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- Calendar / Dates for your Diary
- Gospel Reflection
- EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLANNING
- Combined Schools Cultural Camp
- COMPASS
- EMERGING MINDS - Information for families
- Transition to School
- One Talk at a Time
- International Day of People with Disability - December 3
- Happy Birthday Wishes
- How to Talk About Big World Problems
- Advent Resources for Families
- PBS - Term 4 Weeks 7 & 8
- Term 4, Weeks 6 & 7, PBS Awards
- St Mary's Christmas Party Helping Hand
- Save the Date!! Our Christmas Picnic will be held Tuesday December 12th!!
- Food Allergies
- Japanese Club
- Music Lessons at St. Mary's
- Guitar teacher from 2024 - private lessons
- Made With Love Markets
- Rivers Dance
- Open Arms Care - Christmas Holidays
Weekly
Monday - Library for Year 6
Monday - Sport for Kindergarten
Tuesday - Canteen
Tuesday - Private lessons Japanese with Janine K-2 and 3-6
Wednesday - Sport for Year 2
Thursday - Canteen
Thursday - Library for Year K,1,2,3,4,5
Thursday - Choir
Friday - Private piano lessons with Victoria
Friday - Sport for Year 1, 3, 4, 5, 6
Week 8
All Week - Intensive Swimming
Tuesday 28th November - Bellingen High School All Schools Transition Day
Sunday 3rd - International Day of People with Disability
Week 9
All Week - Intensive Swimming
Thursday 7th - Christmas Cut Out Preparation Afternoon (see information below)
Friday 8th - Magic of Music Concert Years 2-4 @ Bellingen High School
Friday 8th - Access to Compass for Semester 2 reports
Sunday 10th - Human Rights Day
Week 10
Monday 11th - Year 1 Afternoon
Tuesday 12th - Year 6 Big Banana
Tuesday 12th - Christmas Picnic (see information below)
Wednesday 13th - Giving Tree, Nativity and Presentations K-5
Wednesday 13th - Year 6 Graduation and Year 6 Awards @ Cedar Bar from 5.30pm
Thursday 14th - Rewards Day
Friday 15th - Last day of 2023 for students
For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.
How do I love, how do I care for others, especially the poor and needy?
The safety of our students, families and staff is our highest priority. In order to best ensure this, the St Mary’s leadership and staff, supported by the Catholic Schools Office, plan for a number of possible incidents, emergencies or natural disasters that could take place at school or during the school term. The events of recent years have reinforced how important this planning is and we all have a role to play when it comes to emergency management, including families.
Our students participate in various safety drills and staff participate through training and safety drills. We’d like to share with you the role of parents and families in emergency management.
School Lockdown
A number of the situations we plan for include a school lockdown as one of the immediate safety actions to ensure the safety of our students and staff. We understand that some may understand the word ‘lockdown’ to mean there is an immediate safety risk to all students. It is important to understand that when a school initiates a lockdown this may not be the case.
Depending on the situation, the purpose of a school lockdown will differ. A school lockdown may be a preparation step for an evacuation, or a school lockdown may allow emergency services access to an area of the school without having to navigate past students. Regardless of the purpose of a school lockdown, no one can be admitted to the school grounds other than emergency services.
Should we initiate a school lockdown, parents and families will be informed via text message and COMPASS notification. We will also inform parents and families as soon as the school lockdown has been lifted or if there are any actions required of parents and families. It is important that you do not attempt to attend the school during a school lockdown. We understand that you may be concerned however attending the school may also add risk to a possible emergency situation, block emergency services or impede an evacuation.
Natural Disaster
In the event of a natural disaster, such as flood or bushfire, the school leadership, supported by the Catholic Schools Office, will determine if it is safe for the school to open. If there is a probability the school may have to close part way through the day, the school will not open for that day as it is extremely difficult to evacuate a school site and ensure all students are able to go directly home safely.
In a bush fire or flood event it is important that parents and families have a plan to get your child/ren home from school, or into your care, at short notice. Please be aware that school buses may not be running and the school can not allow your child/ren to go home to an empty house or home with another parent without your permission.
Family Preparedness
How can you help us prepare for emergency situations? Please ensure that:
- You have downloaded COMPASS and have allowed notifications.
- Any changes to your contact details or custodial arrangements have been updated with the school.
- You have a bush fire/flood plan in place that all members of your family understand.
- In the event of a school lockdown or evacuation, directions in the parent notifications are followed.
It is always our hope that these measures will never be needed but it is also our responsibility to ensure our school community is prepared and informed should the need arise. We thank you in advance for your support and cooperation.
