Term 1 Week 8 2025
Principal's Message
Empowering Young Minds: The Importance of Student Engagement in Learning
At SMW we believe that to achieve our goal of ‘empowering all students for success’, then they must be engaged with the curriculum, develop learning behaviours to support ways to engage with their learning and foster a positive growth mindset. In primary education, fostering a sense of ownership and curiosity in learning is not just important—it’s transformative. When children actively participate in their educational journey, they develop essential skills and a love for learning that lasts a lifetime.
Why Engagement Matters
Student engagement goes beyond simply completing tasks. It’s about capturing students' interest, making learning meaningful, and encouraging them to take initiative. Research shows that engaged learners are more likely to retain information, solve problems creatively, and develop a positive attitude toward education. For young minds, this foundation can pave the way for future academic and personal success.
Barriers to Engagement
Despite the best efforts of schools and families, certain challenges can make it difficult for students to stay engaged with their learning. Recognising and addressing these barriers is key to creating a thriving learning environment.
- Emotional Factors:
- Anxiety, stress, and low self-esteem: These can significantly impact a student's ability to learn and engage.
- Lack of motivation: Feeling uninterested or inadequate can lead to disengagement.
- Feeling unsafe or marginalised: Students who don't feel safe or valued are less likely to actively participate.
- Inadequate Resources:
- Limited access to technology, materials, and quality professional development: These limitations can hinder educators' ability to promote engagement.
- Lack of resources for diverse learning: Insufficient support for students with different learning needs can create barriers.
- Communication Barriers:
- Poor communication between teachers and students: This can lead to misunderstandings and a lack of engagement.
- Lack of Autonomy in Learning:
- Feeling disempowered within the learning environment: Students need a sense of agency and ownership over their learning.
- Lack of choice and control: When students feel they have no say in their learning, it can lead to disengagement.
- Lack of Real-World Application:
- Perceived disconnect between learning content and real-world situations: Students may become demotivated if they don't see the relevance of what they are learning.
- Student Ownership and Accountability:
- Lack of a sense of ownership:
Students who don't feel responsible for their own learning may become disengaged.
- Lack of accountability:
A lack of responsibility can lead to detachment from education and hinder academic growth.
How We Overcome These Challenges
At our school, we strive to break down these barriers by fostering an inclusive and supportive environment. Here are some of the strategies we employ:
- Tailored Support: Our teachers work closely with students to understand their needs and provide individualised assistance.
- Engaging Curriculum: By designing lessons that connect with real-world experiences and diverse interests, we aim to spark curiosity and enthusiasm.
- Focus on Wellbeing: Our pastoral care programs ensure students feel emotionally supported, building their confidence to actively engage in learning.
- Family Partnerships: We collaborate with families to create a cohesive approach to each child’s education, bridging any gaps between school and home.
How Families Can Contribute
Parents and caregivers also play a crucial role in supporting student engagement. By showing an interest in your child's studies, celebrating achievements, and encouraging curiosity, you can help make learning a positive and rewarding experience.
A Bright Future Together
By addressing barriers and nurturing a love for learning, we can empower every student to take ownership of their educational journey. Together, let’s inspire our children to dream big, stay curious, and embrace the joy of learning.
Thank you for all of the support from families in relation to Harmony Day and Down Syndrome Awareness. We saw a plethora of coloured socks, lots of orange and creative, cultural outfits. When we see responses like this by our students, it really highlights the compassionate and supportive community that we have. Please enjoy your long weekend and all that the Warwick Show has to offer.
God Bless!
God Bless
Emma Timmins
Principal
Religious Life of the School
Celebrating Inclusion
At St Mary's School, we pride ourselves on the St Mary's Way to RISE UP. There are daily reminders to our students and it influences the language that we use at school. We also pride ourselves that we have a diverse student population that we work hard to ensure that everyone feels included. We had a wonderful celebration of our diversity this Thursday with our students wearing clothes from their culture or orange for Harmony Day and then a splash of bright, funky socks to celebrate Downs Syndrome Day.
Lenten Journey
As we journey towards Easter, our Parish pauses to pray the Stations of the Cross. Everyone is very welcome on a Friday at 5:30pm. Below is also a way of praying the Stations at home with your family.
Mini Vinnies Project Compassion
We have a wonderful Charity Portfolio leading our Mini Vinnies this year and they are determined to make a difference. This Easter they will run a 'Guess the Easter Egg Hunt' with two different sized jars - a smaller one for the younger grades (Prep-Year 1) to guess (plus another prize) and a large one for the Year 2-6s. Each guess will be 50c each and they will come to the classrooms to gather guesses each morning starting this Thursday. All funds will go towards Project Compassion.
They are also focused on not just raising money but also creating an even more caring community at St Mary's and would like to have an Easter Egg hunt for our Prep and Year One students with a special surprise. This will happen on the last Thursday of this term. It would be wonderful if each Mini Vinnie member could send a bag of small Easter eggs for our competition.
It is not too late for students in Grades 4-6 to join Mini Vinnies. We will meet on Thursday lunch times every fortnight in the even weeks at snack.
Reconciliation Liturgy
Wednesday, 26th March, Years 3-6 will participate in a Reconciliation Liturgy. This will be held at 2:15pm in the MacKillop Centre (School Hall). Through Lent one of our practices is for Reconciliation and so we give our students the opportunity to pause and reflect on our choices. Some Year 4 students are helping lead this Liturgy. All are very welcome to join us.
