Week 5 Term 1 2021
FROM THE ACTING PRINCIPAL
Mrs Angela Martlew
Thank you to all those families who were able to attend our Open Classrooms afternoon last week. Giving our students an opportunity to talk about learning the Mater Dei way is an important aspect of being an independent learner. The growing confidence with which our learners can do this is testament to both the language and practices around learning our staff have worked hard to embed and also the positive engagement of our families in their child’s learning. When this partnership between home and school is strong, the benefits for our children are evident – just as they were last week.
It was great to be able to gather as a community again for our welcome bbq after our Open Classrooms. A big thank you to our P and F and the many parents who helped out.
We also held out Open Morning for prospective parents in 2022 last week. With great pride. Kathy, Kellie and I showed a large group of families around our school and spoke about Learning the Mater Dei way and being part of our community. Some of our Year Six students joined our presentation and spoke confidently to the group about their experiences at Mater Dei which was a very impressive sight.
Most of the families who attended our Open Morning came because they had heard from family or friends about Mater Dei. Word of mouth is our strongest advertising, so thank you for the positive way you obviously talk about our school in the wider community.
Angela Martlew
FROM THE ACTING APA
Open Classroom Afternoon
We welcomed our parents and families into our classrooms last Thursday for students to share a part of their learning journey. There was a buzz of excitement as the students discussed and showcased their learning. We heard discussions around goals, bump it up walls, learning journals, learning intentions and success criteria and general routines in classrooms. Thank you for your engagement.
Lunchtime Clubs
During lunchtimes, students have the opportunity to join one of many lunchtime clubs or activities on offer. Lunchtime clubs give students the opportunity to engage and participate in activities that they enjoy and are passionate about, socialise with groups of multi-age students, ‘take a break’ from the playground or try something new. This term we are running:
FROM THE APRE MIDDLE LEADER
Ms Kathy Doherty
Beginning our journey to Easter
Last Wednesday, we welcomed the beginning of Lent by celebrating Ash Wednesday. Because of COVID restrictions this year, we were unable to receive the traditional ashes cross. Instead, each teacher received a bag of ashes to add to their class prayer table. Children contributed to the making of the ashes by reflecting on a God moment that they have noticed in their lives. They drew on a small piece of paper. Some of these were burnt and added to the Parish ashes which are made from burning palms from Palm Sunday last year.
God of the desert, lead us once more along wilderness paths. Lead us through the dry places in our hearts, where faith has gone stale, where forgiveness is forgotten, where hope has turned to despair, where joy has become fear.
May we water those places with your love to make our desert hearts bloom again, so we can become living gospels, living testaments in your ways.
Project Compassion
During our Ash Wednesday celebration, each class received a Project Compassion box to collect donations throughout Lent. During Lent we pray for and help people throughout the world who do not have the opportunities that we have. By giving generously through prayer, going without something important to us, and showing kindness to others during Lent, we are working towards a fairer world for all. The theme for this year is ‘Be More’ calling us to be the best person we can rather than ‘have more’.
Any donations that your child can bring into their class teacher will be forwarded to Caritas for distribution to people throughout the world who need a hand up.
Go Green for Careen
As you are aware, the Mater Dei community sponsors Careen who attends the School of St Jude in Arusha, Tanzania, Africa. One of our key fundraising events is to wear green for Careen on St Patrick’s day – Wednesday 17th March – with a gold coin donation. This year, we are also offering an additional opportunity on this day. Children will be able to order a cup of green jelly for $2 with proceeds contributing to Careen’s tuition. Ordering of the green jelly will be through the Flexi Schools app and will close at 3pm on Monday 15th March. We are using biodegradable cups in line with our commitment to stewardship of our environment.
200 Years of Catholic Education in Australia
2021 marks the 200 year anniversary of Catholic Education in Australia, marking the bicentenary of the first Catholic school established in Parramatta in October 1820. . This follows closely on the 150 years of Catholic Education in Queensland in 2020. The first Catholic school in Australia was founded by Irish Catholic priest Fr John Therry and run by convict and lay person George Marley. The school, which Catholic historians believe was in Hunter Street, Parramatta, taught 31 students. By 1833, there were 10 Catholic schools in the colony.
Over 200 years, Catholic schools have grown to become the largest provider of schooling in Australia outside of government schools with one in five school age students attending a Catholic school.
This represents some 768 000 students in 1 751 schools across the country and employing 98 000 teachers and staff. Nearly 40 per cent of Catholic schools are located outside of metropolitan cities in regional, rural and remote communities, Toowoomba being one of them. We come together under the theme ‘Faith in the Future’.
