Dear families,

I trust you have had a good week.

It’s been a busy, productive week with everyone back and swimming lessons having commenced for our P-2 students. What a thrill it’s been to have had a full, undisrupted, mad week!

As preparations ramp up towards the end of the school year, it is with mixed emotions that I formally announce that Mrs Olive Chodowski will be retiring at the end of this year.
Mrs Chodowski has made such a lasting impression on so many families in our community since she began teaching at St Mary’s in 1990. I don’t know any other educator this close to retirement, who would have stuck to teaching given what the last 2 years of learning have looked like. This alone is testament to the kind of person Olive is.  I know you will join me in thanking Olive for her commitment to her students over these many years. Olive, it has been a pleasure working with you over the last 18 months. Your honesty has been welcomed and refreshing and the way you have supported me in my initiation into principalship will not be forgotten. May your future be filled with lots of golf, feasts with friends and the making of beautiful memories as you prepare to welcome your first grandchild in the new year.

With Olive leaving, I am pleased to announce that we have hired a new staff member. Mr Wil Robinson-Marks (known as Mr Marks) will join our teaching staff in 2022. He comes to us from Kingsville.

Tomorrow, we will be celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation with our Year 6 students. We are thrilled to be able to go ahead with the celebration without a cap on numbers. This means that our students can have as many vaccinated family members as they wish to attend this very special occasion.
I ask the Lord to bless them as they strengthen their relationship with our God.

This Sunday, our Church begins preparing for the celebration of our Christ’s birth with the First Sunday of Advent.

This week’s Readings lead us to contemplate how we are going to prepare, grow and change during this Advent season.

Through the power of prayer during this Season, may we open ourselves to allow Jesus to transform us in readiness to accept Him this Christmas.

Have a wonderful weekend,

Sonia

During Advent we are called to prepare ourselves for the coming of Jesus.   It provides a wonderful reminder to share our presence every day through a letter, a visit, a phone call, or a conversation – something that helps warm and transform someone else’s life. 

We are currently holding our St Vincent de Paul Christmas appeal, another way you can help those in need. 

Christmas can be a very stressful and tough time for many people who are experiencing poverty, loneliness and hardship. 

Donations of toys, Christmas items, longlife foods etc may be sent in with the children as each class has been allocated a basket to fill. Alternatively, donations may be dropped off at the office.

Your gift could change lives.  Through your support, many individuals and families will be able to have the Christmas they deserve, a Christmas of hope and joy.  

Yours in Faith
Matthew Taylor

Leader of Religious Education
mtaylor@smaltona.catholic.edu.au

As we enter into the final month of the school year (I can’t believe it either), it’s time to think about avoiding the ‘summer reading slide’. 

Over the summer, it’s important to keep up a reading routine with your children that is easy to manage and enjoyable. Here are some tips to instill the love of reading and literature into your family routines:

• Read together and discuss the information you’ve read 
• Set an example - during down time, pick up a book yourself
• Let your children read what they want for enjoyment - tap into their interests, this could include cook books, newspapers, magazines and graphic novels as well 
• Read signs and packaging in shops, traffic signs, signs posted on hiking trail etc
• Create a summer scrapbook to record events and fun outings, collect brochures along the way (also helpful for those with ‘Holiday Recount Writer’s Block’ at the start of the school year)
• Celebrate finishing a book - draw the character, make cookies or treats around the theme of the book, act out a favourite scene or create it with Lego
• Write letters or emails - have your child write letters to family or friends
• Schedule a daily reading time
• Subscribe to magazines 
• Make your own book about a family trip or event or daily life 
• Visit the library

This year Hobsons Bay Libraries are running a BIG SUMMER READ Challenge. 

What is the Big Summer Read?
The Big Summer Read is a fun way to keep you reading during the summer holidays. Using an app called Beanstack, you can track your reading and compete for prizes. The student in Hobsons Bay who reads the most books will win a $300 grand prize!

How do I sign up?

I’ve attached the instructions on how to sign up for the challenge below. There is also a paper tracking sheet that can be submitted for those who do not wish to use the app. Hobson's Bay Libraries

When?

Registration has started now with the challenge running from December 1st to January 31st!

Sign up today and let your teacher know that you are enrolled, I have prizes for the first 50 students at St Mary’s who sign up. 

Some of the staff will be tracking our summer reading too (not in the competition but we’d love to see if you can beat us!) - so let the competition begin!

Click here to read more about it.
Sign up information

Please feel free to email me with any questions

Brenda Lycke

Literacy Leader

blycke@smaltona.catholic.edu.au