Dear Families,

It is hard to believe this is the final newsletter for the term, with the weeks having flown by as we have engaged in teaching and learning in classrooms and beyond, challenging and inspiring students to do and be their best. I hope everyone enjoyed the recent Easter break. Sometimes breaks such as these can get students out of the routines and ‘rhythm’ of school, so it is important for parents, carers and teachers to work together in supporting students to attend every day and maintain productive habits and behaviours to maximise learning opportunities and outcomes. 

Interim Reports

We wish to advise that all our students have received their Interim Reports this week. This is a progress report that presents a snapshot of how the year has started in each subject area. The report provides a rating on key attributes that are important for successful learning. While it is too early in the year to include an academic achievement rating, this report will give a clear indication of how your child is working in each subject. 

Staffing – Term 2 Update

This week we have farewelled Jason Gledhill who made the decision during this term to move on to other things. We would like to wish Mr Gledhill well and thank him for his contribution to our school. I would like to also thank Mr Andrew Kelly who will increase his time with us next term and take over teaching Mr Gledhill’s science class, ensuring consistency for our secondary science programs.   We also farewell and thank Mr Simon Holmes who has been working with us on contract this term, while Mr Emmerton has been on long serve leave. It has been wonderful having Simon cover the Music classes and we are hopeful that we may continue to see him around our school undertaking some relief teaching in the future. 

You may have noticed that Lisa Bean, School Business Manager, has not been around the administration office over the last two weeks. Lisa has taken some well-earned leave and will continue on long service leave for all of Term 2.  Sharlene Ridler Mason will be acting in the School Business Manager role for Term 2, along with Janine Burt.

During Term 2 we also have Mr Jordan Disley stepping out of his 4/5 class teacher role to complete his final practicum.  From week 2, Mrs Diane Dykes will be replacing Mr Disley as 4/5 teacher during this time. We are fortunate that Diane knows our school and students well and is available to step in as replacement teacher. Mrs Wilson will continue to teach Grade 4/5 on Mondays and Tuesdays.

I wish you and your family a very safe and a wonderful school holiday and I look forward to seeing everyone back for the start of Term 2 on Monday 29 April.

Carolyn Watson

Principal

On Friday 22 March, the Hospitality elective students completed their practical theory task for the term.

We have been learning about the theme food trucks and the types of foods that are easy to make, have high turn overs, minimal waste and are popular. The students worked in groups to produce a dish that would be appropriate for a Food Truck to be able to make.

As you can see there has been a variety of diverse cultural groups being represented as well as savoury and sweet dishes. The students learnt about project management, risk management, challenged their skill sets, working collaboratively, understanding how to order ingredients and the constraints around and the importance of sensory properties when serving food. 

They did a fantastic job organising themselves within the session, great news is this is only the beginning, the students are now researching and creating our next terms recipes with the theme of international foods where they will be sharing their recipes so you can have the opportunity to try them at home as well as writing a review and any tips. 

2024 7-10 Swimming Carnival Results

1^st Place- DALMAIN  1149

2^nd Place- BLACKWOOD 928

3^rd Place- DUNCAN  627

CHAMPIONS AND RUNNER-UP CHAMPIONS

NEW RECORDS

Secondary students came in numbers, dressed in their house colours ready to participate in this year’s secondary swimming carnival. The spirit was high, the cheering was loud and the encouragement for each other was wonderful to be a part of. A special “shout out” to the grade 7 girls, who had the most participants in any age group that we have seen for years!

Congratulations to Sienna (grade 7) and Helayna (grade 10) for their achievements in setting 3 new records each. And, of course to our champions and runner-up champions for 2024. A big thanks to all the parents who came to support and also help out with the carnival this year, much appreciated. And, to our wonderful team of secondary staff who support these events every year, thank you! We are now looking forward to the Inter-High Swimming carnival in Launceston on Thursday 11 April and wish our swimmers all the very best.

Our annual K – 6 Athletic Carnival was held in glorious conditions on Thursday 28 March.  The weather was perfect for outdoor activity with students being reminded regularly about drinking water to keep hydrated, keeping their school house-coloured sun hats on and to re-apply their sunscreen during the day. 

The carnival had 2 components. From 9.30am – 12.30pm there was a special programme of events for the Kindergarten to Grade 2 students (with Lil families participating if they would like to).  The Grade 3 – 6 students participated from 9.30am – 2.30pm in a range of traditional track and field events including parachute games and gumboot throwing contests.  

The day began with the traditional “March Past”.  All Grade 3 – 6 students, teachers and TAs assembled in house groups around the grass circle.  Whilst chanting and cheering, they made their way down the school driveway to the oval – picking up the Kindergarten students on the way. 

After the “March Past”, the entire K – 6 Primary group participated in the first house-point event of the day - The House Pursuit! House groups assembled at 3 different starting points around the oval. On “GO”, the first house to run around the oval with all its K – 6 members sitting down at their starting point earned the first house points of the day!!  The oval was a sea of green, blue and red!   

