Dear Parents and Carers, 

Term 4 always seems to be extremely busy and goes by very quickly. Over the last fortnight students have participated in a range of school, community and sporting events including the St Marys Remembrance Day Commemoration Ceremony, voting for the 2025 Student Leadership Board, Country Goal Cricket Carnival,  ‘Dance for Fun’ Performance for primary students, Year 8 students enjoyed the Live 4 Life end of year celebration organised and hosted by the Live 4 Life crew, the Inter-high Athletics Carnival, our SMDS Primary Swimming Carnival, Grade 10 students have been busy with  Exams and Bendigo Bank Bursary interviews and Year 11/12 students celebrated the end of their school year with a celebration lunch with their teachers. Along with these events, Pre-kinder sessions and teaching and learning across the school continues, transition and celebration events are commencing and planning is underway for 2025.  

While many of our Year 10 students have recently enrolled at Newstead,Launceston or one of the Hobart Colleges, which is an important step in their education journey, sometimes college does not meet the needs of everyone.   One of the options for students after Year 10 is the 11/12 program at St Marys District School.  We are currently work is to finalise our course offerings to support these students.  If you would like more information, please contact the school.   

Teachers have started the end of year reporting period. The next four weeks at school is a critical time for learning. Teachers will be giving students opportunities to demonstrate their learning through a variety of ways including presentations, essays, reading assessments, class discussions and in-class learning tasks. It is important students stay focused and maximise this learning time right up until the end of the term. We encourage families to talk with their children about this important time for learning. Please feel free to contact your child’s teacher anytime if you have any questions about their progress. 

Planning for 2025 is progressing, with staffing, class models and timetables currently coming together well. As we confirm our class structures for next year it is important that we are aware of any students who will be joining or leaving St Marys District School at the end of 2024. We ask that parents please notify the school administrative team of changes for 2024 enrolment as soon as possible.   

At St Marys District School, we work collaboratively to make decisions regarding class placement.  These decisions are informed by students, teachers, parents and guardians.  Classes are formed to provide the best possible learning environment for all students catering for academic needs, to support friendships and increased social connections, to improve work habits and to foster diversity. 

Parents and Carers may provide specific information about their student's learning and/or social needs. Such information would not include a request for students to be in a particular class or with specific students or teachers.  The information should be provided in writing (letter or email to : st.marys.district.school@education.tas.gov.au or provided to Meg Burbury (K-6) or Stephen Smith (7-12). 

Regards 

Carolyn Watson 

Principal 

Thank you to our incredible team for a successful Art Exhibition. Our recent art exhibition was a wonderful success, showcasing the talent, creativity, and hard work of our students and staff. With over 90 guests filling the space, the atmosphere was lively and inspiring and we are deeply grateful for the efforts of everyone involved in bringing this event to life. 

A special thank you goes to: 

Ken Stonehouse and his hospitality students for catering and providing an exceptional array of delicious canapés and food. Their careful preparation and attention to flavour and presentation truly wowed our guests and added a gourmet touch to the event. 

Justin Emmerton for his invaluable support with our music students. Their performances added a vibrant and dynamic ambiance that elevated the entire experience, showcasing the talent and dedication of our budding musicians. 

Peter Young, my fellow art teacher, who guided his students to produce high-quality, thought-provoking artwork. His students’ pieces were a highlight of the exhibition, reflecting Peter’s commitment to fostering artistic growth and creativity. 

Alan Edwards and his MDT (Materials Design and Technology) students for their outstanding display of design projects. These works added an impressive dimension to the exhibition, celebrating the innovation and craftsmanship in our MDT program. 

David Scolyer and his STEM students for their creative 3D printing display, which fascinated our guests and highlighted the exciting fusion of technology and art. 

Stephen Smith and his drama students for delivering an engaging and memorable adaptation of Romeo & Juliet adding a storytelling element that brought a theatrical flair to the exhibition and delighted our audience. 

Amanda Jordan and Janine McGill, whose extra cooking and beautifully arranged table displays added warmth and welcome to the event, making our guests feel at home and enhancing the overall experience. 

I would also like to thank our exceptional Educational Facility Attendants Dave, Ann & Rodney and all the Admin staff for their behind-the-scenes work, which is the backbone of events like these. Their dedication to handling logistics, setup and guest services ensured everything ran smoothly, allowing the event to be seamless and enjoyable for all. A big thank you also to Louisa Rhodes for your help talking the exhibition down.  

