LINKS: Term One Week One

From the Principal

Welcome Back to 2024!

A very warm welcome to St Mary’s School for the 2024 school year. I trust that you all have had an enjoyable break and reenergising time with family and friends, particularly celebrating the joy of Christmas. For me, I was fortunate to spend precious time with family and friends and I feel refreshed and excited about our school year.

This year, our theme is Come as Guest. As a staff during the Professional Learning week, we discussed the importance of ‘Coming as Guest’. On Monday, we had Br Damian Price with us to explore service learning. Although Damian is a Christian Brother and the notion of ‘Come as Guest’ is very much in the Christian Brother and Edmund Rice tradition, it is very relevant for us as a Mercy school. Catherine McAuley and the Sisters of Mercy have a similar background to Edmund Rice and the Christian Brothers. Both founders were active in Ireland at the same time, so it is very easy to see that through working with the same demographic, the charisms are very similar. Catherine McAuley referred to the notion of ‘Come as Guest’ as hospitality. ‘Come as Guest’ simply means being present to people, listening and understanding the perspective that they bring – meeting people where they are at, at that time.

One of my favourite scripture passages is the one that was read during our staff prayer last Tuesday about Martha and Mary. I am guilty of being a Martha! I feel very much at home washing up in the kitchen or stacking chairs at school functions. For years, I thought this was the most appropriate form of leadership – the notion of servant leadership is very dear to my heart. However, the concept of ‘Come as Guest’ has changed my perspective on this scripture passage. Mary was present. Despite Jesus being a guest in their home, it was Mary who ‘Came as Guest’ to Jesus. This year, through our theme, we are challenged to be more like Mary and ‘Come as Guest’ to those in our community.

I would like to thank and acknowledge our hard-working staff, many of whom worked incredibly hard over the holiday period to prepare for this year. Our Preps to Year 6 will see the implementation of a new phonics program this year, PLD, and I know how hard they have worked to ensure they are ready to deliver this to your children. I especially thank Mrs Tenille White, who has led this so professionally.

Farewell to Fr Hermi

In recent weeks, we have heard that Fr Hermi will be moving to Sacred Heart Parish in Toowoomba in February. We thank Fr Hermi most sincerely for the kind, compassionate and present example he has been for our community. We wish him all the best on this new journey. We will miss you, Fr Hermi!

Fr Bony will join us from St Mary’s Parish in Warwick and we warmly welcome him to our community. I have heard great things about Fr Bony and I hope he enjoys his time in Goondiwindi. I know you will join me in warmly welcoming Fr Bony.

Miss Angela Collins
Principal

Religious Life

News from the APRE

We hope this message finds you well and filled with anticipation for the exciting year ahead. As we usher in the new school year, we extend a warm welcome to each of you, both returning families and those joining our St. Mary's community for the first time. For those of you new to our school my role is Assistant Principal Religious Education (APRE). This entails overseeing the Religious Education, prayer life and religious life of our school. I am also part of the school’s leadership team and teach a number of secondary classes. If you have any questions or queries around any of these areas, please come and see me, my door is always open.

2024 Theme ‘Come as Guest’

This year our theme is ‘Come as Guest’. In a world where diversity is our greatest strength, we believe that embracing the concept of welcoming others as guests can foster a sense of unity, understanding, and appreciation. Catherine McAuley and the Mercy sisters embodied this theme so well. They were well known for opening their hearts to others and for extending their warmth and hospitality to this around them.   

‘Come as Guest’ is more than just a theme; it's a mindset. It encourages each one of us to approach every interaction with open-mindedness, empathy, and a genuine desire to learn from one another. It's about recognising that everyone brings something unique to the table, and by welcoming others as guests, we create an inclusive and respectful environment for everyone.

Throughout the year, we will embark on various initiatives, events, and activities that embody the spirit of "Come as Guest." From multicultural celebrations and guest speaker series to collaborative projects and community service efforts, we aim to create opportunities for meaningful connections and conversations.

We invite each member of our school community – students, parents, teachers, and staff – to actively participate in shaping our school culture around the principles of hospitality, inclusion, and understanding.

Let's make 2024 a memorable year of welcome, acceptance, and hospitality for all in our community.

Farewell to Fr. Hermi

Before we dive into the year's activities, it is with mixed emotions that we announce the departure of our beloved Fr. Hermi, who has been a cherished part of our St. Mary's family. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to him for his dedicated service and wish him all the best as he embarks on a new chapter in his journey. We will be expressing our appreciation and bidding him farewell on February 9th, during the Beginning of Year Mass. We also extend a warm welcome to our new Parish Priest Fr Bony.

