1 November 2018

Newsletter Articles

PRINCIPALS REPORT

Welcome back to school for Term 4. It has been wonderful to return after the holidays to the almost completed Performing Arts Centre, Common Room and Canteen Complex.

Over the last two weeks we have moved into these spaces and everyone has been overwhelmed by this amazing new facility. While there are still some finishing touches to be completed, we feel very fortunate to have this state of the art space available for our students.

We recently welcomed students from Bicheno, Swansea, St Helens and Scotch Oakburn College to our Performing Arts Centre for the East Coast School Choir event and all were impressed with the facilities. We were then fortunate to be welcomed to Scotch Oakburn College the following day, where some wonderful musical collaborations occurred. Thank you to Karen Bramich and Nic Wardlaw for facilitating this opportunity for our primary students, with the support of some of our senior students.

Our school pool has now opened and has hosted some of our neighbouring schools for swimming programs and carnivals. Our Swimming and Water Safety Program for Grades 3-5 is in full swing and our Grade 3-6 Swimming Carnival is next week. We look forward to seeing you all there, cheering on the competitors.

This term is a busy term for all of our students, but particularly our Grade 10 students, as they prepare to transition to the next phase of their education or take up work opportunities. In the coming weeks they will be involved in mock interviews, work readiness programs, RYDA, college enrolments and bursary applications. If any parents need support during this exciting time, please do not hesitate to contact the school.

The final two stages of our redevelopment, namely the Grade 7-10 classrooms are on schedule for completion by the end of this year. We thank you all for your support during these redevelopments and look forward to using these spaces fully in 2019.

STUDENT ASSISTANCE SCHEME (STAS) 2019

STAS 2019 application forms will be posted to all schools in early November. Forms will also be available on the Department’s web site at that time and will be available at Service Tasmania Shops. Families that were approved for STAS 2018 will be contacted directly by the Department in writing advising them of their approval status for 2019. STAS letters to families will be sent at the same time as application forms are sent to schools.

The gross taxable income test for the purpose of assessing a family’s eligibility is as follows:

For more than 8 children add $147 per week or $7,644 per annum for each additional child

# Gross Taxable Income

PRIMARY ASSEMBLY CERTIFICATE WINNERS FOR 28TH SEPTEMBER 2018

KINDER

GRADE PREP-1 WILLS

GRADE 1-2 BENNETT

GRADE 2-3 GRAY/STANFORD

GRADE 3-4 HODGE/COOK

GRADE 5-6 WILLIAMS

GRADE 5-6 PAPWORTH

VALUE CARD WINNERS

PRINCIPAL’S MERIT CERTIFICATES

CLASSY KOALA AWARD

GRADE PREP/ONE - STEM

Prep and One students have enjoyed another creative STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) challenge. We had to make a shape using edible marshmallows and toothpicks. All sides of the shape had to join. The 3D shapes constructed were very creative. It kept us all quiet for ages and what was even more exciting was that we could eat the shape as well!

EAST COAST SCHOOL CRICKET

On Wednesday 17th October 2018, some St Marys and St Helens students competed in the East Coast School Cricket Cup (formerly the T20 Big Bash). St Marys fielded four boys teams and a girls team.

This competition was run by Cricket Tasmania with Hobart Hurricanes players and coaches helping out. Games were arranged as a round robin format with each team playing three games.

The boy’s games doubled as selection trials for the East North East Country Gold Cricket team. Scott Bennett, the coach, was able to watch the boys in game situations and make well informed choices. Ashton Gillies, Jimmy Freiboth and Jack Cropp will represent our school as part of the team to play in Launceston in November.

St Helens had 2 girls teams so as two teams played a game the third played with the state development squad coach and Mrs Fyle. It was great to see the girls gain confidence and skills.

All games were umpired by St Marys senior students, Jayden Cooper, Aaron Mason, Darcey Scott, Connah Tuck, Andrew Jordan, Sam Jordan, Max Salter and Ryan Madden. They were invaluable, encouraging and helping the players.

