Term Two Dates

Welcome back

I would like to welcome everyone back to our second term. It is really lovely to see so many smiling faces, excited to be back at school.

I would like to thank Sally Croker, and all the staff, for their management during the end of last term. It proved challenging to find staff, however, they worked as a team to not only provide cover but to continue to deliver quality education. 

I am pleased to be back from my extended break. I spent the time travelling and spending time with family.

This term we welcome Madison Leonard to St Mary's. Madi is an ex-student of St Mary's and she is currently studying Primary Teaching at the Australian Catholic University. Madi will be completing her final teaching placement with Year One and Mrs Branson. We were fortunate to have Madi do some casual teaching with us last term.

I look forward to a positive, action-packed and productive term ahead! 

ANZAC Day

It was wonderful to see around fifty St Mary’s students at the ANZAC Day Commemorative Service in Crookwell and seventeen in Taralga on Monday. We also had students participate in the Dawn Service.

Our students and teachers marched proudly and listened respectfully, demonstrating a wonderful community spirit. 

Thank you to all the parents who brought their children to participate on Monday. Thank you also to Sally Croker, Annie Croker, Vicky Searl and Linda Walsh for their assistance. 

Close Household Contacts

Household contacts will not have to quarantine if they have no COVID-19 symptoms but will need to comply with the following requirements for seven days from the time the first person in their household tests positive for COVID‑19:

• Wear a face mask in all indoor spaces when outside of the home, if aged 12 years and over. Primary school students are recommended to wear a mask indoors (except when eating or exercising).
• Parents/Carers notify the school of their child being a household contact.
• Staff/Students should conduct a daily RAT and return a negative result each morning before attending school for five school days.
• Students who have had COVID-19 within 12 weeks are not required to undertake COVID-19 testing or wear a mask, although this is recommended. 
• No student or staff member identified as a close contact will be permitted to participate in overnight excursions, including school camps.
• Any visitor to a school site who is a close contact is required to advise the school that they are a close contact before they come on site. These visitors should conduct a daily RAT and return a negative result before attending. They must also always wear a mask indoors. Virtual visits will be organised where practical.
• If you have or develop symptoms, you must self-isolate and get tested for COVID-19. If your test result is positive, you must follow the NSW Health recommendations and manage COVID-19 safely at home. If your test result is negative, stay home until you do not have any symptoms.

Daily Reporting of COVID Cases

Schools are now only required to notify parents if there are a significant number of cases within the community and/or a cohort.

Rapid Antigen Tests

St Mary's Primary School will have access to Rapid Antigen Tests for distribution as needed and requested by parents. Parents or students who are symptomatic should not attend the school to collect a Rapid Antigen Test. Those families are encouraged to make alternate arrangements for the collection of tests or are to access testing through a NSW Health facility.

Uniform Matters

It has been lovely to see everyone return this week dressed beautifully in their school uniforms. In Terms 2 and 3, the students are to wear the full winter uniform, however, a two-week leeway is given if the weather is still warm enough for the summer uniform. 

Please note, due to issues with the manufacturing company, the supply of boys long-sleeved shirts may be low. At this time, there are no size 8 shirts. Our apologies for this, but unfortunately this is out of our control.

In preparation for the cooler months, you might like to order our school coat, which is a warm bottle green parka style coat, from our Uniform Shop. No other coats will be permitted, however, bottle green gloves and beanies may be purchased elsewhere. 

Please also ensure you have all your children's uniform labelled.

Some other reminders about our school uniform- hair accessories must be in the school colours only, earrings must be sleepers and studs and no nail polish is to be worn to school. Hair, both boys and girls, is to be tied back if it is longer than collar length.

Catholic Schools Week

In Week Two from Monday 2 to Friday 6 May, we celebrate Catholic Schools Week. 

Throughout the week I will conduct school tours- please spread the word. If you know someone who is interested in learning more about St Mary's, or who has a child ready to start Kindergarten in 2023, or another grade, we welcome their visit.

School tour bookings can be made by calling Belinda on 48321 592. Other dates and times can be made by arrangement.

Other Catholic Schools Week activities include a Mother's Day Mass and a Mother's Day Stall and Raffle (thanks to the McGeechan family). This year we have decided to limit our community outreach visits. 

Student Pick Up

The street directly out the front of St Mary’s is a Bus Zone from 8.30am-9.30am and 3.00pm-4.00pm. Please be aware that occasionally parents dropping off/picking up their children in this bus zone have been fined by the police.

We recommend that in the afternoons if you have come to collect your children by car you walk with your child to the crossing on Wade Street to cross safely out of the Bus Zone. 

NAPLAN

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) assesses literacy and numeracy skills. Students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 participate in the annual NAPLAN tests in reading, writing, conventions of language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy.
The assessment provides parents and schools with an understanding of how individual students are performing at the time of the tests. NAPLAN is just one aspect of a school’s assessment and reporting process - it does not replace ongoing assessments made by teachers about student performance.
NAPLAN also provides schools, education authorities and governments with information about how education programs are working and whether young Australians are meeting important educational outcomes in literacy and numeracy.