Beginning of Year Mass: February 9th at 9:30 am

We invite you to join us on February 9th at 9:30 am for our Beginning of Year Mass, a special occasion where we will come together as a community to seek blessings for the upcoming academic year. During this Mass, our student leaders will be presented with their leadership badges, symbolising their commitment to lead by example and contribute positively to the St. Mary's community.

This Mass is an excellent opportunity for all parents, students, and staff to come together, connect, and set a positive tone for the year ahead. We look forward to sharing this meaningful experience with you.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership in the education of our students. Together, we can make this school year a memorable and enriching journey for everyone involved.

Have a great week ahead!

Karra Suhr
Assistant Principal Religious Education

Secondary News

Welcome to Week 1, Term 1 of our academic year in 2024.

With such a long holiday it can be a struggle to get back into the rigor and routine that is required to fulfill our potential daily. For this reason, I have decided to share with you my learnings around an evening routine that I find helpful and helps me to win the next morning and therefore the next day. Following this, I have shared my findings surrounding setting up a homework (learning) area.

The evening routine

• The 3:2:1 rule:
  • 3 hours before bed, no food.
  • 2 hours before bed, no schoolwork.
  • 1 hour before bed, no screens
• Make it easier:
  • Decisions and actions made the night before require less energy (activation energy). In addition to this, there isn’t that pressure of time that may be a factor the following morning.
  • For example, laying out your clothes and strategically placing items so that they can be easily located when you need to find them.
• Establishing a clean slate:
  • Return your bedroom and other common areas within your house to a neutral state. In other words, put everything back in its place so that the next morning you are welcomed by a neat and ordered environment.
• Be intentional about what time you get up:
  • Be realistic about what time you must get up to give yourself more than enough time to get ready without a heap of stress and potential frustration.
  • To be your best future self, what morning routine is required?
• No Phone in the bedroom!

All the above will help you get a good night sleep, which is essential for recovery and growth.

Homework (Learning) Area

To boost our focus and engagement, it's helpful to create a special spot for learning or doing homework. When you consistently use this designated area, your brain switches into a "homework mode," making you more productive.

The following should be considered when creating a learning area:

• Low light (bright lighting stresses your eyes)
• Comfortable seating and well ventilated
• Quiet, and away from distractions
• Neat, tidy, and well resourced (all the things you are going to need, have them close to hand)
• Colourful posters of your goals a little higher than eye level.

While learning in your learning area:

• Wear clothes conducive to working (again, to help get you into work mode)
• Sip water
• Move your arms and legs periodically to maintain blood flow.
• Don’t listen to any music that has a heavy beat.

What not to do:

• Do not study in bed (your brain relates bed to sleep and not learning). It will also disturb your sleep patterns.
• Do not use your learning study area for anything other than working.

Mr Bevin Goodes
Assistant Principal Secondary

Sports Report

Welcome back!  I am excited about the opportunities that await us in 2024. 

I thought I would begin by showing you a few photos of my holiday.  The first photo is of a netball court in Fiji that my daughter played on, against the local village team.  (if you look closely the lines were marked with sand and there were quite a few boulders sticking out of the ground).  The second is of a beautiful resort we stayed in,  that is about 5 minutes walk from the courts.  What struck me was the huge comparison in just a short walk.    What also struck me, was that the village people seemed so happy with what they have. 

My lesson for this year in sport is….. ‘If you are happy with the result you have achieved, then there is no comparison to anyone else’.  Strive for your best!  If you come off the field knowing you did a PB (personal best)  or couldn’t of tried any harder, then you should be happy. The emphasis should be on your performance, not anyone else’s.

Please keep these dates handy, as there will be quite a lot of correspondence in the first few weeks.

Dates for Mac zone 2024 -  term 1

Mac Zone Swimming – Friday 2^nd February

Notes have been handed out for Mac Zone Swimming for those born 2015, 2014, 2013, or 2012.  If they could please be handed back to the front office with your $5 by Monday, 29^th January.

Dates for Border District 2024 -  term 1

Border Districts Summer Trials -  Monday, 29^th January

Notes have been handed to those students who are interested in trialling for the Border Districts Summer Trials.  These notes need to be handed in by Thursday, 25^th January.  These trials are for cricket and touch.  If your child is interested in trialling for tennis, volleyball, softball or waterpolo, this is a straight trial to Toowoomba (Darling Downs).  Please email me if your child is interested in that.

