Newsletter Term 4 Week 6 - Friday 15th November 2024

I am thrilled to announce our staff team for 2025. 

Our teaching team: Ben O’Loughlan, Jo Price, Toni Stockwell, Julie Pender, Gabby Cunningham, Georgia Fleming, Helen Kirkpatrick, Linda Lyons and Simon Edge

Our Learning Support team: Lorna Dunmore, Rachel Chaffey, Di Cunningham, Geraldine Stokes, Jo Rigby and Jocelyn Oddie and Grace Dunmore 

Admin and Finance: Jane Pola, Jess Praag

Maintenance: Luke Preston

I can also confirm that our specialist classes for 2025 are Art, Physical Education, Science and Chinese. 

We wish Elissa all the very best as she embarks on a career change. Elissa has been provided time to plan for student learning for the remainder of the year and to provide a written report for each child for her subject areas. We welcome Maree Fay and Maryanne McDougall to cover Performing Arts and Science for the remainder of the year.

The building programme continues to make head-way with classrooms and indoor and outdoor learning spaces beginning to take shape. I anticipate that all students will be onsite in classrooms from the beginning of next year. We are working hard to ensure that there won’t be a need to utilise the Parish Centre as an additional classroom space next year. 

Every blessing for the week ahead. 

Roxanne

School fees will be sent home in the first week of school next year, along with direct debit request forms. This is our preferred method of payment. You are required to fill out the direct debit form each year even if you were paying via direct debits last year. Lump sum payments are due 28th February. 
If you are not paying as a lump sum, you are required to pay by installments and commence before 28th February otherwise your fees will be overdue.
Any new families to the school will receive a discount of $1,395 which is the total of the tuition and capital fee. Any new siblings to the school will receive a discount of $230 which is the book levy for that student.  
CSEF payments for eligible health care card holders will also receive $150 per student.  Please fill in the required forms and provide a copy of the card to the office. 
This will need to be done by 28/02/2025.
Forms are currently at the office now if you wish to fill out this for next year.

A larger than normal crowd gathered at Ararat's War Memorial on Monday for the annual Remembrance Day Service. Ararat RSL President Frank Neulist delivered the main address to a service of over 100 people including students from Ararat College, Marian College and St Mary's Primary School.

Lest We Forget.

Many children have been involved in the school garden this year.

A 2024 Woolworths Landcare Grant was a wonderful way to make additions to the garden. We were able to buy two extra garden bed surrounds, and a watering system and hose. This extra garden area was great, as it gave more children a place to find a little job to do in the vegetable garden

A Bokashi Compost bin was another important addition and a number of children worked on this section of the project

Seedlings and seeds were donated by various staff and parents. McKay’s Earthworks, Ararat donated a trailer load of top soil.

Many children were enthusiastic gardeners in their recess breaks.  They learnt to work as a team to do a range of vegetable garden jobs.  They discussed what to plant next, where to move the plants, if necessary and when to harvest the plants.  They enjoyed setting up a vegetable shop at the front office.

Lots of younger children used to come over to the garden beds for a chat - the time to have friendly conversation is valued and ensures that other children will be interested in growing vegetables in the years to come.

The school garden project continues to be a worthwhile addition to the range of activities which can be pursued.  St Mary’s PS is very grateful to the Woolworths Landcare Grant program. McKay’s Earthworks and staff and parents who donated seeds and seedlings to plant.

We are in need of some packing boxes over the next couple of weeks, as we prepare for more progress of our build. If you have any handy, please drop them into the office. Thank you!

TERM 4 

WEEK 7
Thursday 21st November
SSG Meetings
Foundation 2025 Transition Session 1 @ 2.15pm
Friday 22nd November
No WSP

WEEK 8
Thursday 28th November
SSG Meetings
Foundation 2025 Transition Session 2 @ 2.15pm
Friday 29th November
No WSP


WEEK 9
Tuesday 3rd December
Year 6 students @ Marian College - Transition Day
Wednesday 4th December
Science Discovery Dome Incursion
Thursday 5th December
SSG Meetings
Foundation 2025 Transition Session 3 @ 2.15pm
Friday 6th December
WSP hosted by JLC1
LAST LUNCH ORDER DAY
Carols by Candlelight Performance

WEEK 10
Tuesday 10th December
Whole School Transition Day
Wednesday 11th December
SLC Excursion - details to follow
Friday 13th December
End of Year Mass at the Church @ 9.30am
Farewell morning tea for Fr Andrew at St Mary's to follow

WEEK 11
Monday 16th December
Year 6 Graduation at the Church @ 6pm
Tuesday 17th December
Students Last Day
Year 6 Big Day Out
Normal finish @ 3.15pm
Wednesday 18th December
Staff Planning Day
Thursday 19th December
Staff Last Day

2025

Staff Return:
Tuesday 28th January

Students Return:
Wednesday 29th January

TERM 4 WSP SCHEDULE

Friday 22nd November - no WSP
Friiday 29th November  - no WSP
Friday 6th December - hosted by JLC1
Friday 13th December - end of year mass

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
to the following students for this week:

Isabella G, Jacob G, Nowa W & Sam B