Last week we celebrated Children’s Book Week at St Marys District School. Students engaged in a range of activities to celebrate the joy of reading. On Tuesday,  we held our Book Week community parade and celebration of reading with all sorts of book characters making for a fun, colourful and exciting day that was enjoyed by all. My thanks goes to students, families and staff for supporting this event and our community for their overwhelming support of this event. 

Staffing Update

Next week will be Julia Rossi’s last week of work before commencing some long leave. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Julia for her contributions to our school and particularly for her dedication and determination to do the very best she can to support the learning and wellbeing of the P-2 students in her classes.  I would also like to pass on the best wishes of the school staff and students to Julia and Gerome as they anticipate the arrival of their baby.  Best wishes and we can’t wait to meet the new addition to your family.

As we farewell Julia until early 2027, we welcome back Lynette Yodgee as the Grade 1/2 teacher.  After some time working in principal roles across the north of the state, Lynette returned to the area as a relief teacher. When the opportunity arose to join the St Marys District School staff team as a classroom teacher, Lynette was happy to accept the position.  We are fortunate to have such an experienced teacher join us!

I would also like to congratulate Meg Burbury as she steps into the acting principal role at St Marys District School for the weeks 8, 9 and 10 of Term 3, while I take some long service leave. 

Teacher Assistant Appreciation Week

Next week is Teacher Aide Appreciation Week. I would like to publicly acknowledge all our dedicated Teacher Assistants for the contribution they make  to our school community, and thank them for their support of students and staff.  Our Teacher Assistants work closely with students across the school, supporting specific needs and complex adjustments. Students and staff rely on them ‘being there’ and the work they do everyday supports all students to be well and achieve quality outcomes.  

2025 FAMILIES SCHOOL SATISFACTION SURVEY

The 2025 School Satisfaction Survey is here!

We want to hear from you, as input from families is very important to help us inform our school-planning and decision-making. Every year the Department for Education, Children and Young People conducts a School Satisfaction Survey to find out what your child(ren)'s school does well and where it may improve.  The survey for St Marys District School is open from now until Friday 19 September 2025 and should take about 5 minutes to complete.

Each family should nominate one person to fill in this survey for their child(ren). Take the online survey by clicking this Link, or pasting it in your browser:  https://nam.dcv.ms/dwDyUguK3v. The survey is carried out on a secure website and all responses are anonymous and confidential, no identifying information is collected. Please contact your school if you require any assistance.

Thank you for taking the time to fill in this survey.

Mrs Carolyn Watson
Principal

St Marys District School was alive with stories, colour and creativity as we celebrated Book Week 2025. The theme “Book an Adventure!” was embraced across the school, with students and staff alike joining in a range of exciting activities designed to highlight the joy of reading.

Two Drop and Read sessions were held, where classes paused their routines and set off on a Book Week adventure through the pages of a story. Students also enjoyed the chance to share their love of reading with peers during this time with their buddy class sessions, where older and younger students came together to read and connect.

A highlight of the week was undoubtedly the Book Week Community Parade, where students, staff, and families paraded the streets of St Marys with vibrant costumes inspired by favourite book characters. This event was a true celebration of community spirit and a reminder of the fun that reading brings.

Primary students were also treated to the delightful Goldfish Terrapin puppet performance, which brought stories to life in a magical way. Meanwhile, classrooms proudly displayed their Book Week door creations, turning entryways to classrooms into a gallery of imagination.

The Book Fair was another highlight, giving students and families the chance to browse and purchase books, further encouraging a love of reading beyond the classroom. A percentage of the profits from the Book Fair is given back to the school to purchase books for our own school library.

Book Week was a wonderful reminder that reading not only builds knowledge but also brings people together.

What is EdSmart?

EdSmart is an Australian-based communication and workflow platform. It has cloud-based software to enable schools to handle communication with parents/carers electronically.

How is SMDS using EdSmart?

One-way messages: Schools can send broadcast messages to individuals, classes, or all parent/carers for general notices and reminders. Broadcast messages are one-way, meaning there is no response expected from recipients. Example broadcasts include notices of school closures in inclement weather or reminders for start of term dates. 

• Two-way messages: Schools can send forms (known as slips in EdSmart) to parent/carers which require a response. 

Major Excursion Consent and  Medical Forms - A New and Easier Way!

We know how frusting it can be to fill out the same forms for every excursion and we  have good news - that's changing!  

Thanks to Edsmart and updates to DECYP Excursion planning guidelines, we can now send you one form each term to cover all major excursions.

What's Changing?

