Dear Parents and Staff

Welcome back everyone as we commence Term Two. I hope you all had a wonderful Easter with your family and friends. I trust that your holiday break was very restful and that you are now ready for a busy term ahead.

We can now rejoice in the glory of Jesus and the joy he has given us in his resurrection. Easter is not just one day. It is the whole season of 50 days, which will last until Pentecost. Easter time is about new life. We rejoice in the new life of Jesus.

The season of Easter is a very special time in our church year. The Resurrection of Jesus provides us with a great symbol of Hope. Jesus has triumphed over death and has returned to us to be a guide to the reality of His Father’s Kingdom of Heaven. His message of ‘love for God and each other’ is very simple but one that many of us fail to be able to completely realise.

Easter, is a reminder that from death (failure) comes the possibility of new life (hope). I hope that you had the chance to celebrate the Hope of the Resurrection with your family over the break and that your time with your children was rewarding as they are living examples of the hope and freshness of New Life.

Mel Maria 2025

It was fantastic for our children on the Pater Noster Campus (soon to be our Early Childhood Campus) return to school and have the opportunity to use the purpose designed and built ECE playground. The joy on the children’s faces was something special as they didn’t know what to do first!

The old ‘blue room’ as we called it, has also been refurbished and new equipment for this room has been ordered which we hope to receive soon. This room will become multi-functional, as we have installed some concertina doors to the room, thus creating three separate spaces if desired.

Work over at SJP campus is also tracking nicely, with all the major soak wells in, the new feature wall being constructed, and the brick paving commenced. Added to this space in the near future will be some landscaping, including shrubs and trees.

School Uniform Surveys

Exciting News About Our School Uniforms!

A big thank you to all the amazing parents who shared their thoughts by completing our recent surveys! We've been listening carefully, and we're thrilled to announce some exciting changes coming to our school uniforms.

We've put together a special Uniform Committee, and they've been working hard to make our uniforms even better. We've heard loud and clear that you love the idea of a modern look for our youngest students. So, starting next year, our early childhood students will have the opportunity to be wearing a fresh new uniform style!

But that's not all - we've also heard your feedback about simplicity and cost. That's why we're moving towards having just one uniform for girls, all year round. We'll be adding a cosy jumper and school tie, but we're still deciding on those final touches.

And here's the best part - our new uniform will be for everyone! It'll be unisex, which means it's perfect for both boys and girls. This will not only make things easier for parents but also help us all feel like one big, happy school family. As mentioned also, there will be a three-year (most likely) transition period for our students and families.

At the recent Coffee Cart Presentation held at the end of last term, we mentioned there'd be a new look for our uniforms. Well, get ready because it's happening! We're giving our uniforms a fresh design and colour to make sure we stand out from the crowd while still honouring our school's history.

We can't wait to see everyone transition to our awesome new uniforms.

Thanks again for your support and ideas - together, we're making our school even better!

School Faction Names

A big thank you goes out to all the parents who generously shared their creative ideas and suggestions for the potential Faction Names and colours for the upcoming year, 2025. The Uniform Committee is hard at work to create a brand-new school Sport Uniform for every student, along with a fashionable Faction Sports Polo. We're excited to revamp what we currently have and give our factions some relevant and appropriate new names!

ANZAC DAY - Lest We Forget

On Wednesday, we commemorated ANZAC Day; a national public holiday and is considered by many Australians to be one of the most solemn days of the year. Dawn services and marches were held in cities and towns nationwide by veterans from all past wars, as well as current serving members of the Australian Defence Force and Reserves, with allied veterans and the Australian Defence Force Cadets and Australian Air League and supported by members of Scouts Australia, Guides Australia, and other uniformed service groups as well as schools and community groups.

ANZAC Day marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. The acronym ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, whose soldiers were known as ANZACs. ANZAC Day remains one of the most important national occasions of both Australia and New Zealand.

On Wednesday, 24 April, each campus participated in a short reflection on ANZAC Day led by our Year Six students. The students were most respectful at this gathering.

Kindergarten 2025 – Applications are Now Due

In 2025, we will have a whole new Early Childhood space for students from Pre-Kindergarten to Year Two. This is going to be very exciting for the students, teachers and parents.

Enrolments are now being taken for siblings and new students wishing to commence Kindergarten at Mel Maria Catholic Primary School in 2025. Families with children eligible for Kindergarten in 2025 are required to fill out a Kindergarten Enrolment Application Form. These can be collected from the office or found online on the school website.

Kindergarten places are limited so it is important that parents within the Mel Maria Catholic Primary School community submit their applications as soon as possible. Forms can be obtained from the office or on the school website.

Kind regards

Paul Hille

Principal

#MakingADifferenceEveryday

The Keeping Safe Child Protection Curriculum

The Keeping Safe Child Protection Curriculum (KS:CPC) is mandated in all public preschools and schools and is taught by teachers who have completed a full day KS:CPC training course. It is a world-class, evidence-based child safety program that is used by a range of other Australian and international schools.

The program is based on the belief that all children and young people have a right to:

• be treated with respect and to be protected from harm
• be asked for their opinions about things that affect their lives and to be listened to
• feel and be safe in their interactions with adults and other children and young people
• understand as early as possible what is meant by ‘feeling and being safe’.

The curriculum follows two main themes:

• We all have the right to be safe
• We can help ourselves to be safe by talking to people we trust.

The two themes are explored through four focus areas:

• the right to be safe
• relationships
• recognising and reporting abuse
• protective strategies.

The focus areas are targeted to the age of the learners.

These summary links below tell you more about what is taught in each age group:

School Uniform

Our school uniform not only provides a sense of belonging and pride of association in students at Mel Maria Catholic Primary School but also promotes the safety and security of students by allowing for the ready identification of students as belonging to our school.