This week, your child will bring home a prayer card celebrating this important anniversary. We will celebrate this significant event with other Diocesan schools at a Mass in May.
Upcoming Dates
21 March 2021 Parish Family Mass: Early Years 9.30am Mass in St Theresa’s Church
1 April 2021 Holy Week Liturgy 2.15pm in William Morris Centre
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION
PARENT PORTAL
Parent portal is now live!
You will have received an email to register to the Parent Portal, and the 'Family Key' is then registered within the Portal.
There is also an app for this called Sentral for Parents, available on both Apple and Android devices. Search for Mater Dei Primary School and select Diocese of Toowoomba Catholic Schools; Mater Dei Primary School, Toowoomba. (Please do not click the TRAINING option).
You will notice that we have started using the Portal for most communication, calendar and notifications such as absences. We have ceased utilising SkoolBag app, please do not use this as an absence notification going forward.
If you have not yet received your Registration email containing the Family Key, please contact the office via materdei@twb.catholic.edu.au
PICK UP ZONE
Car name tags were distributed last week to those families who requested a set. Please display them clearly in your car to enable teachers on duty in the pick up zone to keep the traffic moving more efficiently.
FEES
Thank you for your patience with the issuing of fees as we transition to our new diocesan system. We have been informed by the Toowoomba Catholic Schools office that the system should allow fees to be issued within the next week. We do apologise for the delay, however it is out of our control.
LIBRARY
Emails from the library
We have recently set up an automated overdue system through the library catalogue, Accessit. This means you may start receiving overdue items reminders from the Mater Dei Library email - materdeilib@twb.catholic.edu.au. Please contact library staff with any issues or concerns related to overdue items on loan to your child.
Meredith Thompson
Teacher Librarian
CHOIR 2021
Students from grades 3, 4, 5 and 6 are invited to come along to choir on Thursday 2nd break at 1.05pm in the Music Room. If you enjoy singing I encourage you to come along and give it a go. The sign up note has been handed out to interested students - please return promptly. Any questions, please contact Mrs. Rosier ebony.rosier@twb.catholic.edu.au
We look forward to a great year of singing!
Save the Date
Choir will be entering the Toowoomba Eisteddfod this year! This event is scheduled for 7th May - 17th May 2021 at the Empire Theatre. We will perform once somewhere within the given dates.
Once our performance date and time is confirmed by the Eisteddfod, I will be able to distribute a permission note with all relevant details to members of the choir. It is likely that we will have a few extra rehearsal in lead up to this event. I will endeavour to make these during lunch times when I can.
Mrs Ebony Rosier
Choir Conductor
SPORT WITH DANIELLE KING
Swimming
Congratulations to the 40 students who represented Mater Dei at the Range Zone championships so successfully. The following students gained selection in the Range team to compete at the Darling Downs Trials in Gatton next Wednesday. We wish you all the best of luck.
- Gemma Montgomery
- Hunter Dowling
- Edward MacManus
- Abbey James
- Edward Beverland
- Lucas Montgomery
- Rosemary Wilson
Fun Run/800m carnival and Cross Country
These carnivals are on Friday March 19th (Fun Run) & Friday March 26th (Cross Country). Students will begin training at school but any extra you can fit in would be great. Mr Philp has already started cross country training at school on Friday mornings that students can participate in. We are currently in the planning process regarding spectators to ensure we meet the COVID guidelines both at school and at Queen’s park. Information will go out in the next few weeks regarding spectators at these events.
HPE week – 1st of 5th of March
We will be holding HPE week again in our school this year. The aim of this week is to celebrate the HPE curriculum within our school and to get students out and active during their lunch breaks. I have organised a number of different activities for students to participate in throughout the week during both lunch breaks. A schedule will go out to classes in preparation for next week’s activities.
Hookin2Hockey
For those interested in their students learning how to play hockey, please find a flyer regarding the Hookin2Hockey program being run this year.
FROM THE SCHOOL COUNSELLOR
Miss Anne Woodcroft-Brown
This week students enjoyed a visit from Brainstorm Productions, an award winning in-school theatre company. Their ‘Magic Words’ performance inspired students to face life’s difficulties with kindness and compassion. Students also learned how manners and respect are celebrated around the world. There was lots of laughter and learning, with rave reviews from our students. Here are some pictures from the event:
Each Friday students are continuing to work through our Dispositions curriculum. This term our focus is Honouring. When we adapt and respond to our world, we respect ourselves, others and creation and honour the strengths and talents of all. The last two weeks students have focused on developing their individual coping and self-regulation skills. We have seen some great work from our students and look forward to supporting them to put these skills into practice. To continue the learning at home, we encourage you to continue the discussions with your child. Here are some talking points:
- What is self-regulation and why is it important?
