Dear Parents and Carers,

It is hard to believe that we are half way through this term already! We are truly grateful that we have had such a wonderful start to 2020 considering the events in January. The children are very happy and settled. Playground duty is a pleasure and classrooms are busy and productive.

Challenging Learning

When teachers are designing questions for lessons they consider them carefully. Good dialogue is an important feature of Challenging Learning as it encourages students to think more deeply. Just one of the strategies in Challenging learning is Odd One Out? You take three items and ask students to decide which one doesn’t belong. E.g. 128, 253 and 1089. Students need to reason as to why they have selected one to be the Odd One Out. They may say it is 128 because it is the only even number, or 1089 because it has 4 digits, or 253 because it doesn’t have an 8 digit in the number. Teachers can use any three items to use in this strategy and it is highly effective. You may like to discuss this one in your household tonight.

New Staff

We have two new staff members starting with us soon. Ms Courtnee Leigh will be taking Year 2/3 starting Monday 16 March and Ms Deborah Wild will be our School Welfare Officer/Music Teacher, for one day per week, starting Thursday 12 March 2020. We warmly welcome both Ms Leigh and Ms Wild into our St Mary’s community.

Three Way Interviews

Thank you to all the parents who were able to attend their Three Way Interview with their child/ren and class teacher last week. If you were unable to attend please contact your child’s teacher to arrange an appointment.

Batlow Show 28 March

The Batlow Show is coming up soon! You may like to show your support by helping to ‘man’ the back gate for an hour or so. Please see the link in this newsletter to put your name down on the roster. Students may even consider entering some items into the exhibits. Please see the categories on offer at the Batlow Show in this newsletter. Our school display will be there once again and all students will have an item on display.

This week I am attending the Catholic Leaders Retreat from Wednesday to Friday. This is held annually and this year we are looking at the Learning Agenda. In my absence, Ms Anne Saunderson (REC) will be available if you have any queries or matters needing school support.

 Have a lovely week everyone.

 Jannine

The season of Lent is now well underway.  Thank you to Father George, Robert Pearce  and Year 5 for leading our Mass last Wednesday.  Our Sunday Mass celebration was very special with the gentlemen from Vanuatu leading the singing; thank you EJ and James Sullivan, Thomas Korn, Mrs. Richards, Miss Buckmaster, Mrs Murray, Mrs Dobbie, and Ms Holland for your contributions to the Mass.

During Lent we are asked to pray a little more fervently, to fast (more about this in next weeks newsletter!) and to give generously. The religious term is almsgiving.

Almsgiving

NOUN

1. (in historical or religious contexts) the practice of giving money or food to poor people.

• benevolence generosity · humanitarianism · public-spiritedness · altruism · social conscience · social concern · charity · charitableness · brotherly love · fellow feeling ·magnanimity · munificence · · largesse · open-handedness ·

Each Wednesday until the end of Term 1 we will be offering something special for the children. The children are asked to bring a gold coin that will go toward St. Mary’s Batlows contribution to Project Compassion.  This week we will have chocolate crackles available, made by Mrs. Saunderson and Year 6.

Over the coming weeks each of the teachers will contribute. Mrs. Brown will have icy poles, Miss Buckmaster and Miss Crozier will have ice cream and toppings, Miss Collins will be contributing cupcakes.

What is Project Compassion?

Project Compassion Helps to Support the Worlds Poor

Project Compassion changes lives around the world. We can help in our small way to support the world's most vulnerable. .

Spanning through the six weeks of Lent each year, Project Compassion is an extraordinary, ongoing demonstration of our faith, love and generosity.

 “...He gives justice to the poor and food to the hungry.”

We continue to blossom and grow

Anne Saunderson

REC

In library K/1 enjoyed a range of ‘hands –on’ activities as they explored non- fiction texts.

They experimented using magnets, magnifying glasses and a range of sensory materials.

Library lessons are held each Friday. Please remind your child to pack their library bag so that they can borrow new books each week.