Lisa Doolan and Nigel McIntyre, Work Health and Safety Manager, Catholic Schools Office
On Thursday and Friday of week 7 Nina and Ruby attended the combined cultural camp in Arrawarra with other Indigenous students from Mary Help of Christians and St Augustines.
On Thursday the girls became immersed with their culture, collecting and painting themselves up with ochre and yarning about traditional ways to hunt fish and collecting bush tucker. For lunch we had kangaroo skewers and damper, and in the afternoon we were taught how to worm and collect pipis on the beach.
On Friday the weather was against us. We couldn’t fish due to the severity of the wind, instead the girls sat around and learnt the technique of weaving, whilst the boys went off to play the didgeridoo. We packed up the weaving mat just before the rain hit and hid out in one of the shade shelters at the caravan park. While waiting for the rain to pass, the girls were taught how to felt. Unfortunately we had to pack up early on Friday because of the weather, but we had a great time nonetheless.
Thank you to the IEW’s at Mary Help of Christians and St Augustines for making this camp a possibility.
Compass has made some changes to its app in response to feedback from families.
There is a one-time password if you have trouble logging in or can’t remember your details.
There is a shortcut option in the centre of the menu that has the most used functions
Quick send email
Pay event
If you require any assistance with accessing Compass please contact our office.
Free mental health resources for families - Emerging Minds
Connection and belonging - Emerging Minds
For children and adults, connection can feel positive, negative, or more often a mix of both. Finding, building and sustaining connection that makes us feel we belong can be a challenge for many of us, especially in tough times when we might need it most. And when we are caring for children, we have their ideas and needs for connection and belonging to consider as well.
We want you to know you and your children are worthy of connections that make you feel valued; that help your parenting and support your family to navigate everyday life, along with the tough times when the odds are stacked against you.
This collection of resources has been created by families who’ve been through tough times to spark hope and new ideas for finding and sustaining a sense of belonging. Whether your connections are…
- within your family
- beyond your family
- in person or virtually; or
- with people, places, creatures, characters or ancestors…
A successful transition is defined as one that:
- enables children to feel comfortable, connected, and engaged with their school environment and community
- facilitates readiness to achieve early learning outcomes; and
- promotes amongst parents and families, a feeling of engagement in the school experience and school community
(SNAICC, 2013)
Catholic Schools NSW has developed a flip book with information to assist with a successful transition to school.
One Talk at a Time
The National Office for Child Safety recently launched 'One Talk at a Time,' a national awareness-raising and behavioural change campaign on child sexual abuse.
One Talk at a Time aims to protect children and young people from sexual abuse by helping adults understand that child sexual abuse is preventable and encouraging them to have ongoing, proactive, preventative conversations with children, young people and other adults in their lives.
One in five people, or 4.4 million Australians, have a disability. By joining or starting a conversation about disability, you can challenge stereotypes, educate others and help make our community more accessible and inclusive for people with disability.
News of significant world events can cause distress to children and young people. This flyer prepared by Headspace will assist you with having positive and supportive conversations about concerning world events.
Week 6
Year 1 - Layla Shinfield & Phoenix Lane
Year 2 - Sienna Kiddle & Isaac Petherbridge
Year 3 - Yahmarii Andrews
Year 4 - Jack Wadick
Year 5 - Hazel Garrett
Year 6 - Walter Wadick
PBS - "I help my friends do the right thing"
Year 1 - Florence Frost
Year 2 - Eloise Harper
Year 3 - Maeve Dunn
Year 4 - Holly Barne
Year 5 - Nina Ward
Year 6 - Anthony Dyson
Week 7
Year 1 - Lachlann Kiddle & Phoenix Jones
Year 2 - Arthur West, Juno Nicholson & Cash Connelly
Year 3 - Pearl James
Year 4 - Oscar Reibelt
Year 5 - Nina Ward, Billy Murcott & Ethan O'Neill
Year 6 - Zavier McLeish
PBS - "I am respectful to everyone"
Year 1 - Jude Farrugia
Year 2 - Ivy Ellis-Cluff
Year 3 - Ailidh Lewis
Year 4 - Nevaya Anderson
Year 5 - Lyla Bertram
Year 6 - Lincon Condon
Date: Thursday 7th December
Time: 2pm
Dear parents, family and friends,
Our school Christmas party is coming up and we could use your support.
We are having a helping hand afternoon at the school as per the above date and time. Your participation in the meeting would be greatly appreciated.
We are asking for donations of wrapping paper, stickers, glitter, cardboard boxes and other festive crafts to make our craft table extra fun.
Please bring your donations to the meeting or on the day of the event. Your generosity and participation will bring joy to our school community and make this Christmas celebration special.
Thank you for your support!
Kind Regards,
Mia Tarrant
