Term 2, Week 8 2025 - 10th June 2025
APRE's Reflection
2025 Caritas Stalls
Each year, our Year 6 students and their teachers organise a two-day Caritas Stall Extravaganza. The event raises money for Caritas, a global Catholic organization that works to fight poverty, promote justice, and respond to humanitarian crises around the world. While the sweet treats and other goods are always a hit with students across the school, the event offers far more than just yummy treats and hand-made crafts.
The Caritas stalls provide our Year 6 students with a meaningful opportunity to raise funds for a worthy cause, work collaboratively with their peers toward a shared fundraising goal, and develop valuable skills along the way. More than just a fundraiser, the event fosters a strong sense of community spirit at St Mary’s, creating a positive atmosphere across the school.
As part of the project, students research the work of Caritas and present their findings to other classes, justifying why this organisation deserves our support. This not only deepens their understanding of global issues, but also promotes empathy, compassion, and social responsibility throughout the entire school community.
The first day of our Caritas Stalls was a great success, and we look forward to another fantastic day tomorrow. Events like these help our students understand that they can make a real difference. We are grateful to all our parents for their support, especially our year 6 parents, who have helped their children prepare food and crafts. Your involvement is appreciated and continues to strengthen the spirit of giving that thrives at St Mary’s.
Belinda van Lint
Assistant Principal - Religious Education
From our Principal | Mr Wes Rose
P&F Trivia Night
Last Friday’s P&F ‘Disco’ Trivia Night was well attended and very fun evening. Well done to all attendees for getting into the spirit of the night, there were some amazing costumes! Sincere thanks to the P&F committee for their efforts in organising this event; namely Mel McGuinness, Sam Dawes and Lisa McNamara, as well as our MC Dave Zammit. We also had a large number of parents volunteering during the evening, which is greatly appreciated. Thank you. This event would also not go ahead without the support of our many generous sponsors. I thank these businesses for their ongoing support of St Mary’s School.
Reminder: Staff Carpark on Juliet Street
We kindly remind all families that the staff carpark on Juliet St is reserved for staff use only, particularly during the busy morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up times. We have noticed an increase in parents using this space to pick-up/ drop-off their children during these peak times, which creates safety concerns and prevents relevant people accessing the disabled parking space. To help us keep the area safe and accessible, please use the surrounding street parking or designated drop-off zone on Morley St instead. We appreciate your cooperation and support with this matter.
School News
- Well done to our ‘Rock, Pop, Mime’ team, who competed at the Mackay extravaganza last Wednesday evening. Their ‘Toy Story’ performance was an audience hit, and they were awarded 1st place in a hotly contested field! Well done to all our students, both dancers and our backstage crew, for their dedication to learning and rehearsing our dance. We also had several parents assist with rehearsals, costume making and make-up; thank you. Special thanks go to Mrs Wood for coordinating our group. Mrs Wood, you should be very proud!
- All the best to our Year 6 students as they host their Caritas stalls this Tuesday and Wednesday on the basketball court. An annual Year 6 tradition, these stalls form part of their Religion studies, with students researching the mission, inspiration and work of Caritas, a Catholic charity tasked with ministering to the poor and vulnerable across the globe. Students have prepared some great money-making ventures and I encourage all families to support these stalls.
- All the best to our Reader’s Cup team who are competing at the Mackay/Whitsunday event this Thursday, held in our school Hall. Mrs Paul (Literacy Coach) has been preparing our team, as well as coordinating the event, which has seen a record number of school entries.
- All the best to our Year 3-6 students who have their Athletics Carnival this Friday at the ARC. Yr 3-6 students are reminded to wear their house shirt and be at school by 8:30am so we can catch the bus to the ARC. Parents and relatives are most welcome to attend the day.
- While the senior students are off-campus this Friday, our Prep-Yr 2 students will enjoy a variety of great activities for Under 8’s day. Thank you to our junior school teachers for organising this event.
Position Vacant – Parish Office Secretary
The South Mackay Cluster is recruiting for a new Cluster Secretary. The Secretary plays a crucial role in carrying out the office administration for the South Mackay Cluster. Working closely with the Priests, liturgical teams, and schools, the Secretary is responsible for the preparation of sacraments, including baptisms, weddings, and funerals, and supporting sacramental programs. The role also involves a broad range of administration tasks, including answering the phones, monitoring emails, collecting and distributing mail, and weekly liturgical preparation.
This is a full-time position (38 hours per week), remunerated under the Clerks Private Sector Award, based in the Cluster Office (St Mary's Parish Centre). For a copy of the position description or to apply, please email Human Resources at hr@rok.catholic.net.au. Applications should include a cover letter outlining your suitability for the role, and a current resume with two professional referees. Applications should be submitted by 10am on Tuesday, 24th June 2025. As we are committed to the safeguarding of children, young people, and adults-at-risk, a national criminal history check is required for this role.
