From the Principal

Week 8 Term 4

What a busy term! So many amazing events, each one confirming what a wonderful community we have at St Mary's. Thank you to all of our students, staff parents & friends who make our school so wonderful.  

We only have one and a half weeks left and we have SEVERAL major functions to host.

Highlights to come are:

Colour Run, Operetta, Christmas Assemblies, 2025 Awards Assembly, End of Year Mass, Year 6 Dinner, Last Day of School celebrations to name just a few!!

Every day I am amazed by our children and our wonderful school - keep reading for a glimpse of why I am so proud of our school and what we achieve everyday.

Thank you Kindergarten!

On Friday we received this lovely email - To: St Mary's Armidale 

Hi,

Just a quick email to praise the Kindy kids I saw today and the teachers and helpers with them. I happened upon two groups this morning on the corner near Centro. The kids were walking in pairs holding hands, the teachers had excellent control over the situation. As we waited for them to pass, the elderly gentlemen standing next to me said ‘Oh, what a delight, they’ve made my day’. Cutest thing I’ve seen all week! Well done team, I’m sure they felt like they were herding cattle, but it certainly didn’t look like it Regards, Verni

Congratulations everyone for our Wonderful Fete

Email from Nancy, 

 I am William's Granny and was in Armidale to attend your fete. Wow, congratulations on your efforts. It was a thoroughly enjoyable day and I won the FIKA hamper which was a lovely surprise. Congratulations to all the organisers and the school. Best fete I have ever been to.

St Joseph's Cup Public Speaking

Congratulations to the finalists of our St Joseph’s Cup Public Speaking Competition!

Overall Infants Winner - Olive McDonald

Overall Primary Winner - Adalyn Hawkins

Kindergarten- Winner - Xavier McRae

Runner Up - Ava Robson

Year 1- Winner - Olive McDonald

Runner Up - Lily MasonYear 

Year 2- Winner - Pia Brown

Runner Up - Sofia Edwards Cuellar

Year 3- Winner - Adalyn Hawkins

Runner Up - Annabelle Ainsworth

Year 4- Winner - Ana De Las Heras Saldana

Runner Up - Abigail Schumacher

Year 5- Winner - Ruby Brauer

Runner Up - Molly Schmude

Year 6- Winner - Milly Stace

Runner Up - Eleanor Flannery

Term 4 - Fundraising Activity for Catholic Missions & a school RE  Project- Colour Run December 6th!

A big CONGRATULATIONS to everyone for raising $12,500 with the COLOUR RUN.

A very big THANK YOU Mrs Scully for organising this fundraising appeal.

I am very proud that we will be making a wonderful contribution to Catholic Mission to assist children in Magnolia for Children's Health Care & Education projects. 

Mini Vinnies Christmas Appeal Monday 9th December 

Please support our Mini Vinnies Christmas Appeal. We ask our students and families to donate non-perishable food items that can be put into a Christmas hamper to help those families who are in need in our community and Christmas gift items for men.

Please bring donations to school on December 9th and place them under the Christmas Tree in the Playground under the Bell Tower. 

To celebrate this special even students can add CHRISTMAS COLOURS to their Summer uniform on Monday. 

2025 Leaders Announced 13th December 

Our very talented Year 5 students have presented their speeches for the leadership positions for 2025.   Our 2025 Leaders will be announced at our end of Year Presentation Assembly, on 13th December at 11:30 am in the Cathedral. All parents & friends are invited to join us for our end-of-year Assembly. 

Thank you for supporting the P & F MANGO Drive

Thank you, Jane and your helpers for organising the Mango Drive. Thank you families for supporting the fundraiser. All money raised by the P & F goes to providing resources for the children.

Stage 3 Operetta 6: 30 pm  Cathedral Hall Rusden Street 11th December

All families and friends are invited to the Cathedral Hall to watch the Operetta on Wednesday 11th  December. We are all looking forward to this year's performance. Entry is by donation. 

Presentation Assembly 13th December

13 December  Presentation  Assembly 11:30-1:30pm Cathedral 

All parents & friends are invited to join us for our end-of-year Assembly. 

CHRISTMAS ASSEMBLIES Tuesday 17th December - School Hall, Enter via Rusden Street Main Entrance.                          

9:30 am Year 1 & Year 2                                         10:30 am Kindergarten                                   12.00 pm Year 3 & Year 4

All families and friends are invited to attend the Christmas Assemblies presented by the children in each stage.

End of Year Mass - 16th December Mass 9:15am

On the 16 December, our whole school will take part in the 9:15am Parish Mass, to give thanks for our 2024 school year and to Farewell our Year 6 students.

All parents & friends are invited to join us for our end of year Mass. 

Opening of the Cathedral

Year 6 End of Year Farewell Dinner Monday 16th December

Thank you to the Year 6 leaders & Parents for organising the Yr 6 evening. 

