Newsletter - 21st August 2024

Acknowledgement of Country

We respectfully acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, the Wadawurrung people.  It is a privilege to be standing on Wadawurrung country.  

We pay our respect to Elders past, present and emerging.  We acknowledge the contributions of Indigenous Peoples from the past, present and future who contribute to this country in which we live.  

May Indigenous Australians and non-Indigenous Australians continue to work together to educate, unite and live in peace on this land we call home, Australia.

Upcoming Events

17th-23rd August:  Book Week

22nd August:  School Closure Day - Staff Structured Literacy Professional Development

23rd August:  Damascus College SEED Day (Year 5 students)

27th August:  Playgroup 9:00am-11:00am

30th August:  Father's Day Breakfast

2nd September:  Lunch orders delivered

3rd September:  Playgroup 9:00am-11:00am

4th September:  Loreto College SEED Day

5th September:  St Patrick's College SEED Day 

10th September:  Playgroup 9:00am-11:00am

11th September:  School Concert, 6pm

12th September:  Sovereign and Eureka Division Athletics (for students who have qualified)

15th September:  Lunch orders delivered

16th September:  Playgroup 9:00am-11:00am

20th September:  Last day of term.  Early finish at 1:30pm.

Prayer

Messages from the Principal

CONCERT

If you thought the Olympics were over, think again! Get ready for our concert, "The Olympics," on September 11th.  Our students have been training hard, and they’re all set to bring the spirit of the games to the stage. You won’t want to miss this exciting event. The concert is less than 3 weeks away.   We can't wait to see you on Wednesday, September 11th, for what’s sure to be an amazing show!

FEAST DAY CELEBRATIONS

What an incredible day we had! The scavenger hunt quiz around the school had everyone racing from clue to clue, filled with excitement and a sense of adventure. A massive shoutout to Bec and Mark for the potatoes, the baked potatoes certainly hit the spot at lunch—yum! And the cold rock-style ice cream? Absolutely perfect!

To top it all off, we gathered for a beautiful Mass with Fr. Matt, making the day even more special. It was wonderful to see so many families join us, sharing in the fun and the joy. Thank you to Sue for the work put into organising the activities and everyone who made our Feast Day one to remember!

WORK EXPERIENCE

This week we welcome Lilli Touhey back to St Mary’s for Work Experience.  Lilli is very excited to be working with us in both the Junior and Senior Rooms and we’re just as excited to have her here. Let’s make her time with us inspiring and memorable.

FATHER’S DAY BREAKFAST

Get ready for a fantastic morning. We're thrilled to invite all the amazing dads, granddads and special people in your child's life to our Father’s Day Breakfast on the 30th of August! 

It’s going to be a wonderful celebration, filled with delicious food, great company, and special moments that you won't want to miss. So, mark your calendars, and come join us for a fun-filled morning that’s all about honoring the incredible role you play in your child’s life.

We can’t wait to see you there!

SCHOOL TV

Just a quick reminder—there are so many fantastic topics waiting for you on the School TV website! Whether you're looking for tips on well-being, parenting advice, or insights into the latest issues affecting our students, School TV has it all. Don’t miss out—check it out today! Here’s the link  www.schooltv.me/launch

AUSLAN

Today, we had the pleasure of welcoming Renee d’Offay as our expert language assistant in Auslan. Renee is stepping in to replace Chantelle, who worked with us in Term 2. Based in Geelong, Renee joined us via Zoom and is excited to work with our students. We’re looking forward to the valuable insights and skills Renee will bring to our Auslan program!

SCHOOL CLOSURE DAYS

Just a quick reminder that there is a school closure day this Thursday. Our staff will be working on Structured Literacy with the team from DOBCEL. Also, please note that another school closure day is scheduled for Monday, 4th November, the day before Melbourne Cup Day.

NEW DEVICES FOR STUDENTS 

We’re excited to share that the Parents and Friends have generously donated funds to help us purchase new devices for our students!  As technology is a vital part of our daily classroom activities, these new devices will be a fantastic addition to our learning tools. We’re currently in the process of obtaining them and can’t wait to start using them once they arrive. Thank you to the Parents and Friends for their support in enhancing our students' learning experience!

