Hello Parents and Carers,

The rain has been delightful. Our school water tank is full and our grass is lush and growing taller! The cooler change makes learning that little bit easier. Autumn is here at long last!

Challenging Learning

Challenging Learning is the pedagogy we support at St Mary’s and it is about making learning more interesting by challenging how we think about concepts. Last week I explained the strategy of Odd One Out which is a quick ten minute activity to start or finish a lesson. Students are asked to base their answer on sound reasoning and all answers are shared. It always amazes me how we can think differently about the same problem.

This week, I have another example to demonstrate the strategy. It is based on fractions and would be ideal to do with Year 2-6 students.  Have a conversation at your place and let us know which one you think is the Odd One Out? There is no right answer, just an opportunity to ‘think and reason’. If you like please write your answer on a piece of paper and place in the Odd One Out box located in the front office. I’ll share some of the answers this Friday in our K-6 mini-assembly.

National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence

Next Friday 20 March is a nationwide day of action against bullying and violence. St Mary’s is a registered school and students are encouraged to wear bright colours in honour of the focus of the day which is Bullying, No Way! Classes will be doing some of the activities from the website https://bullyingnoway.gov.au/. All students will receive a backpack toggle to attach to their school backpack as a reminder that we do not tolerate bullying or violence at our school and that all students have the right to feel safe.

Grandparents Day - We will be having Grandparents Day on Thursday 2 April 2020. Each class will present an item showcasing some of their work from this term. Our classrooms will then be opened for parents and grandparents to walk through and view followed by a sausage sizzle. It should be a wonderful way to celebrate the important role our grandparents play in our lives. Please extend an invitation to all the grandparents in our community and let them know it starts at 11:30am.

Professional Development

Both Ms Buckmaster and Ms Crozier have had the opportunity to do some Numeracy Professional Development this week. Ms Saunderson attended professional development on Religious Education last Monday. Ms Justine Hughes is also in Canberra this week completing professional development  in her role as Classroom Support Teacher. We are fortunate to have current initiatives and professional development practice available for regional schools.

Have a lovely week everyone.

Jannine

We are now in the second week of Lent.

Purple or violet is the prescribed liturgical colour of Lent.

The use of purple helps to evoke visually a mood of simplicity and austerity, so adding symbols to them is unnecessary and distracting.  The colour purple IS the symbol.

During Lent we are asked to do the right thing.  Just like the ad in the 80’s Do the Right Thing where we were encouraged to simply keep our streets, parks and playgrounds clean by picking up our rubbish and putting it in the bin. Is this all there is to life…doing the right thing?  Do our actions need to be deeper?

Our Year 2/3 Mrs. Brown will have icy poles for a gold coin donation tomorrow.  Money raised will go toward supporting the world’s most vulnerable.

You are all invited to a whole school liturgy and lunch last day of Term 1. Thursday 9th April.  More information in Week 8.

 “Let my teaching fall like rain

          and my words descend like dew,

like showers in new grass,

      like abundant rain on tender plants.”   Deuteronomy 32:2

We blossom and grow with that rain.

Anne Saunderson - REC

Please keep Ethan, Nace and Thomas in your prayers as they prepare to make the Sacrament of First Reconciliation.
A reminder to families that a lesson will be held after 8.30 am Mass this Sunday 25th March.
Please bring along your completed Enrolment form and $15.00 payment.
Thank you.
Liz Murray

A huge thank you to Margaret Wilkinson for making all the calico bags for our new behaviour policy.

Year 2/3 created ‘Belly bands” for the books that they are presently reading. On the bands they wrote a short review or recommendation to encourage their classmates to read it after them. Many children highlighted their favourite part or gave the book a rating out of ten.
It is hoped that children might select from a wider variety of authors or genres in their sustained, silent reading time or when they borrow from the library.

The Greater Western Sydney Giants dropped into St Mary's yesterday to have a talk with the students. Sam, Lachie, Jackson and Seb answered questions and handed out prizes to students.

K/1 - Bianca and Logan

2/3 - Calee Bree

4/5/6 - Thomas and Amara

School Photo Day is in Week 9, Wednesday 25th March. 

Our radio presenters for Tuesday 17th March are Caleb and Zayn.

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

Our Home Cooks this Friday 13th March are the Wilkinson and Minogue families.

Cooking is sold Fridays for 50c each. Proceeds go to the end of year funday.

The SALMON family are asked to cook the cake for the raffle this Friday 13 March.

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

Birthday wishes this week go to Rianna who turns 5, Thursday 12th March.

The first Community Council meeting for the year will be held on 

Tuesday 24th March at 6pm.

If you have any items you would like raised please email 

office@stmarysbatlow.cg.catholic.edu.au attention SECRETARY by Tuesday 17th March.

FRIDAY 20TH MARCH - NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION AGAINST BULLYING & VIOLENCE

WEDNESDAY 25th MARCH - SCHOOL PHOTOS

SATURDAY 28th MARCH - BATLOW SHOW

THURSDAY 2ND APRIL - GRANDPARENTS DAY

THURSDAY 9th APRIL - TERM 1 ENDS 

TERM 2 PUPIL FREE DAYS - MON 27th & TUES 28th APRIL

TERM 2 BEGINS - WEDNESDAY 29th APRIL

Thank you to those who have already put their hands up to help 'man' the gate at the Batlow Show. If you can help out please follow the link below and put your name in a timeslot that suits you.

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