Parish News – Priestly Appointment
Bishop Michael has made some changes to the priests of the Southern Cluster Parish. Beginning 5th July, Fr Sijo has been appointed as an assistant priest, alongside Fr Matthias. Fr Anthony, who has been an assistant Priest in our Parish for the past 18 months, is moving to Bundaberg. I thank Fr Anthony for his ministry in our Parish and school and wish him all the best for his new ministry in Bundy.
Quote of the Week
“Joy does not simply happen to us. We need to choose joy and keep choosing it everyday."
- Henry Nouwen
NCCD Information
Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD)
Each year, schools across Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). This important initiative helps schools recognise and strengthen the support provided to students with disability, ensuring an inclusive and equitable learning environment for all.
The NCCD process requires schools to identify existing supports and adjustments for students with disability, in line with legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005. The information collected includes:
- Year level of the student
- Category of disability (physical, cognitive, sensory, or social/emotional)
- Level of support provided (ranging from quality differentiated teaching practice to extensive adjustments)
This data allows state and federal governments to plan effectively for educational support across the country. It also enables schools to reflect on their practices and refine their programs to improve outcomes for students with disability.
Importantly, the NCCD does not directly impact students—there is no testing or assessment involved. Schools provide data to the Australian Government in a way that ensures privacy and confidentiality, meaning no individual student is identifiable.
For more details, visit the NCCD Portal or review the Australian Government’s Privacy Policy. If you have any questions about the NCCD, please contact the school administration.
Lisa Sorbello
Learning Support Teacher
2025 Premier's Reading Challenge
READY, SET, READ!
The 2025 Premier’s Reading Challenge kicked off last month. The challenge is not a competition but aims to improve literacy and encourage children to read widely for pleasure and learning.
Students at St Mary’s will participate in the challenge by recording all the books they read between now and 22nd August. The winning class will be announced on assembly following the closure of the competition and the collation of results. Let’s get reading St Mary’s!
Rock Pop Mime Show
Congratulations to our amazing Rock Pop Team for their first place performance last week. You lit up the stage with your energy, joy and unstoppable smiles!
St Mary's Athletics Carnivals
Parent volunteers for Senior Athletics Day are still required. Please email simone_sibley@rok.catholic.edu.au if able to assist.
Simone Sibley
HPE Teacher
Run Club
St Mary's Battlers
The Battlers are yet to rack up a win this season but not for want of trying. With a final score of 20 points to 8, Fitzgerald were just too good on the day. The sideline crew were extremely impressed with our team effort to defensively hold out the biggest opponent on the field. It was a clear testament to the hard work we have been doing in tackling drills at training. It was great to have Olivia and Brooklyn on the field and we look forward to our final round match next Wednesday on field 1 against Mackay West State School at 4pm.
Belinda Battaia
Team Manager
Swap It!
Student of the Week
Week 7, Term 2 Student Award Winners
| Prep C | Elva | For writing a detailed retell of Mac and Tic Tac. You sounded out your words carefully and used capital letters and full stops correctly. I loved how you used expression when you read out your writing. Keep up the amazing work, Elva! |
| Prep C | Ezlyn | Ezlyn, you have been working so hard on your sounds this term. You are chopping, reading, and writing your words with more confidence. You approach all learning tasks with enthusiasm and always try your best. Keep it up! |
| Prep R | Amaira | For working hard during Maths lessons. You are becoming more confident when working with numbers and doing a fantastic job. Keep it up! |
| Prep R | Kiarah | For working hard during Boost sessions and reading literacy rotations. You have been working super hard to sound out and write tricky words. Keep trying hard Kiarah! |
| 1B | Lucia | For the effort you have put into improving your confidence and fluency when reading aloud in BOOST groups. Keep up the great effort Lucy! |
| 1C | Blair | For your sensational effort in writing this week. You worked hard to write sentences including the ‘who, what, where, when and why?’ Your teacher loved the way you applied feedback and shared your examples with others. Keep up the amazing effort Blair. |
| 1C | Scarlette | For your consistent effort and attention in class. Your teacher loves the way you are always on task and ask questions when needed. You are considerate of others, you love learning, and you try hard in all that you do. Keep up the awesome effort Scarlette! |
| 2A | Samuel | For being a caring and kind classmate who always checks in on others. We love your stories and your amazing sense of humour. Keep being you Sam! |
| 2A | Stella | For the energetic and excitable approach you take on all the things you do in 2A. This week you have commenced your HASS Toy Project, fully organised and raring to go! Great work Stella! |
