Wednesday, 27 July 2016 —Term 3, Week 1

Dates to Remember:

25 July Pupil Free Day

26 July Students resume—term 3

28 July Interschool Athletics Carnival

29 July Safety House assembly 8.40 am

1 August Picnic Day PH

2 August P&F meeting 5.30 pm

5 August Room 5 assembly 8.40 am

12 August Room 2 Assembly 8.40 am

St Mary’s Star of the Sea Cathedral

90 Smith Street, Darwin

Weekend Mass Times: Saturday (Vigil) 6.30 pm

Sunday—7.30 am/9.30 am/7.00 pm

Prayer

Father of all mercies

We ask that you would bless

the youngest and littlest of learners,

the most helpless and powerless of persons,

with Your infinite and loving mercy,

granting them the strength to learn, concentrate,

and act in love towards

their teachers and fellow students.

We also ask that You would watch over them,

at home and at school

and give them proper direction

so that they may learn

of Your wonderful virtues.

We ask this in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ.

Amen

David Bennett

Wednesday, 27 July 2016

Term 3, Week 1

Dear families

Welcome to Semester 2. I trust that you all enjoyed valuable time with your families and have

returned refreshed and looking forward to the term ahead. I extend a warm welcome to our new students and their families—Bodie (room 3) and Indigo (room 6) Hetherington; Connor

Langley (room 1); Violet Hawkins (room 4) and Thien An Nguyen (room 4). Please join us for

morning tea on Friday this week after the assembly.

Staffing: We also welcome two new staff members have joined St Mary’s teaching team this term-Miss Francesca Duncan and Mr Erik Moulding. Miss Duncan will be teaching Year 3/4 Room 1 on Thursdays and Fridays and Mr

Moulding will teach students in Year 5/6 Room 14 two days/week and students in Year 5/6 Room 15 one day/week. Mr Moulding is well known to students and families as a relief teacher and as an educator at OSHC. Miss

Duncan comes from Western Australia where she has been working at Dallyellup Primary school since 2011. I trust

that you will extend them a warm welcome.

A new school based counsellor has been appointed to St Mary’s this term. Melissa Lowe is replacing Ms Sonja Pastor who has been working at St Mary’s since 2015. I take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank Sonja and

her dedicated work with our staff and students these past 18 months.

Miss Bella is currently in Greece with her sick father and is not due to return until 15th August. The Greek lan-

guage program will recommence in week 4 on Bella’s return.

To Ava Daniels (room 15) and family who leave our school community this week.

School Gates and Entries: The walkway entry to the school situated behind St Mary’s Cathedral

has been reopened now that construction is complete. Families can access this walkway entrance

from McLaughlin Street from 8.15-8.45am and from 3.00-4pm in the afternoons. The Cavenagh Street walkway is open from 8.15am-8.45am and from 3.00-3.30pm in the afternoons. Parents are

advised to use the Cavenagh Street Walkway entry to collect their children. Children who are being picked up after school will be supervised by staff in the Walkway area until they are collected.

Professional Learning Day: St Mary’s staff were involved in a Professional Learning day on Monday facilitated

by Nat Mahlook (CEO) Nikki Farrell (Curriculum Coordinator) and Tagan Koschitzki (IT leader). Our focus was on numeracy and the use of data to inform learning and teaching and included an afternoon session

on ICT/robotics. This was a great opportunity for our staff to focus on our identified school priorities and engage in valuable professional learning for the benefit of our students.

Wednesday, 27 July 2016

Term 3, Week 1

Building and Maintenance: St Mary’s was a hive of activity throughout the holiday period with much building and maintenance activity taking place. Construction of the Cavanagh Street

and Library walkways are now complete, providing all weather access to the school and library. The Cavanagh Street Walkway project was principally funded by the Australian Government un-

der the Capital Grants Program with an official opening scheduled for Term 4.

A workshop and storage space has also been constructed at the back of the library for Mr Malcolm which he is very

excited about. Other holiday projects include the installation of new soft fall and security screens and windows at Community of Learners, installation of mini orb over louvres outside OSHC and to classrooms on the Lindsay Street

side and new sand fill to the sandpits.

On Thursday this week I am meeting with representatives from the Block Grant Authority team regarding our appli-

cation for funding to extend our Early Childhood classrooms (rooms 5, 6, 7, and 8). If the project is successful, we will have the opportunity to extend and renovate these classrooms in 2017.

Community of Learners: Miss Kendy Graham and Miss Anna-Lea Higgins from CoL will be attending the National Early Years conference in Brisbane this week. The conference titled “Leading in the Early Years in a New Era” is being delivered by the Australian Council for Educational Leaders (ACEL). This is a great opportunity for Kendy and Anna lea to develop their knowledge of best practice in the early years and to enhance their leadership skills.

The Northern Territory Preschool Curriculum was launched this week by the NT Department of Education. St

Mary’s Community of Learners has been trialling and implementing the preschool curriculum this year. It was devel-

oped in consultation with teachers and early childhood experts. It is designed to enhance early childhood develop-

ment with high quality literacy and numeracy programs consistent with the Australian Curriculum taught in all Terri-

tory schools. It addresses five key areas in children’s development: identity; communication; wellbeing; learning

and thinking; and connectedness including how to interact fairly and respectful with others.

An exciting term ahead for St Mary’s includes the Interschool Athletics competition this Thursday,

Year 5/6 Camp 29-31 August and the Performing and Visual Arts Show on Monday 19th September at

the Darwin Entertainment Centre. Goal setting interviews will also take place later this term.