Many thanks to Lila Meleisea for her incredible work over the last two terms in her Artist Residency. Her dedication to connecting with nature and her inspiring Samoa Project have brought fresh perspectives and creativity to our community. 

The success of this event was a testament to the hard work, creativity and enthusiasm of our students and we are immensely proud of their accomplishments. Thank you once again to everyone who contributed to this memorable exhibition. 

Mrs. Howard   

Visual Arts Teacher 

REMEMBRANCE DAY  

This speech was delivered as part of the St.Marys Remembrance Day Observation

By Arielle

Today, we gather here for Remembrance Day. But what is Remembrance Day? Every November on the 11th hour of the 11th day we come together to honor those that died or suffered while serving in wars, conflicts and peace operations. Every year since 1919, Remembrance Day has been held in Australia and countries worldwide. This day commemorates the agreement between the Germans and the Allies calling a ceasefire on four years of horror bloodshed, promptly ending WW1. It is a day when we remember those who sacrificed their lives to fight for our values, for our freedom and for us, the future generations. 

Building community and relations: 

Remembrance Day brings together people from all regions of the globe. This day unites people to one cause. To remember those who have served their nations. Whether they returned home or to the earth, those who have been selflessly prepared to sacrifice their lives for the greater good, deserve considerate commemoration. Remembrance Day helps builds communities that we can lean on and build relations nations. 

Flag-raising symbolism: 

A flag is usually flown to its true height as a powerful symbol of a nation’s patriotism and solidarity. However, on this day, the Australian and Aboriginal flags are flown at half-mast. When the flag is positioned at half-mast, it is a sign of a nation in mourning. Today, is a day for us as a country to remember, reflect and be grateful together.  

Why set a specific day aside to be grateful? 

Setting aside a specific day to show thankfulness is an important part of remembering. If we assumed that everyone would take on board the duty to remember every day, it would eventually get lost in the demands of everyday life. Our attention would be split and we would not be able to give adequate gratitude to what we have been given. Setting aside a day for appreciation to flow allows us to truly remember the significance of these horrific events, the sacrifices made and the way it has shaped our country. It’s a day to mourn the losses, cherish the victories and embrace fellowship. 

Speed of today: 

These sacrifices gave and still give us time - time to live and be free. In this day and age, our time is consumed with digital devices and social media. Our online lives are so fast and demanding of our attention, it seems appropriate that we forfeit some of this time to remember the sacrifices made so that we could live these lives, to reflect and show gratitude.  

Promoting peace: 

The atrocities and harrowing accounts, insights and history we have heard of and learnt about, are not things to be taken lightly. War takes lives, scars those who survive and follows them and their loved ones like a shadow. It ruins communities and countries, relations and alliances. Remembering these accounts and the horrors that follow, plants the simple idea of the value of peaceful relationships. Many of you here today and across the country, are our leaders of tomorrow. Knowing the consequences of battle on the people and nations, urges us to find different alternatives that seek harmony rather than conflict. It promotes peace, for if there is no peace, turmoil will ensue.  

Importance of remembering: (includes why we remember) 

Remembering the wounded and the battered men and women who laid down their lives means that their sacrifice and dedication was not and will not, be in vain. We remember, not to hold onto the burdens of the losses, but to honour and pay tribute to those who sacrifice the most. Those who willingly put their bodies and lives on the line to keep our country, communities, families and friends safe.  

Reflection: 

We remember the loss of so many lives, so we don’t forget in the hope that this horrific loss of life does not happen again. We remember the sacrifices made, so we don’t forget to teach the following generations of the people who sacrificed their lives so we can live our lives. We remember so we do not forget their names. The names of those brave, selfless men and women preserved forever here in stone and, on this day, in our hearts and minds. 

Remembrance Day is a deeply significant day reminding us of the sacrifices made by our armed forces to pursue peace. Through observance, community involvement and education we can ensure the importance of this day remains alive for future generations. By passing down the knowledge and demonstrating our respect, we uphold the memory of those who gave everything for our freedom. Let us continue to honour their courage, dedication and sacrifice on this solemn day and throughout the year. Lest we forget. 

