Week 3, Term 2 2024- 30th April 2024

Principal's Reflection

In my most recent newsletter reflections, I have been touching upon our school’s key values.  Today, I shine the spotlight on respect.

Along with encouragement and care, respect is a foundational school value, guiding our interactions and shaping the way we ‘do business’ at St Mary’s. As I reflect on the essence of our mission statement, respect emerges as a virtue emphasising the importance of honouring others, ourselves and our world.

Respect is more than just being courteous; it's an acknowledgment of the inherent dignity of every individual. In a culture of respect, differences are celebrated, voices are heard and relationships are strengthened. 

Furthermore, respect means acknowledging our own worth and the value of self-care. It involves setting healthy boundaries and looking after our own well-being. When we treat ourselves with kindness and compassion, we set an example for others to do the same.

In contemplating the virtue of respect, we find inspiration in the teachings of Jesus and in the Catholic Social Teachings (CST’s). Throughout his ministry, Jesus exemplified the importance of treating others with dignity and compassion, regardless of their social status or background. He embraced the marginalised, challenged societal norms and advocated for justice and equality. His message of love and respect serves as a timeless reminder of the profound impact of honouring the humanity in each person we encounter. 

Moreover, the Catholic Social Teachings underscore the interconnectedness of respect for others and respect for our world.  As stewards of creation, we are all called to treat the earth with care, recognising the inherent value of the natural world and our responsibility to protect and preserve it for future generations.

As members of St Mary’s school community, let us embrace the virtue of respect as a guiding principle in our daily lives. May we strive to promote an environment where kindness, empathy and understanding flourish, fostering a culture of harmony and mutual respect. For in this, we create a world that is truly life changing.

All the very best,

Wes Rose
Principal

From our Principal - Mr Wes Rose

Staff News

• Mrs Leotta (APRE) is away this week, attending the Diocesan APRE conference in Rockhampton.
• Mrs Jenni Motteram (5M teacher) will be on Long Service Leave from 3rd-17th May. In her absence, Mrs Erin Rose will teach the class.

P&F Meeting - 30^th April 6pm

I advise that our next P&F Meeting will be held this evening, Tuesday 30^th April from 6pm in the staffroom.    At this meeting we will finalise the list of items that the P&F will financially support this year.  All parents most welcome.

ANZAC Day Civic March

I sincerely thank the staff, parents and over 200 students who represented our school at the Mackay ANZAC parade last week.  We joined over 6600 students from across the region, a record number of students for Mackay. I also acknowledge the students who participated in other services throughout our region. 

Centenary book – Old Photos Needed

Do you have some old photos of St Mary’s school from the 1920s to 1980s?  If you do, they could be used in the Centenary book, which is currently being compiled.  They could be of students, a historical event or pictures of the school or church.  Please send these to smm_centenary@rok.catholic.edu.au by Friday 24^th May.

Enhancing Catholic Schools (ECSI) Survey

Thank you to the 107 families who submitted their ECSI survey certificates.  Responses have now closed. I am pleased to announce the winners of the draw.

• 1^st Prize ($200 school fee discount) - Gibbs Family
• 2^nd Prize ($100 school fee discount) - Shields Family
• 3^rd Prize ($50 gift card) - Williams Family (Bianca)
• Class party for most completed surveys - Year 2A

I thank all participating parents for their time and effort with this survey, which hopes to capture important information that will assist our school as we move forward.

Centenary Cookbook – Recipes Needed!
This August, we are celebrating our school’s centenary and as a part of the festivities, we are publishing a St Mary’s cookbook that will display some favourite family favourites.  Cookbooks will be available for purchase during our centenary celebrations. As part of this project, we ask interested families and staff to submit a recipe of your choice.  Recipes must be submitted (in a word document) via email including these details: 

• Recipe Title
• Submitted by (include your names and grade in 2024)
• Recipe description, special memories you may have of this dish or of St Mary’s. (2-4 sentences.)
• Ingredients
• Method

We ask that you also include up to 3 digital photos of the recipe, your family or both and we will use as needed.  Submissions need to be received via email by 15^th May.  Please note that we may receive duplicates of certain recipes, and in this case, you may be emailed to submit another recipe.  Also, whilst we will try to include every recipe submitted, we are restricted as to the number of pages we can fit in the book.

