Dear Parents,

NAIDOC Week is usually celebrated in the first full week in July, but in 2020 it has been postponed due to the pandemic until this week, November 8^th – 15^th. NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for students to learn about First Nations Peoples’ history and connection to land. The theme for this year, ‘Always Was, Always Will Be’ recognises that First Nations people have occupied and cared for this continent for over 65,000 years. It is hoped that all Australians will celebrate that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were Australia’s first explorers, first navigators, first engineers, first farmers, first botanists, first scientists, first diplomats, first astronomers and first artists. It is also an opportunity to recognise that this county has the world’s oldest oral stories, the world’s first maps, and the earliest paintings of ceremony.

During this week children have participated in activities that recognise and celebrate the history, cultures and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia.

Remembrance Day was commemorated on Wednesday, 11^th November. Remembrance Day in Australia is dedicated to remembering all Australians who have died as a result of war. The students and staff at St Mary’s held a prayer service, made a wreath, which was placed at the cenotaph and completed a variety of other activities to recognise the amazing sacrifice of our fallen soldiers.

On Tuesday we welcomed our nine 2021 Foundation students to St Mary’s for their first transition day. It was amazing to see how confidently they entered the school and how comfortable they were working in the Junior space. They all had big smiles on their face as they were leaving and they all appeared to have had a highly successful first session. We look forward to welcoming them back again on Tuesday, 17^th and 24^th November.

School photos are next Wednesday, 18^th November. Please make sure that your child wears the correct St Mary’s Summer uniform and that they have returned the photo form to their classroom teachers.

Kind regards,

Joel