St Marys District School
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13 Gray Road
St Marys TAS 7215
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st.marys.district.school@education.tas.gov.au
Phone: 03 6372 3900

18 May 2017

Newsletter Articles

PRINCIPALS REPORT

Welcome back to Term Two. Last week our Grade 3, 5, 7 and 9 students were involved in NAPLAN testing. This diagnostic test is a valuable tool in measuring student growth over time. It is important to note that when it comes to individual students this testing is only a bi-annual snapshot of that student. We utilise the data along with the many other tools/strategies to develop our planning to improve and enhance teaching and learning at St Marys District School. The core learning areas of Mathematics and Literacy are the main focus of the tests. It is important to me as the Principal of the school to hold teachers and students accountable in both teaching and learning, particularly in the area of Literacy.

Research tells us that;

  1. Literacy is among the major antidotes for poverty.
  2. Literacy makes your life better.
  3. Literate people have more choices in their work and personal lives, leading to greater freedom.
  4. Literacy is great at teaching you how to think successively – i.e. making meaning one step at time to then build a story.
  5. Literacy soon becomes the currency of other learning.

Visible Learning for Literacy, Grades K-12, Implementing the Practices That Work Best to Accelerate Student Learning. D. Fisher, N. Frey, J. Hattie, 2016.

I ask that as a school community we strongly advocate to our children the importance that application to their studies will have on their learning. Literacy is a key aspect of this learning and by all of us working together we can see our children becoming informed and valuable members of our community.

Congratulations to Bec Mason and all involved in the Mothers’ Day morning teas at Fingal and St. Marys Campuses. We had a great response and despite lots of offers I managed to avoid getting my finger nails painted purple by numerous volunteers.

As many of you are aware we are implementing a simplified permission process for our incursions and excursions through ‘Consent2Go’. It is hoped that the teething problems which often come with a new approach, will be few. I thank you in advance for your support as we implement this process. Consent2Go will streamline work for teachers, administration staff and parents, plus take the anxiety that goes with making sure all aspects of the foreseeable risks involved in excursions are addressed.

Our ‘Capital Works’ project continues to move forward, it reminds me of ducks - lots of paddling under the surface but everything on top looks calm. The gym is looking great, the insulation, sound proofing and air-conditioning are completed. Painting of the walls commences this week and the new state of the art flooring will be installed in the coming weeks.

“All the reading she had done had given her a view of life they had never seen.” – Roald Dahl, Matilda.

School Calendar

Sync Calendar

School Calendar

Term 4 Commences

All day

LIL 10.30-11.30 Kinder

All day

Pre Kinder Group 1 9-10am

All day

Grade 3 Sleepover

16 Oct 2025 - 17 Oct 2025

TasBGas Construction Skill Set Student interviews - Ref Tanya time tbc

All day

Construction Skill-Set Interviews

All day

HoL PL - KG, WI

All day

Kinder Excursion- St Marys Town Hall Children's Week

All day

Pre Kinder Group 2 9-10am

All day

LIL 10.30-11.30 Kinder

All day

NC/LC Enrolment Interviews

All day

Grade 9 Camp - CYC Blue Lagoon

27 Oct 2025 - 29 Oct 2025

Immunisation Catchups - if required

All day

Grade 5 Camp Rostrevor

29 Oct 2025 - 30 Oct 2025

LIL 10.30-11.30 St Marys Hall

All day

Pre Kinder 9-10am

All day

Transition visit 4 BPS Y6 to SMDS - OPTIONS Day

All day

World Teachers' Day 2025

All day

Student Free Day - Professional Learning

All day

Recreation Day (Northern Tas only)

All day

HoL Pyegana Dairy Co

All day

'Knock Knock' Performance K-4 PAC

11:15 AM - 12:15 PM

Kinder Excursion Serpentarium

All day

Pre Kinder 9-10am

All day

LIL 10.30-11.30 PAC

All day

Sporting Schools Surf Groms Gr 5/6

All day

Secondary Athletics Carnival

All day

PAC/Common Room closed for Student Exhibition Set Up

07 Nov 2025 - 14 Nov 2025

RYDA (Simmons Plains)

All day

National Theatre Company Water Literacy Performance 3-6 2.15pm

All day

National Theatre Company Water Literacy Performance K-2 1.30

All day

2025 Student Exhibition

All day

Year 11/12 EOY Lunch @TBC

All day

LIL 10.30-11.30 Kinder

All day

Inter-High Athletics @ St Leonards

All day

Pre Kinder 9-10am

All day

Recurring event

CONGRATULATIONS

Liam Davern and Logyn Curtis - both of whom have made the Junior State Squad Development Team in Lawn Bowls.

Angus Hodge – who has made the Under 15’s First Division Strikers Team.

EC1 FINGAL CAMPUS

Fingal Prep/1 students have been learning about families and the different roles people have. We learnt what it means to be a mother, father, grandfather, grandmother, aunt or uncle and looked at all the roles we have ourselves.

Layla said “I am a sister, cousin and daughter, when I grow up I might be a mum or aunty”.

Aiden said “I am a brother, cousin, son, grandson and nephew, when I grow up I might be a father or granddad”.

Aaron said “Someone important in my life is my Mum, she is my mother but also a cousin, wife and sister”.

Lily said “Someone important in my life is Lachie, he is my brother but he is also a son and a cousin”.

We made family trees to show all the different people in our families.

In Kinder we have been working on our fine motor skills and counting with 1 to 1 correspondence.

We made these crocodiles to practice our cutting and gluing skills. We then counted out 5 teeth. Snap snap!

