPONED	St Mary's
Monday 21st October	Kinder 2025 Orientation and Parent Infomation Session 8:55am - 12pm	St Mary's
Monday 28th October	Kinder 2025 Orientation - Full Day	St Mary's
Monday 4th November	Kinder 2025 Orientation - Full Day	St Mary's
Monday 11th November	Kinder 2025 Orientation - Full Day	St Mary's
Monday 11th - Wednesday 13th November	Year 5/6 Canberra Excursion	Canberra, ACT
Friday 22nd November	2024 St Mary's School Fete	St Mary's
Monday 25th - Friday 29th November	Intensive Swimming - Compass Event to come	Holland Park Pool

  My Body, My Life - Day Session for Year 5/6 students Thursday 17th October

A reminder that the Canberra Goulburn Archdiocese Healthy relationships team will visit the 5/6 class on Thursday at 9am. By now parents should have read the information letter and engaged in the online units found on the event in Compass. Students will not be able to participate if their parent has not consented on Compass.

 

  Children should wear comfortable clothes and a hat.  They will need a piece of fruit, recess and a drink for the half day. On the full days they will need their lunch as well.

There will be a Parent Information Session on Monday 21st October starting at 11:30am. More information on this session to come.