Newsletter - 18th September 2024
Acknowledgement of Country
We respectfully acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, the Wadawurrung people. It is a privilege to be standing on Wadawurrung country.
We pay our respect to Elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge the contributions of Indigenous Peoples from the past, present and future who contribute to this country in which we live.
May Indigenous Australians and non-Indigenous Australians continue to work together to educate, unite and live in peace on this land we call home, Australia.
Upcoming Events
20th September: Footy Colours Day. Last day of term. Early finish at 1:30pm.
7th October: Classes resume; start of Term 4.
8th October: Playgroup 9:00am-11:00am
10th October: Harold & Life Ed Visit; Damascus College Open Morning 9:00am-11:00am
14th October: Little Feet, Big Footprint Session for Year 6 students; Lunch orders delivered
15th October: Playgroup 9:00am-11:00am; Damascus College Open Night 4:30pm-7:30pm
Prayer
Loving God,
As we come to the end of this school term,
We thank You for the learning, friendships, and experiences we’ve shared.
Guide us through this final week with patience, kindness, and peace.
Help us to finish our tasks with joy and gratitude,
And bless our families, teachers, and friends.
May we rest and return refreshed,
Ready for new challenges and adventures.
Amen.
Messages from the Principal
CONCERT
What a fantastic success our school concert, The Olympics, was last Wednesday night! The performances from all the students were truly exceptional, and it was wonderful to see their confidence and enthusiasm on stage as they brought the Olympic spirit to life.
A huge thank you to all the families who attended and contributed to the evening. Your support and the lovely plates of supper added to the sense of community and celebration that made the night even more special.
I would also like to express my deep gratitude to the dedicated staff who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make this concert possible. From rehearsals to set design and everything in between, their hard work and commitment ensured the night was a success for everyone.
Thank you all for helping to create such a memorable evening for our students, families, and community.
FOOTY COLOURS DAY
Friday, 20th September (last day of Term 3) is our Footy Colours Day. On this day students may wear their favourite sports team colours. If your child does not have a favourite AFL football team, they may wear a different sports uniform or their favourite colour (preferably red and black). There is no donation required.
LUNCH ORDERS
Lisa at the Bungaree Store is happy to continue delivering lunch orders in Term 4. The dates and price list will be sent home this week for you to mark on your calendar.
IMPORTANT DATES
As we move to the latter weeks of Term 3 and enter the season of Spring, I would like to confirm some important dates relating to Term 4 and the start of the school year in 2025 so that you can plan as needed.
Important dates | Event |
Monday 4th November 2024 | School Closure Day: Curriculum Day for Staff |
Tuesday 5th November 2024 | Melbourne Cup Public Holiday |
Wednesday 18th December 2024 | Last day of school for students |
Wednesday 29th January 2025 | First day for students (Including Foundations) |
WELCOME ABBEY
This week we are delighted to welcome Abbey Parkin to our school. Abbey is in Year 5, her mum Simone and dad Chris are looking forward to joining the St Mary’s Community. What do we know about Abbey?
- She is 11 years old.
- Her favourite subject is sport and she plays basketball.
- Favourite animals are whales.
- Dream job is to be a diver.
SOVEREIGN & EUREKA DIVISION ATHLETICS CARNIVAL
Congratulations to Maeve, Evie and Alexis who all participated in the Sovereign & Eureka Division Athletics Carnival at Llanberris Reserve last Thursday. Maeve came 4th in the discus with distance of 14.38m. Evie came 4th in shot put and relay, along with a 5th in the 100m sprint. Alexis won the shot put with a throw of 9.3m and also took out the discus throw competition. Alexis was also a team member of the relay team who came 4th.
Well done girls, we are all very proud of your achievements and the way you represented the school at this event.
CONGRATULATIONS ALEXIS!
Congratulations to Alexis who competed at the School Sports Victoria, Team Vic Trials at Lakeside Stadium on Monday. Alexis had an amazing event and took out 1st in the Girls 11 Year Olds Discus Throw and 2nd in the Girls 11 Year Olds Shot Put, and competed in the Girls 11 Year Olds Long Jump. This may now mean that Alexis may be offered a place to compete at the Team Vic Track and Field SSA 12 Years and Under Girls and Boys National Championships in late November.
Well done Alexis! We are so proud of you, your achievements and the way you are representing our school. We can't wait to see what you can achieve at the next level.
SCHOOL FEES
A number of families still have fees outstanding. For those not paying these off fortnightly, please contact Claire to discuss your outstanding amounts. A fee statement was emailed on 22nd August. It would be great if we could have these finalised by the end of October.
PRINCIPAL ON LEAVE
As you are aware, as you read this, I am on leave from St Mary’s Catholic Primary School as I join with some of my diocesan principal colleagues on a Spiritual Heritage Pilgrimage to Ireland. The pilgrimage will be led by Fr Justin Driscoll and will focus on the heritage of the Ballarat Diocese. Louise Haintz will be in charge in my absence.
May God Bless you all and keep you safe,
Clare
South Room News
On Tuesday, we all travelled to St Michael's Primary School Daylesford to spend the day playing sport.
