Newsletter Term 4, Week 2 2023
Family Mass this Saturday 5.30pm in the SMM Church
Hello Parents and Carers,
Welcome back to Term 4!
I hope all our families had a chance to recharge over the school holidays, even if it was just a break from our usual routine.
Exciting news! We're thrilled to announce that St. Margaret Mary's has secured a $480,000 MACS supplementary grant, thanks to our strong submission to the Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools, towards the estimated $1,200,000 cost of Stage 1 Administration restoration. Stage 1 construction, it is hoped, will begin in Term 2, 2024.
Last Monday, we started the term with an engaging launch of our innovation and design investigation unit with the whole school's "Green Hat" incursion. Our students, grouped across various year levels, had the opportunity to work with planks (blocks) to build, experiment, and learn from failures while honing their negotiation, resilience, persistence, and problem-solving skills. It was great to see so many parents and carers join in the afternoon session.
This Saturday, we will begin our celebration of our feast day, where parish members, children, and families will gather for a 5:30 Mass.
The festivities will continue next Tuesday as we honour our patron, St. Margaret Mary, with a morning Mass, followed by an inclusive and fun Kaboom! sporting incursion. It's going to be a great day for the kids!
At St. Margaret Mary’s we enjoy a positive and mutually supportive home - school relationship, which evidence indicates is crucial for our children's wellbeing and educational success.
Our office and teaching staff are actively planning for a smooth transition into 2024 and that involves budgeting for staffing and resources. With this in mind, we kindly request your assistance with the following, if it applies to your family:
Please make prompt payments for any outstanding school fees. Currently, there is a significant deficit of unpaid fees. Prioritising these payments is essential. Please contact the office to settle these accounts, and if required, payment plans can be arranged.
If your child or family are not be returning to St. Margaret Mary's in 2024 (except for year 6 students), kindly inform us as soon as possible through principal@smmspotswood.catholic.edu.au. This is crucial for creating class groupings and planned staffing to facilitate the best learning opportunities for all our students.
A big thank you to Clare Fidalgo for connecting SMM with the Blue Fit gym and for every new member who nominated our school. We raised $700.00, which will help us acquire the gaga pit playground equipment set to arrive soon.
We're also thankful to Simon Devlin, our Deputy Principal, members of the F.S.G. and the wider school community for volunteering to sell democracy sausages this Saturday, as we are hosting Referendum voting in our hall.
This Saturday, I am looking forward to joining our families at St. Margaret Mary's church for the 5:30 Mass.
After Mass, there will be a gathering with a cuppa and treats, providing an excellent opportunity for families and parishioners to connect.
Take care,
Colleen McCambridge
Principal
Follow our socials for the latest learning posts from the classroom
St Margaret Mary’s students are independent life-long learners inspired by Gospel values and empowered with a sense of purpose and responsibility. They confidently engage with others and are equipped with skills to adapt to an ever changing world.
Each week, students who embody our values, apply the school mindsets to learning, work hard to improve or persevere to deliver on learning objectives are awarded a class award. The students who earned an award in the past weeks are:
Week 10
Week 1
Planks
The Planks incursion was an exciting play-based workshop where students had the chance to unleash their creativity with thousands of miniature plank-type construction blocks. They built towering structures, sprawling cities, unique characters, intricate patterns, and much more, all limited only by their imagination. The workshop encouraged collaborative skills such as negotiation, explanation, compromise, and inspiration, as students worked together to create imaginative designs. This term, students will be focusing on Design and Technology and this was a great way to start it off.
Fractions in Juniors
Wow Pizzas in maths? Fractions never looked so good!
T is for Terrific Transitions
SMM staff are always mindful of the effect of transitions on students & put actions in place to support students in managing them. Our staff have established a routine for helping students to transition successfully to the learning space & will review this regularly with all students.
Paying attention to transitions is very important. Students can struggle to regulate themselves when transitions occur. This inability to independently regulate emotions & cope can cause learning disruptions for themselves & others.
Some transitions include:
from home to school & school to home
from subject to subject,
from outside to inside, inside to outside
from one grade level to the next grade level
from one learning setting to another learning setting, e.g. specialist subjects, excursions, Kinder to Prep, Year 6 to Year 7
Some transitions are significant, e.g.
Preschoolers entering their Foundation (prep) year in the school system
All students ‘stepping up’ to a new grade level
Year 6 leaving SMM & moving into year 7
Transitions need to be managed well because they can be a source of emotional upheaval. The amygdala (small part of the brain), is a major processing centre for emotions. It also links our emotions to many other brain abilities, especially memories, learning & our senses. When it doesn’t work as it should, it can cause or contribute to disruptive feelings & symptoms(e.g. tummy ache) which can affect learning. An ‘amygdala hijack’ occurs when any strong emotion — anger, fear, anxiety, or even extreme excitement — impairs the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that regulates rational thought. Additionally, students of primary school age also undergo puberty, making transitions a particularly confusing, stressful & anxiety provoking time for some young people.
For Year 6 students entering secondary school many children may also feel sad or angry about leaving their current school & the positive relationships they’ve established with teachers & friends.
Common concerns when students transition include:
losing old friends and making new friends
being bullied
getting lost and getting to class on time
remembering what books and other equipment is needed for each class
following a timetable
dealing with different educators
homework.
Some students & parents view transitions as exciting times & look forward to new changes & new beginnings. Other students & parents can feel apprehensive & view this time as a time of loss, a milestone passing & letting go of the familiar & predictable environment, relationships & routines.
Transitions programs & routines help students to cope with changes transitions bring. Children who have experienced trauma or who have a tendency to be anxious benefit greatly from transition programs.
Positive transitions are vital to allay the effects of the ‘amygdala hijack’ & to support students’ wellbeing. Purposeful planning supports students to form relationships, learn new routines, feel a sense of connection and belonging in the new setting & helps to free up the brain for future learning success.
At SMM our teachers engage in many practices to support successful transitions . These are just a few:
Kinder visits
Reading and/or writing transition statements
Meetings with secondary school staff
Providing students with opportunities to visit secondary schools/experience secondary school life, e.g. attending school productions, fun days, sports days etc
Buddy program to build connections
Transition/orientation/step up days or sessions
Engaging in handover time where important information is passed from one teacher to the next including kinder to school & Year 6 to Year 7
Learning routines, rules and structures (especially in Term 1)
“Meet & Greets” with parents
Getting to know you games/icebreakers
Finding out about students’ strengths and challenges
Focussing on building executive functioning skills, e.g. learning to follow a timetable, being responsible for packing & unpacking bags, following ‘ready to learn’ routines
Talking about the transitions in preceding months or week & encouraging students to ask questions
Teaching social emotional lessons that focus on emotions, coping skills & drawing on help networks
As the first educator of your child, there are many things you can do to support your child to have a smooth transition. Some of these include:
The Australian parenting website raisingchildren.net.au suggests easing the transition by preparing children practically and emotionally.
The article Starting Secondary School is full of tips for parents and provides generally sound advice about ways parents can support the transition process for students regardless of age.
Beyond Blue provides a Fact Sheet-The transition from Primary to Secondary School.
Your child’s teacher or the SMM Wellbeing Leader (Kath) can also assist if needed
Please work in partnership with us by investing time in reading, preparing for and talking about managing transitions with your child. This helps to set your child up for learning success, better emotional regulation, greater capacity to cope with challenges & contributes overall to better mental health!
Upcoming School Masses and events
Saturday 14th of October 5.30 at SMM Church- The Feast of St Margaret Mary Family Mass
Dates when Choir will sing at mass
St Margaret Mary's: Saturday 14/10
Sacred Heart: Sunday 5/11
St Margaret Mary's: Saturday 18/11
Sacred Heart: Sunday 3/12
St Margaret Mary's: Saturday 16/12
Calling All Kind Hearts! Join Our Ministry of Welcome!
Feedback from our community consultations indicated a need to ensure that all people coming to Mass feel welcome.
We are seeking compassionate volunteers to join our Welcoming Ministry! Be a beacon of warmth and love, ensuring every parishioner feels embraced in our faith community. Share a friendly smile, offer guidance, and extend a helping hand as we open our hearts to those seeking solace and spiritual connection.
Please consider joining this important team - your role could include coming to Mass 15 minutes earlier and greeting people as they arrive. You might be able to assist every week, or less frequently.
Together, let's create a vibrant atmosphere of belonging and hospitality. Join us in spreading God's love and make a lasting impact on the lives of all our members.
If you are interested in becoming a part of our Ministry of Welcome please speak to us or contact us at the presbytery, or via StJosephVicPPC@gmail.com. Your presence matters!
Pyjama Day
The Mini Vinnies are organising a pyjama day on Monday October 23rd for Catholic Mission Month. Students are invited to wear their pyjamas and bring a gold coin to support the cause.
School Fees
Chromebooks in 2024
In 2024, St Margaret Mary’s will be making some changes to it’s BYO program. Current year 2’s will not be required to purchase an ipad, but instead will use a Chromebook.
Our ordering portal is now live and you are able to make purchases for Chromebooks in 2024. Please note, once ordered, devices will be shipped in buk early December. Parents will be notified and devices can be picked up at the office.
Cadbury Chocolate Boxes Now Due
Our Chocolate Drive has come to an end.
Please ensure all money is labled and sent into the office or directly deposited into the following account by Friday 5th October:
Account Name: SMM FSG
BSB: 083 347
Account Number: 365426557
Reference- Family name and class
Referendum Day Sausage Sizzle
Come on down to SMM and grab a sausage off the BBQ, can of soft drink and maybe a tasty cake or too. Look out for us at the front of the school.
Emmanuel College News
At Emmanuel, Term 4 has gotten off to a flying start. Last Friday was our Year 12 Graduation, with mass held at St Patrick’s Cathedral, followed by a beautiful dinner at the Sofitel. In a passing of the baton moment, we celebrated the Year 12s and everything they have and will continue to achieve at Emmanuel last week and next week, we welcome the students and parents of Year 7, 2024 to the Parent Information Evening.
In addition, we are continuing with the very popular Year 7 Roadshow visits, where our Year 7s return to their primary school and share their experiences of starting secondary school.
Next week offers will be distributed to families for Year 7, 2025. Please remember that you have three weeks to accept or decline your offer as there will be a substantial waiting list to whom we can offer unfilled places.
Our final experience event for the year are the upcoming Twilight Talk and Tour events at each campus. Details are as follows:
Notre Dame Campus
Wednesday 8 November 2023
6.00 pm start
St Paul’s Campus
Tuesday 14 November 2023
6.00 pm start
Please note that bookings are essential for these events and can be made by clicking on the Tours and Events tab on the right hand side of the homepage of the College website www.ecmelb.catholic.edu.au
We hope to see you at our College soon.
Yours sincerely
Jenny Hendricks
Community Engagement Officer