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St Mary’s Catholic Primary
School, Ascot Vale
Newsletter
74 Roseberry Street
Ascot Vale VIC 3032
------ST MARY’S
P: 03 9370 1194
CELEBRATES ONE HUNDRED AND ONE
F: 03 9370 1068
YEARS
E: [email protected]
17th October 2014
W: www.smascotvale.catholic.edu.au
Parish Priest: Fr Justin Ford
123 St Leonards Road
Ascot Vale VIC 3032
P: 03 9370 6688
F: 03 9370 9112
E: [email protected]
Upcoming Event
MONDAY, 20TH Oct
CHILDREN’S WEEK
BOOK WEEK COMMENCES
TUESDAY, 21ST Oct
WALK TO SCHOOL DAY
THURSDAY, 23rd Oct
2014 ST MARY’S HAS TALENT
To All in our school Community
Further to last terms much admired school
performance of “Every Picture Tells a Story,” what a tribute to the diversity of Performing Arts
at St Mary’s was our annual student led, “St Mary’s Has Talent.” Not only were we
entertained with singers from our Foundation Year to Year Six, but there were also much
admired gymnastics, as well as skilled pianists. Whether the children performed in groups or
as soloists, their confidence was supported by a very appreciative audience of children,
parents, friends and staff. The afternoon of showcasing St Mary’s talent commenced with a
guest appearance of the St Columba’s College Dancers and their routine set the scene for
what was indeed termed in times gone by as a “variety concert” (without those well
remembered tap dance routines). At the conclusion of the afternoon, in congratulating the
performers, we acknowledged all who had contributed to the concert, especially our Student
Leadership Team, who compered, judged and provided the backup music and graphics and Ms
Lind for co-ordinating a school event that we all now look forward to.
WORLD TEACHERS’ DAY
FRIDAY, 24TH Oct
SCHOOL DISCO
SUNDAY, 26TH Oct
Year Four children and the
School Choir lead the
Parish Mass
MONDAY, 27TH Oct
Social Justice Day
TUESDAY, 28TH Oct
Incursion for 6CM
The energy level of the “St Mary’s Has Talent” continued in this somewhat exhausting Week
WEDNESDAY, 29TH Oct
Two. Despite the return to somewhat wintry weather the spirit of participation in school life
Fathers’ Association
did not diminish. Perhaps all in the school community were looking forward to today’s Ice
Oktoberfest 2014, Marby
Bucket Challenge and wondering what Dot Crowley would look like with wet hair or the
Park Football Club. (7.00
constant question I received as to what suit I would be wearing. This afternoon no doubt will
p.m.)
reveal the answers. However, the week’s realities were such events as Tuesday’s Western
Region Athletics Carnival where four of our children (Kye Lynch, Bridgette Anile, Liv Mullane
THURSDAY, 30TH Oct
and Tom Jackson) represented St Mary’s. That evening our Year Three children and their
“Music Count us in”
parents gathered at school for the Sacrament of Reconciliation Seminar, facilitated by Father
SACRAMENT OF
Justin and Caith Malone. Placing the Sacrament into its historical context and being informed
RECONCILIATION (7.00
about the meaning of the Sacrament gives further dimension to our understanding of what we
P.M.)
used to call the Sacrament of Penance. Wednesday evening the School Improvement
MONDAY, 3RD NOV.
Committee gathered to be part of a process where the present school Semester Written
Report was evaluated and recommendations made for the a change of format for 2015. And
SCHOOL CLOSURE DAY
today the Staff Ice Bucket Challenge (we have raised $800 for the Motor Neurone research)
TUESDAY, 4th NOV.
may be the highlight for many, but it was also the day our Year Three and Four children
participated in the Ascot Vale Sports Carnival and our Social Justice Student leaders attended
MELBOURNE CUP DAY
the Mission Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral.
th
Next week is Children’s Week. Children's Week celebrates the right of children to enjoy
childhood. It is also a time for children to demonstrate their talents, skills and abilities. Our
focus at St Mary’s will be activities based on celebrating Book Week, as well as a Walk to
School Day on Tuesday, World Teachers’ Day on Thursday and the Disco on Friday.
My very best wishes.
Take Care
Graham
THURSDAY, 6
NOV.
ST MARY’S MULTI
CULTURAL DAY
MONDAY, 10th NOV.