All students are required to be in full winter uniform by the commencement of Monday, 29 April 2024. Please refer to the uniform policy on the school website for further information.

Our uniforms are available from the Mel Maria Uniform Shop located on Pater Noster Campus.

Opening hours: Wednesday 8:00am - 10:30am

Please refer to our uniform requirements available on our website.

Winter Uniform

This term, all students are required to be in winter uniform. To assist parents and students in this transition, a two-week change over period will be permitted. However, all students are required to be in full winter uniform by the commencement of Week 3. The school uniform also includes items such as the hairstyles we wear and the jewellery worn at school. Included below are the expectations for these. Most importantly we need to continue to wear our school uniform with pride.

Hairstyles

It is essential that all students strictly follow the guidelines outlined in the Uniform Policy, ensuring they always maintain the appropriate school uniform during their tenure at Mel Maria Catholic Primary School. Please make certain that your child's hairstyle aligns with the school policy, which can be accessed on the school website.

If hairstyles or haircuts do not comply with the school policy, students will be expected to rectify the situation promptly.

Hairstyles for both boys and girls should reflect acceptable standards. Shoulder length hair or longer is to be tied up or secured with a clip to ensure hair is neat and tidy. Parents are requested to refrain from allowing children to dye or streak their hair during school terms. Headbands, scrunchies or ribbons need to be in school colours.

Jewellery

A watch, necklace with a Christian symbol and a signet ring may be worn. No nail polish, tattoos or makeup may be worn during school hours. Girls and boys may wear one stud or sleeper (plain - eg gold or silver) in each ear lobe.

Make up

Children should not wear make-up, nail polish, shellac, or acrylic nails with the school uniform.

Social Media

Stay connected with Mel Maria CPS!

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook to stay informed about our school's latest news, events, and achievements.

Don't forget to like and share our tour dates and community events with your friends and family.

Instagram: @melmariacps

Facebook: @melmariacps

Pater Noster Campus will be hosting a Twilight Tour for families to showcase our new Early Childhood facilities.

Ros Nichols and Jo Scouler

Head of Campus

Sacramental Preparation

Sacramental preparation is underway on each campus.

Year Six students at Saint Joseph Pignatelli Campus and Year Four students at Pater Noster Campus have participated in Parent/Child Workshops in preparation for the celebration of these Sacraments.

The workshops are an important part of our Parish and Church commitment to supporting parents as first educators in faith of their children. Workshops explore our church doctrine and give time for families to reflect on how it can be applied to our everyday lives and relationships.

Sacramental Retreat Day

An important part of Sacramental preparation is a day of retreat for our students to explore all the elements involved in living a sacramental life. It provides time and opportunity to develop a language around their faith and their capacity to build on their relationship with God and others.

God of love and liberty,

We bring our thanks this day for the peace and security we enjoy, which was won for us through the courage and devotion of those who gave their lives in time of war.

We pray that their labour and sacrifice may not be in vain, but that their spirit may live on in us and in generations to come.

That the liberty, truth and justice which they sought to preserve may be seen and known in all the nations upon earth.

This we pray in the name of the one who gave his life for the sake of the world, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Thought for the Week

Some people grin and bear it; others smile and do it.

We have begun the term by thinking about our place in the world, where we are located locally and globally, and the connections we have to places. We’ve had the chance to explore maps, globes, atlases and Google Earth. We’ve learnt that First Nations Australians had very different borders to the ones we use today. We explored how an Acknowledgement of Country is a way of showing respect to the traditional owners of the land, and we wrote our own which acknowledged the Whadjuk people of the Noongar Nation.

Some of us brought in photos of places we have connections to, and we’ve added these to our maps. Our investigations so far have generated much enthusiasm. It will be interesting to see where our inquiry takes us next…

Mel Maria Interschool Swimming Team

Thursday 2nd May, 2024, HBF Stadium (Indoor Pool)

Well done to the following students who have earned their position in the Interschool Swimming Team thanks to their performances in the pool at the Swimming Carnival. This is a very strong squad, so hopefully we will be able to defend out title from last year!

This framework of nine elements combine supporting a child safe culture, healthy and respectful relationships and extended guardianship in school communities, based on the latest research and recognised best practices. Teachers are responsible for delivering this curriculum to students. Please view the video below for an introduction to the framework.

https://childsafe.cewa.edu.au/introduction-key-concepts/

Issue 3 is out now, orders online close on MONDAY 6TH MAY.

Orders are online only using the Scholastic LOOP ordering system.

Head to scholastic.com.au/LOOP

Thank you to the parents that have placed their order on this Issue of Book Club! There is still time to order if you haven’t already.

Did you know that every purchase you make on Book Club earns our school 15% of the order value in Scholastic Rewards? We use these to purchase Library books and educational resources for the school. It all helps!

School Term Dates for 2024

Term 1: Wednesday 31 January - 28 March

Term 2: Monday 15 April - Friday 28 June

Term 3: Monday 15 July - Thursday 19 September

Term 4: Tuesday 8 October - Friday 6 December

Pupil Free Days for 2024

Term 1: Monday 11 March

Term 2: Tuesday 4 June

Term 3: Friday 16 August, Friday 20 September

Term 4: Monday 7 October

Sacramental Dates for 2024

Confirmation:

SJP - Wednesday 15 May at 6:00pm

PN - Friday 9 August at 6:00pm

Eucharist:

SJP - Sunday 10 November at 11:00am

PN - Saturday 8 June at 3:00pm and Sunday 9 June at 2:00pm

Reconciliation:

SJP - Wednesday 18 September at 3:30pm

PN - Wednesday 18 September at 9:45am