Please ensure the term calendar is displayed in a prominent position in your home.

Morning tea: This Friday we will be having a special morning tea after assembly to thank our fete helpers and sponsors for their magnificent support last term. Please join us.

Good luck to our students participating in the Interschool Athletics Carnival tomorrow

May God bless you all and keep you safely in His care.

Mrs Jacqui Langdon

Principal

The Favelle family using our new Cavenagh street walkway entrance

Wednesday, 27 July 2016

Term 3, Week 1

REMINDER...

This Thursday, 28 July is the Darwin Region Inter-school Athletics Carnival. Students who have been selected for this event will need to make their own way to and from the Arafura Athletics Stadium, Marrara. The day will

run from 8.30am - 3.00pm.

Please note that events will commence at 8.30am sharp so it is recommended arriving 5 minutes earlier. Stu-dents must be picked up from the venue by 3.00pm. Please note there will be a sausage sizzle held by on the

day; however, no other canteen services will be available at the stadium.

Students are required to bring their own recess, lunch and snacks for the entire day.

Each child will need to bring:

- Wear St Mary’s sports uniform

-Appropriate runners

-Drink bottles

-Recess, Lunch & Snacks

-Sun protection/Hat

- Money for BBQ

Sarah Muller

PE Teacher

Wednesday, 27 July 2016

Term 3, Week 1

Wednesday, 27 July 2016

Term 3, Week 1

P&F NEWS

2016 Twilight Fete Sponsors

PLEASE SUPPORT THESE BUSINESSES AS THEY SUPPORT OUR SCHOOL

Wednesday, 27 July 2016

Term 3, Week 1

Enrolment Information Package for

Year 7, 2016 at Darwin Middle School are

now available from the office.

Please contact Julie if you are interested in

receiving a package.

Thank you

Transition 2017

Does your child turn five by 30 June 2017?

If so they are eligible to start Transition in

January 2017.

Please contact the school office for an en-

rolment package.

Wednesday, 27 July 2016

Term 3, Week 1

Darwin Festival is just around the corner! From August 4-21 the city will come to life with a

massive program of theatre, comedy, circus, cabaret, music, art and workshops. This year’s

Festival program is bursting with family activities, with something for every age – and many

events are FREE.

Festival favourites SANTOS Opening Night Concert and People’s Choice Teddy Bears’ Picnic return,

with fantastic new shows by Circus Oz, Terrapin Puppet Theatre, Polyglot Theatre and

Polarbear rounding out the program for families.

Head down to Festival Park to soak up the party atmosphere and get the kids involved with free

workshops; take the whole mob along to a world-class family show; and join in on any number

of free events over the 21 days.

Check out the full program at www.darwinfestival.org.au

Creative Kids Art Classes

Semester 2, Term 3, 2016

When: Classes are run from 3:15 until 5pm. Tuesday classes will begin on August 9th

and the last class is on September 13th. Wednesday classes begin on August 10th and the last class is on September 14th.

Where: Classes will be run at school, upstairs in room 13.

What: Some of the ideas for classes include working with colour families to create hues

and tones, using stamping techniques to create textural effects, looking at individual styles of art-ists, painting on art boards/canvases and investigating pattern as a decorative design. Who: Collect an enrolment form from the front office at school. Classes are limited to 12

children and will be run by myself and another adult.

Mrs Susanne Kinnell

Wednesday, 27 July 2016

Term 3, Week 1

School Captain Photo—The 2016 school captain photo is available in the office. If you

wish to purchase a copy please contact Julie by Friday, 5 August 2016.

Sports Vouchers— The NT Government Sports Vouchers are being disturbed to students

this week. Any queries please contact the Department of Sport and Recreation

www.sportvoucher.nt.gov.au or phone 1800 817 860 or email sport.voucher@nt.gov.au

Wednesday, 27 July 2016

Term 2, Week 1

Twilight Fete

St Mary’s school would like to thank all our Fete Sponsors

Please support these businesses; they support our school

Halikos Group

H Hotel

Ray White Bayside

Cyclone City Cleaners

Hogs Breath Café

The Cav

Alpha Homes NT

All About Party Hire

Trans Territory Foods

H 105 Mitchell Hotel

Harvey Norman

Cullen Bay Day Spa

King Pin

PAWS

Bakers Delight

Jessica’s Nails

Adina Vibe Hotel

St John’s College

Parap Fine Foods

Trampoline

Military Bank

NT AFL

NT Swim School

NTPFES

Coopers Brewery

Harvey Norman Electrical

Stall coordinators

John Elferink MLA

Darwin Jumping Castles

Mavros-Zikos Family

Elements

Argus Hotel

Parap Butcher

Kurts Cakes

Woolworths Darwin CBD

Woolworths Palmerston

Lemongrass Restaurant

Il Lido

The Precinct Tavern

PDF Food Services

Independent Grocers

Fiddler's Green

Meldrum Family

Oyster Bar

Typo

Australian Border Force

G&R Wills

Silk Air

Shenannigans

Cherill Hopkins

Catholic Education Office

CSI Darwin

Office Works

Singapore Airlines

The OfficeEspresso Bar

Chow

Il Lido Bar Pizza

Brady Family

Reeves family

Crocosaurus Cove

Coleman Family

Help NT

St Mary’s Presbytery

Defence Health

Moorish Café

National Australia Bank

Families/Teachers/Friends of SMCPS