Term 2 Week 8 | 11 June 2025

Principal - Ms Megan Pearce

 Dear St Mary’s families and friends,

As we approach the end of Semester 1, it's time to reflect on the incredible journey of learning, growth, and achievement that our students have undertaken. We are immensely proud of each student's successes and hard work. 

The end of Semester 1 marks not only the culmination of various learning milestones but also an opportunity for our students to recharge their batteries and rest before embarking on the learning and adventures that await in Term 3. It's a moment to celebrate achievements, both big and small, and to acknowledge the resilience and commitment that our students have demonstrated throughout the start of 2025.

Honouring Our School Officers - Our School Officers are more than just support staff. They are mentors, organisers, encouragers, and carers who go above and beyond for our students and staff every day.

Whether assisting in the classroom, supporting individual learners, keeping the school running smoothly behind the scenes, or simply offering a kind word when it’s needed most, their contribution to our school is invaluable. We thank each of them for the compassion, patience, and professionalism they bring to our community. St Mary’s is a better place because of them.

Celebrating Sporting Spirit - I also want to acknowledge the impressive number of students who have participated in district sports trials this term. It has been wonderful to see so many of our students stepping up with courage and pride. Students have shown determination, sportsmanship, and a willingness to give their best. Whether they were selected for Western teams or not, their participation reflects the spirit we value so deeply: having a go, encouraging one another, and taking pride in every opportunity.

Every Minute Counts – We have often heard the saying in our schools that ‘every day counts’. This is true, however late arrivals and early departures impact your child’s academic and social emotional progress too.  

We know that our children need to know the routines and expectations to have them feeling safe, setting them up for success in the year. When a child is late by 20 minutes each day in a week, this equates to an hour and forty minutes of learning per week. It is in this same 20 minutes each day, that the day is set up in the minds of learners, preparing them emotionally and getting them ‘ready to learn’. Arriving 20 minutes late, also means that children miss their play time. This is a time where friendships are formed through sharing and problem solving – valuable learning for every child. 

Getting all children to school on time is extremely important.  This is especially important for those children who experience some anxiety in separating from families. Delaying arrival for those children who are experiencing anxiety is something we do, thinking we are supporting our children. However, arriving late, can increase anxiety in our children. Think of how we feel when we are running late for an appointment. 

If you are having difficulty getting your child to school on time, please make a time to see your child’s teacher. There are strategies that we can introduce that will help your child navigate this difficult transition. Let’s make every school minute, learning time. 

Warmest wishes,

Megan

Prep Enrolments 2026

ENROL NOW for Prep 2026!

Is your next little learner ready for Prep in 2026?

At St Mary’s we are getting ready to welcome the next generation of St Mary’s students! We’re now accepting Prep Enrolments for 2026 and we’d love to welcome siblings of current students! As places can fill quickly, we encourage families to enrol now.  Enrolment is online via our website: Home - St Mary's School, Charleville or forms are available at the office if you can't access the internet.

If you have questions or would like to chat with the Principal, please contact our friendly office team.

APMI - Miss Imogen Hunt

Celebrating Faith in Action at St Mary’s School

Year 2 Prayer Celebration – Walking with Jesus

Last week, our Year 2 students gathered in a beautiful and reverent prayer celebration focused on the life of Jesus. Through scripture, song, and reflection, the children explored key moments in Jesus’ journey—from His teachings of love and compassion. The celebration was a touching reminder of how we can follow Jesus’ example in our daily lives.

Year 3 Prayer Celebration – The Spirit of Pentecost

Our Year 3 students led a vibrant and spirit-filled prayer celebration cantered on Pentecost. With symbols of fire, they reflected on the coming of the Holy Spirit and how it transformed the disciples. The students shared how the Holy Spirit continues to guide and inspire us today, encouraging us to be brave, kind, and full of faith.

Change in the liturgical season

As we move through the Church’s liturgical calendar, we’ve recently celebrated two of the most significant seasons: Easter and Pentecost.

• Easter is the joyful season where we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. It lasts for 50 days, reminding us of the hope and new life that Jesus brings.
• Pentecost, which we celebrated last week, marks the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles. It is often called the "birthday of the Church" because it empowered the disciples to go out and spread the Good News.

Now, we enter Ordinary Time—a season that may sound “ordinary,” but is actually a time for spiritual growth and reflection. It’s when we focus on the teachings of Jesus and how we can live them out in our everyday lives. The green colour of this season symbolises hope and life, encouraging us to grow in faith just as plants grow in the warmth of the sun.

Sacramental Program – First Holy Communion

This weekend marks a very special milestone for many of our students as they receive their First Holy Communion. After months of preparation, prayer, and learning, these young members of our community will receive the Eucharist for the first time. We congratulate them and their families on this sacred occasion and invite everyone to keep them in your prayers as they take this important step in their faith journey.

Curriculum Support - Mr Tony Kim

Fully transitioning from Australian Curriculum version 8.4 to version 9

Firstly, I would just like to give a huge shout out to all our classroom and specialist teachers for the incredible work they’re doing to ensure valid, equitable and consistent judgements are made for reporting. We are still on schedule to release Semester report cards by Thursday of Week 10.

We are also excited to share that our school will be transitioning fully from version 8.4 to version 9 of the Australian Curriculum. We have been gradually transitioning subjects over the past two years. As a final step in the transition, our Humanities and Social Science (HaSS) and Science subjects will transition to the new curriculum.

