School News
Procedures & Processes
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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 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 1 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
2024 Parent Handbook
GENERAL SCHOOL REMINDERS
Arriving Late or Leaving School Early
PLEASE NOTE that all students arriving late, or being collected early for an appointment, MUST REPORT to the Office to be signed in or out by a parent /guardian.
Parents, please note that students are not to be collected early from school unless they have an urgent appointment. School finishes at 3:10pm.
Compass entry is not required for partial absences (eg late arrivals or early pick ups). When you bring your child into school or pick them up, entering the arrival or departure in the Foyer Kiosk explains their absence. If you are picking your child up early for an appointment, please call or email the school office so we can endeavour to have your child ready for you to collect.
Attendance
Thank you to families who explain their children's absences from school. Please remember to reply to the SMS sent or contact the school by phone. The Office also sends a reminder email which you can reply to with an explanation. You can explain planned absences in advance by writing an email or phoning the school. Absences of more than 10 days require a form to be filled out to apply for "Extended Leave" which requires approval from the Principal.
Due to Government regulation, notification of your child's absence must be received no later than 7 days after your child's last day of absence.
Students must attend school regularly so they can achieve their educational best and increase their career and life options. Just one absence per fortnight adds up to 20 missed days per year; this equates to 260 days from Kindergarten to Year 6 or 1.25 school years!
Please contact the Office either by phone or email regarding attendance matters.
School expectations
SCHOOL UNIFORM - We wear it with pride!
At St Mary's we have high expectations with wearing our uniform with pride. We therefore seek parent and student support with wearing our uniform correctly each day.
- Term 1 Summer Uniform
- Clean tidy hair. Hair that is long must be tied back (general rule if it touches your shirt collar)
- Uniforms are to be worn correctly and appropriately daily (if circumstances prevent this communication with your teacher is required).
- General rule is no jewellery except for: watch, earrings studs or sleepers
- No fingernail polish
- No writing or drawing on self - arms, legs, hands
- No writing or drawing on school hats
- No chewing gum at school
- All children are to speak politely and have outstanding manners
- Swearing at school is not appropriate
- No hands or feet. Students do not use hands or feet to hurt others.
- Respect school and others property
Parent Messages for Students during the Day
Please make sure where possible you phone the school by 2pm with any messages for students to be given before home time. This would be greatly appreciated so we have minimal interruptions in class time.
Contacting Your Child's Teacher
Teachers welcome contact from parents, if you need to talk with staff please either contact the class teacher by phoning the school – 67724441 or email the school on smaadmin@arm.catholic.edu.au
Please do not expect teachers to be able to speak to you while they are on duty or once class has begun. If you require an urgent conversation, please phone the office on the above number so that a message can be delivered by office staff and the teacher will contact you as soon as they can.
School Hours
8:20am Doors Open & Student Supervision begins.
8:50am Classes start.
Students who arrive after 8:50 am will need to be signed in by Parents at the Front Office, if this doesn't occur parents will receive an unexplained notification for late attendance.
Thank you for signing your child in if they are late as this ensures our attendance records are accurate.
10:50am-11:30am First Break
1:30am-2:10pm Second Break
3:10pm Classes end
3:15pm Buses are loaded
3.10-3.20pm Pick up top gate Dangar Street
3:15-3:30pm Pick up Rusden Street.
All students are to be collected by 3:30pm.
After School Care is available for families from 3:10-6pm on site at school.
School Office Hours
The School Office hours are 8:20am - 4pm Monday- Friday.
Lost Property
Please make sure that you check and label or re-label clothing items so we can return items to their owners and please remember to rename items purchased from the Clothing Pool - if the previous owner's name is still on it, we will send it home with them!
Apart from many items of unlabelled uniforms we also have large amounts of unlabelled lunchboxes, lunch containers and drink bottles in our lost property baskets. It is impossible to return these items to students. Unnamed uniform items are donated to the clothing pool.
