Dear Parents,

I return from leave grateful for the special time I had with my family.  I really appreciated staff stepping up to cover my absence and especially Ms Amy Buckmaster who took on an extra load. St Mary's, I knew, was in good hands.

Compass Explained Leave  

While I was away last week, many students were also on leave due to ill health. I truly hope everyone is now on the mend. I ask all parents to ensure student leave absences are explained via the Compass portal as soon as possible, so that records are up to date.

Winter Uniform

Full winter uniform is now expected including long trousers for boys and long trousers, skirts/tunic for girls. Children need to be well prepared with jumpers and jackets.  School jackets, beanies, gloves and scarves are all available in our uniform shop in school colours. Please contact Trish or Tracee in the office for help if needed.

Pupil Free Day  Friday 10 June

This Friday, staff are looking at a module on Classroom Management as we continue to progress through the Catalyst Modules as designed by Catholic Education. Sound practices in classroom management create a positive learning environment and need to be reviewed and taught regularly. Staff look forward to the opportunity to view, discuss and revisit our Pastoral Care Policy. The afternoon will also provide some additional release time to catch up on the impact of Covid and staff shortages we have experienced this year. We thank parents in advance for making alternative arrangements for their children this Friday. Please direct any queries or concerns to me if needed. Our next Pupil Free Day will be Friday 1 July, the last day of Term 2.

Safe On Social

Safe on Social is an online presentation being offered to Yr 3-6 students and parents K-6 on Monday 20 June. It is about being safe engaging on social media and also gaming platforms. Many of our students are using the online environment daily and have encountered difficulties even this year. This presentation comes highly recommended to us as being informative, engaging and very relevant. Students from Yr 3-6 will view a presentation during the school day with teachers and then a separate presentation is offered for parents at 6:30pm that evening. Please save the date.

WR Athletics

Thursday 16 June will see our St Mary's qualifiers heading to Cootamundra for the Western Region Athletics Carnival. Representing at WR is always a good opportunity to compete to a higher level and students are encouraged to take on the challenge. Parents of students who have qualified have already been contacted regarding the $10 nomination fee and transport to the event. Parents are advised that nominations for the event close this Friday 10 July. 

K-12 Pathway in Catholic Education

And on a final note the news of McAuley Catholic Central School going to Yr 11/12 in Tumut was released last week. This is brilliant news for our students and families seeking Catholic Education to Year 12 in our local area. The Principal of McAuley, Mr Eamonn Moore visited our Year 6 students today to speak with them about transition to Year 7 and what to expect at McAuley. I look forward to supporting the K-12 Pathway for Batlow students and sharing further information with families as it comes to hand.

Have a lovely week everyone and keep warm!

Jannine

Last Wednesday we welcomed our first day of Winter with a beautiful blanket of snow around our town. I hope you enjoyed our video on Facebook that highlighted the joy we felt when we saw snow falling outside our classroom windows. We couldn’t resist but to go outside and embrace it. It was a magical way to begin our Winter months ahead.

 

To welcome the season of Winter, we pray…

Dear God,

In the midst of Winter, when the days are cold and wind can pierce,

remind us of the warmth of your love.

In the midst of Winter, when days are short, dawn comes late, and dusk arrives early,

remind us that in the darkness your light still shines.

In the midst of Winter, when the flowers of spring still lie hidden in the earth, when leaves are off the trees, and the world can seem bleak,

remind us that Spring is but a short time away.

And when in our lives we feel as if we are experiencing a season of Winter, reach out to us with the power of your resurrection so that we may feel the warmth of your love and see your light that alone can take away the darkness of our soul.

O God, our heavenly Father, preserve those who travel (through snow and on ice); surround them with your loving care; protect them from every danger; and bring them in safety to their journey's end; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

Have a lovely week and keep warm,

Amy Buckmaster - Religious Education Coordinator