Term Two Dates

Welcome back

I would like to welcome everyone back to our second term. It is really lovely to see so many smiling faces, excited to be back at school.

I would like to thank Sally Croker, and all the staff, for their management during the end of last term. It proved challenging to find staff, however, they worked as a team to not only provide cover but to continue to deliver quality education. 

I am pleased to be back from my extended break. I spent the time travelling and spending time with family.

This term we welcome Madison Leonard to St Mary's. Madi is an ex-student of St Mary's and she is currently studying Primary Teaching at the Australian Catholic University. Madi will be completing her final teaching placement with Year One and Mrs Branson. We were fortunate to have Madi do some casual teaching with us last term.

I look forward to a positive, action-packed and productive term ahead! 

ANZAC Day

It was wonderful to see around fifty St Mary’s students at the ANZAC Day Commemorative Service in Crookwell and seventeen in Taralga on Monday. We also had students participate in the Dawn Service.

Our students and teachers marched proudly and listened respectfully, demonstrating a wonderful community spirit. 

Thank you to all the parents who brought their children to participate on Monday. Thank you also to Sally Croker, Annie Croker, Vicky Searl and Linda Walsh for their assistance. 

Close Household Contacts

Household contacts will not have to quarantine if they have no COVID-19 symptoms but will need to comply with the following requirements for seven days from the time the first person in their household tests positive for COVID‑19:

• Wear a face mask in all indoor spaces when outside of the home, if aged 12 years and over. Primary school students are recommended to wear a mask indoors (except when eating or exercising).
• Parents/Carers notify the school of their child being a household contact.
• Staff/Students should conduct a daily RAT and return a negative result each morning before attending school for five school days.
• Students who have had COVID-19 within 12 weeks are not required to undertake COVID-19 testing or wear a mask, although this is recommended. 
• No student or staff member identified as a close contact will be permitted to participate in overnight excursions, including school camps.
• Any visitor to a school site who is a close contact is required to advise the school that they are a close contact before they come on site. These visitors should conduct a daily RAT and return a negative result before attending. They must also always wear a mask indoors. Virtual visits will be organised where practical.
• If you have or develop symptoms, you must self-isolate and get tested for COVID-19. If your test result is positive, you must follow the NSW Health recommendations and manage COVID-19 safely at home. If your test result is negative, stay home until you do not have any symptoms.

Daily Reporting of COVID Cases

Schools are now only required to notify parents if there are a significant number of cases within the community and/or a cohort.

Rapid Antigen Tests

St Mary's Primary School will have access to Rapid Antigen Tests for distribution as needed and requested by parents. Parents or students who are symptomatic should not attend the school to collect a Rapid Antigen Test. Those families are encouraged to make alternate arrangements for the collection of tests or are to access testing through a NSW Health facility.

Uniform Matters

It has been lovely to see everyone return this week dressed beautifully in their school uniforms. In Terms 2 and 3, the students are to wear the full winter uniform, however, a two-week leeway is given if the weather is still warm enough for the summer uniform. 

Please note, due to issues with the manufacturing company, the supply of boys long-sleeved shirts may be low. At this time, there are no size 8 shirts. Our apologies for this, but unfortunately this is out of our control.

In preparation for the cooler months, you might like to order our school coat, which is a warm bottle green parka style coat, from our Uniform Shop. No other coats will be permitted, however, bottle green gloves and beanies may be purchased elsewhere. 

Please also ensure you have all your children's uniform labelled.

Some other reminders about our school uniform- hair accessories must be in the school colours only, earrings must be sleepers and studs and no nail polish is to be worn to school. Hair, both boys and girls, is to be tied back if it is longer than collar length.

Catholic Schools Week

In Week Two from Monday 2 to Friday 6 May, we celebrate Catholic Schools Week. 

Throughout the week I will conduct school tours- please spread the word. If you know someone who is interested in learning more about St Mary's, or who has a child ready to start Kindergarten in 2023, or another grade, we welcome their visit.

School tour bookings can be made by calling Belinda on 48321 592. Other dates and times can be made by arrangement.

Other Catholic Schools Week activities include a Mother's Day Mass and a Mother's Day Stall and Raffle (thanks to the McGeechan family). This year we have decided to limit our community outreach visits. 

