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Dear Parents and Carers,
Who can believe that the 2021 school year is almost over. In many ways, it feels like it has just begun and yet everyone is quite exhausted. I noticed this week how the students are starting to tire easily and are ready for a good long break from learning. However, despite months of COVID lockdown, the students have definitely learnt. Our school and student literacy and numeracy data is stronger than expected across all stages and shows an improving trend over the years.
As a school, we are currently doing an amazing job with students in the middle and bottom bands. Students involved in our Literacy Intervention programs; MiniLit, MacqLit and BOOST have made exceptional progress in 2021. Next year, our Annual Improvement Plan will focus on moving our middle to top band students even further along in both literacy and numeracy.
Staffing 2022
I am pleased to announce our staff for 2022. We are truly blessed to have such an amazing group of teachers and support staff at St Mary’s. Mr Jeff Prow and Mrs Claire Burrows will be taking extended leave for the whole of 2022. We look forward to welcoming them back in 2023. You will notice that we have made the decision to keep our current Year 5 teachers with the Year 6 cohort next year. Teachers are mixing the students so they will not necessarily have the same teacher. This decision was based on what we believe is in the students’ best interests. The Year 5 students have had a very successful year and their teachers did not wish to ‘let them go!’.
We welcome Mr James Campbell and Mrs Kaylene McClurie to our staff and know that they will fit in perfectly at St Mary’s. James is well known to the staff and students, currently teaching in a relief capacity across the school. Kaylene is an experienced educator relocating to the area after many years teaching in western NSW.
LEADERSHIP TEAM
Parish Priest: Fr George Azhakath
Principal: Mrs Noeleen O’Neill
Assistant Principal: Mrs Sue Heffernan
Religious Education Coordinator: Mrs Jess Afflick
Coordinator and PDHPE teacher: Mr Justin Bateman
TEACHING STAFF
| Kindergarten | Mrs Jacquie Stephen |
| Year 1 | Mrs Gen Schofield |
| Year 1/2 | Mrs Fran Devonald |
| Year 2 | Mrs Carla Durnan |
| Year 3 | Mr Matthew Harpley |
| Year 4 | Ms Georgia McCormick |
| Year 4 | Mrs Alicia Hampson |
| Year 5 | Mrs Jess Afflick and Mrs Sophie Kenny |
| Year 5 | Mr James Campbell |
| Year 6 & Sports Coordinator | Mrs Megan Grant |
| Year 6 | Mrs Jessie White |
| Japanese Teacher | Mrs Lorraine Wilkie |
| RFF teacher | Mrs Kaylene McClurie |
| Learning Support Teacher | Mrs Jo Matthews |
| Pastoral Teacher | Mrs Margaret Croese |
SUPPORT STAFF
| Learning Support Assistants |
Mrs Shellie Butler, Mrs Janet Ryan |
| Aboriginal Education Worker/Canteen | Mr Kirby Hodgson |
| Office Manager | Mrs Annette Hazell |
| Office Admin Assistants | Mrs Cathy Smith and Mrs Cathy Moffitt |
| School Counsellor | Ms Faith Costigan |
| Cleaner | Ms Tollein Kelly |
Student Leadership 2022
Yesterday afternoon, I announced to the students our Year 6 Student Leadership Team for 2022.
Two School Leaders and six House Leaders make up the Student Leadership Team. We believe that in Year 6, all students are our leaders and expected to be excellent role models for other students. A special congratulations to the students who were elected to the official School Leadership positions for 2022. Each of them is very worthy of such an honour.
SCHOOL LEADERS
Lincon S
Taylah C
HOUSE LEADERS
Ayr - Dusty I and Charlotte Ek
Howard - Heidi VW and Kobi P
Cassidy - Zac W and Morgan D
COMPASS - Reports
Parents will be able to access their child's Semester Two report through COMPASS from this evening. Please read them with your child, focusing on the affirmations from their teachers. Not everyone can get As and Bs through life. Please remember that the most important part of a child's report are the comments and grades around effort and learning habits. If any parent requires a hard copy of the report, please email the front office.
Season of Advent
In the busyness of life, it is sometimes easy for us to forget about the true meaning of Christmas. At school, we have been teaching the children that Christmas is not just a secular holiday with Santa and presents. As Catholics, the season of Advent is a special time for us to take time, reflect and prepare ourselves for the birth of Jesus.
