Term 1, Week 3 Friday 14th February 2025

As we finish Week 3, we are well into the swing of the term!  It has been a hot start to the year.  Our buildings are airconditioned and if the temperature (from the Bureau of Meteorology) is above 35 degrees, we remain inside for playtimes.  I have noticed a number of children looking and feeling very hot as they are wearing full long sleeve tops, pants, as well as a jacket in extreme heat! We do have the excellent option of a t-shirt and shorts available in our uniform shop.

St Margaret Mary’s School community is supported by many important policies and procedures.  Many of these are developed by Catholic Education South Australia and assist us in our important role of creating and supporting a safe environment for all.  I have shared the links to many of these below.  If you have any questions about any of these, please do not hesitate to come and speak with me.  They will soon be available on our website.

The safety and wellbeing of your child/ren is of the highest priority.  Please see the following website for more information how we, and Catholic Education SA, can support your child.  It contains great links to sites that have essential information about CyberSafety, Child Protection Curriculum and support services available to both parents and children.

https://www.cesa.catholic.edu.au/our-schools/safe-environments-for-all

At St Margaret Mary’s School we believe we all need to communicate clearly that issues or concerns are to be resolved in respectful and appropriate ways.  It is important that grievances are kept confidential and that a time of reflection takes place.  Verbal and non-verbal communication should be respectful and uphold the dignity of all involved.  Please follow this link to our Positive Resolution Procedure that includes a helpful flowchart.

https://www.smms.catholic.edu.au/news-events/parent-communication

Catholic Education SA also has some information that may be useful if an issue arises.

https://www.cesa.catholic.edu.au/our-schools/feedback-or-complaints

We are excited to offer an excellent parent information seminar on 26^th March focussing on supporting Calm and Confident Kids.  I highly encourage at least one parent/carer from each family to attend.  All our teachers and educators will also participate in this valuable learning.

Thank you again for all your support for your child/ren and their educators in helping them settle for such an amazing start to the year.  Our Preschool and Reception students have settled so well, a great indicator of success for our extensive transition program.

Kelly Campbell

Dear Parents/Caregivers

It’s been a positive start to the year. Thank you to the families who were able to come along to our Welcome Night, it was great to see so many families meeting the teachers, visiting classrooms and spending time with other families in our community.

In the first few weeks we have had a focus on ‘Setting Up For Success’ where teachers, ESO and students enjoyed the chance to get to know each other, set up class expectations and their ‘Code of Cooperation’. This was an important opportunity for students and staff to develop positive relationships and settle in with new environments, classmates, teachers and ESOs. Teachers and ESOs have been gathering information about your child and how to best support their learning needs. We will conduct Personalised Plan for Learning (PPL) Meetings with some families next week and all parents/caregivers will have the opportunity to hear more about their child and their learning progress in Parent Teacher Learning Conversations during Week 8, Monday 17 – Friday 21 March. More information will be shared with families in coming weeks.

SMMS School Values & Positive Behavioural Interventions and Supports (PBIS)

As a part of the ‘Setting Up for Success’ weeks students have connected their learning with our school values, Responsibility, Integrity, Compassion, Justice, Perseverance, and developed their understanding of their meaning. We brainstormed how we can demonstrate these values in our everyday interactions with others. We have a particular focus on the value of Justice this year.

We have also continued our work with PBIS, our whole school framework which helps to create positive and engaging learning environments for students supported by our schoolwide behaviour expectations. Positive behaviours are explicitly taught, modelled, and practised with students and reinforced throughout the year.

These positive behaviour expectations are anchored by our school values and are represented in our Positive Behaviour Matrix which is on display around our school.

Save the Date – Sports Day – Friday 28 March
Our annual Sports Day will take place on Friday 28 March at Santos Stadium. More details will be shared with families in coming weeks.

Calm & Confident Kids – Wednesday 26 March
Please email Angela in the Front Office info@smms.catholic.edu.au to secure your place in our Parent Seminar and to book your child/ren in for our creche. The creche will be available for children who are 5 years and older. The seminar will take place at St Margaret Mary’s from 6:00-7:15pm.

Best wishes for the week ahead.

Belinda

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

On Friday 7 February, we gathered for our Beginning of Year Liturgy of the Word where we highlighted the Church Jubilee theme ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ and our School Value theme for the Year ‘Justice.’ As part of the liturgy, we presented Welcome Certificates to the students in our three Reception classes and new students across the school.