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On Wednesday November 20, we saw a very loud, excited and highly motivated group of Grade 3 – 6 students participate in the annual Primary Swimming Carnival.  Supported by many parents, friends and community members, our students participated in over 17 events including traditional 25m and 50m stroke races plus a range of water safety/survival/recreation events.  This large progamme of events ensured swimmers of all abilities were catered for.  It allowed students to participate with their friends in a safe environment in both shallow and deep water.

Well done to all our students who showcased their aquatic skills and swimming abilities developed and refined during our recent Swimming and Water Safety Programme and in our Physical Education Aquatic lessons.

Commencing at 9.30am and concluding at 2.30pm, the carnival ran like a well-oiled machine with a team of volunteer parents and friends operating the timing machine and the recording table.  Thank you to these volunteers who put their hand up to support not only their children but all our students to ensure the carnival runs smoothly.

To the amazing group of Secondary students who fulfilled the roles of time-keepers, judges, ribbon stewards, false-start rope, equipment stewards, toilet buddies and safety stewards – we thank you.  Your efforts were magnificent!

To our Admin staff members, EFAs, teachers, TAs and leaders – thank you for your contributions to the success of this carnival.  Many hands make light work – and I am grateful for the many hands extended to me to support my organisation of this aquatic event! 

Congratulation to the following House Swimming Champions and Runner-Up Champions.  A hearty congratulations to Harry M who broke six Grade 4 Boys swimming records.  A mighty achievement.  Our champions and record breakers will receive pennants and certificates in the near future.

NEW RECORDS by Harry M

The final house points were:

Please take time to look at this wonderful collection of photos from the carnival.    

On the 19 November our Hands on Learning students participated in a National Student Celebration day. We received some missions to complete referring back to our 4 pillars 

1. People to belong – we took a group photo all together                                                             
2. A place to belong – we completed a scavenger hunt finding items within our kitchen to score points 
    
3. Real things to do – the challenge to stack 25 items was intense. With the highest tower reaching 11 rows before tumbling over. 
    
4. A chance to give back – The students were excited to receive a gift from Hands on Learning Central and all went home with a beanie. 

The students enjoyed a fun afternoon and are now gearing up for the end of year catering gig for the Meals on Wheels Community. 

NORTHERN ATHLETICS CENTRE- ST LEONARDS 

WEDNESDAY 20th NOVEMBER 2024 

 After a couple of initial setbacks (flat battery on the bus and a huge traffic jam in Launceston) our strong team of athletes began their day of activities. We participated in the Division 2A carnival this year, against St Helens, Scottsdale, Port Dalrymple and Lilydale.  

The day was extremely hot and difficult conditions- especially for the longer distance races. Our students represented with passion, pride and determination…..as they always do at Inter-High events . We saw some outstanding individual performances on the day and excellent commitment by some students to pick up extra events for the good of the team. We were the smallest team in Division 2A, but that did not stop us giving our best, brining in ribbon after ribbon and being the envy of other schools (because we had the tunes)!!! 

There were so many fantastic individual performances on the day, with the stand outs coming from: 

• Sienna - five 1st place ribbons and amazing 200m and 400m runs 

• Jaxon – four 1st place ribbons and an inspiring 400m run 

• Lachie W- A brilliant 1500m run finishing 80m in front of the next runner  

• Helayna - three 1st place ribbons and an excellent win in the 200m 

• Wally – not sure how many place ribbons he won, but he looked strong in the sprint events 

• Mathew - 1st in the Long Jump, Triple Jump and 100m 

• Ryan and Harley - placed well in all their events for the Grade 8 boys 

There was one new record for the meet.  

• Jessie Q beat the record for the Division 2A Grade 7 girls Javelin. 

Old record: 22.23m New record: 22.24cm 

CONGRATULATIONS Jessie on this wonderful achievement. 

These carnivals are essentially a team effort, and we could not have achieved the results that we did without all the students who participated on the day. A big shout out to the following students who picked up extra events or had a large programme of events for the day: Harley, Oliver, Sam, Finn T, Mathew, Daniel, Theo and Jessie. And, a special mention to Georgia and Savannah for running up a Grade to fill positions in the Grade 9 girls events. 