On behalf of the staff at St Mary’s, I would like to thank you for your commitment to St Mary’s and your messages of support this year. We are truly blessed to have such a beautiful school for our children to learn, play and grow up in. Working together, parents and teachers can do amazing things for the most important people in our lives; our children.
I wish you and your families a safe and blessed Christmas and summer holidays.
See you in 2022.
With God’s blessings
It was such an honour to be able to watch our students celebrate together, laughing and applauding each other. A big congratulations to the students who also received a Year 6 Special Award for their outstanding achievements and contributions to St Marys. On behalf of the students and staff at St Marys, congratulations to the class of 2021. We will all miss you greatly.
Year 6 Special Award Recipients
|
Academic Achievement |
Michaela F Autumn BC |
|
Science/STEM |
Rizwan R |
|
Sportsperson |
Michaela F |
|
School Spirit |
Cecilia S Charlie G |
|
Fiona Phillips (Perseverance) |
Lucas B |
|
Andrew Constance (Encouragement) |
Emma C and Charlotte R |
|
Carroll College |
Sahara K |
|
Principal’s Award |
Zara H |
Principal's Year 6 Graduation Speech
Thank you Father George for celebrating our Year 6 Graduation Mass and to our parents for being with us to share this great milestone in your children's lives. Thank you to Mrs Croese for her dedication and efforts in preparing for today's Graduation Mass, a fitting and final one for her as our REC. Thank you Marg for so many years of love and commitment to St Mary’s. Your new role as Pastoral teacher at St Mary’s next year will keep you very close to us.
Unfortunately during COVID, as this Graduation is considered a school event, we are needing to follow strict rules around the capacity of the Church. Therefore some important people are unable to be with us. Back at school, we have many staff who would have liked to have been here too. I pass on their love and good wishes.
Congratulations Year 6. You are an exceptional group of children. You are not perfect but then no child is. Every now and then, there comes along a class of children that are extra special. This year's Year 6 is just that.
I know COVID has impacted your last two years of primary school but don't let that be what you remember most. Don't think of what you have missed but rather of what you have had. Everyday classroom fun and activities, staying in your PJs during Remote learning, your Leadership Camp, Confirmation and your End of Year celebrations. You have developed resilience, you have learnt to adapt and accept what you can not change, you realise that you are far luckier than most children in the world and you have certainly perfected laughing and having fun.
The class of 2021 is known as being the friendliest and most inclusive group of children. You have been true leaders at St Mary’s, even if in different ways. You genuinely care for each other and your teachers. One of my main jobs as a principal is to look after our teachers, so I want to thank you children for keeping Mr Harpley, Mrs Afflick and Mr Prow so happy, energetic and amused all year. Even yesterday, some of you were still trying to work out ways of incorporating a farewell to Mr Prow within this graduation.
My hope is that Mr Prow will return to us after his leave in 2022, but just in case he doesn't, we all know that he has been granted his wish to finish his incredible teaching career with the best class and year group ever.
Making decisions about the Year 6 Special Awards proved to be very difficult this year... with ... a little bit of arguing amongst the adults involved!
We decided that in addition to the Special Awards, every student in Year 6 in 2021 would receive a Graduation Medallion.
Today we say goodbye to some of our families, as their youngest or only child finishes at St Mary’s. A special thank you to those parents for your ongoing support of our staff and our beautiful school. You and your families will be greatly missed.
Year 6, when you go to high school, please remember some simple things:
- Believe in yourself. Set high standards for your learning and if you need to, start fresh. This is your chance to become the learner that you would like to be. Remember that you learn more from your failures than your successes so keep on trying.
- Mix with the other children. You already have your St Mary's family friends but I want you to make more friends from St Bernard’s, Moruya, St Peters, Broulee and other schools. Look out especially for those children who don't seem to know many others. Please don't only stick with St Mary's kids.
- Take up every opportunity on offer. Put your hand up and get involved in whatever is happening in high school, and not just sport!! Music, band, languages, debating, hospitality, environment, social justice groups. Spend the next 6 years finding your passions. Try new things out and give everything a go.