• You’ll receive one EdSmart form for all major excursions and activities for the upcoming term.
• This form gives permission and includes medical details — no more repeating the same info!
• Before each excursion, you’ll still get a detailed notice with all the usual information about the date, departure and return times, activities etc.

Need Help?  

If you’re unsure about the new process, our Admin Team is here to help.

Coming Soon - Edsmart Absences.

Soon our Admin Team will have completed the Absences training in Edsmart - which will change the way we communicate absences and how you respond.

How will it work for absentee notifications and responses?

You will be sent an email or SMS notification with a link to a secure online version of an absentee response form.

These links can be accessed on your phone, tablet or computer at your convenience.

What about Privacy & Data Security? 

All of the data you submit in the forms is held in a secure database only accessible to authorised DECYP, school staff and EdSmart personnel.

EdSmart is accredited to Australian information security standards

Congratulations to Elli O – Winner of the 2025 Young Storytellers Competition

We are thrilled to announce that Elli O has been selected as this year’s winner of the Fingal Neighbourhood House Young Storytellers Competition!

Elli’s original short story captured the imagination of the judges with its creativity and heart. As part of this exciting achievement, Elli’s story will be published in the next edition of the Valley Voice—a wonderful recognition for Elli.

The Day I Will Never Forget

I just got home from school; I stepped off the bus and walked to my house. The second I walked in I was knocked down by my dog Maggie. “Ahh Maggie stop licking me.”

 I laughed as my dog slobbered all over me.

“Oh, hello May, when did you get home?” asked mum standing in the kitchen.

“I just got here but Maggie got in my way” I replied pushing Maggie off me.

 “Hey mum, can I go to the beach for a walk, I’ll take Maggie too!”

“Ok, just be home before six.”

“Yes mum, thank you!!”

I scurry off to my room and change out of my school clothes and put on my sneakers. I hurry down the stairs and open the door and quickly grab Maggies pink leash I walk out the door and almost forgot Maggie!

“Oh Maggie, I almost forgot!” I said to myself.

As I walk back inside to grab Maggie, I see my mum standing with maggie by her side.

“Forgot something?” questioned mum.

“Almost” I smiled.

 I stepped out the door and wave goodbye to my mum. I turn to my left and walked towards to the beach. I must cross the busy road to get to the beach on the other side. I look both ways before crossing the road. I wait in the middle of the road and look both ways again. I cross the last section of the road and then I see my friend Ella.

“Oh hey! Ella what are you doing here?” I ask her.

“I’m going to the beach, what are you doing?” replied Ella.

“I’m taking Maggie to the beach too!” I exclaimed patting Maggie on the back.

“Oh yay! We can walk there together!” said Ella excitedly. We both walk the track towards the beach and when we get there Ella gets a call from her phone.

“Hold on it’s my mum” said Ella holding up her phone to her ear.

I heard her mum on the phone say.

“Ella, you NEED to come home your brother has broken his arm, and he needs to go to the hospital, but he won’t go anywhere without you!”

“OH MY GOSH! YES, YES! I’M COMING NOW! MUM.” As Ella pulled the phone to her chin. “I AM SO SORRY MAY THIS IS AN EMERGANCY!!” screamed Ella.

“No, no it’s ok, I hope your brother is going to be ok” I replied to Ella.

 Now that Ella is gone, I just must walk on the beach alone.

I walk down the sandy track and when I get to the end I am greeted by the warm, salty, summer air and the breeze running through my thick brown hair. The waves crashed as I walked by the millions of seashells. I wanted to take a special one home a bright shell a big shell, but I couldn’t find what I was looking for. I saw lots of half broken shells, some faded in colour, none of them stuck out to me.

Then I saw it, it was perfect it was whole it was vibrant pink electric blue, deep purple too! It was a Tasmanian Scallop. However, it looked almost unreal. It looked like it was out of a fairytale. It was so smooth and glossy. I just have to take it home.

As I picked it up, I felt something off about it, something was not right, but I took it home anyway. On the way back home, Maggie wasn’t being herself she kept stopping in front of me. She began to whine like she was telling me to turn around and go back. However, I just pushed past her, as I crossed the road with the shell in my hand. I passed an old crusty, scruffy man in his late fifties, I caught him raising his eyebrows his intense gaze caught me by surprise. His eyes were wide as a child on Christmas morning. I held my magic shell in my right hand, and he said, “Little girl, name your price? I will offer as much money as you request for that pretty shell you have.”

“What! No, this shell is going home with me you are not having it!” I say angrily.

“Please you need to give it to me girl, please I’ll give you ten thousand dollars for it!” yelled the old man.

“No! Why do you need it!” I scream.

“Wha- um no reason no reason at all!” replied the man.

