From the Principal

WELCOME TO 2023

Welcome to the new school year. I hope that all families had a wonderful Christmas and  New Year and a fantastic break.

I am looking forward to an amazing year with our St Mary's community and pray that 2023 will bring many blessings to all.

As we have only been back at school for 4 days, this newsletter is a shorter one to firstly welcome everyone to the 2023 school year and bring to your attention upcoming events. 

Welcome to our new students & families 

A big welcome to our new students and families at St Mary's this year. I hope the start of your journey here at St Mary's is a happy and rewarding one.

A warm welcome to the following new families in 2023: Abra, Adeoti, Barnier, Berney, Bhandari, Bourke, Bournes, Calubaquib, Crawford, Creagan, Doyle, Faulkner, Gadd, Gray, Hammond, Hourigan, Irwin-Fittock, Lahai, Liju, Mason, McDonald, Ni, Pavy, Riches, Saunders, Saxby, Simpson, Smith, Stewart, Sweeney.

A special welcome to the new staff this year.  I pray that St Angela's wisdom, faith, hope  and joy guides you each day and St Ursula's spirit of courage empowers you in the adventures and daily decisions.

STAFF FOR 2023

Classes for 2023

Kindergarten: Miss J Simpson & Miss S Marshall

Year 1: Mrs D Suluma & Ms S O'Brien (new 2023)

Year 2: Mrs C Fittler & Ms P Sturzenegger (new 2023 Starting 13th February)

Year 3: Mrs C Ross,  Mr M Garraud & Mrs L Bible

Year 4: Ms  T Dowse & Miss E Adams

Year 5: Mr D Lester & Miss N Mayes

Year 6: Mrs K Walters & Miss L Harman 

Release From Face to Face Teachers

Ms S McNeal:  Music, Choir and Orchestra 

Mrs L Bible: Health

Miss L Gerathy: PE (new 2023)

Mrs D Cain: Library

Librarian

Mrs D Cain 

Inclusion Support Teacher

Mrs K Didlick-Godwin

ICT Support 

Mr Andrew Watt

Leadership

Mrs B Burton Principal

Mrs L Reinke Assistant Principal / Pastoral Care & Wellbeing

Mrs D Cain Assistant Principal / Curriculum

Mrs Catherine Stephen Leader of Pedagogy 

Mrs J Scully Religious Education Co-Ordinator 

Mr D Lester Sport Co-Ordinator

Educational Assistants

Mrs L Stahlhut (Aboriginal Education Assistant)

Ms E Widders (Aboriginal Education Assistant)

Mrs J Troon 

Mrs J Teege

Mrs F Turnbull

Miss G Tavener

Miss Honeysett

Mr J Cain

School Office Administrators

Mrs J Hansen: Finance

Mrs B Hosking : Front Office

Mrs P Patricks: Front Office

Mrs R McCann: Enrolments & Personal Assistant to the Principal

Canteen

Mrs J Kratz

Mrs S Symons

Grounds & Maintenance 

Mr T Murray

Parish Administrator 

Fr Roel Llave

UPCOMING EVENTS

BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR MASS K-6 Friday 10th February 9am Cathedral

Beginning of the School Year Mass and presentation of school badges to the student leaders for 2023, will be on Friday 10th February at 9am Mass in the Cathedral. 

All parents & friends are welcome to join the school for Mass.

SWIMMING CARNIVAL - Wednesday 15th February

Thank you Mr Lester and all staff for organising our swimming carnival. I am looking forward to seeing the children participate in their events and joining in the spirit of school fun. Thank you to the parents who have volunteered to help with the running of the carnival. Please return your child's permission note ASAP via Compass.

GENERAL INFORMATION EVENING FOR PARENTS - 9th February School Hall off Jessie Street at 5:00pm-6pm.

General information on the whole school:

• School Timetable
• Mass Dates
• Assemblies
• Reading & Talk Homework
• Commendations/Awards
• Living Well, Learning Well /Behaviour Expectations 
• Uniform Expectations
• Student Computer Usage
• NAPLAN
• Attendance & Punctuality
• Compass App
• School Safety, Parking
• Communication
• Parent Handbook
• P & F, SAC

We will be holding specific Parent Information Evenings throughout the year on topics such as: reading, homework, Centacare parenting &           e-safety.

PARENT TEACHER  TERM 1 INTERVIEWS

Teachers will be offering parents the opportunity in Week 4 and or Week 5 to meet and  discuss 2023 goals. The Kindergarten teachers will talk to their parents about the Bests Start Assessments.

SCHOOL PHOTO DAY - Monday 13th February

Information has been sent home via Compass for families to order their photos on the Compass portal.

UNIFORM DAYS

Thank you parents for making sure the children returned to school in their correct school uniform. 

Term 1 Summer Uniform.

Kindergarten and Years 5 & 6 (stages ESI and S3) wear their yellow sports shirt on Tuesdays.

Years 1,2,3,4 (stages S1 & S2) are to wear their yellow sports shirt Wednesdays.

 All students wear their coloured house shirt on Fridays. Thank you.

STATEMENT FROM BISHOP MICHAEL KENNEDY TRANSFER TO THE DIOCESE OF MAITLAND-NEWCASTLE

Please see the announcement below. 

