Term 1, Week 5 - Edition 2 22.02.2022

Principal News

Dear Parents and Carers,

Thank you for your support during the first 2 weeks with our students returning to the College.  Considering the disrupted nature to the start of the year, we have already established a routine using our new timetable and the boys have done a creditable job at adapting to some new expectations at St Mary’s this year.

Enrolment news

Once again, St Mary's College has a healthy enrolment list to begin the year.  It is clear that the school is, and has been for a number of years, operating well and attracting a healthy clientele from across the Darling Downs.  Consequently, St. Mary's will ask this year for new enrolments to be submitted earlier.  This will allow us to organise interviews in a timely fashion during 2022 and to help all of our families make positive decisions for the future.

Please feel free to let friends and family know of our change in approach to managing enrolments!

COVID update

The amount of positive cases among students thankfully has remained low across the past week.  However, it is important to encourage your sons to remain vigilant.  Please support us in our work to "mask up" and encourage social distancing.  We are expecting more direction from the State Government next week about arrangements for the rest of the term.  We will make you aware immediately of changes to restrictions and guidelines.  Importantly, please do not send your sons to school if they have any COVID symptom, and seek a RAT test if at all possible.

Have a great week,

Brendan Stewart, College Principal - principal@stmaryscollege.com

What's On - Weeks 5 to 7

Mr Stephen Monk, Deputy Principal - monks@stmaryscollege.com

Years 5 to 9 Curriculum News

At St Mary’s College, we want to cultivate good habits of writing. Not only will this give our boys the skills for creative thinking and expression, it will more importantly, promote their sensorimotor memory. This is important for learning as it is the feedback we obtain from our senses, muscles and brain and when writing is embedded throughout our curriculum, it promotes the brain’s attentive focus to classwork, boosts memory, allows for reflection and is a source of conceptual development and stimulus of the brain’s highest cognition (Willis, 2011). 

Throughout the course of the next Semester, students in Years 5, 7 and 9 will participate in a ‘Drop and Write’ initiative. Studies have shown that when writing becomes a key focus, over time, students will not only improve written language use but also have higher levels of vocabulary, reading comprehension and spelling. At 10:40am each day students in Years 5, 7 & 9 will stop work and be provided with a writing prompt or stimulus to write continuously for 10 minutes.  

During the daily 10-minute Drop & Write program, the classroom teacher will be supported by other staff members to assist in checking your son’s writing. Teachers will be looking for correct grammar and punctuation, sentence structures, and paragraph formation. Improving our students' writing has implications for performance across all areas of the school curriculum.   

There are also things that you can do at home to help support your son’s spoken and written communication skills. Two of these include: 

• Promoting reading – good writers are often avid readers because they are exposed to new vocabulary in context.  Encourage your son to read for 20 minutes each night. 
• Journaling – allows for young people to practise their writing skills and helps generate ideas. 

We would like to encourage you to check your son’s writing each week and discuss with them what they have written and why. 

 Mrs Jade Love, Years 5‑9 Curriculum Leader - lovej@stmaryscollege.com

Curriculum News

The Assessment Schedules for Years 7 to 12 are now available. Click the following link to access your son's year level.

If you have any questions, contact:

Mr Mark Watson, AP Curriculum -  watsonm@stmaryscollege.com

Primary News

Welcome to Week 5 in the Primary! The boys should be settling in and starting to get to know each other and the school better.

Specialist Lesson Timetable:

PE Lessons:

Hockey lessons begin this Thursday:

• Thursday P3 – 5G and 6G
• Thursday P4 – 5W and 5B
• Thursday P5 – 6W and 6B

Rock and Water Program – Year 5:

• 5W:        Monday Period 4
• 5B:         Wednesday Period 3
• 5G:         Wednesday Period 4

Mrs Shari Pauli, Primary Leader -  paulis@stmaryscollege.com

Anzac Day 2022

Careers News

Contact the Careers Team

Please phone the College or email us at smc-careers@stmaryscollege.com to make an appointment (by phone, in person or Microsoft Teams).  We’re more than happy to assist you and your son with any queries you may have in areas such as, school-based apprenticeships, work experience, TAFE and university applications, career decision-making or industry connections. 

Mr Kris Glass, Career Development Practitioner glassk@stmaryscollege.com

Mr Paul Barber, Career Support Officer barberp@stmaryscollege.com

Ms Bronnie Littlewood, Career Support Officer littlewoodb@stmaryscollege.com

The Hub

Support is available to all students who require assistance with homework, assignments or reviewing current classwork. Support is available with Mr Roy in the Hub every morning before school from 7.00am and at both lunch breaks. Support will also be available after school on Thursday afternoons from 3.05pm until 4.00pm. If you would like further information, please contact Mr Dave Roy - royd@stmaryscollege.com

Additional Information & Resources