We hope everyone had a restful and happy holiday. Term 2 is always very busy with lots of learning in classrooms and numerous events scheduled. Student excursions to AGFEST, the Campbell Town Show, a performance of Roald Dahl’s ‘The Twits’, the Science and Engineering Challenge and the Bay of Fires Art Exhibition are just some off the offsite curriculum experiences our students will participate in. Later this term the Premier’s Reading Challenge will begin, and Year 10 students will attend Open Days at Newstead and Launceston Colleges.  A number of sporting events are held this term as well, including AFL Clinics, Winter Sports and Cross Country Carnivals.  Keep an eye on our school website and Facebook page for regular updates on all Term 2 events and happenings.

St Marys District School (education.tas.edu.au)

St Marys District School | Facebook

MDT/Art Block Re-Development and Primary Accessible Bathroom

We are pleased to communicate with you that the builders are currently on-schedule with the re-development of the MDT/Art block. A lot of ‘unseen’ work has been happened below ground level and inside the building and over the last holidays the slab for the Art room was laid.  The work that will happen this term will be far more visible, with walls starting to appear. 

The building team have made good progress on the new accessible bathroom in the Primary block. This facility will result in us being able to better support students, by reducing distance between our younger students and an accessible bathroom space.

Uniform

At St Marys District School we want all students to have a positive sense of community and pride in the school. Uniform is an important part of this. We are very pleased to see so many students wearing their uniform with pride and are appreciative of parents/carers efforts to ensure students are wearing the correct clothing. Students can wear a plain black long sleeve top under their polo but casual non-uniform hoodies are not to be worn.  A reminder that the following clothing items are not part of our every day uniform: board shorts, sports shorts, steel capped boots.

If you need support with your child’s uniform you can talk to your child’s teacher or AST to discuss your family’s eligibility for support or assistance in the purchase of school uniforms.

Puffer Jackets – Thank you SMDS School Association Committee and St Marys District School Op Shop Volunteers!

Our SMDS School Association puffer jackets have arrived. A huge thank you must go out to our School Association committee and St Marys Op Shop volunteers for their donation of a puffer jacket for every student enrolled at St Marys District School.  Currently, School Association committee members are working their way through the mountains of puffer jacket boxes, sizing and naming the jackets. As soon as this work is done students will receive their jacket. Stay tuned for lots of photos of our grateful and warm students!

Beanies

With the colder weather, we remind students and families that all students have been ‘gifted’ a SMDS Beanie from the School Association and it might be time to hunt around at home to see if it can be found.  If your child’s beanie has joined the ‘lost sock’ in your household, replacement beanies can be purchased at the school offices at a cost of $11 each.

As with all uniform items, non-SMDS Beanies are not part of our school uniform and are not to be worn on school grounds. 

Every School Day Matters

Make every school day count!

Going to school every day gives your child every chance to learn and grow, and connect with their mates and teachers. It’s where bright futures start and where they’ll benefit the most.

When your child goes to school every day, it helps them to:

• learn better
• find interests
• make friends
• connect with teachers
• be happier
• have a brighter future.

If you’re struggling to get your child to school, help is available. Please talk to us at school about your situation. We’ll support you, in whatever way we can.

To find out more, visit the Anything can happen website.

 Student Behaviour Management Policy

St Marys District School, along with all other Tasmanian Government schools, is committed to providing students with a learning environment that supports them to be the best they can be. We work hard to provide safe, supportive and inclusive environments where your child can engage positively with their learning.

To strengthen the way that schools prevent and respond to bullying, from Term One 2023, all Tasmanian Government schools will have implemented the Student Behaviour Management policy. This policy replaces the existing Respectful Student Behaviour Policy.

The important change between the old policy and the new policy is that now all schools will have the same minimum standards for preventing and responding to bullying. The new policy also has a clear definition of what bullying is and sets clear expectations for how we support students impacted by bullying.

These changes mean that the way St Marys District School prevents and responds to bullying will meet the same standards as all other Tasmanian Government Schools. Some schools may incorporate different programs or measures to respond to bullying, but all will have the same foundation.

For more information, please see the Staying Safe in Tasmanian Government Schools parent fact sheet at https://www.decyp.tas.gov.au/parents-carers/parent-fact-sheets/staying-safe/

 Carolyn Watson

Principal

Please enjoy some recent artworks created by Visual Art and Short Course students. 