LIFT (Learning in Families Together)

Last week, students from Kinder to Grade 2 and Launching into Learning children, celebrated Mother’s Day, hosting a Devonshire Tea for mums, dads, carers and grandparents. Students from both campuses took the opportunity to pamper their mum with hand cream, nail polish, shoulder massage, art, craft and games. It was wonderful to see so many families enjoying themselves. The children certainly loved it. We ended up serving approximately 180 people!

There are so many people to thank and I sincerely hope I don’t miss anyone. Thank you to Garrid Robson, Deb Robson, Nigel George, Amanda Strochnetter, Erin Miller, Amanda Jordan and Bree Piscitelli for the mammoth cooking effort.

Also Bree Sweet and Deb Robson for running the event at Fingal; to Tanya Greenwood, Lexie Cox, Bec Hibberd, Amanda Jordan, Shannon Palmer, Christine Woods, Sommer Howorka, Mel Woods, Emma Woods and Kristen Woods who helped set up and clean up, and all the student helpers on the day.

Fingal Morning Tea
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Fingal Morning Tea
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Thanks also to Craig Freiboth for raiding his garden for rhubarb; Mandy Francis for organising the wonderful Café students- Tahlia, Charlotte, Monique and Chloe-your coffees were wonderful; Robyn Hickey and her drama class for moving rooms and moving furniture; all the ancillary staff and office staff who moved furniture, cleaned, photocopied, collected monies and took photos; to class teachers and students for creating beautiful invitations; and the Grade 6 Student Leaders who did an amazing job running the event on the day – Maggie, Taylor, Jakobe, Ava, Elvis, Ruby and Jasmine – you were brilliant.

Class teachers were pleased to have so many families visit their classrooms after the morning tea. If you would like to spend more time in your child’s classroom, you are welcome and parent help is always appreciated. I encourage you to arrange a mutually convenient time with the classroom teacher. Please note: during normal school hours, parent helpers are required to hold a current Working with Vulnerable People card.

If you missed out on this Kinder – Grade 2 event, don’t be disappointed, we have more events planned, watch this space…..

Lift Morning Tea
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Lift Morning Tea
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We have been busy in Prep Gray/ Mason

Cheeky Alliteration Self Portraits

Theo Likes Thunder

Etta likes Elephants

Charli Likes Chocolate

Tia likes Tigers

Lilly Likes licking lollypops

Farm Visits

Rainy Day Collages

Science

We have been learning that ‘Living things have basic needs, including food and water (ACSSU002)’.

We have made clay animals (living things) ready for our dioramas. Our dioramas will include the things animals need.

Science
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Science
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School Farm

On Friday 5th of May, the school farm took possession of 4 beautiful, 8 week old piglets. There are 3 girls – a white one, a black one and a white one with some black markings on her skin – and 1 boy – white with black markings on his skin. They were very shy and quiet to begin with but they settled into their new environment in the piggery very, very quickly.

Every day they are becoming more approachable and friendly. They enjoy a rub on their backs or around their ears but most of all they enjoy their breakfast and dinner. Their individual personalities are beginning to become apparent.

We will monitor their growth and development during the Agricultural Science classes over the coming months. It is very exciting for everyone here at the school and we look forward to sharing their progress with everyone in the future.

During the week 8th May – 12th May, Mr Hunt and the Agricultural Science students ran a “Name the Pig Competition” for Primary students.

The successful name for the pigs were

JEFFREY -

Chosen by Dalton Cordwell Grade 2/3
Jayden Garth Grade 2/3
Jimmy Freiboth Grade 4/5
Dakota Singline Grade 4/5
Thomas Squires Grade 3/4

OINK -

Chosen by Jesse Smith Grade 1/2
Jack George Grade1/2

JASPER -

Chosen by Jesse Smith Grade 1/2
Fletcher Mason Grade 1/2

SCRATCHY -

Chosen by Tyler Speers Grade 2/3
Savannah Singline Grade ½
Sophie Syka Grade 1/2

Primary Music

Last term in Primary music, students spent some time experimenting with various sounds that they could make with their voices, bodies and instruments to help them create a working soundscape. The students learned that to create a soundscape they needed to choose another environment such as a beach, a thunderstorm or even Santa’s workshop and re-create sounds from that setting, experimenting with dynamics and pace. Creating a soundscape in this way can transport listeners to another time or place and students across all grades were very successful in this undertaking! This term, younger students have begun to learn about the intricacies of beat and rhythm, while older students are composing their own pieces of music based on their chosen theme words (such as ‘paradise’ or ‘chase’ or ‘Autumn’ just to name a few!) and in doing this they will be able to showcase their understanding of various musical features. The process has only just begun but already students are applying themselves and working together to develop their creative thinking and musical skills.

Music
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Music
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Grade 6 Camp

Miss Papworth would like to thank the families of our Grade 6 students for their support of the recent Grade 6 Camp. We enjoyed clear days, beach walks, surf fishing, spotlight, campfire cooking and raft building. Everyone treated each other with respect and Miss Papworth felt privileged to have the opportunity to share in an adventure with the class. Many laughs were had, and moments of care and respect blossomed as often happens when we step outside of our comfort zones.

Miss Papworth

Grade 6 Mother’s Day Pots

This year our class has been given the opportunity to work alongside Mrs Lewis in an extra-curricular Art program. We thank Mrs Lewis for dedicating her personal time in order to run this program for our students in 2017. Our first project was pottery. Here are some of the students’ outstanding results.

Mother’s Day Pots
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Mother’s Day Pots
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