Newsletter Term 3, Week 5 2023
Tuesday 15 Aug - Whole School Mass- Assumption of Mary 9.15am
Sat 19 & 26 Aug - First Eucharist Masses
Friday 1st Sep- Father's Day Brekky (date changed)
Hello Parents and Carers,
Thank you for taking the time to read our third newsletter for this term.
Last Tuesday, the FSG met and enjoyed a chat at the Spotswood Hotel. The Trivia night is set to be a gala event. Coincidentally, a past parent introduced herself to me one night when I was locking up to go home and she said she and other past parents were looking forward to coming along as it is always a great night.
Please get behind this, our major fundraiser for the year: attendance, donations, putting a table together, joining a table, please record Saturday, September 2nd in your diary and bring some friends along! While marking important dates in your diary, please remember Father’s Day breakfast is on Friday, September 1 st from 8.15am.
The preliminary NAPLAN results have arrived, highlighting the continued positive growth demonstrated by our hard working students. While we recognise that NAPLAN offers only a snapshot of our student’s educational journey and is a genre outside conventional school practices; it nevertheless provides an additional layer of student data that informs our design of well-informed strategies for each child’s academic growth.
Parents and guardians continued support and partnership are invaluable as we work together to nurture a thriving learning environment for our children.
Last Tuesday we gathered at mass to celebrate Australia’s first saint, the inspirational, Saint Mary MacKillop. The Charism of St. Joseph is at the core of St. Margaret Mary’s; hence we reflect on our own call to be of service to others.
Saint Mary MacKillop’s legacy is deeply intertwined with education as she founded the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, a congregation devoted to educating remote and underprivileged communities. Our saint’s pioneering spirit led to the establishment of schools such as St. Margaret Mary’s that empowered countless children, allowing them to access knowledge and opportunities previously denied to them.
Personally, I feel a close bond with St Mary MacKillop and the sisters of St. Joseph. I received an inspiring primary school education at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Sunbury (which was a village of around 10,000 residents back then).
I have also been blessed with the lifelong support of my cousin, confidant and mentor, St. Giovanni Farquer RSJ. Some of you may recall that Sr Giovanni, amongst her other significant roles, was the principal of MSJ and the founding principal of MacKillop College in Werribee. We give thanks to St. Mary MacKillop and all of the Sisters of St. Joseph who have dedicated their lives to God and the service of others.
Thursday night Year 4 children and parents from SMM and Sacred Heart gathered in the church as part of their preparation for receiving the blessed Eucharist for the first time. Please keep the dates of Saturday 19th and 26th of August in your diaries to come along to the 5.30pm mass at SMM to bear witness to your support and to celebrate with our children as they receive the body of Christ for the first time.
First Eucharist is the second Sacrament of Initiation in the children’s faith journey. We extend our best wishes and keep in our prayers: Xavier, Milla, Sienna, Sophie, Tuppence, Chris, Xavier, Milla, Tomas, Uma, Leo, and welcome back to Violeta.
Our Sunday welcome Masses continue to be a great success. Please come along to St. Margaret Mary’s 5.30 Saturday mass and be sure to stay for a cuppa and a chat. Please see the dates below for the parish of St. Joseph choir and after-mass welcome gatherings.
In a few weeks, families will receive details regarding the MACSSIS survey. We kindly invite parents, along with our Grade 4 to 6 students and staff, to participate in this survey, aimed at identifying both our school’s strengths and areas that could use improvement. The insights drawn from the MACSSIS data not only enrich our school community as a whole but also offers significant pointers for focused enhancement.
Every voice matters, and your participation will support our shared commitment towards fostering positive change for our students.
Stay warm, and take care
Colleen McCambridge
Principal
Fathers Day Brekky - Change of Date
The Fathers Day Brekky date has changed to Friday the 1st of September, 8-8.45 am. Be sure to mark it in your calendars!
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.
Each week, students who embody our values, apply the school mindsets to learning, work hard to improve or persevere to deliver on learning objectives are awarded a class award. The students who earned an award in the past weeks are:
Week 4
Week 5
Juniors Excursion to Bundoora Farm
Our School Garden
Senior Writing Piece
How to Make the Best Football Team
by Jackson C. in Year 6
There are lots of different traits of a positive football club. Here is a procedural text on how to create one.
You need to be happy with your coach and make sure he makes you train and eat healthily. Make sure he does not be rude, and make sure he always gives constructive feedback.
You need to always push yourself in training, and you should try to go for a daily 5km run. Another key thing for fitness is you need at least 5 fruits or veggies a day.
