ENewsletter

VISION STATEMENT

St. Mary's community, with Jesus as our inspiration, aims to educate and nurture the development of the whole child.

MISSION STATEMENTS:

Catholic Culture

As part of St. Mary's Parish, and inspired by our Catholic faith, we care for all people and creation.

Community Engagement

Work in close partnership with families, parish and the Donald community to enhance faith, student learning and well-being.

Learning and Teaching

Provide opportunities for each student to achieve their academic potential in an engaging, contemporary educational environment.

Well-Being

Ensure a child-safe, respectful and inclusive environment that celebrates achievement, promotes dignity and resiliency.

Leadership and Stewardship

Be educators, with a clear sense of purpose and direction, who work collaboratively to deliver quality outcomes for all students.

Prayer

I am a Parent Dear Lord,

Today I ask nothing from you for me.

I pray only that in your Mercy

you would grant my children their needs.

May their lives be long and healthy.

May they achieve all their dreams.

May they always live in a world that is free.

May they be who they were born to be, and

may they never forget they are

Deeply Loved by me.

Amen.

PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE

Welcome

Hello everyone,

This week we celebrated a special milestone. We celebrated 100 days of Prep with a fun filled day organised by Miss. Wren and her helpers. It was great to see Preps dressed up with the whole school and a big thanks to the parents for helping out.

The St. Mary's staff and students would like to welcome Jaxon and his mum Molly and grandparents Steve and Julie to our school this week. Jaxon is in Grade 5 this year.

Our Athletics day is fast approaching and our students have been practising their skills during sport time. We are also keen to see the outcome of our Table Tennis Tournament organised by Mr. Donnellon next week. The staff outcome should be interesting as well.

Coughs, colds and COVID cases are still significant within our community and whilst we would love to have all children at school every day, I thank parents for keeping their children at home when they are presenting with symptoms. If you need to contact your child’s teacher regarding any work that they may be able to do whilst at home, please do so.

PREP OPEN DAY

Next Wednesday, St. Mary's will hold a Prep Open Day at 10:00am to 11:30am for interested parents to come along and engage in our school. If you know of anyone who would like to join in, please feel free to contact the school for more information.

Go well and keep well,

Melissa Drum

TERM DATES

Wednesday August 3rd - Prep Open Day 1

Monday August 8th - Celebrating Father Gerry's birthday

Friday 12th August & Monday 15th August - School Closure Days

Wednesday 17th August - Prep Open Day 2

Friday August 19th - Athletics Sports at Donald

Tuesday August 23rd - Book Week Dress Up Day

Wednesday & Thursday August 24th & 25th - School Review

Thursday September 1st - Life Saving Victoria Incursion

Friday September 2nd - Father's Day Breakfast

Thursday 8th September - Feast Day Mass at the Church

Friday September 9th - Donald High School Fete

100 DAYS OF PREP

WOW! What a fantastic day we had yesterday to celebrate the Preps having been at school for 100 days.

The day started with a very entertaining assembly attended by staff students and parents, who were all suitably dressed for the occasion.

Everyone went to a great effort to make themselves look like they were 100 years old. Each year level paraded in front of those assembled and the best dressed received a book and a block of chocolate, suitably adorned with the number 100!

Staff also paraded and were awarded a prize for the best dressed.

The Junior room then returned to their classroom where they continued celebrations with activities and morning tea. Thank you to the parents that participated in the activities.

Congratulations to everyone that dressed up for the day and thankyou to Miss Wren for her organisation.

Book Week 2022

Book Week:

The theme for this year is: Dreaming with eyes open…

Book week this year runs from August 22nd 2022, to August 26th, 2022. During this time all classes spend time each day celebrating books and Australian children's authors and illustrators. The highlight of book week is on Tuesday 23rd August where students are invited to dress as their favourite book character with a whole school parade where our community is able to attend.

Who will you dress up as? Hmmm.....think about favourite characters from a well loved book or maybe a nursery rhyme character.

ST. MARY'S FACEBOOK PAGE

St Mary's now has its own Facebook page. The purpose is to post items such as special events that are upcoming or things that have already happened.

It is not to replace the Skoolbag App, but just another way of connecting with our school community and the broader community.

Please make an effort to follow our page and see what goes on at our wonderful school.

Look for the photo of the school!

ASSEMBLY

Assemblies will be held on Friday afternoons from 3.00pm in the Multi-Purpose Room.

At assembly we will have a liturgy, do our weekly presentations and celebrate all that is good about St. Mary's School.

Families and friends are most welcome to attend each assembly.

STUDENTS OF THE WEEK

Senior Room - NULLAH

Middle Room - MAX

Junior Room - EMMA

ARTIST OF THE WEEK

This week's Artist of the Week is.....LIBBY

FOOTY FUN IN CHARLTON

Link to register

https://www.playhq.com/afl/register/041888

OUR DIOCESAN COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER

ODC Newsletter Link

https://www.ballarat.catholic.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/ODC-July-2022-web.pdf.

What to do in the event of a COVID-19 exposure or a positive result?

A student tests positive to COVID-19, either through RAT or PCR test

Isolate at home or in private accommodation for 7 days (inclusive of weekends) and do not attend school during this period.
Inform the school that they have tested positive to COVID-19.
A negative test result is not required to return to school following completion of 7 days of isolation.
Follow the Checklist for COVID cases located at: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/checklist-cases

STUDENT ABSENCE NOTIFICATION

Under Department of Education Regulations, typically the only acceptable reasons for absence from school are illness and medical or dental appointments that cannot be arranged outside of school hours. It is a legal requirement that parents contact the school regarding any student absences or lateness.

In the event of any absence, a brief note, phone call, or SMS text explaining the reason is required. This must be done before 9:30am.

Any absences not advised by 9.30am, will be followed up via SMS or phone call.

The number to use for text messages regarding your child’s absences is 0418 701650. Absences may also be advised via the form on the Skoolbag App., via telephoning the school, or by email.

VICTORIAN EDUCATION ATTENDANCE GUIDELINES:

During 2017 the Minister for Education reviewed the Attendance Guidelines. An updated Attendance Guideline document has been completed. A copy of the full document will be placed on the School App and Website.

· Schools must advise parents/guardians of unexplained absences on the same day, as soon as practicable.

· In accordance with the Education and Training Reform Act 2006, schooling is compulsory for children and young people aged from 6-17 years.

· Families are reminded that they can use the School App to record absences, ring the school from 8.30am on 54971116 or 0418 701650 or email principal@smdonald.catholic.edu.au

Please note that if you have not contacted the school by 9.30am to advise of your child/children’s absence, the school will make contact with you, either by a telephone call or a text message.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY

We acknowledge the Dja Dja Wurrung people as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of this land. We pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging. We thank them for sharing their cultures, spiritualities and ways of living with the land in this place we all now call home.

St Mary's School Donald Newsletter

Term 3 Week 3 2022