Sacramental Program
On Wednesday 5 February we held a Reconciliation Meeting at Whitefriars Catholic School. The families received their home activities booklet and if ready, families were able to choose a First Reconciliation Ceremony date.

If you would like to enrol your Baptised child in the program, or would like to find out more about Baptism, there is still time. Please email Kirsty Power the Sacramental Coordinator sacramental.coordinator@croydonparkparish.com.au if you have any further questions.

Next, we will gather for the Reconciliation Workshop on Wednesday 19 March, at Whitefriars Catholic School in the Mary MacKillop Hall from 7:00pm. The workshop is an important part of the candidates preparation and as such, we can no longer take any more enrolments after the workshop.

House Captains
In 2025, we a proud to announce our House leaders who will lead us in the spirit of our significant saints or individuals and their connection to our school story.

The Sports Houses and their captains:

Margaret (Blue)          Named after Saint Margaret Mary of Alacoque. Saint Margaret Mary focused on Jesus’ love for us and is who our school and church are named after. The Margaret House captains for 2025 are Katelyn and Aston.

MacKillop (Green)       Named after Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop. Saint Mary MacKillop was the founder of the Sisters of St Joseph and Australia’s first saint. The MacKillop House captains for 2025 are Nira and Dominic.

Grady (Red)                 Named after Sister Jude Grady. Sister Grady was the first Headmistress (Principal) of St Margaret Mary’s School and a Sister of Saint Joseph. The Grady House captains for 2025 are Aldeyna and Kenzi.

Daly (Yellow).              Named after Father Thomas Daly. Father Daly was the first parish priest of St Margaret Mary’s School and Church. The Daly House captains for 2025 are Poppi and Tyson.

Student Leadership Team
This week we announced our 2025 Semester 1 Student Leadership Team (SLT).

The Early Years SLT representatives are Yan Ni, Gabriel, Thanh-Thanh, Hasu, Chloe, Bao, Nyla, Sohail, Valeria, Orlando, Lila, Shine, Alessia and Alexander.

The Primary Years SLT will be represented by Ella, Jaxon, Ruby, James, Tammy, Patrick, Layla, Yoni, Aldeyna, Dan, Tiffany, Thomas, Evanna and Brian.

Congratulations to all our representatives in the Year of focus on ‘Justice’ we look forward to the many ways our leaders will help to serve the school and community.

Week 3 Assembly
On Friday 14 February, we gathered for a school assembly with 2NW. The Year 2 students in Ms Watson’s class shared some of their Visual Arts and Health learning with us.  As part of the assembly, we also officially acknowledged our new House Captains and SLT Representatives. Thank you to the parents who were able to stay and join us for the 9:00am assembly and we look forward to those who will be able to join us at future assemblies.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone.

Matthew Harrison

School Fee accounts for 2025 have been posted to all families.   Please come to see me if you have not received yours.

When paying online – please use your BPay number and include your family ID which is located at the top right hand corner of your statement. 

As mentioned last newsletter, please do not delay making payment because your School Card reduction has not yet been approved.  This approval by the State Government will probably not come through until April. The due dates for these fees are: 

Friday 28^th Feb 2025           Friday 30^th May  2025             Friday 22nd August 2025

If you have previously had a payment plan and would like to renew it – please come and see me.  I cannot automatically roll it over.

I will be going on Long Service leave from 21/2/25 so please come in to see me before then if needed, especially if you want to set up a payment plan.

Jane Victory
Finance Officer

The Catholic Education Awards South Australia celebrate the outstanding achievements and contributions to Catholic education by staff and volunteers throughout South Australian Catholic schools and Catholic Education Offices within the Archdiocese of Adelaide and the Diocese of Port Pirie.

Their purpose is to acknowledge unwavering commitment to Catholic education and the extraordinary outcomes that can be achieved through the impact of such commitment.

Endorsed by the South Australian Commission for Catholic Schools (SACCS) these awards recognise those whose efforts are beyond the already high standards of education and care delivered by all those involved in Catholic education. Through such commitment, these people will have made a difference in the lives of students or others with whom they come into contact as they carry out their responsibilities in Catholic education.

This is your opportunity to shine a light on a teacher, support person, leader, volunteer or program making a positive difference.

For more information about nominations, please visit www.awards.cesa.catholic.edu.au

Please do not U-Turn outside our office at any time.  It is a solid white line.  

Sports Day is scheduled for Friday 28th March.  We have heard that Target have $5 polo shirts in team colours.  Please check with your child's teacher if you are unsure of their sports team.