Principal's Page
School Fete
Thank you everyone for the fantastic support shown at the school fete last week. The showery weather didn't dampen the enthusiasm of everyone who attended and a good time was had by all. Thank you to the P&F who put in many hours of organisation to ensure the event was a success. A special mention to Kim Smith who was instrumental in organising the night and worked tirelessly in the lead up. The fete raised over $7000 which will go towards a variety of different resources and projects around the school.
Coronavirus
Please continue to check your emails for school updates regarding the Coronavirus. Thank you for your calmness and understanding regarding the disruptions. The most recent update is below. In addition to the information in the letter, all visitors to the school (excluding parent pick ups and drop offs) are required to sign a declaration regarding overseas travel and exposure to the virus. At this stage schools are remaining open and children are asked to stay at home if they are sick (as per normal). I will continue to keep families up to date over the school holidays via email and the school app. Please contact me if you have any questions.
Speaking to Kids About Coronavirus
Anxiety is growing amongst everyone at the moment. For parents and carers looking for advice on how to discuss the virus with children, this website will help:
Speaking to Kids About Coronavirus
Vulnerable People
I just heard a sad story about an elderly person who is without basic necessities to live day to day life due the grocery shortage. There must be a lot of people in this situation and I urge everyone to get in contact with people you think may be at risk and check in on them. It is so important that we reach out to those who may be in need. I often tell the students that when things are tough it can bring out the best in us or the "not so best" in us. Let's hope that we all can rise above the adversity and we see the best in each other.
Gr 5/6 Camp
Our Gr 5/6 students and staff had a great week at Roses Gap camp last week. The weather was excellent and the children enjoyed challenging themselves with the different activities. I would particularly like to thank the staff who organised and took part in the camp. Spending a week away from home is a big sacrifice and I am very thankful to have such dedicated staff.
School Governance Working Party
Sandhurst Diocese has begun a process that will alter the governance structure of Catholic schools. Currently, the local Parish Priest (Canonical Administrator) is the ultimate authority in most schools, including St Mary's. This is likely to change to a more centralised structure, with Bishop Shane as the ultimate authority. The first Briefing Bulletin is attached below.
Well Done Ms Carroll!
Congratulations to Ann Margaret Carroll who has been selected to take part in a Sandhurst Study tour to Chicago next term. She will be joining 10 other diocesan leaders in the 3 week theology study.
New School App
Please note that our old school App is no longer functional, Simon Everywhere is our new communcation centre and offers the same features as the old App. We ask families to discontinue using the old App, in particular for student absences, and ensure you have access to Simon Everywhere.
For those of you needing to download the new St Mary's App please go to the Simon Everywhere page of this newsletter for details.
Fantastic Board Game!
This fun educational game was brought to my attention this week from a parent. The game introduces children to the concepts around money, how it is earned and that goods can be purchased with money.
School Board AGM
Unfortunately, due to the coronavirus we decided to cancel our School Board AGM last night.
Last Day Of School
Please note that school will finish at 2:20pm on the last day of term - Friday 27th March. School resumes on Tuesday 14th April.
Principal's Award
Week 6 Aryan Bhatti
I witnessed Aryan go out of his way to include another student in a game after the other child got angry and upset. What a wonderful display of kindness and maturity. Well done Aryan!
Week 7 Oscar Weiss
Oscar is a very popular and friendly young man who is very helpful in the classroom. He recently lost a couple of teeth and decided to donate his tooth fairy money to Caritas. What a selfless and generous act! Great stuff Oscar!
Mr Butts' St Patrick's Day Jokes!
Q: What do you call an Irishman sitting on your verandah?
A: Paddy O'Furniture!
Q: What do you call a big Irish spider?
A: Paddy Long Legs!
Happy Easter
Amid the unsettled world we are currently experiencing, the Easter Story could not be more relevant to us all. Easter is all about the Hope that Jesus brings to our lives and that Hope can bring calmness and focus to us all. Let's hope and pray we can all stay healthy and that we all look after each other during this unsettling period.