Dear families,
We’ve reached the end of another week.
I cannot begin to comprehend that Lent begins next Wednesday!
I know the teachers are planning an exciting Shrove Tuesday. I am personally looking forward to getting into classrooms at just the right time on that day.
Enrolments
We have opened enrolments for Prep 2023.
If you have children due to commence in the next 3 years, especially next year, please fill out this form to help us determine the number of places available for 2023 and beyond.
You will also be able to indicate if you’d like us to send home an enrolment form. Please note, there is no need to fill out an application form for enrolments beyond next year as these forms are often altered from year to year from MACS (Catholic Education).
If you know of any families who are looking for a school in 2023, please direct them to our website.
COVID Restrictions
We are still awaiting the next delivery of RATs. At the time of this eNews going live, we have not yet received word about when this will happen. Families will have enough tests to take you into next week.
Compulsory masks wearing for Years 3-6 looks set to remain in place until the end of term. Please remember that if your child has an exemption, you will need to inform us of this in writing.
Parent Input requested
Enhancing Catholic School Identity
Instructions were shared via Operoo last week. If you have any trouble accessing the survey, please let me know and I can take you through the steps.
I encourage you all to take the time to complete this survey as it provides us with information from various sources (parents, teachers and students) on the type of school we are within the context of Catholic identity. We rigorously examine this data and it helps us set goals for the next review period.
Values work
By next week our students in Years 3-6 will have explored and voted for the values that they feel are most important to them at St Mary’s.
If you have not already done so, you are encouraged to do the same by casting your vote here.
When determining the values that are most important to you, we ask that you choose values that encapsulate both the type of person you believe we should be nurturing as well as the type of learner we should be aspiring to develop.
Once we collate student, parent and staff responses we will select the top 4 and begin to explore the people who embody these values to decide on who we feel best represent these for our community.
Exciting times ahead!
Fees and Levies
We have finalised the levy rebate that will be allocated to each level, based on the amount that was spent on camps, excursions and incursions last year. This amount will either be deducted from last year’s amount (if you have any still owing) or credited to this year’s amount.
We are expecting to send invoices home by the end of next week.
Maintenance
The toilets outside the netball court will be refurbished over the Term 1 holidays. Students will return in Term 2 to beautifully renovated bathrooms.
We will also be erecting a new shade sail outside the Hall. This work will commence in early May and will be predominantly funded by the Government grant that was offered to many Victorian schools.
Have a wonderful weekend,
Sonia
AFL Victoria would like to extend an invitation to female students aged 6 to 12 years old at St. Mary's to take part in a free Junior Girls AFL Footy 4 Fun Program.
AFL Victoria would like to extend an invitation to female students aged 6 to 12 years old at St. Mary's to take part in a free Junior Girls AFL Footy 4 Fun Program. This is a free program that focuses on giving girls (turning 7-12 years old in 2022) the opportunity to play modified games in a fun and safe environment. AFL Staff will also go over the basic skills of the game with the participants. No previous AFL experience is required.
These programs will take place in Altona Meadows (Altona Green) & Williamstown (Bayview Reserve) on March 8th & 9th respectively after school from 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Click here for more information
The Vietnamese Association in Hobsons Bay is hosting a Recycling Exhibition from March 12-24 as a result of our Zero to Hero program in 2020.
During the pandemic, despite the challenging situation, they have completed a set of five mascot artworks then proposing a set of five Children's books that promote recycle, reduce, reuse, repurpose, and refuse in action.
These creative mascot designs will leave an amazing impression to all and the five book titles that we have committed to produce will inspire kids to reduce, reuse, refuse, repurpose and recycle in their own home or at school.
Click Here for an invitation for their 5Rs Recycling exhibition and look forward to greeting you all at our community launch.