St Mary's Parish Primary School Ararat

St Mary’s is a Catholic school community inspired by the Gospel, and in the spirit of the Brigidine tradition, we are committed to learning for all, fairness for all and compassion for all .

Mission Statement

Catholic School Culture

We are inspired by Christ and our Catholic faith tradition to respond to the challenges of the Gospel in our world today.

We are called to be the presence of Christ for one another and act for social justice with strength and gentleness.

Community Engagement

We welcome all people in the Brigidine tradition of inclusiveness and belonging.

We engage in meaningful and collaborative relationships with all members of our community to ensure the best outcomes for all.

Leadership and Stewardship

We empower all to contribute positively to our world.

We embed a culture of collaboration with purpose and clarity to ensure high levels of learning for all.

Learning and Teaching

We cultivate a passion for learning by inspiring and challenging each other.

We engage and support learners at their point of need to ensure that all learners can reach their full potential.

Wellbeing

We create a safe, inclusive environment that celebrates effort and achievement and promotes dignity and fullness of life for all.

We identify, respect and celebrate the unique gifts of all people to nurture their wellbeing.

ST MARY’S PARISH PRIMARY SCHOOL

Our Heritage

St Mary's Parish Primary School originated as a result of the 1850's gold rush and the ensuing permanent settlement of the Ararat district. In 1889 the Brigidine Sisters took over the running of the school from lay teacher, Mr Thomas Williams, thus securing for Ararat's Catholic community a firm basis for their educational and religious development.

The current school was built in 1963 with numerous additions and refurbishments since that time, notably with the building of our undercover area as part of the Commonwealth Governments ‘Building the Education Revolution’ project.

Our Crest

The cross in the top section of the crest is that of St Brigid. This cross is based on the simple cross of reeds which tradition says St Brigid used when teaching the truths of the Catholic faith. The small lamp in the lower section of the crest represents the light of the Christian faith and the light of learning.

Our Motto - Strength & Gentleness

The motto "Strength and Gentleness" (Fortiter et Suaviter), was the motto of the Founder of the Brigidine Sisters, Bishop Daniel Delaney. The motto sets before us the virtues of strength and gentleness, so characteristic of St Brigid and challenges us all to be ‘people of strength' and ‘people of gentleness'.

ST MARY’S EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY

At St Mary’s, we recognise that the hallmark of any great educator is their capacity to build nurturing, productive and professional relationships with students. We understand that the relationship between child and educator is of profound importance. We work hard to create a culture in which we foster positive relationships with students, families, staff, Parish and the broader Ararat community.

As a school, we recognise that each person is blessed with a unique blend of gifts, talents and interests that they can use to grow as a person and contribute to the development of the community. This is a core tenet of our Catholic identity; God made each person the way they were intended. This belief helps us focus on the attributes of each person.

Our school culture focusses on the development of the whole person; spiritual, academic, physical, emotional, social and creative. We work to create a holistic learning environment that enables every child to succeed. We recognise the critical importance of the core skills of literacy and numeracy but also acknowledge that children possess a wide variety of capabilities and our learning process must enable every child to experience success.

We encourage our students to be creative and innovative in their learning in this manner. We promote opportunities for students to work collaboratively and develop the specific skills they require to work effectively with their peers. These are the skills they will need to be productive contributors to 21st century Australian society.

St Mary’s is a Catholic school and we are proud of our Catholic identity and the positive impact that this can have on the development of caring, critically thinking young Australians. Our educational culture seeks to integrate our faith with the education of the children; to help our students connect faith to life and life to faith. We focus on making the teaching of Religious Education meaningful and relevant and encourage our students to be both critically reflective in matters of faith and to be in dialogue with those of other faith perspectives.

CURRICULUM

As a Catholic School, a core aspect of our curriculum involves the teaching of Religious Education. As a Catholic school in the 21st Century, we actively seek links to our faith and Religious Education in all the aspects of learning we cover. As a Catholic school we are mandated to teach Religious Education as a specific learning area.