Year Six Incursion
2
BOOK WEEK 2014
St Mary’s will be celebrating Book
Week next week, Week 3 of Term 4,
20th – 24th October. This year, the
theme is “Connect to reading.”
Once again, we are going to run some
special activities for the children in
order to promote Book Week and
Literacy within the school.
We have 3 authors visiting the
school. On Friday 24th the children
will participate in some Book Week
activities related to the short listed
books and we will also be having a
Book Week FUNNY HAT parade.
The children are encouraged to make
a hat related to a book character or
wear a novelty hat. No plain baseball
caps please.
We hope to make Book Week a very
happy experience for all the children
(and staff…).
NEXT WEEK IS BOOK
WEEK 2014
3
EDUCATION IN FAITH SPHERE
THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION
WE KNOW ABOUT CATHOLIC GUILT, BUT WHAT ABOUT CATHOLIC PEACE AND JOY?
Last Tuesday evening the Level Three students and parents gathered in the upstairs
common area in preparation for the upcoming celebration of First Reconciliation. Fr.
Justin gave a presentation explaining some of the Church doctrine and the history of the
Sacrament before the parents were given information about the ceremony. It was wonderful to
see so many people in attendance.
A few points of interest about the Sacrament of Reconciliation:
•
Reconciliation is a gift given freely by God. We can choose to respond and receive this gift
or not. There are times in all relationships where we need to accept that we have done the
wrong thing, say we are sorry and seek forgiveness. Then we try and make it up to that
person somehow. When we are truly forgiven we feel such relief, joy and love for the
person who has forgiven us. It is exactly the same with God. Whenever we forgive,
whenever we are forgiven, our hearts are changed.
•
Too often in today’s society we see people avoiding responsibility for their actions. We can
tend to forget that we are human and that we all make mistakes and that we will all
continue to make mistakes. Turning to God in the Sacrament of Reconciliation enables us
to restore the peace between God and us, just as the peace can be restored between
family members, friends and work colleagues. The act of verbalising and admitting that we
have committed sin is the first and necessary step for anyone who is trying to restore a
relationship. Previously a lot of emphasis has been placed on Catholic Guilt but have we
been forgetting Catholic Peace and Catholic Joy? Guilt is a necessary step in the process of
forgiveness but we are not meant to dwell on the guilt. We are meant to pass through the
stages of Reconciliation and open our hearts to the peace-filled knowledge that God loves
us more than we can ever imagine.
•
The peace and the joy that comes from knowing the great mercy of God is a wonderful gift.
The prodigal son returning to his father, the shepherd who seeks the lost sheep and then
rejoices when it is found are examples of the way God lovingly enfolds us in his arms the
minute we turn to him.
This is the treasure that the Level Three students will receive on the 30th October, a treasure that
they will have access to for their whole lives. Please pray for these students and their families,
that they may be guided by the Holy Spirit to accept the love and joy and peace of Christ.
Caith Malone REL
4
STUDENT WELLBEING SPHERE
During Week Two of the CASEA Programme the focus of the group was on Feelings.
Children discussed how they identified and expressed their own feelings, and talked
about how to recognise how others are feeling. In particular the importance of
recognising feelings by looking at facial expressions and body language, and listening to
a person’s tone of voice, were discussed. The session also focused on Strong Emotions.
The aim was to assist children in understanding that some emotions are more intense
than others. They also learned to identify how to recognise their body’s “warning
signals” so that they can identify when they are becoming angry.
All children from Foundation Level to Year Three participated in classroom activities
that focueds on identifying and recognising feelings.
Next week: Managing Strong Emotions
BUILDING CHILDREN’S SELF-ESTEEM
Self-esteem is feeling good about yourself. It is important for children feel
good about themselves most of the time. Self-esteem enables children to try
new things, make friends and manage problems they meet along the way.
A sign of low self-esteem is when the child regularly says, “I’m dumb,” “I’m
ugly,” or who believes bad things about themselves. Parents can help children
overcome these negative self- beliefs. Here are some suggestions:
Praise your child – Talk about the things your child does well. If you need to talk about
weaknesses, focus on talking about strengths first. Also, praise your child for trying and
making improvements.
Avoid put downs – If your child hears often enough that she/he is lazy or stupid, she/he will
start to believe it and act accordingly. Encourage your child to think of what she/he does well.
Teach your child to set goals – Help your child to set some goals that
are easy to achieve. Offer encouraging comments and constructive
suggestions along the way.
