How quickly this year is flying by! With only four weeks to go, we have to work smartly to get everyone done in time and be especially patient and caring of one another.  

Earlier this week Mr Tim Smith, our school's Performance and Improvement Leader at Catholic Education, visited St Marys and he commented on how calm and happy everyone was. He was impressed with the achievements we have made in our 2023 Annual Improvement Plan and offered excellent advice on ways of further improving the students’ learning in 2024.

Mr Smith will be back to join us in celebrating Mrs Marg Croese’'s long career at St Marys. Please join us for the Mass and Picnic Lunch (Please BYO food and picnic rug) on Thursday November 30 at 12pm.  Hopefully the weather will be absolutely perfect on the day.

Swimming Program
Our whole school swimming program is proving to be very successful. The children’s confidence has grown and their swimming abilities have improved dramatically in just a few weeks. Wednesdays are very busy and tiring for everyone, especially our ‘Awesome Foursome’ Swimming Coaches, Mrs Grant, Mrs Connaugton, Mrs Durnan  and Mrs White for their huge commitment to teaching swimming groups all day.

We are very fortunate to have such a high quality and affordable swimming program at St Mary’s, for every child Kinder to Year 6. 

2024 Kindergarten 
Starting school is an exciting and important milestone in any child and family’s life. We would like all our newest students and families to feel welcome and have a sense of familiarity and ease with their learning environment, their new teachers and peers, as they step into their classroom on Day 1 of Kindergarten.

Parents are their child’s first and most important teacher. Your child comes to school with knowledge, skills and strengths which they have developed with your guidance. As they take this next step into school, you will continue to nurture their growth and love of learning.

It was wonderful to meet all the 2024 Kindergarten students last week during their first orientation morning and we look forward to seeing them again next week for their second orientation Day. We pray for these newest members of our school community and that their time with us will be a rich and rewarding experience.

In addition, parents will have the opportunity to develop a comprehensive understanding of what learning is at St Mary’s, as well as start dates, and what the first weeks of school will look like. The evening will be held in the Kindergarten/ Year 1 building.

High School Transition
The move from Primary school to Secondary school is also a big milestone in the life of students. While this can be an exciting time for young people and their parents, it can also be a bit daunting. The more informed and involved you are in your child’s preparation, the more likely the transition will be positive.With the help of family and school staff, students usually adapt quickly to their new environment. Our K-12 Pathway with Carroll College and the opportunities we have to work together, regularly helps make this transition easier.

Next Friday November 24, our Year 6 students will attend their Year 7 Orientation Day at Carroll College. They are looking forward to experiencing some of the subjects they will get to do next year, meeting their new teachers and peers, learning their way around the College, and getting a closer look at the Carroll College facilities. 

Online Triple P - Positive Parenting Program
Parents and carers are able to access free online parenting courses developed in Australia by the Triple P – Positive Parenting Program, thanks to Australian Government funding. Below is a link to some online resources that may assist families with the everyday challenges parents and carers face raising calm, resilient and happy children.

https://www.triplep-parenting.net.au/au/triple-p/

Classes 2024 
We have begun the process of placing students into classes for 2024. These decisions are based on what we believe are in the best interests of the students and their social and academic development. Students will be asked to nominate a couple of learning partners (classroom friends) that they would like to be with next year. Every student will have at least one learning partner in their class.

If you have any questions or concerns about classes for next year, please feel free to email me or pop in for a chat. We want to set all of our students up for success.

Annual Awards Night and Celebration
On Tuesday December 5 at 6 pm in the PAC, we will be hosting our Annual Awards night for 2023. All students Kinder to Year 6 are asked to attend in full school uniform.  It will be a wonderful celebration of a big school year and a special farewell to Year 6 and their families. During the evening we will have a short Kinder Nativity, Class Awards, Year 6 Awards and the announcement of Student Leaders for 2024.

New this year, will be inviting families to stay back after the Awards and enjoy a Pizza Dinner. Initially, we were intending on having a separate Community Council event, but with the busyness of the end of the year, we have decided to combine the events. The Community Council will subsidise the cost of the pizzas to make dinner affordable. More information will be coming home shortly. 

After school arrangements
We have noticed over the last couple of weeks that there is a growing number of students who walk/ride bikes downtown after school on certain days. We are concerned about safety, especially around riding bikes on footpaths and across roads. I urge parents to let teachers know if there are any changes to afternoon arrangements. e.g. if your child normally catches the bus home, please let us know if you give them permission to walk downtown after school one day. We just need to be sure that your children are safe and that parents know their whereabouts after school. Please also remind your children that when wearing their St Mary’s school uniform, they are representing our school and their behaviour reflects our school. 

Thank you for your support with this.

Finally, this weekend I will be reading over the Year 5 students’ applications for School leadership at St Marys in 2024. I look forward to ‘interviewing’ all of  the children early next week. Please tell your children just to be themselves!  

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend with your families.

God Bless