In our diocese, this is covered in all Catholic schools through the teaching of the diocesan Awakening’s program. This program works to give our students a sound understanding of gospel and scripture stories but to do so in a manner that relates to the lives of our students. We seek to help our students engage in a personal account with Jesus through these stories.

As our students mature, we engage them in critical reflection of the messages of our faith and connect them to the world in which we they live. The RE curriculum places a significant focus on the students engaging in Catholic Social Justice initiatives as a way of bringing Jesus’ message to life.

The students at St Mary’s engage in regular liturgical celebrations. Each learning community has the opportunity to lead the school in prayer. Families and parishioners are welcome to join us at 9am every Friday in our Multi-Purpose Room and celebrate this important time together.

Victorian Curriculum

The Victorian Curriculum covers the learning outcomes mandated for all Victorian schools for students from Foundation to Year 10.

At St Mary’s we place a significant focus on an integrated curriculum based on an inquiry approach, as this reflects our belief that learning should be explicitly taught within meaningful and interconnected contexts.

English

We believe that the teaching of English is a core and critical skill that will ensure our students are able to engage effectively in the 21st century Australian society. Given its importance, English is timetabled for a minimum of eight hours in each week, one hour of which focuses on reading and the other writing with clear connections between these two elements.

The English Learning Area is developed around four specific aims:

1. Learning to listen to, engage with a text (written, spoken and multi-media) with accuracy, fluency and purpose

2. Developing and embedding the use of English to engage effectively with others

3. Learning to understand how Standard Australian English works in order to make meaning and communicate effectively

4. Engendering an informed appreciation of literature.

Spelling is included within the writing focus. At St Mary’s, writing is taught through a phonemic approach using the ‘Sound Waves’ program from Foundation to Year 6.

Mathematics

At St Mary’s Mathematics is also a core aspect of our curriculum and a critical skill in which all children need to be proficient. The teaching of mathematics is timetabled for a minimum of four hours per week. Student learning activities are developed from an analysis of student data, gained from assessment samples and teacher observation.

The learning activities developed for students aim to cover the outcomes in the Victorian Maths curriculum. Our Mathematics curriculum is developed around three key aims:

Developing critical mathematical and numeracy skills in order to participate as active and critical citizens in a technological world.
Developing the capacity to apply mathematical concepts, skills and processes to other contexts and purposes.
Acquiring the mathematical skills to engage in this learning area effectively.

The Mathematics Program is called ‘Stepping Stones’ and is used across the school, from Foundation to Grade Six.

This program works to ensure that our students embed a wide range of mathematical skills and concepts. We ensure that our students do not just learn the required concepts and skills but are able to apply these appropriately in real-world problem-solving situations.

Health & Physical Education

As part of our holistic education philosophy, we place a significant focus on the teaching of Health and Physical Education. The learning in this area builds student knowledge about the importance of healthy eating, nutrition, sleep and exercise and the ways in which these contribute to the wellbeing of people. It also covers aspects such as Drug Education.

We also provide opportunities for our students to engage in a range of physical activities such as athletics, swimming and the development of skills in a range of ball games. We explicitly teach students the specific skills to be able to participate in these sports and games in order to build both their physical wellbeing and their ability to engage productively and collaboratively with others.

Science & Technology

Our students will live in an increasingly technological world and it is important that we provide our students with the skills to understand the physical, natural and technological world in which they live. This reflects the current focus of the Victorian government on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) learning.

We create learning opportunities to help students understand scientific principles and how scientist’s investigate the world around them. Our science learning is developed around hands-on, inquiry-based activities that allow students to problem-solve, hypothesise and build on their own experiences.

Students are taught to work through the technology process: investigating, designing, producing and evaluating) to solve problems that are meaningful and relevant to their lives. We recognise that many of our students are digital natives and consequently we provide them with opportunities to use digital technologies for a range of purposes and to develop solutions to questions the students themselves have posed.

