Newsletter - 19th March 2025

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

21st March:  Last Swim & Gym Lessons

25th March:  Celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, 5:30pm-6:30pm

31st March:  Lunch orders delivered

4th April:  End of Term 1

18th April:  Good Friday

20th April:  Easter Sunday

21st April:  Easter Monday Public Holiday

22nd April:  Start of Term 2 - School Closure Day - Staff Professional Development

23rd April:  Students return; Inform & Empower Parent Information Session, 7pm at Doug Lindsay Recreation Reserve, Creswick

24th April:  Lunch orders due in

25th April:  ANZAC Day Public Holiday

28th April:  Lunch orders delivered

Prayer

Messages from the Principal

PRAYERS FOR SUE AND FAMILY

I kindly ask everyone to keep Sue and her family in your thoughts and prayers. Over the long weekend, Sue received the devastating news that her sister, Donna, drowned while on holiday in Bali. Your support and condolences during this difficult time are greatly appreciated.  Donna’s funeral will be next Tuesday, 25th March in Canberra.

WELCOME BACK INEZ

We have been very fortunate to have Inez working with us as an Education Support Officer. We were delighted to welcome Inez back to our team last week, and it was clear that she was excited to be here. Her role will be instrumental in supporting our students, and we look forward to her contributions. Welcome Inez!

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION  

Next Tuesday evening at 5.30pm, Will and Addy will be receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation at St. Brigid's in Ballan. They have been wonderfully supported in their preparation by Bryden and Ben at home. We extend our warmest congratulations to Will and Addy on this special occasion.

DON’T MISS THIS! ESSENTIAL PARENT NIGHT

In today's digital age, it's more crucial than ever to be informed about the online world our children are navigating. With devices becoming an integral part of their daily lives, it's essential for us to stay ahead of the curve and ensure their safety and well-being.

If you could attend just one parent night this year, make it this one! Every child is exposed to digital influences in ways we might not even realize, and being aware of these can make all the difference.

The best part? There's no cost to attend, thanks to the generous sponsorship of the Creswick Community Bank. We're urging all parents to join us for this vital event. It's that important!

Please register using this link Register for Inform and Empower Parent Session or scan the QR code on the poster sent home today. I really look forward to seeing you there on Wednesday 23rd April. You can even bring a friend if you like. 

EXCITING NEWS FOR ST. MARY’S!

Over the past year, a dynamic working party consisting of Melinda Prendergast, Jessica Smith, Jo-Anne Bond from DOBCEL, and myself have been collaborating to boost enrolments at St. Mary's. We're thrilled to announce that our brand new postcards and brochures are now ready and have been distributed to local kindergartens, spreading the word about the amazing opportunities available at our school.

Word of Mouth: The Power of Personal Recommendations

We know that the best way to promote our school is through word of mouth. If you have friends or family members with children in kindergarten, please share your positive experiences with them. Your personal recommendations can make a real difference!

Enrolments Now Open

Enrolments are open for all year levels, and we invite interested families to schedule a tour of our school. This is a great opportunity to see firsthand what makes St. Mary's such a special place for learning and growth.

Join us in spreading the excitement about St. Mary's! Let's work together to share the wonderful experiences and opportunities our school offers.

TERM 2 DATES

This first week of Term 2 is a short one for students, so mark your calendars accordingly!  As we approach the start of Term 2, please note the following key dates:

• Monday, 21st April: Easter Monday Public Holiday (School Closed)

• Tuesday, 22nd April: Staff Professional Development (School Closed)

• Wednesday, 23rd April: Students return to school

• Thursday, 24th April: Normal school day

• Friday, 25th April: ANZAC Day Public Holiday (School Closed)

SPECIAL VISIT FROM ST. PATRICK’S COLLEGE

Last week, we were honored to welcome Deputy Principal John Richards and School Captain Hugo Johnston from St. Patrick's College. They engaged in a meaningful conversation with Pat and Will, sharing insights into the vibrant school life at St. Patrick's College. This visit provided a unique opportunity for our students to learn about the experiences and opportunities available at St. Patrick's.  It was also wonderful to see Majella Muller back at St Mary's!