Talk about making mistakes – Tell your child that it is okay to make mistakes –
we all learn from our mistakes. Help your child to work out his/her own
mistakes, rather than taking control yourself.
Help your child to think realistically – if your child says she/he is not as
good as the other children at school or sport, help him/her to think of things
in a different way. For example, “I might not be the best in the class at
maths, but I’m good at drawing and spelling.”
5
Encourage independence – Show confidence in your child’s abilities by letting your child do
things for themselves as soon as they are ready. This will help develop a sense of
responsibility.
Tell your child you love them – Spending time with you child and being available to them will let
him/her know you value him/her as a person.
Teach your child to be a good friend – Children who feel liked by other children will have higher
self-esteem. Encourage your child to bring friends home to play.
Low self-esteem can be a sign of more serious emotional problems. If your child has been
sad or miserable for a long time, consider seeking professional advice
YEAR SIX GRADUATION CELEBRATIONS WILL BE IN WEEK TEN.
TH
SUNDAY, 7
DECEMBER
At the 10 30 a.m. Parish Mass, our Year Six children accompanied by their 2014 Foundation Year Buddies
will be responsible for the prayers and the readings. At this Mass, the School Choir will lead the singing, and
our Foundation children for 2015 will be welcomed to the Parish. As well morning tea will follow Mass. This
will be co-ordinated by the parent representatives of FCC, FKC, 6SG, and 6CM.
WEDNESDAY, 10TH DECEMBER
“Big Day Out”
“Fun Fields” (Whittlesea)
COST $20.00
THURSDAY 11TH DECEMBER
At the final School Mass at 9.00 a.m. our Year Six children of 2014 will “hand over” their leadership of the
school to the Year Sixes of 2015.
FRIDAY 12TH DECEMBER At 3.25 p.m. the Year Six children conclude their year at St Mary’s.
YEAR 6 PARENTS…....SAVE THE DATE!!
GRADUATION MASS – Friday, 12th December 2014 at 6.00 p.m.
Followed by a GRADUATION CELEBRATION from 7.30 p.m. at Riverside Golf Club for
Year 6 students, parents/guardians & teaching staff
6
SEASONS 2014
This year 11 children attended a grief and loss group called Seasons. This group has
been an important part of our school life for the past 2 years. Sebastian and I have both
been able to share our experiences and express our feelings without being judged. We
have 1 session a week where we all get together and talk about what had happened in the
previous week and if there had been any changes. Often we look into our Seasons
journal, where we complete activities and worksheets. We also get lollies!!
At the end if most sessions we meditate for about five minutes to relax us for when we go
back to class.
This year we went to “Bounce” for an end of year Seasons celebration. We took the 37
tram to the Moonee Ponds Junction, and then a few minutes later we caught the 59
straight to Mathews Avenue. It was a 10 minute walk to Bounce.
When we arrived we all got our bounce socks and started jumping! There were many
areas to play in, like the performance area, where there was a wall to jump on, the slam
dunk area, the free jumping area, the air bag (a big pillow) and dodge ball (our favourite).
Overall the day was a blast, and so was the year so we’d like to say thank you to Mrs Lind
for all her hard work.
By Alex 5NT and Sebastian 5AA
7
STAFF ON LEAVE FOR TERM THREE AND FOUR
th
st
Kathryn Carey (19 September – 21 October
Term Three (Week Ten) – Term Four (Week
Three)
Faye Nardella will be on leave until the conclusion of the 2014 School Year. Faye will be caring for
her unwell husband.
TUCKSHOP CLOSED NOVEMBER 10TH – 30TH.
2014 TERM FOUR – WEEK THREE –
CHILDREN AND BOOK WEEK
th
Monday, 20 October
8.55 a.m.
School Assembly
3 45 p.m.
Walk to School Day, Free Breakfast
Professional Development - Staff Meeting
3.45 p.m.
Professional Development - Staff Meeting
Thursday, 23rd October
9.00 a.m.
School Mass (FCC)
Friday, 24th October
2.00 p.m.
5.00 p.m.
School Assembly (Book Week)
School Disco
Sunday 26th October
10 30 a.m.
The Year Four children are responsible for the readings and
the prayers, and the School Choir leads the singing. Morning
Tea will follow the Mass.
Tuesday, 21st October
nd
Wednesday, 22
October
WORLD TEACHERS’ DAY
2014 TERM FOUR – WEEK FOUR
Monday, 27th October
8.55 a.m.
