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Dear Parents and Carers,
This week I would like to share a personal message. It has been a significant week in the Hughes’ household this week. On Monday I farewelled my son on his school Europe trip. Even though he is 15 and travelling with great people and fantastic teachers, in my eyes he is still my boy and it is hard to see him as the young man he is. Wednesday my 18 year old daughter graduated high school. The ceremony was beautiful, touching, and a great tribute to her schooling journey. Needless to say, the emotions have been high this week!
My main reason for sharing these very personal stories with you is this week it really hit home for me, that if you blink you will miss it! It literally feels like yesterday that both were just starting Kindergarten. I encourage you all to soak up all the opportunities you have with your children, celebrate the small things, guide them with your values, and show them love through your words and actions every day.
To our Kindergarten parents, don't blink! To our Year 6 parents, soak up all that Term 4 has to offer for your child in their last year of primary schooling and enjoy the differences and opportunities that high school brings.
Have a fabulous school holiday break with family and friends.
Parenting is definitely the hardest thing we will ever do, yet the most rewarding. Sending my admiration to all the wonderful parents we have in our community.
God Bless
Belinda Hughes
Principal
Catholic Mission Launch - Socktober
Last week, our Year 6 Leaders, Jessica Grogan & Harry Thomson, travelled with myself and Mrs Hughes to the Diocesan Launch of Catholic Mission Month at St Michael’s Catholic Parish Primary School Thirroul.
Stella will proudly support Catholic’s Mission Socktober fundraiser, which connects our students with people experiencing challenges in the developing world through education and the world game of soccer.
This year, our collective fundraising efforts will contribute vital funds to Mongolia to help children like Otgonbayar who wants to be a superhero to help other homeless orphans like him. With your involvement, we can support Otgonbayar and his friends at the Caring Centre to:
- provide nutritious meals to help them grow up healthy and strong,
- purchase essential school supplies to support their education,
- provide warm winter clothing for the cold Mongolian winters.
As a school, we can contribute in a special way, but only if all our stars jump on board. I’d like to invite you to take a moment to donate to Socktober and make a difference for children around the world. DONATE NOW! https://www.socktober.org.au/fundraisers/StellaMarisCatholicPrimarySchoolShellharbour
In Term 4, we’ll have a chance to come together at our school’s Socktober Event Day, where the children will be able to literally kick goals for good during a Socktober Shootout. This is a fun and educational day, and you are invited to join us if you are able. We will keep you updated in school newsletters and emails throughout Term 4 as we continue to build momentum towards our Socktober Event Day on Tuesday 12 November. Thank you for your support and for helping your child/ren kick goals for good. Let’s reverence the story of all people together!
Enjoy the break!
God Bless
Alicia Sanchez-Levine
Religious Education Coordinator
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Catholic vocabulary term of the week: Awe – may be understood as a person’s mixed feeling of reverence, fear and wonder in the face of something majestic, sublime, or sacred. The effect of awe may be temporarily immobilising and often elicits a display of homage, worship and/or deference. (source: Eastern Ontario Catholic Curriculum Corporation) |
Grade Masses at Stella Maris
The Stella Marish Church is currently closed for maintenance. A notice will be posted when we can resume our weekly grade Masses on Tuesdays. Thank you for your understanding.
All Saints Catholic Parish NEWS
All Saints Church Mass Times: 19 College Ave, Shellharbour City
Saturday 5.00 pm Vigil
Sunday 9.00 am & 5.00 pm
Stage Masses: Celebrated at All Saints Church with Nazareth students.
Please join us on the following dates where students will be involved in participating and celebrating together:
Sunday 3 Nov 9 am Years 3 & 4 Ordinary Time
Programme for the Sacrament of First Holy Communion (Year 3 Students)
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Vigil/Sunday |
Programme |
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28/29 Sep |
Parents advised of workshops - See the parish office if requesting a change |
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12/13 Oct |
Workshop books distributed & First Week of Workshops |
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19/20 Oct |
Second Week of Workshops |
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26/27 Oct |
Blessing & Distribution of Holy Communion Medals - Third Week of Workshops |
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2 /3 Nov |
Instruction on how to receive Holy Communion - Last Week of Workshops |
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16/17 Nov |
Rehearsals and Seating Allocations |
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Sun 24 Nov |
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION MASS 11 AM |
If there are any questions related to any of the Sacraments, please contact the parish office via email shellharbourcity@dow.org.au
Uniform
The summer uniform will formally come in from the beginning of Term 4. Please ensure that all children are wearing the correct summer uniform. A reminder that the second-hand uniform shop is open each Friday morning on odd weeks and Friday afternoons on even weeks.
Uniform expectations - Focus hair cuts
As we approach the end of term 3 and the school holidays, many families will consider getting haircuts before returning to school. When considering haircuts and styles, all families are asked to follow the school uniform expectations of haircuts 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.
For 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
PB4L - Sleep
A good night’s sleep can significantly enhance a student’s mood and learning outcomes. Well-rested students are better equipped to focus in class and retain new information. Lack of sleep impairs concentration and makes it harder to absorb and recall new material. While adults generally need around 8 hours of sleep per night, children and teenagers often require more. Experts recommend 9-11 hours of sleep for 6-13 year olds and 8-10 hours for 14-17 year olds.
Based on current PIVOT data collected this term students are reporting that they are struggling with sleep and do not have a consistent sleep routine.
Quality is just as important as quantity when it comes to sleep for students. Evidence shows that good sleep routines can help sleep come more easily and can improve how well someone sleeps.
