St. Michael's Primary School ~ Term 4 Week 8

IMPORTANT DATES

Principal's Message

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

As the 2024 School Year draws to a close we have been reflecting on the wonderful learning and growth for our students and community. 

We have also been discerning and planning for our 2025 School Year. Today I have included the 2025 Class Structures and Teachers and the Magnify Sandhurst Program in the newsletter and emailed a letter to all families with this information. 

On Sunday we begin the Season of Advent. This is a time of anticipation and preparation, a time to pause, reflect and ready our hearts for the joy and hope of Christmas. It is a season that calls us to wait in expectation, not just for the birth of Jesus, but for the many gifts of faith, peace, hope and joy that surround us.

At St Michael's, this will be a time for prayer and reflection and to deepen our faith, show kindness and support one another as we finish our school year. Each week during Advent, we will focus on the themes of hope, peace, joy and love aspects of our faith that guide us not just during the holiday season, but all year long. Our first week of Advent is the theme of hope. 

As we light our Advent candles in the weeks ahead, we invite our students, staff and families to reflect on the meaning of each theme and how it shapes our lives. We also encourage you to take time as a family to pray, to share stories of kindness and gratitude.

Advent is a time of waiting, but it is also a time of great hope. May we all find joy in the anticipation of the Christmas season and in the moments we share with our families, our community and our world.

We stay awake, watch and wait,
for we do not know the hour
or the day of your arrival.
Come, Lord, bringer of hope.
Create in us a desire
for a world transformed
to reflect your glory.

Come, Lord, bringer of hope.
Lead us in your ways,
as together we make a change,
to share what we have with others.
Come, Lord, bringer of hope.

Wishing you a peaceful and blessed Advent season!

Peace and blessings,

Lisa Hitchcock 
Principal

2025 Class Structure & Teachers

St Michael's will move to five classes next year. We have met throughout Terms 3 and 4 as a Leadership Team and with our Consultative Committee to determine what structures would best support our students with our increasing numbers at St Michael's as well as the new Magnify Sandhurst program beginning in 2025 and this structure is the outcome of our shared wisdom and discernment. 

Our recruitment efforts have been very successful and we welcome three new teachers in 2025 -  Ms Kaycee Frew, Ms Hannah Baker and Mr Daniel Henderson to St Michael's.

Students will spend the Statewide Transition Day, Tuesday 10 December, with their new class and teachers. 

2025 Classes & Teachers

Foundation: Mrs Marsha Ardern

Year 1: Ms Kaycee Frew 

Year 2: Mrs Bianca Kennedy

Years 3 & 4: Ms Sally Maguire and Mrs Sarah Palmer

Years 5 & 6: Mrs Mez Moffat

F-2 Specialist: Ms Hannah Baker

3-6 Specialist: Mr Daniel Henderson

Semester 2 2024 Student Reports & Learning Conversations

Semester 2 2024 student reports will be released on Friday, 6 December.

Learning Conversations will be held in Week 10 and can be booked on SIMON from Monday 2, December.

If you have had a PSG Meeting this week you may not feel. you require a Learning Conversation. 

Learning Conversations will be held on Monday 9 December, Wednesday 11 December and Thursday 12 December. 

I encourage you to utilise these Learning Conversations to speak with your child/ren's teacher about their student report and the year's achievement and growth. 

2025 Foundation Students Transition

Our 2025 Foundation students have thoroughly enjoyed their first transition sessions at St Michael's. Thank you to all the families that have supported their children so beautifully. 

2025 Foundation Students Transition Dates & Times

• Morning and middle block visit: Thursday 5th December (9:00am – 1:45pm) – Lunch, Snack & Fruit
• Full Day Statewide Transition Day: Tuesday 10th December (9:00am – 3:00pm) – Lunch, Snack & Fruit
  

Thanksgiving & Graduation Mass 

Our Thanksgiving and Graduation Mass will be held on Friday, 13 December at 1pm in St Michael’s Catholic Church, Tallangatta. We invite all our families to join us as we celebrate the end of our school year and our Grade 6 Graduates. The students have been preparing Christmas Carols to sing at our Mass.  This will be a beautiful liturgy to give thanks for all we have experienced at St Michael's and express our gratitude for our students, staff, families and community. 

Grade 6 Graduation Dinner

The Grade 6 Graduation Dinner is being held on Friday, 13 December. We invite our families to arrive at 5:15pm for our dinner at 5:30pm with presentations to begin after dinner. 

Please ensure you have responded to the RSVP to help us with catering. 

