Welcome to Term 4 Week 1 2023
Principals Report
WELCOME BACK
Welcome everyone to Term 4. We have a lot of activities planned for Term 4, including the annual Stella Maris Christmas concert in week 8, Thursday, 7th December. Please keep this date pencilled in for a fantastic night of carols and fun. More information will be distributed to families very soon.
We will also be farewelling our Grade 6 students with various activities culminating in a graduation liturgy & dinner in week 9. In due course, we will have a schedule of these activities distributed to Gr 6 families.
School photos were taken yesterday, and we thank our families for their patience and calmness. We also thank MSP Photography for their professionalism and care throughout the day. Their connections with the students created a fun and relaxed atmosphere for all.
As we move into the festive season very soon, we take this time to remind everyone of our school values:
Be Brave, Be Curious and Kind, Just Like Jesus…. in everything we say and do.
SUNDAY CONNECTION
Sunday, October 22, 2023, Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle
Gospel Reading
Matthew 22:15-21
The Pharisees send their disciples to test Jesus with a question about taxes.
Family Connection
Payment of taxes is unlikely to be a disputed issue in your family. Yet families can still learn something from this Gospel reading. Jesus’ answer to the Herodians and Pharisees redirects their question to focus on the issue of greatest importance: loving and honouring God. Taking this perspective can help us make good judgments about the competing issues of importance in our lives.
As your family gathers, make a list of the activities that your family spends time doing together, such as household tasks, jobs, academics, and recreational activities. Talk about the importance of each of these activities. Ask what would happen if there were an imbalance in our attention to these activities and we spent too much time on one activity at the expense of another.
In Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us of the necessity of giving things their proper importance. Read Matthew 22:15-21. The Herodians and Pharisees were giving too much importance to the issue of the payment of taxes. Jesus reminds them that loving and honouring God is of greater importance. In family life, we do many important things, but we remember that God is of the greatest importance in our lives. Pray together that your family will learn to keep things in proper perspective, remembering to keep God first in your lives.
Ref: Excerpts from the Sunday Connection copyright © Loyola Press. Used with permission. Visit www.LoyolaPress.com for more information.
ESAFETY COMMISSION
We encourage families to take time to read this important document.
STELLA MARIS FACEBOOK POLICY
We encourage families to take time to read our Facebook Policy below.
Uniform Shop
Opening Hours
Each Tuesday, 8.30am - 12.30pm.
Orders placed via Qkr after 10.00am on a Tuesday and before 10.00am cutoff the following Tuesday will be processed when the shop is open and sent home with children on the day.
Alternatively, orders can be collected after 11.00am on Tuesday during opening times if preferred.
Stella Stars
Sessions: 9.15am - 10.45am & 12.00pm - 1.30pm
Bookings through Facebook: Stella Stars Early Years Learning
Parent Engagement Group - PEG
Next Meeting
Wednesday, 25th October at 3.15pm parents are invited to attend our final Parent Engagement Group Meeting.
Football Colours Day
Kinder Red and Grade 6 Fun
We can share with you a pretty cute little video with some of the youngest and oldest in the school kicking the football together on the last Kindergarten day of Term 3.
Thanks, Mrs Murton, for letting KR hijack the Grade 6 PE lesson today.
Anne Kennedy
Kindergarten Teacher/Literacy Leader
Pyjama Day - Kinder Red
Lots of fun and laughs from our Kinder Red Pyjama day last term.
Preparing for 2024
CLASS PLACEMENTS: When we are working out the students’ class groupings each year, we take many factors into consideration, e.g., ability groupings, gender balance, special needs, and groupings. If parents have specific requests they wish to be considered as well, please address these in writing to Mrs Christina Gretton and leave them at the office or with the class teachers by Monday, 30th October 2023. The request should be clearly stated with a reason for making that request. As you would appreciate, it is a difficult task and impossible to keep everyone happy.
I ask you to remember three things:
- Children adapt more easily than parents
- We consider all factors thoroughly
- In the end, the leadership team make the final decision.
If you wish your child to repeat a year, or you are considering relocating or will not be attending Stella Maris in 2024, could you please inform the school office in writing as per the Terms and Conditions on your child’s signed Enrolment Acceptance?
Thank you.
Important Upcoming Dates
State Final School Chess Tournament - Monday 30th October (selected students)
Primary School Basketball Championships - Saturday 11th & Sunday 12th November (selected students)
Grade 4, 5, 6 Swimming Program - Monday 30th October - Monday 13th November (daily)
Recreation Day Public Holiday - Monday 6th November
North West Combined Athletics Carnival - Wednesday November 15th (selected students)
Grade 4 Camp Clayton Excursion - Friday 17th November
Grade 1 Guide Falls Farm Excursion - Friday 17th November
Marist College Grade 6 Transition Day - Monday 20th November - More details to come
All Schools Triathlon Challenge - Friday 24th November (children who have submitted registration form)
Grade 6 Award Presentations - Monday 4th December 9.30am - 10.30am
School Concert - Thursday 7th December 6.00pm
Grade 6 Graduation and Dinner - Monday 11th December from 5.30pm
Last Day of Term 4 for Students - Wednesday 13th December
First Day of Term 1 2024 for Students - Wednesday 7th Febuary 2024
Outside News
