LINKS: Term One Week Five

From the Principal

Welcome Fr Bony

As a community, we welcomed Fr Bony last week at our Ash Wednesday liturgies. We are very excited by his enthusiasm and can’t wait to get to know him during his time in Goondiwindi. Thank you for being here, Fr Bony – you are most welcome.

Student Protection at St Mary’s School

One of the most important concerns of our school community is the health, safety and wellbeing of our students. St Mary’s School has a number of specific child protection responsibilities which are detailed in the Student Protection Processes and Guidelines, available on the Toowoomba Catholic Schools Website along with other information for parents and caregivers which can be found at:

At our school, we also have four staff members who can assist with student protection concerns. These staff members are called School Student Protection Contacts (SSPC’s) and you will see their names and photographs on posters around the school. Our SSPC’s for 2024 are myself, Paul Fomiatti (Guidance Counsellor), Nicola Wyllie (Middle Leader -Pastoral) and Tracey Castle (Teacher). Students can speak to any of these contacts if they have any worries about their own safety or wellbeing, or that of a friend or classmate. We thank these staff members for undertaking this important role.

Information Nights

I would like to thank all parents and staff for their enthusiasm in the recent information nights for Years 1-10. We look forward to the Prep Information Night in Term 2.

Leadership Forum

This week, I am in Toowoomba attending the Leadership Forum hosted by Toowoomba Catholic Schools Office. I thank Mr John Shaw for being Acting Principal in my absence.

Miss Angela Collins
Principal

From the Deputy Principal

Hello St Mary’s community,

Wow – Week 5 already! Can you believe that at the end of this week we will be half-way through the term?

Students have settled and are working well in their new classes and getting to know their new teachers and routines. New students have quickly become part of our community. And there is a very positive feel in each of our classrooms.

Uniform

From time to time, I speak to students about the way they represent St Mary’s when they are out of school. As long as they are wearing their uniforms, they are representing our school. Can you please help out by reminding your child/ren to wear their uniform correctly and with pride, especially by having shirts tucked in. It should not become a habit to untuck shirts as soon as they leave school, or whilst on their way to school. Thank you.

NAPLAN

Last time I provided some information about our upcoming NAPLAN tests, for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9, in Weeks 8 and 9 this term.

Did you know…

• NAPLAN is the acronym for National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy? Students right across Australia will be participating in NAPLAN tests within the same two-week window.
• All NAPLAN tests (except Year 3 Writing) are online tests. The advantage of online testing is that they are adaptive, unlike the paper-based tests which were “one-size-fits-all”. With adaptive tests, the level of difficulty of questions changes for each student, depending on how they answered the previous set of questions (known as “testlets”). This means the tests are better able to test the ability of each individual child.

If you have any concerns about your child sitting NAPLAN tests, please speak to their classroom teacher.

John Shaw
Deputy Principal

Religious Life

News from the APRE

Welcome to week 5! It is hard to believe we are halfway through the term. Last week we welcomed Fr Bony to our St Mary’s community. The students all met Fr Bony last week at our Ash Wednesday liturgies. If you see Fr Bony, please introduce yourself and make him feel welcome.

Shrove Tuesday 

A huge thank you to all the families who ordered pancakes last week! The profits from pancake sales will be donated to Caritas, a Catholic International organisation which helps the poorest of the poor. During Lent, Caritas run a six-week fundraiser called Project Compassion. During this time, students are exposed to real life stories of those who are struggling and Catholic schools, churches and parishes around the globe work together to raise much needed funds for those in need. I would like to thank Jodie Jeans, Georgia King and Tammy Gallucci for helping serve roughly 800 pancakes.  

Friday Masses

As a part of our religious life of the school, each class will attend Friday Mass with Fr Bony and parishioners on a rotational basis. This has always been a lovely way of the children attending Mass in the Church with just their year level and the Parishioners.

Wishing you all a wonderful fortnight ahead.

Karra Suhr
Assistant Principal Religious Education

Secondary News

Preparing for Busy Times Ahead:

Utilising the Eisenhower Matrix

As we find ourselves in the middle of the term, it's natural to experience a slight lull in the whirlwind of school activities. However, this period of relative calm presents a valuable opportunity to prepare for the potentially busy times that lie ahead. Just like the calm before a storm, this is the perfect moment to gather our resources, sharpen our skills, and fortify ourselves for what's to come.

