St. Mary’s Primary School

Thursday March 28th 2019

Term 1 Week 9

School Working Bee Thank- you:

The Working Bee was held on Tuesday

March 26th at 3.30pm onwards. Sincere

thanks to the small band of workers who

completed many jobs. Your time, out of

your busy week, is greatly appreciated.

Anne

End of Term Barbecue and Fr.

Eugene’s 70th Birthday Celebration:

On Thursday April 4th at 1.00pm there

will be a FREE barbecue lunch for

students, staff, families and interested

parishioners to celebrate Fr. Eugene’s

birthday and the end of Term. Students

can have burgers, sausages and a piece of birthday cake. Any

student who does not eat barbecue is asked to bring their

packed lunch.

Friday April 5th: Students may order lunch orders as usual.

Summer Sports: Last Friday the senior students travelled to

St. Arnaud to compete in the Summer Sports. St. Mary’s fielded a T-Ball team and a cricket team. All students must be commended on their sportsmanship throughout the day. Congratulations to the T-Ball team that were successful in winning their section.

Cricket: Round 1 - St. Mary’s vs Birchip with both sides making convincingly high scores with Birchip just getting over the top of St. Mary’s in the end 148-194. Round 2 St. Mary’s faced St. Arnaud 3. Huge acknowledgment must go to Charlie Frank for making 56 runs in 1 over leading to an easy win for St. Mary’s. Our last round St. Mary’s were up against Donald Primary in what was a close game,

with St. Mary’s coming home with a close win.

DATES:

Term 1, 2019 Dates:

Friday March 29th –

Assembly for Grades 3 &

4. ALL WELCOME.

Friday April 5th –

END OF TERM 1.

2.30pm Finish

Tuesday April 23rd –

Start of Term 2

Thursday April 25th –

ANZAC Day – NO

SCHOOL

Friday May 3rd-

Winter Sports in Birchip

Thursday May 9th –

School Photos

Friday May 10th –

Mother’s Day Stall

Newsletter St Mary’s Primary School Donald

Woods Street, Donald

Telephone: 5497 1116

Mobile: 0428814884

Email: principal@smdonald.catholic.edu.au

Website: www.smdonald.catholic.edu.au

Vision Statement:

St. Mary’s community,

with Jesus as our

inspiration, aims to

educate and nurture the

development of the whole

child.

Mission Statement

focus this week:

Wellbeing:

Ensure a child safe,

respectful and inclusive

environment that

celebrates achievement,

promotes dignity and

resiliency.

Junior Class General Studies: Throughout this Term the students in the Junior Class have been looking finding out about Donald. We have enjoyed a walk to the Richardson River and discovering many facts about our town. On Monday the class visited the Bakery and were welcomed by Patience’s parents who told us about their work. We all enjoyed, such a delicious way, to find out

about a business in Woods Street. On our way back to school we visited the Police Station. The highlight definitely being the siren sounding.

Hockey Clinic: Last Friday, whilst the senior students were at Summer Sports, the remainder of the students attended a Hockey Clinic put on by Hockey Victoria. All students had a great time learning new skills. Thanks to Ellie & Finn for a fun afternoon.

Centacare Pastoral Care Worker: This week we have been looking at

the blessings we have in life.

We live in such a peaceful part of the

world, we have fresh food and water,

we have homes and work, we have

friends and great teachers.

The kids have families who love them and that they love.

We have doctors and medicines. And many more

blessings.

Of course laughter came when we read the blessing of a

flushing toilet. But some kids in the world do not have

these things.

Our blessings far outweigh our worries- and that is good

to remember.

Contact: Deb Wilson - School Pastoral Care Worker – 0490 292324

Principal’s Awards:

These week’s Principal Award recipients

were Ellie, Toby & Joshua.

Merit Awards:

Congratulations to Cam, Kailie, Franciz, Shaine, Delilah, Victory, Lachie,

Jaya and Ben, who were all acknowledged at assembly Monday morning.

Nude Food Warrior:

This week’s Nude Food

Warrior is: Jasper.

School Dates Term 1, 2019:

Friday, March 22nd: Summer Sports at St. Arnaud

Tuesday 26th March – Speech Pathologist Visit

Thursday April 4th – Father Eugene’s 70th birthday celebration.

Friday, February 29th: Assembly at 2:45pm - Grades Prep, 1 & 2

Friday, April 5th: End of Term One at 2.30pm.

