Assistant Principal

Welcome back to Term 3! 

What’s new this term? 

• School bell system - over the holidays, a new bell and PA system was installed. This now means we have working bells to indicate transition times throughout the day as well as a new microphone and PA system. 
• Awards - we have engaged our school photo company, Advanced Life to create customised awards to be used at our Friday assemblies. The value awards remain the same (Friendship, Peacemaker, Stewardship etc) however they have a professional new look as well as space to write a reason for the award. We will also introduce the Principal and Assistant Principal award each fortnight at assembly. In addition to this change, we will also be changing the amount of awards that are being given out based on the number of students in each class. This is to protect the value that receiving an award has - 
  • K, 1, 3, 5 to give out 1 class award and 2 value awards/fortnight
  • Yrs 2, 4, 6 to do 1 class and 1 value award/ fortnight
• Coding Club - (Optional for students in Years 3-6) Thursday morning at 8.20am in the library with Miss Courtenay.
• Tournament of the Minds - Is a program for all primary school students around Australia. It provides the opportunity to solve authentic, open-ended challenges that foster creative, divergent thinking whilst developing collaborative enterprise, excellence and teamwork. Seven students will be selected from Years 5 & 6 (mix of girls and boys) by Mrs Jory to compete in a 6 week challenge starting on the 29th of July. They will need to work closely to solve a problem relating to either the Social Sciences or STEM. The seven students will be selected based on their interest in the program as well as their assessment and contribution to similar challenges that were set in Drama for Semester One.  

Debating Adjudicators NEEDED

Are you able to assist by being an adjudicator at the Stage 3 Inter school debating competition? We will be hosting a number of debates on Wednesday 14th August and Wednesday 21st August at 6pm. No experience necessary! Please contact the office if you are available to help. 

We are also in need of some students to come and help timekeep and be chairpeople. If your child is available on one or both of these Wednesday evenings please let the office or Miss Courtenay know.

NAPLAN Results 

Last week, the students in Years 3 and 5 received a hard copy of their NAPLAN results. The students are to be congratulated on their efforts. The results will be analysed by the teachers and will provide a basis for future planning of the school and goal setting for the students. Parents are urged to file their copy of the results in a safe place as they will be needed for high school applications. 

Long Service Leave 

I will be taking one week Long Service Leave from Thursday August 8 - Thursday August 15. Please contact the Office should you require assistance in my absence and they will be able to direct you to the best person. 

The St MM’s Olympics! 

In light of the 2024 Paris Olympics... The very first St Margaret Mary’s Olympics is happening! 

• 8 events 
• 12 mins at each event
• Mixed groups K-6 children
• Each group is assigned to a “home country”

This day and the events leading up to it will be a major event in our St MM’s calendar. This will include:

• Students being engaged in a range of learning experiences centred around the Olympics in their classrooms. 
• Working with students from other classes as part of their “home team”.
• This is a fundraising event. The money raised will go towards new playground markings on our top playground - netball and handball courts. 
• The culmination of all events will be the ST MM’s Olympics - Friday August 16

The timeline of the Olympics is as follows

• Week 1 Term 3 -
  • Students are assigned to their “home” country and will be given their sponsorship card to bring home and start collecting money from sponsors. The sponsor card has the events of the day and sponsors donate what they see fit for each event. NB: Sponsor cards will be sent home in Week 2. 
• Friday Week 2 - August 2 -
  • “Fun Friday” come dressed as your favourite Olympian or dress in your “home team” colours for a gold coin donation. 
•  Friday Week 3 - August 9 -
  • “Fun Friday” - Jersey Day- wear your favourite team jersey for a gold coin donation. 
• Friday Week 4 - August 16 -
  • St MM’s Olympics 
    • Morning Session ( from 9-11am) - Olympics Opening Ceremony and  Events
      • Children are to bring their money raised to school with their sponsor card. 
      • If your child wants a sausage sizzle lunch, they bring their money on this day too. 
      • Children wear colours to represent their “home country” to participate in Olympic Events.
  • Lunch (from 11.15-12pm) - Sausage Sizzle for $2 
  • Afternoon Session (from 12.30pm) - Colour Run…  Just for Fun
    • In the afternoon we will host a colour run. If the students would like to have the cornstarch coloured flour thrown on them, they need to wear a white t-shirt and clothes that they do not mind getting a little “colourful”. To avoid colouring getting into their hair and eyes, they will need to wear sunglasses/goggles and a hat.