St Mary's Newsletter

We tell the truth and act honestly.

On Wednesday the students joined the Library monitors in the Hall at 12.30pm for a reading of this years’ Simultaneous Story reading. Our Library monitors did a great job of reading the story. This event happens across all schools in Australia at this time each year. Our Kindy students enjoyed the story so much they followed it up by making their very own beautiful bowerbirds!!

It was wonderful to see so many parents, grandparents and GREAT grandparents turn out to watch our Cross-Country event. The wonderful Mrs Crees, tweaked the running of the event this year and everyone one agreed the slight changes that were made enhanced the event immensely.

Thank you to Mrs Crees and all her wonderful volunteers, congratulations to all place holders and medal winners and thank you to the children for training so well, leading up to the event. Please see below for all the results.

Thank you to Father Philip for leading the Mass celebration this morning and thank you to Ms Ariti, and the Year Three/Four class and Mrs Riethmuller for their preparation of the Mass.

Don’t forget the Teachers will be busily analysing student progress and preparing for reports next Friday the 31st of May, therefore there will be no school for students. Next Monday the 3rd of June is WA Day and is a Public Holiday and the school will be closed.

Two windmills were sitting on a hill. One asked the other, "Do you have a favourite song?"

He replied, "Well... all my life I have been a heavy metal fan."

God Bless.

Mr H.

This Term in Year 4/5 and 5/6, we were lucky enough to have Cassie from ‘Bush Wicks’ come to St Mary’s and conduct a candle making workshop. We had the opportunity to create a candle for our Mum’s for their Mother’s Day gifts.

We prepped our candle by placing a safety sticker on the bottom and installing the wick. We then weighed out the chosen scent and mixed with the correct amount of wax. Once the wax was at a certain temperature, it was poured into the tins. Lastly, we were able to decorate our candles with dried natives once the wax reached a certain thickness. 

The Year 4/5’s loved creating such beautiful, thoughtful gifts for their Mum’s. It was an experience where the children were able to use their Maths, English and creative abilities in a real-life context.

We would like to thank Cassie for sharing her expertise and knowledge with us. It was so much fun!

The sun was shining bright for our students yesterday and as much as we would love to see some rain, we couldn’t have asked for better weather for our students for competing in the Faction Cross Country.

The students have been training hard during morning fitness and it certainly showed in the outstanding performances on display. There was some fierce competition on the track, as well as a wonderful display of Faction spirit.

In what was an extremely close competition between our Factions, Salvatorians managed to make it two years in row, taking out the shield with 325 points, with Mackillop and St Josephs just behind on an equal 301 points!

Congratulations to the following individual place winners.

11 and Under Boys                                                   11 and Under Girls

1st Royce White                                                         1st Greta Gethin

2nd Patrick O’Neill                                                     2nd Michayla Maiolo

3rd Clancy Sutherland                                              3rd Milla Dolton

4th Zac Crees                                                              4th Olivia Maloney

10 and Under Boys                                                   10 and Under Girls

1st Logan Thompson                                                1st Ava Webb

2nd Van Creagh                                                          2nd Mia Crees

3rd Kai Wahlsten                                                        3rd Tahlia Govender

4th Jacob McGellin                                                     4th Alena Madaffari

8 and Under Boys                                                      8 and Under Girls

1st Quinn Wahlsten                                                   1st Maggie Gray

2nd Mitchell Mills                                                       2nd Sienna Anderson

3rd Miles Crook                                                          3rd Halle Crees

4th Kyle Stroinski                                                       4th Addison Last

Pre-Primary Boys                                                      Pre-Primary Girls

1st Baden Avery                                                        1st Ezia Glass-Busson

2nd Hunter Caldwell                                                 2nd Milla Jardine

3rd Jack Gray                                                              3rd Eva Alberti

4th Mason Marshall                                                  4th Abigail Brown

We wish our students selected to compete in the Interschool Cross Country in week 8 all the very best of luck.

Kate Crees

Physical Education

Join us for morning tea to welcome Father Phillip to our parish on Sunday 26th May after mass in the alfresco area of the presbytery.

LifeLink provides a wonderful opportunity for students attending Catholic schools within the Archdiocese of Perth to join together to show their support for the Church’s social service agencies – agencies which on behalf of us all, reach out to provide practical care and direct assistance to thousands of people in need each year. Many thousands of Western Australian families and individuals each year depend on LifeLink agencies being there for them at their time of need.

LifeLink Day will be on Wednesday the 5th Of June and students are invited to wear their pyjamas and to donate a gold coin which will be donated to this well-deserved cause.

"The Premier’s Reading Challenge runs from the 6th of May to the 6th of September and the idea is that you try to read as many books as you can. It’s a competition right across the state and there’s some great prizes – including a Nintendo Switch. So, everyone get on board with the Premier’s Reading Challenge for 2024. Get to your books!"

Hon. Roger Cook MLA, Premier of Western Australia 

The Premier’s Reading Challenge is a literacy engagement program established in 2022 to: 

• encourage students to read more books
• enjoy reading
• improve literacy levels.

The mission is for students in kindergarten to Year 10 to read 12 books over 4 months from 6 May to 6 September. That’s right—just 12, students can read:

• books
• short stories
• graphic novels
• eBooks
• talking books
• audiobooks
• poems
• anything that sparks their interest and gets them reading.

Whether they’re a curious kindergartener or a high-schooler, there is something of interest for readers at any and every level.

Adventures await. Books take us to places we only dream about and even further. Where else can we experience a mutiny on a pirate ship or jump on a time-traveling bicycle.

Students will expand their vocabulary, learn new facts, and impress their friends with fancy new words that they have learned.

At the end of the challenge, students who complete it will receive a special certificate signed by the Premier. They can hang it proudly on their bedroom wall; it’s like winning a gold medal in reading!

Get your students ready to explore, grab their reading lights and bookmarks and set sail on their next reading adventure.

The next great story is only one page turn away.

The challenge will:

• raise the profile of reading and literacy in schools
• give students a focus for their reading
• encourage students to enjoy reading and read more books
• encourage students to participate by being challenged
• offer incentives and prizes for readers
• build self-esteem, pride, school unity and a sense of achievement among students
• increase the involvement of parents in their child’s reading
• increase the number of library books borrowed
• contribute to increased literacy levels.

How to register

Go to:

https://www.premiersreadingchallenge.wa.edu.au/

and click on the "SIGN IN" button to create an account.

St Mary's School is part of the "Containers for Change" program. Please see the poster below for all the details. If you require a green bag to collect your cans, these are available from Mrs Riethmuller at the school.

Saver Plus is a FREE 10-month matched savings and financial education program funded by ANZ and the Australian Government Department of Social Services and delivered by The Smith Family.

The program aims to help participants to learn how to better manage their money and develop long-term savings habits.

Saver Plus is available to anyone who is eligible across Australia.

Eligible participants learn money skills and receive up to $500 to help with their school expenses.

* 10 month program (commence at any time)

* Save $50 a month for 10 months and receive $500 towards educational costs

* Complete up to 10hrs of Virtual workshops called MoneyMinded (support provided)

More information at www.saverplus.org.au

Merredin: Saturday 6.30pm & Sunday 10.30am

Kellerberrin: Sunday 8.00am

Open Wednesday 8.30am-9.10am

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