From the Principal

Welcome to Week 4!

Athletics Carnival

I am looking forward to seeing you at our Athletics Carnival on Monday. Thank you to all staff, children, and P & F for your work in preparation for the day. A big thank you to Mr Lester for organising the event

Eisteddfod 

Congratulations to our wonderful school choirs, string & percussion groups for your preparation & participation in the 2024 Eisteddfod. 

Congratulations to Ms. McNeall for your skills and patience in preparing all 325 children, you are amazing.

Diocesan Cross Country 

Thank you Mr Lester & Miss Adams for taking the children to Barraba on Friday for the Cross Country.  Congratulations to all of the children for your great sportsmanship.

A big congratulations to Molly Kelly  & David Valente on gaining a place in the Diocesan Cross Country Team for the Polding Cross Country.

Confirmation 

On Sunday twenty-three students from the St Mary's & St Joseph's Cathedral Parish were confirmed. Two of our students, Xavier Kelly and Kaitlin Kirk also made their Eucharist on Sunday. Father Paul Anthony our Parish Administrator confirmed the children.

May the Gifts & Fruits of the Holy Spirit always guide you as you continue your faith journey.  Thank you to Mrs Betty Holmes for making our celebration cake.

THANK YOU 

I appreciate your support this week as we navigate the risk of anaphylaxis for a new student at St Mary's.

Nuts are extremely dangerous for the student followed by dairy. We do ask your cooperation to avoid nuts being brought into the school. We believe we can manage dairy items during morning tea & lunch breaks, therefore we do not need to restrict dairy items at this time. 

Can I please ask your assistance in teaching the students about not sharing food, washing hands after eating, so we avoid contamination of equipment & surfaces, and not having food in the playground outside of morning tea & lunch. 

Thank you for being so supportive. Thank you to our family this week who sent in birthday cakes individually wrapped to be sent home with classmates. 

Our Sympathy 

We extend our sympathy to the Siddell family for the loss of Jason, the Dad of Jake in Year 6 & Grace in Year 5. May he rest in peace.

Also our sympathy to the Stace family (Milly in Year 6) as her grandmother died this week.

May she rest in peace. 

Week 5 Catholic Schools Week

Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Armidale will celebrate Catholic Schools Week 

from the 26 May- 1 June.

This event marks a time to celebrate the achievements of our school communities and acknowledge the people dedicated to providing quality learning and a nurturing environment for every student and staff member across our system of schools.

During Catholic Schools Week (CSW) the system will celebrate with 3 Deanery masses at Tamworth, Moree and Armidale, wrapping the week up with the Gary McSweeney Cup & Rugby Union Trials in Tamworth on Friday 31 May.

Director of Schools, Regina Menz, said “Our theme Pray with Hope resonates deeply with our Vision: ‘A Christ-centred inclusive learning community that supports young people to realise a hope-filled future.’In this special week, I thank every member of our school and parish community, students, staff, clergy, and our families for the vital role you play in Catholic education in the Armidale Diocese."

Masses

Mary Help of Christians Tamworth Tuesday 28 May (11am)

St Philomena’s School Moree Wednesday 29 May (11am)

De La Salle Chapel Armidale Thursday 30 May (11am)

KINDERGARTEN ENROLMENTS FOR 2025 ARE OPEN

If you know anyone who has a son/daughter ready to start school next year please let them know that enrolments are now open. Enrolment forms can be obtained from the School Office. 

Semester 1 Reports 

As we head towards the end of the term, all teachers are working hard finalising assessments and writing Semester 1 reports. The reports will be sent home electronically via the Compass parent portal & hard copies will be posted home at the end of Week 9 (Friday 28th June). If parents have any questions after they receive their child's report they can contact the class teacher in week 10. 

As a result of the introduction of the updated English and Mathematics Curriculum for our students in Years 3-6 this semester, modifications have been made to the semester one reports to incorporate the additional areas of emphasis outlined in both curriculums. However, the format of the reports for students in Kindergarten, Year 1, and Year 2 remains unchanged from previous years.

The Semester 1 Report provides parents with an overview of their child's achievement in terms of knowledge and skill in each key learning area and their level of engagement; the degree of attention, curiosity and interest they show when learning.  

The government requires a five scale grading system. In place of the A-E grade, a new language is being used to describe the level of knowledge and skills demonstrated by each child: 

Working towards the expected level of achievement - this is split into two sections - Working towards (D)  and Working Well Below (E) the expected level

Working at the expected level of achievement (C)

Working beyond the expected level of achievement - this is split into two sections - Working Beyond (B)  and Working Well Beyond (A) the expected level      

Important School Expectation

• UNIFORM - correct uniform every day
• MANNERS - no swearing, please, thank you, may I, and use adults names
• RESPECT - for all adults, peers and resources
• LEARNING - every day be ready for learning, engage in learning, 
• SAFETY - keep myself & others safe, hands & feet to self, respect property

Attendance Matters Every Day Counts

We have set a long term goal of having a high attendance level of 90% of students at school 80% to 90% of the time. 

Education is important and regular attendance at school is essential for your child to achieve their educational best and increase their career and life options. 

When your child attends school every day, learning becomes easier as they are able to build on what was learnt the day before. 

Just one day missed per fortnight equates to one whole year over a child's school life! 

Arriving at school on time is also important. Classes start at 8:50am, students should arrive at least ten minutes prior to this to ensure they have time to put their bags away and greet their friends. 

Schools, in partnerships with families, are responsible for promoting the regular attendance of students and for ensuring that non-attendance is addressed effectively.                                    Thank you for prioritising your children’s attendance at school.  

A reminder that when a student is absent because they are sick for more than 3 days we require a medical certificate to support this absence.