From the Deputy 

How lovely it is to have everyone back onsite this week. It is amazing to reflect that this is our first full week back onsite since late Term Two. As we settle back to onsite learning, working and playing together, staff will continue to support students with their academic, social and emotional learning. Sitting alongside this will be our focus on the School Norms of Behavior (images above) in the way we interact with others. 

Way back in Term One, you may remember we had Ride To School Day. As a school, we entered a range of data and as a result we were able to have a raffle for a new bike. Indie from Year 4, was the lucky winner and with great persistence and follow up she has finally been able to get hold of this fabulous new bike and is loving it. Thanks to her family for the update and photo. 

November is Walk to School month this year across many parts of Australia. In fact it might be ‘walk, ride, scoot or skate to school’. This is usually held in October but given lock down and remote learning, it has been moved to November. As well as supporting healthy habits of starting and ending your day with physical activity,  it is a terrific opportunity to talk with your children about road safety and traffic rules if you are able to walk part or all the way to school.

The Office of the eSafety commissioner continues to host webinars for parents / carers of children aged 8 - 13 years around online safety and gaming. 

This Term 4 webinar will provide parents and carers with an understanding of the benefits and risks of online gaming. 

This webinar will cover: 

• eSafety’s State of play research 

• the games young people are using and how they are engaging with them 

• the benefits of gaming and how to mitigate risks

• practical strategies to use at home and where to find help and support if things go wrong.

To access information or to sign up for the webinar, please click here. 

Moving on from a school comes with such mixed emotions. I feel so blessed to have been part of the St Mary's community these last two years: working alongside staff and families as we have navigated incredibly challenging times in our ever changing world; sharing the ups and downs of life with families in our community during this time and getting to know so many of you and chatting either informally or formally. Thank you for the welcome that you gave me when I joined St Mary's at the start of 2020. St Mary's will continue to hold a very special place in my heart as  I transition to a new role and school. I look forward to hearing of the many successes and achievements as the 2021 school year finishes up.