Dear Parents, Carers, Boys and Girls,

It is getting near the end of the school year and there are many events happening around the school. We are looking forward to seeing everyone at our K-5 Awards Night and Year 6 Graduation Mass next week. There is more information about this later in the newsletter. It has been over 2 years since we have been able to celebrate these events as a whole school, so we can’t wait to see lots of families.

On Sunday 27 November we marked the First Sunday of Advent, which is a time of preparation for the coming of Christ and the beginning of the liturgical year in the Catholic Church. The beginning of another year in the life of the Christian community is a grace-filled occasion to reflect on the direction of our lives and to renew our commitment to Jesus and to the life of the Spirit which he inspires in us.

There is much to be proud of in our school community and with the reflection that comes with the end of the year this is a special time to celebrate and honour our achievements large and small. 

Student Leadership
This week we had the pleasure of hearing our Year 5 students present their leadership speeches to their peers. The standard was incredibly high and all students who spoke were worthy of being selected. Following the speeches, the students going into Years 3-6 next year voted for the positions of two School Leaders, and two House Leaders of their respective Houses: Howard, Cassidy and Eyre. The 2023 Leadership team will be announced at the K-5 Awards Night in Week 9, Tuesday 6 December. We are very proud of all of our Year 5 students, we are confident that they will all be excellent leaders and role models. We look forward to a great year with them in 2023.

Celebrate International Day of People with Disability
International Day of People with Disability is a United Nations observed day celebrated on 3 December each year to increase public awareness, understanding and acceptance of people with disability. This year’s theme ‘Transformative solutions for inclusive development: the role of innovation in fuelling an accessible and equitable world’. By listening to the experiences of people with disability, and recognising their unique talents, skills and interests, we can challenge our own perceptions about disability and make positive changes in the community. 

We encourage all students, their families and carers to join the conversation about disability, to challenge perceptions, break down barriers and encourage a more inclusive and respectful society. We all have a role to play in ensuring people with disability have the opportunity to reach their full potential and participate in all aspects of community life.

Click here for IDPwD website

Our 2023 Kindergarten
Starting school is an exciting and important milestone in any child and family’s life. We would like all our newest students and families to feel welcome at St Mary’s and feel a sense of familiarity and ease with their learning environment and their new teachers and peers, as they step into their classroom on Day 1 of Kindergarten.

Parents are their child’s first and most important teacher. Your child comes to school with knowledge, skills and strengths which they have developed with your guidance. As they take this next step into school, you will continue to nurture their growth and love of learning.

It has been wonderful to meet all the 2023 Kindergarten students during their two orientations mornings held over the past couple of weeks. We look forward to welcoming these children to St Mary’s next year and pray that their time with us is a rich and rewarding experience.

In addition, parents will have the opportunity to develop a comprehensive understanding of what learning at St Mary’s, as well as start dates, and what the first weeks of school will look like. The evening will be held in the Kindergarten/Year 1 building.

High School Transition
The move from Primary school to Secondary school is also a big milestone in the life of students. While this can be an exciting time for young people and their parents, it can also be a bit daunting. The more informed and involved you are in your child’s preparation, the more likely the transition will be positive.

With the help of family and school staff, students usually adapt quickly to their new environment. Our K-12 Pathway with Carroll College and the opportunities we have to work together regularly helps make this transition easier.

Last week our Year 6 students attended their Year 7 orientation day at Carroll College. They have come back to school this week and spoken with excitement about meeting their new teachers and peers, learning their way around the College, the facilities at Carroll and of their experiences of some of the subjects they will get to do next year.

K-5 Awards Night
Next Tuesday evening 6 December we will be holding our K-5 Awards Night at 6pm in the PAC. All children are encouraged to attend with their families. Awards will be presented to students K-5. Our Kinder students will lead us in a Nativity prayer, the student leaders for 2023 will be announced, the Community Council Christmas Raffle will be drawn and a presentation to St Vincent de Paul of our Christmas hampers will be made.

All children are to wear their school uniform and arrive at the PAC by 5.50pm. Children will sit in their classes as they would for a school assembly. We would love to see as many families and community members come along and help us celebrate a wonderful year of learning at St Mary’s.