- Stay close and connected with your parents and your family. Yes Mum and Dad will annoy you and make you pretty angry at times, usually when they say NO to you - but this is because they love you and need to make decisions that are best for you. Everyone else will come and go in your lives, but your family are the ones who will always be there for you.
- And finally, keep close to God. Keep your faith in him and talk with God everyday about your life, issues you are facing, your hopes and dreams. Treat others kindly, dont talk behind others’ backs, try to make the right choices, continue to be grateful for everything you have, and always stay positive and love life.
Congratulations Year 6. We are all very proud of your achievements and successes. Take with you today, the love and blessings from everyone at St Mary’s.
Families leaving us..
Sadly, at the end of this year, many of our Year 6 families will be leaving us. With their only or youngest child in Year 6, we wish the Bonner-Combes, Brooke, Clarke-Huntly, Cole, Denys, Haworth, Hodgetts, Lyons, Pepper, Schofield, Wright, Zutt, Hick, Hulse, Kaushal, Kelly, Rossetto and Tuska families all the best for the future. Thank you for supporting St Mary’s over many years and I hope you look back fondly on your time with us.
Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome to our final newsletter for this year. We thank each and everyone of you for helping and supporting us through this difficult year. The children are waiting with joy and anticipation for the beautiful feast of the birth of Jesus at Christmas. The teachers have worked so hard to engage the children in excellent learning experiences in Religion this term and have now planned such wonderful ‘end of year’ activities to celebrate with their class.
Graduation Mass
Yesterday we celebrated our farewell Mass for the students in Year 6. We especially thank Father George for celebrating this Mass with us. Unfortunately, due to COVID, the students could only invite three other people to Mass. Mr Harpley, Mrs Afflick and Mr Prow have worked consistently with the students to ensure the Mass was one of thanksgiving and a reflection and expression of their faith. Every student participated in some way in the Mass with a warm welcome from our Year 6 Leaders Zara H and Charlie G. Vivienne J, Hannah W, Zara H, Millie-Rose T and Emma C sang so beautifully during Mass accompanied by musicians Rhonda and Eugene Zammit.
During the reflection, each student participated in the liturgical movement to the song “10,000 Reasons.”
At the conclusion of the Mass every student was presented with a gift, a medallion, a class photo and a certificate of thanks for their years at St Mary’s. Well done Year 6 students and may God hold you in the palm of his hand always. We will miss you.
Christmas Mass Times
Christmas Eve at 6pm Sacred Heart Church - special children’s Mass (thank you to all the families who are able to come)
Christmas Day at 8am The Pines at Tuross.
Christmas Day at 10am Sacred Heart Church.
What Christmas Means to Me
Stage 2 students have been learning about Advent and the coming of Jesus at Christmas. Mrs Kenny, Miss McCormick and Mrs Hampson asked the children to think and write about what they believe the true meaning of Christmas is.
Makaya TeK in Year 3 has written this beautiful response:
On Monday my family will be getting ready for Christmas. We will get in our car and drive for two hours. Everyone will be so tired when we finally get to our destination. We will have dinner, go to bed and when we wake up it will be Christmas. We will be so excited to open our presents and instead of playing with our toys we will tell mum, dad and Aunty Lily that it does not matter about toys and expensive stuff. Toys are replaceable but people are not. Christmas is all about family time and spending days with your sisters and cousins and celebrating with your family. That is what Christmas really is. It’s about love and family and celebrating the birth of Jesus.
Advent in Kinder and Kinder/One
The children in Mrs Stephen and Mrs Schofield’s classes have also been learning about Advent and its meaning. The children can retell why it’s important to help others at Christmas and to prepare for the birth of Jesus in our hearts. They understand that we use a purple cloth because it is a sign that we are waiting for something very important.
A Christmas Prayer
We pray for joy in our hearts, hope in our God, love to forgive,
and peace upon the earth ...
May there be bread for the hungry, love for the unlovable,
healing for the sick, protection for our children,
and wisdom for our youth.
We pray for the forgiveness of sinners and abundant life in Christ. Amen.
We thank you all for helping to make St Mary’s a beautiful place to be.
Wishing each and every person a most happy, holy and safe Christmas.
