LINKS: Term Four Week One
From the Principal
Welcome Back
Welcome back to what is sure to be a busy and rewarding term. Term 4 is always action packed so please make sure you are up to date with all the dates that are important to you and your family throughout this term.
New staff
I am thrilled to announce some new members of staff. Please join me in welcoming the following staff members to our community:
- Mr Oscar Hunt is our new Career Development Practitioner and Secondary Teacher, replacing Mrs Carly Sheridan for the next 5 terms as she is on Maternity Leave
- Melissa Allen is our new cleaner
- Danielle Stephenson joins us as our new School Officer: Administration
- Laura Hutchison joins us as our new Office Manager
I would like to warmly welcome these new members of staff and know that they will be valued members of our community.
Market Day
I would like to thank our wonderful P&F Association and our amazing students for their work in the lead up to this Friday night’s Market Day. All of these people have put in a great deal of time and effort and we look forward to a fantastic night on Friday.
Work Experience
In the last week of last term, our Year 9 and 10 students participated in a week of Work Experience. This is always a highly valuable undertaking for our students and I would like to thank Mrs Carly Sheridan for her leadership in organising this for our students.
Year 6 Canberra Trip
A huge thank you to Mr John Shaw, Mrs Pip Prosser, Mrs Beverly Richards, Amanda Aylwin and Scott Larkin for the generosity of time and spirit to take our Year 6 cohort to Canberra in the last week of last term. I know the students had a fantastic time and I thank them for their outstanding behaviour. While they were away, I had a stranger email me about her experience with the Year 6 group in Canberra and I would like to share this with you as this is a great reflection of the brilliant students we have here at St Mary’s.
“It was wonderful sharing the park area at The National Arboretum Canberra with your students and teachers. I had my 4-year-old boy with me. He played in the park amongst your school students. The girls and boys need to be commended because they were so very courteous and played with my grandchild. It was delightful to see one of the leaders who was a kind soul.”
Angela Collins
Principal
From the Deputy Principal
Hello St Mary’s community,
Welcome back everyone,
Can you believe it is October already? I hope you have a great break, or if not, that you enjoyed the additional time with your children.
During the last week of Term 3, our Year 6 students undertook an educational tour of our National Capital, Canberra. Students were given an opportunity to participate in a variety of educational programs with a focus on Australia’s history, culture, heritage and democracy.
I was fortunate to be able to attend, along with our Year 6 teachers, Bev Richards and Pip Prosser and two parent helpers. The trip went extremely well; we were blessed with good weather and had a luxury double-decker coach (and no bus sickness!). I wish to particularly thank our parent helpers, Amanda Aylwin and Scott Larkin, for giving up their work and family time to accompany us – they did a sterling job! Noel, our tour organiser and guide, and Gerard, our coach driver, were also amazing.
The Canberra attractions we visited are a must see, so if you haven’t been to Canberra before, put it on your bucket list. These are some of the highlights: Parliament House, the War Memorial, National Capital Exhibition, Royal Australian Mint, Australian Institute of Sport, National Arboretum, Geo Science Australia, Old Parliament House (housing the Museum of Australian Democracy and Electoral Education Centre), National Zoo and Questacon.
Our students’ behaviour was exemplary, and a pleasure to look after. They represented St Mary’s and Goondiwindi with pride and we also received a couple of emails attesting to this.
PACER rebate:
The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. To assist families in meeting the cost of the excursion the Australian Government is contributing funding of $112.50 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate (PACER) program towards those costs. The rebate is paid directly to the school upon completion of the excursion. If St Mary’s School is successful in receiving the rebate, we will credit the amount to the Year 6 students’ school fees accounts to help offset the cost of the trip.
We look forward to our remaining camps for 2024:
- Year 1 Sleepover next week (Friday 11th October)
- Year 5 Emu Gully Adventure camp in Week 3 (Monday 14th to Wednesday 16th October)
- Year 3 Camp Laurence in Week 6 (Thursday 7th to Friday 8th November)
All the best for Term 4.
God bless,
John Shaw
Deputy Principal
Religious Life
Welcome back to the final term of the school year! We hope you had a restful and enjoyable break and are now ready to jump back into learning with renewed energy and enthusiasm.
This term is filled with exciting opportunities for growth, exploration, and achievement. We will continue to challenge ourselves, explore new ideas, and support one another on our learning journeys. Let’s make the most of every moment and finish the year strong!
Looking forward to a fantastic Term 4 together!