Wonderful bookmarks created by students in the Bookmark Making  Short Course.

Amazing neon effect drawing by Malika Butwell-Blair (Grade 8)

Students in the Year 7 Taster completing an oil pastel shading exercise to learn about value and tone in artworks!

A big thank you to Vanessa Richardson for donating art frames to our school! We look forward to using these frames to showcase some of the incredible artworks created by our talented students!

This term our Kindergarten and Early Childhood PE classes have had the following key focuses:

1. Moving our bodies and being active in outdoor spaces
2. Learning about how our brain, heart, lungs and muscles work when we are active and being still
3. Understanding that our body is capable of being active for short and long periods of time
4. Recognising the “feel good” emotions after playing and moving their bodies in different ways
5. Understanding that sometimes nature and the environment creates a wonderful space for play and being active – no equipment needed

Our students have been moving in and around areas of the school. They have been engaging in nature walks, searching for objects in nature, learning their fun run course for the Cross country Day (Tuesday May 16) and developing their walking, skipping, hopping, jumping and leaping in and around the school grounds.  They have understood the concept of “create one footprint”, that is, respect our environment, do no harm/damage and leave our environment in good shape for everyone to appreciate.

Our students have been strengthening their sense of direction, how to tell ‘right’ from ‘left’ and how to move safely indoor and outdoor spaces.

Please enjoy these pictures as a snap shot of recent learning opportunities.

Our Prep – Grade 4 students are focussing on the topic “Personal Hygiene – how to keep ourselves clean and healthy”. 

The following are the focus area, big ideas and key understandings for each of our grades: 

• Prep: Making healthy and safe choices, I can explore things about myself, my body changes as I grow older 
• Grade 1 and 2: Making healthy and safe choices, examining health messages and making good decisions, there are trusted people who I can seek help from
• Grade 3 and 4: Making healthy and safe choices, having a growth mindset will help me understand who I am, my behaviours and decision can affect my health and wellbeing 

The Personal Hygiene unit of work will include: 

• Caring for our skin/hair 
• Dental hygiene 
• Looking after our ears and nose 
• Showering, bathing, washing 
• Clothing cleanliness 

It is very important to acknowledge that all families have different values and ways of supporting our children through the different stages of growth and development through childhood.  Personal hygiene content is delivered in a factual manner to support the sharing of positive health messages. 

In recent lessons, the focus has been on dental hygiene – how we can look after our teeth, tongue and mouth.  Our P – 2 students have incorporated the notion of “shape” by identifying the different types of teeth, eg., which teeth have a flat top? which teeth are a bit like a triangle?  We have had a “Dental Expo” in the classroom with a big display of dental products including different types of toothbrushes, brushes, toothpaste, floss, dental sticks and dental items. 

Our Grade 3 and 4's have taken this further by looking at the structure and function of the different types of teeth.  Our students are learning how to identify incisors, canines, pre-molars and molars by their shape.  They are learning about the function of these teeth and the best ways to clean the different type of teeth for maintaining wellbeing. 

Please enjoy these snapshots of our students learning about dental hygiene. 

Our school is taking part in the Wonder Recycling Rewards campaign this term.

Help us collect bread bags so we can earn points to redeem on new RH Sports equipment!!

It’s simple!  All you need to do is keep your empty bread bags and send them to school or drop them in to the collection tub in the main school office foyer.

I will then place them in a big pink collection box and post them off to be recycled.  The more we collect, the more points our school earns!!

TIPS FOR COLLECTING—use one empty bread bag to collect put other bread bags in!! 

Anna Wright 

School Nurse

                    COLLECTIONS CLOSE 7 July—so start collecting!!!

Hallie recently participated as a member of the AFLW Tasmanian Devils Under 16 Girls Squad where she played on the backline. Hallie and her team with coaches and support staff in tow, flew out of Tasmania on 10 April and headed for the Gold Coast. The team played their first game on 11 April at the Bond University Stadium against the Northern Territory. The game was tied until half time. As a result of strong games skills, dedication and team work, the game progressed in the Tasmanian team’s favour. The Captain and Key Forward were clear stand outs in this match resulting in the Tasmanian Devils winning by 75 points.

