St Marys District School
PDF Details

Newsletter QR Code

13 Gray Road
St Marys TAS 7215
Subscribe: https://stmarysdistricts.schoolzineplus.com/subscribe

st.marys.district.school@education.tas.gov.au
Phone: 03 6372 3900

13 March 2020

Newsletter Articles

PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

Reporting to Parents

We are excited to share a change we have made to our Term 1 reporting structure for this year. In the last week of Term 1, we will be holding Three Way Conferences (Parent – Teacher interviews) for all Prep to Grade 12 parents. These conferences will provide an opportunity for parents, students and teachers to meet together early in the year and discuss a range of topics including:

  • How students have settled in to their classes
  • Friendships and working/playing with others
  • Learning
  • Attendance
  • Goal setting for Term 2

Parents will be provided with a record of the information shared by teachers at Three Way Conference as well as an attendance report and a copy of the goals that are set on during the conference.

Three Way Conferences will be held on Monday 6th, Tuesday 7th and Wednesday 8th of April. Please note that, weather permitting we will also be hosting a BBQ for families on the Monday afternoon while the Conferences are taking place. We hope to see all our families join us to celebrate the learning that has occurred across our school in Term 1. More information about booking a Conference time will be shared with you in the coming days.

External School Review

On the 27th and 28th of February a review of our school was conducted. The review consisted of a Leadership presentation, at least 85% of the teachers were spoken to, as well as students from across the school. The review team also met with parents and school association members and visited all classrooms. Although we are still awaiting the final report, I am very pleased to share with you some of the commendations and affirmations made by the review panel.

The panel found that:

  • Staff understand the importance of, and work hard to build caring and positive relationships.
  • The revitalisation of the farm is very positive.
  • Staff see the focus we have placed on the pre-conditions for learning as important.
  • Staff are committed to the school and seek to provide a safe and welcoming learning environment.
  • Staff are committed to successfully implementing the schools’ instructional model.
  • The school leadership team has established a vision and strong improvement agenda for the school
  • The schools is exploring and implementing innovative ways for connecting and sharing with the school community including skype assemblies, books in public spaces and a very active Facebook page.

I look forward to sharing more findings with you once the final report is received.

2020 Student Wellbeing Survey

Students from grades 4 – 12 will complete the Student Wellbeing Survey next week. The survey provides us with valuable data in the voice of students to inform school planning and ultimately improve wellbeing and engagement in learning for all students. I look forward to seeing the data in the coming weeks.

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

HIGH SCHOOL ART

The students in Year Art have been learning how to use appropriation in art and apply the knowledge to their own art work. Appropriation in Art is the use of pre-existing objects or images in other artists’ work, with little or no transformation applied to them. It is allowed in art as it is still a statement being made by an artist and the art work is carefully copied yet contains a personal message.

Tiana, an appropriation from a pop art painting by Andy Warhol.

Olivia, an appropriation from the white rabbit.. Representing life without magic. Without magic, the rabbit is simply a rabbit.

Zac, an appropriation from Michelangelo's painting on the Sistine Chapel ceiling.

GRADE 9 – SCIENCE TRIP

This week, the Grade 9 students embarked on a scientific trip to the Evercreech rainforest reserve. The students hiked through the rainforest identifying trees, fungi and other plants. They also visited the waterfall at the end of the hike. Then they went to visit the White Gum trees; the tallest of their species are located at the Evercreech reserve. The students also got a scare when a snake decided to join them! Thanks Mrs Bennet for organising a great day out.

MUSIC

During first term the first group of Grade 7 students rotating through options have enjoyed their ‘Taste’ of Secondary Music. They have been given the opportunity to explore a variety of instruments, performing in small groups under the watchful eye of Music Tutor Pete Cornelius. Some students have even returned to class during lunch to continue practicing!

FINGAL CAMPUS

Grade 1-4 HASS. Fingal Campus students have been learning about the old buildings in Fingal.

Students selected a historic building in the Fingal Township and made a charcoal wash picture.

Students are now researching the building past and present uses.

Many families in the Fingal area have had direct links to some of these historic building.

Prep have been working hard with number concepts. They have been practising number concepts to 10 in a variety of forms. Students have threaded beads, used peg boards used hand manipulates and matched number to correct quantity.