In all things may God be glorified
ASSESSMENT & REPORTING
Semester 2 reports will be available later today and they can be accessed via the Parent Portal on Compass. Click here to log into Compass
- Click on ‘Find your School’
- Click on ‘Search your School’ and type in Moruya
- Choose ’St Mary’s Primary School - Moruya’
- Hit ‘Let’s Go’ and you will be asked to enter your username and password provided by the Front Office
Reports bring mixed feelings for parents and students. Pleasure and pride if they are performing well but considerable angst when children are not progressing as you hoped. Reports can mean anxious times for children too. Will my parents be disappointed or proud? This is the main concern of most children. Kids of all ages take their cues from their parents, so your reaction to their school report can affect the way they see themselves as learners and as people. Before reading the report, do a little self-check to see if you are in the right frame of mind:
Do you understand that the A-E scale is different from when you went to school?
A "C" for example means they are achieving at the expected grade level.
A = Achieving Above expectations - Always works independently - Applies to new situations
B = Beyond expectations - Brilliant
C = Consistently working well - Coping well with work – Competent - Confident
D = Developing, but Doing well - Direction needed
E = Encouragement needed - Eventually get there - Extra assistance required
Are your expectations for your son or daughter realistic and in line with their ability? Expectations are tricky. If they are too high then children can be turned off learning. Too low and there is nothing to strive for. Pitch your expectations in line with your child’s abilities.
Do you believe that children learn at different rates? There are slow bloomers, late developers and steady-as-you-go kids in every classroom, so avoid comparing your child to siblings, your friends’ children and even yourself when you were a child. Instead look for individual progress.
Are you willing to safeguard your child’s self-esteem rather than deflate it? Self-confidence is a prerequisite for learning, so be prepared to be as positive and encouraging as possible.
Here are some ideas to consider when you open your child’s report:
- Focus on strengths - Do you look for strengths or weaknesses first? The challenge is to focus on strengths even if they are not in the traditional 3Rs or core subjects.
- Take into account your child’s effort and attitude to learning - If your child is not trying hard enough or is easily distracted, then you have something to work on. If your child is putting in the required effort, then you cannot ask any more than that, regardless of the grading.
- Broaden your focus away from academic performance to form a picture of your child’s progress as a member of a social setting - How your child gets along with his or her peers will influence his/her happiness and well-being, as well as give an indicator to his/her future. The skills of independence and co-operation are highly valued by employers so don’t dismiss these as unimportant.
- Ask for their opinion about how they think they performed and discuss their concerns - Take note of student self-assessment. Children are generally very honest and will give a realistic assessment of their progress. They are generally very perceptive so take note of their opinions. The Engagement with Learning statements will give you ways to speak to your child about their learning.
After reports are read and discussed, celebrate your child’s efforts. In this way, you will recognise progress and remind them that the holidays are just around the corner when they can forget about assessment, tests and reports for a while.
Sourced from Michael Grose Parenting Ideas
A great deal of work and energy goes into the writing of these documents, and I thank the teachers for their efforts. As I have read through the reports, what really impresses me is the growth and development of so many of our students, not just academically, but socially, emotionally, spiritually and physically. Whilst no formal parent-teacher interviews occur at the end of the year, please feel free to contact your child's class teacher directly should you wish to discuss anything from this year.
As we move to the Christmas Season, I wish all our Community a peaceful and holy celebration with family and friends, a time to gather and rest. I also thank God for the privilege of being a member of the St Mary’s Moruya Community. It is this membership that strengthens my faith in the good of people.
God bless and take care.
Stage 2 celebrated the end of the year with a 80’s themed disco in the school hall, you can check out our awesome dance moves with this link:
We completed our animal information reports this week and they have added lots of colour to our classroom. We have added the classification, habitat, map, diet, reproduction, fun facts and appearance of these animals in our booklets.
Students completed their Australian Bird Collage, they cut out shapes from painted paper and pasted on their collage of a bird, we think these look fantastic, just like a photograph of a bird.
We would like to wish all our families a safe and happy Christmas break, we cannot wait to see you all next year.
2021 Christmas Lunch - Volunteers & Donations requested
If you are able to assist with donations of food and/or volunteer to help serve meals on Christmas Day at the Red Door Hall.
As we approach the final weeks of the school year, a reminder that all fees are to be finalised. For our parents who are paying with direct debit arrangement please continue as normal.