Tallangatta Christmas Party & Carols 

The Christmas Party commences at 5pm.  Children collect their “party passport” and enjoy a free sausage sizzle, fun activities and giveaways all generously provided by our local businesses, schools and community groups.  Santa will be arriving at 6.45pm with lollies for the children and then the carols commence at 7.30pm.

Our students have been practising their Christmas Carol - Little Drummer Boy to sing at the Christmas Carols. All students are invited to attend and perform. 

Christmas Giving Tree

St Michael's will once again support the wonderful community initiative led by the Tallangatta Girl Guides and Tallangatta Neighbourhood House - The Christmas Giving Tree.  We will have our Christmas Tree in our office from next week until 10 December. This is an opportunity to share with others at Christmas by leaving unwrapped gifts for all ages and genders; gifts for both children and adults.  Cash donations can also be made by visiting Neighbourhood House Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 2.30pm.

If you would like to register details confidentially of those who would benefit from being included in the Christmas Giving Tree please do this via Katherine @ Neighbourhood House. 

2025 Pupil Free Days

Term 1: 28-29 January Staff Professional Learning Days

Please note this new pupil free day 1 April - which has been approved by CESL for our Behaviour Curriculum Professional Learning

Term 2: 22-24 April Staff Professional Learning Days (The Neuroscience of Learning)

Term 3: 13  August CESL Staff Spirituality Day

Term 4: 17 - 19 December Staff Professional Learning Day & TIL Days

Magnify Sandhurst 

Please see below a letter from Kate Fogarty Executive Director, Catholic Education Sandhurst Limited (CESL) explaining more about the exciting new program Magnify Sandhurst, which will be implemented at St Michael's in 2025. 

St. Michael’s Primary School is committed to child safety and the inclusion of all children.

Grade 5/6 - Mrs Mez Moffat

Year 5 and 6  –  Full of Achievements!

What an incredible time we have enjoyed with our Year 5 and 6 students. There are so many reasons to celebrate the achievements of our amazing students and the positive impact they have had on our school community. Let’s take a look at some of the highlights!

The Student Representative Council (SRC) has worked tirelessly to bring about small but important changes around the school. Through their leadership and dedication, they have helped make our school a better place for everyone. From organising events to sharing ideas for improvement, the SRC has truly made a difference with bathroom mirrors, lunchtime clubs, quiet areas during break times, assisting at events, helping staff whenever possible and more.

The Mini Vinnies Team has also been busy this year, running several charity drives to support those in need. They organised a Winter Clothing Drive, a Book Drive, a Christmas Toy and Canned Food Drive and many other initiatives to help our local community. The generosity of our students and their families has been inspiring! They love cooking and serving the whole school bbq’s and are great at helping pack up, clean up and re-set.  An amazing team of helpful humans. 

Every Thursday, our History Club and Book Club meet to explore fascinating historical topics and enjoy reading together. These clubs provide students with a chance to engage with history in fun and creative ways, as well as share their love of books with friends. So lovely seeing all students from Foundation to Year 6 mingling in our beautiful Library space together. 

In Term 4, the Garden Club students with our wonderful volunteer Mr Doug Furze, has been wedding, moving compost soil, growing and caring for our school garden every Friday. The students have enjoyed planting and learning about sustainability, while also working together to improve the school’s garden.  Lots more work to do here in yet another lovely cross age activity.

A highlight of the Term was the Ultimate Frisbee Try It Day at Baranduda Oval, where students from Catholic Education Wodonga Primary Schools gathered to try out Ultimate Frisbee. It was a day full of fun, teamwork, and new experiences for everyone involved. Lots of wins, a couple of games that ended in a ‘draw’ and some losses that help keep students humble in sport. 

We  would like to congratulate Ebony and Luke Furze, and Tom and Macey Kirk, who recently received the sacraments of Confirmation and First Holy Communion. What a special moment for these students and their families as they continue their faith journeys. God bless them. 

A huge thank you goes to our Volunteer Reading Helpers, Rhonda Hale and Mary Fraser, who come in every week to support our students with their reading. Their time and commitment have made a big difference in helping students improve their reading skills. 

Finally, our Yr 5/6 students have been working hard to manage the whole school’s waste and therefore, the bins  more effectively all year. Students have been learning about the importance of recycling and reducing waste, making sure our school is doing its part to care for the environment.  We are looking forward to NUDE FOOD next year for less plastic in our environment. 

Our class have had a very busy and successful year, contributing to the school and the wider community in so many positive ways. There are many other significant points we could recall and I am so very proud of them all. Let’s continue to celebrate and support each other as we finish the year strong!  

