St Mary's Newsletter

We set a positive example in the classroom, playground and community.

Special thanks to Mrs Discenza for the wonderful Book Week activities that filled Wednesday this week. It was great to see everyone decked out in their book characters; well done parents!!!!!

Mrs Crees did a wonderful job yesterday in gale force conditions on the oval. Thank you so much to our parent helpers and a big pat on the back to all the competitors who ran in yucky, windy and rainy conditions at various times during the day. See Mrs Crees' write up below for more details and photos. Congratulations to the place-getters. Results will be published in the Week Eight Newsletter. 

Join us at 8.50am for a special assembly where the whole school community can watch our Tournament of Minds team perform their Long term problem solution and Mrs Silver and the Performing Arts students perform their Performing Arts Festival pieces.

Thank you to everyone for your patience with our rescheduled assembly, as always, the PP item was worth the wait!

We have a full week next week. We have our Enrichment students being judged on their Long term problem on Monday and the PAF students performing in Perth on Wednesday, we have K-2 visiting the Senior’s Centre on Thursday and then we have our big Father’s Day celebration breakfast on Friday at 7.45am. (Don’t forget to get a ticket in our big raffle!) On Friday we also have a Scitech Incursion. It will be a busy but fun week.

The School Advisory Council (SAC) met on Monday the 12th of August, we acknowledged that this was Father Philips first meeting since joining the Merredin Parish in May. We welcome Father Philip to our community and look forward to working with him over the next 6 years.  

Key items addressed at our meeting included:

• NAPLAN results 
• Business plan 
• Church Car Park
• Basketball Courts 
• Grants and Government funding. 

This is also a reminder that the role of the SAC is to support the Principal to fulfil their responsibilities in leading the Catholic Identity, Education, Community and Stewardship functions of the Catholic School in pursuit of CEWA's vision to be Christ-centred and child-focused. The SAC's purpose is an advisory role not a decision making role: we offer suggestions and ideas and the Principal takes this into account when making his final deliberations on any decisions that need to be made. 

Dad, when he puts the car in reverse:

"Ah, this takes me back."

God Bless.

Mr H.

Year Three/Fours have been very busy these last six weeks.  We have created some of our own mathematics learning tools such as the numeracy bead strings and even enjoyed doing this with some of our families on Family Friday.  A highlight for all, even though it was very wet, was the opening of Apex park and the sausage sizzle we were able to enjoy there. On Sunday the 11th of August some wonderful volunteers read at mass. After watching some of the Olympics that took place over the last few weeks we looked into a number of sports and created a mini information report on a particular sport or Olympian we admire. The whole class came up with their idea for the persuasive writing task - to convince Mr Hamersley that we should have a class pet in the Year Three/Four classroom. Our fingers are crossed that our letters were compelling enough! This week we also were able to enjoy all the activities organised by the different class teacher for book week. Our costumes were all amazing and we are very grateful for the help we received from our families. 

The Kindy had an exciting delivery this week! Thanks to our tireless P&F committee we were able to purchase a new mud kitchen. The lovely team at Great Eastern Freightlines ensured it's safe delivery, free of charge. 

To celebrate its arrival we set up a magical morning of potion making, much to the delight of our Kindy kids.  It has been in full use this week concocting all sorts of mud creations. The next step will be hooking it up to a water supply to make it a fully functioning mud kitchen. 

Yesterday our students competed in the long jump component of their Faction Athletics Carnival. The weather certainly wasn’t on our side with the sunshine from the previous days disappearing, however the students managed to put all of their hard work from practice over the term into some wonderful performances. 

Thank you to all our Parents, Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles who braved the elements to come and support as well as assisting in the running of the event. Your help, as always is very much appreciated.

Pre-Primary                                                  Year One/Two

Hunter Coles                                                Stella Sharp 

Jack Gray                                                       Addison Last

Poppy McGregor                                         Nathan Rosario

                                                                       Halle Crees 

Year Three/Four                                          Year Four/Five

Kyle Stroinski                                                Audrey Mason 

Ruby Jardine                                                 River O’Meagher 

Ava Webb                                                      Mac Johnston  

Jake Mills                                                       Lachlan Anderson 

Year Five/Six                                                Science/Design & Technology

Andrew Wilson                                            Ezia Glass-Busson 

Milla Dolton                                                 Benjamin Hathaway

Nate Sayers                                                  Leo Purssell 

Ruby Smith                                                   Van Creagh   

                                                                       Michayla Maiolo                                                                                                         

Below is all of the information you need regarding the Colour Run for 2024. Your child/ren were given this information on Monday the 5th of August with an attached brochure, make sure you check their school bags!!

"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.

The Shire of Merredin Australia day nominations are now open.

The awards seek to recognise outstanding individuals and organisations that have made significant contributions to their local communities during the past year, or those who have given exceptional service over a sustained period. These contributions can take many forms, including but not limited to education, health, fundraising, voluntary services, business, employment, sport, arts, environment, social inclusion, or any other area that contributes to the betterment of the community.

There are four award categories: 1. Community Citizen of the Year (for individuals over 16 years) 2. Young Community Citizen of the Year (for individuals aged 16-30 years) 3. Senior Community Citizen of the Year (for individuals aged 65 years or over) 4. Active Citizenship Award (for community groups or events).

We strongly encourage individuals and groups from diverse backgrounds to consider submitting a nomination.

Merredin: Saturday 6.30pm & Sunday 10.30am

Kellerberrin: Sunday 8.00am

Open Wednesday 8.30am-9.10am

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