School Assembly
Social Justice Day
Tuesday, 28th October
a.m.
3.45 p.m.
7.30 p.m.
6CM INCURSION
Professional Development - Staff Meeting
Parish Advisory Board
Wednesday, 29th October
3.45 p.m.
7.00 p.m.
Professional Development - Staff Meeting
Fathers’ Association “Oktoberfest” Marby Football Club
Thursday, 30th October
9.00 a.m.
7.00 p.m.
School Mass (6SG)
“Music Count Us In”
Sacrament of Reconciliation.
a.m.
3.00 p.m.
Interschool Sports
School Assembly (5AA)
st
Friday 31 October
2014 TERM FOUR – WEEK FIVE
Monday, 3rd November
SCHOOL CLOSURE DAY
Tuesday, 4th November
MELBOURNE CUP DAY
th
Wednesday, 5 November
8.55 a.m.
3.45 p.m.
School Assembly
Professional Development - Staff Meeting
Thursday, 6th November
9.00 a.m.
School Mass (6CM)
St Mary’s Multi-Cultural Day
Friday, 7th November
a.m.
3.15 p.m.
Interschool Sports
School Assembly (3TM)
TO ENABLE PLANNING FOR 2015 TO BE FINALISED, PLEASE INFORM THE SCHOOL OFFICE IF YOUR CHILD IS NOT
RETURNING TO ST MARY’S NEXT YEAR (OTHER THAN YEAR SIX). THANK YOU FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION.
8
LEARNING AND TEACHING SPHERE
St Mary’s Talent Show
The auditions started late last term. There were different types of acts such as singing, dancing, acting,
gymnastic acts, cooking and people on the piano.
The judges where Matilda, Dominique, Gemma and Liberty while the speakers were Tommy and George.
The first auditions where great and kicked off the St Mary’s Talent Show very well.
My favourite auditions were Aoife singing Let it Go, Milla and Holland doing gymnastics and Cameron
singing Twinkle Twinkle Traffic Lights.
After three weeks of auditions it was finale time! (I wasn’t here for it though) but the winners where Aoife,
Lucia and Emily.
I watched all of the auditions and found them very interesting. This was my last time watching the St Mary’s
Talent Show as I am going to high school next year. I hope everyone enjoyed it and did well in the Finale!
By Mairead 6 SG
SPECIALIST AWARDS
CLASS
HEALTH & P.E
ITALIAN
PERFORMING
ARTS
FCC
Angus R
Adele A
Adelle A
FKC
Alexandra W
Mary N
Michael M
1JD
Olivia C
Benjamin N
Scarlett M
1VM
Xavier F
Xavier F
Nash M
2MB
Harry F
Harry F
Harry F
2RL
3TM
Orlando G
Zach V-H
Dylan Q
Grace R
3HW
Georgia M
Olivia F
Martin P
4JK
Julia S
Phoebe B
Anthony P
4JM
Semhar A
Semhar A
Katelyn S
5AA
Sara R
Alexander H
Sara R
5NT
Elijah G
Angus H
Xavier H
6CM
Junior P
Elise B
Matthew D
6SG
Mairead L
Dylan D
Daniel M
NO AWARDS THIS
WEEK.
Library
Isabella H
Julia R
BOOK CLUB
October Book Club order forms have been sent home this week.
Could ALL orders be sent back to the school NO LATER than MONDAY 20th OCTOBER
Please make sure that envelopes are CLEARLY labelled with your child's name and class and that the
correct money is enclosed.
Thank you.
ATTENTION EVERYONE !!!!!
On Monday 20th October at our morning assembly we will have a visitor
from the “Lost Dogs Home.”
Her name is Tracey and she will be bringing her dog, Stella, which she
adopted from the lost dogs home. Stella is great with children and may
perform some of her favourite tricks. Tracey will talk about the lost dogs
home, how to take care of dogs and most importantly the puppy factories.
I have been reading a lot about puppy factories and how cruel this is for the dogs/puppies.
I am very interested in raising awareness of puppy factories and also stopping the puppy factories.
Unfortunately a few months ago, the government passed a law which still allows puppy factories to go on.
We should all try to stop these puppy factories by not buying from them.
I will like everyone to sign a petition that says “STOP PUPPY FACTORIES NOW” so that I can send it to the
government. Your support would be much appreciated.
I will be distributing these petitions to every class next week.