“Don’t compare your life to others.  There’s no comparison between the sun and the moon.  They shine when it’s their time”.

Yours in Sport,

Kathy Spicer

(Kathy.Spicer@twb.catholic.edu.au)

Library News

Borrowing will begin in week two

Class library days

Monday: Prep, Year 1, Year 2

Tuesday: Year 3, 4M and 6R

Wednesday: 4/5F, 4L , 5G , 5S and 6P

Lessons are weekly, please encourage students to bring library bags/books each week to assist with routines. Students are welcome to re borrow books if they haven’t been read or finished.

Young Adult letter

This week, year 6 students will receive a letter regarding the Young Adult section of the library. Please fill in the permission form and return to the library. Parents are welcome to come in to have a look at this section before signing the form.

If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail the library staff at:

goondiwindilib@twb.catholic.edu.au

Have a great year everyone!

Emma Petrie
Teacher Librarian

Learning Support

Thank you and welcome back to our amazing team who support our students, parents and teachers in our St Mary’s community.

This year I will continue in the role as Middle Leader – Student Services & Learning Support Teacher (P-4). Louise Cowley will continue in her role as Learning Support Teacher for our Yr5-10 students. Lou and myself also support students by running intervention groups in classrooms through each week, as does Anna Woods for our Prep-Yr4 students.

We are so grateful for our 11 Student Support School Officers (Teacher Aides) who also support students and teachers from Prep – Yr10. Thank you to Michelle Abbenhuis, Pip Bowen, Katie Coleborn, Penne Collyer, Tanya Dorey, Liela Fritz, Wendy Jones, Jess McGregor, Natalie Mettam, Vanessa Schmidt and Pam Schramm for returning in 2024.

My email is: Allison.Marsh@twb.catholic.edu.au if you would like to contact me.

Allison Marsh
Middle Leader, Learning Support & Student Services

Careers

St. Mary’s Community,

I am thrilled to continue the outstanding work initiated by Mrs. Rachael Reeves, stepping into the role of 2024 Career Development Practitioner/Secondary Teacher.

The primary objective of the Career Development role is to collaboratively engage with school communities, advocating for and fostering the achievement, participation, career development, and employability of our students.

As the Career Development Practitioner, my focus includes:

• Building Future Skills: Implementing a targeted classroom program to equip students with essential 21^st century skills, preparing them for life beyond school.
• Strengthen Community Collaboration: Facilitating relationships among schools, employers, and local communities by assisting to provide valuable work experience opportunities and school-based apprenticeship/traineeship offerings.
• Cultivating Positive Decision Making: Guiding students in honing their ability to make informed decisions throughout their lives, empowering them to take ownership of their success.

I look forward to contributing to the ongoing success of our students at St. Mary’s and I am eager to collaborate with the community to pursue valuable opportunities for all.  

*If you are a business interested in offering a school-based apprenticeship/traineeship, work experience or you are an individual who would like to promote your field of work – please reach out via email: carly.sheridan@twb.catholic.edu.au

Carly Sheridan
Career Development Practitioner

Guidance Counsellor

Happy 2024. It's that time of year again. (Doesn't it come around quickly!) The start of school has a way of stirring anxiety like few other things. This makes sense. For children and teens, school brings one of the longest separations from their loved people.

Saying 'goodbye' can be tough - not only for our children but for us too. Even the strongest and bravest of hearts can feel the wrenching that can come with separation. I've felt it myself too many times.

Separation anxiety exists for a very good reason. (And it has nothing at all to do with your parenting - don't let anyone tell you otherwise!) We want our children to feel loved and supported, but we also want to build their brave so anxiety doesn't stand in the way of the important, growthful things they need to do. 

Separation anxiety can feel brutal, but it also comes with transformative opportunities to strengthen your child and build their brave in ways that will serve them, not just for now but for the rest of their lives. Of course we'd rather our young ones never feel the tailwhip of separation anxiety, but so many young people (and the adults who love them) are going to experience anxiety at separation from a loved one. It's part of being human, but it doesn't have to hurt. As their important adult, you have a profound capacity to support them through separation anxiety and help them feel braver, stronger, and closer to you, even when you're not beside them. In this one-and-a-half-hour webinar, we will explore practical, powerful ways to do this.

