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Tell Them From Me

The 'Partners in Learning' Parent Survey is based on a comprehensive questionnaire covering several aspects of parents' perceptions of their children's experiences at home and school. It is based primarily on Joyce Epstein's framework for fostering positive school and community relations. Successful schools foster greater communication with parents, encourage parental involvement in their child's
schoolwork, and enlist parents to volunteer at the school and participate in school governance. The survey also provides feedback to schools about how parents feel the school supports learning and positive behaviour and promotes a safe and inclusive environment.

The survey includes seven separate measures, scored on a ten-point scale. A score of 0 indicates strong disagreement; 10 indicates strong agreement; 5 is a neutral position (neither agree nor disagree).

The data gathered from this survey helps us form our Annual Improvement and Strategic Plans. Of course, we welcome a conversation at any point in time about concerns so that we can address these immediately. 

The data is also provided to the Catholic Education Office, and we would love them to hear about the wonderful things happening at St Mary's. Hence, we encourage all parents and carers to participate. The more responses we receive, the more accurate our data is.

The graph below shows an overview of our 2022 results. There were only eleven respondents in 2022. 

A link to the survey will be emailed to you this afternoon. The survey closes on 9 June. 

School Fees for Term 2

Last week you would have received by email your Term 2 Fee Statements. Please let Belinda know if you haven't got it.

As part of this transformation, existing direct debits and using Qkr for most payments will cease. All families have been allocated new BPAY numbers, the preferred method for paying your school fees. You can set up periodical payments via your bank. You may also use Compass Pay. Cash at the school office is still an acceptable form if necessary.

Belinda can provide you with your BPAY details if required.

Please note- do not use our old bank account details for payment of uniform, fees or excursions.

School Athletics Carnival

Date: Thursday 25 May (Week 5) Backup Date: Friday 2 June (Week 6)

Venue: Todkill Park, Crookwell. All students are to go directly to the venue and be collected from there. Students on buses will be dropped/collected from Todkill Park.

Time: 9am – 3pm

Uniform: Full School Sports Uniform

All students, from Kindergarten to Year 6 will take part in the various track, field and modified/novelty events over the course of the day.

The P&F and Year 1 parents are kindly providing a BBQ and Canteen for the day, so please support them!

Please ensure that your child/children have their warm school tracksuit/coat, hat, water bottle and possibly a picnic rug to sit on. Sunscreen and some shelter will be available.

I will be needing volunteers to assist with the following roles:

• Timekeeping
• Age Group Managers for the under 8, 9, 10, 11 & 12’s (this involves taking the age group to their next event).
• Assisting with the Infants Activities.

If you can assist, please email me at linda.walsh@cg.catholic.edu.au requesting the role you would be available for. Alternatively, you can let Belinda know at the Office. Thank you in advance for your support!

The Primary and Infants Athletics Programs are attached for you- all times are approximate.

Monaro Region Rugby Union Primary School Gala Day

Date: Friday 25^th May

Venue: Carr Confoy Oval, Goulburn

Time: 9.30am-2.15pm

Transport: Private

Please meet Mr Edwards at Carr Confoy Oval at 9.30am. Games commence at 10am.

The day has been changed to Rugby Touch 7’s to cater for schools that were short of numbers.

Uniform: Students can wear their Crookwell Pups uniform under their school tracksuit. I would bring headgear and a mouth guard just in case tackle is allowed.

At this stage, there is no canteen. Please ensure you have a packed lunch, plenty of water, a hat, warm clothes/jacket.

If you have any questions, please email me at linda.walsh@cg.catholic.edu.au

Canberra Goulburn Cross Country

Well done to our 5 St Mary’s representatives who travelled to Mount Stromlo last Friday as part of the Northern Region Cross Country team. From all reports it was a beautiful day and the track was in perfect condition.

Special congratulations to William Waldron who came 4^th in the 11yr boys’ race. William will now go on as part of the Canberra Goulburn team, to compete at the NSWCPS MacKillop Cross Country event at Eastern Creek in June. 

Mackillop Soccer Trials

We wish Henry Galland and Ollie Croker from Year 5 all the best at the MacKillop soccer trials on Friday. The boys will travel to Goulburn and play as part of the Canberra Goulburn team.

NSWPSSA Primary Boys Hockey Championships

We are extremely proud of our budding hockey stars from Year 5 Henry Galland, Ollie Croker and Emmett McIntosh who will compete as part of the boys MacKillop hockey team at the NSWPSSA Primary Boys Hockey Championships in Tamworth next week.

The boys will travel and train on Monday, and then play Tuesday to Friday. The draw and results can be found using the following link:

https://app.education.nsw.gov.au/sport/EventHeader/View?eventId=14209&subEventId=14210

We are hoping that some of their games will be live streamed, and we can watch the boys in action at school.

Good luck boys, give it your all!!

