If you need to contact the school or your child’s teacher you can either email bellp@lism.catholic.edu.au or phone the office on 66551432.

We will be sending information out regarding our first family gathering soon.

Here are the main ways we will communicate with you and how you can stay up to date with information.

Compass is our main for of communication.

Download the app on your device and make sure you have notifications turned on. The school calendar is on here, you order from the canteen, approve permission for events and submit information regarding absences. In the event of a flood or emergency, we will be communicating with you on Compass.

Fortnightly Newsletter  - make sure you are receiving the Newsletter via Compass. Remember to download the Compass app and turn on notifications. 

Our School Facebook page is a great way to see what is going on at school and celebrate achievements and growth.

School Website -  a link to the school calendar is also on here.

Every Week 

Monday 3-6 Group C Sports Uniform

Tuesday Canteen

Tuesday 3-6 Group A Sports Uniform

Tuesday Japanese with Janine - @ 2.00pm K-2 even weeks, Yr 3-6 odd weeks, @ 2.30pm Yr 3-6 even weeks, K-2 odd weeks 

Wednesday 3-6 Group B Sports Uniform

Wednesday - K-2 Sports Uniform

Thursday Canteen

Friday K-6 Sports Uniform

Friday Piano with Victoria

Week 2 

Healthy Lunchbox Week

Thursday Year 5 Webinar Online Safety

Friday Beginning of year Prayer Service and Assembly 2.45pm all are welcome
Sunday International Day of Women and Girls in Science

Week 3

Tuesday National Apology Day

Wednesday - Ash Wednesday - Prayer Service 12.45pm

Wednesday - Library Lovers’ Day

Thursday - Swimming Carnival

Supervision begins: 8.35 am

First Bell: 8.55 am

Session 1: 9.00 am - 11.00 am

Lunch: 11.00 am -  11.30 am

Session 2: 11.30 am  - 1.00 pm

Recess 1.0: 1.00 pm - 1.45 pm

Session 3: 1.45 pm  - 3.15 pm

Office hours are 8.15 am - 3.30 pm each school day.

God, we give you praise for everything that is new and beautiful,
for everything which holds promise and brings us joy.
Bless us as we start this new year.
We welcome those who are new to this community and ask that you
strengthen them to share the wonderful gifts you have given them.
Open our eyes to the new challenges and exciting opportunities that this
new school year brings.
May we show love to one another.
Help us to learn and to work together.
Help us to show kindness and reach out to others.
We thank you for our friends.
Help us to be good friends this year.
Help us to be patient with ourselves and with others.
Help us to forgive others
Bless our school and keep us safe.
Look after those who are sick.
Be with us as we travel each day.
Help us to be aware of your love
shown to us in the people around us.
Bless all those who care for us
In school and at home.
Help us show our care for them.
Help us to all work together to make St Mary’s the best place it can be.
Help us to work together to make a difference.
Amen

In 2024 we are taking a team approach to supporting students with additional needs. The person to contact for your child depends on the year or stage they are currently in.

• Additional Needs Teacher ES1/S1 (K - 2) - Claire Cole  claire.cole@lism.catholic.edu.au
• Additional Needs Teacher Stage 2 (Year 3-4) - Lisa Doolan  lisa.doolan@lism.catholic.edu.au
• Additional Needs Teacher Stage 3 (Year 5-6) - Mandy Murphy  amanda.murphy@lism.catholic.edu.au

Meetings will take place with these people and will be organised through the front office. If you need to make contact with the school regarding your child please direct this to the person listed above. If Lisa or Mandy are not available on the day, Claire will be the contact person.

Help your child to have a positive start to the year by building the habit of good attendance.

Building the habit of good attendance is crucial for a positive and successful school year. Here are some tips to help your child develop this habit:

• Establish a Routine. Set a consistent daily routine for your child, including wake-up times, breakfast, and a specific time to leave for school. Having a predictable schedule helps your child understand the importance of punctuality.

• Create a Positive Morning Environment. Make mornings enjoyable by creating a positive atmosphere at home. Encourage open communication and express your enthusiasm for the day ahead. 

• Establish Clear Expectations. Clearly communicate your expectations regarding attendance and emphasise the importance of being present at school every day unless there's a valid reason for absence.

Help your child establish a positive and consistent attendance habit, setting the foundation for a successful 2024 school year. 

Watch this clip by Michael Hawker for strategies to help an anxious child return to school.

This year K-2 will wear their Sports Uniform on Wednesday and Friday.

3-6 are split for sport and have been put into groups.  Every student will be bringing a card home for the fridge as a reminder of sport days.  If your copy hasn’t made it home to you the groups are as follows;

St Mary’s Primary School Swimming Carnival will be held on Thursday 15th February at Bellingen Pool. All students from ages 8 and up are required to attend. Kindergarten, Year 1 and 7 year olds will stay at school. Travel to and from the pool will be by foot with supervising staff members. 