The Arts

The curriculum in the Arts covers both visual and creative arts. The learning in this area enables our students to develop their creative and expressive capacities and to investigate the ways in which the Arts influences culture locally, nationally and globally.

As a school, we provide specific and targeted opportunities for students to engage in the creative arts using the skills of teachers with a passion for this area of learning. This occurs as both part of their learning in the classroom and through opportunities like the school choir.

Visual Arts is one of our specialist learning areas. Each class works with a specialist Art teacher for one hour per week to engage in specific learning activities such as ceramics, painting, sculpture, print-making and crafts.

Languages (Chinese)

Another of specialist subjects areas is the mandated aspect of our curriculum is Languages. Given the cultural background of Ararat and its connection to gold mining and the influence of Chinese migrants in our local history, the specialist Language taught at St Mary’s is Chinese. Each of our Junior, Middle and Senior Learning Communities is timetabled for a one hour language lesson every week with our LOTE teacher and utilising an online learning program called My Chinese Teacher.

Discovery & Inquiry (Humanities)

Through our Discovery-Inquiry (D.I.) we provide opportunities for the children to learn about and understand the events of the past that have shaped Australian culture and society. We help our students develop an understanding of our world, its geography and the challenges that face it. They learn to understand and appreciate the democratic principles and values that govern Australian society in order to participate as informed and responsible citizens.

Diverse Learning Needs

We use a range of data to track student performance. When we identify a student is in need of additional support, we develop in a targeted response to address their additional needs and provide targeted intervention.

For most students, this will involve targeted intervention to enable a student to attain the expected standard. In a smaller number of students, more specific intervention programs might be required, delivered either by a teacher or one of our Learning Support Officers. This might occur through the use of highly structured programs targeted to support the needs of that student in a specific concept.

The progress of all students is consistently tracked to ensure that the growth of every child is monitored. Our Learning Diversity Leader supports each of our Learning Communities to ensure that they are effectively meeting the needs of every child.

Students identified as having special needs may be eligible for additional funding provided by the Commonwealth government.

Digital Education

Digital technologies are integrated into all aspects of our curriculum. The students at St Mary’s have access to a range of digital resources: there is a 1-to-1 Chromebook program in the Middle and Senior Learning while our Junior Learning Community students from have access to a class set of iPads which are more developmentally appropriate for children of this age.

Each learning space within the school has an interactive Smart Board. These are fantastic tools that teachers can use to engage students in their learning.

Wellbeing

At St Mary’s we recognise that wellbeing is a critical factor in the long-term success of students, staff and parents. Every child has the right to feel happy, safe and empowered so that they are able to learn to the best of their ability. We place a significant focus on student wellbeing, through clear and precise Behaviour Management processes and through the implementation of two Social Emotional Learning (SEL) programs called Relationships & Sexuality and The Resilience Project.

SEL is timetabled for every class every week and helps develop consistent language between staff and student in issues of wellbeing. In addition, our teachers use a variety of strategies to support those students with additional needs in this area. St Mary’s has a dedicated school counsellor, who is provides targeted support for students with additional wellbeing needs.

As a Catholic school, our Behaviour Management processes are never punitive but instead focus on rebuilding relationships when these have been negatively impacted by others, using a process called Restorative Practice. Restorative practice values relationships and seeks to engage people in restoring relationships damaged by conflict and harming events. We hold students to high standards of behaviour while at the same time providing the support and encouragement for students to meet these expectations.

A Restorative Approach:

encourages students to appreciate the consequences of their actions for others
enables students to make amends where their actions have harmed others
requires students to be accountable for their actions
encourages respect for all concerned.

GENERAL INFORMATION

School Fees

School fees and levies enable our school to provide a high standard of education to the children at St Mary’s. Without school fees, our school would not be able to provide the many and varied opportunities from which each student benefits.