One simple yet powerful tool for time management and prioritisation is the Eisenhower Matrix. It's a simple yet powerful tool for time management and prioritisation named after the 34th President of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower. The matrix categorises tasks based on their urgency and importance, helping us allocate our time and energy more effectively.

Here is a breakdown of the concept:

Quadrant 1: Urgent and Important (Do First):

Tasks in this quadrant demand immediate attention because they are both urgent and essential. These are often deadline-driven assignments, pressing issues, or emergencies that cannot be ignored. It's crucial to address these tasks promptly to prevent them from escalating into crises.

Quadrant 2: Important, but Not Urgent (Schedule):

This quadrant is where the magic happens. Here lie the tasks that contribute to our long-term goals, personal growth, and overall well-being. While they may not be pressing at the moment, they hold significant importance in the grand scheme of things. Examples include studying in advance for exams, working on long-term projects, exercising, or spending quality time with loved ones.

Quadrant 3: Urgent, but Not Important (Delegate or Minimise):

Tasks in this quadrant may seem urgent, but they don't necessarily contribute to our goals or priorities. These are often distractions, interruptions, or other people's priorities that can eat up our time if we're not careful. It's essential to delegate or minimise these tasks whenever possible to free up time for what truly matters.

Quadrant 4: Not Urgent and Not Important (Eliminate):

Finally, we have the quadrant of tasks that neither demand immediate attention nor contribute to our goals. These are time-wasters, distractions, or activities that provide little to no value. It's best to eliminate or minimise these tasks altogether to focus on what truly matters.

So, why is it crucial to focus on the "Important, but Not Urgent" quadrant during this lull in the term? Because this is where we lay the groundwork for success. By investing our time and energy into activities that align with our long-term goals and priorities, we set ourselves up for future success and reduce the likelihood of feeling overwhelmed when deadlines loom large.

As we navigate the middle of the term, let's use this period of relative calm to prioritise tasks, plan ahead, and focus on what truly matters. By doing so, we can approach the busy times ahead with confidence and resilience, knowing that we've prepared ourselves to tackle whatever challenges come our way.

Mr Bevin Goodes
Assistant Principal Secondary

Sports Report

Dates for Mac zone 2024 -  term 1

State Aquathlon

Congratulations to Jono Webb on his recent success at the State Aquathlon Titles in Hervey Bay.   Jono came 35^th out of a total of 97 and 10^th in his age group.  A massive congratulations Jono on your achievement.

Mac Zone Netball

Students have been notified of their school selection.  The Mac Zone trials will be held at the netball courts at Riddles Oval on Friday 23^rd February.  Please wear light blue St Mary’s shirt and shirt.

DD Swimming

Best wishes to our team of swimmers who head off to the Darling Downs trials on Wednesday, 28^th February.  Best wishes to

9 year olds – Rupert O’Toole, Spencer Heeson

10 year olds – Jim Jekyll

11 year olds – Rocky Heeson, Charlie North, Piper Rose, Jonathan Webb and Jack Rae

12 year olds – Quincy Sharpe, Millie Doherty, Jake Bauer and Bridie Bate

DD Golf

Congratulations to Max Matchett and Beau Wise who competed at the Darling Downs Golf Titles on Tuesday, 13^th February.  A huge congratulations to Beau who made the Darling Downs team.  He will now compete at the State Titles in Brisbane on the 12^th May.  Max is first reserve.  What a fantastic achievement boys!

Mac Zone Cricket Trials

Congratulations to Hudson Derbidge, Chase Ambrose and Angus O’Toole who were selected in the Mac Zone cricket team.  They now head to the country cricket trials in Stanthorpe.  Well done boys.

Mac Zone Touch trials

School trials were conducted last week.  The next round will be the Mac Zone Trials Thursday, 29^th February in Inglewood.  Please hand permission notes back to the office.

Mac Zone Tennis trials

The Mac Zone tennis trials will be held on Friday, 1^st March.  Please check the sign up board outside the library.

Mac Zone Basketball trials

The Mac Zone basketball trials are set for Wednesday, 6^th March.  Please sign up outside the library

DD AFL 

Calling nominations for DD AFL – trials straight to Toowoomba on Tuesday, 12^th March.

