Dear families, 

We have made it to the end of another term. I’m sure the children (and staff) will benefit from the upcoming break. I hope that the break of routine is also kind to you all.

You will have read in last week’s newsletter, that we will be introducing an after-school STEM program. Next term, the team from Young Engineers Australia will be running an abridged program for a small group of Year 1/2s.  If you are interested in signing up, please do so quickly as this initial trial will only accept 10 children from this year level. See the separate article in this week's eNews for sign-up details.

MACS has extended our yearly MACSSIS survey window to encourage more families in the archdiocese to participate. The results of this survey help inform decisions at a school-level, so I urge you to complete it if you have not already done so. You will have received login details via email. If you cannot locate yours, please let me know and I will resent the link and PIN.

You may have noticed a lot around the media of the recent Right to Disconnect. This new legislation gives employees the right to not monitor, read or respond to contact outside of work hours.

As parents, you are free to send correspondence to staff outside of their working hours, as this is often the most convenient time for you to do so. Please, however, understand that staff will not reply outside of their work hours. 

We endeavour to respond to communication within 48 hours of receipt. Sometimes, it is easier to respond via phone call than email, so this may take longer as teachers need to find the time outside of their teaching hours to contact you.

We will be seeking your feedback on reports and homework next term, with a view to updating these policies by the end of Semester 1 next year. Stay tuned for your opportunity to have a say on these topics.

I’ve had the privilege of taking classes through our tram this last fortnight. The children have enjoyed the time and have had the opportunity to provide feedback on its usage and some of the expectations and rules we would need to introduce.
We have earmarked Thursday October 17th as the official opening. We will be inviting all who have contributed to getting us to this stage. After the official opening, we will open it up officially for our students. I appreciate the patience this has taken and I am very excited for its next chapter.

Our Sensory Garden will finally begin to take shape over the school holidays. We thank one of our dads, Leigh, father of Harrison and Austin, who will be coordinating and working on the project. We have also enlisted the help of some VCE students from Emmanuel College who will help with the gardening side of the project. These students will be onsite early next term to help with the planting and painting aspects of the project. Thanks to Emmanuel teacher, Matt Farrugia, for approaching us for this special collaboration.

Be on the lookout for more information early in Term 4 when we will share news about a Colour Run we have earmarked for 14 November. While our Walkathon as it existed, was always an amazing event, it took many parents months of work to arrange it. We currently do not have the people-power to continue to arrange such an event. To that end, we have enlisted the help of an established company, School FunRun, who will organise this event for us. 

As you can see, there’s lots happening at St Mary’s in Term 4. Rest well and we look forward to seeing you all again in 2 weeks.

Enjoy!

Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

Williamstown Magic Basketball- Club registration for U8 and U10 players will be free for the Summer 2024 / 2025 season. The new season starts first week of Term 4.

Emmanuel College News - 

Altona East Spring Soccer - Coming up over September/October we offer a FREE program to Boys and Girls aged 5 to 16 years. 

Church Bulletin - 

Camp Australia - Latest Newsletter 

Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

This term’s focus aligns with our inquiry throughline: "We are all members of communities.
Communities are formed by shared values, democratic decision-making, mutual support, and celebration. We recognize and uphold individual and group rights and responsibilities."

In Term 4, our Prep students will dive into exploring their family backgrounds and identifying key community helpers such as police, firefighters, and ambulance services. They will also engage in activities aimed at making a positive contribution to their community towards the end of their unit.

Junior students will focus on understanding the Altona community through a social justice and mission-oriented perspective. They will investigate who makes up their community and explore their responsibilities as citizens in supporting vulnerable groups.

Middle school students will examine the impact of migration on Altona, gaining insights into the diverse influences that have shaped their community. They will also have the opportunity to share Australia’s history alongside their own family’s story.

Senior students will adopt a decision-making approach in their inquiry. They will explore concepts of fairness and delve into the workings of government, distinguishing between laws and rules.

We eagerly await the learning, understanding and actions St Mary’s students will take in term 4!

John Hein

Deputy Principal

Learning & Teaching

Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

The focus is on: 

When is the right time for your child to have a device? Our My First Mobile Device webinar will help parents and guardians determine the right time for the young people in their home to take on the responsibility of managing their first mobile phone, tablet/iPad/laptop or gaming console. We will explore how to manage settings to keep them safe online and how to establish boundaries early for a healthy relationship with technology.

• Learn how to manage device settings to optimise safety
• Explore device management tools
• Understand how to create boundaries around screen time
• Learn how to establish open conversations at home when things go wrong online

You can register for the Live Webinar at the website.

Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

Last Tuesday, 27 of our students in Years 3-6 represented our School at the SSV Division Athletics, led by Laughlin and Myla, our Captains. 

Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

In 2024, we will use the MACSSIS (Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools – School Improvement Surveys) to collect this feedback. Developed specifically for Catholic schools in Melbourne, MACSSIS is managed through a secure online platform by ORIMA Research Pty Ltd.

Students in Years 4 - 6 will complete the surveys during supervised sessions, while families and staff can access theirs via a secure link and password over a three-week period beginning September 2nd- September 20th 2024.

Participation is voluntary however please remember that the feedback we receive will help guide our efforts to enhance our school.

Links and PINS fpr the survey will have been emailed out to families. If you did not receive yours, please email Sonia to have this re-sent. Please note that we have sent one survey per family.

If you have questions,please contact the school for more information.

Regards
Sonia 

Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage