Dear Parents,

On Monday, several of our Year 6 students represented our school at the Halogen
Leader Day in Melbourne. They had a wonderful day and expressed their
appreciation for the opportunity to represent our school and to hear from some
impressive speakers who taught them valuable lessons for life and leadership. The
consistent message is that it is so important to keep trying, to do your very best and
that failure is an important part of growing as a person.
This week we were very busy with two days of camp for our Year 3 and 4 students.
The children had a wonderful time at Mill Valley Ranch and thoroughly enjoyed riding
horses and a wide range of other activities.
Our swimmers competed in the Division Swimming Competition and we congratulate
them on their wonderful performance and the exceptional way they represented our
school.

LENT
This week we began the liturgical season of Lent. On Tuesday, all classes made
pancakes to celebrate Shrove Tuesday. Shrove Tuesday, also known as Pancake
Day, is a day of celebration before the start of Lent. It's a time to use up ingredients
like eggs and milk before the traditional 40-day period of fasting that is Lent.
This Wednesday was Ash Wednesday. This is a very special day in the liturgical life
of the Catholic Church. Ash Wednesday marks the commencement of Lent, a
pivotal season in the Christian liturgical calendar. On this day, Catholics attend
services where ashes, made from burned palm branches, are applied to their
foreheads in the shape of a cross, symbolizing repentance. Lent spans 40 days,
excluding Sundays, and serves as a period of fasting, prayer, and reflection in
preparation for Easter. This observance commemorates the 40 days Jesus spent
fasting in the wilderness, providing an opportunity for spiritual growth and self-
discipline as followers prepare for the celebration of Christ’s resurrection on Easter
Sunday. In the weeks ahead, I encourage you to engage in discussions with your
children about the lessons they have learned regarding Lent and the last days of
Jesus’ life on earth as we move towards Easter.

NAPLAN FOR YEAR 3s and YEAR 5s
NAPLAN will be administered this year from March 12th to March 24th. This online
assessment is conducted nationally for students in Years 3, 5, 7, and 9. Each student
who participates will receive an individual report, providing insights into their
performance relative to their peers at the state and national levels. The data
gathered from NAPLAN is used by schools to evaluate the impact of teaching
practices and inform future instructional planning.
NAPLAN is the only national assessment available to all Australian students in these
year levels. For further details, including a brochure for parents and carers, please
refer to the VCAA website, where resources are offered in multiple languages.

https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/assessment/f-10assessment/naplan/Pages/parents/index.aspx

I hope that you have the opportunity to enjoy an extra long weekend this weekend as school is closed on Friday and Monday.
Kind regards
Lisa

We are at present working on making presents for our Mother’s Day Stall. We would be most grateful for any suitable donations for either our Stall or the Raffle.

For our new Families our Stall will be held just before Mother’s Day and Raffle tickets will go home after the holidays. The Raffle will be drawn on the day of the Stall.

We have presents ranging in price from $2 to $10 so there is something for everyone!  It is an opportunity for the children to “shop” with money! All money raised goes to the School.

We look forward to your continued support.

Bright and early Monday morning, Year 3 and 4 students arrived at school, bags packed and full of enthusiasm for the days ahead.  We travelled to Mill Valley Ranch in Tynong North, the children participated in 5 different activities designed to encourage and challenge them beyond their comfort zone. 

The students had to work as a team and support each other to complete the tasks.  Some of these activities included low ropes course, archery, crate climb and an Amazing Race.  Horse Riding was a highlight for many students as well as the night hike. We also visited the chapel and learned some new songs. Lots of fun was had over the two days and I know they are all looking forward to the next camp!

Lego Display

Labour Day 10th March

Football Auskick Program

Hockey

Moe United Soccer 

St Mary's Craft Group

St Mary’s Craft Group would like to thank the families who have supported our fund raising efforts last year. 

If any of the new families would like to know more about us we meet in the School Hall every Tuesday at 9.00am and always ready to welcome newcomers and share a cuppa!

Many Thanks,  

St, Mary’s Craft Group

Please place orders via the CDFpay App.  This can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or Google Play. Alternatively scan the QR code below;

PAM (Parent Access Module)

March 2025

• Friday 7th - School Closure Day
• Monday 10th - Labour Day Public Holiday
• Wednesday 12th - Advisory Board AGM Meeting 6.30pm 
• Thursday 13th - Regional Swimming Carnival
• Friday 14th - Andrew Chinn Concert Day 
• Monday 17th - School Photos
• Friday 21st - Colour Run
• Monday 24th - Whole School Athletics Carnival 

April 2025

• Thursday 3rd - Grade 1 & Grade 2 Camp Day
• Thursday 3rd - Last day of term for students
• Friday 4th - Student Free day End of term 1 
• Tuesday 22nd - Start of term 2
• Friday 25th - ANZAC Day Public Holiday