GRAPH WORK BY GRADE 3-4 HODGE/COOK

THE BIG PERFORMANCE

The Big Gumboot

On Thursday, we had a person called Shaun and he is very cultural. He showed us how to make a fire with one stick, some leaves and some bark. The first dance was a crocodile dance. I love that but it was funny when Bentley and some girls came over with sticks and was whacking him. The dance was about women hunting an echidna. Another dance was called the Gumboot Dance.

Daniel Cook

The Dancing Crocodile

In between lunch and recess we went to the Gym and this Aboriginal man came to our school to dance Aboriginal dances. He did the Gumboot Dance and the Crocodile Dance and the Fire Dance.

Tarran Bhardwaj

The Didgeridoo

Today the whole class had a performance. A couple of people when up to the stage. Tyra and I went up too and we did the Echidna Dance. We had to poke Bentley softly because he was the echidna. After we did that we listened to a couple of dances then he made a fire. We were so scared. The other dances were nice but my favourite part was the last dance. He chose lots of people to go up. Tyra and I were two of them and it was fun.

Henna Bunton

The Big Performance

After recess we went to the Gym and we had a big performance. The guy that was there was named Sean. When we were there he asked one girl and one boy to come up and did a dance and it was called the echidna.

Then after we all got up and danced, he told us some stories and the dances that he did.

When we were there he asked someone to come up and play the didgeridoo. When the boy came up and played the didgeridoo it was a tiny bit silly.

Then when Sean came up he played the didgeridoo so good and he said could you not play it.

Shakayla Bosworth

The Didgeridoo

Today the best thing just happened. Bentley was getting poked by a stick. The people who did this to Bentley was Zuri, Katy, Leilani, Ruby, Shelby, Tyra and Henna. We were the ones that were poking Bentley but Zuri poked Bentley’s back.

Zuri Taylor

PIZZA MATHS GRADE 2/3 STANFORD-GRAY

Students can identify fractions, compare different fractions and represent fractions using a visual fraction pizza model. Students could recognise and interpret common uses of halves, quarters and eighths of shapes. They acknowledged objects can be partitioned in different ways to demonstrate fractions.

GRADE 2/3 STANFORD/GRAY - ALLITERATION

In literacy we have been having fun with alliteration.

Alliteration is occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words. It is a stylistic device that writers use in which a number of words that start with the same first consonant sound are repeated close together. Alliteration is derived from the Latin word “latira” which means “letters of the alphabet”

Sally saw Santa
Peter picks pears
Ruby rode reindeers
Important illustrations in itching
Nightmares never notice noises
George gave gifts

By Leilani

Hilarious hens hit Henty
Ozzies own ordinary oceans
Lions love licking lollipops
Ireland is interesting
Dogs dig deep dams.
Ants ate ample apples.
Yetis yell yearly.

By Leilani

Sly Sam sneaks sausages
Peter postman plays pretend
Red Riding Hood rides reindeers
I like interesting ice cream
Nervous Nellie nurses numbats.
Gerome juggles jelly.

By Zaylie

Hats hop on hot dogs.
Odd orange octopuses swimming oddly.
Lilly the lazy lamb.
Indians into insurance.
Disappointed dinosaurs discover Darwin.
Adults agree alligators are angry.
Yellow yolks yell yes.
Sam Seal swims slowly.

By Bo and Tyler

DRIVEWAY SAFETY

Please remember to use caution at all times in the school driveway, and be aware of students moving down the driveway to meet parents. Please also encourage your children to practice their safe road crossing techniques when crossing the driveway.

ROADSAFE KIDS’ - Smart Stop initiative means working together to encourage children to:

• STOP – LOOK – LISTEN – THINK
• Stop back from the kerb
• Look right, look left, then look right again.
• Listen for vehicles approaching
• Think where or not it is safe to cross

Further information and fun road safety resources for children are available at