There will be no cost to attend for students. Students are required to wear sports uniform, including school hat (only), coloured house shirt, rash shirt and appropriate swimwear. 

The races will be conducted as per a set program according to the age the children turn in 2024. Results will be decided on times alone if there is more than one heat. Children are asked to nominate what events they would like to participate in prior to the carnival. This is available on a Google form that needs to be filled out prior to the 12th of February, follow the link below.  

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdvmmgPkTCwtxBdQzPi92SxJ5_C8V2TGEJZLNCWtEQmlt6oow/viewform?usp=sf_link  

Ribbons will be allocated to 1st, 2nd and 3rd  places after each race. Age Champions will be awarded based on points allocation.  

We also need 3 parents helpers as timers, if you would like to help out on the day please advise the school office.  

We will be timing the 50 metre events for our Zone Carnival. The Zone Carnival is being held in Maclean this year on Monday 26th of February. Travel to this event will be by private transport. More information on this will be given at a later date.

In the holidays the families of Mrs Ashlee Cluff and Mrs Polly Frost welcomed new members to their families.

Zari Ray Ellis-Cluff 16/01/2024

Torren Fletcher Frost 26/01/2024

Dear St Marys’ Families,

On Monday, with excitement and a touch of nervousness our Kindergarten students joined us on their very first day at school. It was a wonderful start to their year, filled with courage, bubbles, new friendships, and a sprinkle of mathematical magic.

Playing with buddies was really fun. New friends were made in no time, bringing lots of laughs as we played hide and seek. The Kinders used their "Magical Mathematician Wands" to discover shapes around the school. 

Already in their first week, the Kindergarteners are making friends, taking on challenges, and diving into learning. 

We look forward to a year filled with growth, laughter, and endless possibilities.

The eSafety Commissioner leads the initiative in Australia. We educate people about online safety risks, like online abuse, how to be safe online and where to go for help.

This Safer Internet Day we're encouraging you to take three simple actions when approaching online safety: Connect. Reflect. Protect.  

Connect safely by keeping apps and devices secure and reviewing your privacy settings regularly. 

Reflect on how your actions online may affect others or your safety. 

Protect yourself and others by visiting eSafety.gov.au to find out how to stay safe online and report online abuse.

By doing these things and sharing the Connect. Reflect. Protect message, we can work towards making every day a Safer Internet Day.

A significant gender gap has persisted throughout the years at all levels of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines all over the world. Even though women have made tremendous progress towards increasing their participation in higher education, they are still under-represented in these fields.

Gender equality has always been a core issue for the United Nations. Gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls will make a crucial contribution not only to economic development of the world, but to progress across all the goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as well.

Last year, St Mary's started the process of integrating the Smiling Minds curriculum into our classrooms. This program was introduced to enhance the mindfulness and emotional well-being of our students, with our teaching staff receiving comprehensive training in its application. 

This year, we are continuing this important journey. Our students will have the opportunity to experience the full extent of the Smiling Minds program, designed to foster mental resilience and emotional intelligence. At the heart of this program lies the practice of mindfulness. We understand that each child's readiness and comfort with meditation varies. In our inclusive environment, students who are not ready to participate in meditation are encouraged to engage in quiet activities like reading or drawing. This approach respects their individual pace and comfort, while still exposing them to the calming atmosphere of mindfulness practice and the lesson materials.

Our goal at St Mary's is not just academic excellence, but the development of well-rounded individuals. The Smiling Minds curriculum is important in this mission, offering strategies for emotional regulation, fostering resilience and enhancing social skills. We are committed to supporting our students in becoming mindful, empathetic individuals who contribute positively to their community.

Families are able to check-in with your child's progress and there are resources for you to engage with the Smiling Minds program at home. Together, we can create a nurturing environment that supports the holistic development of every child at St Mary's.

Sarah Bradbrook

Smiling Minds at Home

As the new school year begins, it's normal for children to feel anxious, especially as they face new experiences.

Experiencing anxiety every now and then is a normal part of growing up as children develop and learn about the world around them. It’s quite common for primary school-aged children (around 5 to 12 years old) to feel anxious about a variety of situations and objects, and for most children in this age group, anxiety comes and goes, and doesn’t last long.

Emerging Minds Families has developed this resource to help parents understand and recognise anxiety in primary school-aged children. It provides strategies for managing anxiety in children in this age group and identifies when professional help may need to be considered.

Police School Liaison Officer -  Bernadette Snow - 0437774483

Police Youth Liaison Officer - Jo Brooker - 66910799 -

Kids Help Line - 1800551800 http://www.kidshelp.com.au/

Cyber Safety  - Incredible resource for parents and children  www.esafety.gov.au

Please find attached a survey with regards to Japanese Lessons  if you would like your child to participate.

Survey

Piano = Victoria Christie 6655 8782

Brass/Piano = Kate Butcher 0419 789 078

Guitar = Katie Crane 0431 151 987