THIS WEEK’S FOCUS ARTISTS

This week, our focus artists are... (drumroll, please) Addy and Ellie!  They are showcasing their incredible Deconstructed Flags, created using a variety of paper construction techniques to build 3D masterpieces. You’ll get to see all of these amazing flags on display at the concert—so be sure to check them out!

Stay warm and well,  

Clare Scanlon, Principal

Book Week Dress Up Day - South Room

Patrick:  Today I dressed up as Joel Selwood from the book, Joel Selwood All In, by Joel Selwood.

Joel is the main character in the story but there are some other people like Patrick Dangerfield. The story is  about himself and his life. He wrote the book because all his friends and family said to write a book about himself so people would know the story and why he loved the Footy.

Joel was a Geelong Cats supporter and never thought someday he would play for Geelong. He first started playing for them in 2007  and finished  playing for Geelong in 2022, after winning the grand final against Sydney Swans. Only a couple of people had known that it was going to be his last game, win or lose.

Quinn:  Today I dressed up as the character Boo from Monsters Inc by Disney Pixar.

Boo is the main character in the story.  She is a young girl that is crazy and is very brave, she only gets scared when Sully ROARED and Boo cried.   Monsters Inc  is about a lot of  monsters that go around scaring kids and collecting scares. 

Other books that have meant something to me are:  When the giraffe lost his spots; The Very Cranky Bear; and Matilda.

Kamden:  Today I dressed up as the footy player Harry Sheezel from the book, 150 Years of North Melbourne, by Karla Zanardo & Heath O’Loughlin for the North Melbourne Footy Club. Harry Sheezel is the main character in the book. He is an AFL footy star. He has kicked 20 goals this year.

I like Harry Sheezel. He is a really good footy player. I think the book 150 Years of North Melbourne is one of the best books I have read. It has lots of great messages about footy in it and it is  really helpful too. I am so happy that I can watch it on tv.

Other books that have been meaningful to me over the years are:  The Tree House series by Andy Griffith and I like my Kamden and Reegan’s book.

Alexis:  Today I dressed up as a girl from the book The Midnight Gang by David Walliams.  

Midnight is the time when most children are fast asleep, except of course for … the Midnight Gang! That is when the adventures and the fun begin. The girl is very funny and brave. She always wears blue and yellow pyjamas. 

She loves to explore the midnights and the fun. Her friends are very alike to her.

Runt is one of my favorite books ever because it can tell me real life problems and ways to hold on and fix it. 

Vanessa:  Today I dressed up as the character Miss Thorpe in the book, Friendly Gables  by Hilda van Stockum.   She has to help the mum with the baby in the house. She was funny and kind. 

She was lovely and kind to the children. She knew not to leave the child in the baby's room.   There were six other kids in the house playing and making their noises too loud.  Miss Thorpe did not like the noise. 

Another book that I have enjoyed is Animal Ark. It has dog animals that love to look after the animals in the place.

Will:  Today I dressed up as the character Robbie Maddison from The Story of Robbie Maddison, by Garry Fleming.  Robbie Maddison is the main character in the story.  Robbie is a freestyle motocross legend and LOVES to ride dirt bikes. He started off with a Kawasaki (KLX) and then Honda (CRF) and then a KTM (Kronreif Trunkenpolz Mattighofen).                                                      

I like Robbie because he has an interest in dirt bikes and I do too. Robbie is a freestyle motorcross legend and I want to be one too.  Robbie Maddison is a book about how Robbie got his career of being a motocross legend.

Other books that meant something to me are: The Tree House series, Investigators, and all the Andy Griffith books.

Maeve:  Today I dressed up as the character Tweedle Dee from the book, Alice in Wonderland, by Lewis Carrol.

Tweedle Dee is not a main character but is definitely a character that is weird and crazy but also funny and kind. He is definitely not the bravest through the tricky situations with Alice and his twin brother, Tweedle Dum.

I like that this character has a weird personality and a friendly brother, Tweedle Dum, who thinks about giving up and then gives it his all.

The book is mostly about Alice and the adventure she went on and explored but I find Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum interesting characters -  that is always goofy and never too serious.

