School News

Kindergarten Enrolments for 2021 

Kindergarten enrolments for 2021 are now open.  Unfortunately we have had to postpone our Starting School Open Morning.  We are hoping to hold this later in the year.

In the meantime if you would like an enrolment package, please contact the school office. 

If you have already collected an enrolment package for your Kindergarten 2021 child, please complete the form and return it to the school office as soon as possible so your enrolment interview can be scheduled. 

Please note, that until enrolment paperwork is received at the school office, we can not hold places for Kindergarten 2021.  Therefore, if you currently have a child at St Mary's and have a younger sibling starting Kinder next year, please let the school office know as soon as possible.

Chromebooks

If you borrowed a Chromebook from school for online learning at home, could you please return this as soon as possible.

Public Holiday next Monday

A reminder that Monday, 8th June is a public holiday.  Students return to school on Tuesday. 

Canteen Menu for Term 2 starting next Tuesday

Starting next Tuesday our canteen will be serving our winter menu.  A reminder that ALL lunch and morning tea items need to be ordered through QKR by 9.30am. We cannot take cash over the counter so the option of students purchasing their own orders is currently not available.  Extras at lunch are not available at this stage.

Please see below for the Menu:

School Uniform for Term 2

Students should be in their full winter school uniform for Terms 2 and 3. For sports uniform, all students wear their coloured house sports shirt on Friday, yellow sports shirt days will be as follows:

Kindergarten - Thursday

Year 1 and 2 - Tuesday

Year 3 and 4 - Wednesday

Year 5 and 6 - Thursday

Also a reminder that children need to wear their St Mary's school hat. Caps are not part of the school uniform. Jewellery and nail polish are not permitted (apart from a watch and small studs/sleepers) and hair accessories should be in the school colours.

Students in Sick Bay

In the current climate, if your child presents at sick bay complaining of feeling sick, we are required to call parents to collect their children. Likewise, if your child has a cough, sore throat, runny nose or other illness, please keep them at home and do not send them to school. Thanks for your co-operation.

Plastic Lids

Lids 4 Kids are collecting certain lids and bread ties to be recycled and turned into prosthetic arms and limbs.  There is a collection box in the school front foyer. It will be collected at the end of each week. 

Great collecting everyone, the collection bin was overflowing last week!

Student Attendance in Compass

If your child is sick, you can use the Compass App to notify / report the absence and no further action is required.  Please do this for each day your child is away.   

Please note:  this feature is not to be used for partial absences (eg attending a dr appointment in the middle of the day, late arrival or early pickup as it interferes with the normal signing in or out of children on arrival or departure.

How to add an attendance note in the Compass Parent Portal (website from a computer or laptop)

• Click the green cross or on the wording "Add Attendance Note (Approved Absence/Late)" next to your child's photo.

• Fill in all appropriate dropdown and reason box.
• Select the right date of absence. If the student is late make sure you do not select the whole day. If unsure call the school.
• Press save.

How to add an attendance note in the Compass App (on phone or tablet)

• Click on your child's photo on the home screen.

• Goto the approvals tab (approvals is attendance notes).
• Click on the plus sign
• Add details and click add attendance note.

Musica Viva - Makukuhan

On Friday we watched Makukuhan perform to the school via zoom.

This is a band who plays Indonesian music on traditional Indonesian instruments and performs dances in traditional style.

The students who had been at school over the last 5 weeks had listened to these songs with Miss McNeall and become familiar with the tunes and rhythm patterns, and even played some of the motifs on xylophones. 

A particular favourite was the gong – such a low, resonant enduring sound. Another favourite was the mask worn by the Jatayu, a mythical bird in the Indonesian culture.

It was a pity we could not watch this band live, due to the restrictions, but it was still great to see and hear them via zoom.

Thank you Makukuhan, and Musica Viva!

Annabel Westwood from Year 5 said the following about the Musica Viva program:

"Musica Viva is a great programme, as it lets us hear other cultures' music and traditions. When we hear more about other cultures, we are then more welcoming of the differences in our communities. I enjoy Musica Viva performances very much and all schools should have it as part of their learning."

O'Connor Catholic College Enrolments for 2021

Whole School Assembly

Whole School Assemblies for this term are cancelled.   

Newsletter Contributions

Please email contributions for the next newsletter to smaadmin@arm.catholic.edu.au by 5pm, Tuesday 16th June 2020.