St Mary's School, Castlemaine

Welcome Newsletter 2024

St. Mary's School - Welcome Newsletter for the 2024 School Year

Dear St. Mary’s School Community,

Welcome back to another exciting school year! We hope this message finds you refreshed and ready for the adventures that await us in 2024. The enthusiasm in the air is contagious, and we are thrilled to welcome both returning and new students, especially those who have joined our St. Mary’s family in the Foundation class.

Important Announcements:

Mrs Minter: It is with mixed emotions that we bid farewell to a valued member of our teaching staff, Mrs. Kylie Minter. Mrs. Minter has been an integral part of St. Mary's, contributing her expertise, dedication, and passion to the growth and development of our students. We want to express our heartfelt gratitude for her time here and wish her every success as she embarks on a new journey in Melton, where exciting opportunities for leadership await her.

 

 

Lunch Orders: We are delighted to inform you that lunch orders have resumed on Fridays. If you are placing orders for your children, kindly ensure that you update your child’s class details, as some orders have been arriving at school with incorrect information. Your attention to this matter ensures a smooth and efficient lunch service for everyone.

 

Drop-Off Zone Safety: A heartfelt thank you to the council for the recent fresh line marking in the drop-off zone at the front of the school. To maintain the safety of all our students, please note that the spaces designated as the "Drop-off Zone" are specifically for letting children exit the car and move on. It is not for parking your car and leaving the vehicle. For safety reasons, we kindly request that you refrain from asking children to cross the road to reach the car.

 

Friday Morning Coffee: 

We are excited to announce a new initiative starting from Friday, 9th February – "Friday Morning Coffee and Chat" for parents at the school canteen. Join us for a delightful morning tea or coffee as we kick off the day together.

Details:

  • Starting Date: Friday, 9th February
  • Time: From 8:30
  • Location: School Canteen

What to Expect:

This is an opportunity for parents to come together, share experiences, and build connections within our wonderful St. Mary's community. We encourage you to drop by for a casual "coffee and a chat," fostering a sense of community spirit and support.

Gold Coin Donation:

To cover the costs and contribute to future community initiatives, we kindly request a gold coin donation for each cup of coffee or tea.

Why Join?

  • Connect with other parents in a relaxed setting.
  • Share stories, experiences, and parenting tips.
  • Build a supportive and friendly network.

We look forward to seeing you there! Your participation will make our Friday mornings even more enjoyable. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to reach out.

 

Let's make Friday mornings at St. Mary's a time for coffee, connection, and community!

 

Meet Our Dedicated Class Teachers:

Our class teachers are passionate about creating incredible learning experiences for our students this year:

  • Julie Cotter: F/1 Class Teacher, Religious Education Leader (M-Th)
  • Blythe Neve: F/1 Class Teacher (Friday), Literacy Support (W & Th)
  • Anushka Vaz: 2/3 Class Teacher (T, Th, F), Learning & Teaching Leader, Learning Diversity
  • Linda Doherty: 2/3 Class Teacher (M, T, W)
  • Bridget Chalkley: 3/4 Class Teacher
  • Martin Domosthenous: 4/5/6 Class Teacher, Maths Leader

Specialized Subject Teachers:

  • Diana Domonkos: Spanish Teacher (T), Media Teacher (Th), ESO (M, W, TH)
  • Cara Hine: Art Teacher (Tuesday)
  • Anna Zuidland: Music Teacher (Tuesday)
  • Clare Grainger: P.E. Teacher (Tuesday), Science Teacher (Thursday)
  • Mark O'Sullivan: Well-being & MHiPS (Wednesday-Friday)

Support Staff:

  • Barb Burchett: ESO & Admin Support
  • Anne Maree Bernardo: ESO (M, T, F)
  • Jo Lawrence: ESO (M, W, TH, F)
  • Ruby Byrne: ESO (W, F)
  • Krystal Burnett: Admin (M, T, Th, F)

Wellbeing with Mr O.

Welcome back to school for 2024. I thought I would say hello, reintroduce myself and update you on some changes for this year. I am working on Wednesday, Thursday and Fridays this year as our Wellbeing Leader and MHiPS (Mental Health in Primary Schools) Leader. These roles overlap and essentially I am working in just Wellbeing this year. So if you would like to chat about what this means or you would like some Wellbeing support for your child/ren please contact me or come in for a chat. I'm really excited to be able to concentrate on one area this year.

That means that I won't be working in the Learning Diversity area with our students and families that are involved with the NCCD. I wanted to take this opportunity to say that I really enjoyed this role, especially getting to know some families really well and helping to make a positive difference to their schooling experience. Anushka will be a great replacement!

I have also finished teaching PE at St Mary's. This has been a lot of fun and I hope I have improved your students skills and helped them to understand the importance of being active, having a go, having a healthy diet and the link between mental and physical health. Clare will be a great replacement! I have also stepped back from the St Mary's leadership team.

In terms of Wellbeing, we now have a calm corner which is a little nook halfway along the corridor so students that need some extra support at times can come and explore some Wellbeing strategies and get some support during class times. How this works exactly is still being fine tuned but I will keep you up to date.

We will also have a Wellbeing space at recess and lunch times available in the Art room downstairs. This will be a quiet indoor space with a range of activities on offer as an alternative to outdoor play. This in the early stage and still developing but I will let you know what is happening as it evolves.

I hope everyone has a great weekend and I hope to catch up soon, possibly at our Friday morning coffee club.

Mark O'Sullivan

 

 

A Final Word:

We are excited to embark on a year filled with exciting challenges, growth, and shared accomplishments. Open communication between parents, students, and staff is crucial for success, so please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns.

 

 

Wishing everyone a fantastic start to the 2024 school year!

 

John