Upcoming Trial Information

GOLF - 9 HOLE MACKILLOP (MACKILLOP 9 HOLE TOURNAMENT)

CLOSE DATE: Applications for this CSNSW Sport selection Trial (MacKillop 9 Hole Tournament) close on Thursday, 27th July 2023

REGISTRATION: In order for your child to be accepted to participate in the selection trial you or your child must accurately complete the following:

DOB: 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2015

School Years: 2 to 6

Gender: Both

Region: MacKillop

Cost: $35.00

https://csnsw.sport/

GOLF - 18 HOLE - MACKILLOP (MACKILLOP SELECTIONS)

CLOSE DATE: Applications for this CSNSW Sport selection Trial (MacKillop Selections) close on Thursday, 27th July 2023

REGISTRATION: In order for your child to be accepted to participate in the selection trial you or your child must accurately complete the following:

DOB: 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2015

School Years: 2 to 6

Gender: Both

Region: MacKillop

Cost: $45.00

https://csnsw.sport/

Awaking to the sound of our alarms, we flew out of bed, with great excitement. Canberra was our destination and all the students in Year 5 and Year 6 were attending. Climbing out of bed on Tuesday the 23rd May some of us ensured we had time to eat a healthy and filling breakfast and pack our backpack with the essentials… hat, drink bottle, morning tea, lunch and of course a warm coat! Yet others skipped breakfast, rushed onto the bus as the doors were about to close… Noah!

Travelling via Goulburn seemed to take forever but luckily Year 6 had the back seats and some of us were able to talk with our friends, while others sat quietly. After what felt like an eternity, we had finally earnt the right to sit up the back. Mrs Spackman just knew our behaviour would be exemplary, trusted us to do the right thing & we did! We have finally proved ourselves as mature and responsible leaders. Well…at least most of the time!

Leadership of our nation was the topic of discussion at our first stop, Parliament House. Portraits of our past Prime Ministers lined the walls & created a focal point for discussion of different artists & Prime Ministers. We saw the portrait of Australia's first & only female Prime Minister, Julia Gillard. We also saw portraits for Malcolm Frazer, Bob Hawke, Paul Keating, Julia Gillard & Tony Abbott. After 14 years, Kevin Rudd still doesn't have a portrait on display because he hasn't organised it yet! Anthony Albanese can’t sit for his portrait yet because he is the current 2023 Prime Minister.

While listening to our guide we learnt that The House of Senate is red & has 76 members. The House of Representatives is green & has 151 seats. Our guide pointed out the seat made for Queen Elizabeth II, now ready for King Charles if he visits the Australian Parliament. The Governor General is the only other Head of State that can sit in this chair. Discovering where the Speaker of the House, the Prime Minister & the Leader of the Opposition all sit is information our guide shared with us. We witnessed the position that special dignitaries sit when visiting our Parliament. We discussed Angus Taylor being our member for the area of Hume. Parliament House has over 4500 rooms and 22 kilometres of corridors.

Records of all words ever spoken in the House are also on display as a decorative piece on the large centre table. Now recent records are digital and typed and stored electronically.

After our guide completed our tour, we were able to go into the House of Representatives as members of the public. We watched the Speaker of the House begin to address the items on the day's agenda. There were only a few Members of Parliament in the room and we listened to a couple of people present bills to Parliament. We had to be silent & we only had enough time to watch for 20 minutes.

As Parliament was sitting, Prime Minister Albanese was due to arrive at 2pm. All other members would be there at 2pm too, for Question time. Unfortunately, we couldn't wait for that. 

Leaving Parliament House, we took the bus to a park near the Art Gallery, overlooking Lake Burley Griffin. We enjoyed our lunch in the warm sunshine surrounded by beautiful autumn trees with red, gold, orange & brown leaves, we chatted with friends, while some had a quick game of footy. Sitting in the park, surrounded by seagulls, we were able to watch the 152 metre Captain Cook Memorial Water Jet fountain in the middle of the lake.

Boarding the bus again, Col drove us past Old Parliament House & past the Tent Embassy, across the peninsular to the National Museum. Splitting into two groups, Year 5 & 6 went their separate ways, following the directions of our guides. Year 6 learned about the first Aboriginals, the migration of whales and the assistance given to the Aboriginal  people from the orcas, a really intelligent animal. We saw fish traps, the body of a Tasmanian tiger, a crocodile and lots of Aboriginal tools and artefacts, including a harpoon gun, different shaped spears and rock tools. Outside we were able to run through a tunnel, listening to Aboriginal and meditative music.

Finally, and rather sadly, our tour had unfortunately come to an end. We hopped onto the bus, started to head out of Canberra and drove off into the pink and orange sunset. Arriving in Goulburn, a number of students disembarked and we continued the journey back to Crookwell, where we were met by our families. 

Written by Year 6

Parish Office

Tommy Culley visits the ACT Brumbies!

During the last school holidays, Brumbies player Luke Reimer and 2 others came to Crookwell to run a rugby union clinic for interested kids.

Luke loved the Crookwell Pups kids jerseys as they are the same colours as his junior club when he played in Sydney.

Luke is a huge man and Tommy said even his hand was heavy!

We want to hear from you!

We would love to hear about, and share, your child's achievements. Please send through a photo for next week's newsletter. Office.Stmarysc@cg.catholic.edu.au