Well a book that has meant something to me is Billie B Brown because I grew up reading this book and loving the fact that she and her friend stick together through thick and thin, no matter the obstacles that are thrown at their friendship.

Evie:   Today I dressed up as the character, Tweedle Dum  from the book, Alice in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll 

Tweedle Dum is a very weird and crazy fun person and not the bravest.  At times, even though he is not the main character, he really tries to make an impact in every situation with his twin brother and friends.

I feel like myself and my character have so much in common because I'm a crazy person who loves being around people and sometimes I can be a bit weird.  Alice in Wonderland is when a girl falls down a rabbit hole and then sees where she lands in this amazing, weird world. Then she meets these funny people that help her get back home.

Other books that have been meaningful for me over the years are: Once, Anne of Green Gables, Billy B Brown and Alice in Wonderland.  

Emilia:  Today I dressed up as Ginny from the book, Harry Potter.  Ginny is the main character in the story. She is Ron's sister and she is in the Gryffindor house and she opens the Chamber of Secrets and she used to work for Tom Riddle. She was sent to the headquarters by the order of the Phoenix. One of her brothers got married but there was dark magic. She fought. I like Ginny. She is brave, loyal, and kind. Her wand was so nice and super cool and she is strong. 

I think that the Harry Potter book is one of the best books I haven't read, but I am going to read it. There is so much to read and it is going to be great and sweet.

Other books that have been meaningful for me over the years are: The Harry Potter Series, Alice in Wonderland and Dragon Girls.

Leo:  A book that I have read is Dragon Mountain by Katie & Kevin TSANG. It is part of the Dragon Realm Series.

Billy is one of the main characters. He bonded with Spark  who was a dragon. He went on a camp with a lot of other children and had no idea of the adventures that he would get into. He met three other children named Charlotte Bell with Tank, Dylan O’Donnell with Button and Liu Ling-Fei with Xing.  Many famous authors praise these books.

Sue:  Today I dressed up as the character Annie from the book, Runt, by Craig Silvey.  

Annie is the main character in the story.  She is a young girl who always wears a tool belt as she likes to fix things.  Annie is a thinker.  She is considered to be a bit odd by the other kids in her class but that is ok.  She has a dog called Runt who will only ever do what Annie says.

I like Annie as she is a really kind girl. She always wants to help her family and tries really hard to fix things.

I think the book RUNT is one of the best books I have read. It has lots of great messages about life in it and it is funny too. I am so excited that Runt is being made into a movie and I cannot wait to see it later this year.

Other books that have been meaningful for me over the years are: The Harry Potter Series, all of Paul Jennings' books, Alice in Wonderland and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

North Room Update

We had so much fun on Tuesday celebrating Book Week with the playgroup.  First of all we had a whole school parade and then Hugh, Finn and Tate joined in too.  Everyone was interviewed so that they could introduce themselves as their character and show the book they were from.  The teachers even dressed up and in our room we had a very accident prone teacher - it was Mr Bump! He was crazy.

After the parade we read the book The Concrete Garden by Bob Graham with the playgroup children and then we all made our own chalk gardens on black paper.  This was really fun and everyone made a beautiful garden. 

Skyler: For Book Week I dressed as Raya from Raya and the Last Dragon. I like the book because I love dragons and Raya is very brave. 

Genevieve: For Book Week I dressed as Macca the alpaca from the book Macca the Backpacker. I really like Macca the alpaca because he has fluffy fur and I have one at home. The author of the book is Matt Cosgrove. 

Adelaide: For Book Week I dressed as Joy from the Inside Out 2 movie book. I chose Joy because I like the Inside Out movies and books. I am always joyful too!

Ellie: For Book Week I dressed up as Hermione.  Hermione Granger is from the Harry Potter books. I like Harry Potter books because I am a Harry Potter fan. I also like Hermione Granger because she is funny and smart.

Happy Birthday

We have two young ladies celebrating birthdays.  

Congratulations to Adelaide who celebrated her birthday on Tuesday and turned 8.  We hope you had a lovely day Addy! 

Vanessa will celebrate her 11th birthday on Monday, 26th August.  Happy birthday Vanessa, enjoy your special day.

Dean Kite Festival