Dear Parents and Carers,

Over the weekend we celebrated the joyous occasion of Easter. It's a time of renewal, reflection, and gratitude. Easter holds a special place in our hearts as it symbolises new beginnings and the triumph of hope over adversity.

At Stella Maris, we believe in fostering a sense of community and inclusivity. Easter serves as an opportunity for us to come together as a school family, to embrace the spirit of unity, kindness, and compassion.

I sincerely hope that you all had a blessed and joyful Easter. I look forward to celebrating the Easter liturgy with the community tomorrow.

God Bless

Belinda Hughes

Hoping you all had a blessed Easter!

We welcome everyone back to the last two weeks of school for the term.  Before the break, the infants, together with the Leaders of Vision and Mission presented a beautiful liturgy demonstrating the true meaning of Easter.  A sincere thank you to all the teachers and students for their dedication to this wonderful celebration.

This Friday, we would like to invite parents, grandparents and friends to our Easter Reenactment under the COLA.  The liturgy will be presented by the Leaders of Vision and Mission and Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 on 5 April. Easter Liturgy 5 April at 1:45pm

God Bless

Alicia Sanchez-Levine

Religious Education Coordinator 

Anzac Day Liturgy 3 May 1:45pm

Due to the holiday break, parents, grandparents and friends are warmly invited to attend a special Anzac Day Liturgy presented by Year 5 on the 3 May at 1:45pm.   

          

Project Compassion Total Raised for 2024 $1546.95

Thank you!

A huge thank you to the Year 6 students, Gianna Jaksic, Grace Griffiths, Charlotte McGoldrick and Eleni Kollias, who made just over $150 for Project Compassion, selling bracelets they handmade at the beach on the weekend.  You have shown how you truly are disciples of our Lord, using your talents to raise funds for the marginalised.

Project Compassion, Caritas Australia's annual Lenten fundraising and awareness-raising appeal is coming to an end.  Stella Maris’ vision as ‘a faith-filled, respectful community of learners’ has engaged us in our mission to ‘reverence the story of all people’ and as such led us to raise funds to support all future generations.  Our Year 6 Leaders of Vision & Mission have led this year's Project Compassion campaign for the school.  Students were involved this year in classes by watching the stories of Project Compassion and helping with fundraising.

Your generous support has helped change lives today - and For All Future Generations.

Thank you for bringing back to school your personal boxes.  Together, we have made a difference!

Last minute donations, please use this LINK

https://schools.projectcompassion.org.au/o/stella-maris-catholic-primary-school-shellharbour

Grade Masses at Stella Maris 

These Masses take place at our Stella Maris Church on Tuesdays at 9:30am.  Parents, grandparents and carers are most welcome to attend.  Please find below a schedule of the Masses for Term 2, 2024:

Kinder Week 3, -  14 May

Yr 6 Week 4, - 21 May  

Yr 4 Week 6, -  4 June

Yr 3 Week 7, -  11 June

Yr 2 Week 8, -  18 June

Yr 1 Week 9, -  25 June

Yr 5 Week 10, - 2 July

All Saints Catholic Parish NEWS

Programme for the Sacrament of Confirmation (Year 6 Students)

An information session will be held on Thursday 11 April 7-8pm for information and name recording at the All Saints Parish Hall.

Timetable of Events after the Vigil/Sunday Masses:  

4/5 May: Distribution of Enrolment forms and names recorded

11/12 May: Commitment Mass for Parents and Candidates. Enrolment forms will be collected with the $25 program cost. Preferences collected for workshop groups

If there are any questions related to any of the Sacraments, please contact the parish office via email shellharbourcity@dow.org.au

This week we introduce some more of our school leaders:

Winter Uniform

The winter uniform will formally come in from week 3 of term 2. Weeks 1 & 2 of the term will be transition weeks where students can wear either summer or winter uniforms, as the weather starts to cool down. Please ensure that all children are wearing the correct winter uniform.

A reminder that the second hand uniform shop is open Friday morning (non assembly week) and Friday afternoon (assembly weeks) if you require any extra items.

Uniform expectations- focus haircuts

As we approach the end of term 1 and the school holidays, many families will be looking at getting hair cuts done before the return to school. When considering hair cuts and styles, all families are asked to follow the school uniform expectations of hair cuts and styles that do not invite comment or are outrageous. This includes no mullets, undercuts, mohawks, rats tails (or any tails), coloured braids, or coloured hair.  All hair that is shoulder length must be tied back.

Any students who do not follow the school expectations the school procedures are:

• Class teacher will follow up with families 
• If it is not rectified, it will be passed on to the stage leader to follow up with families
• If it continues to be an issue it will be referred to the Assistant Principal or Principal to follow up.

We thank you in advance for your cooperation and understanding

Attendance 

Travel

Families are encouraged to travel during school holidays. If travel during school term is necessary, discuss this with your child’s school principal. An Application for Extended Leave will need to be completed. Absences relating to travel will be marked as leave on the roll and therefore contribute to your child’s total absences for the year. In some circumstances students may be eligible to enrol in distance education for travel periods over 50 school days. 

If multiple extended leave applications are received from the same family a meeting with the Principal may be required.

