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Term 3 Key Dates
| 21 July |
Term 3 resumes for students |
| 27/28 July | Student/Parent/Teacher Conversations (Face-to-face or remote) |
| August/Sept | School Explorers Program - Postponed 31/7, 7/8, 14/8, 21/8, other dates to be confirmed |
| Wednesday 12 August |
School Public Speaking Competition Years 3-6 - Live streamed for spectators |
| Friday 21 August |
Jump Rope for Heart - Live streamed for spectators |
| Wednesday 27 August | Northern Region Public Speaking Competition Years 3-6 - Live streamed for spectators |
| Tuesday 8 September |
St Mary's Feast Day |
| Friday 25 September |
Showcase of Learning 12.30pm (TBC) |
| End of term |
Welcome back!
I would like to welcome everyone back to Term 3.
We have opened this term commencing with full-time on-campus learning following current health advice and guidelines.
The following principles underpin these guidelines:
- Schools continue to be safe and operations are in line with AHPPC and NSW Health guidelines.
- All students should be learning on-campus unless they are unwell or have a medical certificate to support their absence.
- Existing infection control protocols at schools, and new health and safety measures put in place will help maintain the health and safety of students and staff.
- External providers are required to demonstrate compliance with health and safety requirements.
- Non-essential adults are still not permitted on school grounds or at school events – this includes parents/carers unless specifically approved by the principal.
Due to the continued restrictions, the following local decisions have been made:
- The first four sessions of The School Explorers Program, due to commence on 31 July, will be postponed, with a decision to be made about the other Term 3 sessions as the term progresses. It is hoped that these sessions can be run in Term 4.
- Reading and Intervention Program volunteers are unable to commence until further notice.
- All visitors must sign a Visitor Acknowledgement Form - this is for contact tracing if the need arises.
- It is preferred if prepackaged items rather than birthday cakes and patty cakes could be sent in for a birthday treat, if so desired.
Please be assured our top priority is the safety of our students, staff and families. I thank you for your support last term and for the way you have commenced this term with vigilance.
I would like to wish everyone a productive term full of learning and development. I would like to remind our parents and carers to continue your open communication with me, our teachers and staff. It is much easier to discuss and resolve issues when they arise rather than to wait for things to snowball. Even though we can not touch base face-to-face as frequently as we did, please feel free to call or send emails, as required.
Student/Parent/Teacher Conversations
Student/Parent/Teacher Conversations will be offered next Monday and Tuesday, 27 and 28 July. Bookings for face-to-face meetings are to be done online via our Schoolzine platform by using this link https://smpscrookwell.schoolzineplus.com/view-session/8. The link can also be found on our website or via the SZapp app and these bookings are open now.
The face-to-face meetings will be held in the Old Hall and MP Hall in order to allow for physical distancing between adults. We ask that you use the allocated chairs when waiting for your interviews.
Due to COVID-19, remote interviews are also offered. If you would prefer a phone meeting please call Belinda to arrange this.
Staff Professional Development
This term we have commenced our PD journey into Explicit Instruction, a valuable high impact teaching strategy.
The professional learning will incorporate four learning modules, delivered live from Perth by Dr Lorraine Hammond and her associate Brooke Wardana. The modules cover the following topics: Introduction to Explicit Instruction, Engagement Norms, Daily Review and the why and how of Phonemic and Phonological Awareness and Phonics. The training encompasses Cognitive Load Theory and the science of reading.
For our Staff Development Day in Term Four, we will travel to Temora (if possible) to have a combined training day with the staff from St Anne's. This will then be followed by a visit from Lorraine and Brooke to St Mary's for coaching and feedback.
Counsellor Visits
We met our new CatholicCare provider, Sharyn Lynch, last term. Sharyn comes with lots of experience and can offer a number of different programs. Sharyn is qualified to run the 'Cool Kids' Anxiety Program. This can be done on a one-on-one basis and has been found to be extremely beneficial for children who experience anxiety.
Counselling sessions are a wonderful chance for you or your child/ren to be able to discuss concerns or worries. They can provide strategies to assist with behaviour management, stress, resilience and anxiety.
Sharyn will be visiting each Monday in Weeks 2, 4, 6 and 8.
If you would like to make an appointment please contact Belinda via telephone or email Office.Stmarysc@cg.catholic.edu.au.
Southern Health Dentist Checkups Postponed
Dental checks at schools may not continue in 2020 due to COVID-19. All parents and carers are encouraged to arrange a dental check-up for their children. You may want to consider the following options:
- Call the Goulburn Dental Clinic on 1800 450 056. Please note at this stage there is a waiting list
- Contact your family dentist
- Check if you can use your private health insurance with a local private dentist
- Medicare Child Dental Benefits Scheme- your child must be eligible and this may allow for routine treatment at a local private dentist.
School Value- Compassion
This term St Mary’s will focus on living our school value of COMPASSION.