Thank you Bishop Kennedy for the past 11 years as our Shepherd. We will keep you in our prayers. We will miss you.

First Day for Kindergarten Students Monday 6th February!

We are eagerly waiting for Lucy, Ademi, Jesse, Harvey, Izzie, Isla, Danny, 

Mia, Jace, Charlotte, Patrick, Emily, William, Archie, Harlan,Tilly, Sarupya, Stella, Sailor, Priden, Alexander, Tilly, Emmi, Harrison, Eli, Fatou, Isabel, Lily, Olive, Annelie, Reign and  Noah,  who are starting Kindergarten Monday morning. I know you will have a fantastic time at big school with Miss Marshall, Miss Simpson, Miss Honeysett & Mrs Scully.

COVID Information

At the end of 2022, National Cabinet announced that people who test positive to COVID-19 do not need to isolate. In line with this announcement, schools will continue to follow guidance issued by NSW Health to support the safety and wellbeing of our school communities. 

Staff and students with COVID-19 symptoms

If a student or staff member is unwell and has any symptoms they should always test for COVID-19 and not attend school until they are well/symptom free. 

Positive COVID-19 cases

If a student or staff member receives a positive result on with a RAT or PCR test they should:

Record the positive result through the Services NSW website or app.

Notify the school of the positive results as soon as possible.

Schools are required to continue to inform the school community of positive cases in the school.

2023 Term 1 Dates

Term 2 

Keep connected with what is happening at school through Compass & the Newsletter.

Please make sure you are connected to COMPASS snd receive the newsletter.

All families need to subscribe to the St Mary's COMPASS portal. Regular information comes from this site to families. Each parent is given a login. If you have lost your login details or are having difficulty logging in please call the School Office for assistance.

It is also really important to read the newsletter fortnightly.  The Newsletter can be found electronically on COMPASS. 

SCHOOL HOURS

8:20am Doors Open & Student Supervision begins.

8:50am Classes start.

Students who arrive after 8:50 am will need to be signed in by Parents at the Front Office, if this doesn't occur parents will receive an unexplained notification for late attendance.

Thank you for signing your child in if they are late as this ensures our attendance records are accurate. 

10:50am-11:30am First Break

1:30am-2:10pm Second Break

3:10pm Classes end

3:15pm Buses are loaded

3.10-3.20pm Pick up top gate Dangar Street

3:15-3:30pm Pick up Rusden Street. All students are to be collected by 3:30pm.

After School Care is available for families from 3:10-6pm on site at school.

Contacting Your Child's Teacher

Teachers welcome contact from parents, if you need to talk with staff please either contact the class teacher by phoning the school – 6772 4441 or email the school on smaadmin@arm.catholic.edu.au

SCHOOL OFFICE HOURS

The School Office hours are 8:20 am - 4 pm Monday- Friday. 

2023 at St Mary's School 

The children have made a great start to the year.  This week classes have been focusing on our student support framework - Living Well, Learning Well:  

I AM SAFE   /   I AM VALUED, RESPECTED & CARED FOR   /     I AM A LEARNER

What this means, looks like & sounds like at St Mary's:

We are learning about Manners 

Regularly we will learn about manners, that ‘manners matter' 'manners cost nothing but mean a great deal’ and that ‘our actions speak louder than words.’  The children will learn what good manners look like, what they sound like and how to use them.

We are learning about Uniform & Expectations 

Uniform is also an important part of who we are. What our school looks like and how we show respect for the community we are part of is reflected in how we wear our uniform, both individually and as a whole school. 

I ask all parents to please support the staff by ensuring your child/children are fully dressed in their correct uniform each day.  This includes the correct hat, shorts, socks and black shoes.

We have a high expectation around the school uniform and it is an expectation that everyone wears the uniform with pride. The expectation is the correct uniform is worn everyday. 

 If your child is not able to wear the correct uniform please send a note to school explaining the reason.

 If a child is out of uniform with out an explanation a uniform ticket will be sent home the parents.

Jewellery, Nail Polish, accessorises & hair need to meet the school policy. No makeup or nail polish to be warn at school. Minimal jewellery is to be warn to school: Signet ring, watch, studs or small sleepers are acceptable. Hair ribbons are to be school colours. Hair is to be neat and tidy. If hair is past collar length then it all needs to be tied back. (Boys & Girls)

Thank you parents for your support to ensure that the children are in the correct school uniform in a neat and tidy manner each day. This is a very important aspect of school, it teaches the children to understand that standards are important in their lives, as well as respecting the community they belong to. 

No mobile phones for students at school. If for some reason your child needs to have a phone before or after school, they must hand their phone in at the front office before they go to class and pick it up again before they leave in the afternoon. During the school day students can always be contacted by a phone call to the front office. If students are found with a phone during the school day, the phone will be confiscated and parents will be notified. 

A reminder also that all phone capabilities of smart watches need to be disabled or sim cards taken out while students are at school. If students are found to be using their smart watch in this way they will also be confiscated and parents notified.

These procedures are in place for the safety and well-being of all our students and we thank you for your ongoing support. 

We thank you for your support in maintaining the standards across our school.