- Tell me about your coping skills? Let’s practice them together.
- Tell me about a time when you have used a coping skill?
- Why can it be hard to use coping skills/self-regulate?
- How can we make it easier for you to use coping skills at home?
SAMARITAN'S TABLE
For some years now, our school community has embraced the teachings of St Benedict and has tried to live up to his challenge to be people of sincere hospitality and generosity. The Samaritan’s Table is one practical means by which we can let families who are experiencing some kind of hardship know that we care about them.
We have all been in need of a little kindness. People will often not remember what we say or even what we do, but they never forget how we made them feel. A very big Thank You to all the wonderful volunteers at Mater Dei who, in the past, have offered the gift of generosity to others by preparing meals for families. Last year we were able to provide well over 100 home cooked meals to Mater Dei families.
If you have been a volunteer for the Good Samaritan’s Table in 2020 and you would like to continue this year, could you please text our facilitator:
Katie Mills on 0407291903
If you would like to join the Good Samaritan’s Table as a volunteer cook this year, please feel free to contact Katie or any of the teachers below:
Angela.Martlew@twb.catholic.edu.au
Kellie.Pritchard@twb.catholic.edu.au
Tabitha.Lloyd-Jones@twb.catholic.edu.au
In anticipation of your generosity,
The Samaritan's Table
TUCKSHOP
Volunteer
We would love your help in the tuckshop this year. We are desperately short volunteers for the next two Thursdays.
Please sign up on the following link:
Birthday Cupcakes
Don't forget that we can do your birthday cupcakes so you don't have to stress. They can be ordered through Flexischools.
Zooper Doopers
Due to the change in the way the lunch hour works we will be moving to a cashless tuckshop. Therefore you can order your Zooper Doopers for your kids online through Flexischools. The senior kids will simply show their bag at the tuckshop after they have eaten to collect their Zooper Dooper and we will have someone down at the bottom school to give the kids their ice blocks after they have eaten their lunch.
New Tuckshop Assistant
We welcome Melinda Johnson as our new tuckshop assistant who will be working with me every Tuesday and Thursday. Melinda has been a parent at this school for many years and currently has Noah in Year 5 and James in Year 2.
The year 6s have been enjoying taking the Prep and Year 1 lunch boxes down
P & F
Optional Uniform Items
The P&F will once again be offering for purchase hooded sweatshirts and fleece lined soft shell jackets. These are perfect for the cool Toowoomba mornings that will be here all too soon.
The hooded sweatshirts will be for sale via Flexischools for $55. These are to be worn with the sports uniform ONLY.
The soft shell jackets will be $65 also on Flexischools. This jacket is able to be worn with both the sports uniform and the formal uniform.
Hooded Sweatshirt
Soft Shell Jacket
If you would like to have a look at the jumpers/jackets they can be viewed/tried on in the clothing pool next week on Monday and Tuesday mornings between 8.10-8.30, then again the following Monday and Tuesday. They will be available to order on Flexischools from today until the 14th March. The orders will then be closed off and an order will be placed. They should arrive in time for the start of next term.
These items are not part of the compulsory uniform, they are purely optional items that provide a bit more warmth than the current tracksuit top.
Cassie Montgomery
Working Bee
Save the Date - Sun 7th March at 3pm
We are so lucky to have our kids attend this beautiful school. We need to keep it beautiful through a working bee run by our Parents and Friends Community.
We need your help!
Please bring shovels, wheelbarrows, pruners, hedgers, trailers, sanders and paint brushes. Refreshments will be provided for your hard work.
We are also looking for plants you may be keen to donate or if you didn't want your free plant voucher that comes in your rates notice please bring them into the front office for collection.
Contact Lynn Wegner 0402704991
Parent Rep Communications
Our classes have now been assigned parent representatives, however you can elect to opt out of receiving communications from them. If we do not receive notification from you that you are opting out, your email address will be provided to the class rep for school-based notifications only. Your opt out response is required by Friday the 5th of March as the email addresses will be provided to the Parent Reps on the following Monday.
Opt out on the following link -
MUM'S NIGHT OUT
COMMUNITY NOTICES
