Calendar

St Mary's Parish Easter Services

HOLY THURSDAY -7pm

GOOD FRIDAY    - STATIONS 10am                       

                          - PASSION OF THE LORD 3pm

EASTER SATURDAY VIGIL 7pm

EASTER SUNDAY MASS 9am

We wish you a blessed Easter with your family and friends. 

ANZAC Day

ANZAC Day falls at the end of the holidays on Friday, 25 April. We invite all students to participate in the ANZAC Day events.

St Mary's students are invited to march and lay wreaths at this year's Crookwell, Grabben Gullen and Taralga ANZAC Day services.

Students participating in the Grabben Gullen event are to assemble at 9:00am within the grounds of the Grabben Gullen Community Hall. If you are available to represent at Grabben Gullen please contact the Front Office before the end of Term.

Students participating in the Crookwell events are asked to assemble for the March in the RSL car park from 10.40am. The March will move down Goulburn Street to the Memorial Park for the ANZAC Day Commemoration Ceremony. Students remain assembled until this Ceremony concludes.

Our students who wish to participate in the Taralga March and Commemorative Service are asked to assemble at the northern end of the main street, near Taralga Public School at 2.30pm. The children will march down the street to the Cenotaph for the Commemorative Service and wreath-laying. After this, our assembled group will disperse before the Memorial Hall program. 

Students are required to come dressed in their full winter uniform.

Seeing many of our students at these special ceremonies would be wonderful.

CONGRATULATIONS

Four of our senior boys travelled to Canberra this week to trial for a spot in the Canberra Goulburn League teams.

Riley and Jacob (U12) were named in possible/probables as were Rory and Jesse (U11). At the conclusion of the day all four boys were named as members of their respective teams and will now play as a member of their CG team on May 9 hoping to be selected as a member of the Mackillop team.

Uniform Matters

As the term draws to close, uniform pieces accidentally get mixed up between students. Please check all your uniform items at home to ensure they belong to your family. Please ensure you have all your children's uniform items labelled.

Next term, the students are to wear their full winter uniform; however, a two-week leeway is given if the weather is still warm enough for the summer uniform. 

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

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.

The Term 1 fees are now overdue unless you are paying by instalments. 

Thank you to those who have already made payments, we appreciate your prompt attention to your account.

Please note, that whilst using CompassPay for excursions and events is compulsory, we do encourage using BPAY  to pay school fees.

This is because there is a surcharge applied to the school with each payment, which can result in a significant bill for us monthly.

For your reference, please find a breakdown of the 2025 fees if you wish to pay weekly, fortnightly or monthly (please note based on 52-week year).

As always, we are available for a confidential conversation about your school fee account.

PILGRIMS OF HOPE- JUBILEE YEAR

Pope Francis has proclaimed 2025 a Jubilee (Holy Year).

In the Catholic Church, a Jubilee or Holy Year is a special year of forgiveness and reconciliation, in which people are invited to come back into right relationship with God, with one another, and with all of creation. It involved the forgiveness of debts, the return of misappropriated land, and a fallow (unploughed) period for fields.

The theme for this Jubilee Year is Pilgrims of Hope. Pope Francis has invited Catholics to renew our hope and discover a vision that can "restore access to the fruits of the earth to everyone". We are also invited to rediscover a spirituality of God's creation in which we understand ourselves as "pilgrims on the earth" rather than masters of the world.

Let us as a school community at St. Mary’s be Pilgrims of Hope, walking together in peace, love and forgiveness. As a community may we work together to give HOPE to those who may feel HOPELESS.

Lenten Prayer

Almighty and Everlasting God,
You have given the human race
Jesus Christ our Savior as a model of humility.
He fulfilled Your Will by becoming Man
And giving His life on the Cross.
Help us to bear witness to You
By following His example of suffering
And make us worthy to share in His Resurrection.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son.

PROJECT COMPASSION TALLY

Our SRC and the wider school community have done an outstanding job with their fundraising efforts for Project Compassion. Our grand total is $895.00. This will be donated to Caritas Australia, who will ensure that the funds are distributed to help the needy in countries like Samoa, Congo and the Philippines.