 I run off not looking back. Why did this man want my shell? Why was it worth so much money? What made this shell so special?

 

THE END

By Elli O

Year: 5

School: St Marys District

Supporting Every Student’s Literacy Journey: Our Approach 

At our school, we’re committed to making sure every child and young person receives the literacy support they need—when they need it. That’s why we use a consistent, evidence-based approach across all Department schools called the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). 

Here’s how MTSS works: 

• Tier 1 – For all students: Every child is taught to read using proven, evidence-based teaching strategies. 

• Tier 2 – For some students: Those who need extra time and practice with specific literacy skills work in smaller groups. Once they’ve mastered the skill, they return to Tier 1. 

• Tier 3 – For a few students: These learners receive one-on-one support to help them learn specific literacy skills, alongside the learning in Tiers 1.

This system ensures that every student gets the right amount of help at the right time. Whether it’s extra practice or individual support, MTSS is our way of making sure no student is left behind in their literacy journey. 

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about how  your child’s learning is supported, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s teacher. 

You may have noticed some changes in the way we’re teaching reading in our school. These changes are part of a statewide commitment to ensure every student develops strong reading skills that will support them throughout school and beyond.

Learning to read is a skill that must be taught—it's not something we’re born knowing how to do. That’s why our teachers are using high-quality, evidence-based strategies to help every child become a confident reader.

Our students are learning to read through structured and explicit literacy teaching. This means they are building foundational literacy skills step by step, with each new skill reinforcing the last. This approach helps students grow into capable, independent readers.

We’re proud to be part of this statewide effort to provide structured literacy lessons that are proven to work. Thank you for your ongoing support as we help every student succeed.

Kinder had a fantastic week last week celebrating book week. We were very excited to win the Early Childhood door competition. We all worked very hard collaboratively to complete. We wrote a story about this journey and have made into a book.

After a deluge of rain in the north of the state for days and three venue changes both soccer and football semi-finals had to be cancelled this week. Every attempt was made to relocate the games, but due to the amount of rain in the region, so many grounds were closed on account of unsafe ground condition. This was of course a disappointing way to end the season for our Football and Soccer teams, but we commend the way most students accepted this and went on to support our netball teams in their semi-final games at the Silverdome.  

Congratulations to both Division 2 and 3 netball teams on their performance in their semifinals…….they gave it their all.  

Division 2 won their game against Deloraine, with the full time score 31-9.  

Division 3 were defeated by a very strong Campbell Town side, finishing 7-34. 

Thank you to all winter sports players for their commitment to their respective teams this year and we look forward to more opportunities in 2026. 

Thanks to Mr Innis, Mr Moon, Mr Wardlaw, Mr Scolyer and Mrs Swanson for their support of our winter sports teams this season. Big shout out and thank you to Cortney Smith for giving up her Wednesday afternoons to umpire at the netball. Your support has been greatly appreciated.  

Good luck to our Division 2 netball team on their quest for the premiership this year. They are playing Prospect High School at the Silverdome in Launceston on Wednesday 3 September at 12.15pm.  

Best and Fairest presentations will be celebrated at the next secondary assembly. 

We celebrated Book Week in our LiL session last week with children and families dressing up. Our session was held in the library with children provided with various books and resources catering for all ages, stages and developmental levels and interests.

We also celebrated “Dental Week” reading a story about Healthy Roo and how she keeps her teeth healthy, the children were also given a tooth brush.

On Thursday 21 August, St Marys District School welcomed Year 11/12 students from Campbell Town District School for a friendly basketball match and shared lunch.

While the final score of 23–13 in Campbell Town’s favour didn’t reflect how closely matched the teams were, our players—Byron P, Harley P, Dakoda D, Lachie B, Kaden B and Magnus H—showed great teamwork and spirit throughout the game. 

As part of the exchange, our 11/12 Food & Cooking class prepared a delicious lunch featuring fried rice, sausage rolls, toasties and a fresh fruit platter. The visiting students were so impressed they even asked for some of the recipes.

We’re excited to build on this connection, with plans already underway for Campbell Town to host next year and make this a valued annual tradition.

Today during PE lesson time, the Grade 10's designed and developed their own putt-putt golf course. It consisted of 9 holes of colourful, creative and challenging putting golf.

Well done to JD for coming in the victor........9 shots under the par for the course. 

These notices have been sent home to parents in the last fortnight.  If you did not receive one and would like to receive a copy of the notice, please contact the school office on 63 723 900.

PRIMARY

• Nature World Excursion - Grade 3/4  -  Tuesday 9 September 2025
• Nature World Excursion - Grade Pre4p/1 - Wednesday 10 September 2025