Catholic Education Diocese Of Wollongong - Parent Wellbeing Survey 

In response to the increased need in our communities for student mental health support and wellbeing services, the Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong (CEDoW) Mental Health Support Services Review is an important initiative, aiming to enhance the wellbeing services which can be provided. With the collaboration of Altum Counselling and Consulting Pty Ltd, CEDoW are conducting a thorough evaluation of their current services and support systems. This short survey, which takes only 8-15 minutes to complete, will be conducted with the utmost respect for your time and privacy. Your anonymous contributions will play a crucial role in improving the support systems within CEDoW schools, which will have lasting benefits for both students and staff. Thank you for your active participation to help strengthen the foundations of support and wellbeing within the CEDoW community.

The survey is to be completed by the16 April and can be accessed from the following link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1YUpXpNDugKwDFeqC9w4Sm8bpzMys1vXQAWneijbsBDg/viewform?edit_requested=true

Social And Emotional Learning

At Stella Maris, we believe in nurturing not just the academic growth of our students, but also their social and emotional development. Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) equips students with essential skills to navigate life's challenges, build meaningful relationships, and thrive in both school and beyond. By fostering SEL competencies, we empower our students to manage themselves, relate to others, develop resilience, increase their sense of self worth, be able to resolve conflicts effectively, engage in teamwork, feel positive about themselves, feel positive about the world and become socially responsible individuals. Some of the ways we integrate SEL into our community are:

Curriculum Integration: SEL is seamlessly woven into our curriculum across all grade levels and subject areas. From dedicated SEL lessons to incorporating SEL themes into classroom activities, students have ample opportunities to develop their social and emotional skills.

Explicit Instruction: Teachers deliver explicit instruction on SEL competencies such as self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision-making. These lessons provide students with practical strategies to regulate their emotions, communicate effectively and collaborate with others.

Targeted Intervention: Explicit and targeted SEL lessons are created to cater for the individual needs of students. These lessons are delivered in small groups to allow students to engage in the process more directly.

Positive School Climate: Our school fosters a positive and inclusive environment where students feel valued, respected and supported.

By prioritising Social and Emotional Learning, we're preparing our students not only for academic success but also for success in life. We thank you for your ongoing support around the important SEL initiatives we provide at Stella Maris.

Parent/Carer Reading Workshop

We are wrapping up a very busy Term in Sport. Congratulations to all those students who participated in the many Catholic School Pathway Sports throughout the term and we continue to follow the progress of those students who are still trialling for various Wollongong, Mackillop and NSWPSSA teams.

Mackillop AFL Trials

The Mackillop AFL trials were held last week in Wagga Wagga. There were 5 teams in total - Albury, Wagga , Sydney, Parramatta and Wollongong.

Karmichael Fosteris was representing the Wollongong Diocesan team. The students played several games in 30+ degrees and all played really well together considering they only had an hour training together. 

                      
Mackillop Swimming Trials

We had several students representing the Wollongong Diocesan Team at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre (SOPAC) on the 3rd of April for the Mackillop Trials. Here are the results from that trial:

Alivia Jarvis, Hunter Halilovic, Georgia Mulligan, Harper Beaton

8th - Senior Girls Freestyle Relay 

Lachlan MacKay

2nd - Senior MC 50m Freestyle

3rd - Senior MC 100m Freestyle

2nd - Senior MC 50m Breaststroke

2nd - Senior MC 50m Backstroke

Marli Creighton

1st - 8yrs Girls 50m Freestyle

Quinn Beaton

3rd - 8yrs Girls 50m Freestyle

Georgia Mulligan

13th - Senior Girls 50m Backstroke

Leo Jimenez 

5th - 9yrs Boys 50m Freestyle

Oscar Creighton

6th - 10yrs Boys 50m Freestyle

NSW Cricket School Girls Breakfast Program

We are in our final week of the Girls Cricket breakfast program. We have had over 70 girls participating each morning from Years 1-6 which is fantastic. Thank you to the parents/carers for getting your children to school for these opportunities, it was evident that the students had a wonderful time, developed their skills and formed many new friendships along the way.

CEDOW Instagram

The Sports Council at the CEO DOW have set up an Instagram account to help spread the news about sport in our Diocese. Please follow @cedow.sport to keep up to date with all the latest news and information.

Upcoming Events:

Term 1

Week 11 - 11 & 12 April - NSWPSSA Swimming 

Term 2

Week 1 - 3 May - Rugby Union Wollongong Trials

Week 2 - 7 May - Cross Country Championships Willandra

Week 2 - May 10 - Rugby League Mackillop Trials

Learning in the Music Rooms

Mrs Sozio

Choir

A heartfelt thank you goes out to the committed members of our school choir! Your dedication and passion are truly commendable, and I want to express my appreciation for the unwavering effort you put in week after week.

Together, we've been embarking on a musical journey filled with the beauty of new hymns and we have been adding a couple of exciting new songs to our repertoire for the upcoming term, offering fresh opportunities for growth and performance.

Band Ensemble

I'm excited to share the anticipation of our new school band! While the band activities have been temporarily placed on hold for the remainder of this term, I look forward to being able to start up again when practicable.

Kindergarten

Kindergarten students are fully immersed in the world of music! They've been delving into the fundamental elements of beat and rhythm, even crafting their own body percussion compositions. Beyond that, they've begun to explore beat using untuned percussion instruments and are now stepping into the realm of traditional notation.

In addition to musical exploration, our kindergarteners have been exploring elements of drama through understanding emotions. Through engaging activities inspired by the characters from "Inside Out," they've been stepping into different shoes, exploring a range of feelings and emotions through games and mime.

Excitement is also brewing as we embark on a festive journey with the play "Away in a Spaceship." Imagining themselves as extraterrestrial visitors Earth during the Christmas season, our young stars have begun to rehearse the enchanting song "Fairy Lights" in preparation for the performance.

It's wonderful to see our kindergarten students flourishing in their musical and dramatic pursuits!

Please add some photos. I have shared a folder with you wich contain photos from different year groups.

Stage 1: Year 1 and Year 2

Year 1

Year 1 students have been on a journey of collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking, immersing themselves in the world of music. They've explored the variety of environment sounds heard in in every day life and learned to represent them with symbols, creating soundscapes for percussion instruments. Some students have had the opportunity to refine their compositions, experimenting with various percussion instruments to bring their creations to life.

Now, our young musicians are delving into the world of traditional notation, mastering the art of performing and writing different note values. It's exciting to witness their progression as they embrace this new musical language.

In the past weeks, Year 1 has been buzzing with excitement as they've embarked on a series of engaging music station activities. These activities have provided a mix of familiar and new experiences, enriching their musical journey and sparking their curiosity.

Year 2

Year 2 students have truly embraced the journey of collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking as they delve into the captivating world of music. They've embarked on an exploration of everyday environmental sounds and graphic notation, devising symbols to represent auditory experiences. With these symbols, the students have created soundscapes for percussion instruments, incorporating dynamics, duration, and pitch into their compositions. Some students have had the privilege of refining their creations, experimenting with a diverse array of percussion instruments to fully realize their musical visions.

Now, our budding musicians are venturing into a different realm of notation, mastering the art of drawing traditional notation. Meanwhile, the year 2 students are busy honing their skills in drawing different note values, creating rhythmic caterpillars, and delving into the fascinating world of music math. From crafting playful words for different rhythms to engaging in a variety of enriching learning experiences, year 2 are immersed in musical exploration and growth.

As we look ahead, excitement fills the air as both Year 1 and Year 2 prepare to embark on a festive journey with the upcoming play, "Away in a Spaceship." Transporting themselves into the roles of extraterrestrial visitors to Earth during the holiday season, our young stars have eagerly embraced speaking roles and harmonized their voices as they rehearse enchanting songs like "On our First Trip to Planet Earth" and "Fairy Lights." It's a joy to see their enthusiasm as they prepare to bring this magical story to life on stage!

Stage 2: Year 3 and Year 4

Year 3 and Year 4 students have been fully immersed in enriching music learning experiences centred around organising sound based on the theme of “The Sea”. Through engaging activities involving sound and graphic notation, they have delved into the depths of musical expression, representing the calm sea and the stormy sea.

Students have exhibited their creativity and analytical skills by interpreting and analysing graphic notation, exploring various instruments and their unique tone colours, symbols, dynamics, and structural elements, delved into traditional notation, using code-breaking and problem solving skills in music maths.

In addition to their musical endeavours, our students have also delved into the world of drama. Exploring the fundamental elements of drama, they have honed their skills through techniques such as movement and voice expression. Through immersive role-play, they have stepped into the shoes of characters from the upcoming play "Away in a Spaceship," bringing these characters to life with authenticity and creativity. Furthermore, they have begun learning and rehearsing songs for the play, adding an extra dimension of excitement to their dramatic exploration. It's truly inspiring to witness the dedication and enthusiasm of our Year 3 and Year 4 students as they continue to explore both music and drama!

Stage 3

Drama sessions have been an exciting journey of exploration, with students delving into the world of Shakespeare and his timeless play, Macbeth. Through engaging discussions, they have deepened their understanding of the characters, the intricate storyline, and the rich cultural backdrop of Shakespearean times. This immersion has not only broadened their knowledge but also fostered a deeper appreciation for classic literature. Students have also been given speaking roles for the upcoming end of year play "Away in a Spaceship".

Meanwhile, in music classes, students have been embarking on an exploration of duration, a fundamental concept in music. They have been honing their skills in writing note values and creating rhythmic patterns, paving the way for future music experiences as young composers.

In both drama and music, our students are not just learning skills; they are engaging with rich cultural heritage and laying the foundations for a lifelong love of the arts. It's inspiring to see their passion and dedication as they delve into these enriching learning experiences!

There will be no gold awards this week.  The next presentation will be on Friday 12 April at the 1.50 Assembly.

Canteen News

We are a school run canteen and rely on volunteers to operate.

Canteen is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays to make and prepare lunch orders and serve the children over the counter.

Online orders can be made via the My School Connect app - www.myschoolconnect.com.au/stellamarisps click on create account.