Clothing Pool - Term 2
The Clothing Pool will open on the following dates during Term 2 2024. If you require items, please contact the School Office on 67724441 or via email to book your time to attend. Please note that it will open Friday one week and Tuesday the next (9.30am to 10.30am):
Friday 10/5/2024 Tuesday 14/5/2024
Friday 24/5/2024 Tuesday 28/5/2024
Friday 7/6/2024 Tuesday 11/6/2024
Friday 21/6/2024 Tuesday 25/6/2024
Tuesday 2/7/2024
Uniform Days
Monday
All children wear their school uniform
Tuesday
Kindergarten and Years 5 & 6 (stages ESI and S3) wear their sport uniform with yellow shirt
Years 1, 2, 3 and 4 wear their school uniform
Wednesday
Years 1, 2, 3, 4 (Stages 1 & 2) wear their sport uniform with yellow shirt
Kindergarten, Years 5 and 6 wear their school uniform
Thursday
All children wear their school uniform
Friday
All children wear their sport uniform with coloured house shirt
Canteen Menu
During the Winter months the Canteen will be serving the Winter menu. See below for Term 2 and Term 3.
School Fees
A reminder that Term 2 school fees werere due on 10 June 2024.
After School Pickup
When picking up students in the afternoon from the Rusden Street entrance, please bring your family name sign so that we can call students as quickly as possible and it makes it much easier to identify families with the sign. If you require a new sign or additional ones please contact the School Office.
Buses: Students are supervised by teachers until their bus arrives in Jessie Street.
Esteem After School Care: Is located in our School Hall Building. Please collect your child by entering and exiting through the southern gate in Jessie Street.
Keep connected with what is happening at school through Compass & the Newsletter
Please make sure you are connected to COMPASS and receive the newsletter.
All families need to subscribe to the St Mary's COMPASS portal. Regular information comes from this site to families. Each parent is given a login. If you have lost your login details or are having difficulty logging in please call the School Office for assistance.
It is also really important to read the newsletter fortnightly. The Newsletter can be found electronically on COMPASS.
Manners Matter
Manners matter - not just some of the time, but ALL the time.
Students are encouraged to stop, look at the person speaking and use the person's name to ensure they are using their best manners.
ICAS Test
This year our Year 4, 5 and 6 students will have the opportunity to sit the ICAS Exams. ICAS is the largest independent competition and assessment program for schools in Australia. Each student receives an individual report as well as a certificate of acknowledgment for participation. These certificates make valuable additions to student portfolios. The exams are purchased by parents ($19.95 - $23.95 each) and are held on the following topics: Digital Technologies, Mathematics, English, Writing, Spelling and Science. The sitting dates for these are in August.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THESE ARE NOT COMPULSORY AND YOU MAY WISH TO DO AS MANY AS YOU WISH OR NONE AT ALL. EXAMS WILL BE ONLINE AND CONDUCTED IN EXAM CONDITIONS AT SCHOOL.
Learn more about ICAS here. (https://www.icasassessments.com/products-icas)
How to participate in ICAS If you wish for your child to participate in ICAS this year, please:
1. read about ICAS subjects and prices here: (icasassessments.com/products-icas)
2. go to Parent Portal to purchase tests here:(https://shop.icasassessments.com/pages/pps)
3. enter our school’s access code – MYQ943
Enter your child’s details, select the tests you would like to purchase, then proceed to payment.
Mobile Phones and other Electronic Devices
When students arrive at schoolthey musthand in their mobile phone, smart watch or other electronic device at the school office. Devices will be returned to the students at the end of the day.
If a student doesn't hand their phone or device into the Office when they arrive at school, the phone or device will be removed from the student and kept in the Office for parents to collect.
All electronic devices that are brought into school are at the owner's risk. No liability will be accepted by the school in the event of loss, theft or damage of the device.
Complaint Management
Please see below a guide for parents and caregivers.