We hope this newsletter finds you well and settling into the rhythm of the new semester.

A message from our new Speech Pathologist

- Steph Silvagni

Hello St. Mary’s school community, my name is Steph Silvagni, and I am a speech pathologist. This year, I have joined the St. Mary’s team and I look forward to working with teachers and meeting the St. Mary’s students and families.

As a Speech Pathologist I will work with students, families, and the school team in supporting:

Receptive language (understanding words and instructions)
Expressive language (reading, writing and spoken expression)
Articulation (speech sound clarity)
Pragmatics (social communication - conversational turn taking, asking for help from others, tone of voice, negotiation).

The service provided to each student will vary depending on individual learning goals. A student might participate in:

Programs delivered by school staff who have been working with the speech pathologist.
An assessment to assist in providing specific goals.
Individual or group therapy sessions

The speech pathology program is open to all St. Mary’s students, as an additional resource, to further support learning goals.

Please speak to your child’s classroom teacher if you would like your child to be considered for this service. Teachers may also contact parents to suggest inclusion within the program. Like all learning environments within the school, speech pathology sessions promote a positive learning space with a growth mindset.

I look forward to meeting more of the St. Mary’s community over the year.

Steph Silvagni

Speech Pathologist

St. Mary’s Catholic Primary School

Religious Education News

Welcome back to a new year. Our school theme for this year is taken from the Book of Psalms, Psalm 42

First Term is always a busy term with Opening Mass, Ash Wednesday, Lent and Holy Week. Please mark the following dates in your family calendar.

Tuesday February 13 - Shrove Tuesday. St Mary’s will launch our Lenten program Project Compassion with a pancake morning tea. All money raised will help the work of Caritas Australia. Gold coin donation for 3 pancakes.

Throughout Lent St Mary’s School has hatched a plan to raise money to help buy chickens for people like Priscilla from Zimbabwe. Watch the office space as our plan unfolds!

If you would like to add a donation to our school donation page at Caritas Australia (which is tax deductible) use the following QR Code.

Wednesday February 14 - Ash Wednesday Mass at 9:15am. All are welcome.

Wednesday March 13 - As part of Catholic Education Week, St Mary’s School will be hosting an Open Morning from 10:00-11:00, for families and friends who may like to visit our classrooms. This will be followed by a simple morning tea on the playground and our final fundraiser for Lent, a money line. Please start collecting any loose change to send to school on this day.

Wednesday March 27 - During Holy Week each class will be presenting a Station of the Cross and families and friends are invited to Walk the Way of the Cross on this evening from 6:30-7:30. More news about this later.

Sacramental Dates:

Reconciliation

Preparation - Term 2 Religious Education unit

Celebration on Thursday June 27 from 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm.

First Eucharist

Preparation - Term 3 Religious Education unit

Mass of celebration on Sunday August 18 at 10:30am.

Confirmation

Preparation - Term 3 Religious Education unit

Retreat Day for candidates on Thursday November 15 followed by Parent Information Session from 3:30-4:30.

Mass of celebration on Sunday November 17 at 10:30am.

Julie Cotter

Religious Education Leader

Drop-Off Zone Safety

We're delighted to witness the positive impact of our collective efforts in improving traffic flow during drop-off and pick-up times. Your cooperation and patience have been instrumental in making this transition smoother for everyone involved.

We extend our heartfelt appreciation to all parents and guardians who have adhered to the guidelines and supported our initiatives to enhance safety and efficiency in our school zone.

As a gentle reminder, we kindly ask that you continue to observe the designated areas during drop-off and pick-up. The yellow zones are reserved exclusively for children to safely disembark from vehicles. Your cooperation in refraining from stopping or exiting vehicles in these areas helps ensure a secure environment for all students.

By working together and adhering to these guidelines, we can maintain a safe and organized flow of traffic, ultimately contributing to the well-being of our entire school community.

Thank you for your continued support and cooperation.

Friday Morning Coffee:

Our first Friday Morning Coffee took place this morning. Not only was it a great opportunity for a "Friday Morning Coffee and Chat", we were also joined by Digby the Warhorse who was visiting today.

If you are available in the morning to assist with the toast, please let the P&F know. With more people available, it would allow another coffee morning for those who can't make it on a Friday.

Don't forget to come and join us next week for a delightful morning tea or coffee as we kick off the day together.

Details:

Date: Every Friday (other mornings TBA)
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!

Wellbeing with Mr O.

I hope everyone has settled back into the school routines. Walking around the school it seems that students are back in the groove and have settled in.

Our Wellbeing space is working really well at both recess and lunch so far. Students have been coming in to check it out and seem to value having an alternative place that has different options. So far drawing, connect four, chess, listening to music, reading and just having a chat have proved to be the popular options. Next week will see some bean bags added, new art supplies as well as some jigsaw puzzles. I will take this opportunity to ask for any unused or unwanted items that you would be willing to donate to our space. No pressure though! I have been talking to the students to gauge what else they would like and these are some of the things they mentioned;

Lego
Board games
Dress-ups
Jigsaw puzzles

On Thursday we have a gardening club instead. This was great and we got a lot of work done in half an hour. It will be great to get the veggie patch up and running again and there seems to be some renewed enthusiasm for Sustainability around the school in general!

Some of our students also started working with Jess Liston and Digby the Warhorse today.

This is part of a specialised program similar to last year's experience that all students had. The program is tailored to these students to help support them develop a blueprint for regulating their nervous system. It has an emphasis on confidence, communication and peer connections. The activities include mindfulness meditations and horse interactions with a focus on self-regulation skills and nervous system control. The students involved are excited and I look forward to working with them in the coming weeks.

Have a great weekend,

Mark O’Sullivan

A Final Word.

As we navigate through another week of learning and growth, we'd like to extend our sincerest gratitude for your continued support and cooperation. Your dedication to our school community truly makes a difference.

As we move forward, we encourage you to stay informed and engaged by checking out the calendar of events on the next page.

This invaluable resource will keep you updated with all the exciting activities and important dates happening at school throughout the term.

Once again, thank you for your

support. Together, we create a nurturing and enriching environment for our students to thrive. Have a wonderful week ahead!

John

St Mary's School, Castlemaine

Respect, Resilience, Responsibility

TERM 1, WEEK 2 · 09 Feb 2024

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