Evie and Alexis played netball with the St. Michael's team. It was fun. They played four games and won three and lost one. The best part of the day was socialising with everyone!
Kamden played a game of football with the St. Michael's team against Daylesford Primary School. They lost by a fair bit. It was fun to play with lots of mates.
Leo, Kamden, Will, Emilia, Vanessa and Kaezia played Newcomb Ball. They won all four games! Will said that it was fun because you always got the ball and you could pass it to each other.
Pat played soccer. He made some new friends and learned how to play the game a bit better.
Everyone agreed that it was great to spend time with the St. Michael's children, who they have all gotten to know through our camp experiences. The food was great, the BBQ was delicious. It was a great day!
News from the North Room
The Foundation and Grade 2 students spent the day in the junior classrooms at St Michael's, with Sarah and Louise. We met teachers and students that we didn't know and saw a school we hadn't seen before. We even got to play on a new playground; we liked the climbing web tower. It was a really good day to visit because we made popcorn as part of a procedural text activity. We also went to the canteen and kept learning as well. The students were kind to us and welcomed us into their classrooms.
Happy Birthday
Ellie will celebrate her special day during the holidays. Ellie turns 8 years old on Saturday, 5th October. We hope you have a great day Ellie and look forward to hearing all about it when school returns for Term 4.
Whooping Cough
The incidence of Whooping cough cases is continuing to increase across Victoria, particularly among school-aged children. Whooping cough is a very contagious infection, mostly spread through coughing or sneezing.
Symptoms include:
- blocked or runny nose
- tiredness
- mild fever
- severe bouts of coughing, often followed by a ‘whooping’ sound on breathing.
Whooping cough can lead to life-threatening infections in babies.
If your child is unwell, they should not attend school. Please see a doctor if you or your child develops whooping cough symptoms. Early diagnosis and treatment will help reduce the spread of the infection. Students diagnosed with whooping cough must not attend school.
If your child is diagnosed with whooping cough, they must not attend school for 21 days after the onset of the cough, or until they have received 5 days of antibiotic treatment.
You must notify the school if your child is diagnosed with whooping cough.
To further reduce the spread of infection to your child and the school community, the Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2019 require that some students who were in the same classroom as a student diagnosed with whooping cough should not attend school.
Your child should not attend school for 14 days after they were last exposed to a person diagnosed with whooping cough, or until they have taken 5 days of a course of antibiotic treatment if they are:
- aged less than 7 years; and
- not fully vaccinated with 3 doses of whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine.
This exclusion is required by law – refer to the School exclusion table for primary schools and children’s services.
If your child is diagnosed with whooping cough, please contact the school to let us know. Your support in keeping our students safe and well is greatly appreciated. For more information about whooping cough, refer to Whooping cough on the Better Health Channel.
Vaccination is the best way to reduce the risk of whooping cough. The Department of Health recommends staying up to date with immunisations, including booster doses. A free booster dose of the pertussis vaccine is covered under the National Immunisation Program for students aged 12 to 13. If you are unsure about your child’s vaccination status for whooping cough, please discuss with an immunisation provider, such as your doctor.
National Parent Survey
Catholic School Parents Australia (CSPA) is running a parent survey in partnership with the University of New England on Student Wellbeing and Learning and are seeking your perspective as parents/carers of children who attend a Catholic School in Australia.
You are invited to share your views on existing and emerging affirmations and/or challenges in relation to your child/children’s wellbeing and learning.
The survey is anonymous, confidential, and completely voluntary.
For more information about the study and to participate go here or use the link below:
Thank you for your support.
SPECIAL REPORT: R U OK?Day
Understanding the growing challenges related to mental health among young people is an important consideration. Anxiety, depression and self-harm - are all causes for concern. Factors like academic pressure, social media, family dynamics, and societal expectations, are contributing to these issues. It's therefore crucial for parents and caregivers to take action early, remove the stigma around discussing mental health, and offer accessible support to address these issues and the wellbeing of their children.
R U OK?Day is an initiative that focuses on preventing suicide by encouraging meaningful personal connections and helping informal support networks to help recognise the signs of distress. We urge all families to take part, emphasising the value of genuine human relationships and reminding everyone to ask the important question, "Are you OK?"
Engaging in R U OK?Day activities goes beyond the classroom; it's a commitment to our students' overall development. By talking openly about mental health, schools create safe spaces where students feel understood, valued, and supported. As parents and caregivers, you can contribute by fostering open conversations, normalising feelings and breaking down mental health stigmas. Participating in R U OK?Day promotes compassion and shows our dedication to the wellbeing of the entire school community, reaffirming that together, we can truly make a difference.
This Special Report provides guidance on how to talk to your child about mental health and engage in meaningful discussions.
Here is the link to your Special Report:
Moorabool Libraries School Holidays Activities
The Spring School Holidays are just around the corner and Moorabool Libraries have a “roarsome” range of activities planned.
Families are invited to experience the wonders of nature through art; be immersed in the world of papercraft; or uncover the incredible journey of Australian dinosaurs and megafauna to today’s amazing animals with Museums Victoria.
Please see the flyer below - Spring School Holiday Program - or contact the Moorabool Library directly on (03) 5366 7100.