Movies & Pool Last Day 18th December

On Wednesday 18th December the students in Year 6 will be going to the town pool after morning tea & returning after lunch. Students may purchase lunch from the canteen at the pool or bring their packed lunch.

Students in from Kindergarten to Yr 5 will be going to Belgrave Cinema for a movie.

All children must bring a packed morning tea & lunch as the school canteen will not be running on Wednesday 18th December.

All teachers will be attending the end-of-year excursions there will be no supervision provided at school. 

STAFFING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Next week I plan to finalise staffing for 2025. Currently, I am able to share three staffing changes with you.

Mrs Jessica Scully has been appointed to the position of Subject Matter Expert (SME) Literacy EALD K/6 and Data for a period of three years. In 2024, Jessica has been working in a hybrid capacity, undertaking this role on a part-time basis whilst continuing her role at St Mary’s.  Jessica will work full-time in the role of Subject Matter Expert (SME) Literacy EALD K/6 and Data with Armidale Catholic Schools 2025-2027. The staff wish Mrs Scully all the best in her new position, we thank her for her work as REC and Infants Literacy Coach at St Mary's and we look forward to Jessica's returning in three years. I know that you will join me in congratulating her on this new appointment. We will farewell Mrs Scully at our end of Year Presentation Assembly.

Mrs Nicolle Shamley, is currently a staff member at St Mary of the Angles Guyra, Nicolle is transferring to St Mary's Armidale next year. Nicole is an experienced teacher and has been teaching for 12 years. I know you will join with me in welcoming Mrs Shamley to St Mary's in 2025. 

Mrs Dale Cain is also taking Term 1 Long Service Leave and has advised that after her leave she will retire from teaching. Mrs Cain has been in our Catholic  Diocese for 15 years and full-time with St Mary's for four years as Assistant Principal of Curriculum, Classroom Teacher and Librarian. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank Dale for her very valuable contribution to St Mary's. I know that you will join me in thanking Dale for all she has done at St Mary's. We will farewell Mrs Cain at our end of Year Presentation Assembly.

Important Dates

6 December  Colour Run Catholic Missions & RE Project Fundraising Event School Paddock

9 December Mini Vinnies Christmas Appeal Gifts for MEN or Non-perishable food.

11 December Stage 3 Operetta 6:30pm Cathedral Hall

12 December Opening of the Cathedral 11am Mass &15th December 10am Mass

13 December  Presentation  Assembly 11:30-1:30pm Cathedral 

16 December Whole School Mass Cathedral -  Year 6 Farewell Mass 9:15am

17 December  Christmas Assemblies  ES1 - 10:30  S1 - 9:30  S2 -12:00 School Hall

18 December  Pool & Movies LAST DAY of School. 

New England Sings! 2024

I have attached the Community Recognition Statement delivered to the Legislative Assembly of NSW by the Member for Northern Tablelands, Brendon Moylan on 13 November, 2024.

Congratulations again to everyone involved in this year’s New England Sings!  production. The event was hugely ambitious, with numerous moving parts, but the final result exceeded our expectations. This project is only possible with the support provided by you all and we are immensely grateful and impressed by what can be accomplished when so many people come together to make an event like this a reality.

Semester 2 Reporting

At present, class teachers are completing student reports for Semester Two. Parents will have the opportunity to access these reports through the parent portal at the end of Week 9. 

How to access the Semester Two reports on Compass at the end of next week:    Log into Compass - To view the Semester 2 report, click on your child's profile and select report.

Important Information about Reports! The Common Grade Scale describes performance at each of five levels.

Awarding grades

A standards-referenced approach is used to report student achievement in NSW. Achievement standards are based on what students are expected to learn and how well they have achieved.

The NSW syllabuses state the intended learning for students by the end of each stage. A to E grade scales describe how well students have achieved. Teachers make professional on-balance judgements to decide which grade description best matches the standards their students have achieved at a particular point-in-time. These decisions are based on evidence of achievement and information teachers have collected during teaching and learning.

What is the A to E grade scale?

The A to E grade scale summarises the standard (or quality) of achievement associated with each grade. The scale describes:

• the depth of knowledge and understanding and
• the range of skills that students working at that standard typically show.

Grades are given for individual achievement. Students will get the grade that best matches the standard of their achievement. Teachers should consider all evidence gathered and should not be limited to a set number of children allocated to each grade within their class or school.

Grades are one aspect of school reporting to parents. Other important tools include:

• teacher comments
• parent-teacher-child interviews and
• ongoing communication to share information about student effort and application.

About the Common Grade Scale

The Common Grade Scale shown below can be used to report student achievement in both primary and junior secondary years in all NSW schools.The Common Grade Scale describes performance at each of five grade levels.