St Mary’s Parish Primary School charges the following fees and levies:

Student Book Levy

This fee is charged per student. In addition to the Government Education Allowance, this covers our costs in running each of the Learning Communities throughout the year. These funds are used for:

- Books and stationery used by individual children

- Reference books for the classroom

- Art/Craft materials and sports equipment

- Reading books, library up-keep, photocopying

- Specialist budgets e.g. Religious Education, P.E.

Family (School) Fee

This fee is charged per family and is used to support the school in meeting its running costs throughout the year to cover expenses such as heating, power etc.

Capital Levy

This fee is charged per family. This fee is used for contributing towards Capital Grants for building work as well as covering maintenance costs and specific purchasing priorities such as technology, playground equipment etc.

Camps, Excursions, Incursions & Activities

This contribution covers the costs of school camps, excursions, specific sports programs such as swimming and other related activities.

School fees and levies are set by guidelines mandated by the Catholic Education Office Ballarat and adopted by the School Advisory Council.

Please contact the school for a copy of the relevant fees & charges for your child/ren

School Fee Payments

Fee accounts are sent home to families each term of the school year. Fees can be paid weekly, fortnightly, monthly, per term or annually via Credit card, Centrepay or Direct Debit. Direct Debit is the school’s preferred and usual option for the payment of fees.

It is expected that school fees are paid in full by November 30 each year.

Families who foresee difficulty in meeting the payment of fees and levies should arrange a meeting with the Principal. This allows for negotiated arrangement to be made in the payment of fees. Financial circumstances are never a barrier to enrolment at St Mary’s.

Family Fee Assistance Scheme

In all Catholic primary schools in the Diocese of Ballarat the Catholic Education Office provide a Family Fee Assistance Scheme. This is available to assist families to send their children to Catholic primary schools. The scheme is available to those families who receive the Education Maintenance Allowance. Families that qualify pay $520 per annum ($10 per week) towards fees. This discounted fee covers the Family (School) Fee and the Capital Fee only, but not the Student Book Levy or Camps, Excursions and Activities Charge.

Application forms and information brochures are available from the school office. Further information can be provided by the St Mary’s Business Manager.

Enrolment Information

Applications for Foundation enrolment can be made throughout the year. All families seeking an enrolment for their child must make a time to meet with the Principal or their representative as part of the enrolment process. The child to be enrolled should attend this meeting.

As part of our enrolment process for Foundation students, we use a simple screening assessment. This has no bearing on whether an enrolment is accepted but rather allows us to identify the needs of students entering St Mary’s.

In support of an enrolment request, we ask all new families to complete an Enrolment Enquiry form. Once a place has been offered, parents need to complete an Application for Enrolment form as this provides us with the administrative details required to process an enrolment application. This must be completed prior to a student starting school.

For students transferring from another school, parents or caregivers must give permission for student data to be transferred from the child’s previous educational setting.

Eligibility

Under Victorian State Government guidelines, children entering Foundation must turn five on or before April 30 of the year they enter Foundation to be eligible for school enrolment. Up to date vaccination records are also legally required.

St Mary’s welcomes all students irrespective of faith or background. Under the terms of our Enrolment policy, all baptised Catholic children living in the Catholic parish of Ararat have a right to a place at St Mary’s.

Children of other faiths or from a non-faith background will also be considered provided this does not exclude a Catholic student. All parents are required to provide an understanding that they will respect the structures, traditions and Catholic identity of our school; participation in Religious Education and Catholic liturgical celebrations are a non-negotiable aspect of enrolment at St Mary’s.

Transition

As part of the enrolment process for Foundation students, all new Foundation students will attend at least three orientation sessions at school. This enables us to provide a smoother and less stressful transition for students from

Kindergarten to primary school. These sessions will take place in the Foundation class for a part of the normal school day. The times and dates of these orientation sessions will be communicated to parents in Term Three of each year. As stated, should the need arise, additional sessions can be arranged for those students who require a greater level of support to make a successful transition.

During the first term of the new school year, Foundation students will attend school four days a week with a ‘rest’ day on Wednesday. This prevents our newest children becoming overtired as they start their new school. This ‘rest’ day concludes after the Labour Day public holiday in Term One.

