Term 3, Week 1 Friday 26th July 2024

Welcome back to Term 3, I hope you had a restful time over the break and were able to get some quieter times with your children.

It was lovely to see everyone back this week and especially as we have welcomed a few days of warmer weather.

This week, we welcomed our new Term 3 Reception and Preschool children.  It is always wonderful to see how the older children take care of our newest members of our community.

Parent Teacher Learning Conversations
Please remember to book your conversations with your child/ren’s class teacher for Week 2.  This is a great opportunity to discuss learning and wellbeing, as well as Semester 1 reports.  Year 3 and 5 parents can also discuss NAPLAN results with the teacher.  A strong partnership between school and home is a strong factor in student academic success.

The information about bookings was sent home with Semester 1 reports.

Living Learning Leading Surveys
Each year we ask for parent/caregiver, student and staff survey about how we can build on improving our school community.  We really appreciate the feedback we have received in the past few years and it has definitely shaped our improvement plans, including student leadership, community events and our Master Planning (Building) focus.  This week, all students will bring home some information about how parents/caregivers can participate. 

As always, there is an incentive!  The class with the most parent responses will be treated to a pizza/hot chip lunch!

Weeks 2 and 3 Leadership
During Weeks 2 and 3, I will be taking on the Acting Principal role at Holy Family Catholic School, Parafield Gardens.  Belinda Elliott will take on the role as Acting Principal here during this time, supported by other members of the leadership team.  I am looking forward to the opportunity to see how another school operates and hopefully will learn some things to assist in our continuous improvement here at St Margaret Mary’s School.

Thank you for your continued support,
Kelly Campbell

Dear Families

I hope the school holidays were a time of rest and rejuvenation ready for the second half of the year. It was great to see so many children’s beautiful smiling faces back at school on Monday, ready to start a new term of learning.

SMMS UNIFORM

The correct SMMS school uniform is required for all students, from Foundation to Year 6. Your support with this is greatly appreciated.

ALL items worn by students are required to be the SMMS school uniform – this includes hats, beanies and jackets. T-shirts, skivvies or leggings (etc) in different colours or brands should NOT be visible under the SMMS uniform. Our school uniform including t-shirt (short or long sleeve), long pants and jacket are warm. If your child needs more layers, then consider a singlet or other thermal item that is not visible.

If you need any school uniform items, please come in and see Rosie in our Uniform Shop (located next to our Library/Foundation classrooms) on Tuesdays 2:30-3:30pm and Fridays 8:30-10:00am.

PRICE LIST

Short Sleeved Polo Top $40                  
Long Sleeved Polo Tops $40
Shorts $30                     
Track Pants $50
Jackets $60                 
Hats $20
Knee Pads for track pants $7ea
Beanies $15

SMMS HATS - 1 August

ALL students are required to wear the SMMS school hat when outside, starting next Thursday 1 August (Week 2). This must be our SMMS hat, and not the SMMS beanie.

The following information comes from our Skin Protection Policy:

St. Margaret Mary’s School will ensure staff and students use a combination of sun protection strategies every day from 1st August to 30th April and at any other times when the UV level is 3 and above. Staff and students are encouraged to check the daily sun protection times via the SunSmart app, www.myuv.com.au or  www.bom.gov.au/sa/uv

Sun protection strategies will include the following:

• Students, staff and volunteers will be expected, and visitors to our school will be actively encouraged, to wear a sun safe hat whenever they are involved in outside activities.

• All students are required to wear the school uniform hat, which is a broad brimmed hat giving good cover to the face, ears and neck. Students not wearing the school uniform sun safe hat will be expected to play in the shade.

• Students who do not wear the school uniform hat during sport lessons and/or outdoor activities will be required to sit in a shaded area. 

WATER ONLY

Just a reminder that children should only be bringing water to school or Preschool. Please do not pack soft drink, sports drinks, juice or fruit boxes, or flavoured milks in your child’s lunch box; these are high in sugar, and do not help the children to concentrate during the day. We appreciate your assistance with this.

We will look forward to seeing you and your children at the Parent/Teacher Learning Conversations next week. Please call Angela in the Front Office if you have forgotten to book in a time.

Wishing you all the best for the weeks ahead.

Belinda

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Today, Friday 26 July, the Grady House students were invited to wear their Sports Day red T-Shirt, red hair accessories or red socks to acknowledge Sr Jude Grady. Sr Grady was a Sister of Saint Joseph and the inaugural Headmistress (Principal) of St Margaret Mary’s School. It was wonderful to see their Grady House spirit on display within our community.  Every House will have their own House Day celebration. A day where we can acknowledge the significant person or saint that each of our House is named after. MacKillop House spirit (Green) will be on display next on Friday 9 August (Term 3, Week 3) and finally Margaret House (Blue) on Friday 18 October (Term 4, Week 1).

Staff Formation Day
Since 2023, staff have been reflecting on visible and authentic ways to connect our school values with our St Margaret Mary’s history, our Josephite story and the Catholic Tradition.

We have engaged in a shared formation journey with clear intentions, valuing individual and communal reflection and would prove to be ongoing. These were our 2023 Formation intentions:

1. To have House colours named after a significant person or saint
2. To have Houses meet once a term, building connections and team spirit
3. To link our school values to how we explicitly teach Positive Behaviours
4. To link our Year 6 graduate awards to our school values
5. To personalise our school values in classrooms using photos and routines

When we gathered on Friday 5th July (Week 10), for our 2024 Staff Formation Day, we were pleased to celebrate that ways in which each of these intentions are already visible in our school.

Garden Patches
It has been wonderful to see how much our cauliflower, broccoli, brown onions and snow peas have already grown over the holidays. We have certainly had plenty of rain over the break. Although new Student Leaders will be selected over the coming week for Semester 2, our Semester 1 representatives will continue their responsibility of helping our vegetables grow and updating our SMMS community when we are ready to harvest later in the term.

Sacramental Workshop
The Confirmation and First Eucharist Workshop will be held on Wednesday 7 August (Week 3) at Whitefriars School (45 Beaufort Street, Woodville Park), from 6:00pm to 8:00pm in the Mary MacKillop Hall.

We ask that all students attend this workshop with at least one or both parents. At the workshop students will receive materials to create their Confirmation posters and First Eucharist banner.

Please be advised that there will be a sign in sheet to register your attendance. If you have any questions regarding the Sacramental Program, please contact Kirsty Power our Parish Sacramental Coordinator sacramental.coordinator@croydonparkparish.com.au

Have a good weekend everyone.

Matthew Harrison

Wednesday 21^st August (Week 5) at 10:15am

Children are invited to dress up on this day. No scary costumes or weapons please.

Not sure where to start? Try a magic hat...

Parents are welcome to come along to the parade.

Book Club Issue 5 is out now!

Due date for orders is 11^th August.

ALL orders done online via Book Club LOOP.

Find out how on Page 31 of your magazine (payments will not be accepted at school).

This will be the only Book Club issue for Term 3.