Newsletter Term 3, Week 1 2023
Tuesday 19th -21st July - Senior Camp
Monday 17th - 3/4 Assembly in Hall 2.45pm
Tuesday 25th July - Grandparents Morning
Hello, Parents and Carers
Welcome back to St. Margaret Mary’s for Term 3! We hope you had a fantastic break and are ready for another exciting term of learning and connecting with our vibrant parish primary.
The last week of Term 2 was filled with positive experiences for our school community. Our three-way learning conversations successfully celebrated our student’s learnings for the first semester of 2023 and set our children up for continued success for Semester 2.
Thank you parents for your positive engagement with your children’s learning and growth and support of our teaching staff. It was a great opportunity for me to meet up with some of our parents in between your meetings.
The last Friday of Term 2 we wrapped up the term with an incredible disco held in our school hall, and it was a huge hit! I was wrapped to come along and witness this vibrant, inclusive community in action.
It was run exceptionally well by the mighty team of parent volunteers from our FSG led by Jodie Millar. The hall was transformed into a vibrant and energetic party zone. The DJ did an amazing job of playing a fantastic mix of songs, and the dance floor was flooded with enthusiastic students ready to show off their best moves.
Mum’s and Dads, please join us for our next FSG catch up at the Spotswood Hotel Tuesday, August 1st, beginning at 7pm. There was discussion of opening up opportunities for dads and carers to gather to promote well-being and connectedness to school through social events that brought families together but also provided opportunities for interest-based groups to gather as well.
I flagged SMM becoming involved with the Fathering Project, as an example. There are sure to be other ideas, we just need a small team to pick up the mantle. The next FSG date gives us time before the Trivia night on September 2nd. There is already positive momentum behind this, our main fundraiser for the year, so reach out and help in any way you can.
Donations of goods and services are most welcome. Please reach out to any community connections that could possible donate in some way.
Thank you for supporting us at home with Monday’s Student free professional development day at St. Margaret Mary's. It was a valuable opportunity for teachers to collaborate, through their participation in activities focused on student goal setting, planning for differentiated learning experiences, and unpacking evidence informed professional readings. This day provided an important opportunity for our highly skilled staff to continue engaging in our ongoing cycle of learning and improvement at St. Margaret Mary's. We are excited to continue to make a positive impact on the lives of our students at St. Margaret Mary's.
Don't forget to join us for a cuppa and a chat after 5.30 pm Mass this Saturday, July 15, at St. Margaret Mary's church. Come along as your family’s presence would make the gathering even more enjoyable, so we hope to see you there.
Exciting news…. But …. we need help please!
Great news! Our school has been selected to receive the trees for our project through the Trees for Schools Program. Deliveries from Greater Western Water will arrive on Monday, July 17. We only received notification of our successful application this week and they have provided information and recommendations for preparing the site before plant delivery which is an impossible time frame. Please contact the office – office@smmspotswood.catholic.edu.au if you can help in any way. They recommend we plant the trees in our prepared site as soon as possible. For guidance, I have attached the GTW Planting Manual link. We're excited to be a part of this project and I wish to thank Anne Ablinger alongside Adele Garofalo, Kath Novak for writing our successful submission to kick off our Term 3 Sustainability and Hope, Faith-Life unit of Inquiry.
I also wish to send a special message to the staff and Year 5 and 6 students before your upcoming camp at Philip Island next week. Camps provide an incredible opportunity for growth, building friendships, and stepping out of your comfort zones. We all encourage our students to make the most of every moment, embrace new challenges, and support one another along the way. We have no doubt that you will return with stories to share.
Please remember to listen to your camp leaders and teachers, follow instructions, and take care of yourselves and each other. Enjoy the beautiful surroundings, be safe, and know that we are thinking of you.
We nominated putting this newsletter out this week instead of week 2 as there is an enormous amount of exciting and engaging events that we wish to remind you of. Please place the dates and events in your calendars as events such as attendance at Grandparents and special family friend’s days, book week parade costumes, putting together a group to attend our Trivia night and participating in our sacramental and parish events take forward planning.