The spirit of COMPASSION and GIVING is certainly alive here at St. Mary’s.

SACRAMENTS

Sacrament of Reconciliation

On Wednesday, St Mary’s hosted the fabulous Reconciliation Retreat, which was run by the Youth Ministry team from Trinity Catholic College and attended by students from Sts. Peter and Paul’s, St Joseph’s and Trinity Catholic College.

Congratulations to some of our Year 3 students who celebrated the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Wednesday evening.

Abby Kennedy, Thaddaeus Camilleri, Archer Moloney, Adeline Millet, Mason Allport and Evelyn Pappalardo received the Sacrament of Reconciliation after five weeks of preparation. The St Mary’s community hopes that the candidates continue to be blessed by the Holy Spirit and God’s everlasting love.

Cross Country

A big thank you to the students, parents and teachers who braved the conditions on Friday morning to make our Cross Country Carnival a huge success. Your support, participation and encouragement added to the positive feel of the carnival.

In an epic showdown of speed and stamina, Aloysius House emerged as the triumphant victors. A round of applause to Lawrence House for their outstanding efforts - you ran your hearts out!

Age Champions are as follows:

Place Getters are as follows:

Age Champions and Place Getters will receive their ribbons and medals at the Awards Assembly on Friday (tomorrow), commencing at 9:05am.

Northern Region Cross Country Carnival

Congratulations to our Northern Region team. You should have received a compass notification for this event. The details for the carnival is as follows:

Date: Friday, 2nd May

Venue: Braidwood Showground - 2kms north of Braidwood on Kings Highway.

Time: 9:20am - Team Manager meeting,

          9:30am - Walk the course,

          10:00am - First Event

Cost: $7:50

Gilbert/Croker Cup Expressions of Interest (Year 3 & up)

The Gilbert/Croker Legends Day is coming up. The details are as follows;

• Date: Thursday, May 15th
• Venue: North Park, Goulburn
• Time: Students are to arrive at 9:30am for a 10:00am start

On the day, we are able to nominate mixed tag and tackle teams. The students will play in age groups of years 3 & 4 (tackle or tag) and years 5 & 6 (tackle or tag). Can you please express your child’s interest and what they would be most comfortable playing (tackle or tag) using the link below. Expressions of interest have been extended until the end of term. Please ensure you express your child/s interest as numbers are low at the moment.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdY4xZ_3KMlcen1P0lV7SSKSkwxV2XsecrjDcVIumdqocBqvg/viewform?usp=sharing

School Cup - Netball NSW Expression of Interest (Year 3 & up)

This year's School Cup will be held on the 24th June in Goulburn.

Students from Year 3 - 6 are invited to express their interest in playing through the link below. The teams will be split into year groups (Year 3/4 and Year 5/6).

More information to come closer to the date.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdQA5JLorlNY7ZKNWXGEqdye2RZTdER31E9JU2B8Ses5SO-EQ/viewform?usp=sharing

The Power of Play and Experiences

Remember to spend time with your children during the holidays. Encourage them to play board games, card games and complete jig-saw puzzles. Play ‘I Spy’ using letters, numbers and words. These activities all assist in connecting the ‘wires in our brains’. Providing our children with experiences broadens their ability to use vocabulary and builds their communication and writing skills. Children are better able to write about things they have experienced.

Learning musical instruments is another great way for children to also improve the capacity of their brain, once again connecting those pathways. Listening to music is also a great thing to do!

Remember to READ in the holidays! Encourage your children to read but also remember to read to them. Children are never too old to be read to! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Finding the Off Switch for Kids Who Constantly Worry: A Practical Guide.

Rumination is the ruination of a peaceful mind. Here's how to help your child (and you) tune out from their worries.

If you’ve ever spent a sleepless night worrying, you'll know that problems seem overwhelming when you think about them too much.

You feel like everything is stacked against you.