Good sleep routines include:
- Keeping bedtime around the same time every night
- Sleeping in a quiet, dark, cool room
- Reducing the use of mobile phones and other blue-light-emitting devices in the last hour before bedtime
Year 1 Excursion to Stanwell Tops
Year 1 was lucky to visit Stanwell Park Beach Reserve to participate in a Ranger Jamie Excursion. Students learned about features of natural places, built habitats to protect native animals, engaged in water activities to learn about pollution, and went bug catching! What a great day!
"I really enjoying going on this excursion" - James
"Making the habitats and catching the bugs was awesome. I liked working together with my friends" - Charlotte
Key Dates for Term 4
- 24.10 Primary Cricket Gala Day Yrs 5 & 6
- 1.11 All Saint’s Day Mass Yrs 3-6
- 1.11 Music & Drama Presentation Yrs 1,2 & 3
- 4.11 P&F Meeting
- 11.11 Remembrance Day Liturgy
- 12.11 Socktober Day Event
- 13.11 Yr 5 Step Up to Corpus Day
- 15.11 Yr 6 Leadership Day
- 25.11 Pupil Free Day
- 28.11 Holy Communion Yr 3
- 6.12 Stella Maris Christmas Markets
- 10.12 End of Year Mass under the COLA
- 11.12 Yr 6 Graduation Mass
- 13.12 School Musical
- 14.12 Parish Christmas Carols at All Saints Church
- 18.12 Students Last day of Term for 2024
Book Week Parade
Today we celebrated Book Week 2024: "Reading is Magic!". Children were engaged in listening to a variety of the Shortlisted Books. For our parade children came dressed as their favourite characters from books or dressed for the theme. Everyone looked amazing! We would like to thank all the parents, carers, grandparents, and friends who joined us today despite the weather to celebrate Book Week. It was wonderful to see the joy amongst all the students as they paraded their amazing costumes with pride! The effort families in our community went to for this event didn't go unnoticed.
Week 10 - Monday 23rd September - 2025 Representative Sport school-based nominations due (CRICKET)
Week 10 - Wednesday 25th September - Mackillop Athletics Trials - Homebush (Banksii S)
Term 4 Key Sport Dates:
Week 1 - Thursday 17th October - Cricket Gala Day (Year 5 & 6 only)
Week 2 - Wednesday 23rd & Thursday 24th October - NSW PSSA Athletics Championships - Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre (SOPAC) (TBC)
Week 3 - Monday 28th October - 2025 Representative Sport School-based nominations due (TENNIS & BASKETBALL)
Week 3 - Tuesday 29th October - 2025 REPRESENTATIVE SPORT Cricket Trial - TBC
Week 5 - Friday 15th November - 27th Annual CDF Sports Awards - St Mary Star of the Sea College
Representative Sport
Athletics
On Wednesday, Banksii represented the Wollongong Diocese Athletics team at the Mackillop trials in Sydney. Banksii competed in the U8 Girls 100m race, competing against the fastest girls from the Southern NSW Catholic School region. We wish to extend our congratulations to Banksii on her achievements.
2025 Representative Sport Nominations
The 2025 Representative Sport Pathway has commenced with nominations open for Year 4 & 5 students across a range of pathway sports. The Cricket nominations have now closed, with all remaining online nominations due Friday, 25th October. Students who have been both successful and unsuccessful in their nominations will be notified in due course. The Cricket trials are held on the 29th of October.
2024 CDF Sports Awards
The 2024 annual CDF Sports Awards, recognising the exceptional sporting achievements of students within the Wollongong Diocese is on the 15th of November at St Mary, Star of the Sea, Wollongong. Invitations for students receiving awards will be sent out in the coming weeks.
Gala Days
Basketball
On Thursday and Friday of last week, the Year 3 & 4 and Years 5 & 6 students participated in the annual Catholic School Basketball Gala Day at Shellharbour Stadium. Thank you to all the parent volunteers who filled team manager roles throughout the days as well as the teaching staff who attended the event. A big thanks to Mrs. Wright and Miss Treble for all of their organisation in the lead up to and on the day of the event
Cricket
The information for the Cricket Gala Day has been published via Compass. All students who nominated to attend the Gala Day have been invited as we have no reserves. The Gala Day is being held on Thursday, October 17th (Week 1, Term 4) at Thomas Dalton Park, Fairy Meadow. Students are to arrange their own way to and from the venue. We are sending 7 teams to the Gala Day so if you are able to assist as a team manager on the day could you please let Mrs Sablowski or the office know. We understand due to work/family commitments that some parents are unable to assist us on the day, but we are very thankful for the continued support in these roles.
CEO DOW Sports Website
For more information on any of the upcoming Diocesan carnivals, or representative sports please visit the following website. For further information regarding Gala Days please click on the link ‘About Primary Sport’ link on the above website.
CEDOW Instagram
Don’t forget, the Sports Council at the CEO DOW has 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.
Casey Sablowski
Sports Co-ordinator
Pie Drive 2024
Thank you to those who volunteered to pack the pies, your help on the day was amazing! Hope everyone enjoyed their pies!
Uniform shop
With summer uniform in now, just a reminder that our second-hand uniform shop is available on Fridays!
Non-assembly weeks - Mornings after drop-off
Assembly weeks - Straight after assembly
Donations are always welcome and can be left at the office at any time.
Reminder of Upcoming dates
6 December - Christmas Market
Thank you
P&F Association
The canteen is open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
The canteen menu is on our website.
Online orders can be made via the My School Connect app - www.myschoolconnect.com.au/stellamarisps and click on Create account.
Summer Sport
Looking for sports to play in the Summer? Here are a couple of local options with registrations closing soon.