The K – 6 carnival took weeks to organise but on the day there were many people who contributed to ensure the event was smooth and all track and field events ran on time.  Our Grade 3 - 6 class teachers and TAs lead the grade groups around the half hour rotations.  At each event there were special track and field rules and safety regulations that all students had been practising in PE lessons.  The K – 2 students engaged in many 25m, 50m, 75m and 100m events allowing them to showcase their gross motor skills (run, hop, skip, jump) and how to manipulate equipment in a range of exciting events in a safe and fun environment.    

At both the K – 2 and Grade 3 – 6 events, it was wonderful to see the developing leadership skills of a large group of Secondary students who had been invited to support the carnival.  Our Secondary students engaged in time-keeping, judging, recording and measuring events throughout the day.  Some of our Secondary students focussed on the K – 2 events.  The efficient and safe manner, in which they prepared the equipment for the different K – 2 events was just brilliant.  So too, the kindness and patience they demonstrated in guiding our young students to their events.  Congratulations to this magnificent group of Secondary students!

The carnival was also supported by a wonderful team of relief teachers and volunteer parents who fulfilled the time-keeping, judging, event rotations and recording responsibilities magnificently.  Thank you all so much for your time and expertise in these areas.  

We would like to recognise the Grade 3 – 6 Track and Field Champions.  Champions and Runner-up Champions are determined by the total of points earned as a result of coming 1st – 4th in a range of events.  We have 2 sections – Track Champions and Field Champions.  Congratulations to the following students who were presented with their pennants in the Primary Assembly on Monday 8th April.  

TRACK CHAMPIONS – 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m (Gr. 5 & 6 Only) 

FIELD CHAMPIONS – Shot Putt, Turbo Javelin, Discus, Long Jump, High Jump (Gr. 5 & 6 Only) 

During the carnival, 3 new records were set.

Congratulations to the following record breakers!

FINAL HOUSE POINTS 

1st   Duncan  324 points               2nd Blackwood  268 Points           3rd Dalmain 26 points 

Please enjoy this selection of photos,  so many wonderful memories of the day! 

The Year 5/6 Class has been learning about ANZAC Day and its significance to our Country. Students discussed how ‘ANZAC’ is the acronym for Australian New Zealand Army Corp and reflected on the different ways to commemorate ANZAC Day, 25 April.  

On the 25 April 1915, Australian and New Zealand soldiers took part in a major expedition to the Gallipoli Peninsular. The ANZACS landed at Dawn and were drawn to a fierce battle that lasted eight months. Thousands of Soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice for their Country.  

Grade 5/6 wanted to create some artwork, to pay our respect to the servicewomen and servicemen who fought for our freedom. Using crayons and a silhouette of an ANZAC, students created pieces that are symbolic of the soldiers landing at Dawn.  

Lest We Forget. 

Grade 4/5 sustainability collages for Bay of Fires exhibition.

Students used water colour to create an under water scene. Inspired by Jeanie Baker The Hidden Forest. We then collected rubbish and debris from around our school grounds to show the impact we are having on precious eco systems like the ocean.

It has inspired us to do our bit and make sure we always recycle and put rubbish in  the bin. 

Experimenting with watercolour techniques to create a beach landscape. Finishing off our Cubism colour theory paintings.

KINDERGATEN HEALTH CHECKS

Kindergarten health checks are offered to all kinder students at St Marys District School and are undertaken for all who provide written consent.  These health checks support DECYP goal of ‘growth’ by way of vision, hearing and oral health screening to ensure students are best able to access and participate in early learning.  They Facilitate access and onward referral when necessary and with consent, to appropriate and accessible health care.  It also enables the nurse to initiate and support activities to improve health literacy within families and the broader community.   

This term I have begun the Kindergarten Health Checks, which has been delightful seeing the littlest students at school participate and continue to develop their positive sense of self. 

STAY CHATTY SCHOOLS PROGRAM

During week 8 of this term a group of 9/10 students participated in the Stay ChatTY schools program – Grit Fit.  The Stay ChatTY schools program is grounded in evidence and is aligned with the Australian secondary school curriculum. The session aims to:

• Demonstrate the importance of resilience and sharing emotions
• Increase understanding of where to find help at school and in the community
• Encourage young people to think about how to look after their own mental wellbeing

It was lovely to see the students engaged with the facilitators and contribute to a culture of safety within the school community.  The students should feel proud of themselves as they displayed positive and respectful behaviour towards their peers; a space was created to build on trusted relationships where students felt valued, and respected.

Kindness 1%’s are something we can do, every day to fill the cups of others.  This can be in the form of giving a compliment or simply a smile.  They leave you feeling better and can lift another person up in a positive way.   

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

• Student Reports
• Resilience Survey 2024

WHOLE SCHOOL

SCHOOL PHOTO DAY