School Dates Term 2, 2019:

Tuesday April 23rd – School resumes for Term 2

Thursday April 25th – ANZAC Day – NO SCHOOL

Friday May 3rd – Winter Sports in Birchip

Thursday May 9th – School Photos

Friday May 10th – Mother’s Day stall

P & F News:

Tuckshop News-

On the last day of term 1 the viability of the tuckshop being

offered through school again. Below is an order form for Friday

April 5th. All orders and money need to be returned to school by

Wednesday April 3rd.

Pie Drive Fundraiser: Attached to this newsletter is an order form for our 2019

Pie Drive Fundraiser. Last year’s Pie Drive was such a success, so we have decided

to continue with it this year.

Forms and money are due back to the St. Mary’s office by Friday May 5th, this is

week 2 of Term 2.

An order collection date will be advised in Term 2.

P & F Meeting: There are always plenty of things on the go

with the P & F and it’s a great way to give back to the school

if you have time. Please join us at our next meeting no

Tuesday April 30th at 7.30pm and see what it’s all about.

Everyone and their ideas are welcome.

Name Grade Spaghetti

Bolognese

Garlic

Bread x 2

Zooper

Dooper

TOTAL

$4.50 50c 50c

Mrs. Gilmour’s visit to Bacolod, Philippines (part 2): If you would like to help the work of the Good Samaritan Outreach Centre, Annette is

collecting donations of summer clothes, linen, toys and children’s books. Please ensure

that all donations are clean. There is a laundry basket in the Office for your donations.

Annette will happily answer any questions you may have.

Who are the Sisters of the Good Samaritan in Bacolod and what do

they do?

The first Good Samaritan Sister in Bacolod were Japanese Sisters. Now Bacolod has Sisters from the Philippines, Japan and Australia. The life and ministry there is very much a partnership of living and sharing resources, supported by the Bacolod Fund from Japan, and the Good Samaritan Foundation in Australia.

In 2004, a kinder school was opened for children unable to access early childhood education because of poverty. The two years spent there prepares them for future schooling. Through the generosity of donors, the children receive a nutritious meal each day.

The Good Samaritan Outreach Centre was opened in 2014. This centre provides a place of hospitality, compassion, learning

and collaboration for the families, especially women and children in the local area, including the squatter areas.

One local area of particular focus for the Outreach Centre is the Boulevard, along the waterfront. Dozens of families exist in a very basic conditions, mostly living as squatters along the tidal zone. A two-year project, Clean-up Boulevard is engaging hundreds of local people and even the city council in systematically and regularly cleaning up the extreme pollution along the water’s edge. In a part of the city, where there was

previously no garbage collection, the local people collect the rubbish and the council has been persuaded to send a truck daily to dispose of it.

“Poverty can be changed but only if

we work together, only if you believe

that your condition can be changed

too, only if you would like to commit

yourselves to change,”

Sister Grace Marcelo

"The future does have a name … and its name is hope. " - Pope Francis

GIVE LENT 100%

Project Compassion is Caritas Australia's annual Lenten fundraising and awareness-raising appeal. Millions of Australians come together in solidarity with the world's poor to help end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity

This year’s Project Compassion showcases the many ways we work around the world with our local

partners to offer hope to people most vulnerable to extreme poverty and injustice. Through a holistic

approach Caritas is working with communities providing hope for a just and fair world regardless of

their ethnicity, political beliefs, gender or religion. We are assisting children, women and men to break

free from the cycle of poverty whilst ensuring they are the architects of their own development.

PETER FROM SOLOMON ISLANDS

Sixteen-year-old Peter goes to a boarding school in the Solomon Islands which has experienced water shortages for 60 years. Previously students would have to walk kilometres each day in search of clean water. This was particularly challenging for Peter who is living with a disability.

Peter’s mother left the family when he was little and has since passed away. His father decided to move from northern Malaita to Honiara, to better provide for his family. He arranged for Peter to stay with his aunt, then attend Aligegeo Secondary School.

Groundwater sources at the school have dried up and rainfall is unpredictable. Water in surrounding wells often made students sick or gave them rashes.

Caritas Australia, and partners Caritas Solomon Islands (CASI) and the Solomon Islands Government Rural Water Sanitation and Hygiene division (RWASH), have teamed up with the school to tackle the problem.

CASI provided a 90 kilo-litre water tank, electric pump and technical advice, while the Malaita Provincial Government contributed labour. Staff and students took part in training, dug trenches and are helping with a water management plan.

The school now has a safe, reliable water system, servicing around 1,000 people.

“Now we can stay at school to wash and not interrupt our official class time,”

Peter hopes to focus on his education and to help others in future by working for an aid and development agency himself.

However much more needs to be done to improve access to reliable water and sanitation in the Solomon Islands.