SCHOOL CLOSURE DAY

Thank you to all families for supporting our school closure day last Tuesday. We gathered with the staff of St Brigid’s Ballan to engage in a meaningful day of Professional Learning, enhancing our knowledge of the Structured Literacy (FLARE) Pedagogical Framework. Guided by the expertise of the Catholic Education FLARE Primary Literacy Team, our day was filled with valuable insights and practical learning experiences!

PROJECT COMPASSION

This week, each family received a Project Compassion box. We encourage everyone to participate in this meaningful initiative by donating and supporting Caritas Australia's efforts to help vulnerable communities worldwide. Your contributions will make a significant difference in the lives of those in need. Project Compassion boxes can be returned to school in the last week of term.

LUNCH ORDERS

Don't Forget! Lunch orders are every second Monday and the orders and correct money need to be in on the Thursday before.  If you have any questions, just let us know. 

PARENTS AND FRIENDS EASTER RAFFLE

Get Involved! Our Easter Raffle is now live! We also welcome donations for the raffle, which can be dropped off at the office. These generous contributions will be used to create several exciting hampers as prizes. Your support is greatly appreciated!  The raffle will be drawn in the last week of term. 

SWIM AND GYM

This Friday marks the conclusion of our exciting Swim and Gym sessions at the Ballarat Aquatic and Lifestyle Centre. It's been clear that our students have thoroughly enjoyed these engaging activities, and we're grateful for the opportunity to provide them with such valuable experiences. We look forward to wrapping up this program on a high note!

PRINCIPALS GATHERING AT ST. MARY’S

This Friday, we are thrilled to host the Ballarat Central Zone Primary Principals' Association at our school. Twice a term, 17 dedicated principals from across the zone come together with staff from DOBCEL to share insights, tackle challenges, and engage in professional development. It's a fantastic opportunity for collaboration and growth, and we're honored to be the venue for this important gathering.

Many of our visiting principals will be experiencing St. Mary's for the first time and we can't wait to show them the warmth and excellence of our school community. This is a wonderful chance for us to share our unique spirit and showcase the great work happening here.

CONCUSSION - IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO BE AWARE OF

If your child has experienced concussion outside of the school setting, it is important that they rest for a period of 24 to 48 hours and then gradually return to activities after this time. Returning to school can be a graduated approach with the aim of increasing tolerance to a full day, the same situation could occur with sporting activities. It is always important to check with your doctor and seek medical treatment after a child sustains a concussion.

It is important to inform the school if your child has sustained a concussion outside of school; this is to ensure the school can monitor your child’s wellbeing and adapt activities as required.’

This factsheet link below from the Royal Children’s Hospital is valuable to read and understand.

https://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/Head_injury_return_to_school_and_sport/

There is also a great evidence-based app from the Murdoch children’s research institute that walks you through what to do in the result of a concussion.

https://www.headcheck.com.au/

God bless,

Clare

News from the Banksia Room

Patrick - Science:  This term on Thursday we have been doing science experiments. Last Thursday we did a science experiment on how to make Oobleck. You use corn flour and water to make it and if you want you can use food dye to make it colorful.  We made Oobleck to find out if it is a liquid or a solid. We decided that it is both because when you left it alone  it looked like a liquid but was actually solid and when you touched it or moved it around it became liquidy.  

Vanessa -  Auslan with  Renee:  Renee  came to our school three weeks ago for our Auslan assessment. We are now learning new signs with Renee on Zoom. We meet with Renee online every Monday and Thursday and then practice with our teachers  on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.  We are  doing  new things in Auslan this week. 

Some of the signs we have been learning the last 2 weeks are “look at each other”, “look over there” and “look at me”.

