Mary Immaculate Primary Newsletter

Term 4 Week 7: Monday 23rd November 2020

Principal's Message

Dear Parents and Carers,

This week our student leaders for 2021 present their speeches for consideration for leadership roles. We wish them all the best and congratulate them for all they have done so far. 

The Year 5 group were finally able to go on camp recently and had a wonderful experience. It was truly a blessing that we could make that happen for them. 

We are gearing up for our Year 6 graduation and masses. Due to the pandemic we have had to split the celebration into two events but we are very pleased   to be able to have families involved at all! Like our families we continue to do what we can for our students in the current environment.

MAI student interviews are to be held at the beginning of 2021 and the online booking site is in preparation. Please note the start dates as below.

This week, our new electronic sign will be installed replacing the one on the front corner of the school. As well the new primary playground amphitheatre will be constructed in the coming weeks. This will be a great addition for our students to better use that area.

This morning we had 33 students require a late pass for being brought to school after the school bell time. That is far too many and this needs rectification immediately. We have several families who are habitually late at the front gate let alone the two other entrances. Simply put, students need to be at school on time. It is the parents responsibility. I expect immediate and significant improvement in this matter.

 With appreciation for your ongoing support,

Stephen Dowd

Principal

Upcoming Dates

Wednesday  9th December Swimming Carnival for competitive swimmers
Wednesday 9th DecemberKinder 2021-  Meet the Teacher
Thursday 10th December Years 1-6 - Meet the Teacher
Wednesday 16th December Last day of school year for students
Friday 11th December 2020MAI Online Booking will open up at 6:30pm
Wednesday 27th & Thursday 28th January 2021MAI interviews for Years 1 - 6
Wednesday 27th, Thursday 28th & Friday 29th January 2021MAI interviews for Kindergarten 
Friday 29th January 2021First day for Years 1 to Years 6
Monday 1st February 2021First day for Kindergarten 

Learning at MIPS

High School Week Reflection

“High School Week was a great experience. It helped us prepare for next year. The best part was the maths because we got to learn how to do Year 7 style algebra.” Campbell S

“It helped us to realise that if we work hard in class we get less homework. It was great to see the kind of work we will do in Year 7 and 8. ” Alex M

“I liked carrying my bag around all day because it made us responsible for our own things. I also liked the Open Learning.”  Matthew D

“I liked the sewing because I learnt a new skill.”  Avana S

“I liked High School Week because we got to do different subjects like Food Technology.”  Harrison H

“It was a fun learning experience. I liked the Food Tech, Ancient History and Design and Technology."  Gabrielle F 

NUMERACY IN THE EARLY YEARS - NUMERACY @ HOME

Families are children's first educators of mathematics. Children's knowledge and confidence in understanding and using Mathematics can be supported through the rich experiences of everyday life. The ‘Numeracy @ Home’ website is a wonderful resource that has videos, tip sheets, a blog, and a facebook feed. If you are looking for ways to link Mathematics to real life situations at home this site is for you! Encourage,  explore, investigate and best of all,  have conversations to promote the explanation of thinking and reasoning. 

MATHS OLYMPIAD TEAM 2020

Congratulations to our Stage 3 MIPS Maths Olympiad team. Each competition was made up of complex questions that provided a high level of challenge and required higher-order thinking skills. The competition provided students with the opportunity to solve mathematical problems in a creative manner - as opposed to simply reaching a solution using a prescribed method. 

This year due to the impact of COVID on face-to-face attendance at school,  this competition was held locally among the students at MIPS rather than with other schools. 

Congratulations to the following students in the MIPS team;

Gurekum D, Erik S, Piper B, Lillian D, David G, Nihal G, Ryan C, Aarya K, Bhavjot S, Evan P, Geo J, NJ B, Zacharia K, Darrell S, Lucas W, Samuel R, Alaysha G, Kanav S, Sebastian T, Spencer W, Levi F, Jayden P 

A special congratulations to Samuel R for being the highest-scoring competitor!

Latest News

Book Fair closed

Our MIPS Book Fair was a great success, thanks to the wonderful support all parents and staff involved!

As the Book Fair is now closed, no more orders are being received through the office. There are a few items on back order, so if your child is still expecting part of your order, it will be delivered this week or next.

Thank you for your support!