Student Pick Up

The street directly out the front of St Mary’s is a Bus Zone from 8.30am-9.30am and 3.00pm-4.00pm. Please be aware that occasionally parents dropping off/picking up their children in this bus zone have been fined by the police.

We recommend that in the afternoons if you have come to collect your children by car you walk with your child to the crossing on Wade Street to cross safely out of the Bus Zone. 

NAPLAN

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) assesses literacy and numeracy skills. Students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 participate in the annual NAPLAN tests in reading, writing, conventions of language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy.
The assessment provides parents and schools with an understanding of how individual students are performing at the time of the tests. NAPLAN is just one aspect of a school’s assessment and reporting process - it does not replace ongoing assessments made by teachers about student performance.
NAPLAN also provides schools, education authorities and governments with information about how education programs are working and whether young Australians are meeting important educational outcomes in literacy and numeracy.

The NAPLAN Online assessment window starts on Tuesday 10 May and finishes on
Friday 20 May 2022. The tests must be taken in the following order:

For more information go to 

https://nap.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/naplan-information-brochure-for-parents-and-carers.pdf  

Industrial Action

You may have recently heard on the news that teachers are going on strike next week. This action does not affect St Mary's staff or students. Teachers in the Catholic system are represented by the Independent Education Union, not the Teachers Federation. 

School Counsellor

Our School Counsellor, Madelyn Burns, will be commencing on Monday 2 May. Madelyn works at St Mary's every Monday. If you would like to book an appointment with Madelyn please complete the referral form via the link below or it is available on the school website on the Parent Page:

https://catholiccare.force.com/housing/s/school-referral-form

Morning Club

Morning Club is a free service that we like to offer to our families that provides early supervision for students from 8am (strictly) to 8.40am before our playground supervision commences. Morning Club is to assist parents and carers who have early work commitments or need travel for appointments, etc. It is coordinated by Mrs Nicola Spackman.

Parents and carers will be required to register their child/ren for Morning Club and it will only run Monday through to Thursday each week. Parents can make a permanent booking or just book a 'one off' session, as required. These can be made up until 7.30am each day.

This year Morning Club will be held in the Library and students will engage in quiet activities such as drawing, colouring, construction, board games and card games.

Children arriving at school unregistered or after 8.30am will not be permitted to attend Morning Club. We ask that children not registered, only arrive at 8.40am, the time that regular supervision commences. 

The booking form is available below and can also be found on Szapp. 

https://smpscrookwell.schoolzineplus.com/form/25 

Additional Pupil Free Days 

Mr Ross Fox, Director of Education, has authorised two extra pupil free days in Term 2 for all schools in the Archdiocese of Canberra Goulburn to support teachers who have been carrying extra teaching loads due to the COVID-related staff absences.

St Mary’s Primary School, in alignment with Trinity Catholic College, St Peter and Paul’s Primary School and St Joseph’s Primary School, will be having our additional pupil free days on the following dates:

• Monday 23 May (Week 5)
• Friday 10 June (Week 7)

On these days, St Mary’s Primary School staff will be report writing, planning, programming, participating in professional learning and completing administrative tasks. Staff will not be required to be onsite on these days.

Hello Sullivan

A very warm welcome to Sullivan Gann, a new baby brother for Sommer-Lee (Year 6) and Sienna (Year 4). Congratulations Kayla and Shane. We look forward to meeting Sullivan soon!

Champion Small Honey Producer

A huge congratulations to Belinda Foley on achieving the title of Champion Small Honey Producer at the Royal Easter Show after judges scored her honey a remarkable 91 out of 100!

Read an interesting article about Belinda and her wonderful achievement in About Regional https://aboutregional.com.au/success-couldnt-be-sweeter-for-crookwells-busy-queen-bee

Congratulations Annie

We would like to congratulate Annie Croker on her recent graduation from the Australian Catholic University. Annie graduated in the holidays with a Bachelor of Teaching (Primary). Well done Annie, we are proud of you!

Enrolling Now

Enrolments can now be placed online. Go to https://enrolments.stmarysc.nsw.edu.au/enrol/ to enrol now.

Enrolments packs are available from our School Office or can be downloaded from our website http://www.stmarysc.nsw.edu.au/enrolment.html