Key benefits of full implementation to version 9 includes:

1. Clearer Learning Pathways:
   1. Sequential learning that are interconnected with other subjects to activate prior knowledge.
   2. Clearer achievement standards for clarity and precision in teaching and learning.
2. Improved Relevance:
   1. The new curriculum has been updated to reflect modern and contemporary issues along with references to new technologies.
   2. Greater inclusion of cultural understanding and respect
3. Whole School Consistent Approach to Learning:
   1. With the transition, we have had the opportunity to plan our subjects with greater focus on consistency between year levels.

If you have any questions or queries regarding the new curriculum, please do not hesitate to reach out at tony.kim@twb.catholic.edu.au or phone at 07 4502 6118.

Regards,

Tony Kim

Curriculum Coordinator

Learning Support - Mrs Majella Lynch-Harlow

Celebrating Our Incredible School Officers

Today, we proudly celebrate School Officer Appreciation Day, a time to recognize the invaluable contributions of our dedicated school officers. Our teachers and students have shared their gratitude through heartfelt cards, poems, and presentations—showing just how much these incredible individuals mean to our community.

Our school officer team includes Teacher Aides, who provide crucial support in classrooms, administration staff, who keep our school running smoothly, and grounds and cleaning staff, who ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all. Each and every school officer plays a vital role in making St Mary’s a place where students feel supported, encouraged, and able to achieve their best.

In classrooms, our school officers assist teachers and learners—especially those needing additional support. They help supervise classes, work closely with students in small groups or individually, and contribute to an inclusive and nurturing learning environment. Their dedication makes a lasting impact on student success.

Today, we give thanks for their commitment, hard work, and unwavering support. St Mary’s would not be the same without them!

Library - Mrs Vanessa Alexander

Readers’ Cup Countdown

Eleven Year 5 and 6 students have been diving headfirst into the world of literature as they prepare for the upcoming Readers’ Cup competition, set to take place on Monday, 23rd June at the School of Distance Education.

The students have been reading a carefully selected list of five novels, each offering its own unique challenges and themes. But reading is just the beginning—these young literary champions have taken their preparation to the next level by creating their own study notes, collaborating in teams, and quizzing each other to sharpen their recall and comprehension.

Their commitment, teamwork, and enthusiasm have been truly inspiring. Whether it’s during lunch breaks or after school, these students have shown what it means to be passionate learners and supportive teammates.

We wish them the very best as they represent our school.

Prep - Mrs Bernie McPhee

It’s hard to believe we’re already nearing the halfway mark of the year! Our Prep students have been working hard, preparing for their upcoming reports and making great strides in their learning. One of our biggest focuses has been mastering all our sounds, and to make it extra fun, we’ve introduced a special challenge! Students who learn the first 15 sounds and then the last 11 sounds earn a refreshing icy pole—a cool reward for their hard work. Many have already embraced the challenge, practising each day until they’re ready. Icy poles have certainly been a great motivator! Please continue supporting your child in their learning journey at home.

Under 8’s Day was an absolute hit, bringing joy, laughter, and plenty of hands-on fun for our youngest learners. Students had a blast exploring bubbles, creating bubble snakes, and getting wonderfully messy with shaving cream play (apologies for the uniforms!). The farm activities were another highlight, providing an interactive and memorable experience. It was heartwarming to see so many parents, younger siblings, and community members come together to celebrate early learning. Thank you for being part of such a special day!

Year 2 - Miss Shauna Gallagher

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

We’ve had another exciting and productive few weeks in the classroom, filled with learning, creativity, and fun!

In Mathematics, students have been mastering how to tell the time and practising their doubles number facts. We’re now moving on to exploring calendars and learning how to count money — so don’t be surprised if your child starts keeping an eye on the date or counts out coins at home!

In HASS, our pen pal letters to our friends in Ireland are nearly ready to post! The students have worked so hard on these, carefully incorporating some of the homophones we’ve been learning in our literacy lessons. We can’t wait to receive replies from across the globe!

In Science, we’ve launched into outer space! We’ve been learning space-related vocabulary and exploring what it might be like to be astronauts. Now, students are busy crafting their very own space adventure stories — complete with astronaut helmets and imaginations in full flight!

Our classroom is looking a little more... extraterrestrial! As part of our space theme, we’ve been growing cress hair in our alien cup heads, and the hairstyles are getting wilder by the day! The students have loved watching their aliens “sprout” and it’s been a great hands-on way to explore plant growth.

A Special Thank You-

I would also like to take a moment to thank all our Year 2 students for their outstanding behaviour and positive attitude while in the care of our substitute teachers. I’ve received such wonderful feedback about their respect, effort, and adaptability. Change can be challenging, but our students truly took it in their stride — a testament to their growing independence and resilience.

As we approach the final weeks of term, spirits are high, and our learners are continuing to show enthusiasm and curiosity every day. Thank you for your continued support at home — it makes a real difference.

Signing out,

The Year 2 Team

Year 5 and 6 Camp Fundraising

Thank you to all who have supported our fundraising ventures so far. Please see the flyers below for the next round of fundraising this term and into term 3.

June Birthdays

Flyers

Sharks Camp 2025 - July. GET IN QUICK! LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE!! Sharks Camp is a four-day volleyball camp designed to cater to athletes of all skill levels. With elite development opportunities available and pathways into club and state-level volleyball, this camp has something for everyone!

The Dates:

8th July | 9th July | 10th July | 11th July

We usually hit capacity pretty quickly, so if you're interested sign up today to secure your spot!!

YEAHHHH SHARKS!!

Visit our website for more information https://sharksvolleyball.com/sharks-camp