Thank you everyone.  Mrs M.  Moffat

Mini Vinnies - Christmas Support 

Grade 5/6 Out and About

Grade 3/4 - Ms Jo Hook

We have had a busy last term of 2024. The students have put together some highlights to share. 

Geography

We like geography because it has a great teacher.  Ms Maguire is doing a magnificent job. Currently in geography we are learning about how it would be if we lived in a different country. Our favourite thing we’ve done in geography is this. We were learning how to use a key and showing Australia’s neighbours. 

Jack and Oscar

Art

This term we are doing art. We made Kilinski trees and full body clay monsters. It was very unique. We still need to paint them. We cannot wait for next years art!

Gracie, Milla and Charlotte

3/4 Camp 

First we got off the bus and went to the Beechworth courthouse. Then half of our classmates saw the big duck then we learnt about Ned Kelly. We went to the honey shop and we learnt about honey and bees, mostly honey . We stayed at this place in Beechworth with these little rooms that had four beds in them. There was one big room that had heaps of bunkbeds where the boys stayed. We had a great time on camp!

Lily, Teghan and Daisy

Beechworth Camp

Cricket

Cricket is one of the best things we did this term. We learned how to catch, bat and bowl, plus a little bit of fielding. We enjoyed playing cricket this term.

George, Boyd and Dusty

Writing 

We worked on creating a book of silly sentences using homophones – words that sound the same but are spelt differently. Can you think of any?

Homophones

Christmas 

After working very hard this term, we are looking forward to Christmas because we get presents. We also get to spend time with our family and friends. We love the food and the drinks and we love actually everything. Happy holidays! 

Declan and Toby 

Christmas

Wodonga Catholic Parish News

Hello Everyone,

Please find the pdf  of our latest Parish News/Bulletin for the first Sunday of Advent, a really beautiful time for reflection. 

I have also attached the pdf to our first Sunday of Advent Prayer Leaflet.   

Thank you for all your kind comments about the work we do in the Parish Centre, which this week has been a hive of activity!

Don't forget to share your smile, it will cost you nothing. However, it may just be the most valuable gift you can give to a stranger or a friend!

Happy days to all.  Enjoy the read! 

Please note the link is also below for you to access  

Sonni 

What's On

Tallangatta Swimming Club

Dust off your goggles, Tallangatta Swimming Club season kicks off on December 3! 

Join the club for training on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons at Tallangatta pool. 

All welcome, including adults!

Juniors train 4.15-5pm Seniors train 5-6pm 

Registration and pool pass must completed prior to commencing.
Follow Tallangatta Swimming Club on Facebook for more information and registration links. 

Strengthening Children & Teens  

Neighbourhood House - Tallangatta

Gingerbread Houses

In this after-school kids cooking class, Mary Grant, retired Home Economics teacher and CWA member will show the children how to build a Gingerbread House and decorate it with lollies!  So much fun and such a lovely Christmas tradition!  Two dates to choose from – Monday 9 or Thursday 12 December from 4pm to 5.30pm.  This workshop will be held at the Anglican Church Hall and is for children 8+, unless accompanied by an adult.  Only limited spots available for this workshop! See How to Book below.

Christmas Wreaths

Get into the Christmas spirit by creating a beautiful Christmas wreath from Australian native foliage and flowers to display in your home or gift to a friend or family member.  The workshop will be held on Saturday 14 December at 10.30am.  It will be a lovely morning of crafting and connection, and Kylie from Art Starts Here will be there to guide you every step of the way.  For adults and students 16+.  ** Please note this workshop is not open to participants who have attended before**  See How to Book below 

Christmas Baking

Love all the traditional Christmas fare but have no idea how to make it?  Spend a lovely day with Mary as she teaches you everything you need to know to make all your favourites including fruitcake, plum pudding, mince tarts and shortbread!  Take home your baked goodies and enjoy them yourself or gift them to a friend or family member.  Only things you need to bring is an apron, containers and lunch, everything else you need is included in the cost.  This workshop will be held at the Anglican Church Hall on Sunday 15 December from 9.30am to 3pm.  Only limited spots are available! See How to Book below.

Christmas Giving Tree

Neighbourhood House are proudly collaborating with Tallangatta Girl Guides for this fabulous community initiative.  The Christmas Giving Tree will be located at the Tallangatta Bakery from 19 November until 10 December. You can give a helping hand to Tallangatta community members in need by leaving unwrapped gifts for all ages and genders (adult and children).  If you are unsure what to buy there is a donation tin located at the Neighbourhood House.  Register details confidentially of those in need with Katherine @ Neighbourhood House. See further details on the poster.

