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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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One of the most exciting aspects of parenting is watching your child grow and change. From the first weeks of life, children begin a journey, one that is marked by all kinds of milestones – baby’s first smile, sitting unaided, first words, first steps and the list goes on.

The transition in the short space of months from a tiny creature who seems to do nothing but sleep and feed to one with a distinct personality and multiple abilities is truly amazing.

You will soon be facing other important transitions with your children: the transition into primary school and/or the transition into secondary school as well as class to class transition. Research tells us that the transition points relating to a child’s education are some of the most important stages in life and can have far-reaching impacts on their wellbeing and success both in learning and in their later life.

The Student Wellbeing Hub has produced this very interesting article titled Understanding key transition points during childhood and adolescence to help you navigate this potentially tricky time. 

If you are concerned about your child's upcoming transitions, please don't hesitate to contact us. 

Regards
Marg Masseni
Wellbeing Leader

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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The Cyber Safety Project team are running a series of free webinars in Term 4, the next being on 9th November at 7.30pm.  The topic for the webinar is Frist Mobile Phone (also suitable for First Tablet/iPad).  The webinars are designed for both children and parents to attend. Insights are pitched at 10 - 15 year olds and there are interactive activities to participate in throughout.  It's free to register via their events page.

The webinar will be run by Trent Ray who is well known to our students because of his many visits to the school when we have had our Cyber Safety Project incursions. The second panelist will be Luca Gennai, a Cyber Security Officer.

We are sure they will have a wealth of information for you.

Regards
Marg Masseni
Wellbeing Leader

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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It’s nearly time for the St Mary's P&F Glow Disco 2022!
Got the moves?….Prove it, put your boogie shoes on and bop ‘til you drop!

  Follow the call of the Disco ball…..
The school Disco will be held on:

Thursday 17 th November.
Prep- Grade 2: 5pm to 6.45pm
Grade 3-6: 7pm to 8.45pm

*Grade 3’s* have the option to attend either the 5pm or 7pm session
Tickets are $10 each and includes a glow stick.

Available for purchase at: www.trybooking.com/CDSDM

Extra glow sticks are available for purchase on the night.
Funds from the event will go towards funding the new Sensory Garden.
This event is proudly brought to you by the P&F (Parents and Friends Committee).

To help the event run smoothly we will be putting a call out for volunteers on Operoo.

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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For this weeks Community News we have the Church Bulletin, Emmanuel College news and their Open Day information, Hobsons Bay Childrens' Week, and Music Lessons here on campus.
Emmanuel College News

Church Bulletin 

Hobsons Bay Childrens Week

Emmanuel College Open Day (Notre Dame Campus)

Emmanuel College Open Day (St. Pauls Campus)

Music Lessons

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


             

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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Maths Information Evening for Parents 
Tuesday 8th November 7pm An Information Evening on how we are implementing our strategic plan to improve student learning in Maths, how this informs our learning systems including reporting to parents, examples of what happens in the classroom and opportunity for parent questions.
Child supervision available.

Please reply in this form if you are intending to attend. Also, please indicate if you need child supervision.

Tony Freeman
Maths Leader
tfreeman@smaltona.catholic.edu.au

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Please email Ms Sottile if you are able to help out.  We need some extra help with set up from 8am.  asottile@smaltona.catholic.edu.au

 

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As you may have heard from your children, this year our school is participating in Socktober for Mission Month. We are partnering with Catholic Mission to invite our students to connect with young people experiencing challenges in the developing world through education and the world game of soccer.

This year, our collective fundraising efforts will support vulnerable children in Ethiopia who are experiencing food insecurity and malnutrition. One example of what we are supporting is the Deberety Farm project in Emdibir, four hours from the capital, which aims to address these issues, primarily by raising goats that produce life-giving milk for infants who are most at risk.

As a school, we can contribute in a special way, but only if all our stars jump onboard. I’d like to invite you to take a moment to sign your child/ren (please don’t accidently register in your name) up for Socktober so they can join their friends and make a difference for children in need in Ethiopia. It takes only a few minutes. If you are concerned about sharing your details to sign up, you are welcome to use the school’s phone number/address if required.

We would love it if all children at St Mary’s signed up to make a difference but we understand if you feel this is not something you are comfortable with or can accommodate right now. All children will be exploring the work of Catholic Mission as a part of their classroom curriculum this term as we focus on our mission as Catholics and how we can be more Christ like in our response to modern day social justice issues such as the problems faced in Ethiopia.

 

Click SIGN UP now and don’t forget to link your child’s individual page to our school page so we can track how we go as a school.

 

The fundraising can be shared around by inviting family and friends to sponsor the goals your child/ren kick. Goals can be found in four pre-set Goal Packages after you sign up. Choose one package and work through the goals, or set your own goals at home.  It has been wonderful to see some of our senior students already registering and collecting sponsorships and donations for achieving their goals.

You’ll be asked to pick a fundraising target when you register. Whatever your child/ren raises towards this target can support the basic needs of vulnerable children in Ethiopia and around the world, such as food, clean water, healthcare, and education. You might choose from one of the targets below:

 

$35 can help towards the construction of the shaded area for the goats at the Deberety Farm.

$77 can help to cover the food, medicine and care for the farm animals for 2 weeks

$135 can help to support the stipend of a caretaker for the goats for three months.

$476 can help provide scholarships for two children at the Lideta Catholic Cathedral School in Addis Ababa

 

Later in Term 4, we’ll have a chance to come together at our school’s Socktober Event Day, where the children will be able to literally kick goals for good during a Socktober Shootout. This is a fun and educational day, and you will be invited to join us if you are able.

 

We will keep you updated in school newsletters as we continue to build momentum towards our Socktober Event with the exact date to be released soon.

 

Thank you for your support and for helping your child/ren kick goals for good.

 

Yours in Faith,

 

Matthew Taylor

Leader of Religious Education

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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