The results were extremely close at the end of the day: 

St Marys District School: 5th in the junior shield  

St Marys District School: 2nd in the senior shield (by 7 points- St Helens won) 

St Marys District School: 3rd in the combined teams overall shield  

It was fantastic to be a part of this day and to share in the many successes of our students at this event. Thank you to the staff and parents who supported our SMDS team. It was wonderful to have such a large contingent of supporters to cheer on our team.  

Congratulations to all our athletes and thank you for your commitment to representing our school in such a positive way. We retained our spot in Division 2 and look forward to another great competition next year. 

Laura Swanson 

The Grade 8 Visual Art taster class has been studying the work of artist Georgia O'Keeffe with Mrs Howard. They completed a research assignment on her art, analysed her iconic flower paintings and practiced contour drawing techniques. Now, they’re creating their own acrylic paintings on canvas, focusing on a flower of their choice. Inspired by O'Keeffe's style, they are zooming in to capture intricate details and emphasise bold, expressive shapes.  They are also applying what they've learned from the colour theory lessons. 

Students in our 9/10 Drama elective have been working on character development and performing skills. To do this they have been rehearsing a traditional version of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, before performing an adapted modern Australian version of the play. Students put on a performance for our P-6 students and reprised their roles at the Annual Arts Exhibition! We also had a few other actors join the stage on performance day due to absences.

 Well done to our students on their courage and growth in Drama in preparing and performing in this play.

 Characters:
Romeo: Arielle

Juliet: Mikayla

Lord Capulet: Ava

Lady Capulet: Henna

Friar Lawrence/Nurse: Molly

Nurse: Gipsy

Paris and Narrator: Georgia

Tybalt: Kiara

Mercutio: Cooper

Benvolio: Isaac

Backstage: Rose and Tyra

Stephen Smith

Drama Teacher

The day got underway with a forecast of strong winds and a few showers. It certainly lived up to that and more, with four seasons in one day! Well done to all the participants for persevering through challenging conditions and for your contribution to House Team points throughout the day. There were some outstanding individual performances and a few very close record attempts. Some of the costumes were outstanding and the atmosphere was amazing throughout the day. A big shout out to Senh for winning Best Dressed and 50 bonus points for Duncan. 

Thank you must go to Dave (groundsman) for his amazing work getting the oval and field event stations looking sharp and ready for the event. Also, to our wonderful EFA’s who are working behind the scenes to help set-up and pack up for school carnivals and events. Thanks also to our amazing staff who work (without a break) to ensure the smooth running of carnivals for the benefit of our students.  

Congratulations to our Track and Field Champions and Runner-Up Champions listed below.  We are looking forward to some excellent performances at the Inter-High Athletics Carnival on Wednesday 20 November. 

Final House Results: 

DUNCAN: 364 

BLACKWOOD: 440 

DALMAIN: 466 

OP SHOP DONATION GUIDE

Thank you so much for choosing to donate your preloved quality items to us here at the St Marys Op Shop. The following information will help you understand how and where you can donate. If you are unsure what is suitable, a general rule of thumb is to ask yourself – “Would I give this to a friend or relative?” or “Would I pay money for this?”. Please make sure donations are clean and functional.

Through the generosity of people like you, our op shop is able, through the School Association, to support families, children and young people throughout St Marys and the wider Break O'Day area. The Association makes grants to the St Marys District School and also provides small grants to community organisations. All proceeds stay local, supporting the local community.

At the shop you can donate anything that you can put in a bag and carry, for example clothing, shoes, bric a brac, toys, books and small furniture etc. Please only donate during shop opening hours.

It’s hard to say “no thank you” to a donation however, we do need to refuse some items either because of legal requirements, or because the item is too big or too heavy or the item must be refused because it costs more to transport, repair or refurbish than it can be sold for in our Op Shop.

Unwrap the secrets to smart, safe tech gifts!

Tis’ the season to find tech gifts that don’t come with hidden surprises! But how do you choose tech gifts that are both fun and safe for children? eSafety’s Gift Guide is here to help unwrap age-appropriate options in tech. From gaming consoles to drones, we’ve done the homework so parents and carers can make safe, informed decisions. 

Remember, gadgets can influence personal safety and the wellbeing of families. That's why healthy online habits are important right from the start.   

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

• Grade 6 Transition Day - Monday 25 November 2024 -  Parent Information BBQ - 4.30pm - 6.00pm

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