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Dear Parents
The term is moving quickly with all of our students working productively with our teachers. While the term has still had it’s challenges with COVID outbreaks the end result is still a fantastic quality of work in supportive flexible environments. We are very proud of our new building and quality of resources that are included. The last remaining job to complete is finishing off the landscaping on the Duke Street side across the road from the tennis courts. This will hopefully be completed early next term.
Our swimmers finished off a very successful campaign last week which concluded with the Gippsland championships in Sale. A great effort by Ella and Jack who now sit in the top handful of swimmers in their retrospective age groups in backstroke and freestyle. Thanks to the helpers and parents who have supported all of our children.
This year St Mary’s will be undertaking a School Review and the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA). The School Review Process is aimed to support our school in identifying its priorities for the next improvement cycle in line with the Diocesean Strategic Plan. For example, one of our goals could be to improve the learning goals for all children at St Mary’s. The VRQA Compliance Review supports each school to ensure that they meet the minimum standards and other requirements for school registration. For example, we will need to demonstrate that all staff here at St Mary’s are aware and understand all policies around Child Safety and how they are implemented. The entire process of Review and VRQA is to reflect on what is being done well at school and to make recommendations on how we can improve.
After being cancelled last year NAPLAN will be completed in 2021. The whole process now for our school will be online. Practice tests and log on sessions will be completed over the next month before the NAPLAN full online tests are underway in the month of May. NAPLAN for primary students is for those boys and girls in Year 3 and Year 5. Information about the assessment has been sent home today. To compliment the online testing component the school has purchased a large number of Chrome book computers out of our technology budget. If any parents have any questions regarding NAPLAN please contact Liz Coleman.
We wish our Reconciliation candidates all the best as they make this sacrament next week. Thank you for the support of the parents in preparing them along this journey. We also wish our Grade Four campers well for school camp which is next Monday. A great itinerary is planned for Forest Lodge in Jack River over the two day program. It was so disappointing not to have camps last year. Please make sure you keep up to date with our photo board on the school website.
I hope you have a fantastic weekend.
Jason
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Awards: Congratulations to the following children who have received awards.
|
| Class Award | |
| Foundation/1A |
Lexi Lawless Riley Bates |
| Foundation/1B |
Jimmy Stobie Zoe Hunt |
| Grade 2/3 |
Anastasia Dwyer Ben Murphy |
| Grade 3/4 |
Indyanna Hunt Lara Butcher |
| Grade 5/6A |
Jasmin Evans Ruby McQuillen |
| Grade 5/6B |
Ella Higgins Olivia Hunt |
TERM 1 - Thursday 28th January - Thursday 1st April
TERM 2 - Monday 19th April - Friday 25th June
TERM 3 - Monday 12th July - Friday 17th September
TERM 4 - Monday 4th October - Friday 17th December
Please remember St Mary's has a 'No Hat - No Play' policy. All children must wear hats until 30th April. If they do not have a hat they will have to spend recess or lunchtime under the shade of the gazebo.
Hats can be purchased from Stobie's Land & Surf for $19.
Last Friday we were able to attend Mass for the first time this year with Fr Siju. Our 2021 School and House Captains were presented with their blessed leadership badges.
2021 School Leaders: Jed Forsyth, Ashlyn Harrington, Lily Missen, Charlotte Sage, Milla Hunt, Gus Weatherley, Sam Phillips, Sam Nowak and Billy Donahoe
Congratulations to our team of swimmers who competed at the Wellington Swimming carnival on Tuesday 9th March. Our 9 students included Ella Rees, Jack Murphy, Ella Higgins, Lily Missen, Susie Coleman, Charlotte Sage, Ruby McQuillen, Chloe Murphy and Jasmin Evans.
They all did an amazing job representing St Mary's Maffra in and out of the pool. Thank you to our support crew of parents who went along to watch and to staff who assisted on the day.
Also, on Thursday 11th March, we had Ella Higgins and Jack Murphy represent our school at the Gippsland Swimming Carnival. They gave their best effort in a competitive field, again representing St Mary's in the best possible way.
Congratulations and well done to all our students!!
Pictured: Ella Higgins & Jack Murphy
If you would like to be our next Star of the Week, please fill in the nomination form sent home. Spare nomination forms can be found at the office. A new student will be selected for each assembly.
This is a self nominated award. Nominations are to go into the gold box located in the office.
WEEKEND MASSES
Heyfield:
Saturday 6:00pm
Maffra:
Sunday 9:00am
Cowwarr:
1st and 3rd Sunday 11:00am
Newry:
2nd and 4th Sunday 11:00am
Dargo:
5th Sunday 12:00pm
WEEKDAY MASSES
Heyfield:
Tuesday 9:30am
Maffra:
Wednesday 5:00pm
Thursday 9:30am
Friday 9:30am
We are happy to announce the annual Easter Raffle is back up and running for 2021. The P&F Committee kindly ask for you to write on both sides and for raffle tickets to be returned by Monday 29th March. Tickets are $1 each.
The raffle will be drawn Wednesday 31st March.
Our school assemblies at St Mary's Maffra are held every Friday morning at 10:40am. We would like to take this opportunity to invite parents, guardians and friends to come along. If you would like to come to assembly, you will need to enter via the front office and sign in as per our COVID guidelines. We look forward to seeing you!
Health Update - Increase in gastroenteritis outbreaks in childcare
Parents and carers are urged to keep young children at home if they are sick amid a rapid rise in outbreaks of viral gastroenteritis in Victorian childcare centres.
- Viral gastroenteritis is highly infectious. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, fever, abdominal pain, headache and muscle aches, with more severe outcomes in the elderly and very young. Symptoms can take up to three days to develop and usually last between one or two days, sometimes longer.
- Washing hands with soap and water is one of the most effective ways of preventing the spread of infection. Alcohol-based hand sanitisers are not effective against many common viruses that cause gastroenteritis.
- Infants or children in childcare or school, as well as staff, who develop vomiting or diarrhoea should stay at home until at least 48 hours after their symptoms have stopped, since they will still be infectious. If symptoms are severe or they persist, or you are concerned, see a GP for advice and possible testing.
- Staff and parents should be vigilant for symptoms of gastroenteritis in children and reinforce basic hygiene measures.
- Cleaning and sanitising are also important infection control measures and facilities should follow relevant Department of Health guidelines.
- Anyone recovering from gastroenteritis should avoid visiting hospitals, childcare centres and aged care facilities to avoid spreading the infection to those most vulnerable. Any person living in a household with someone who has gastroenteritis should refrain from visiting these high-risk facilities until at least 48 hours after the last person in the household has recovered.