General Information

Daily Timetable

8.55am Children assemble in Davey Hub

9.00am Classes begin

11.00am Lunch play

11.40am Supervised lunch eating

12.00pm Classes resume

2.00pm Afternoon recess

2.15pm Classes resume

3.15pm Dismissal

3.20pm School buses begin to depart

The school gates are opened at and supervised from 8.30am.

General Information

Medical Information

To ensure a safe environment for our students, staff and visitors, it is important that parents and caregivers notify the school if their children has been diagnosed with an ongoing medical condition. It is a condition of enrolment that parents provide the school with accurate and up to date medical information, signed by a medical practitioner in relation to any such conditions.

A number of our students have asthma and conditions such as Anaphylaxis. At the beginning of each school year, this information will be checked by our Medical Officer. Parents and caregivers will be contacted to ensure our student information is correct and up to date and will be expected to provide the appropriate medical treatments such as puffers and epipens.

Similarly, parents must inform the school of any significant allergies that their child might have. This ensures our procedures and processes are accurate and that this information, and the required treatment, is openly communicated to staff. Annual updates will be requested by our Medical Officer and must be provided to school with an appropriate medical practitioner’s signature.

St Mary’s does not have a nut-free policy however, we strongly request parents avoid sending nut products in their children’s lunchboxes being mindful that we have children in our community who are allergic to nuts.

General Information

School Records

We are required to maintain accurate and up to date records of parents or caregivers contact details: names, addresses, telephone numbers and emergency contact details (including those of another relative or friend should you be unavailable). It is critical that this information is accurate and correct and that parents or caregivers inform the school of any changes in circumstances.

Should parents have other information pertinent to the welfare of your child, including any legal documentation, copies of this should also be provided to the school. Under Commonwealth Government legislation, all information collected during the course of a child’s period at school is managed in accordance with the relevant privacy legislation and guidelines. All files are confidential and only accessible by the relevant members of staff.

After School Care

Parents and caregivers can access After School Care though Ararat 800 Primary School which is located very close to St Mary’s. These students are walked to Ararat 800 at the conclusion of the school day. Further information can be gained from Ararat 800 Primary School on 5352 1253

Our school newsletter is published weekly through Schoolzine. This is sent home electronically via email to PAM account holders.

Facebook & St Mary's Website

Important information is also distributed to parents and caregivers via our Facebook page (St Mary's Ararat) and our school website www.smararat.catholic.edu.au.

Lunch Orders

Lunch orders are available from the Marian College canteen on Fridays. To facilitate the processing of orders, these must be on sent to school on Thursdays before 11am. Please put the money for your child’s lunch order in an envelope with their name, class and order clearly written on the front. If your child’s order includes hot food they will need to fill out a brown paper lunch order bag which are available in their classroom. Their name, class, and hot food order need to be clearly written on the brown bag. The envelope is then placed in the brown bag and put in the lunch order boxes located in the classroom and processed and delivered on Friday morning.

Uniform

BOYS GIRLS

Light blue polo/skivvy Light blue polo/skivvy

Grey shorts/trousers Navy shorts/trousers

White or grey socks White socks
Black enclosed school shoes/runners Black enclosed school shoes

Summer dress (Terms 1 & 4), winter pinafore/skirt with navy tights (Terms 2 & 3)

SPORTS SPORTS

Light blue polo Light blue polo

Black/navy shorts/trackpants Black/navy shorts/trackpants

School hats are compulsory in Terms One and Four. Students must wear a hat when they go outdoors.

School hats and library bags are available for purchase through the school office for $10 each.

All other items of uniform are available from Fosters Mensland, Ararat.

SCHOOL CONTACT DETAILS

Principal

Roxanne Leed

Phone: 5352 1796

Email: rleed@smararat.catholic.edu.au

School Address

St Mary’s Parish Primary School

PO Box 329

Moore Street

ARARAT VIC 3377

Phone: 03 5352 1796 Fax: 03 5352 3401