Please take note of our move to the introduction of students purchasing Chromebooks heading into Year 3 in 2024 (instead of families having to buy ipads). It is an educationally based decision with the added bonus of a significantly lower financial outlay for families. As ipads are a valuable learning tool, they will remain in use alongside the Google devices but not at parents’ expense. Please read Simon’s report below for more information. There is a Q & A option for families to seek clarity.
In conclusion, please keep an eye on Operoo alerts and be sure to update your family’s information on this platform as we are not permitted to do this for you. Please ensure your contact details are up to date and that there is a nominated third contact we can phone. Thank you one and all for your ongoing positive support and we look forward to engaging with you and your extended family this term.
Stay warm, take care
Colleen McCambridge
Principal
Parking at Pick up and Drop Off
Please avoid parking across driveways and blocking footpaths.
Grandparents Morning
Grandparents mass and open morning is celebrated on Tuesday the 25th July. Mass will start at 9.15am in the Church, followed by an open morning and morning tea in the library.
Follow our socials for the latest learning posts from the classroom
St Margaret Mary’s students are independent life-long learners inspired by Gospel values and empowered with a sense of purpose and responsibility. They confidently engage with others and are equipped with skills to adapt to an ever changing world.
There are no awards this week. Weekly awards will begin in week 2 this term to coincide with the assembly schedule.
The Mini Vinnies Winter Appeal
To raise money for the Winter Appeal the Mini Vinnies organised a casual clothes and games day for the whole school on Wednesday 21st June.
The P-2's rotated around games such as rob the nest, egg and spoon relay and using the parachute while the 3-6's participated in games such as numbers soccer, down ball and volleyball. How lucky we were that the sun shone for us. The students thoroughly enjoyed the games and asked if we could do it again one day. We raised $277 for St Vincent de Paul's to use to support those in need this winter. Stay tuned for the next event the Mini Vinnies will organise in term 3.
2023 Winter Gala Day
On Friday the 2nd of June our senior students at SMM competed in the Westgate District Winter Gala Day. Our students competed in the netball and soccer competitions. SMM hosted the netball at Altona Sports Centre where we entered two mixed teams into the competition. A big congratulations to all of the students that competed and tried their best, a fun day was had by all. A special thank you to Mrs McGuirk for taking on the role of scorer on the day and to Mrs Hodza for coaching the netball teams. A big thank you also to our parent helpers Amanda D’Rosario and Jodie Millar for umpiring and their assistance on the day. We would also like to thank our amazing volunteer umpires and their teacher Natalie Tancredi from Bayside Secondary College for all their assistance, we could not have run the day without their help.
Our mixed soccer team, coached by Mr Tasca, competed at McIvor Reserve. Fortunately it was a lovely sunny day to play soccer. Congratulations to all of the students who showed excellent teamwork and sportsmanship on the day.
Thank you also to all of the parents who came down to watch and support our teams, it is always greatly appreciated.
Kristine Messig
Division Cross Country
On Wednesday the 31st of May, Finn Warren represented our school and the Maribyrnong District in Division Cross Country at Brimbank Park. Finn finished 22nd overall in the 9/10 year old boys group. Congratulations and well done Finn!
Kristine Messig
C is for communicating to connect with community
What can I do as a parent/caregiver to support my child?
Teach and model the social skill of greeting others to your child(ren)!
Greetings are an important feature of how we communicate with others in our community. Using greetings with each other are a way we can live out our school value of RESPECT because:
it is an expression of friendliness & kindness,
is a way to recognise others
demonstrates a practical way of showing students how to be polite
is a sign of welcoming & inclusion
Part of the Victorian Curriculum (Personal & Social Capability and English Curriculum Prep to 6) involves teaching students the importance of connecting with others (using social skills) & understanding the ‘language of interaction’ in our day to day dealing with others.
Teach & model a variety of greetings such as:
Good morning!
Hello!
How are you today?
Hi!
Hey!
What’s up?
Teach that sometimes greetings are signalled with gestures:
A simple smile,
A nod
A raised hand
A high five
Teach that greetings also include a lot of body language, tone of voice & facial expression. In teaching a child how to greet others, it will be important to discuss how we greet another person with our bodies, our facial expressions, and our voices.
Where and when?
Encourage & support your child to use everyday opportunities to practise skills, e.g.
