2022 Term 1 Week 8
Dear Parents and Carers
Sharlene Coombs from Network Educational Australia delivered a number of student packs to St Mary's this week. The packs were donated to assist those students who may have lost precious school resources during the flooding event. We appreciate the generosity of Network Educational Australia and their sponsors, particularly Cromack Transport, a locally based company. We are sure it will make a positive difference to the students and help them to work through the aftermath of the last few weeks.
On Monday our students organised a coin line and raised $132.95 which will be donated to Caritas. Thank you to everyone involved.
The allocated staff development (pupil free days) for this year are as follows.
Day 1: Friday 8 April Day 2: Tuesday 26 April
Day 3: Monday 18 July Day 4: Monday 10 October
The 2022 school year ends on Friday 16 December 2022.
Information about enrolment for new and existing parents is on our website. If you are intending to enrol a child in Kindergarten next year you can start your online enrolment process here.
Warm regards
Jacki
Learning and Teaching
Kindergarten
What an exciting week we have had in Kindergarten! Last Thursday we celebrated the Patron Saint of Ireland, St. Patrick. We shared many stories, songs and activities about St Patrick and how he taught the people of Ireland about Jesus. St Patrick used the Shamrock to teach about the Holy Trinity; God the Father, God the Son and God the HolySpirit. We made some yummy cupcakes, painted Irish pictures, made green paper mosaics of shamrocks and even completed a directed drawing of a Leprechaun! We had so much fun.
We have enjoyed working outdoors this week in our maths lessons learning about capacity and discovering which containers hold more or less than others and why.
Year 1
Last week Year 1 had a great day celebrating St Patrick’s Day. They were very keen to share with their friends who they have in their life that is worth more to them than gold!
They have been developing their skip counting skills and creating different patterns with objects. They challenged themselves to see the different types of patterns they could create.
Year 2
Year Two have been thinking of ways we can help those affected by the recent flooding. Our school donated a number of classroom resources to St Joseph’s Coraki.
Our class put together a little gift pack for each child in infants at St Joseph’s Coraki which included a handwritten card as well as a few little treats to show we are thinking of them and to hopefully put a smile on their faces during what must have been a tough few weeks.
Year 4
Year 4 worked collaboratively to explore a variety of ways to measure the area of a shape. Their rich conversation led them to discuss why we need formal unit of measurement.
Year 5
NAPLAN - National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy
NAPLAN is fast approaching and Year 5 have been familiarising themselves with the new Assessment Formatt. All testing occurs online In Numeracy and Literacy. The Year 5 students are quite excited as they have not sat a NAPLAN assessment due to Covid interruptions over the past couple of years. NAPLAN is an important tool for us as educators in leading our teaching at the cutting edge of student learning.
HPL STEM Week 8
Our HPL STEM groups have commenced with students exploring our wonderful STEM resources and beginning a passion project on a topic of interest to them. We have been inspired by reading about people who have made a difference in the world by following their dreams.
Stage 1 Science & Technology
In Science and Technology, Stage 1 has been busily designing, building and testing ice coolers as we explore ways we can keep food safe for healthy eating.
A very busy week for our school’s sports representatives
Swimming
Georgia Skeels competed at the POLDING swimming carnival at the Homebush Olympic Pool in Sydney this week. Polding is every catholic primary school north of the Harbour Bridge. She swam in two events, 12 years Freestyle and Senior Girls Backstroke. She won her heat in the 50m backstroke, swimming a personal best of 40.75 seconds. She also swam a personal best in the Freestyle 33.17. Well done Geogia, we’re very proud of you.
Hockey
Last Friday 8 students from St Mary’s competed in the Diocesan Hockey Trials in Grafton. Max Lobsey, Oliver Inskip, Jamieson Allen, Georgia Skeels, Olivia Peppernell, and Stella Skeels were all successful in making the Diocesan team to play in Bathurst next Term. Kennedy Smith and Willa Brotherson also played well and were wonderful representatives for our school.
Soccer/Touch Football
Emily Archer and Zaden Nipperess both played this week in the Diocesan Soccer trials. By reports both students played well but were unsuccessful in being selected. Congratulations on making it to our zone team. Zaden also played in the Diocesan Touch Football trials in Iluka. Well done Zaden on making it to both a winter and summer sports trial for our Zone.
Yours in Sport
Peter Tonkin
School Fees update
- Statements are automatically sent via email at the end of each month.
- The preferred payment of fees is via BPAY, EFTPOS or Compass.
- BPAY: Please ensure you are using the current number. Contact the school office via email if you wish to check the number.
- EFTPOS: cards may be used in the school office
- COMPASS: open the app, click the cog wheel and open 'tools'. Your current outstanding balance will be on the screen.
McAuley Catholic College
Kiss and Drop Zone in Turf Street
Just a reminder that the Kiss and Drop Zone is currently signed as a one minute parking zone. This means that you cannot park your car in the kiss and drop zone for an extended period. The students arrive at Kiss and Drop at 3pm and are supervised in this zone until 3.20pm. Please consider arriving closer to 3pm for collection.
The Kiss and Drop is designed for you to stay in your car while your child enters the car. If your child cannot open the car door and secure their own seatbelt, you need to park your car and walk to the gate to collect your child. The Kiss and Drop Zone does not function effectively and becomes congested if there are any hold ups or delays.
The school does not request the presence of the Grafton Police to manage traffic at the front of the school. However, there is a regular police presence on Turf Street monitoring the safety of the school zone. Please ensure that you adhere to all traffic signs in the area to avoid fines.
Please check out our school Safe Travel webpage that details all the processes for travel to and from school.
Parking in Hoof Street
There are a small number of parking spaces near the Sunrise Shop (corner of Hoof and Turf Streets) for use by their customers. To assist this small business we suggest parking away from the corner.
