Term 3 Week 2 Newsletter 2024
Important Dates
July 30 | PYJAMA DAY (St. Vincent de Paul Fundraiser) |
Aug 02 | GRANDPARENTS DAY |
Aug 05 | P&F Meeting - 6pm - ALL WELCOME |
Aug 06 | Western Region Athletics Carnival - Dubbo |
Aug 07 | Year 6 Canberra Excursion |
Aug 08 | Mary MacKillop Liturgy |
Aug 09 | Soccer Gala Day @ Lady Cutler Ovals - Bligh Steet, Dubbo |
Aug 19 | BOOK WEEK commences |
Vision Statement:
St. Mary's Primary strives to be a welcoming Christ-centred learning community that promotes a quality holistic
education and trusting relationships in a caring and supportive environment.
Acknowledgment of Country: We acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land, the Wiradjuri people, who, long before us, lived, loved, educated and raised their children on this site. We pay our respects to elders past and present, and we recognise the young people who are our future. We acknowledge all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families in our community. We respect their deep physical and spiritual connections to the country through their stories traditions and living cultures.
Character Virtue: O P T I M I S M
Optimism means that you are positive and look on the bright side of any situation - approaching tasks with enthusiasm. It is the opposite of worrying and being negative. It is possible to be optimistic in difficult situations. In the book of Romans, it says, "We know in everything God works for good with people those who love him, who are called according to his purpose."
From the Principal
Mr Luke Wilson
Principal
Dear Parents,
Welcome to Week 2.
Thank you to all of our teachers who put in many hours over the holidays preparing for Term 3 so that our students could hit the ground running as of the first day back. Thanks to our teachers, support staff and parents who assisted in allowing around 140 of our students to enjoy the Touch Gala Day last Wednesday. Thank you to Mrs Nuttall for her work in organising our Regional Chess Competition on Friday. A special mention goes to Mr Mark Nuttall, our volunteer chess coach, who spent the day helping our students on Friday.
This week, we have Vinnies PJ Day on Tuesday, 30th July and Grandparent's Day on Friday, 2nd August.
Peer Support commenced today. Thanks to our Year 6 teachers for their work in preparing our Year 6 students and thanks also to our wonderful Year 6 leaders for taking on the responsibility of leading their peers through these activities.
Grandparents Day - This Friday is a very special day at St. Mary’s as it is Grandparents Day. All Grandparents (and parents) are invited to our school to spend time with their grandchildren and see some of the wonderful things they are doing. You are all warmly invited to attend. Students will be allowed to sit with parents and/or grandparents for the Mass. If parents or grandparents are unable to attend, the children will sit with teachers. Grandparents Day Mass is one of the highlights of the school year, and we encourage everyone to come along. The students will be in their classes on the grass outside the church. The students will meet their families back at school for morning tea and open classrooms. Following the classroom visits, students may go home with their grandparents/parents or stay at school to complete the day.
Please Note:
* Students to wear sports uniform
* No food or drink is permitted in the church
Program for the Day:
- Mass: 10:00 am at St. Brigid’s Church
- Following Mass - BYO picnic and open classrooms (tea and coffee provided) @ St. Mary's P.S.
Religious Education
Mr Tim Keady
RE Coordinator
Dear Parents,
Communion Registration - First Eucharist sessions are being held in the coming weeks. A reminder that Year 3 children and their parents are required to attend one meeting per week in the lead-up to the sacrament.
| Session 1 | Session 2 | Session 3 | |
| Sunday - 10am (after Mass) | 28th July | 4th August | 11th August |
| Tuesday - 6.15pm | 30th July | 6th August | 13th August |
| Wednesday - 4.15pm | 31st July | 7th August | 14th August |
If you have any questions about the sacrament of Communion, please contact Rosie Hosking via email at sacraments.dubbo@cdob.org.au
Vinnie's PJ Day - We will be holding our annual St. Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal tomorrow.
Students are to wear PJs to school (with enclosed shoes/joggers).
We also ask for families to make a gold coin donation for St. Vincent de Paul.
Grandparents Day - We will celebrate Grandparents Day this Friday, 2nd August. We will commence the day with Mass at St. Brigid’s Church at 10 am. Students will then return to school via bus where we will have a BYO picnic and open classrooms.
Parents/families will collect their child/ren from their grade teachers on the lawn area outside the church before moving into the church to sit together. After Mass, all students are to remain in the church. All students will return to school by bus to continue on our day of celebrations.
| RE Dates for the Calendar | |
| Week 2 | Friday, 2nd August - Grandparent's Day |
| Week 3 | Thursday, 8th August - Mary MacKillop Liturgy - 12.30pm @ St. Mary's Hall (lead by Year 4) |
| Week 4 | Thursday, 15th August - Feast of the Assumption - 12pm @ St. Mary's Hall (leady by Year 6) |
| Week 5 | Tuesday, 20th August - Year 5/6 Praise and Worship @ St. Johns College |
| Week 6 | Saturday/Sunday 31st August and 1st September - St. Mary's First Eucharist Weekend |
| Week 7 | Tuesday, 3rd September - NAIDOC Liturgy + activities. (Confirmation of times for events to be confirmed) |
| Week 8 | Wednesday, 11th September - First Eucharist Liturgy - 12.30pm @ St. Mary's Hall (Year 2) |
| Week 9 | |
| Week 10 | Gerard Yeo Shield @ St. Mary's (Year 6 from all Dubbo Catholic Schools) |
Gospel Focus: ABUNDANCE (John 5:1-15)
Be thankful for the providence of God.