Also, if your family or business would like to sponsor the production of this cookbook, your name and business logo will be acknowledged within the opening pages. To submit your recipes or for more information, please email smm_centenary@rok.catholic.edu.au

Quote of the Week

Walk Safely to School Day

When:     Friday 10th May
Where:    Mackay Basketball Stadium Car Park
                   Students will walk from the car park to school, supervision will
                   be provided
                   A free Breakfast will be provided upon arrival at school
Time:       Student drop off 7.30am, for a 7.45am walk 
RSVP:      Friday 3rd May
                   Please Accept/Decline via Parent Lounge/Events 

St Mary’s will be participating in this year’s Walk to School Day on Friday 10th May.  If your child intends on participating in the walk, you will need to accept the event invitation through the Parent Lounge for each child.  This will ensure we have enough food for the free breakfast back at school.   The event registration will need to be completed by Friday 3rd May.  

Parents and siblings are invited to attend and do the walk with our students. We invite parents to park or drop students to the bitumen carpark across from Mackay Basketball Stadium on the corner of Juliet Street and Bridge Road and we will gather participants on the grassed area.  Students can be dropped off from 7:30am for a 7:45am walk departure.  We will proceed down Juliet street toward St Mary’s with an approximate arrival back at school of 8:00am.  Breakfast will be served to participating students at this time. 

What are the benefits of riding or walking to school?

It helps children get enough exercise
Ideally, everyone aged under 18 should have at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day. There isn’t time for this much sport as part of the school day every day, so riding or walking to school is a great way to help students get enough physical exercise.

It reduces pollution
If we want to care for the planet, we need to reduce pollution as much as possible. If more children ride or walk to school, this reduces the number of cars on the road. The result is cleaner air and a healthier environment for all of us.

It improves children’s health and wellbeing
Physical activity is extremely beneficial to our health - it’s one of the most important things we can do to reduce our risk of illness. It also improves educational outcomes. Children who have travelled to school in an active way arrive more alert, so they’re more able to concentrate and retain information.

It helps children learn about road safety
Road safety is such an important topic. Ride to School Day gives you the perfect opportunity to teach children how to stay safe while walking or riding. 

It’s fun!
Riding, walking, scooting and skating are all great communal activities that children can enjoy with their friends, helping them to build stronger social connections. Families can get involved, too!

Belinda Battaia
Assistant Principal: Curriculum

Day of AI Australia

On Monday 13th May, our year 6 students will participate in Day of AI Australia.  Day of AI has been tailored to the Australian context to introduce school students to the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in a world that will be powered by AI.  The program includes the most up-to-date information and contemporary examples of AI technologies and their applications. Lessons showcase Australian scientists and case studies, bringing to life how AI is impacting society.

The day will consist of a range of fun, creative and hands on activities to immerse the students in AI.  Topics covered include:

• the foundations of AI
• chatbots
• ethical considerations of AI
• how AI is impacting industries and what this means for the future of Australian jobs
• using AI to tackle sustainability 

We’re living in an AI world.  It is no longer the stuff of science fiction books and movies.  It's here and it’s a growing part of our everyday lives.  We are thrilled that our students will spend a day immersed in learning about this form of assistive technology. For more information about Day of AI, please visit this link. 

Mother's Day Stall

P & F News - Mother's Morning

St Mary’s P&F would like to invite all mums, stepmums, grandmothers and any other special woman in your child’s life to attend a Mother’s Day Morning starting with an 8am Mass at St Mary’s Church on Tuesday 7^th May.

Please RSVP via the following link by Thursday 2^nd May.

https://forms.gle/KV4PJcMaGHRMdBcB7

P & F Pie Day

St Mary's Trivia Night - Friday 31st May

It’s a Mexican Fiesta!

Don’t miss out on your tickets to our annual St Mary’s Trivia Night.

This is a highlight in the Mackay community social calendar with a chance to win a $1000 cash prize!

This year we aim to deliver a fun community event with all funds raised going towards projects that will enhance the educational experience for the students of St Mary’s Catholic Primary School.

Drink tickets can be purchased on the night or Pre-Purchased Drink Tickets can be bought through the link below -  10 tickets for $30 (1 ticket = $3 water/soft drink), (2 tickets = $6 beer/wine), (3 tickets = $9 slushies, UDL, spirits)

https://events.humanitix.com/st-mary-s-trivia-night-2024

St Mary's Battlers

Last Wednesday, the Battlers took to the field for their first game this year.  The team went down to Emmanuel with a final score of 22 - 12.  Notable defensive work came from Griffin Russell and Justin Arbuthnot while try scorers Blake Dyson and Oliver Standish showed great speed and agility to score out wide.  Well done to Rahill Singh who took to the rugby league field for the first time ever, making strong runs up the middle of the field.  Thank you to the St Mary’s supporters who came down to cheer the boys on.  Next Wednesday, we play at 3:50pm on field 2 against Victoria Park State School.

Run Club

Student of the Week

Week 2, Term 2 Student Award Winners

Community News