First Communion
For the students who are involved in our 2024 Sacramental Program, formation classes begin this afternoon at 3:15pm and for the next three Wednesdays proceeding this. The sacrament of First Communion will be celebrated Sunday 27th October, at the 9am Mass. Everyone is warmly invited to attend and support the students in this special celebration. I would like to thank the students and their families for their preparation in all three of the sacraments completed this year. Congratulations!
Crazy Sock Day
Friday 11th October 4L will present their liturgy about Catholic Missions, a not-for-profit Catholic organisation that this year is hosting Socktober to support children in Timor-Leste to have a brighter future. Students are invited to add crazy socks and crazy hair to their normal Friday sports uniform. It’s not a full free dress day. Normal school joggers and school hats are to be worn. We ask students to bring a gold coin donation to contribute towards Catholic Missions.
Family Mass
Our next Family Mass is scheduled for Sunday 20th October at 9am. Please mark this date on your calendar. We would love to see you there!
Year 4 Retreat
Our Year 4 cohort are having a retreat day on Tuesday 15th October. This will be a day where students will discover a little bit more about themselves and their gifts. Students are welcome to come in free dress for the day and we will have a sausage sizzle for lunch.
Year 12 Graduation Mass
Our Grade 12 students from Goondiwindi State High School will join us to celebrate their Graduation Mass on Tuesday 12th November at 9am in the Church. All parents, friends and members of our Parish are more than welcome to join.
Other upcoming end of year events:
Tuesday 19th November | Year 10 Retreat Day Year 10 Graduation Dinner |
Monday 25th November | Awards Night |
Monday 2nd December | Prep Christmas Play and End of Year Mass 9:30am |
Wednesday 4th December | Year 6 Graduation Mass 9:30am followed by Pool Party |
Wishing you all an exciting term of learning and fun,
Karra Suhr
Assistant Principal Mission & Identity
Secondary News
As we embark on the fourth and final term of this academic year, I want to encourage all students to give their best every day at school. Make the most of every lesson and seize every opportunity to enhance their understanding. Remember, the journey toward knowledge is a rewarding one, and the effort you put in now will lead to success in the future.
Let’s finish this year strong!
We are thrilled to report that our recent school movie night was a resounding success! Thank you to the organisers and everyone who attended. The turnout was impressive, and it was heartwarming to see our students gathered to enjoy a fun evening. Everyone had a great time watching the film, and we've received wonderful feedback!
As we continue through this term, I want to remind students about the importance of practice in developing skills. As they say, "Repetition is the mother of skill." To illustrate this, let me share a story from a pottery class.
In a pottery project, one group of students was tasked with creating the perfect pot, while another group aimed to make as many pots as possible. Surprisingly, the group focusing on quantity produced the most impressive work. Time after time, their practice led to improvement, while the perfection-seekers often got stuck in their quest for flawlessness.
This applies not only in art but also in every academic endeavor. Whether it's writing, mathematics, or science, the more you engage with the material and practice, the better you become.
Let’s set our goals for improvement rather than perfection!
As we move forward into the final weeks of school, let’s keep in mind the importance of making the most out of our educational experiences. Help each other by sharing knowledge; every question leads to clarity, and every effort counts towards growth.
Thank you for being part of our vibrant school community!
Mr Bevin Goodes
Assistant Principal Secondary
Pastoral
Eyes Open Social Media Safety
A reminder that we will be welcoming Tricia Munn from ‘Eyes Open Social Media Safety’ to our school next Tuesday 8th October.
We are pleased with the response that we have received so far from parents who will be able to attend her workshop next Tuesday 6.00pm- 7.30pm in the school library.
Please see the flyer attached above, for more Information regarding this Parent Social Media Safety session and a link to RSVP to this Parent session.
Nicki Wyllie
Middle Leader: Pastoral
Nicola.wyllie@twb.catholic.edu.au
Sports Report
Darling Downs 10-12 years Aquathlon
Those students who wish to nominate for the Darling Downs Aquathlon and are born in 2013 or 2014 need to sign up outside the library. Students need to comfortably be able to swim 200m.
The aquathlon is a 1km run, followed by a 200m swim and then another 1km run.
The DD aquathlon is on in Dalby on Friday 25th October. Students will need to make Friday morning trainings at 7.30am at the pool, starting on Friday the 4th October.
10-12 years State Athletics Championships
Best wishes to Hudson Derbidge who is off to the State Athletics Championships in Brisbane next week. Hudson will compete in the high jump event. We can’t wait to hear how you go.
