Dear families,

It has been a wonderful and equally tiring first week back.

The children have settled beautifully into their new classes and seem to be having a lovely time learning all about what this year will bring as a new class and cohort.

 

Our new uniforms are looking spiffy! Please check out our Uniform FAQ article in this eNews. We will continue to feature these FAQs as we iron out any uncertainty that comes with change.

It’s always an exciting time, probably my favourite time of the school year. Even though it has been a long time since I was a class teacher, it is still the part I miss most about being in leadership. Missing out on that crucial, special time of year when you start to build new relationships and expectations with your new class. I am sure to get my fill by visiting the rooms every day and re-learning where students are for the year.

Next week class teachers will meet with parents for our annual “Getting to know you chats”. These chats are invaluable as they are an opportunity for you to share any important information about your child that will help their teacher set up a successful year of learning.

In the coming months, I intend to once again run some parent feedback sessions as I did when I first commenced (and when COVID restrictions eventually allowed). These chats are a great opportunity to share your thoughts about our school. I’d love to hear about what you think is working well and perhaps some improvements or inclusions to consider. Stay tuned for dates.

In family news, we missed a new birth during last term. Congratulations to Angelina in Seniors for becoming a big sister last October. Baby Aria was born to Zeze and Darren. We wish the family our best.

Looking forward to a fantastic year of learning and growing.

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

 

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As we navigate through the transition to our new school uniform, we will continue to share uniform information through our eNews. Please contact us or Noone’s if you have any questions.

What colour socks do students wear with the new uniform?

The new school uniform features navy socks. This includes both the regular and sports uniform.

Students who are slowly transitioning to the new uniform have the option of still wearing white socks, but once students are in the full new uniform, it is expected that they wear navy socks.

Can my child wear the skort as part of the regular uniform (not sports uniform)?

The skort is only a part of the sports uniform. If students prefer to wear a skirt as part of their school uniform, there is a skirt option available for students in Years 4-6.

It’s a cold day but it’s summer. Can my child wear their winter uniform?

We have now moved to a system that does not have a strict summer and winter uniform. Children have the option of choosing from various pieces.

Our pieces are designed to be used as a capsule/wardrobe style where your child can mix and match according to the weather, preferences, and daily activities (eg some children don’t like to wear a dress if they intend to play on the monkey bars, some choose to wear shorts all year round)

The only stipulation we make is that the Sports Uniform is to be worn on your child’s class sports days. 

As you can see from the photo below, a (gorgeous!) selection of our Prep students are in various versions of our uniform today and our lovely Despina is in her new winter uniform today. 

I noticed there is not the option to purchase a legionnaire’s hat. Will this be a future consideration?

We have contacted Noone’s who will now add this to our list. We will let you know when it is available.

Noone’s did not have art smocks available. Will these be added?

Yes. We have asked Noone’s to include an art smock. Families are not obliged to buy this. You are free to supply your own. A plastic-based one is preferred as it is easy to clean and doesn’t bleed through to the uniform.

Can I buy one pair of shorts that are worn on both regular and sports days?

Our academic shorts are a different material to the sports shorts, so if your child prefers shorts you will need to buy both.

Do I need to buy the puffer jacket, soft shell and windcheater?

No. You are free to choose any of these as the outerwear option for your child. Some parents have bought both the windcheater for daily use and a puffer or soft shell for outdoors.  The choice is yours.

We are aware that these items are still on backorder. We apologise for the delay. In the meantime, your child can wear their old jacket or windcheater or a jacket from home if you don’t have an old one.

 

Why is there a white stitch across the hem of the dress?

This stitching is designed to keep the pleats together during storage but is to be removed prior to wearing the uniform. The pleats should not remain stitched together.

 

 

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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Welcome back for 2023!  As we embark on a new school year, we look forward to opportunities to share celebrations of the Mass and our faith/prayer lives with our school community.  

This year we will be returning to some of our pre-COVID routines including more regular attendance and participation by classes at parish masses. This will be in addition to the celebration of feast days and our regular prayer assemblies which are held in the church (usually twice a term).

We have a number of whole school celebrations to look forward to this term listed below:

Thurs 16/2 Opening School 5 pm

Wed 22/2 Ash Wednesday 9:15 am

Fri 24/3 Feast of the Annunciation 9:15 am

Fri 31/3 Celebration in preparation of Holy Week 9:15 am

 

On Monday April 3rd, our Social Justice leaders will be leading a prayer assembly in the church at 2:20 pm.

 

On the following dates, the classes listed will be attending the 9:15 am parish mass:

Thursday 9 Feb = 5/6LS & 5/6M

Friday 17 Feb = 5/6C & 5/6KS

Friday 24 Feb = 3/4KF

Monday 27/ Feb= 3/4S

Friday 10 March = 3/4B

Friday 17 March = all 4 Year 1/2 classes

 

All of these dates are on our school Google calendar and we warmly invite you to join us.

 

 

A reminder also, that we have set the dates and times for Sacraments in 2023. A form will come out soon for parents to nominate their children for Sacraments and booking forms for exact dates and times will go out via Operoo closer to each Sacrament (within the same term).

 

Reconciliation

This is an individual Sacrament and will be celebrated as it was this year, with sessions offered at 11:30am and 3:30pm over four consecutive Wednesdays (17/5, 24/5, 31/5 and 7/6). This Sacrament will be offered to all baptised Year 3 students and any new eligible students to St Mary's since we did the Sacrament in 2022.