You need to find the Off switch to escape your worries for a while.

The same principle applies to kids who worry too much.

They need to find their OFF Switch before full-blown anxiety takes hold.

Here are seven easy-to-apply, evidence-based strategies for teaching your kids to stop ruminating (repeating the same thoughts and worries):

1. Broaden their vision.

Kids get tunnel vision when they worry.(Their reptilian brain ensures they focus on imminent danger. However, it can’t distinguish between a coming math test and a prowling tiger.)

They can’t see the bigger picture.

For instance, a young person may fret over minor work matters, such as getting the exact font match for an assignment, and neglecting to get the sleep necessary for good learning the next day.

• Sometimes, a wise adult needs to remind children and young people about what truly matters.

Expert tip: Encourage them to step away from their source of stress or anxiety for a few minutes. This will help them refocus on the bigger picture and stop sweating the small stuff.

2. Put their attention elsewhere.

Shifting attention away from worries is an age-old technique parents and teachers use.

Commonly known as distraction, focusing on something other than what causes them distress is vital for good mental health.

Examples of distractions include going outside, playing a game, shooting basketball hoops and listening to music.

Expert tip: Help your child identify three sources of distraction to use when they worry. Then, ask them to choose one when they are anxious. This not only distracts them from their worries but heightens feelings of control. Feeling out of control is behind a great deal of childhood and teen anxiety.

3. Give their worry a name.

Somehow, giving a worry a name makes it feel less scary and more manageable.

My favourite picture storybook for toddlers,‘There’s a Hippopotamus on Our Roof’, by Hazel Edwards, personifies fear of the dark as a friendly hippo.

Much more friendly and easier to boss around if you’re a child.

Ten-year-old Jeremy calls his pre-tennis match nerves Neville.

“Ah, Neville’s back to annoy me. Oh well, I’d better listen to some music. He hates that”

• Jeremy has a great tool in his well-being toolbox to combat his anxiety.

Expert tip: Help your child create different names to express their worries and fears. This fun activity can help lighten their moods when they worry.

4. Put your worries in a jar.

Wouldn’t it be great if you could put your worries in a safe and throw away the key!

You do this as an adult when you watch your favourite TV show or wander for hours online.

Children who constantly worry need something more practical.

They can write their worries on paper and lock them in a jar by the side of the bed at the end of the day. It’s good to know that their fears can’t get out because they are locked up tight.

• A diary or notebook works just as well with older kids.

Expert tip: Put a writing pad by their bed and encourage them to draw or write about their worries and concerns. Getting their worries out can help them relax.

5. Limit time talking about worries.

It’s good if kids can talk about what’s on their minds, but talking needs to be kept to a minimum (unless you're doing something about the problem)to prevent their worries from dominating their lives.

Some kids talk their worries up, blowing them out of all proportion.

• Set aside five minutes daily to talk about their worries and then put worry time aside until tomorrow.

Expert tip: Create a separate place for worry/problem-solving talk. It could be a chair, a couch, or their bed. This will help contain their anxiety/worry talk to those places. Be careful where you choose. Location carries memory, so it may not be easy to have fun in those locations in the future.

6. Normalise rather than lionise their anxiety.

Anxious kids are susceptible to their parents’ concerns and worries.

We build their concerns by continually reassuring them that things will be fine. Most of the time, one reassurance should be sufficient, followed by “I’ve already talked to you about that.”

• Continually going over old ground can allow worries to linger longer than necessary.

Expert tip: Share instances where you’ve worried or been anxious with your worrier. Let them know how it felt for you. This will help you form a deep connection and understand their feelings.

7. Give them the tools to relax and go into flow.

My wife relaxes in front of the TV, which is sufficient for her to forget her worries.

However, some people need a bigger set of tools, including:

• Exercise and sport

• Playing games

• Listening to music

• Mindfulness or meditation

• Coloring in and other art forms

Expert tip: Experiment with different forms of relaxation, as one child’s form may be stressful or unenjoyable for another child.

