Welcome to the weekend!!!! Another wonderful week at this glorious school!

Best of luck to our New England Sings! choristers in their final rehearsal on Saturday and BIG performance on Sunday! These five young people have been working towards this performance for nearly seven months. They are completely committed, having practices nearly every recess and even after school practices!

Best of luck Lewis, Darcie, Charlie B, Lexi and Kirby for Sunday!

Open Day

Thank you to all of you who supported our Open Day on Saturday, it was wonderful to see some familiar faces and to greet some new ones. Huge thanks to Mitch Cook who championed the BBQ serving snags and steak sandwiches and to all of our staff who came to take parents on site tours and discuss who we are at St Mary of the Angels. We are truly, truly blessed.

Myschool Survey

Last fortnight I thanked all of the parent community for accessing and answering the Myschool Survey from Term 3. I have been absolutely blown away by the positive response of our parent/carer community.

Comments that include aspects such as;

loving support from teachers and principal
That the principal and teachers make parents a part of their family.
Always feeling welcome
How children are happy to attend school every day
Vertical friendship groups between different years
Ample opportunity for the children to participate in extracurricular activities in school and community.
The sense of community was a huge positive.
Huge sport access
The open communication that is non judgmental, that the school has the hard conversations with parents and carers so that as parents, we feel embraced, seen and heard.

We have received such generative feedback, that it is clear that the majority of the parent and carers know we are on the right track to ensure all of our young people have a hope-filled future! Thank you, we could not do it without you.

"CSNSW Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Conference: Spirit On Country: Learning Together, Then, Now and Always" conference

As you would have seen on our Facebook page Miss Levy and I attended the Catholic Schools New South Wales Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Conference: Spirit On Country: Learning Together, Then, Now and Always this week.

Hosted by Armidale Catholic Schools, the conference which only occurs every three years, was a fantastic opportunity for all of the delegates to build their professional knowledge and skills so that we can all work to improve educational outcomes, and advocate reconciliation among families and communities with their improved understanding of culture. To top all of that off we heard from some wonderful keynote speakers such as; Katherine Zerounian: Principal of Redfern Jarjum College, Nathan Towney former principal and current Pro Vice-Chancellor Indigenous, Strategy and Leadership and Head of the Wollotuka Institute Office of Indigenous Strategy and Leadership , Greg Inglis retired Australian professional rugby league footballer and founder of the "Goanna Institute" and we also were treated to performances by Terra Firma, and comedian Sean Choolburra ... who is also the voice of Maynard in Bluey!

We were blessed to have been a part of such open and honest dialogue during the conference and to experience our young people championing their culture with cultural dance, art and conversations.

World Teachers Day

A heartfelt thank you to the Ms Outridge for helping to provide a wonderful morning tea in celebration of World Teachers' Day today!

St Mary of the Angels is truly blessed with such dedicated and amazing teachers. They work tirelessly to support all of our young people (whether the young people always see it or not), and I am very grateful for all they do. It is additionally wonderful to see a shift occurring where society and community again sees educators as the professionals that they are. It is truly heartwarming.

Transition 2025

I would like to inform the community that our formal Kindergarten Transition Program will not run the same in 2025 as it has in previous years.

The change to the Transition program is in line with strict legislative requirements and the importance of supporting our local preschool in their enrolments and future growth.

Our program will be closely aligned with other partnership schools in the Guyra area.

Whilst we understand that this change may be inconvenient for some families, we are committed to continuing to provide the best education possible for our school age young people and to maintain partnerships with our local government schools who are not permitted to offer more than 50 hours/year of transition support for incoming kindergarten enrolments.

This Transition program will occur on Fridays to ensure that we maintain a minimum of four uninterrupted days of learning for our school age students and to ensure that our Transition young people have the benefit of participating in our community events which have moved to Fridays.

Please be aware that although our formal Transition Program has altered, we will still provide opportunities for families and their children to engage with the school, such as our school Open Days and Learning Walks and Talks and possible extended attendance.

Our Transition Program will run from Term Three Week Five, 22nd August through to Week Eight, Term Four December 5th and will be a non-fee paying service to community.

School Advisory Council Nominations

"What is the role of the School Advisory Council?"

The Catholic School Advisory Council provides the opportunity for members of the school and parish community to support the mission of Catholic education in the school.
- Working with the Principal and the Parish Priest, the members of the Council and its committees provide guidance and support to the wider school community.
The Catholic School Advisory Council has an advisory role; it has no mirror in secular society. The policies of the school are always set within the mission of Catholic education. In areas where it has an advisory role in the development and monitoring of school policy, the Council operates within the policies and procedures determined by Armidale Catholic Schools.
The Principal has responsibility for the day to day leadership and management of the school.

So how can you be a part of the School Advisory Council?

Each year in November, a School Advisory Council Annual General Meeting is held.

All nominations will be subject to a prayerful discernment process that will involve the SAC and those considering nomination to the SAC. The process will acknowledge potential, perceived or real conflicts of interest.

This in itself is not an impediment. The process will have regard for confidentiality and be respectful towards all nominees.

Any vacancies for both renewal will involve a call for nominations from within the school community.

This may include a direct invitation to certain school community members to consider nominating for the SAC.
Self nomination .
Nomination by another school community member.
- Please note: ask the potential nominee if they are open to this service. This is not an award but a request for service - they should be asked for their permission first before a nomination goes forward.

If a person desires to nominate or be nominated for the School Advisory Council of St Mary of the Angels, they will be required to undertake a compulsory information session with the Armidale Catholic Schools or their delegate before nominations final call. A date for this will be advertised early next term. After the compulsory completion of the information session 28th October at 6pm,please contact the office for zoom link, these intending SAC nominees are reminded to complete a nomination form (available at the office by request), to be return to the St Mary of the Angels School administration or Principal by NO LATER than close of school office 4:00 pm on the 11th of November 2024.

We hope you have a wonderful weekend and we look forward to seeing all of our young people on Monday!

Blessings

Zoe

Notice Board

Rugby for Good

Centacare Sessions

Mini Maestros

ADIG - Bonus Saver Account

Family Connect and Support

The Smith Family

Autumn Piano School