 

Eucharist

This Sacrament will be offered to all eligible Year 4 students and those in Years Five and Six who may have missed out in 2022. This Sacrament will be offered over two consecutive Saturdays (22/7 & 29/7) at the regular parish mass time of 9:15am.

 

Confirmation

This Sacrament is exclusively for our Year 6 students who have already celebrated their first Eucharist and Reconciliation. There will be two sessions (11:00 am and 2 pm) on the same day (19/8) for children to celebrate this Sacrament.

 

If you have any questions or concerns, please email, phone or ask to speak with me.

 

Yours in Faith

Matthew Taylor

Religious Education Leader

mtaylor@smaltona.catholic.edu.au

 

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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New year, new Art Room!  We are super excited to be able to share with you some progress on the new Art House. As some people may be aware, as we grew by a class this year we needed to find a new home for our Visual Arts classes.
We did this by repurposing what was the Out of School hours building and in days gone by it served as the old principal's office and admin building. We have been able to resurface the floor of the main learning space with lino to create an easy to clean spacious area for students to learn and create. New double glass doors have been installed to let the light in and allow greater access to the outdoors space. This outdoor learning space has also been expanded with new, enlarged concrete flooring allowing students to work outdoors and more creations to air dry in the "warm" Summer weather!

Inside, our specilist Visual Art teacher, Anthea Zimmerman, has been busy cleaning, redsigning the existing spaces and giving the internal walls an new coat of a lovely lavender paint. 

This building also has it's own male and female toilets meaning less interruptions to class time as students will not need to leave the building during lessons to attend the bathroom.

We cannot wait to see what our students will create in this space and invite you to keep an eye on the progress as this space continues to develop.

 

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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Our first Parents and Friends Meeting will take place in the Staffroom on Wednesday 8th February at 7:30pm. We would love to see some new faces (not that there is anything wrong with the old ones!)

To find out more about the P&F, you can read more here.

Feel free to join us next week and see if this group is something you'd like to be a part of.

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All students will receive an ICT User Agreement to be signed this week

Welcome back to a new school year to all in the St Mary’s Community

Most parents will have received a notification through Operoo containing the school ICT User Policy and Agreement.

Please take the opportunity to have a chat with your students, to remind them that Digital Technologies at school are to improve learning opportunities.

It is a great chance to begin a conversation with middle and senior students especially, about what you expect them to do at home if they encounter anything online that makes them feel uncomfortable.

I encourage parents to promote an open and trusting environment in relation to online use. Experts suggest that we approach issues by stressing that if they do report something to you that they will not be in trouble or lose their device - this will stop them getting worried about experiencing difficulties and reporting, as the last thing they want is to lose their device time. Making this a trusting and supportive approach will help you to keep your children safe whilst online.

Tony Freeman
Digital Learning Leader
tfreeman@smaltona.catholic.edu.au

 

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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Our 'Getting to Know Your Child' meetings will be held next Monday 6th February and Tuesday 7th February after school on both days.  Please click this link to make a booking or go to www.schoolinterviews.com.au and enter the booking code is 2xbdu. 
   Bookings close tomorrow, Sat 4th Feb at 5pm.

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We would like to give you a reminder about some general school practices and procedures that we have in place in the name of Child Safety. 

All parents/guardians are required to speak with the office staff and sign in on the iPad if needing to enter the school during school hours. The exception to this is on Monday prior to assembly.  People attending assembly/prayer assembly must wait in the office foyer until directed by the office staff that they can proceed to the hall/church. This direction will be given after the second bell.

Unless you have made an arrangement with Sonia or myself, students should not be arriving at school to sit in the office prior to 8.30am.  While staff are in and around the school at that time, there is no direct supervision.

The school gates are open in the morning from 8.30 to approximately 8.55am.  Students should enter via the gates, and not come through the office.  

We appreciate your help in keeping the students of St. Mary's safe by adhering to these procedures. 

Regards
Marg Masseni
Child Safety Officer

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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We will be running a Little Learners Love Literacy Prep-2 Parent Information Night on Tuesday 21st February 2023 7:00-8:30pm

Please let us know if you are coming and whether you require child minding services via the Operoo note sent last week. What is Little Learners Love Literacy (LLLL)?

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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There are a few interesting things to check out in this week's community news, including soccer, football, lacrosse and rugby team sign up information, and music lessons here on site.

All Girls AusKick 

Soccer program

Girls Rugby

Altona Lacrosse Club

Altona Junior Football Club

Emmanuel College News

Williamstown February Community Newsletter

Parish Bulletin

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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We have a well loved, but no longer useful to us, piano that we are looking to give away. While perhaps not entirely in tune, it is still well and truly able to be played.  The sound that comes from it is still very good.
  The recipient of our gift would need to pick it up. If you are interested, please email me (mmasseni@smaltona.catholic.edu.au). We will look at offering it to others if it has not been claimed by next Friday. 

Regards
Marg Masseni
Deputy Principal

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We all want to feel connected and supported - and for good reason.   At a recent Action for Happiness event, Professor Robert Waldinger shared how the quality of our relationships is the best predictor of lifelong wellbeing.  You may like to watch his clip when you have a chance. Even easier is to simply download the Action for Happiness Friendly February calendar. It is full of actions to help you give your relationships a boost. Please share it with your friends and get the kids involved too. An action a day will go a long way to creating wonderful relationships.

Happy Friendly February!
Regards
Marg Masseni
Wellbeing Leader

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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