Yours in Sport,
Kathy Spicer
Library News
Book Fair – Week 5, October 28 – 31st October
Book Fairs provide children with the opportunity to look at books before purchase whilst also raising funds for books for our library. This year, we will be running a Book Fair in the library from October 28 (week 5) with the option to also purchase items online during this time.
The fair will be operated by ‘The Book Warehouse’. We have made this move after a lot of feedback regarding novelty items and the fact that we can still purchase scholastic items through Book Club twice a term.
We look forward to seeing you at the Book Fair in Term 4.
If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail the library staff at:
Book Club
BOOK CLUB ISSUE 6 items have arrived and will be sent home this week.
All purchases contribute to funds for our school library with all popular fiction titles in our library purchased due to the funds raised through orders – we are most grateful for this – THANK YOU!
Student Support
Free Prep Vision Screening
Good vision is important for a child’s educational, physical and social development. Vision screening checks for common eye conditions that may impact your child’s ability to see and therefore impact their learning and development.
A Registered Nurse will be visiting St Mary’s on 11th October 2024 to conduct vision screening for children in their prep year.
If you wish to have your prep child participate in this FREE vision screening program, please complete a consent form, this can be done online until Monday 7th October (Midnight) or paper forms can be handed in up until and including screening day morning.
Parents do not need to be present for screening, however if you would like to be, please contact the office to arrange this.
If you have concerns about your child’s eyes at any time, please take your child to see an eye health professional (optometrist/ophthalmologist).
For further information, please scan the below QR code to visit the Program website or contact the Primary School Nurse Health Readiness Program on 1800 687 372.
Allison Marsh
Middle Leader - Student Support
Careers
During Week Ten of Term Three, we had several students participate in the School Based Work Experience Program.
Both our Year 9 and 10 students were provided the opportunity to engage in a 5-day work experience placement with a range of different local businesses. Students chose these businesses after extensive research and consideration into their interests, aspirations, and goals for the following years. It is our hope that from this experience students are better positioned to make informed choices surrounding senior subject selection, post-school pathways and casual/part-time job options.
Thank you to the following Host Employers for the support, time, and workplace experience that they offered to our students.
Ashton Cherry – Goondiwindi Glass and Aluminum
Ned Cilento – Goondiwindi State Primary School
Zara Dennis – Goondiwindi and District Veterinary Services
Ebony Farndon – LEAD Childcare Goondiwindi
Riley Gore – Border Diesel
Lacey Hilton – St Mary’s School, Goondiwindi
Grace Leadbetter – B & W Rural
Scarlett Reardon – Border Veterinary
Jack Coggan – Makim Builders
Anne Go Cabo Chan – Kaloma Aged Care Service
Carly Sheridan
Career Development Practitioner
Extension & Enrichment
Lunchtime Activities Term 4
This term our lunchtime activities will run from Weeks 2 to 9
Day | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday |
Activity | DRAMA | SCIENCE | BOARDGAMES & CARDS |
Location | Secondary 1 | Science Lab | Secondary 1 |
Time | 2nd Break Play | 2nd Break 1:15pm | 2nd Break Play |
Lou Cowley
Extension & Enrichment
Tuckshop Talk
Parents\carers, if you child has a special dietary requirement, please don't hesitate to reach out to Jodie Jeans on the below email. This is to ensure the prevention of cross contamination.
jodie.jeans@twb.catholic.edu.au
P&F
Market Day is here! Come along and support our young entrepreneurs this Friday from 5.30-7.00pm at the Centenary Centre. Stall holders will have a range of products and services to sell. They have worked very hard from developing their idea and making a business plan to preparing their stall and products. This P&F event was created to provide an opportunity for students to learn what it takes to start and run a small business. There are over 50 stalls with an impressive range of goods for sale. BRING YOUR SMALL CHANGE and stock up on treats, decorations, crafts, dog snacks, gifts, and enjoy services like boot polishing and face painting. Friends and family are welcome. Some vendors are providing food including carbonara, hot dogs, sushi, and spring rolls. The P&F will host a bar (eftpos only at the bar).
The chilled bubbler units have arrived! This year the P&F listened to the passionate request from students for cold water bubblers. We have 2 units to be installed, 1 in Primary and 1 in Secondary. Ready in time for the hot weather.
That will conclude the commitments from your 2024 P&F committee. It’s been a great year. Remember all parents and caregivers are automatically members of the P&F, and are welcome to come to meetings or suggest agenda items. We will have our final meeting for 2024 next Tuesday afternoon, 8th October in the school Library at 5.15pm. Agenda items can be submitted by Monday.
Denise Ellis
P&F President
