St Mary's eNews

Week 10 Term 4


Principal's Message: 8th December 2023

Dear families,


With one week officially left, we have so much to still look forward to before school ends for the year.


Last night’s Carols was a beautiful community celebration.

Our children sang so well and helped everyone get into the Christmas Spirit. Thanks to Angela for coordinating the event and liaising with teachers and David Evener to ensure our students were ready for the event.


2024


You will have read in previous newsletters that our end times for next year will be changing. We will now finish at 3:15pm every day. Due to this change assemblies will now take place at 2:45pm on Mondays. This gives classes time to pack up at the end of the day before heading to assembly. It also means that parents wishing to join us can still do so and be here for pick-up time as well.


We have finalised our 2024 Fee and Levy structure. Please see the summary here.  You will notice there are significant increases, particularly in Camp costs, due to the increased expenses in covering Time in Lieu for staff under the new Catholic Education Agreement (CEMEA). We understand this will impact many families and encourage Health Care Card holders to contact us early in the new year to ensure we can provide you with the concessional rates to which you are entitled. We also invite any family who may be significantly impacted by these increases to contact me to discuss how we can help you. 


Students will participate in Step Up Day on Tuesday. On this day the students will spend time with their new teachers and classmates. Understandably, this can be a challenging time for many of our students. Our encouraging words and excitement (however feigned, as this can be a nervous time for parents too) go a long way to helping our children manage change in their lives. I’m sure you can imagine how difficult this process is for schools, with the many needs, friends and abilities being factored into the decision-making process. All children will have one of their selected friends with them. 

I ask you to trust in this complex process and understand that no changes will be made to classes. 



Enjoy your weekend,





Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

 



Step Up Day

On Tuesday 12th Dec between 11.30 and 1.30pm the students will learn who their teacher is for 2024 and will work with their new classmates for that period of time.  This is a wonderful opportunity for students to get to know each other and their teacher a little better. We ask that you encourage your children to approach this session with positivity as we recognise that some children will be a little anxious.  If you have concerns in that area please don't hesitate to contact the office and the staff will direct your concern to the appropriate person.

Although 2023 is by no means over, we are looking forward to 2024 and the excitement and enthusiasm that it will bring.

Regards
Marg Masseni
Wellbeing Leader


Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage



Dates to Remember: UPDATED

Please check through the list below to ensure that you have these events in your diaries.
Week 11
11th Dec @ 9am: Advent Liturgy (hosted by 1/2 level)
11th Dec @ 2.20pm: Final Assembly ~ School Captains
11th Dec @ 3pm: Thank you Afternoon Tea for families
14th Dec @ 10am: Advent Liturgy (hosted by 3/4 level)
14th Dec @ 6pm: Year 6 Graduation
15th Dec @ 9.15am: End of Year Mass
15th Dec @ 3.20pm: End of Term 4 Dismissal
15th Dec @ 3.45pm: Creative Music Concert
15th Dec: NO Canteen

As other dates come to hand we will be sure to update you and we will let you know when our calendar issues have been resolved.

In the meantime, if you have questions about any upcoming events please contact the office.

Regards
Marg


Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage



Upcoming Canteen Closure



Carols in the Park

On Sunday, December 10th., our very own St. Mary’s Choir will be performing as part of Carols In The Park. The choir has been rehearsing to ensure their performance is fabulous.  They have even learned a song in Auslan to perform!


When: Sunday, December 10

Time: begins at 6pm

Where: Logan Reserve, Pier St, Altona 


Come along to this wonderful event to support our choir and to get into the spirit of Christmas!



Final Assembly: School Captains

Our final assembly for 2023 will be held on Monday 11th December at 2.20pm in the CHURCH. Our school captains, Isabella, Ethan, Ania and Roland will host this asssembly which will have a few twists on our usual assemblies. Following the assembly parents are invited to the hall for a Thank You afternoon tea.  Students will be supervised on the basketball court by staff.

Please email me if you have questions.
Regards
Marg Masseni

Literacy: Summer Reading

As we enter into the final month of the school year, it’s time to think about avoiding the ‘Summer reading slide’. 

 

Like many skills we acquire in our lives, if we don’t use them on a regular basis, we lose them. This holds true with reading, including important skills in decoding, comprehension, visualisation, thinking and language ability. 