The second match was held on Friday at the Heritage Bank Stadium where the team played against the Gold Coast. The opposition were strong players and took advantage of playing on home ground and the Tasmanian Devils lost.

During the trip, the Tasmania Devils had time to take advantage of the beach, brilliant weather, and great accommodation. As part of their experience the team were able to visit the training facility used by the Gold Coast Suns AFL and AFLW teams.  This was an eye-opening experience to see what the inner sanctum looks like for the professional players.

Hallie explained the process she went through to become a State Representative in the Under 16 squad. She was picked up from the East Coast Swans in her first year playing football, two years ago, for her first time as a representative in a Devils representative team. This training has helped Hallie to improve her skills. She explained that she went through a selection process in October 2022 which was followed by lots of training sessions in Launceston. There were multiple selection processes that prospective players went through to determine who made the cut and headed into the next round of selection until the girls chosen reached the required number to make up the team. Taking advantage of the opportunities offered to her has enabled Hallie to represent the state.

Currently Hallie supports the East Coast Swans with training, and she trains with the U14's. She plays with the Tamar Demons and trains with the Tasmanian Devils on Wednesdays. Hallie said that she loves football and that she supports Collingwood (Go Pies 2023).

Early Childhood Music 

What a great time our students are having in Music.  Through dancing to music our students are developing their walking, skipping, jumping, twisting and twirling skills in time to music. 

Our students are exploring the different sounds that they can make with their voices and with different instruments from clapping sticks to the ukulele. 

Our students are learning “call and echo” songs.  They are learning about song structure by understanding the difference between a verse and a chorus. 

They are learning about pitch and keeping in tune –  Miss Bramich and the students engage in melodic attendances which is great fun!  Miss Bramich sings each student’s name and the student replies by singing “Ye-es” or “He-re”.  For absent students, the whole class sings “Not here!” 

Our students are learning different ways to warm up their voices before singing and they are learning to sing songs which have actions.  Favourites are “The Penguin Dance”, “Boom Chicka Boom”, “Tooty Ta” and “The Freeze Dance”.   

They are learning songs with an Australian indigenous background – “Taba Naba” and “The Clap Sticks Song” where they play the clap sticks while singing. 

Our students are learning about the different notes and how beats are counted.  Our recent focus has been on the “crochet”.  They have used the crochet note while playing their clap sticks for “The Clap Sticks Song”. 

Please enjoy these pictures of our P – 2 student engaging in a range of Music opportunities. 

Congratulation to Helayna McG and Jaxon H on being selected in the Tasmanian State Athletics Carnival to be held on Friday 12 May in Launceston.  Good luck to you both.

BREAKING NEWS

The Commissioner for Children and Young People is excited to announce that our YEP! program officially launched on 9 May 2023. Your Engagement Place (YEP!) is a place where children and young people under the age of 18 can find ways to engage with CCYP and other organisations around Tasmania to have a voice on things that matter to them. Any child and young person aged under 18 who registers before 9 June enters the membership draw for a chance to win an iPad. Children and young people can register here. T&Cs apply.

You can check out our YEP! hub now by visiting our new CCYP website. If you are an adult and would like to keep up to date with current engagement opportunities available to children and young people in Tasmania, fill out our adult subscription form.

DIVISION 2 2023

Our students represented with passion, pride and determination at the Division 2 Inter-High Athletics Carnival this year. We saw some outstanding individual performances on the day and excellent commitment by some students to pick up extra events for the good of the team. We were clearly the smallest team there, but we gave our best and tried to fill every event to get as many points as possible for SMDS.

Congratulations to Jaxon H, who went close to winning all his events and was selected to represent at the State Athletics in the long jump. Isla also had a very successful day, bringing in a number of place ribbons for her efforts. Daniel and Ryan ran extremely well in the sprint races and Emily finished second in the junior girls 1500m – running an excellent race before unfortunately hurting her knee. Huge congratulations to Helayna who placed in all of her events and was selected for the 100m, High jump and relay for the State Carnival.  Lachie, Tysen and Ned ran extremely well in their track races for the day……..Congratulations boys. BUT………the points for the most exciting and entertaining race of the day went to the Grade 8 Boys 4 x 100m relay. Huge congratulations to Jaxon, Wally, Byron and Connor for their outstanding efforts to finish first! What an awesome achievement.

