From the Deputy Principal 

Dear families,

Healthy Tracks and Ride2School Day

Thank you to the families who have completed the Healthy Tracks survey. As mentioned in the previous newsletter, our school is partnering with the City of Port Phillip Council to develop ways to improve active travel to school.

The short survey is designed to assist Council and the Healthy Tracks consultants to understand current travel patterns, overcome barriers, and develop recommendations for creating safer and more connected routes to school. Parent insights are crucial to making walking and cycling a safe, convenient option for getting to St Mary’s each day!

In return for completing the survey, the council is shouting all parents a free coffee on Ride2School Day. The survey can be accessed via the following link or QR code https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/STZ5SDJ

Ride2School Day takes place on Friday 22nd March, and is a great opportunity to ride, walk or scoot to school. Part of the way is also ok! Students wear school uniform on this day however are encouraged to decorate their helmet, wear a fun accessory or bring a colourful item of clothing. On this morning we will be having:

• A class parade with prizes
• Blend-your-own smoothies using pedal power
• Free healthy breakfast for students
• Free coffee for parents for completing the survey
• Other fun games and activities.

Gates open at 8:20am and the parade commences at 8:50am

NAPLAN (National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy)

for Year 3 and Year 5

The NAPLAN national program commenced this week and the school will be completing the assessments for reading, writing, language conventions and numeracy for all students in Year 3 and Year 5. Testing continues this week and into next. If your child is absent on a particular day of a scheduled assessment, the school does have the ability to allow the student to complete a “catch-up” assessment.

An information brochure for parents is available below or via the following link: https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/for-parents-carers

Harmony Day, Thursday 21st March. Free dress day and gold coin donations.

Harmony Week is around the corner and next Thursday to celebrate Australia as a multicultural and inclusive nation the students may wear casual clothes highlighting the colour orange where possible. Traditionally, orange signifies social communication and meaningful conversations. It also relates to the freedom of ideas and encouragement of mutual respect.

The message of Harmony Week in 2024 is everyone belongs; inclusiveness and respect for all Australians, regardless of cultural or linguistic background, united by a set of core Australian values.

Recent census data shows that:

• Nearly half (49 per cent) of Australians were born overseas or have at least one parent who was.
• We identify with over 300 ancestries.
• Since 1945, more than 7.5 million people have migrated to Australia.
• 85 per cent of Australians agree multiculturalism has been good for Australia.
• Apart from English, the most common languages spoken in Australia are Mandarin, Arabic,
• Cantonese, Vietnamese, Italian, Greek, Filipino, Hindi, Spanish and Punjabi.

On this day we will also be collecting gold coin donations towards Project Compassion, families are welcome to donate beyond gold coin amounts, so please give generously.

ReLATE Wellbeing Model with MacKillop Institute

Last Friday we were eager to continue our work and partnership with Yvonne from MacKillop Institute and the implementation of the ReLATE model. The model has been informing the school’s approach to wellbeing and strategies to support student and staff safety, counter-stress environments, and optimal learning & teaching. Our 2023 student MACSSIS survey data has also been used to ascertain where we can make improvements to improve student wellbeing. This year our Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) program will be further developed and linked to our current implementation of Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL).

International Women’s Day 

Last Friday we also marked International Women’s Day as a staff, with a special prayer using the sunflower as a source of inspiration. It is an honest privilege to work with the many women that make up the St Mary’s Staff, for their care, passion and dedication to the vocation of teaching. Cathy has asked that I post the inspiration for the sunflower and prayer below:

Did you know that:

The seeds on a sunflower are arranged in spiral patterns as that is the most efficient way of filling the circular space of the flower head. The seeds are placed at precise angles, with spirals going clockwise and counterclockwise. The sunflower has the same arc found in the Fibonacci Sequence.  The sequence commonly occurs among the structures of the natural world, from the spirals of a pinecone to the seeds on a sunflower. The Fibonacci sequence is also closely related to the Golden Ratio (interestingly this ratio goes on and on, just like a lifetime of learning!) – a number that has cropped up time and time again in human culture for thousands of years. It’s all a matter of efficiency. In the case of sunflowers, Fibonacci numbers allow for the maximum number of seeds on a seed head, so the flower uses its space to optimal effect. As the individual seeds grow, the centre of the seed head is able to add new seeds, pushing those at the periphery outwards so the growth can continue indefinitely.

Heavenly Father,

We lift up our students, staff, parents and carers to You.

May each individual be like a sunflower seed, uniquely crafted by Your hands and destined for growth. 

Grant us the insight to use our resources wisely, just as the sunflower optimises its seed head for abundance.

In our journey of faith and education, may the centre of our community be a place of continual renewal, where new seeds of knowledge, love, and grace are sown. 

May these seeds push us to the periphery, expanding the boundaries of our understanding and unity.

Lord, guide our students as they grow in wisdom and understanding. Bless our staff with patience and inspiration as we nurture the potential within each individual. 

Just as the sunflower always turns towards the sun, may we continue to hold our Faith at the centre of our purpose, and find the light within each of us.

We ask these prayers through Christ our Lord.

We also call to mind…

The special women in our lives, those who have had a fleeting or constant impact on our lives, a source of care or love, a source of inspiration or confidence. It might be someone past or present. A mother or Auntie, a daughter or niece, a colleague, a friend or a neighbour.