Year 6 Graduation Mass and Award Presentations
The Year 6 Graduation Mass will be in the Sacred Heart Church at 12pm on Thursday 8 December, to which all families are most welcome to attend. At this mass we will acknowledge our Year 6 graduating students while sharing a final celebration as a school community for 2022. At the conclusion of Mass there will be a presentation of the Year 6 Special Awards and Year 6 Graduation Certificates.

Graduation Dinner/Disco and Big Day Out
The Year 6 Graduation Dinner will be held on Thursday evening 8 December at Moruya Golf Club. Parents and families are invited to join us in the Rose Garden from 5:30pm for photos before dinner commences at 6pm for students and staff. After dinner there will be a disco where students will have the opportunity to demonstrate their best dance moves! 

On Friday 9 December, students will enjoy a fun day on the water, surfing and stand up paddle boarding with ‘Surf the Bay’. This is always an enjoyable day for our Year 6 students as they celebrate the end of their primary school years.

Thank you to Mrs Grant, Mrs White, Mrs Afflick and Mrs Butler for organising these events, whilst also teaching, assessing and reporting on their students' learning.

Traditionally at St Mary’s, the Year 6 students are given a very loud send off from their peers and teachers. On Wednesday afternoon 14 December at 2:45pm the school will assemble for a final farewell to our Year 6 students. Parents are welcome to come and watch the activities.

Semester 2 Reports
Semester 2 reports are currently being finalised. Reports will be available via Compass on Friday 9 December. This learning report is designed to provide information about your child’s progress in learning. The report evaluates your child’s progress as an individual, who is developing spiritually, intellectually, physically and socially. It is very important to recognise your child’s success and progress in all areas of development. We congratulate students on their hard work!

If you would like a Parent Teacher meeting following the report, please contact your child’s teacher for a time in the last week. We can arrange to cover classes if meetings are held during the day.

Muladha Gamara Cultural Program
On Tuesday 13 December we will welcome Muladha Gamara to St Mary’s. They are a local indigenous group who run cultural youth programs, cultural tours and traditional dance and ceremony. Students will participate in a traditional dance workshop where the children will hear the story behind the dance and then the students get to dance the story together. Thank you to Marymead, a family services organisation based in Moruya who secured the funding to run this cultural program.

Class Placements for 2023 
The teachers and staff will be spending time over the coming weeks preparing the children to transition to their new learning spaces for 2023. This may involve visits to the new space, meeting new teachers and finding out about the year ahead. We know that this is an exciting time! 

We will be holding our ‘Meet the Teacher Afternoon’ on Tuesday 13 December.

Congratulations to Reign C who was the K-2, 2022 Age Group Winner in the Faber-Castell Australia Creative Competition. In Library lessons Mrs Croese taught our K-2 students about sustainability and how we need to look after our earth. The children drew their ideas for a playground they would like at school. Artworks from K-2 were submitted, and from all the Australia wide entries, Reign was the winner in her age group. Reign and the school received a prize package from the competition. Well done Reign and thank you Mrs Croese!

Farewells
We’d like to say thank you to the wonderful staff members who will be leaving us at the end of the year. We have been blessed to have had their expertise and support over the past years: 

Lorraine Wilkie, who has been a regular casual teacher at St Mary’s for many years will be retiring at the end of this year. We are grateful to Lorraine for sharing her many talents over the years and the children will really miss Sensei Wilkie!

Kirby Hodgson, our AEW, will be returning to Dubbo. Kirby has been a wonderful mentor and support for our Aboriginal students and their families.

Cathy Moffitt, one of our wonderful office staff who is always ready to help with a smile, will be finishing at the end of this year. Cathy has been a great asset to our admin staff and has worked extremely hard mastering our school newsletter in the electronic format we now use and keeping our school website updated.

As communicated recently, we also farewell Mrs Jacqueline Stephen, Mrs Marg Croese and Mrs Jessica Afflick. 

We wish them all the very best for their new adventures.

God bless and take care,

Sue Heffernan
Assistant Principal