2024 Term 1 Week 5
Dear Parents and Carers,
Last Thursday, we gathered for our Opening School Mass. It was a time filled with reverence, inspiration, and community spirit. As we joined in prayer and reflection, we were reminded of the importance of supporting one another. Following the Mass, we were privileged to induct our Year 6 student leaders. Their enthusiasm, dedication, and commitment to serving our school community are commendable. We are confident that they will lead with integrity and positively impact all areas of school life.
On Wednesday this week, families were invited to the school for open classrooms. This event provided an opportunity to hear about our new curriculum, meet our staff and hear about their new roles and catch up with other families while enjoying catering provided by Chrissie Morrison, Parent Assembly. It was a fantastic opportunity to see our new projects for school improvement finalised and visit classroom spaces.
Yesterday we commenced the student led interviews. If you have not yet booked your time through the Compass App we encourage you to do so. During the appointment time parents are able to discuss their child’s learning and share the hopes and goals for their child in 2024. This style of interview promotes a partnership between students, teacher and parents so it is important that you bring your child along to the interview.
Today our Year 6 students attended Incitare at McAuley Catholic College. This is one of the opportunities offered to students in the Lismore Diocese to further develop their faith. Incitare means to stir up. This discipleship opportunity encourages our Year 6 students to become aware of their faith and share it with others as they lead our school community.
Thoughts of Easter have escalated this week. Raffle ticket sheets have been sent home with students and students have commenced an Easter Egg guessing competition during break times. The guessing competition is 50c per guess and open to all students to try their luck! The Easter raffle will be drawn on Tuesday 26 March.
Warmest regards,
Jacki
Incitare Faith Formation Experience
Today, our Year 6 students attended McAuley Catholic College to attend the Diocese of Lismore's Student Discipleship Retreat: Incitare. This is a faith formation experience that allows students to deepen their faith and build relationships with Year 6 students from other local Catholic schools.Students engaged in large and small group activities that focused on:
- Values in life.
- Courage and ways to be a disciple.
- How to make a difference in the world.
A big thankyou to the Youth Ministry students from McAuley Catholic College who facilitated the day by running lively games, activities and small group sessions. Congratulations to Mrs Gorman, who convened this year's retreat day and provided students with a memorable faith experience.
Sacrament of Confirmation
Information regarding the Sacrament of Confirmation will be sent out via Compass in the coming weeks for those who wish to register their child to receive this Sacrament. The Sacrament of Confirmation is for baptised students in Years 3,4,5 and 6.
Outlined below are the key dates for the Sacrament of Confirmation.
- 4 June, 6 pm- Confirmation Information Evening at St Mary's Church, Grafton
- 7 June- Confirmation Retreat Day for students
- 18 June, Time TBA- Sacrament of Confirmation conferred by the Bishop at St Mary's Church, Grafton
Please note information regarding the Sacrament of First Reconciliation and First Eucharist will be shared in Term 2.
Lenten Program
Mrs Dominique Montford
Assistant Principal Mission
Polding Try-outs
Clarence Zone Swimming Trials
Last Monday St Mary’s swimming squad travelled to Maclean for the Clarence Zone Swimming Trials. All students performed to the best of their ability and were wonderful representatives of our school. Congratulations to all our swimmers for their efforts and attitude, well done.
Diocesan Winters Sports Trials
Next Wednesday 6 March, Year 6 students Serge Lobsey, Harlow Callaghan and Lilly Lemont, will be trying to make the Diocesan teams for Girls and Boys Hockey. These trials are being held in Grafton and we wish our students the best of luck in their trials.
On Friday 8 March, also in Grafton, Oliver Inskip and Braxn Nipperess will be trialing. Oliver will be trailing for the Diocesan Soccer team and Braxn for the Diocesan Under 11 Rugby League team. We wish them the best of luck in their endeavors.
St Mary’s Basketball
All students at St Mary’s are loving our Basketball program this Term. Blake has instructed us in many varied skills and fantastic games, and the skill development is amazing. Thank you Blake for your ongoing support of sport at St Mary’s.
Important Messages from Northern NSW Local Health District
NSW Health has advised Principals of very high rates of cryptosporidiosis, a diarrhoeal disease, in the community.