Before and after school
Entering the classroom
In public settings, such as shops & other venues
Learning how to use formal and informal language
The Victorian English Curriculum contains a speaking and listening component comprising ‘language for interaction’. By modelling how to greet others in everyday situations & in a variety of formal & informal settings, your child(ren) have the opportunity to practise the skill in real life contexts & build confidence. Remind students that when they eventually succeed in presenting themselves for a job for example, first impressions are formed within seconds of meeting.
Why are greetings difficult for some children?
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), high levels of anxiety or a shy, introverted disposition often need support and guidance to learn the skills & confidence to interact with others. Social skills often require exchanges back & forth between people. Greetings are an example of a life skill involving a back and forth exchange. This needs to be explicitly taught to some children and modelled for all children. Without the use of greetings, a person might be considered unfriendly & distant, or in some cases, rude, which has consequences for connecting with and meeting new people and forming new friendships throughout different stages of life.
We look forward to continuing to support our students and each other at SMM and build our community spirit by greeting each other at every opportunity!
Mass this Saturday 5.30pm at St Margaret Mary’s Church. We would love to see our students and families attending.
Light refreshments will be served after mass this Saturday evening.
Children’s Liturgy
To the families of Sacred Heart and St Margaret Mary's of the Parish of St Joseph,
The parish is hoping to reinstate regular Children's Liturgy during the 10am Sunday Mass at Sacred Heart Church to encourage young families and their children to our weekend Masses.
We are looking to form a group of 3-5 adults/youth (16 years and older) who are interested in taking turns to lead these sessions and create opportunities for the children of our parish to learn more about the life of Jesus.
Resources and guidance would be provided.
If you are interested, please speak to Fr Binh after Mass or contact Ivana at the parish office on 9391 1201 or email to Newport.Spotswood@cam.org.au
Thanks and have a great weekend.
With every prayer and blessing,
Rev Binh Le
Upcoming School Masses and events
Tuesday 25th of July- Grandparents Day Mass 9.15
Calling All Kind Hearts! Join Our Ministry of Welcome!
Feedback from our community consultations indicated a need to ensure that all people coming to Mass feel welcome.
We are seeking compassionate volunteers to join our Welcoming Ministry! Be a beacon of warmth and love, ensuring every parishioner feels embraced in our faith community. Share a friendly smile, offer guidance, and extend a helping hand as we open our hearts to those seeking solace and spiritual connection.
Please consider joining this important team - your role could include coming to Mass 15 minutes earlier and greeting people as they arrive. You might be able to assist every week, or less frequently.
Together, let's create a vibrant atmosphere of belonging and hospitality. Join us in spreading God's love and make a lasting impact on the lives of all our members.
If you are interested in becoming a part of our Ministry of Welcome please speak to us or contact us at the presbytery, or via StJosephVicPPC@gmail.com. Your presence matters!
Grandparents Day
We will be celebrating Grandparents Day on Tuesday the 25th of July. We will have a morning mass at 9.15am where students are encouraged to sit with their grandparents or special visitors. Following this, we will have an open morning where grandparents and special visitors are welcome to visit the classrooms. Morning tea will be provided at 11am in the library. This year The Younger Sun bookshop will be setting up in the artroom and grandparents are optionally invited to purchase a book for donation to the school library.
School Fees
Parenting ADHD Course
Click the image for more info
Raising a child with ADHD can feel confusing, chaotic and stressful. Life can feel like that for your ADHD child too.
To add to your struggle, everywhere you turn there are armchair experts offering unwanted advice. Pouring information overload onto an already exhausting day-to-day can leave you feeling overwhelmed and stuck in survival mode.
This twelve-module course will cut through the noise and zone in on the up-to-the-minute science on what ADHD really is, why it occurs and, most importantly, give you the tools to create a more balanced environment at home.
With the right tools you can:
Feel confident using science-supported strategies
Develop a deeper connection with your ADHD child (and experience less challenging behaviour as a result)
Make space for more golden moments and stronger connections within your family
Chromebooks in 2024
In 2024, St Margaret Mary’s will be making some changes to it’s BYO program. Current year 2’s will not be required to purchase an ipad, but instead will use a Chromebook.
We are hoping to run an information session for parents about the program in the coming weeks and a flyer will be created with all the relevant details. If you have any questions that you would like answered, please click the link and send them through.
