Dear Parents and Carers,

We are nearing the last 5 weeks of 2019 and teachers are busy conducting assessments in order to finalise semester reports. Reports will be sent home on Friday 6 December. Other important dates are also listed in the newsletter. Please take time to be aware of those dates to assist in the end of year planning.

Mr George Telford is visiting St Mary’s this Wednesday to observe teacher dialogue, questioning and feedback techniques. Mr Telford works with the Challenging Learning team and he has a range of strategies to share with teachers and students. The theme is ‘Stronger learning for stronger lives”. Once again it is wonderful to have quality professional development come to us. If you would like to learn more please look at the website www.challenginglearning.com and please feel free to come and chat with your child’s class teacher or myself.

Batlow Rotary are coordinating Carols by Candlelight at the Batlow RSL Club on Thursday 5 December. We are about to start learning some wonderful songs to perform. Parents and carers will need to accompany their children to the evening and we are hoping many of you can join us as well.

Tonight we are holding a parent and student session on My Body, My Life for students in Year 5/6 only. This personal development program is age appropriate and run by representatives from Catholic Care. Parents and students from St Joseph’s Adelong will be joining us as well.

 Have a lovely week.

 Jannine

A children's Mass will be held Sunday 1st December at 8.30 am. We would like all students to attend this special Mass. Any child attending will participate in the Mass, ie: a Reading, Prayer of the Faithful, Offertery etc.

The Rotary Carols by Candlelight will be held at the RSL club on Thursday 5th December at 7pm. Students are asked to meet teachers at the club at 6.45pm.

Thank you to all the families who were able to purchase books this year and make our Book Fair such a great success.

We raised over $1300.00 and will receive many new books for the library as commission.

Thank you to the King, Korn, Smith, Murray and Richards families who donated books to the library. We will have a wonderful new selection of books to borrow very soon.

Kind regards 

Mrs Murray

Vinnies Christmas Appeal

With 3 million people living below the poverty line in Australia, including over 739,000 children, your donation to this appeal is appreciated.

This year we are again invited  to join  in making a difference to people’s lives, by giving non perishable goods that will go toward hampers for families at Christmas.

Baskets will be placed at the front office of the school until Wednesday 11th December. 

Goods donated will be presented to St. Vincent de Paul members at out Thanksgiving Mass on Thursday 12th December at 10:00 am.

Suggestions for goods to be donated are, Christmas Pudding, custard powder, tinned fruit, Bon Bons, tea, coffee, milo, long life milk,sweet biscuits, candy canes, jelly,jams, long life juice, Christmas cake, pancake mix, cordial, lollies, pasta, pasta sauce, chips, nuts.

The JONES family is on cake raffle this Friday 22nd November. Tickets are sold on Friday for 20c. Proceeds to student end of year pool day.

The MINOGUE and WILLEMS families are our home cooks this week. Cooking sold for 50c at recess.

Our radio announcers next Tuesday 29th November are Sebastian and Jade. tune in to 96.3FM at 1.45pm for all that is happening at St Mary's.

Birthday wishes this week go to Daniel who turns 12 next Monday 25th November. Have a great day.

Year 5/6 will hold their assembly on Friday 29th November at 2pm. All welcome.

Year 1 will visit our friends at the Batlow Daycare tomorrow 20th November. Year 5/6 will visit next week 27th and Year 2/3/4 will visit on Wednesday 4th December.

St Mary's will farewell Year 6 at the Thanksgiving Mass on 12th December at 10am. Everyone welcome.

The End of Year Awards afternoon will be held on Wednesday 11th December. The presentation will begin at 1.30 and conclude at 3.00pm and will be held at the Literary Institute.

St Jude's Primary School in Holder ACT donated all their Earn and Learn vouchers to St Mary's. The items purchased with these vouchers arrived last week. Amongst the goods received there were sets of Lego, drums, sensory seats, dice domes, jumping sacks, woodn clipboards, magnetic whiteboards, and permanent markers.

We would like to thank St Jude's for their continued support of our small school. The items purchased with the vouchers collected at St Mary's will arrive soon.

Annie and Demianna with a small sample of the items received from the Earn and Learn program.

Helpers are needed to sell tickets in our Christmas raffle THIS Friday November 22nd at the RSL Auditorium between 6 - 9pm.

Please let Tracee know if you can help.

We have an old but loved piano in the weather shed looking for a new home.

For a donation this could be yours.

Please contact the office if you would like to have a look or take.

The students had their final Footsteps lesson for 2019. The students really enjoyed the dance program and learnt plenty of new steps.

K/1 will have swimming lessons on the 9th, 10th, 12th and 13th December from 1.45 to 2.30pm. More details and permission notes will be sent home soon.