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 instil the love of reading and literature into your family routines:

  • Read together and discuss the information you’ve read 
  • Model Reading: Set an example! During down time, pick up a book yourself and let your children see you reading books, newspapers, magazines, or digital content
  • Let your children read what they want for enjoyment - tap into their interests, this could include cook books and graphic novels as well 
  • Read signs and packaging in shops, in traffic, on hiking trails, in parks, etc
  • Create a Summer scrapbook to red de cord events and fun outings (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 - have your child write letters to family or friends
  • Schedule a daily reading time
  • Subscribe to magazines - in print or online
  • Make your own book about a family trip or event or daily life 
  • Visit the library

You can also make use of the following programs:

  • Reading Eggs: Reading Eggs is a literacy based app/website that focuses on reading curriculum phonics and sight words using skills and strategies essential for sustained reading success. There are lots of different reading games in the app and lots of books to read. All student’s at St Mary’s have an account this year, please contact your child’s teacher for their login information if you don’t have it already.
  • SPELD Phonic book series: this complements the teaching of reading and writing using a structured synthetic phonics approach. There are online decodable readers able to be accessed online via the following link. 

https://www.speldsa.org.au/SPELD-SA-Phonic-Readers-New-Series


Brenda Lycke

Literacy Leader

blycke@smaltona.catholic.edu.au



Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage



Advent Appeal 2023

Advent, in the Christian tradition, is a time of longing and hope. With Christmas only mere weeks away, this should be a time of sharing and celebration, but for many it is a time of hunger, stress, and hardship. The 2023 Vinnie's Christmas Appeal has not been forgotten in the lead up to Christmas.

Christmas can be a very stressful and tough time for many people who are experiencing poverty, loneliness and hardship. During Advent we are called to prepare ourselves for the coming of Jesus. 

Students and families at St Mary’s School have always enthusiastically supported the Vinnies Christmas Appeal.  This year again as we reflect upon the wellbeing of our community, we are filled with a desire to enable all people in our community to celebrate and again take up the call to donate.  These donations will help many vulnerable people in our community to enjoy this special time of year. In our final week of school, our Social Justice Leaders will then collate all donations and organise to deliver them to St Vinnies.

Donations may be sent in with the children as each class has been allocated a basket to fill, or alternatively, donations may be dropped off at the office. The following items would all make good donations and maybe something you already have at home: 

  • Coloured Pencils, Pens and Textas 
  • Stationery including erasers, sharpeners etc. 
  • Colouring books for different age groups, including mindfulness colouring 
  • Puzzle Books (e.g. word finds, dot to dots etc.) Sticker sheets
  • Gifts for school-aged children
  • Non-perishable food items 
  • Christmas decorations
  • Gift cards such as Coles/Myer, Woolworths, etc. are extremely helpful and would go a long way to helping Vinnies help families this year

 

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, love, peace and joy. Donations will be collected up until Thursday December 14. 

 

Thank you in anticipation for your generous support of people in need in our local community this Christmas.

 

Kind regards

Keira and Grace

Social Justice Leaders      


Yours in Faith
Matthew Taylor
Leader of Religious Education
mtaylor@smaltona.catholic.edu.au




Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage



Sacrament dates for 2024

Dear families,
After meeting with Fr Michael this week we can confirm our Sacramental dates for 2024:


Reconciliations

These will be celebrated in Term 2 for baptised Roman Catholics in Years 3-6 who have yet to make their first Reconciliation over three dates during Weeks 4, 5 and 6.  During Term 1, a form will go out on Operoo and families will be able to book their children in at either the 11:30 am or 3:30 pm session on the following dates:

Wednesday 8 May
Tuesday 14 May
Thursday 23 May


Eucharist

This will be offered over two dates in Term 3 for students in Years 4-6 who have made their first Reconciliation. During Term 2, a form will go out on Operoo and families will be able to book their children in ONE of the following dates:

Saturday 20 July 9:15 am
Saturday 3 August 9:15 am


Confirmation

This will be held in Term 3 for baptised Roman Catholic students in Year 6 who have already made their first Communion. During Term 2, a form will go out on Operoo and families will be able to book their children in at either the 11 am or 2 pm session on the following day:

Saturday 17 August


If you have any questions or concerns regarding Sacraments or these dates, please feel free to reach out to me.

Yours in Faith
Matthew Taylor
Leader of Religious Education
mtaylor@smaltona.catholic.edu.au


Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage



Community News

Bayside Netball Club are still looking for some new 9 years and under players and we have information included about a new holiday program.  You can sign up for Creative Music lessons in Term 3 and also read our Parish Bulletin.

Mount St Josephs and Emmanuel College have Open Days and Information mornings coming up. 

Click the links below to find out more. 

Westgate July Vacation Care: Holiday Program
$10 per day with CCS Rebate

Church Bulletin

Bayside Netball Club

School Holiday Special Interest Groups

OSHC Newsletter

Emmanuel College News

MSJ Open Morning

Basketball Camp

Music Lessons
Creative Music will run lessons in Term 3 - sign up now.


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


             




Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage



Action for Happiness: Do Good December

Kindness is contagious, and helping others has been proven to make us feel better too!  Starting today, let's try to focus on being generous with our time and attention rather than money - it's free and better for everyone, as well as our planet!
Click here to download the latest calendar and find out more about the Action for Happiness teams endeavour to make the world a better place.

Their new mindful moment can help you cultivate warm feelings of appreciation and send those to others around you. 

Happy December!

Regards
Marg - Wellbeing Leader



Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage