23 Term 1 Week 1

We welcome the year back with heavy machinery, smiling faces and new connections, we welcome new families and staff back, we provide you with a brief building update and we provide you with information about some key procedural changes at our school. Welcome to Week 1 of 2023!

WELCOME BACK:

And just like that, we are back! I do hope that you all enjoyed a great Chrsitmas and holiday break and enjoyed time away from the routines of school. It has been great to see familiar and new faces in our yard and classes, to hear about holiday adventures and to see the genuine smiles as ‘re-connections’ are made between students.

We particularly welcome a large group of students and families who have joined our school community this year. We welcome 72 new Receptions as well as Maisie and Sophie (Y1) and Aryan (Y4) who join our community. I do hope you have a positive and rewarding experience at Stella.

We also welcome a number of new staff to our school. They have all ‘hit the ground running’ and have mentioned what a great welcome they have already received. Welcome to Tanya Stott (APRIM), Emma Chapman (Inclusive Ed Co-ordinator), Elizabeth Bello (Y1), Tomara Brown (Y5), Cody Kelsh (Y4), Pru Howard (Y5), Carol McNicol (Office) and Julia Roy (ESO).

SCHOOL THEME:

“Act Justly…Walk Humbly” – our 2023 School Theme is beauty! Each year we ensure that we have a point of focus and attention which aligns to our Catholic faith, our Good Samaritan charism and our strong school values.

Our new (Acting) APRIM Tanya Stott does a great job of unpacking this for you in today's newsletter – and I’d encourage you to speak to your child about how they have interpreted what this might mean for them during our 2023 school year.

BUILDING UPDATE:

We begin our 67^th year at Stella Maris with great anticipation. We’ve had a big start to the year as I am sure those who have completed the drop off and pick ups would have seen. Our Admin and Community room is now rubble and the ongoing task of demolition continues in earnest. This week has been particularly ‘noisy’ with the huge jack hammer completing the noisy and time-consuming job of concrete slab demolition. This is likely to be finished by the end of this week. The next part of the building process is the levelling and civil works of the space. While I am meeting with our building site supervisor most days, we have a scheduled site meeting with both Architects and Sarah Construction representatives on Monday and I will provide you with a further update after this meeting.

WEEK 1:

If your child is coming home telling you that they “are not doing any work” this week – they are wrong! It is just quite different “work” than they are use to! Here at Stella, we believe that wellbeing - feeling positive, connected and flourishing are essential elements of our learning program. As such, we make a focussed decision to ensure that a vast majority of Week 1 and Week 2 is spent connecting in relationships, having some fun and getting to know classmates and the teachers and ESOs who your child will work with.

During the first couple of weeks students will also complete a class code of conduct, unpack our annual school theme, revise our school values and school expectations about behaviour and let our teachers know what is important about them. By doing this, we are beginning the vital process of ensuring students feel comfortable, safe and positive about coming to school.

PARENT INFORMATION AND MEET THE TEACHER NIGHT:

Information was sent home this week regarding our Parent Information / Meet the Teacher night. As I spoke about in the letter, we weren’t able to conduct these last year due to COVID restrictions. The ability to put a face / voice to a name is important – to both teachers and parents and so I strongly encourage you to attend this night. As a reminder, details are as follows:

WHEN: Wednesday 8th February

TIME: 6:00pm – 7:00pm

STRUCTURE: Your child’s class teacher will present the same presentation twice on the night – once from 6:00pm – 6:30pm and again from 6:30pm – 7:00pm. You can choose which presentation you attend.

WHAT WILL YOU HEAR: Not only will you have the chance to meet your child’s classroom teacher personally, but this will also give you the opportunity to hear about some of our key whole school information and agreements, their philosophy and beliefs about learning, how you can support your child’s learning development through the year and of course, the important admin and routine information about the class for 2023.

(If you are unable to attend the Parent Information night, you are invited to request a copy of the PowerPoint / Information presented on the night).

CHILD MINDING: We will have staff on duty in the library space should you require your child to be supervised during the presentations.

TIMETABLE CHANGES:

We have had some minor changes to our school timetable this year. These have occurred for a variety of reasons and may require ongoing consideration:

PARKING, KISS AND DROP:

At the beginning of the year it is always important to reiterate and remind parents of important procedures and processes at school. This will occur over the next few weeks, with today’s reminders focussed on Parking and Kiss and Drop expectations.

No doubt, trying to exit 400 odd students out of a school which is land locked is difficult. However, there are some key expectations and requirements which when followed by all community members will make things as smooth as possible.

Next week, we will be providing a letter in email and hard copy from (by handing it to all parents who use the Kiss and Drop zone). It outlines the essential, key elements of how we can work together to ensure as safe, smooth and easy drop off and pick up as we can. We want to ensure that these messages and expectations are read and understood by all community members who do pick ups - be it Grandparents, Aunties, Uncles or friends so we will provide these to people using the kiss and drop over the coming week. If you would like a copy of this letter in another language to support your understanding of them, then please let us know in the office and we will arrange this for you.

As always, I thank you for your ongoing support in this matter.

Take care,

James

Dear families and friends,

I feel so very blessed!

Stella Maris is such a welcoming, vibrant community with a culture and mindset of inclusion that is tangible from the moment you step through the doors.  Let me introduce myself…- my name is Tanya Stott and for 2023, I am your APRIM (Assistant Principal Religious Identity & Mission) while Paula Clark is at Immaculate Heart of Mary School.  In time, I hope to get to know your children and eventually you – their families and carers.

Act Justly, Walk Humbly - 2023 School Focus Theme

Micah 6:8, is the inspiration for this year’s whole school theme…

“He has told you, O mortal, what is good;

and what does the Lord require of you

but to do justice, and to love kindness

and to walk humbly with your God.”

It builds upon ‘With our own two hands’, as we endeavour to discern, reinterpret for our context and authentically act in a just and humble manner.  St Mary of the Cross MacKillop is well known for her motto…”Never see a need without doing something about it.” She was concerned with ensuring and promoting equity, fairness and inclusivity especially for the most vulnerable members of society.

Walking humbly, is a more challenging concept. We are called to learn from the teachings and actions of Jesus and be aware of and open to God’s grace working through us.  It is about being of service to others, being other-centred and working quietly for the common good.

Beginning of Year Mass – 9.15am Wednesday February 15

We warmly invite you all to join us as we celebrate the beginning of the 2023 school year, welcome those new to our community and farewell Cathy Lainio, with mass at Holy Spirit Church. 

I will leave you with some words of wisdom from Audrey Hepburn….

“For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.”

Many blessings,

Tanya Stott

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