Thank you

Liz Murray - Librarian

Students are enjoying the ‘Mystery Picks’ in the Library. Books have been wrapped up and a clue has been left for the students to decide if it is a book they might enjoy.

They have been very popular at Library Borrowing time!

The Batlow Show is on Saturday 28 March. What a town and what a committee! This year we have a good reason to celebrate being a community after the bushfires. Our school will be putting in our school display once again. We hope you get a chance to get there and look at our students’ work.

We have been invited to man the ‘back gate’ at the show from 7 to 4pm by the Batlow Show Committee. The school receives a small donation from the Show Society for our support. Please let us know if you're available for an hour or so through the schoolszine email ‘Batlow Show Back Gate Support’ or follow the link below.

https://stmarysbatlow.schoolzineplus.com/form/40

Please ensure that students are dressed in the correct uniform everyday. Sport uniform Monday and Friday with joggers that support feet and ankles for sport activities. Normal uniform Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with plain black shoes.

Our radio announcers for Tuesday 10th March are Catriona and Annabelle.

Tune into FM96.3 at 1.45pm to catch up on all that is ahppening at St Mary's.

School Photo envelopes were sent home today. All envelopes are to be brought in on the actual day of photography or if you prefer you can return to school and the school will hold them until photo day on Wednesday 25 March. 

Sibling envelopes were also sent home.

The WOODLAND & SHANG families are our cooks this week.

Cooking is sold Fridays for 50c each. Proceeds go towards the end of year fun day.

The ROBERTS family are asked to cook the cake for the raffle this week.

Tickest sold for 20c each on Fridays. Proceeds to the end of year fun day.

MONDAY is school banking day.

ICT User Policy and Ipad Agreement sheets went home in Week 4 (blue sheets), if you have not signed and returned to school please do so as soon as possible. If you have misplaced your forms please call the school for another.

Don't forget the first two days of Term 2 - Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 April are pupil free days.

1 in 10 children and 1 in 3 adults suffer from hearing loss, which left undetected can affect learning, socialising and overall quality of life. Collaborating with the National Acoustic Laboratories, Sound Scouts created an app that provides mobile access to a hearing check, that delivers an immediate Report, including next steps if a hearing loss is detected.

Sound Scouts is FREE for all Australian schoolchildren (aged 4-17) thanks to support from the Department of Health.

Mrs Hughes our Classroom Support Teacher will conduct the assessments.

Please complete the webform and submit if you would like your child to have this free hearing check.

https://stmarysbatlow.schoolzineplus.com/form/42

Thank you to those who have already submitted thier forms.

Families affected by the recent fire disaster are advised by Snowy Valleys Council that Recovery Assistance Points are located at

· Batlow – Literary Institute - Saturdays and Wednesdays 10am – 4pm - Starting Saturday 15 February

· Tumbarumba – RSL Memorial Hall – Tuesdays 10am – 4pm – Starting Tuesday 18 February

· Talbingo – Talbingo Mountain Retreat - Thursdays 10am – 4pm – Starting Thursday 20 February

· Adelong – Adelong S&C Club – Fridays 10am – 4pm – Starting Friday 21 February

At these points there will be Red Cross, Murrumbidgee Local Health and other organisation able to assist with recovery needs.

 For more details phone;

Ph: 1300 ASK SVC Fax: 02 6941 2678

 People impacted by bushfires are encouraged to call Service NSW on 13 77 88, see a Service NSW team member in a Disaster Recovery Assistance Point, visit a Service NSW Centre or Mobile Service Centre, or go to www.service.nsw.gov.au.

Time for Healthy Habits is a collaboration between Early Start at the University of Wollongong, NSW Health and the University of Newcastle. The programs offered by the study provide parents of 2-6 year old children with practical information and support on healthy eating, physical activity, screen-time and sleep. Access is free and you can complete the program at home at a time that suits you. Further information about the study is available on our website if you would like to find out more http://www.timeforhealthyhabitsnsw.com

A local family is in need of a house to rent in Batlow. The house in needed as soon as possible. Please phone the school if you can help out.