9
Annalise 3HW
HIGHLIGHTING LITERACY AT ST MARY’S
FOUNDATION, BRIDGETTE
YEAR ONE, TYRA
THE HAUNTED HOUSE
I see zigzagged lightning blasting in the pitch black
sky. I see broken gold lanterns and a dusty booby
trap under the old spiral staircase.
I hear clocks ticking left and right. I hear were
wolves howling at the blue moon. I hear green and
red zombies and silky ghost making a weird spooky
growling sound.
I feel old torn webs all over the dark black house.
There are all kinds of different cobwebs silky webs
black webs and blue webs. I feel damp wet walls
and water dripping from the roof. I feel zombies
Hands coming out of the old couch.
I smell old blood all over the super dark house. I
smell the gross smell of zombie’s dark red blood. I
smell old rusty skeleton’s bones all around the
brown floor.
I taste disgusting stale air all around the mysterious
room. I taste gross sandwiches on the brown
floating table. I taste sparks of lighting going onto
my dark red tongue.
YEAR THREE, DANIEL
YEAR TWO, AUDREY
How Do You Make Vegetable Soup?
The Three Sisters
Long ago in a far away land there lived three
sisters, Elena, Maria and Kelly and a dog
called Daisy. Every day they went for a
walk.
Vegetable soup is healthy for you, but
how do you make it?
Add any kind of vegetables into a pot of
water and cook them until they are soft.
They should be soft enough to eat
without chewing. They should be ready
to serve at any moment. Don’t forget to
add salt and pepper!
One day when they were going for their
usual long stroll, Wella the wicked witch
scooped them up and flew them really fast
back to their castle and locked them in their
bedroom. They were really upset.
The vegetable soup is so soft and tasty
that you could gobble it up without
chewing it that much. So, what are you
waiting for? Let’s gobble it up!
A week later Elena, Maria, Kelly and Daisy
all of a sudden started to cry. They just
wanted to get out before Wella the ugly
witch came back. Two weeks later the girls
had stopped crying. Then Wella the ugly
witch came in and was about to kill them.
A CINQUAIN POEM
But Wella the wicked witch didn’t know that
the beautiful girls had a bucket of water. So
the smart girls threw the bucket of water at
Wella the ugly wicked witch and she melted.
The girls were so cheerful they sang, “The
wicked witch is dead the wicked witch is
dead.”
Dinosaurs
Giant, hungry
Eating, walking, destroying
Killing dinosaurs for food
Dino
10
YEAR FOUR, LILY
The Wizard
One day I went to my basement which I call my cave. When I went down there I saw a
wizard in black clothes. He had a sparkly and shiny wand. When I went closer I saw he’s
eyes were gold and he was not blinking.
“I am going to take over the world,” he said in a crackled voice. The wizard started
leaving so I tackled him to the ground and he lifted me up and threw me in the corner
and left. I was hurt and scared.
When he left I searched him up online. When I typed the wizard dressed in black with
gold eyes Google said the wizard has been around for a long time. No one has tried to
destroy him and the only way to destroy him is to break his wand.
I ran around my neighbourhood to find him. I found him at the last house, so I quickly
sprinted up to him and I tackled him. I was trying to find his wand but I could not find
it. He laughed and said, “You will never find my wand child.” I thought to myself where
would a wizard hide his wand. Then I saw something pecking out of his hat. It was his
wand! I pulled it out and broke it.
Then the wizard disappeared never was seen again.
YEAR FIVE, MELINA
MINA'S DIARY
Dear Diary,
Today was a very weird day, probably the weirdest day in my life to be honest and this is how it went.
Michael took me to the garage and told me that it would be dirty and dangerous. As we were walking in,
blue bottles and spider webs were falling from the roof. Michael turned to me and told me to "trust him." So I
did.
Michael was worried that I would not be able to see what he could see. Then Michael shone the torch on a
man behind the tea chest. He looked pale in the face, his suit was ripped and dirty. I could see him and
then Michael squeezed my hand tightly. The man looked at us and he said, "Brown Ale. Nectar, drink of the
Gods." We stared at him. I asked him who he was. He said, "Mr Had Enough Of You."
Michael told him about what the Doctor said about Arthritis and then he gave him the Cod Liver Oil
Capsules. I went to go and touch his face, it was cold and dry. I asked him again who he was, and he
replied, "Mr Nobody."
I leaned forward to touch his hands they were so cold it was like they had just been stuck in a bucket of ice.
His hands were as stiff as a statues’, and then I immediately said, "Calcification."