Kaezia - Ash Wednesday:  On Ash Wednesday we went to St Brigid’s in Ballan to celebrate Ash Wednesday with Mass and then we had a play and also spent some time in the classrooms. The church was very big and the mass was really nice. Father Justin led the mass and gave everyone the ashes.   When we went into the classrooms, Will, Abbey and I went into Callum’s class and we did some maths. 

Emilia:  Improving our reading rates:  In reading time we are focusing on improving our reading rates.  In pairs we read a short story to each other.  We read for a minute then we give our partner feedback on how well they read and maybe what they can do better.  Then our partner has a turn. We do this for six minutes and try to read a bit more each time.  The feedback helps us to focus on parts we need to work on such as stopping at full stops and not reading too fast.

Ellie, Addy and Will - Naplan:   This week we have been doing Naplan. We thought was a bit hard but we got through it really well with no complaining. The subjects that we have been doing are reading, writing, spelling and maths. Clare said we had all done a fantastic job!

Abbey - Questacon:  On the 3rd March, two people from Questacon named Sam and Colby came in and taught us some science!

Questacon is a science and technology program. They came to St Mary’s and showed us how to make a bridge that would hold an amount of weight with the pressure of the blocks pushing together. It was able to hold up an adult. We then had to try and build our own bridge that would hold Pat or Will. The bridge stayed up when Will walked over it.

We also  got to play around with bubbles!  There were little bubbles and huge ones.  We discovered that if you started with a triangle shape and put it in bubble mix, the bubbles created were still circles not triangles. 

Gumnut Room News

Sarah, Majella & Inez - Hello everyone! We are so excited to be teaching together in the Gumnut Room until the end of Term One.  It is wonderful to see how much the students know and how happy they all are. We are looking forward to having lots of fun together and learning lots. Drop in anytime to say hi. 

Boston - At school Will is teaching me how to play hockey and I saw a rabbit over near the basketball court and it was staring at me. It's lots of fun playing with my buddy. I know Jesus rode a donkey on Palm Sunday and all the people waved palms at him. We read a book about a dingo making some Wombat Stew. 

Genevieve and Skyler - We have been playing together in the sandpit at lunchtime. On Monday, Coach Jo came and helped us to play tennis better.  We know how to hit the ball backhand now too. Sometimes the ball went over the fence when we were practicing. 

Mason:  Did you know that when Jesus was going to Jerusalem to meet his friends for a feast called the Passover, he rode a donkey and lots of people lined up on the road to see him? Mason has been working on knowing his colours and using his fine motor skills.

School TV - Social Media & Comparison Culture

Young people today are growing up in a world where exposure to other people's lives is constant. Through social media and other platforms, they are regularly presented with curated highlights - from flawless holiday photos and academic milestones to the latest fashion trends and fitness achievements. This continuous stream of idealised content fuels what is known as comparison culture, where self-worth is often measured by how someone stacks up against others.

For children and adolescents, who are still figuring out who they are, this culture can be particularly damaging. Constantly comparing their appearance, achievements, or social standing to friends, influencers, and even strangers can lead to unrealistic expectations and a skewed sense of self-worth. This relentless need to measure up can contribute to feelings of inadequacy, self-doubt, and anxiety - undermining both confidence and emotional wellbeing.

It's vital that parents and caregivers understand how deeply comparison culture can influence a child's self-perception and sense of value. Left unchecked, it can foster perfectionism and a dependence on external validation, where a 'like' or comment becomes the measure of their worth.

The good news is, families have a powerful role to play in helping young people navigate these challenges. This Special Report will help you empower your child to build the resilience and confidence needed to navigate today's comparison-driven world and embrace their own unique path.

Here is the link to your Special Report:

Brown Hill Netball Club

Sovereign Knights Basketball Club

Please see the attached image regarding the Sovereign Knights Basketball Club's Free Come & Try Night.  This will take place on Wednesday, 26th March between 5:30pm-6:30pm.  For more information, please email admin@skbc.org.au.