The NAPLAN Online assessment window starts on Tuesday 10 May and finishes on
Friday 20 May 2022. The tests must be taken in the following order:

For more information go to 

https://nap.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/naplan-information-brochure-for-parents-and-carers.pdf  

Industrial Action

You may have recently heard on the news that teachers are going on strike next week. This action does not affect St Mary's staff or students. Teachers in the Catholic system are represented by the Independent Education Union, not the Teachers Federation. 

School Counsellor

Our School Counsellor, Madelyn Burns, will be commencing on Monday 2 May. Madelyn works at St Mary's every Monday. If you would like to book an appointment with Madelyn please complete the referral form via the link below or it is available on the school website on the Parent Page:

https://catholiccare.force.com/housing/s/school-referral-form

Morning Club

Morning Club is a free service that we like to offer to our families that provides early supervision for students from 8am (strictly) to 8.40am before our playground supervision commences. Morning Club is to assist parents and carers who have early work commitments or need travel for appointments, etc. It is coordinated by Mrs Nicola Spackman.

Parents and carers will be required to register their child/ren for Morning Club and it will only run Monday through to Thursday each week. Parents can make a permanent booking or just book a 'one off' session, as required. These can be made up until 7.30am each day.

This year Morning Club will be held in the Library and students will engage in quiet activities such as drawing, colouring, construction, board games and card games.

Children arriving at school unregistered or after 8.30am will not be permitted to attend Morning Club. We ask that children not registered, only arrive at 8.40am, the time that regular supervision commences. 

The booking form is available below and can also be found on Szapp. 

https://smpscrookwell.schoolzineplus.com/form/25 

Additional Pupil Free Days 

Mr Ross Fox, Director of Education, has authorised two extra pupil free days in Term 2 for all schools in the Archdiocese of Canberra Goulburn to support teachers who have been carrying extra teaching loads due to the COVID-related staff absences.

St Mary’s Primary School, in alignment with Trinity Catholic College, St Peter and Paul’s Primary School and St Joseph’s Primary School, will be having our additional pupil free days on the following dates:

• Monday 23 May (Week 5)
• Friday 10 June (Week 7)

On these days, St Mary’s Primary School staff will be report writing, planning, programming, participating in professional learning and completing administrative tasks. Staff will not be required to be onsite on these days.

Hello Sullivan

A very warm welcome to Sullivan Gann, a new baby brother for Sommer-Lee (Year 6) and Sienna (Year 4). Congratulations Kayla and Shane. We look forward to meeting Sullivan soon!

Champion Small Honey Producer

A huge congratulations to Belinda Foley on achieving the title of Champion Small Honey Producer at the Royal Easter Show after judges scored her honey a remarkable 91 out of 100!

Read an interesting article about Belinda and her wonderful achievement in About Regional https://aboutregional.com.au/success-couldnt-be-sweeter-for-crookwells-busy-queen-bee

Congratulations Annie

We would like to congratulate Annie Croker on her recent graduation from the Australian Catholic University. Annie graduated in the holidays with a Bachelor of Teaching (Primary). Well done Annie, we are proud of you!

Enrolling Now

Enrolments can now be placed online. Go to https://enrolments.stmarysc.nsw.edu.au/enrol/ to enrol now.

Enrolments packs are available from our School Office or can be downloaded from our website http://www.stmarysc.nsw.edu.au/enrolment.html

EASTER – the Season of new life (April 17 - May 29)

We continue to celebrate the most important Church season of Easter for the next four weeks. We celebrate Jesus’ resurrection – and the NEW LIFE in heaven Jesus won for us by dying on the cross. To say "I believe in Jesus Christ ... who rose from the dead," is to say I believe that the Resurrection goes on and on and on forever. Just as death could not hold Jesus, we now too can live in hope that death will not be the end for us.

During this Easter season we remember that Jesus was God living among us as one of us – fully human – and that he came to show us a better way to live… with love, hope, mercy, compassion, peace and justice - even in the midst of pain, death and sorrow. There are many recent YouTube clips of hundreds of Ukrainian Christians gathering to celebrate Easter Mass in the shadow of war. A particularly moving hymn was sung by a choir gathered to celebrate their faith in Jesus’ resurrection and a God who brings love, joy and peace even in the worst circumstances. Their faces radiated inner joy and peace as they sang ‘Alleluia. You are Lord, God Almighty’

³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁸ I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans)

An Easter Prayer

Jesus, who suffered and died for me,

help me to understand that in every life,

something good fails, something great ends,

it may seem like an abandonment by God.

May we know that your rising from the dead is a sign to us

that every one of these “little deaths” is life becoming new all over again.