Holy Week Liturgy
Friday, 4th April, we will all participate in a Holy Week Liturgy at the Church at 12:30pm. This will be lead by Year Two and take us through the events of the week leading up to Easter.
We will celebrate the Resurrection when we get back to school on Wednesday, 23rd April at 11:30am in the MacKillop Centre (School Hall).
We would love for you to join us to celebrate the Easter story.
Retreats
This Friday, 28th March, there will be a retreat for Year 5 at 9am and Year 3 at 11:45am in Assisi Place (the back of the old Church). All are very welcome to attend.
Parish News
Lenten Liturgy Program - the following services will take place at St Mary's Church over the coming weeks:
- Lenten Program - for times contact Parish Office
- Stations of the Cross - Fridays 5:30pm
- Reconciliation - Tuesday, 8th April, 9am and 7pm
- Anointing of the Sick - Saturday, 5th April during 9am Mass
First Reconciliation - please continue to pray for the students who are preparing for their First Reconciliation. The students will celebrate on Thursday, 27th March at 6pm in the Church.
Baptisms - if you or your child would like to learn more about being baptised into the Catholic Faith please contact Mrs Young or the parish office on 4661 1033.
Altar Servers - once students have celebrated their First Communion they are able to perform the ministry of Altar serving. If you child is interested in this important ministry please contact Mrs Young.
Confirmation - the parish is now taking enrolments for the Sacrament of Confirmation. Children who are in Grade 4 and above and will have completed their First Reconciliation are welcome to enrol. To enrol or if you have any enquiries please email warwick@ctwb.org.au or call the Parish Office on 4661 1033.
Weekend Masses - Saturdays at 6pm and Sundays at 8:30am. Children's Liturgy during Sunday Mass (not during school holidays).
May peace be with you,
Sharon Young
Assistant Principal - Mission & Identity
“Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for God is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23
Curriculum
NAPLAN Success!
Over the past fortnight, our Year 3 and Year 5 students have completed their NAPLAN assessments, demonstrating great resilience and commitment. We are incredibly proud of their efforts, not only in their approach to the tests but also in their preparation, ensuring they were well-rested and fuelled with a healthy breakfast each morning. A special thanks also to Woolworths Warwick for their generous donation of bananas and pears, which provided students with a healthy energy boost before their tests in the first week. Their support was greatly appreciated!
We also want to acknowledge the dedication of our Year 3 and Year 5 class teachers and support officers, whose hard work ensured the testing process ran smoothly. Their encouragement, organisation and support have been instrumental in making this a positive experience for our students.
Thank you to our school community for supporting our students through this important milestone. We look forward to seeing their growth and achievements reflected in their results later in the semester.
Warwick Show School Section Success
We are so proud of our students and the time and effort that went into their entries for the show. We had so many place winners and we congratulate them for their success. We also congratulate those students who really tried their best; writing as neatly as they can and creating beautiful illustrations.
It was also wonderful to capture St Mary's students also shining in other sections of the show.
It is a wonderful show and St Mary's is proud to be part of it!
School Section
Other Show Sections
Library Learning with Mrs Ryan
Our younger primary students have been thoroughly enjoying their Library lessons with Mrs Ryan, diving into wonderful stories and engaging discussions. Each class has worked together to create posters after reading a book, sharing their thoughts on what they liked and didn’t like about the story. These collaborative reflections have encouraged rich conversations about storytelling, characters and personal preferences.
In Year 3, students have also been focusing on Cyber Safety, learning important strategies to stay safe and responsible online. Meanwhile, younger students have been building their vocabulary skills, exploring unfamiliar words from beloved books like The Gruffalo and expanding their understanding of language in a fun and meaningful way.
The Library continues to be a space where curiosity and creativity flourish, thanks to Mrs Ryan’s dedication to fostering a love of reading and learning. Be sure to check out the wonderful class posters, showcasing the thoughtful discussions happening in Library lessons!
Wishing you all a wonderful fortnight!
Jess Harper
Middle Leader: Teaching and Learning
Positive School Culture
Another fortnight of fantastic Mystery Readers - Grandad Phil Farrell, who is also the President of the Cruising Club here in Warwick, loved sharing the book, 'Cars' and some of his car stories.
From the Southern Downs Regional Council we were joined by Councillor Russell Wantling. He read the book, 'The Very Noisy Bear'. This bought much joy following the bear's adventures.
Sport
State Swimming Championship Selection
Congratulations to Benji B and Sylvie M for their selection to attend the State Championships for swimming. This is a wonderful effort and we know it takes a lot of dedication in the pool.
Darling Downs Basketball Trials
Congratulations to Riley B who has been selected to participate in the Darling Downs Basketball Trials. Riley's sportsmanship and quick feet did not go unnoticed at the Southern Downs Trials.
Administration
School fees for Term 1 have been sent out, please remember we have a direct deposit/debit system to pay for School Fees on a weekly/fortnightly basis. If you have any questions, please contact the School Office.
**Account Details when paying by Electronic Funds Transfer**
Name; Archdiocesan Development Fund (ADF)
BSB; 064 786 Account; 100018342
when making online direct deposits for school fee payments please ensure you include a reference being Account no. SMW... & your surname. We appreciate your help in this.
Notices
