Dear Parents,

From today on Compass you will be able to access your child’s Semester One School Report. The reports follow a similar format to previous years and no comments are included in the report. 

The best way to understand how your child is progressing is through discussion with your child’s teacher. Several weeks ago we had the first formal opportunity for parents to meet with their child’s teacher and another opportunity is planned for Week Six of Term Three. This will follow a slightly different format in that students will also participate in the process. An Open Classroom where the students can showcase their work will take place for all families in Term Four. At the end of Term One our first interim reports were sent home to parents and another will go home towards the end of Term Three. 

A lot of work has been done behind the scenes preparing for student work samples to be shared with parents via Compass. This will allow parents to see what constitutes a ‘C’ grade for a given activity and what is required for a student to move from a ‘C” grade, to a ‘B” or ‘A’ grade. We hope to upload the first of these in Term Three.

Currently we use an A-E grading system from Year One to Year Six while Kindergarten reports use the achievement descriptors ‘above expectations’, ‘meeting expectations’, ‘working towards expectations’ and ‘experiencing difficulty’. To make it easier to understand, simply view a ‘C’ as what was once termed ‘average’.

In some reports you may see the comment ‘excluded.’ This simply means that area has yet to be covered in class. For example, the HSIE curriculum is broken down into History and Geography. One year level may have chosen to focus on History for the first semester and will focus on Geography in the second semester. This often occurs in subjects with a number of strands.

Should you wish to discuss your child’s report with your child’s teacher, I ask that you contact them directly.

And when he saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers to his harvest.' He summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to drive them out and to cure all kinds of disease and all kinds of illness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon who is known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who was also his betrayer. These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them as follows: 'Do not make your way to gentile territory, and do not enter any Samaritan town; go instead to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. And as you go, proclaim that the kingdom of Heaven is close at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those suffering from virulent skin-diseases, drive out devils. You received without charge, give without charge.

REFLECTION

Our gospel for today is from Matthew 9:36-10:8. The gospel is about compassion, discipleship. This also reminds us of the role of the believers in spreading the message of Christ. When Jesus said “You will be my chosen people“, the message is very clear. He chose us to be Hi people to serve Him and help spread the good news.

In the gospel from Matthew 9:36-10:8, we are the chosen people of God. We are the disciples that share the same priesthood through baptism. We have the role of being Christians in the community and that is to serve in many ways we can. It is not only the priest who is to perform this service because in the eyes of God, we are all able to do so.

So, how will we keep our role intact in our Christian community? As the gospel from Matthew 9:36-10:8 is telling us to serve, we are to serve with a full heart. The courage to serve the community through charity. The opportunity we have to dedicate ourselves into the service of those who are in need.

This is a true calling for all Christians in the entire world. As what we are as good followers of Christ. We have the calling to what is right. In a world full of chaos, Jesus hoped in us. We are the sheep that Jesus is pasturing even before He sees us of what we are.

So then, Matthew 9:36-10:8 is telling us to keep praying. Pray, work in silence and ask Him for the help we need to do what is right. We have to spread His message all throughout eternity. We must be the people of God, the spreader of the good news. We must always walk in the light of God. – Clea

CONFIRMATION REGISTRATIONS

Just a reminder that Confirmation registrations close on Friday June 30th (next week). We have had a huge response from our Year 6 classes and welcome any other Catholic students in Year 6 to join in this Sacrament. Registration forms are available from the front office and need to be returned with a $50 registration fee and a copy of your child’s Baptism certificate no later than Friday.

VINNIES WINTER APPEAL

This year as part of our Vinnies Winter Appeal, we raised funds to support vulnerable women and children who are facing homelessness in our community. To raise funds to support the great works of Vinnies, we held a special Winter Appeal Day today. In exchange for a $5 donation, students got to wear their pyjamas to school for the day, were provided with hot chocolate and participated in a marshmallow guessing contest and an ice-cream eating contest. It was a fun day! Thanks to the generosity of all families, we raised a total of $1213.60. We presented the money to Vinnies at assembly today which was received with great appreciation. Congratulations St Mary’s on an amazing effort!

LITURGY

Next Friday, Kindergarten will be celebrating their class liturgy at 11:30am in the Prayer Room. We extend a warm welcome to all members of our community to join us for this celebration.

God Bless,

Warren Ziebowski

(Religious Education Coordinator)

Western Region Athletics

Well done to all our athletes that attended the Western Region Athletics Carnival in Tumut last Friday. What an amazing effort by all to come away with the trophy by only half a point over Temora! Wahoo! We have not had the trophy for a few years so this was exciting news!

Our relay teams were amazing with our Junior boys coming in 4th, Junior Girls ran 2nd, Senior Boys ran 2nd and our Senior Girls crossed the line in 1st place!!!

Well done to Harry Robinson who equaled the 13 yrs 100m Western Region Record. Amazing!!

A big congratulations to our Age Champions on the day - we are very proud of your fantastic efforts!!

Kynan Burgess - Junior Boy Champion

Chloe Buck - Intermediate Girls Runner Up

Sarah Webber - Senior Girls Runner Up

Well done to our students who were successful in gaining selection to the Western Region Team and will head to the AIS for the Archdiocesan Athletics Carnival next term. The top 4 in the 100m and 200m will attend, along with the top 2 in the other events. Notes for the Archdiocesan Athletics Carnival have been sent home this week.

Harden Trent Barrett Legends Gala Day - Year 3 & 4

Students in Year 3 & 4 are invited to participate in this Gala Day on Thursday 10th August (Term 3, Wk 4). This year’s draw will feature:

• Students from Years 3/4 Rugby League Tackle Division A (Experienced) and Division B (Inexperienced)
• Years 3/4 League Tag
• All Tackle & League Tag divisions will be 7 a side

Nominations for the day are now available via Compass. Students in Year 3 & 4 have been invited to attend. Please access the invitation via the Events page on Compass (click on the More button to access Events) please ensure you answer all the questions and confirm the permission by clicking the green button at the bottom of the page.

Nominations for this event will close at the end of Term 3, Week 1 - 21st July. We cannot accept late entries once the teams are full.

Registrations are now open for the Term 3 UNO Championship.

The competition will be held in stages groups and will run through term 3 until a champion is crown. 

Registration forms are available at the front office. 

The canteen will serve an end of term Meal Deal on Friday 30th June, 2023. Orders are available via Flexischools or by paper bag.
Gluten Free & Vegetarian Options available.

We are seeking volunteers for the day. If you are able to help please let the front office know.