Mrs Behrens and Mrs Belcastro

Health Alert: Chicken Pox

We have today been notified of at least one student having a Chicken Pox diagnosis. The student is in Year 4. The NSW Health Department communicable fact sheet is shared for your information.

http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/chickenpox.aspx

Congratulations Ruby!

We congratulate Ruby B from 3G for her Art Work Entry. Ruby took part in an Art Program that is an initiative of the Children’s Hospital Westmead with the NSW Department of Education.

This year Ruby was selected along with 502 artists from over 140 primary and high schools across NSW. The artworks were displayed at The Newington Armoury Gallery, Sydney Olympic Park from 15th October - 15th November.

Ruby was very honoured to be a part of such a special exhibition and have her work displayed. She received a Certificate for her Koala art Entry and shared in the celebration with her Year 3 classmates and teachers.

Well Done Ruby!!

Uniform Shop

Dear Parents/Guardians,

The last delivery for school uniforms will be Friday 11th December 2020. The first delivery of 2021 will be Friday 29th January 2021.

A friendly reminder that all orders are to be placed on the QKR app by MasterCard. Please download the app, search your school and follow the prompts. 

The uniform shop will not be open during the school holidays.

Please place your orders prior to the dates above to ensure you have a uniform to start the 2021 school year.  

PLEASE NOTE: OZ FASHIONS GRANVILLE DOES NOT SELL YOUR SCHOOL UNIFORM IN STORE. 

Any concerns please email elle@ozfashions.com.au

Kind regards,

Elle 

Absent Explanation Reminder

If your child is sick or absent you are required to notify the school. All explanations for absences must be provided within 7 days of the first day of any period of absence. 

Absences can be explained using one of the following methods:

  • Online: log the absence directly using (Skool Bag App)
  • Email: the school at mimmac@parra.catholic.edu.au
  • Telephone: the school office ph. 9933 7800
  • Note sent with your child

    • Where an explanation has not been received within the 7 day timeframe or the explanation has not been accepted, the school will record the absence as unexplained or unjustified on the student’s record. The school will not be able to accept explanations which are not received within the 7 day timeframe. 

    Be Covid Safe

    Please remember, all students who have flu-like symptoms must have a Covid test and the results need to be sent to the school email mimmac@parra.catholic.edu.au before they can return to school.

    Please visit the  NSW Health website for symptoms of Covid-19 and further information. 

    Leaving Student Form

    If you intend to withdraw your child from Mary Immaculate Primary School please download, complete and return the leaving student form as soon as possible.

    Note that there is a 10 school week notice period otherwise a full term's fees will be payable.

    One exception is that notice in writing will be accepted at any time during Term 4 in relation to the following year’s enrolment.

    Download

    Message from P&F

    2020 Christmas Raffle

    The MIPS Parents & Friends Association invite all our families to participate in this year's Christmas Raffle ONLINE. 

    This year there will be no physical tickets.

    Please use the link to purchase your raffle tickets.

    https://www.trybooking.com/BMZDW

    Message form COSHC

    Vacation Care

    Mary Immaculate Vacation Care

    Community News

    ​Mary Immaculate Catholic Church Quakers Hill ~ Schofields

    Happy Retirement Tru!

    For 11 years School Crossing Supervisor, Tru, kept students and their families from Mary Immaculate Primary School and Barnier Public School safe as they crossed the Barnier Drive Pedestrian Crossing.

    We thank Tru for her dedication to her role and for always having a friendly smile on her face every morning and afternoon, regardles of the weather.

    We wish Tru all the best in her move to Bathurst to be closer to her children and grandchildren. 

    We warmly welome Panda who will be taking over as Barnier Drive School Crossing Supervisor in a few weeks time. 

    Year 7 Enrolments

    Community Advertising

    "Please understand we are happy to support local businesses and programmes. However, the following notices are supplied for community information.
    This by no means surmounts to an endorsement by the school." (Principal, Mr Stephen Dowd)

    Download the SkoolBag App

    https://moqproducts.com.au/skoolbag/installation-instructions/

    At Mary Immaculate we communicate with parents via the free Skoolbag app that is available from both the App Store and Google Play Store. Skoolbag can be installed on any iOS (iPad or iPhone) or Android device. Downloading the app means you immediately receive updates and reminders to your mobile phone or ipad. Remember to subscribe to your child's Year Group so that you will receive messages relevant to their year.  Instructions on how to download the Skoolbag App are available via this link.

    Mary Immaculate Primary Quakers Hill