Our ordering portal is now live and you are able to make purchases for Chromebooks in 2024. Please note, once ordered, devices will be shipped in buk early December. Parents will be notified and devices can be picked up at the office.
NCCD Information Sheet
School Disco
The school Disco was a HUGE Sucess. There were a lot of happy groovers who had a blast. A big thank you to our FSG for organising the night and for our volunteers for coming along and helping out. There were many people who have commented how well it was run and this is indicative of the careful planning that took place from the organisers. Teamwork makes the dreamwork as they say.
Footy Tipping
Well that was an interesting few weeks. In the last round Tigers September used their Joker to come from behind and end up 4 clear. Last night’s Bulldog loss has closed the gap to 3 but it was a good use of the Joker to give them a nice lead coming into the home stretch. It is still very close and as we race to the finish we know that anything can happen.
If you haven’t done so, please pay the $25 entry fee to the account below. We currently have only 16 of the 29 members who have paid. It would be a shame to win and not be eligible to claim your prize! Also Sarah Farrer please make contact with Simon in the office to clarify your payments.
Please pay now if you haven’t already done so!
$25 to join and prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd to be announced soon.
Payments made via school FSG bank account. Please use your footy tipping alias as a reference.
Account SMM FSG
BSB: 083 347
Acc: 365426557
You can also send in $25 in an envelope, labelled with your alias and titled "2023 footy tipping"
Best of Luck!
Emmanuel College News
Good afternoon
It is wonderful to see students and staff back after the term break and hearing about places that were visited and experiences that were had.
Term 3 sees lots of activities happening starting with Year 10s participating in the Drivers’ Ed and Healthy Relationships programs, and students competing in hockey, table tennis, basketball, and premier league soccer. The new Arts facility at Notre Dame Campus is open, and students are loving the new building.
We are very excited to announce a ‘Come and Try’ soccer session with Liverpool FC International Academy – this will be held on Saturday 19 August at Notre Dame Campus. A flyer with more information to follow next week.
We are thankful to parents and carers for contributing to the recent survey on the use of mobile phones at school and the new mobile phone policy is now in place.
Information Morning is on Saturday 5 August, and we welcome you to come along to hear from the College Principal, Dr Janine Biggin and see the fantastic facilities that we have here at Emmanuel.
Registration for open morning and tours is available here: Information Morning and Tour registration and times for each campus are below:
Saturday 5 August 2023
Notre Dame Campus Commencing at 9:00am with the Principal’s address, followed by tours and ending at 10:30am
St Paul’s Campus Commencing at 10:30am with the Principal’s address, followed by tours and ending at 12 noon
Year 7 2025 Applications
A friendly reminder that if you have a child in Grade 5, applications for Year 7 2025 close on Friday 18 August 2023. Even if your older child is already attending or joining us in Year 7 2024, it is a requirement for an application to be submitted for Year 7 2025. A Prospectus Pack containing an application form can be obtained by:
Attending Information Morning on Saturday 5 August
Following this link to the College website: Request a Prospectus here
Sending an email to enrolments@ecmelb.catholic.edu.au
Calling our College Registrar, Ms Donna Grech on 8325 5119
Coming into either Campus Office between 8am and 4:15pm on weekdays.
I hope to see you at a College event soon.
Best wishes,
Jenny Hendricks
Community Engagement Officer
Mount St. Joseph Girls’ College
Mount St. Joseph Girls’ College Altona invites you to explore our faith and learning community at one of our Open Events in 2023
OPEN MORNINGS
Open Mornings provide an opportunity for families to witness learning in action on a regular school day. Our Year 9 student ambassadors will give you a personal tour of the College. Visiting families will have the unique opportunity to ask questions of our ambassadors and gain an honest insight into our programs and what it is like to be a student at Mount St. Joseph Girls' College.
Register to attend by visiting our website HERE.
Thursday 3 August - 9:15am – 10:30am
Thursday 7 Sept - 9:15am – 10:30am
ENROLMENT APPLICATIONS
A reminder that enrolment applications for Year 7 in 2025 close on 18 August 2023. Apply online HERE or contact the College Registrar, Mrs Sherri Collins for further information.
Contact details: registrar@msj.vic.edu.au or phone 8398 2007.