Michael told me to feel his shoulder blades and I did. I was surprised. I felt bumps and lumps. I thought to
myself, what could he be? Then after thirty minutes of us begging him he finally agreed to let us help him.
YEAR SIX, MATTHEW
Freddy’s Journey
There it was, right in front of my eyes. He was about ten metres away from home when another
car came hurtling around the corner and collided into Dad’s car. I was there, the locals were
there. They were devastated. Dad was a big hit to the locals. They all loved him, and to see him
die right in front of you wasn’t a good feeling. No one was nearly as devastated as me though.
The next couple of days were hard. Mum and I weren’t getting along after Dad passed away. We
were having arguments daily. Rusty, my dog, and I went for walks every day. I found it released
11
stress and anger when doing this. We found a nearby train station once, with no one around and
very quiet. In fact all you could hear was the sound
of the wind gusting and the birds’ chirping. From
then on whenever we went walking that’s where we
went.
Rusty and I are best friends. I love him. He’s the
only friend I have, as there are not many kids in my
town. One day I was walking home with Rusty. It
was a longer walk than usual because Mum and I
had an immense fight. We were walking down an
alley when a little red ball dashed over the fence of
someone’s house. A man popped his head over the
fence. “Hello!” he said with a lot of enthusiasm.
“Hello,” I said back. “I’m Jim, but everyone calls me
Old Jim.” I didn’t know the man as I had not walked
down this way before. “I’m Freddy, but everyone
calls me Freddy Jnr.” The man and I had a very
enjoyable conversation. “Well, I better head off.”
“Okay, off you go! Goodbye.” “Bye!” That man
cheered me up, when I got home and marched
through the door I had a big smile on my face,
though mum didn’t notice.
Over the next couple of weeks Old Jim and I spent a lot of time together. He came with Rusty and
I on walks. We played football and cricket in his backyard. Once he even took us to watch the
horse’s race. It was great! One night I brought him home with me. He could tell that mum was
struggling with things around the house. He’d had a lot of experience when it came to housework
from when he was younger, though he was quite old now. Mum and I were a lot happier with Old
Jim around. I think he was the reason we didn’t fight anymore. I guess I could say he was my best
friend, besides Rusty.
One day I walked home with a huge grin on my face, I walked in and mum was in tears. “Freddy, I
have some bad news.” My smile turned into a frown in less than a spilt second. “Last night,” she
let out a little cry, “Last night, Old Jim passed away. He was suffering with cancer this whole
time.” I started tearing up. I just couldn’t hold it in. It didn’t take long before I sprinted to my
room bawling my eyes out. Mum decided to leave me in there for a while until she called me out
for dinner.
A week later mum got a call from a man. When she got off the phone, I asked her who it was. She
didn’t tell me, but she seemed happy about it. A few days later, we heard a knock on our door.
Mum ran to the door to open it. She opened it and there was a man. He looked a lot like Old Jim,
only a bit taller and he had a beard. It was Old Jim’s brother. He came over for Jim’s funeral. He
was over in Ireland, when he heard the bad news. He came straight over, leaving his wife and son.
That week we held the funeral. It was a cold, wet morning and there weren’t many people
around. Not long after Jim’s brother left, Mum and I were getting along like we used to when Dad
was around, helping each other around the house. I even offered for mum to come on the walks
with Rusty and I. It was a way to remember Old Jim because we never want to forget him.
12
LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT
PLEASE NOTE THE SCHOOL WEBSITE HAS BEEN UPDATED WITH THE TERM
FOUR OVERVIEWS AND THE CAMP AUSTRALIA REPORT.
STAFFING NEWS.
This week Caith Malone has accepted a teaching position at Kolbe Catholic College, Greenvale
commencing in 2015.
Rita Murphy has informed St Mary’s that she is concluding her primary teaching at the end of 2014.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Last Thursday, I attended a Student Wellbeing Professional Learning Seminar, “Creating Calm:
Recognising & managing anxiety in the school environment.” The day was led by distinguished
Professor Ron Rapee Department of Psychology and Director of the Centre for Emotional Health
at Macquire University, Sydney.
The day focused on assessment, treatment and prevention of anxiety in children and adolescents
within the school setting. The workshop covered general information on anxiety disorders
including diagnostic criteria, assessment techniques and current research findings on factors that
maintain anxiety and how this links with treatment approaches.
An extremely informative day with lots of food for thought!