Risen Lord, you keep calling my name and meeting me in the garden of my life,

May I hear your voice, allowing me to feel loved, blessed and cherished.

Comfort and strengthen me with Your holy, peaceful presence

Help me to carry your risen presence with me, wherever I go and to whomever I meet.

Amen

Next week is CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK

Catholic Schools Week (CSW) is an annual celebration of Catholic education. This year, St Mary’s joins with 1755 Catholic schools across the country to celebrate over 200 years of Catholic education in Australia.

The core purpose of Catholic education is to form our students spiritually, academically, physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially, to enable them to make a meaningful contribution to a world that is rapidly changing to educated. Catholic schools strive to empower students to follow in Jesus’ footsteps and actively strive to create a better world.

OUR SCHOOL MOTTO, MISSION and VALUES sum up our purpose…

Jesus Christ calls us as an inclusive community to live our faith, engage in quality learning and enrich our world for the future.

Following in the footsteps of our founders, the Sisters of Mercy, Together As One in Truth and Knowledge we are:

• Jesus’ hands - offering SERVICE to others
• Jesus’ eyes - seeing the needs of others with COMPASSION
• Jesus’ heart - sharing RESPECT for everyone
• Jesus’ feet - walking the road of JUSTICE
• Jesus’ mind - persevering and striving for EXCELLENCE

Christ Has No Body

Christ has no body but yours,

No hands, no feet on earth but yours,

Yours are the eyes with which he looks with compassion on this world,

Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,

Yours are the hands with which he blesses all the world.

Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,

Yours are the eyes, you are his body.

Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

Catholic School’s Week and Mothers’ Day Mass

All are welcome to join us for Mass next Thursday in St Mary’s Church at 12pm to celebrate catholic Schools’ Week and to honour our precious mothers.

School Athletics Carnival Updates 

The carnival will be held at Todkil Park, from 9am-3pm. All students from Kindergarten to Year 6 will take part in both track, field, and modified events over the course of the day.

To date we have the following roles filled:

• 8 years team manager: Bec Scott
• 9 years team manager: Claire McCormack
• 10 years team manager: Rechelle Naughton
• Time keeping: Pip Frost

We need the following roles to be filled:

11 years team manager

12 years team manager

Timekeepers

Infants’ activity helpers

If you would like to be involved, please email me- rachael.croker@cg.catholic.edu.au

Save the Date

Peter Lucas Cup- Rugby Union

                When:                   Friday 27 May

                Where:                 Goulburn

                Who:                    Optional for Years 3-6

## Notes will go home next week.

The Year 2 fundraiser for this year is running the BBQ and canteen at the Northern Region Cross Country TOMORROW. If you are able to volunteer, please contact Reané Strode on 0439 785 746 URGENTLY

Mother's Day Raffle

A big thank you to Donna McGeechan for coordinating the Mother's Day raffle this year. Tickets were sent home via the eldest in the family yesterday, with more available from the School Office.

There will be 5 great prizes to choose from.

Tickets are $2 each, drawn on Friday 6 May.

Tuckshop

Please find below the Term 2 roster. If you cannot do your allocated date, please organise a swap or replacement yourself and then let Belinda know so we can update the Office copy.

Crookwell Community Fun Run

2022 Sacramental Dates

Sacramental Program dates

Parish Office

For Parish and Sacramental matters please forward your enquiries to Goulburn Parish Secretary, Sharon Cashman, via email or call into the Parish Office at the Old Convent Building. Sharon is available in Crookwell on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month from 11.30am-3.30pm

Parish Associate: Sr Rosemary Hart

Email: Crookwell@cg.org.au

Website: http://cg.org.au/crookwell/Home.aspx 

Phone: 48321 633 

Address: 55 Wade Street (the Old Convent Building)

Saxon Greenwood

Saxon is the team goalie for the Under 12s , Southern Tablelands representative boys soccer team.

He played with the team over the Anzac weekend at Nowra. They competed against Shoalhaven, Far South Coast and Eurobodalla, where they had 3 wins , 8-0, 7-0 and rounded out the weekend with a 2-0 win.

Saxon was extremely proud of himself from these 3 games that not 1 goal was scored against their team. 

So with 3 wins from 3 games, they are heading into the finals of the branch championship in Goulburn on the 14th /15 th of May

Saxon's team also competed on the 27th March in the Merino Cup, where this team dominated on the field and won all their games at that carnival. Saxon is not only the team's Goalie but also is quite handy filling in the striker position, where he added to the teams tally of goals that day. 

These boys are a great, respectful team to watch with lots of talking amongst the players, terrific ball skills with lots of passing. 

Ava Nicholson

Ava Nicholson was also playing at Nowra with the Girls U/12 STFA side. 

She played 3 games- winning one, losing one and drew one, playing very well. Ava now travels to Bathurst to compete. 

Positive Partnerships

Think Tank