Dear Parents and Carers,

Over the last term we had the privilege of having Uncle Kevin work with our community and with Mark and Jo. Uncle Kevin has captured the story of Shellharbour and our school as the Star of the Sea in an amazing painting.

As you walk into the school the painting is proudly displayed on the wall. Showcasing our story and connection to our Aboriginal story and culture at Stella Maris. Please take the time to admire, gaze and take in the intricacies of the painting. Look for the meaning in the painting and the story it tells.

In all of Uncle Kevin’s paintings he ‘hides’ a heart. It is his signature in every single one of his paintings. Challenge yourself and see if you can find the heart! Let me know when you find it.

We are truly grateful to Mr Chris Price and the coordination and leadership of Aboriginal education in our school. Our sincere gratitude to Uncle Kevin for providing our school community with such a unique gift of his talent.

Please be aware that the playground equipment is completely out of bounds for all students and siblings during drop-off, pick-up and during any time when the playground is open to parents and carers.

Thank you for your compliance with this.

A warm welcome to our Kindergarten 2024 students!

This term, we have been delighted to welcome our new cohort of Kindergarten children for their playgroup and orientation sessions. 

With beaming faces and bubbling enthusiasm, our young learners have been engaging in “big school” activities to build on their social skills and confidence, to forge new friendships and feel a sense of belonging and connectedness to their new school. 

Meeting the teachers and visiting the classrooms has further ignited their curiosity and excitement as they embark on their educational journey at Stella Maris.

We are incredibly proud of the little stars and look forward to welcoming them and their families to our school community in 2024!

On Thursday, 23 November our School Swimming Carnival will be taking place at Oak Flats Swimming Pool. The students who remain at school (K-2) will have the opportunity to compete in water-based activities in which they will gain points for their House. 

The planned activities will be run in the afternoon from 1:15pm - 2:40pm. The middle session will be shortened by half an hour and Lunch brought forward to 12:30pm. The activities will operate in Tabloid fashion and will run for 10-15 minutes each. There are 6 stations, which will each be led by a classroom teacher. Students will remain with their class throughout the rotations. 

Students can come dressed in their sports uniform or in their House colours. Students are likely to get a little wet when participating in the activities so if you wish for your child to bring a change of clothes you are most welcome, however, as this is being held at the end of the day, the students will not be in these clothes for long.

If you are able and willing to assist with these activities, we would love to invite you to come along. If you have not previously completed a Working with Children Volunteer Declaration, please complete this form at the office prior to the event.

Mrs Sablowski

Diocesan Sports Awards

Last Friday, Heath Paulissen, Reid Coelho and Hugo Manns attended the Diocesan Sports Awards in Wollongong. These students were a part of a small group of students across the Wollongong Diocese who received a Primary Medallion for their excellent achievements in sport this year. A special mention goes out to Maya Huetter who won a Primary Red Award and was a nominee for the Most Outstanding Sportsperson of the Year award across the Diocese.

Congratulations students on your fantastic achievements.

Hats And Drink Bottles

As we move into the warmer months, it is really important that students remember to pack their hats and water bottles. At Stella Maris, it is compulsory for all students to wear their hats on the playground as it is part of our school uniform and provides vital protection from the sun. If students do not have their hat, they are permitted to sit under the COLA area during recess and lunch. Students are encouraged to drink regularly and stay hydrated as the days become hotter.

Cultural Day

On Thursday 30th November, Stella Maris will be hosting an Aboriginal Education Cultural Day facilitated by Mr Mongta and Miss Jo. The day will be supported by the Corpus Christi Catholic High School, Yabun Gali Dance Group where students across the school will be learning about culture and dance. We look forward to a great day and welcoming Corpus Christi to Stella Maris in a few weeks time.

Semester 2 Reports 2023
Student reports will be available via Compass for parents and carers on Monday 11th December (Week 10).
What you need to know…

Our Semester reports can be a source of stress and confusion, or even disappointment for some parents and students.
This is sometimes caused by misunderstandings about the grading system and what a grade is really saying about your child. Firstly, please keep in mind that report grades are only one aspect of how we communicate about your child’s learning. Other important tools include:

● teacher comments, which provide a more nuance picture of your child as a learner      than one overall grade
● student effort, PB4L and work habit information
● parent-teacher-child interviews and
● ongoing communication sharing information about student effort and application.

How are grades determined?
Grades are given for overall achievement within a Key Learning Area, and measured against the outcomes for each stage of learning I.E. Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3. Students have until the end of the Stage to achieve the outcomes for each subject. In the beginning of each Stage, students’ grades are determined by their progression towards achieving these outcomes by the end of the Stage.

Students receive the grade that best matches the standard of their achievement in an area of learning. Sometimes this includes several aspects, including a range of skills and sub-strands of learning. For instance, measurement in Mathematics may include Time, Area, Mass or Volume and Capacity. Teachers carefully consider these outcomes with a range of evidence including classroom assessments, work samples, observations and classroom discussions, to determine the overall achievement.

What do the grades mean?
One big misconception regarding grades is that a C grade indicates your child is not doing well. However, a C grade is awarded to students who are achieving the expected outcomes for their stage of learning. This means they have sound
knowledge and understanding in that area, and achieving what the curriculum expects of them for their grade.
Another misunderstanding is if your child receives the same grade as a previous report, they have not made progress. However, as the expectations increase in difficulty for each reporting period, the same grade means they have continued
to make progress and are demonstrating new knowledge, skills and understanding.

Grade Descriptions: Please see the descriptions for A-E grades on the NESA site.

Finally, please keep in mind that most students work hard every day, and often a grade does not indicate the level of effort they are putting in each day. Obviously, all our students are much more than a grade on a report, so let’s not let their grades define them.

This week, four of our students decided to take fundraising for the Colour Explosion into their own hands (with the help of their parents).  Grace Healey did a PowerPoint presentation to show Quinn Zareba her ideas, then the girls along with Ollie Zareba and Anabella Condy, organised baking and making. Grace, Quinn, Ollie and Anabella set up at Shellharbour park and sold out of all the cupcakes, cookies, caramel slice! They made bookmarks, cards, painted rocks, bracelets, and a few other goodies. They spent a very busy day at the park and managed to raise $520 !!!! We are very proud of this massive achievement - well done!!

We have had many families be very creative in raising money for the Colour Explosion, feel free to share your story with us ! 

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.

You might recognise a few of Santa's elves this year with three of our School Mum's behind the delivery of one incredible Santa display at Wollongong Central this year. With a combined six kids from year 5 - K, they've been working around the clock to pull this set together and we encourage you to go check it out - Level 1, in front of David Jones.

New Vinnies Store

Vinnies Shellharbour is due to open its doors at Stocklands Shellharbour at the end of November!

We are eager to hear from Community minded people to volunteer at the new shop.

Give back to your local community, make friends, and gain new skills as a Vinnies volunteer.

All funds raised at Vinnies Shellharbour go straight back into local programs and services. 

No prior experience needed, there is a role for anyone and everyone!

Register your interest by emailing:retailvolunteering@vinnies.org.au 

Santa Photos