Christmas Celebration

The Tallangatta Christmas Celebration will be held in the Triangles on Friday 13 December.  This is a free event for the whole family! From 5.00pm children will collect their ‘Party Passport’ and enjoy a free sausage sizzle, fun activities and giveaways, all generously provided by our local community groups, organisations and businesses. The jolly man in red aka Santa, will drop by at 6.45pm with lollies for the children and then the carols will commence at 7.30pm. Tallangatta Community Choir will lead the singing of all your favourite carols and will be joined by Early Years and Primary School children and other local guest performers. Pack your picnic rug or deck chair and gather your friends and family for a night of fun and entertainment!  See you there!!  

Christmas Bunting

It's time to hang up the Christmas bunting and help get Tallangatta into the festive spirit! We are seeking three able bodied community volunteers to help us hang the bunting along our shopfronts. It will be put up after business hours and will take around two hours to hang.  If this is something you can help with we would love to hear from you!

Don’t forget!

• Uke Group – Mon 2 Dec – Free and no need to book – first Monday of every month – all skill levels welcome!
• Skills & Jobs Centre – Thu 5 Dec – FREE monthly job and career advice at the House.  Call 0436 468 031 to book your appointment.
• Games Night – Fri 6 Dec – Free and no need to book – first Friday of every month
• Hume Riverina Community Legal Service – Thu 12 Dec - FREE monthly legal advice at the House.  Call 6055 8090 to book your appointment.

HOW TO BOOK!

Book in for all Neighbourhood House activities on Eventbrite https://tallangattaneighbourhoodhouse.eventbrite.com.au.  For help with bookings or more information: reply to this email, call us on 0408 573 474 or visit us at 5a Banool Rd from Monday to Friday between 9.30am and 2.30pm. 

COMMUNITY INFORMATION 

Community Christmas Lunch

Everyone from the community is welcome to attend the Christmas Lunch being held on Tuesday 10 December from 11.45am. A delicious two course meal will be catered by the Anglican Church ladies at the church hall.  This event is proudly hosted and subsidised by Tallangatta & District Senior Citizens. The cost is $25 per head and bookings and payments in cash only can be made at Crisps Newsagency by Friday 6 December.

Tallangatta Icebreakers

All abilities and body shapes are welcome to attend early morning swimming at the Tallangatta swimming pool on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6.30am to 7.30am commencing from Monday 2 December.  Pool season passes can be purchased here or at the pool (note passes cannot be purchased at the Council office).  See attached poster for more information or call Jennie Miller on 0401 384 194.

Tallangatta Swimming Club

Dust off your goggles!  Swim Club season kicks off on Tuesday 3 December. Join the club for training on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons at Tallangatta pool.  All welcome.  Juniors 4.15pm to 5pm and Seniors 5pm to 6pm. Registrations and pool passes required prior to commencing.  For more info go to https://www.facebook.com/tallangattaswimmingclub

Special Story Time

Take your little ones to Tallangatta Library on Tuesday 3 December at 10am for a reading “Who Am I/ I Am Me” written by Jayneen Saunders.  There will also be songs and a craft activity.  This activity is presented by the Upper Murray Family Care Child & Family Services Team and Towong Shire Council.

Food Relief

Did you know the Kiewa Tangambalanga Lions Club has a Food Share program and is open every Thursday from 1 to 4pm at the Lions Club rooms in Tangambalanga? There is a full range of foods from breakfast cereals, fresh fruit and vegetables, a range of frozen beef, chicken and fish, pastas and snack foods.  Anyone who needs a little extra help with making ends meet is encouraged to utilise this service. With Christmas fast approaching keeping up with the bills can be extra tough.  The Lions Club are more than happy for Tallangatta residents to use this service. If you are unable to get to Tangambalanga please get in touch with us as we can assist with collection on your behalf.

Also, a couple of our wonderful community members volunteer at the Albury Wodonga Regional FoodShare on Mondays.   As cost-of-living pressures bite, there are many people facing food insecurity and making heartbreaking choices between food, rent and bills. Often meals are skipped as people struggle to make ends meet.  AWR FoodShare provides food relief to families needing support.  If you need help please reach out to us as we may be able to assist with delivery of food items to Tallangatta residents.

Promote your Community group or event

As your Neighbourhood House we see it as our role to share information about all activities happening in Tallangatta that might be of interest or benefit to our community.  If you are involved in a local community group or organisation and want to let your community know about your groups regular activities or upcoming event, please email us the information.  There are currently around 650 individual subscribers receiving this email and we have 1.2k followers on Facebook, so it is a great way to spread the word!

 Katherine