We are Jesus' EYES- seeing the needs of others with COMPASSION
The dictionary definition of compassion is ‘sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it.’ Jesus is the perfect model of compassion. He showed God’s unconditional love for all humankind by always reaching out with concern, care and kindness. Out of compassion for all of humanity, he gave the ultimate sacrifice; he was crucified to free us from sin and restore our relationship with God. Through the gift of His Holy Spirit we can live in His love and look forward to life everlasting. How can you model Jesus’ compassion in your everyday life? At school we are reflecting on the following Scripture passages to lead us to be more compassionate members of our community…
Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Colossians 3:12-14 “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”
1 Thessalonians 5:15 “Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.”
It is so nice to be able to provide you all with some upcoming school sporting events.
Our current climate has really had an impact on both in and out of school sporting events.
Jump Rope for Heart
We have committed to taking part in the Jump Rope for Heart program, raising much needed funds for Heart research.
Friday sport, as well as daily fitness, will see classes focus on skipping skills and creating class choreographed skipping routines.
The culmination of this program will be a Skip Off on Friday of Week 5. Students will wear mufti clothing, bring a gold coin donation and present their class skipping items. There is the possibility that we may be able to live stream this event.
Gala Hockey Day
There are plans, COVID depending, that we will be working with Crookwell Public to hold a Gala Hockey day. This will be on a much smaller scale than in previous years with students from Years 3-6 from both schools participating. Stay tuned for possible date for later this Term.
Can all students (Year K-6) please bring in an old wire coat hanger for their Art Focus Day, thank you.
As there is no borrowing from the Library at present, I would encourage the children to use the APP, SORA to provide reading material.
Attached are details on how to download and login to SORA.
There are hundreds of titles available in different formats.
If you need assistance, please ring or come and see me at school with the device.
Volunteer Program- suspended until further notice
Unfortunately, with the evolving COVID-19 situation, we have had to suspend our volunteer-based intervention programs of Reading, Spelling and Maths again until further notice. Thank you to those who had offered their time.
Vision Checklist
If you are concerned about your child’s learning and/or vision be aware of the following signs and symptoms:
- one eye drifts or aims in a different direction than the other. This can be very subtle
- turns or tilts head while reading or during other visual activities
- head is frequently tilted to one side or one shoulder is noticeably higher
- squinting or closing of one eye
- excessive blinking or squinting
- poor visual/motor coordination skills (often called, "hand-eye coordination")
- problems judging distances while moving in space, frequently bumps into things or drops things
- becomes easily confused when in motion
- frequently loses things
While reading or doing close work your child:
- holds the reading material or object too close
- closes one eye or covers eye with hand
- twists or tilts head toward book or object so as to favour one eye
- uses finger or ruler to read
- frequently loses place and/or skips or repeats lines
- fatigues easily and/or becomes drowsy
- rubs eyes during or after periods of the reading or close work
- reports that words move on page or run together
- has a tendency to knock things over on a desk or table
- exhibits avoidance behaviours
Child demonstrates or reports:
- headaches or eyestrain
- nausea or dizziness
- motion sickness or car sickness
DOUBLE VISION!
If your child reports seeing double, please take your child for a binocular vision evaluation.
Early detection of visual problems is vital for successful learning!
Tuckshop
Our tuckshop will return on Monday 27 July every Monday and Friday in a near-normal capacity, at this stage. The menu will be close to full, however please be aware some items (e.g. zooper doopers, milo, plain milk) may not be available.
We will have 2-3 volunteers on each shift, however, there will be NO window and cash service, therefore limiting contact with the students. The tuckshop area has been measured and complies with the 4 square metre per person requirement. Please only order your items through Qkr
Attached is the roster. If you need to change your date, please contact Daria.
If you would like to volunteer your time to assist on either a Monday or Friday and your name is not down on our list already, please fill in the form below.
Remember, many hands mean less work!
Class Awards
The Student of the Week Award recipients this week are:
Kinder - Henry Elsley-Mattox and Georgia Proudman
Year 1 - Harper Seaman and Harley White
Year 2 - Tahlia Naughton
Year 3 - Lauren Fraser
Year 4 – Peter Lawson and Harry Price
Year 5 - Georgina Culley and Olivia Pursell
Year 6 - Hayley Francis and Regan Picker
The cut-off date for parents to register for 2020 ICAS has been extended to Sunday, 2 August.
Below is how parents place the order:
Step 1: Parent click on this link:
https://shop.unswglobal.com.au/pages/pps
Step 2: Parent will need the unique access code for our school.
GMB572
The usual ICAS sitting dates are in Aug/Sep and approaching fast as below:
Parish Office
For Parish and Sacramental matters please forward your enquiries to Parish Secretary, Janet Haynes or Pastoral Associate Sr Rosemary via email or call into the Parish Office at the Old Convent Building on Tuesdays or Thursdays.
Email: Crookwell@cg.org.au
Website: http://cg.org.au/crookwell/Home.aspx
Phone: 48321 633
Address: 55 Wade Street (the Old Convent Building)
Drum Lessons
Goulburn TAFE Semester 2 Courses Available
Interested in doing a TAFE course? Click on the link to find out what is available for Goulburn TAFE. Enrolments are open and courses are updated daily.
TAFE NSW - Goulburn, Semester 2, 2020
For any questions regarding courses on offer, please contact the Customer Contact Centre on 131 601.
Lavendar at Laggan- The Long Luncheon
Crookwell 200 Years Celebration Calendar-
If you would like to buy the Crookwell 200 Years celebration calendar, you can purchase at the school office for $10, cash only please.