These carnivals are essentially a team effort and we could not have achieved the results that we did without all the students who participated on the day. A big shout out to the following students who picked up extra events or had a large programme of events for the day: Nikki, Ava, Charli, Mieka, Ping (filled in for the 1500m- champion effort Ping), Harley, Paige, Sienna and Ollie.

The results at the end of the day were as follows:

St Marys District School: 4^th  in the junior shield (489 points)

St Marys District School: 4^th in the senior shield (512 points)

St Marys District School: 4^th in the combined teams overall shield (1001 points)

It was fantastic to be a part of this day and to share in the many successes of our students at this event. Thank you to the staff and parents who supported our SMDS team. It was wonderful to have such a large contingent of supporters to cheer on our team. We were the smallest team but definitely the loudest when it came to cheering!

Congratulations to all our athletes and thank you for your commitment to representing our school in such a positive way. We retained our spot in Division 2 and look forward to another great competition next year.

Photo courtesy of The Examiner

Laura Swanson

This week, students from Grades Prep to 10 have been participating in a series of workshops facilitated by AFL Tasmania. These workshops are specifically designed to focus on inclusion and participation in the game of football as well as incorporating fundamental movement skills. These workshops are enabling those that already play football to build on their existing skill base and those that do not play football an opportunity for learning new skills.

These photos are a snapshot of the 3/4B class enjoying their session with AFL Tasmania. 

Tasmanian Merino Wether Challenge

The six merino wethers donated by Fred and Mel Woods at Malahide are thriving in the School Farm paddocks. As part of the competition, students will be required to parade the sheep at the Campbell Town Show in late September. Craig Freiboth and the Grade 9-12 Ag Science students have made halters for the sheep.  They have been using these to train the sheep to walk on a lead. Here are some photos of the students training the sheep with the halters they made. The sheep have made great improvements in being handled by the students, but there is always one who doesn’t want to play the game.

At the start of Term One, the St Marys District School Farm entered the "Let It Grow" vegetable growing competition ran by the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture.

The radishes were grown for ten weeks and were harvested on the 3 May for judging at Agfest on 5 May.  Our Grade 9/10 – 11/12 Agriculture classes took on the challenge with great enthusiasm to grow the biggest radish.  Our radishes were grown in raised garden beds in our school farm garden.  The rules of the competition stated that only natural fertilisers could be used so we decided to utilise our worm farm's organic worm tea as our choice of fertiliser.

When we arrived at Agfest our first job was to take our entries to the University Pavilion to be weighed and displayed with the other entrants.  Unfortunately, we had to leave Agfest early before the official ceremony was conducted.  The results were as follows:

We received a phone call on the way home congratulating us on our win.  We won a $500 worm farm and a day visit from an Agricultural Scientist to our school farm.

CYBER SAFETY RESOURCES FOR ALL AGES

eSafety's express learning series provides parents and carers with practical tips and advice on common online safety concerns. The videos are 5 to 10 minutes long and cover four important topics, including:

-    Setting up parental controls
-    Digital technologies and mental health
-    Cyberbullying and online drama
-    Online sexual harassment and image-based abuse

View the learning resource here.

New respectful relationship resources for secondary school students

We have collaborated with SBS Learn to develop four new resources for teachers to share with their secondary school students:

• Being in respectful relationships
• Creating positive change
• Giving and seeking help in relationships
• Power and gender

The webpages for young people also link to an SBS Learn classroom resource. See all eSafety resources for young people at esafety.gov.au/young-people.

These notices have been sent home to parents in the last fortnight.  If you did not receive one and would like to receive a copy of the notice, please contact the school office on 63 723 900.

PRIMARY

• Twits Excursion -Launceston- Thursday 15 June 2023 - Grades P/1, 1/2, 3/4A and 3/4B
• Primary Assembly - Tuesday 23 May 2023
• Bay of Fires - Art Excursion - Grade 3-6 students - Friday 9 June
• Campbell Town Show Excursion - Grade 5/6A and Grade 5/6B - Friday 2 June

WHOLE SCHOOL

Cross_Country_16th_May_2023.pdf