Invitation

Attendance

We know that every day of attendance at school adds to your child's chances of success and achievement from kindergarten to high school. You play a key role in making sure your child attends school every day, and you do this because you understand that attendance leads to success, not just at school, but later in life. Every day at school counts towards your child’s learning.

We realise some absences are unavoidable due to health issues or other circumstances. However, we also know that when students miss too much school, no matter the reason, it can cause them to fall behind academically. The more absences your child has, the harder it is for them to catch up on missed work and stay connected to their school community. Absences add up quickly. If your child is absent just one day every two weeks over a school year, this will add up to 20 days of lost learning. This is almost half a school term.

Along with many other schools across Australia, we have noticed a large increase in our absenteeism since COVID. We understand that is is partly due to parents being vigilant with keeping sick children at home, and we do appreciate this; however, some absences can be avoided.

The following table indicates the levels of attendance.

Part of my job is to respond to all emerging absenteeism (<90% attendance) with support to improve attendance. This may involve an initial phone call, followed by letters and the creation of a Student Attendance Plan.

We want your child to succeed at school and know that you do as well. Please let us know if you require support in ensuring your child attends school on time each day. Feel free to contact me to discuss this or any other concerns.

Compass app and browser

Attendance

Adding an attendance note via Compass is straightforward, either on the app or the web browser. 

To access the shortcut on the app, look at the bottom of the page and select the blue circle with the plus in the middle and select "Submit attendance note".

If you want to look at your child's attendance via the app, please select "More" at the bottom, then "Open in Browser". This will take you to the browser view (the same one you would see if using Compass on your computer). Select "Profile", which will take you to your child's profile dashboard. From there, you can select "Attendance", which will take you to the summary page. Any squares in red are days when your child has an unexplained absence. You can add a note by going to the "Notes" tab and selecting "Add Attendance Note".

Reports

Copies of your child's reports are accessible through the Parent Portal.

Events

All events and excursions information are now on Compass, and any payment required will be made via Compass Pay. This will allow for consent and payment to be made in one transaction. If, for some reason, the consent will not go through, please go back through and ensure all required questions or information is filled out.

Payments

School fee payments are recommended via BPAY, as the school is charged a fee when using Compass Pay. However, Compass Pay is still a legitimate way to pay your school fees if needed. 

Compass Pay will be used for all school excursions and sporting events.

You can find the "Payments Centre" on the main dashboard of your browser or the app.

Latest News

All communication will be posted here—for example, sporting events, surveys, upcoming events, meetings, fundraising, etc. You can view old listings by selecting "Notifications" at the bottom of the app page.

You will also find the link to the "Changes to Travel Arrangements" form.

Morning Club- Monday to Thursday only

A reminder that our Morning Club is only offered Monday to Thursday 8.00am to 8.40am.

Please do not drop your child off prior to 8.40am on Fridays as there is no supervision.

NSWPSSA Hockey   

At the time of publication, Henry and Ollie and the NSW U12 Hockey team had recorded two wins and one loss. Both Henry and Ollie had been awarded "Player of the Match" for their games. Updates will be published via our School Facebook and Instagram page.

Bee's Treat for Year 6

Year 6 were lucky enough to have Mrs Belinda Foley from Beelinda’s Beehive educate them about bees and the production of honey. Mrs Foley’s bee business, owned by Angus’ mother, shared her knowledge and skills with Year 6 about the production of honey and the extraction of honey from her bee hives.

Mrs Foley makes home-made products using beeswax and honey and sells them. She makes bee gifts and products including candles, hand-creams, shampoo and toothpaste.

Mrs Foley has won many awards for her amazing honey. She was Champion of making beeswax at the Royal Easter Show in Sydney.

Year 6 were very attentive in learning about this production process and had lots of questions for Mrs Foley. As well as examining the honeycomb formation in a specially presented bee box, they got to enjoy a taste of honey with crunchy honeycomb!

Thank you Mrs Foley for sharing your knowledge with us. 

https://www.beelindasbeehive.com.au/

Jeans for Genes

Tomorrow, Friday 4 August, we are participating in Jeans for Genes Day. Students are encouraged to wear a pair of jeans with their Sport uniform shirt and jacket and donate a gold coin. Full sport uniform is required for those who choose not wear jeans. Funds raised go directly to Children's Medical Research Institute to help the scientists find treatments and cures for genetic diseases, including cancer, and other serious conditions affecting 1 in 20 children – that’s nearly one child in every classroom!

The School Explorers  - School Readiness Program

Is your little one starting school in 2024? Help them embark on an exciting educational adventure with "The School Explorers" commencing on Friday, 18th August.

All preschool-aged children are invited to attend regardless of school choice. Come along to all or as many sessions as suits you. Parents, you are welcome to stay for the session, leave your child in our capable hands, or a combination of both.

To register or for more information, don't hesitate to get in touch with Belinda on 48321 592. We can't wait to welcome your child to St Mary's!