Finally…

Mental health and well-being are the new pillars of resilience and good health for kids.

We need to discuss it openly in all its guises, including sleep, exercise, and diet, as well as how to stay mentally sharp, handle emotional highs and lows, shift moods, and more.

The above tools may not work for every child or every situation. Consider them suggestions or idea starters as you build your Child’s Well-Being Toolbox.

Share Michael Grose I Parenting Toolbox

Dyscalculia

Students with dyscalculia have difficulties with numbers and mathematical concepts. They have difficulty with simple mathematical concepts. They have problems learning maths facts and applying them to mathematical problems. They can have a delay in effective counting strategies.

Dysgraphia

Dysgraphia is a specific learning disorder which can remain undiagnosed. A student can have trouble with written expression. A student with motor-dysgraphia can find the mechanics of writing difficult and often painful. A student with language-based dysgraphia can have trouble processing and sequencing ideas in writing. These students often have to work much harder and for longer to complete a piece of writing.

Resources

There are so many fabulous resources online for parents to access. There are some free information resources on the following site on ADHD, Auditory Processing, Memory, Dyslexia, Learning Difficulties, as well as many other learning processes.

https://www.learnfasthq.com/free-learning-resources

Premiers Reading Challenge is a great way for your child to engage with reading. The challenge will open on Monday 24 February and close on August 22 2025. If your child is interested in participating in this year’s challenge, please come by the Library and discuss with Mrs McCormack how they can take part. There will be a showcase of Premiers Reading challenge books, on display in the library that children are welcome to borrow and log in the challenge.

WEEK NINE CLASS AWARDS

Please join us at 9:05 am tomorrow, Friday 4 April.

K - Lottie Davis, Josie McDonald, Georgina Waldron

1 -  Sabey Bush, Artie Knight, Isaac Skinner

2 - Henry Johns, Patrick Proudman

3 -Hadléy Reynolds, Sully Stephenson, Sasha Wicks, Nicholas Wye

4 - Bridie McCormack, Fraser McIntosh, Jack Towell

5 - Rory Bensley, Donovan Francis, Isobel Tran, Evelyn Waldron

6 - Logan Anderson, Jacob Hogan

UNIFORM- 

Congratulations to Tommy Culley, Khloe Pickett, Pepper Reeves for proudly wearing our St Mary's uniform.

Polar fleece addition to Sports Uniform

We are very excited to announce the addition of a polar fleece jumper to our Sports Uniform. These jumpers will help add a layer of warmth during the colder months and are ready to be ordered via Qkr.

Please note, these are not to be worn with the academic uniform Monday to Thursday.

Term 2 Winter Uniform

Term 2 will see the change in uniform to our winter items. Please see the table below. Items can be ordered via Qkr and sent home via the students or collected from school on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.

Second-hand uniform stock

We have a large amount of second-hand uniform stock available, free of charge. Please drop into the school to browse what is there at any time.

A big thank you to Mrs Shauna Hewitt for her excellent set-up!

Online technology provides increasing resources and opportunities and it is increasingly important that our children have the skills to be able to protect themselves online. 

Below is a link to the safety commissioner website: Online safety mighty heroes. It contains a series of videos and resources that explore 4 main ways for children to stay safe online: Being responsible, showing respect, trusting feelings and investigating information.  

Online safety Mighty Heroes | eSafety Commissioner

Below is also a link to making a family tech agreement.

Family tech agreements | eSafety Commissioner

If you have concerns or questions about online safety or want to discuss a referral for Student and Family counselling, feel free to contact me:

Mark Holberton

Student and Family Counsellor

Marymead CatholicCare Canberra & Goulburn

St Mary’s Primary School - Crookwell

Wednesdays

T (02) 4832 1592

Mark.Holberton@mccg.org.au

For Parish and Sacramental matters please forward your enquiries to Goulburn Parish Tuesday to Friday 9am to 1pm in Goulburn.

Email: Crookwell@cg.org.au

Website: http://cg.org.au/crookwell/Home.aspx 

Phone: 0403 631 797