This is information I wish every parent could have. I'll be speaking to you from my professional experience, but more importantly, I'll be speaking to you from my parenting heart. Something you might not know about me is that my own experience with my daughter's separation anxiety when she was a little person is what led me to this work. (She's now one of the bravest women I know!)

I know we can get kids through separation anxiety. I know the heartache. I know the feelings of helplessness. And I know we can get them through. 

We will explore:

• why separation anxiety happens, and the important job it’s there to do;
• the thing all loving adults will do (we’ll all do them!) that can inadvertently make their anxiety worse, and what to do instead;
• why their anxiety will fuel yours;
• what adults can do to soften the impact of separation;
• how to respond in the midst of anxiety – strategies for children, parents and carers (including teachers and other important adults);
• practical, powerful strategies to support your child through separation anxiety;
• the toolbox for young people – how to help all children feel bigger at separation;
• how to help your child feel closer to you during separation;
• the connection between anxiety and aggression, and how to respond to big behaviour in the moment;
• the connection between anxiety, behaviour and learning, and how to work with this;
• a road map for supporting your child through anxiety – before, during, and after;
• why relationships matter, and how to facilitate relationships between children and their important adults (teachers, other important adults) in ways that will build brave behaviour.

What if I can't make the 'live' online event?
If you can't make the live event, that's no problem at all. The workshop will be recorded and made available to registered participants for thirty days following the 'live' online event.

The Details
When:  8 February, 6:30pm-8pm AEST (Brisbane time)
Cost:  AUD $40 (approx USD $27)

Paul Fomiatti
Guidance Councellor

URSTRONG

St Mary’s URSTRONG Friendship Program

Last year we successfully launched our URSTRONG Friendship program. Students began learning about the language of Friendship within their Health lessons, and staff have been using this language, to foster a common language of friendship across the school. 

Research shows that relationships are the heart of wellbeing and learning. When we get friendships right in schools, children flourish! URSTRONG gives our students skills and strategies to improve their self-confidence and stand up for themselves using child friendly frameworks.  

URSTRONG provides our teachers with a friendship skills curriculum that helps our students establish and maintain healthy relationships, manage conflict with kindness and increases their overall resilience.

As we continue to embark on our journey to create a culture of kindness at St Mary’s, this term will see the return of our “Friendship Spotters.” This allows our Secondary students to foster a relationship with the younger students in our school. Each week they will select 2 students who are demonstrating excellent friendship skills and present them with a Friendship Award at Monday Morning Parade.

Below are a few examples of posters our teachers have displayed in their classrooms.

Try these questions to spark a conversation at home:

• What does trust and respect look like in a friendship?
• Where are your friendships on the Friend-O-Meter?
• How can you increase your daily dose of healthy friendships?

Here are some tips to remember in supporting kids:

• Ask direct, specific questions.
• Share your experiences.
• Role-play
• Encourage them to put out their Friendship fires & use their Quick Comebacks.

URSTRONG Parent Community

https://urstrong.com/parents/

We encourage you to visit and join the URSTRONG Parent Community. You need to activate your membership by entering an email and a contact phone number. You will then have free access to a wide variety of videos, activities and articles to support your child’s friendship journey.

Nicki Wyllie 
P-6 Health Teacher & Middle Leader P-10 Pastoral

P & F News

As you arrive back at School for Term One, you will notice some new table settings in place around the school. These are the result of last years seating project.  Bench seating is also ordered and set to arrive in February.  Thank you again to those who were able to sponsor new seating to support this project. Plaques will be put onto the sponsored seats once all seating has arrived. 

In the coming weeks we will announce upcoming P&F dates, including our term 1 meeting and possible Meet and Greet evening.

What is the P&F?

• The P&F provides a structure for interested and dedicated parents and/or carers to be involved as a contributing member to our school community. 
• The P&F Association exists for the benefit of the school. It is vital in helping create a link between school and families.
• The P&F coordinates social, fundraising and other activities.
• The P&F endeavours to plan with the Principal and others to provide optimum resources and a well-resourced learning environment for the children of St Mary’s School.
• General meetings of the P&F are held once a term and provides opportunities for parents to meet, usually with principal and some members of staff.  

You can stay up to date by noting meeting and event dates promoting in the newsletter and class correspondence.  Should you wish to raise a meeting agenda or item please contact us at GOOPandF@twb.catholic.edu.au

Your current P&F committee includes Denise Ellis (President), Christian Capp (Vice President), Danielle Stephenson (Secretary), and Jodie Erbacher (Treasurer).

Denise Ellis
P&F President