Sign up board outside the library.

Cross country training

Cross country training will commence on Friday, 23^rd February.

Those born 2015 onwards are welcome to join in.  Please meet Mr Goodes or myself in the Undercover area by 7am.  Most sessions will be held at the town park.  We will run down there and run back to school.  We should be back on campus by 8.15 to allow for you to organise your own breakfast and get changed.

Dates for Border District 2024 -  Term 1

Border District Winter Trials 

10 of our students headed to Warwick on Tuesday, February 6^th to compete in the Border District Winter Trials.

Wil Coggan and Tyler Dillon (U/15 boys basketball)

Jack Coggan (U/18 boys basketball)

Lachlan Henderson and Alex Galvin (U/16 boys soccer)

Zara Dennis, Bronte Dennis, Lexi Boyd, Regan Bish, Grace Leadbetter, Scarlett Reardon and Brydee Logan ( U/15 girls netball)

Laura Geitz Netball Training

Training will take place every Wednesday morning from 7.30am – 8.15am for those girls who were selected in the school team.

“The only one who can tell you, ‘you can’t win’ is you and you don’t have to listen.”

Jessica Ennis-Hill

Yours in Sport,

Kathy Spicer

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

Library News

Genrefication

We have been ‘genrefying’ the fiction section of our library since the end of last year and we are very close to finishing! Students have been very patient whilst books have not been in their more permanent homes and we have enjoyed seeing the children find their favourite books once more and discovering the genres they enjoy. We will continue to work on this for the remainder of the term as the work continues to update our library system to reflect the changes so students can find what they like by using the AccessIt online catalogue.

Class library days

Monday: Prep, Year 1, Year 2

Tuesday: Year 3, 4M and 6R

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

Please encourage students to bring library bags/books each week to assist with routines.

Book club

BOOK CLUB ISSUE ONE

Items will be sent home by Thursday afternoon. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the library staff.

Please note if orders are placed after the school has closed orders, it is still possible to order however Scholastic will charge a delivery fee. The closing time will always be advertised via Links or the weekly overview found on social media.

Please order online through ‘the loop’ as we no longer accept cash orders at school. Parents have mentioned they find it easier to order through the website than the app as it can be difficult to find our school on the app.

Thank you for your support of Book Club as it raises funds for our library.

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

goondiwindilib@twb.catholic.edu.au

Emma Petrie
Teacher Librarian

Extension and Enrichment

Lunchtime Activities

This Term we have been running a Science Club on a Tuesday and a Card Club on a Wednesday at Lunchtime.  Students have been taking advantage of the clubs, learning a new science concept each week and sharing the learning of card games from home. Frustration is a winner!

We are having an Astronomy Night kindly run by Stephen Broderick, a Science teacher visiting from St Ursula’s College.  Stephen will be sharing a Seestar S50 Telescope which allows users to explore the night sky with ease – these live images will be seen through the telescope and on a television. We will be viewing stars, open clusters, globular clusters, nebulae, galaxies and the planet Jupiter. We will also look at wide field images of the Milky Way and examine the rotation of the Earth through star trials. Notable objects to be seen on the night include the Jewel Box, Eta Carinae nebula, Tarantula nebula, Orion nebula, Omega Centauri Globular cluster, Butterfly cluster, Small Magellanic Cloud and the Sculptor galaxy.

Who - Students and families are invited to call in to have a look at the stars above Goondiwindi.

When – Between 7:00-8:30pm on Wednesday 6 March.

Where - On the lawn between the Library and the Office.

Louise Cowley
Middle Leader Extension and Enrichment

Middle Leader - Pastoral

I was speaking to a colleague recently who at the end of our discussion said, “You are only as happy as your unhappiest child.”

I remember as a teenager my father saying this me! It is now, that I’m a mother of three young girls, that I truly understand what this means and what this feels like.

This is the first implementation year of the Middle Leader Pastoral role at St Mary’s. For this reason, I wanted to briefly introduce myself and give a brief explanation about what this new role entails.

I dedicate four hours a week, mainly on a Wednesday, working across P-10 Year levels. My main objective is to work in collaboration with classroom teachers and the Executive Leadership Team, to ensure that our care network is designed to help students to thrive in a consistent, caring and nurturing environment.