ST. BRIGID'S PARISH - MASS TIMES:
St Brigid's: Saturday - 5pm, Sunday - 9am and Sunday - 5pm
St. Laurence's Church: Sunday - 7.30am
Sport
Touch Football Gala Day
Soccer Gala Day - Our school has been invited by St. Laurence's School Dubbo to participate in the Soccer Gala Day, which will take place on Friday, 9th August at Lady Cutler Ovals, Bligh Street Dubbo.
Nomination Forms were sent home with students today and are to be returned to school by Thursday, 1st August.
Wellbeing
Mrs Sue Nuttall
Wellbeing Leader
Peer Support Groups
Year 6 Leaders at St. Mary's Primary act as facilitators for our Peer Support Groups. This program runs each year in Term 3 with the invaluable expertise of the Year 6 teachers, who guide the new Peer Support Leaders through their lessons each week. The Year 6 students play a challenging role in becoming group leaders of their peers. The topic of our program this year is Making Connections - creating friendships and keeping them. Start a conversation with your child around their Peer Support experience today.
Awards
STUDENT OF THE WEEK:
| Harry Taylor - KB For his commitment to learning in Kindergarten. Well done Harry! |
| Hank Dunworth - KG For a wonderful start to the Term with his great reading, focus and clever writing. |
| Vera Morley Pauco - 3B For the immense joy she shares with her learning and interactions with others. |
Liv Smith - 5B |
Chess
Regional Chess Competition
Book Week 2024
ICAS
Dates for students (Years 3 to 6) who have entered the International Competition and Assessments for Schools:
| Subject | Date |
| Digital Technology | Monday, 5th August |
| Writing | Monday, 5th August |
| English | Wednesday, 14th August |
| Science | Thursday, 22nd August |
| Spelling Bee | Thursday, 22nd August |
| Mathematics | Wednesday, 28th August |
School Fees
Term 3 Fees will be posted on Friday, 2nd August 2024 and DUE on Friday, 16th August 2024.
If you'd like to start up a Payment Plan to manage your school fees, please phone the school office. Thank you.
Attendance
Attending school special events are a break from the routine, providing students with a chance to enjoy themselves and have fun interacting with peers outside the regular classroom setting.
Special events that occur during school hours or after school hours can introduce variety and novelty into the school routine. They offer a break from the everyday classroom activities, providing students with fresh and engaging experiences.
Special events create a more relaxed and informal setting compared to regular classroom environments. This atmosphere encourages social interaction and allows students to interact with peers in a more laid-back manner.
Participating in enjoyable and celebratory events contributes to positive emotional experiences. Students can experience joy, laughter, and a sense of camaraderie, fostering a positive outlook on their school experience.
Encourage your child to attend and participate in school events to help create lasting positive memories of high school.
Automated Attendance Notification:
CEDB has set up Automated Attendance Notifications for our school which commenced last week.
Attendance Tracking: Teachers will record attendance as usual.
Automated Alerts: If your child is marked absent without a known reason, an SMS will be sent to your registered mobile number.
Immediate Action: You can take immediate action by contacting the school if the absence is
unexpected or unaccounted for.
Ensure Your Contact Information is Up-to-Date: Verify and update your mobile number with the school office.
Communicate Absences: Notify the school in advance if your child will be absent.
Stay Alert: Look out for SMS notifications from the school.
PARTIAL ABSENCES:
Parents must attend the school office to use the Compass Kiosk to complete a PARENT DROP-OFF or PARENT PICK-UP if arriving late or leaving early.
FULL DAY ABSENCES:
A Note should be submitted via Compass for a FULL DAY absence from school.
Reminder: Parents to submit an attendance note within 7 days of absence. Thank you.
Community News
BIRTHDAYS:
Celebrating their birthday this week are:
Cooper Lew, Emmett Giddings, Omar Seleem, Hugo Kerin, Hank Dunworth,
Barahamjot Pawar, Brock Eagleston, Zadie McWhirter, Zarlia Neville and Mrs Alex Bruce.
We hope you enjoy your birthday!
Canteen
Canteen Roster
TUES Jul 30 | Joanna Wiatkowski |
WED Jul 31 | Melissa Barrett and Ros Dixon |
THURS Aug 01 | Jordana Pearson and Emma McNamara |
FRI Aug 02 | Victoria Meyers and Jackie Pratten |
MON Aug 05 | Cassie Carney |
REMINDER:
MunchMonitor cut-off time for placing lunch orders - 9.45 am.
LATE LUNCH ORDERS:
9.45 am - 11.00 am - Parents are welcome to phone the school office to place a lunch order.
After 11.00 am - Students have an option of a Vegemite Sandwich, Cheese Sandwich
or Cheese and Vegemite Sandwich only.