St. Mary's eNews

Week 5 Term 1


Principal's Message 25 February 2022

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



School Photos

The School photos have been confirmed for Tuesday 1st March!

  All students are to come to school in full summer uniform.

  If students have PE on the day, please just bring your runners in your school bag to change into.
Class, individual and family photos will be taken as well as Student Leader and JSC photos.

Please read...
School Photos Ordering Information

Book Fair

Unfortunately, with the current restrictions still in place it means that our Book Fair will not be open before and after school. However, children will still have a walk-through tour with their class, where they can write a Wish List.
An additional Wish List will also be sent home or you can click here to view and print the Wish List.

To purchase books, please send your child's Wish List back to school with either cash or a printed receipt (if paid online). 

The Book Fair will be "open" for orders from Tuesday 8th March till Wednesday 16th March.   

Thanking you for your ongoing support,
Beryl (Book Club) and Milly (Library)

Literacy: SMART Spelling

On Wednesday some of our Year 1/2 teachers (Nancy Leone, Rhona Cloud, Veronica Tucker, Alessandra Sottile) attended a SMART Spelling professional development session to learn how to implement the spelling program use at the school. At St Mary's, we have been using this program for several years. Created by Michelle Hutchinson, it is a systematic approach to spelling using letter and sound patterns. Students from years 1 to 6 choose their words each week, taking their practice sheet home to complete each night to consolidate their learning. It fits in perfectly with our Little Learners Love Literacy program and the teachers are excited to get it up and running with their students. 

You can read more about the program here: https://www.smartspelling.com.au/ 


Brenda Lycke
Literacy Leader
blycke@smaltona.catholic.edu.au

Class News

Each week we update the CLASSES tab on the home page.  Click on each class level tab to see what's happening around the school.
Prep 

Year 1/2
Year 3/4
Year 5/6



Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage



Congratulations to...

the following students who will represent St. Mary's and the Altona District at the Divisional Swimming Carnival on 16th March. Well done - Charlie W, Thomas, Harry, Sophie, Kayla, Miller, Keira, Isabelle, Eilidh and Minh-Phi.
Good luck on the 16th March.

Mount St. Joseph News

Tour and Open Day information as well as the Class of 2021 VCE Results!
BOOK A TOUR

Visiting our College is a great way to explore our dynamic learning spaces and experience learning in action. Places are limited, so don't delay.

Please visit our website to register for one of our advertised dates.


OPEN DAY - 10am to 2pm

Sunday 1 May

OPEN MORNINGS - 9:15am to 10:30am

Thursday 3 March
Thursday 24 March
Thursday 9 June
Thursday 28 July
Thursday 11 August

We look forward to meeting you!

For all enquiries, please contact Sherri Collins: registrar@msj.vic.edu.au
www.msj.vic.edu.au
133 Maidstone Street, Altona
(03)8398 2000


CLASS OF 2021 VCE RESULTS

31 Median Study Score

45 study scores above 40 (Top 95 of the state)

34.8% students with an ATAR above 80

Click here for more results, including the VCE College DUX!



What is an ATAR?

The Australian Tertiary Admissions Ranking (ATAR) is not a score out of 100 –
it is a rank. It shows a student's achievement in relation to other students. For
example, a student with rank of 97.85 has performed better than 97.85% of
others in the state that year.
What is a study score?
What is a study score? A study score is a rank of all Victorian students in that
subject out of 50.A study score of 40 places you in the top 9% of students in the
state.

APPLY NOW

Students wishing to attend Mount St. Joseph Girls’ College for Year 7 in 2024
should apply in Grade 5 of their primary school education.

Applications for Year 7 in 2024 are now open. Apply online via the College
website. The closing date for applications is Friday 19 August 2022.
For application to Years 8-12, there is no application closing date, but vacancies are limited and waiting lists may apply.

For all enquiries, please contact Sherri Collins: registrar@msj.vic.edu.au
www.msj.vic.edu.au
133 Maidstone Street, Altona
(03)8398 2000

Footy4Fun

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



Community News

Have a look at this weeks Community News. We have news from Emmanuel College, our Church bulletin, information on joining girls' Netball,  onsite music lessons, Williamstown Community News, and a Recycling Exhibition.
Church Bulletin

Emmanuel College News

Netball Program

Music Lessons

Williamstown Community News


                                                                                                                Recycling Exhibition


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.





We would also like to thank Mancini Real Estate for their continuous support to St Mary's Altona


                                                                              

Enrolments for 2023 Preps

Calling all 2023 Preps...school tours are happening over the coming weeks and enrolments are being accepted now.  

Head to the Enrol tab on our homepage for further information.

Please contact the office if you would like an enrolment pack sent home.





Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage