Dear Parents

We are coming to the end of the school year. Unfortunately, it has been challenging again with the school closed on four occasions because of COVID-19. We did witness however, a resilient school community where all children were able to learn on varying degrees of platforms. Next week we send our wishes and thanks to the Grade Six students. On Wednesday we celebrated Graduation which gave us an opportunity to reflect over many memories and events over the last seven years. To those families who have finished an association with our school, we thank them for helping us shape our school the way it is today.

We must acknowledge the following teachers and Learning Support Officers who are either retiring or moving into employment in various locations. Thank you to Tracy Christensen, Kris Bradley and Linda Allman (LSO’s)- and to Liz Coleman, Michael Todd, Dianne Austin, Vanessa Power and Kristen Dwyer (teachers) for your efforts and dedication to our school. You will all be missed by your colleagues, students and families.

Next Monday, 13th December we will be having an Orientation morning commencing at 10.00am for one hour. This will allow all of the children to spend time with their teachers they will be working with in 2022. In 2022 we will be running one extra classroom. The following grades and teachers are listed below.

Foundation- Serrin Stobie and Charmaine Wilson (Friday)

Grade 1/2 - Virginia Hellings and Jess Uldrich (Friday)

Grade 1/2 - Kylie Pendergast and Lyn McNally (0.5 each)

Grade 3/4 - Bree Burgiel

Grade 3/4 - Samantha Zabaneh and Tara Battista (Friday)

Grade 5/6 - Rebecca Halley

Grade 5/6 - Brendan Morgan

Principal- Jason Slattery

Deputy Principal (Acting)- Tara Battista

Sport- TBA

Art- Kathy MacLean

Japanese - Jess Uldrich

We welcome Kylie, Lyn, Bree and Brendan to St Mary’s. We also welcome back Samantha from maternity leave and congratulate Tara Battista for her appointment as Deputy Principal.

Next Wednesday, December 15th (the students last day) we ask everyone to come dressed up in Christmas colours. During the day we will have our final assembly, mass and the Foundation Nativity Play. A hot dog lunch and Christmas movie will complete the day in the afternoon. Parents are welcome to attend Assembly, Mass and the Nativity Play. Mass will commence at 10.00am, assembly will be after recess at 11.30am and the Nativity Play will be at approximately 11.50am. Parents are asked to check in at the front office and have proof of double vaccination.

On behalf of the school we thank you for your ongoing support. Have a relaxing and safe Christmas.

Jason

Our Grade 6 children together with family and staff had a memorable evening with a Liturgy and dinner on Wednesday night.  This year families shared an el fresco dining experience complete with a food truck.  It was a lovely, relaxed occasion for the Year 6 families to come together to celebrate the end of their primary schooling.

We wish them well next year in secondary school and also thank Mrs Austin, Miss Halley and Learning Support Officers for the preparation and effort on a most successful night.

~

Congratulations to our 2021 Award Winners:

St Mary of the Cross MacKillop Citizenship Award ~ Audrey Thompson

Each year the citizenship award is presented to a student or students the staff feel meet the ideals of a good citizen within the school.  In 2010 Mary MacKillop was cannonised as Australia's first saint so it is important that we acknowledge her as someone we can look up to and follow.  The citizenship award has been renamed the St Mary of the Cross Citizenship Award.

The criteria for this award are:

• Shows positive leadership skills amongst all students
• Is willing to accept responsibilty
• Shows initiative
• Displays Christian values
• Follows the example of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop in their daily lives

~

Catholic Women's League Award ~ Sam Phillips

In 2016 the branch of the Catholic Women's League began the Religious Education Award at St Mary's School, Maffra.  Sam was selected by the staff to receive this award.

The criteria for this award are:

• Displaying a Christian attitude towards others
• Exhibit values of justice
• Living a Gospel way of life
• Demonstrating care and support for members of the wider school community

~

Graduation In Pictures

~

Thank you to all our leaving families:

Angie & Andrew Coleman

Amy & Matt Daly

Rachael King & Steven Davis

Rachel Van Hanswyk & Peter Deliooulos

Jo & Brendan Donahoe

Cassie & Daniel Harrington

Linda & Danny Hunt

Kirsty & Glenn Missen

Bec & Nick Phelan

Bernie Azzopardi & Greg Sage

Jan & Jason Schacht

Sam & Brett Thompson

Robyn & Pat Weatherley

Congratulations to students who have been elected our 2022 school leaders.  I'm sure they will all show maturity in their leadership and passion in their roles next year.

SCHOOL CAPTAINS

Olivia Hunt & Lenny Batalha

~

MACKILLOP (GOLD) HOUSE CAPTAINS

Tyler Schoenmaekers, Mitch House & Ella Higgins

~

CURRAN (RED) HOUSE CAPTAINS

Tawny Burns & Axle Jones

~

CORBETT (GREEN) HOUSE CAPTAINS

 Alexa Potter & Owen Hunt

Grade 3/4 students have been working hard on creating these woven owls!!  They also used their artistic skills of drawing, painting, cutting and tearing.  A fantastic effort by each student!!

Please remember St Mary's has a 'No Hat - No Play' policy.  All children must wear their hats.  If they do not have a hat they will have to spend recess or lunchtime under the shade of the gazebo.

Terms 1 and 4 are compulsory for wearing hats.

Hats can be purchased from Stobie's Land & Surf for $19.

As we navigate our way through COVID, at St Mary's, we can now welcome you back to our school assemblies.  Our assemblies are held every Friday from 10:40am.  As you will appreciate, St Mary's must comply with COVID guidelines.  This means anyone wishing to attend our assemblies must be double vaccinated and show their certificate upon entry at the office. Alternatively if you have an exemption, proof of this also needs to be shown. You will also need to scan the QR code found at reception.  Thank you for your understanding.

Foundation- Serrin Stobie and Charmaine Wilson (Friday)

Grade 1/2 - Virginia Hellings and Jess Uldrich (Friday)

Grade 1/2 - Kylie Pendergast and Lyn McNally (0.5 each)

Grade 3/4 - Bree Burgiel

Grade 3/4 - Samantha Zabaneh and Tara Battista (Friday)

Grade 5/6 - Rebecca Halley

Grade 5/6 - Brendan Morgan

Principal- Jason Slattery

Deputy Principal (Acting)- Tara Battista

Sport- TBA

Art- Kathy MacLean

Japanese - Jess Uldrich

2022 Booklist costs will be included in your school fees.  You will not need to provide any stationery for your child next year.

St Mary's School takes pride in its official uniform.  It has been established over many years and is recognised as an economical and practical code of dress.  Parents are required to ensure that the full uniform is worn at all times. 

The school uniform identifies students as members of the St. Mary's School Community.  The children are encouraged to wear their uniform with pride and behave in a manner, which reflects creditably on themselves, their families and their school.

Stobies Land and Surf, Maffra, stock St Mary's uniform.  They have asked for you to visit them as soon as you are able so they can ensure your order will arrive before the 2022 school year.  

Our P&F Committee have 2 Lunch Order Bags available to purchase from the front office.

Lunch Wallets - $10.50

• Designed to replace paper lunch bags 
• Sturdy flat base makes them easy to pack and stack
• Made from non woven polypropylene (like green shopping bags) as it is durable and easy to clean
• Clear pocket with zipper for money and written lunch order to be clearly displayed
• Lunch wallets available with 7 binding colors - pink, yellow, blue, red, purple, green and grey
• Size of lunch wallet is approximately 23cm (H) x 18cm (W) x 10cm (D)

Insulated All Rounder - $12.50

• Designed to replace paper lunch bags
• Made from non woven polypropylene (like green shopping bags) as it is durable and easy to clean
• The insulated PEVA lining keeps food and drinks hot / cold
• Extremely easy to wipe with a damp cloth
• Hygienic zipper pocket to separate money from contact with food & clearly display order
• Insulated All Rounder available in 3 binding colors - blue, grey and red
• Insulated All Rounder is approximately 23cm (H) x 19cm (W) x 11cm (D)

Last Day Term 4

Wednesday 15th December - 3:20pm finish

Staff First Aid

Thursday 16th December

Friday 17th December

The last day arrangements for St Mary's is as follows;

10:00am ~ End of Year of Mass / Liturgy (at school)

11:30am ~ Final Assembly

11:50am ~ Nativity Play (Foundation)

3:20pm ~ Children finish for the year

Parents who are double vaccinated are welcome to attend assembly, mass and the nativity.  We look forward to sharing our final day of term with you.  

Children may wear Christmas colours if they wish.

Testing for students will begin on Monday 31st January and Tuesday 1st February 2022.  Students will be given a time for this.  Your child will only need to come on Monday or Tuesday when they are testing.

All students, including Foundation, will return to school on Wednesday 2nd February 2022.

Foundation will have the following Wednesdays at home and be scheduled for testing on one of these days:

Wednesday 9th February 2022

Wednesday 16th February 2022

Wednesday 23rd February 2022

Wednesday 2nd March 2022

Foundation will commence full time from Monday 7th March, 2022.

School Fees 2021 - updated information

Financial concessions are available to eligible families. It is important to note, when concessions are provided, there is no impact on the overall school funding situation.

These concessions may include the Camps Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) of $125 per child. Concessions are available through the following two categories.

Category 1: Eligible, means-tested Centrelink Concession Card holders:

A family in which the fee payer holds an eligible, means-tested Health Care Card (HCC) or Pensioner Concession Card (PCC) is automatically eligible for a school fee concession. There is a simplified application form and streamlined approval process.

Category 2: Special Consideration:

A family experiencing genuine financial difficulty and not eligible under Category 1, is encouraged to apply for a fee concession. This application requires detailed information in order that an equitable assessment may be made of eligibility for and level of a fee concession.

Application forms are available from the school office and only need to be completed if this is a new application.  Current concession holders do not need to reapply.

WEEKEND MASSES

Maffra:

Sunday    9:00am 

Cowwarr:

Saturday Vigil  6:00pm

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   9:30am

Thursday      9:30am

Friday          9:30am

Stretton Park:

2nd Friday  10:00am