Sandra Lind
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE
The following are some of the discussion points from the School Improvement Committee
Meeting of October 15th. The focus of this meeting was on evaluating the present Semester
Report Format, as well as considering recommendations for 2015 written reports. These
recommendations were in the context that there is now a more flexible approach to School
Reports. (Progression Points however are still mandated)
A following is a useful link
http://www.ceomelb.catholic.edu.au/learning-teaching/
•
Nicola and Michael presented to the School Improvement Committee and the staff assisted
with the group discussion. The evening was a Positive meeting, with the Parents
comments often being similar to the staff viewpoint (e.g. reports are time consuming)
Other discussion points.
•
The need for a more consistent link between the Celebration of Learning Folios and the
Semester Report.
•
With links between the Celebration of Learning Folios and Semester Reports, as well as the
presence of students at the Learning Conversations, consideration need to be given to
increasing the discussion time from the present 10 minutes.
Please note the parent comments will be recorded in the School Improvement Committee Meeting
Minutes and distributed to staff, as well as the wider community. At the commencement of the
2015 School year, these comments will be considered as part of the consultation process to
develop our own St Mary’s Catholic Primary School Semester Report Form.
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COMMUNITY
Thank you to the many people who supported the Parents and Friends Sausage
Sizzle at Bunnings last Sunday. Over $1600 was raised. This money will be allocated
to providing the new Year One Classrooms with Interactive Television Screens.
To all the Staff, Parents and Students,
Tracey and Maryanne would like to inform you all that due to
circumstances on a personal level the canteen will be closed from
November 10th until November 30th.
We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
The Canteen will re-open on Monday 1st December.
Thank you for your ongoing support and understanding and look forward
to seeing you all soon.
Kind Regards,
Tracey Doyle & Maryanne Giarrizzo
Our school is taking part in Walk to School on Tuesday 21st October.
Those children that take part in Walk to School Day can enjoy a free breakfast provided by the
Council here at school when they arrive.
Walk to School encourages primary school children to walk to and from school, to highlight the
ways walking improves children’s health and wellbeing.
Walking to and from school can help children get the daily physical activity they need And there are plenty of other benefits. Walking to school can help to reduce traffic congestion,
parking difficulties and the associated environmental impacts.
You might like to:
• walk with your child to and from school and enjoy the chance to talk, help your child learn
road safety skills, and get to know the local neighbourhood together
• arrange for your child to walk with other families or friends, giving them time to socialise
and share their journey
• drive part of the way to school and walk the rest, particularly if you live a long way from
school, or have limited time
• mix it up – if your child enjoys riding their bike or scooter, that’s fine too!
For more information about VicHealth, visit www.vichealth.vic.gov.au.
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NATIONAL HISTORY CHALLENGE
We are pleased to announce that Sachi Debski has won the Primary prize in the National History
Challenge.
Madeleine Piscopo has been awarded a Certificate of Excellence.
We congratulate both girls on their outstanding achievements.
MULTICULTURAL DAY
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6TH
All families should have received a letter last week regarding MULTICULTURAL DAY. Please let
the office know if you didn’t receive yours! DRESSING UP IS OPTIONAL!
Children may dress in traditional costume if they wish OR in colours representing a particular
country or a novel costume, e.g. Chinese lantern!!
All families will receive information regarding a home activity to complete before the day! There will
be no other homework set for students in Weeks 4 and 5.
IT’S GOING TO BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE THE CULTURAL DIVERSITY
OF OUR SCHOOL.
CAROLS IN QUEENS PARK
Our Arts & Culture Team at Moonee Valley City Council is seeking parents and children who love
to sing to join our festive and fun Community Choir.
Choir members will learn new songs, make friends and perform at this years’ Carol’s in Queens
Park Concert on Sunday, 7 Dec, 2014.
Music will be provided and no experience necessary. Below in this NEWSLETTER is an A5 JPEG
flyer about how to get involved.
Rehearsals
When: Thursday 13, 20, 27 November and 4 December, plus a sound check prior to Carols on 7
December
Time: 6.30 p.m. - 8.30 p.m.
Where: Bradshaw Street Community Hall, Essendon
Anyone interested in joining the choir can speak to Erin in the Arts and Culture department at
[email protected] or 8325 1896
URGENT HELP NEEDED FOR CHURCH FLOWERS
We urgently need the help of 2 volunteers to join an established Church Flowers and Cleaning team for St
Mary's Church. The group is currently staffed by some parents from St Mary's, however anyone would be
welcome. The duties are - light cleaning, sweeping and mopping and arrangement of the altar flowers.