Eat healthy foods that provide protein and energy, so stuff like bananas, broccoli, peas, corn, broccolini, asparagus, rocket, spinach, etc. Before a match, I would recommend a banana and some wheat bix.
To make a good team, you need to have a good bond with your teammates, like hanging out with them on the weekend or going to the park and train. Having a good bond with your teammates is so important because if you don't have a good bond, they won't engage with you as much in games and they won't be nice to you.
You need to work on your strength so you can use your body in real game situations. To help your strength, I would set up a routine that makes you push yourself, but don’t push yourself too hard.
You should never argue with the ref or your coach because it causes a bad habit and reputation. Arguing with the ref can cause a yellow card or a red card. Arguing with the coach can mean that you start on the bench or not even play at all!
Working on your skills is very important because working on your skills can determine if you can dribble past anyone. A good way to work on your skills is ball rolls, step-overs, and fake shots. Those would be the most important in a match.
C is for coping with Conflict to Connect positively with others
Conflict is an unavoidable part of life. How well students are able to resolve conflict is related to their age, stage of development and life experiences. Learning to deal with conflict is an important life & relationship skill that requires:
a high degree of self awareness
the ability to regulate our emotions
having known strategies for calming down
understanding how each person contributes to the problem
having a willing attitude to work things out for a better outcome
having active listening skills
engaging assertively, but respectfully
At SMM our students engage in regular social emotional lessons(SEL) guided by the Victorian curriculum (personal & social capability) & eXcel: Wellbeing for learning in Catholic school communities
At SMM, when conflict occurs, students are supported by school staff. They are taught explicit strategies for coping & dealing with conflict through dedicated SEL lessons & at “point of need”.
Students are encouraged to identify how we look, sound and feel when we behave in the following ways & how this either escalates or de-escalates conflict.
What can I do as a parent/caregiver to support my child?
Be a positive role model – children often learn how to resolve conflict by observing & imitating the way significant others resolve conflict
Share, teach & reinforce calming down & coping strategies, e.g. deep breathing, going for a walk, tensing & relaxing, counting to 10, moving to a quiet area etc
Help them to articulate “I statements”, such as “When you (describe the behaviour) I felt (describe the emotion) & I would prefer that…” e.g. when you yell at me, I feel worried and I would prefer that you use a calm voice
Develop perspective taking, empathy & compassion- How might the other person have viewed it? How might the other person be feeling? What else is happening for them?
We look forward to working in partnership with you by teaching & modelling conflict resolution skills at school & at home!
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 15th August- Whole School Mass- Assumption of Mary 9.15 am in SMM Church
Dates when Choir will sing at mass
Sacred Heart: Sunday 6/8
St Margaret Mary's: Saturday 19/8
Sacred Heart: Sunday 3/9
St Margaret Mary's: Saturday 16/9
Sacred Heart: Sunday 1/10
St Margaret Mary's: Saturday 14/10
Sacred Heart: Sunday 5/11
St Margaret Mary's: Saturday 18/11
Sacred Heart: Sunday 3/12
St Margaret Mary's: Saturday 16/12
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!
School Fees
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.
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.
Trivia Night Donations Needed
The trivia night is our school’s major fundraising event for the year. We need your help to make it a huge success. See the information below about how you can book tickets and help out through donations. Tickets are on sale NOW!
Footy Tipping
Not too much change in the top 10 tippers this week, with the only movement coming from BomberLove who used their Joker to rocket up to 6th place. Shaqatak is dominating and is 2 tips clear of the pack. Will it be enough to hold on for another 3 rounds or will someone go for gold and take the crown. Best of luck!
Please note this tipping comp finishes at the end of the regular season and does not include finals.
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!
Healthy Fundraising Opportunity
This month, if you sign up for the gym, $100 will be donated back to the school. Click the link below for more details.
Emmanuel College News
It was wonderful to welcome many families to the Information Morning last weekend, where they heard from College Principal, Dr Janine Biggin, parents and students. They enjoyed a tour of the College’s remarkable facilities with student leaders.
We are really looking forward to next week’s Science Fair which gives our students the opportunity to share their science creations and projects with family and friends.
On Saturday 19 August we are holding the Liverpool Football Club International Academy ‘Come and Try’ session at Notre Dame Campus. There are limited places available, if you would like your child to attend, registration is via the link on the flyer attached.
Year 7 2025 Applications closing soon
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 at the College or joining us in Year 7 2024,
it is a requirement for an application to be submitted for students entering Year 7 in 2025.
A Prospectus Pack containing an application form can be obtained by:
Following this link to the College website
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 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.