| 2L | Ivor | Ivor, your teacher has enjoyed reading your narrative about ‘Jeffrey the Crying Baby'. It was great to see that you included a complication in your story and showed your best effort to use punctuation. Keep up the good work! |
| 2L | Nina | Nina, you are the ‘calm’ in the ‘crazy’ of our classroom most days. You take everything in your stride, and you work quietly without disturbing anyone. You are amazing!! |
| 3M | Hayden | For your positive engagement in our lessons this week. You have been contributing great ideas during class discussions and sharing your thoughts with your peers. Well done and keep it up! |
| 3M | Remy | For always trying your best during spelling lessons. You are so good at segmenting tricky words and it is great to see you putting your hand up to show us your answers. Well done, Remy! |
| 3P | Halle | For showing determination and persistence in your learning. It’s great to see you apply a ‘can do’ attitude to all you do. Thank you always trying your best. Keep up the super effort Halle! |
| 3P | Hudson | For always showing kindness and compassion to everyone in our classroom. Your caring nature and cheerful spirit make our classroom a better place! Thank you for bringing the joy to 3P each day! |
| 4G | Reagan | Showing great improvement in completing homework this term. You’ve demonstrated growing responsibility, organisation, and effort in the way you complete and manage your homework – and it’s paying off! Keep it up Reagan! |
| 4G | Clanci | For being a valued member of the class and the positive example you set for others. You consistently bring a respectful attitude, share your ideas, and support your classmates, helping to make our classroom a great place to learn. Keep it up Clanci! |
| 4R | Edie | For the positive attitude you have shown in class this week! Your determination to follow instructions, stay focused during lessons and complete your tasks has really stood out. Well done, Edie! |
| 4R | Matilda | For your dedication to always presenting your work with care and attention. The effort you have put into your learning and work in the classroom this week have truly shone! Keep up the great work Matilda! |
| 5C | Gloria | For your hard work and dedication in creating your Paddock to Plate multimodal presentation! Your effort, creativity, and attention to detail are truly shinning through. |
| 5C | Oliver | For your outstanding effort in mathematics, especially in working with decimal numbers to the hundredths and accurately measuring angles with a protractor. Your focus and persistence are impressive—keep it up! |
| 5F | Joel | For showing dedication and determination by diligently applying yourself to catching up on missed assessment. Your impressive commitment to completing your deferred work reflects your dedication to academic progress. Keep up the great work Joel! |
| 5F | Sonny | For demonstrating responsibility in your learning and improved work completion by proactively moving to a place within the classroom with fewer distractions. Your increased commitment to focus and self-improvement is admirable. Keep up the great work Sonny! |
| 6C | Harlen | For your efforts with your historical recount writing this week. It has been wonderful to hear your contributions to support our writing. I am looking forward to reading your finished piece. |
| 6C | Charlotte | For your conscientious manner in all learning tasks. You are a positive role model for your class, always striving to do your very best! Keep up the great work Charlotte. |
| 6T | Gemma | For the outstanding effort and attention to detail you showed when completing your migration slideshow. You created a comprehensive and informative report of Matt's migration journey. Well done, Gemma! |
| 6T | Sam | For your impressive skills in tackling challenging math problems! You read each question carefully, identify the key information, understand what is being asked, and solve it with great accuracy. Keep up the excellent work, Sam! |
| Sport | Class 5C | Well done for working as a team this week. You listened well to instructions, encouraged each other during the lesson and proved that you are capable of doing hard things. Mrs Sibley is proud of the effort you gave in PE this week. Keep it up. |
Community News
TIN CAN RADIO – Kids Take Over the Airwaves!
Students are invited to take over the airways at a fun and playful pop-up radio station, located at Foodspace Mackay. But before they go live on air, they need to attend one of two workshop opportunities held earlier that week. Know of any students aged 7+ who have a knack for public speaking and would enjoy this opportunity? Please pass this information on to them and their family.
STEP 1 – Attend a Workshop
Choose one session:
Workshop 1
📅 Monday 30 June (School Holidays)
⏰ 9:00am to 10:30am
📍 MECC, Lynette Denny Space
🎤 For children aged 7+ and their favourite grandparent or older person
🎟 Only workshop participants need tickets (FREE)
Workshop 2
📅 Tuesday 1 July (School Holidays)
⏰ 9:00am to 10:30am
📍 MECC, Lynette Denny Space
🎤 For children aged 7+ and their favourite grandparent or older person
🎟 Only workshop participants need tickets (FREE)
STEP 2 – Go Live on Air!
After the workshop, students can sign up for a live broadcast time:
📻 Wednesday 2 July – Friday 4 July
🕗 8:00am – 12:00pm daily
This is a fantastic (and free!) way for kids to grow their public speaking skills and have a blast doing it.
🔗 Register now here: https://bit.ly/TinCanRadioWorkshop