Training will be provided if required. At present we have 6 groups which means you would only be
required to help out once every 6 weeks for an hour, usually on a Friday morning, but this is negotiable.
If you can help, could you please leave your details with Lauren at the front office.
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CANTEEN NEWS
To All Staff, Parents and Students,
Hope everyone has enjoyed the warmer weather!
Thank you again for those who have put their names down on our Canteen Roster.
Menu for the Week:
Monday:
Penne Pasta with a Napoli Sauce
Chicken Schnitzel Rolls/Wraps
No Chicken Soup
Wednesday:
Chicken Rice Paper Rolls
Chicken/Beef Mamee Noodle Cups
Chicken Schnitzel Rolls/Wraps
Friday:
Penne Pasta with a Napoli Sauce
No Chicken Soup
Canteen Helpers:
Monday
Pauline McElligott
Kylie Robinson
Wednesday
Shani Kinross
Doris Piscopo
Friday
Donna Melican
Helen Gibson
Thank you everyone for your ongoing support and have a good week. Tracey and Maryanne.
WEEKLY CAKE RAFFLE
TERM 4, 2014
A note is sent home to all members of the “class responsible” a week PRIOR to the rostered date!
DATE
CLASS RESPONSIBLE
Friday October 24th
1JD
Friday October 31st
1VM
Friday November 7th
FCC
Friday November 14th
FKC
Friday November 21st
NO RAFFLE
Friday November 28th
3HW
Friday December 5th
3TM
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COMMUNITY ADVERTISEMENTS
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FUNDRAISER
FOR FRIEND WITH CANCER
PRIVATE SCREENING HOSTED BY RAFFAELLA & JOSEPH LIBRANDI WED.
19TH NOVEMBER, 2014, 7:30 p.m.
VILLAGE CINEMAS - AIRPORT WEST
RATED PG
Thought provoking, it will make you think
about the choices you make and provide food
for thought.
TICKET SALES
ONLY THROUGH
Raffaella Librandi or
by email to:[email protected].
au
NO TICKET SALES ON THE
NIGHT
TICKETS - $20 pp. inc. Value $35
SMALL POPCORN + DRINK INC.
Trailer link
utube link to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMjo5f9eiX8
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MOONEE VALLEY LIBRARIES
Launch: Monday 1st December 4 p.m.
Avondale Heights, Flemington, Niddrie and Sam Merrifield
What’s On For Children:
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Halloween
Thursday 30 October 4.30 p.m.
Avondale Heights, Flemington, Niddrie and Sam Merrifield
Grandparent’s Storytime
Wednesday 22nd October 6.30 p.m. Sam Merrifield
Thursday 23rd October 6.30 p.m. Niddrie
Summer Reading Cub
Join the Summer Reading Club, a great programme to keep kids reading over the summer break.
.
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Junior Golf Lessons & Play… now Indoors!
Say “good-bye” to playing Golf on a ‘windy-wet’ day or a ‘windy-hot’ day.
Give your CHILD the ability to learn how to play GOLF without the distractions of freezing cold winters and
blazing hot summers. Our GOLF CLASSES are all conducted INDOORS.
The Ascot Vale Leisure Centre, (with S.N.A.G GOLF AUSTRALIA), will be introducing a 4 WEEK JUNIOR GOLF ACADEMY, & GOLF
PLAY INDOORS for the very first time. “So we welcome the students of St.Mary’s P.S”.
It’s NEW because the Golf Equipment is new to Australia.
It’s EASIER because the Golf Equipment & Golf Balls are larger, making it easier to HIT.
It’s EXCITING because you need to LEARN & DEMONSTRATE not only putting skills but Chipping, Half-Swing, & Full-Swing
Skills, (and your not just staring at a large TV screen). Overall, we give your child all the Golf’s Skills under ONE ROOF.
To register your child, we will be conducting a FREE GOLF CLASS on SUNDAY, the 26th of OCTOBER, at 1 p.m. The free golf class
will be available till 4 p.m. So allow your child to experience our Golf Equipment and Golf Training Aids. Your child will
also play a round-of-golf...INDOORS! (please come in & try it).
Book at the CENTRE….or…book your FREE GOLF CLASS by calling George on 0425-707-068,
[email protected]. See you Sunday, the 26 of Oct.
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