St Mary's eNews
Week 10 Term 4
CyberSafety Project Partnership
Principal's Message: 13th December 2024
Dear families,
It appears we’ve had a resurgence of COVID within our community. I hope your family is well and staying healthy and safe, especially in time for Christmas festivities.
Yesterday, our students met in their 2025 classes. As there were quite a few staff away ill, some students did not have the opportunity to meet with their class teachers. I know the teachers felt horrible not being able to be there, but it was great that the classes still had the opportunity to be together.
As mentioned in my Operoo note earlier this week, this time of year can be a difficult one for many students and their families. Given the complexities involved around the creation of balanced classes, there are always going to be those who are thrilled with their placements and those who are not. As I am sure you can empathise, no one system will bring about 100% satisfaction.
There are many a school that do not factor in student friendships at all and purely design classes based on the balancing of student abilities and needs. While we do not wish to go down this route, it is important that we have your support in trusting the process, regardless of whether your child got their 1st or 5th preference.
Every year, we review our practices and determine what needs to change or be addressed the following year. We will never claim to get things right 100% of the time, but we will work with you to put things in place to support your child.
Student reports will be available this afternoon through the nForma parent portal. If you have any difficulty accessing these, please contact Tony Freeman at tfreeman@smaltona.catholic.edu.au
While we do not have formalised parent/teacher interviews at the end of the school year, you are most welcome to contact your child’s teacher if you wish to discuss anything on their report.
As we come to the end of another year, our community has been through a great deal this year; some things were very public, while others remained private. We have continued to rally around each other, as we always have. I thank you for the support you have shown to our staff, to each other and me personally.
I thank our parents who have helped in any way possible; from covering and shelving books, changing readers, going on excursions, to working with children, and practising newly acquired skills, to those who held more formal roles in our SAC and P&F and everything in between.
As a thank you, our staff extend an invitation to any parents who have helped out in any way, to our after-school afternoon tea this coming Monday in the hall. The children of parents attending will be supervised, however, given the temperatures expected, this supervision may take place indoors and not in the yard, as is usual practice.
The end of a school year is always so bittersweet. On one hand, we may begin to miss the year that was, but on the other hand, we may face both the excitement of a new start and the trepidation of change.
Ancient Greek philosopher, Heraclitus once said change is the only constant. As such, it’s imperative we arm ourselves and our children with the skills to manage the feelings that inevitably come with change.
One of the most powerful exercises I did with students many years ago, as part of the BounceBack resilience program, was to make a list of things that bothered or worried us. Once we did this, we then categorised these things into those that were and weren’t in our control.
We then looked at each category and discussed what we can and can’t do, concentrating on things that we could action, before moving onto the list of things we couldn’t. While we couldn’t change things on this list, we could absolutely change our attitude/thinking about them. To this day, I continue to use this exercise, often mentally, to help determine where my efforts and focus should/could lie.
I hope you too may find this strategy helpful.
Parents are welcome to join us for our end of year Mass on Tuesday at 9:15am.
On this day we give thanks for the year that was, acknowledge our 2024 student leaders and usher in our 2025 student leaders for the first time.
Our student leadership selection process has been delayed due to the number of teachers away ill.
I apologise for this delay as I know some parents take time off work to be present for their child.
This year, for the first time, we will inform students whether they have been selected for a position before the Mass, so they know if they have a position before the announcement to the community.
We will also endeavour to let parents know of the outcome of your child’s application, so you can support your child, should they not be successful in securing a formal leadership position. Whilst we prefer to call parents to let them know, as we have received close to 30 applications, it may be necessary to inform you via email to make sure you receive this news before your child finishes school on Monday.
Students will finish on Tuesday 17th December, at the usual time of 3:15pm.
The new year
The first week back next year will look a little different. Based on parent feedback regarding testing days, we will be changing to an appointment system instead of having students here for blocks of time. This will take place through our usual system, School Interviews Online. We understand that some families utilise this week as extra time away with their families. If this is the case, we will allocate time upon your child’s return to schedule assessments once classes commence.
More information will be shared with you next week.
Our first week back will be as follows:
Tuesday 28th January:
First day back for staff
Wednesday 29th January:
Testing Day
Thursday 30th January:
Testing Day
First half day for Preps (9am to 12pm)
Friday 31st January:
First full day for all students
I hope you find many things to be grateful for this year. Gratitude is the key to happiness, some say, so my wish for you, is to celebrate all of the things you are thankful for, with your families this Christmas, as we, a Catholic community, await the arrival of our Lord.
Wishing you a blessed, restful break.
Until next year,
Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage
Community News
Altona Sports Centre - Summer Holiday Basketball Camp
Church Bulletin -
Newport Calisthenics Club
Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage
Inclusion School Holiday Basketball Program
Help us spread the word to families who might be interested in this fun, safe, and inclusive opportunity.
Program Details:
Date: Friday, January 24, 2025
Times:
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM | Ages 5-11
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM | Ages 12-25
Location: Altona Basketball Stadium, 1 Andrew Park Dr, Altona Meadows VIC 3028
Cost: Free
What is provided:
Sensory Space
Individual Participation Coaches
Modified Activities and Games
1:4 max player-to-coach ratio
Trauma-informed, healing-centered approach
Parents, siblings, and support workers welcome
Target Cohort:
Priority is given to children and young people who:
Identify with having a disability, autism, psychosocial challenges, or additional support needs (formal diagnosis not required)
Are between the ages of 5 and 25
Registration Link:
https://welcomingaustralia.
Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage
End of Term 4
Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage
No Tuckshop
Advent Season 2024
We celebrate Advent as the beginning of a new year, new opportunities, new beginnings in the light of Christ. IDEAS
The following video is a good explanation of the possibilities, ideas and themes around which we can prepare, during the season of Advent to 'start over', 'begin again', in an attempt to allow the Holy Spirit to live through us and our lives, to be the best version of ourselves in the coming year.
What is Advent? - Youtube video
A Great way to begin your Advent preparation would be to set up an Advent wreath as part of your Christmas decorations. This is a round wreath, usually made or decorated with plant/leaves (real or artificial) with four candles around the wreath - 3 Purple and 1 Rose.