We are deeply committed to the positive health and wellbeing of all our students. Our end goal is to instil confidence and self-worth to ensure your child is an inspired, empowered young person who respects themselves and shows respect for others. Our dedication to pastoral care means your child will always have somewhere to go where they feel safe and someone to talk to whom they can trust.

For more information or pastoral concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.

Nicki Wyllie
Middle Leader Pastoral 

Email: Nicola.wyllie@twb.catholic.edu.au

Careers

School-Based Apprenticeship and Traineeship (SBAT) Information

Next week, on Wednesday the 28th of Feb (Week 6), Mrs. Coulston and Mrs. White (TCSO SBA Coordinators) will be visiting our school to talk to the Year 9 and 10 students about the requirements to begin a School-based Apprenticeship/Traineeship. Students will be encouraged to ask questions about work experience, how to prepare for the world of work, personal commitments regarding starting, sustaining, and completing a School-Based Apprenticeship/Traineeship and perhaps, what a School-Based Apprenticeship/Traineeship might look like for them moving into senior schooling.

We are excited to host Mrs. Coulston and Mrs. White at St. Mary’s and look forward to gaining further insight into SBAT opportunities.    

Carly Sheridan
Career Development Practitioner

Guidance Counsellor

Welcome to Real Talk Education for 2024!

FREE ACCESS TO REAL TALK PARENTS

As part of our school subscription to Real Talk Education - parents can have free access (basic level) to our REAL TALK PARENTS membership site for 1 year to assist them in their parenting journey.

The site includes quick reference guides, conversation starters, printable resources, videos and curated links for parenting on the tough topics to do with relationships and eSafety.

Any issues?

Our support team can help – email support@realtalkeducation.org or call 07 3875 2024

Paul Fomiatti
Guidance Councellor

P & F News

It was great to have some new faces at our P&F Term One meeting last week.  We had a big planning session for the year, and we will soon announce upcoming activities.  All parents and carers are welcome to attend meetings, submit agenda items one week prior to meetings, or join us on an online Teams link. 

Recently the P&F has funded half of a new set of Spheros (for coding and programming) for Year 6 tech, as well as half the cost of Year 6 Leadership Shirts. A new multi-core unit will be purchased for musical/instrumental performances, and new bag hooks will be ordered for secondary students. 

The final bench seats are due to arrive in the coming weeks, to finalise the 2023 Seating Upgrade project. Plaques for sponsors will then be organised.

Our Meet and Greet Evening is this Friday in the courtyard area behind the Office – please join us for nibbles and a bar, to catch up with other parents and families while our kids enjoy the Disco.  Thank you to Student Council for organising and running the Disco. It’s always a big hit and a great way to start the year.

The P&F AGM will be held on Tuesday, 26 March in the Library at 5.15 pm.  All positions will be declared vacant, with the positions of Secretary and Treasurer open for new candidates. 

 Denise Ellis
P&F President

St Mary's School Advisory Council

The SAC had their first meeting for the year on the 6th February. 

For those who aren’t aware, in 2024 the SAC consists of the following people

Angela Collins

John Shaw

Father Hermi (now Father Bony)

Geoff Webb

Rachel Gleeson

Anna Dillon

Tanya Dorey

Mel Heeson

The SAC exists to provide a point of connection between the wider school community and the school leaders and we welcome feedback on the school from parents/guardians as part of this process.

Points of note from this meeting

- Principal’s report from Ang showed that the staff have hit the ground running in 2024. It is great to see the level of planning and organisation that has already been done for the coming year.

- Student numbers are looking good for 2024 with a total of 392 students. 48 students in the middle school and 21 students in year 7 is a fantastic result and a reflection of the hard work undertaken by Bevin Goodes and the Middle School ThinkTank.

- Communication from the school continues to be a focus. We have been pleased with how the communication has improved over the past 12 months.

- The SAC approved a ‘Right to disconnect’ policy for staff. This has been added to the Policies and Procedures on the school website.

- A discussion was held on St Mary’s values. It was pleasing to that there was a lot of common ground on these values amongst the members of the SAC.

- We farewelled Father Hermi and look forward to working with Father Bony.

- Financial report was presented by Georgia King for perusal.

Geoff Webb
School Advisory Council Chair Board