Dear Parents

This week our students in Grade 3 and Grade 5 were involved in completing activities for NAPLAN. This National Assessment has progressed rapidly over the last three years with many schools now sitting the activities online, including us here at St Mary’s. Debate over the value of NAPLAN has been evident since it started with all teachers, students and parents having different opinions. We use the results of NAPLAN to check it against other assessments to work out gaps or links to improve our teaching and helping students. It is one of many assessments that are completed at school. Others include PAT English and PAT Maths, Letter ID, BAS for English, MAI (maths interview), Spelling Assessments- the list is long and also includes anecdotal notes during the course of each day. The reason I am sharing this is to reassure you that NAPLAN is not everything - it is one small part of each child’s learning journey.

NAPLAN is intended to measure the growth of each child in the years leading up to the test. Within these guidelines it organises each child to see where on that day they sit in relation to other children in the state of Victoria and Australia. The data also can be used to help the secondary school understand more about a child’s learning before they enter Year 7. This is common practice at Catholic College Sale. All children at St Mary’s are encouraged and supported during NAPLAN and they have undertaken each task diligently.

National Reconciliation Week begins on Thursday, 27th May and concludes on June 3rd. This year’s theme - More than a Word: Reconciliation Takes Action. Thursday, 27th May is the anniversary of the 1967 Referendum which saw over 90% of Australian voters choose, yes. Yes, to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people being counted in the census and yes to the Government to create laws that could assist in addressing inequalities. At school we will be completing some whole school activities and are also in the process of updating our website to include an acknowledgement of Welcome to Country and some of the resources available to both homes and schools. 

Catholic Education Week will be celebrated at St Mary’s between May, 21st and May, 28th this month. The theme for this year is : Faith in the future- I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.

Our school will be open for kindergarten children and other families who may like a school tour. For children in kinder this is the first step in the process of enrolling for the 2022 school year. Families will be able to make an appointment for enrolment interviews and take information packs on the days of the tours.

Tuesday, 25th May- 9am-11am

Wednesday, 26th May- 9am-11am

Thursday, 27th May-9am -11am 

We hope to see many families come and see our school during this week.

I hope you all have a great weekend.

Jason

Tuesday, 25th May- 9am-11am

Wednesday, 26th May- 9am-11am

Thursday, 27th May-9am -11am 

We hope to see many families come and see our school during this week.  Our kindergarten families will be able to make an appointment for enrolment interviews and take information packs on the days of the tours.

TERM 2 - Monday 19th April - Friday 25th June

TERM 3 - Monday 12th July - Friday 17th September

TERM 4 - Monday 4th October - Friday 17th December

Monday 14th June - Queen's Birthday

Friday 7th May

Friday 25th June

WEEKEND MASSES

Heyfield:

Saturday    6:00pm

Maffra:

Sunday    9:00am 

Cowwarr:

1st and 3rd Sunday   11:00am

Newry:

2nd and 4th Sunday  11:00am

Dargo:

5th Sunday   12:00pm

WEEKDAY MASSES

Heyfield:

Tuesday      9:30am

Maffra:

Wednesday   9:30am

Thursday      9:30am

Friday          9:30am

Stretton Park:

2nd Friday  10:00am

If you would like to be our next Star of the Week, please fill in the nomination form sent home.  Spare nomination forms can be found at the office.  A new student will be selected for each assembly.  

This is a self nominated award.  Nominations are to go into the gold box located in the office.  

14th May ~ Alice Bagguley

Congratulations to Alice who demonstrated how her hard work and perserverance paid off when she won her school cross country race.  Alice put in an extremely great effort at her first cross country.  She trained with her sister leading up to the event and her training really paid off.  She should be very proud of her achievement.  Well done!!

On Monday, St Mary's saw a team of 32 students compete at Heyfield and District School Cross Country at the wetlands in Heyfield.  All of our students competed in good spirits and all did their best, representing our school with pride.  7 students, Susie Coleman, Charlotte Sage, Louis Phillips, Sam Nowak, Ella Higgins, Alexa Potter and Ashlyn Harrington, will progress to the Wellington Division on Monday 24th May held at Yarram. St Mary's Maffra also proudly came away winning the HDSSA Cross Country shield.  Congratulations and well done!!

Cross Country - written by Sam Nowak

On Monday we had our Heyfield and District cross country.  Everyone that competed did a great job and when they weren't racing they were very supportive.  I was there myself and after running  the track it made me very proud of everyone's effort.  In the end we won but I wasn't surprised because everyone ran brilliantly.

Notice to all families that School Photos will take place on Monday 7th June 2021.

St Mary's Maffra is now on Instagram!!  Follow us by searching for us at stmarysmaffra