To prevent cryptosporidiosis transmission among swimmers at upcoming school swimming carnivals, NSW Health recommends all schools implement the following precautions:
- Advise students to refrain from swimming if they are experiencing, or have experienced in two weeks prior to the carnival, gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhoea.
- Emphasise the importance of regular handwashing with soap and water.
- Remind students to avoid swallowing pool water.
Cryptosporidium is present in the faeces of infected people. Outbreaks have been linked to water sources contaminated by infectious people, including swimming pools.
Schools should liaise with their local public health unit (1300 066 055) if they require any guidance and support.
For more information on cryptosporidiosis, see the attached media release or visit: https://www.health.nsw.
SCREENING
Parents who have concerns about their child's vision, hearing or speech can have an assessment completed by contacting the following:
Vision Difficulties: Testing is available at all local optometrists without referral. Fees may apply, please clarify at the time of booking.
Hearing Difficulties: Free hearing clinics at Grafton Community Health on 66418702 and Maclean Health on 66400123.
Speech Difficulties: Referrals can be made by parent/carers by phoning the ASpeech Pathology Department at Grafton on 66418745 or Maclean Community Health Centre on 66400123.
UNIFORMS
St Mary's School uniforms are available to purchase from Lowes in Grafton Shopping World. The sports uniform is worn on Wednesday and Friday each week.
Covid 19
COVID-19 is still present in our community.
Students and staff CANNOT attend school if they are showing any symptoms of COVID-19.
If a student is unwell, displaying any COVID-19 or cold and flu-like symptoms at any time, they CANNOT attend school and should undertake a rapid antigen test.
If the rapid antigen test is positive and the student is unwell and/or experiencing any symptoms, they CANNOT attend school.
If the rapid antigen test is positive and the student is feeling well and not displaying or experiencing any symptoms, they CAN attend school but the school is to be informed of the positive test result.
Attendance
- If your child is arriving to the school after 8:45am please sign them in at the office.
- Please use Compass to record full day absentees. Partial absences are recorded by staff when students are signed in and out of the office.
- Students who leave a school event early will have a partial absence recorded.
- A medical certificate or other documentation may be requested where frequent absences due to illness occur.
- Generally, extended leave (greater than 10 days) during the school term would not be approved. These absences are recorded on the roll as unjustified and a completed Form 01 Extended Leave Notification Travel/Other Greater than 10 Days is required.
- In exceptional circumstances parents may complete an Form 02 Approved Extended Leave Application - Travel/Other Greater than 10 Days for consideration by the Principal, explaining why an absence for extended leave is in the best educational interest of the student. The Principal may decline or accept this application.
Road Safety
Seatbelts
Seatbelts double the chance of survival and reduce the risk of injury in a road crash. By law, all passengers must use the seatbelts in any bus that is fitted with them.
Bus drivers ensure passengers are made aware of the need to wear seat belts when travelling on the bus, however it is the student’s responsibility to use the seatbelts and buckle themselves in.
It would be a great assistance if you can talk to your children about the importance of wearing a seatbelt on the bus and to wear a seatbelt habitually without being asked by the bus driver. If there is a seatbelt on their seat, they need to buckle up.
If a student needs help fastening their seatbelt whilst on the bus, please remind them to ask for help from the person next to them or nearby, or a sibling or friend.
Getting to school by bus in 2024 - Bus passes
- All students catching the bus in 2024 will need a school travel pass.
- Under the School Student Transport Scheme (SSTS), eligible students can apply for free or subsided travel between home and school.
- For more information about the School Student Transport Scheme and how to apply for a school travel pass, visit https://apps.transport.nsw.
gov.au/ssts/#/ from a desktop computer.
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 in the designated parking areas and walk to the gate to collect your child. Please drive through as far as possible to allow sufficient space for other drivers in the zone. 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.
Working With Children Check (WWCC)
At St Mary's we are committed to creating and supporting a culture of safety for children and ensuring that children are protected. All employees and volunteers are required to have a current WWCC.
NB - The vast majority of volunteers in schools are parents of a child attending the school at which they are volunteering (eg reading groups, fetes, camps, excursions and canteen) and therefore do not require a WWCC. Exceptions to this are
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volunteers interacting one-on-one with a child not their own,
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working with children who have a disability,
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offering mentoring services,
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when the volunteer is not a parent or close relative.