Learning objectives were:

To identify the numbers from 0 to 10.
To identify numbers in our environment.
To sequence the numbers from 1 to 10.
To understand how number stories and rhymes can help with counting.
To count small collections to identify 'how many'.
To use subitising to count small collections.
To quickly identify a small collection of objects with the use of subitising.

PRIMARY NEWS

Congratulations to the following students who were awarded certificates at our recent Primary Assembly on Wednesday 11th March.

COURAGE:

Tyler Speers

Billie Jackson

Angel Eustace

GROWTH:

Ruby Hoskinson

Bradly Hoskinson

Bella Pursell

Atlas Paget-Kremmer

Harrison Davie

Mimi Burbury

Ava Hilton

Aaron Baldwin

Sienna McGiveron

Taz Bryant

Dalton Cordwell

ASPIRATION:

Malika Butwell-Blair

Tarran Bhardwaj

Macey Gillies

Jaxon Harrison

Lily Woods

Isla Bosworth

Paige Walker

Claire Ward

Charli Speers

Max Gorham

Ava Howorka

RESPECT:

Alexandra Syka

Syke Fitzpatrick

Shiloh Faulkner

Ryan Gorham

Recognition:

Tysen Gamble (All values)

A big thank you to our Grade 5/6 mentors who worked with our Prep, Grade 1 and Grade 2 students in modelling assembly conduct. Terrific job everyone.

Looking forward to seeing everyone at our LiL to Grade 6 Athletics Carnival on Thursday, 19th March.

SCHOOL CHAPLAIN

As everyone is settling into the new school year, it is timely to provide an insight into the programs and activities I will be running as School Chaplain this year. School Chaplains provide wellbeing support either in small groups or one-to-one. I run programs such as breakfast club, lunchtime craft and mindfulness activities, friendship and social skills groups, gardening groups and cooking groups. These programs focus on self-esteem, positive friendships, life-skills, building relationships, developing self-awareness, and having hope for the future. I am at St Marys District School on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and visit Fingal campus on Wednesday afternoons.

You can find out more about the National Schools Chaplaincy Program at the link below.

https://publicdocumentcentre.education.tas.gov.au/_layouts/15/DocIdRedir.aspx?ID=TASED-1797567314-10965

Hannah Rubenach-Quinn

HOMEWORK

Class

Teacher

Homework/Assignments

Due Date

5-6A

Meg Burbury

Home Reading, Times Table practise and Spelling Words

Grade 1-2A

Jessica Hilliard

Sight Word Booklet - It is expected that students work on one list of words per night for six nights.

20th March 2020

7A

Heather Marshall

Classification of Australian Dinosaurs: Extinct! Why?

Students can access all aspects of this work via their Canvas Desktop which can be reached through students normal education log in. Students will be learning about their access and features of Canvas in ICT.

Grade 10

Lucie Ellis

Fortnightly Writing Prompt: First, you see the sunrise, and then you see the sun setting. It's a never-ending cycle. Write about it.

Students should discuss and think about the prompt to prepare for writing time in class.

Short Text Analysis: students need to complete the short text analysis we have been working on in class.

10 March

13 March

SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS

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 Wellbeing Survey – Students in Grade 4-6

Primary Athletics Carnival – Thursday 19th March 2020

Wear your house colours, sing your house chant …. It’s athletics time!!!

Our Primary Athletics Carnival will be on Thursday 19th March, 2020.

Students received a notice and event timetable on Friday 6th March.

To see a copy of this notice, please view the PDF.

In the interests of student safety, Parking will not be permitted up the driveway, adjacent to the oval.

Please refer to the map image below to view parking areas, parent sign in station and spectator seating areas.

Carnival house points as at Friday 13 March:

House Points and new records to date - based on Grade 5 & 6 high jump &1500m participation.

Dalmain – 17
Blackwood – 12
Duncan – 4

Results so far (high jump finals to go ahead on Monday 16th) 2 records set:

Jaxon Harrison Grade 5 boys

old record 1.22m

NEW record 1.26m

Tysen Gamble equalled existing record at 1.27m he will try to beat this record in the finals on Monday.

Winners of the 1500m events are:

Grade 5 – Mia Hibberd and Jaxon Harrison
Grade 6 – Tysen Gamble and Aexandra Syka

High jump finals will be on Monday 16th at 12.00 – 3.00pm. High jump finals participation lists have been put up in each home group.

SECONDARY

Student Wellbeing Survey – Students in Grade 7-12

Secondary Swim Carnival

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

Choose how to add this event to your calendar: