Dear Parents and Carers,

On Sunday, we marked a significant milestone in our students' faith journey as we
celebrated the sacrament of Confirmation with Bishop Greg and Fr. Confidence. Our
candidates, Inara and Jikaya, were warmly welcomed by the St Mary's Parish and confirmed in the presence of their friends and family. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Sue and the staff for their dedicated preparation of Jikaya and Inara for this special occasion.

The Sixty-Third Yarram Eisteddfod, which commences on Monday, is a testament to our students' hard work and dedication. Our school is actively involved in the recitations, vocal groups, choir, and school play.

This week, we witnessed the students' commitment as they put the finishing touches on their items. We ask that children come prepared with warm coats for the walk to and from the theatre. In case of inclement weather, we have buses on standby. The staff have shared the running sheet on Class Dojo, and any updates will be communicated through this platform.
Our foundation students had a blast celebrating 100 days of school! The day was filled with fun activities and special projects, marking this important milestone with lots of joy and learning. We’re so proud of our students' accomplishments in their first 100 days.

The creativity was flowing on Crazy Hair Day! From wild wigs to colourful hairsprays, our students and staff went all out to showcase their unique styles. It was a fantastic day full of laughter and imaginative hairdos. We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who participated and made the day so special. Your support and enthusiasm are truly appreciated!
As we look forward to the Winter Sports event tomorrow, we want to encourage all our students from Grades three to six to have a great time and give their best. Good luck to all the participants!
Maria

PRAYER FOR EISTEDDFOD WEEK

We had a surprise visit from our esteemed MP - Hon. Dareen Chester. He took the time to talk to each classroom and answer our students' questions. It was an exciting morning.

Today, our gorgeous Foundation grade students celebrated their 100 days of school.

They had a dress up day and hot chips for lunch!

The Yarram Eisteddfod is scheduled from Monday 5th August - Monday, 12th August 2024.

Please click on the link to view the current running sheet. We will keep you updated with details of performances via class Dojo as we receive them.

Eisteddfod Schedule 2024

Mental Health and Wellbeing News

Dear Parents,

As you know I am the Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader and as part of this role I have decided to complete further study in this area to assist the students here at St. Mary’s. I am at present studying a Certificate in Child Psychology which includes a unit on Child and Adolescent Mental Health. I think it is important to include some information around different Mental Health Conditions that are on the rise with children. I am looking at Childhood Depression so decided to include this information for you.

Depression is significant mental health problem in children. It can cause severe problems in other areas of a child or adolescent's life such as relationship difficulties with peers and family members, a disturbed sense of self, and poor academic achievement. It also is often co-morbid with other mental health problems and disorders and so should always be taken seriously. 

 

Prevalence of Depression in Childhood and Adolescents

 

Nowadays it is widely accepted that children do experience depression. Most children will feel down at some times without warranting a diagnosis of depression, but it is now estimated that at least 2% of children under 12 years of age will suffer from significant depression, rising to 5% in the teenage years.  More than 50% of adults who suffer from depression state that their early symptoms started before the age of 20. 

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is a formal classification of mental health disorders, featuring symptoms, diagnostic criteria, culture and gender-related features, and other important diagnostic information.  In other words, the DSM is a tool and reference guide for mental health clinicians to diagnose, classify, and identify mental health conditions.

Depressive Symptoms 

It is not always easy to identify depression in children. The DSM states that the child must show:

Depressed or irritable, cranky mood.

Loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities. 

 

And other symptoms such as the following:

Significant weight loss or decrease in appetite.

Insomnia or hypersomnia.

Psychomotor agitation or retardation – psychomotor retardation involves the slowing down of thought processes and physical movements of the person. The person may show visible slowing in their speech and emotion. Psychomotor agitation is when the person appears agitated, moves more quickly, speaks more quickly and so on, such as rapid pacing, rapid talking.

              Fatigue or lack of energy.

Feelings of guilt and worthlessness.

Indecisiveness and decreased concentration.

Recurrent thoughts of suicide.

Besides the DSM symptoms, the child may also show some of the following:

Persistent sad or irritable mood.

Vague, no specific physical complaints.

Frequent absences from school.

Poor performance at school.

Being bored.

Alcohol or substance abuse.

Increased anger, hostility, or irritability.

Reckless behaviour.

For a child to be diagnosed with depression they need to show at least one of the symptoms described by the DSM for most days of the week, for most of the day, during the same two-week period. 

If you would like further information on this or have any concerns please do not hesitate to contact me.

Deb Owens

Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader

 

 

Religion News: Thursday the 1^st of August 2024

Sacrament of Confirmation

Last Sunday Jikaya and Inara celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation. 

 Congratulations to you and your families.  Thank you to Mia and Shekinah for Altar Serving; you were flawless.  It is always a bit different when it is a Sacrament.  Thank you also to our children who formed the choir on Sunday, Noah, Makaysha and Karsharna. You helped to make this a special celebration for Inara and Jikaya.

Feast of St. Mary of the Cross Mackillop – Thursday the 8^th of August.

Due to our participation at the Eisteddfod next Thursday we will celebrate the Feast Day of Mary MacKillop the following Thursday with a whole school Mass at 10:00am at St. Mary’s Church.

St. Mary of the Cross was an ordinary person who did extra ordinary things to become Australia’s first and only Saint.

Mary was born in Victoria to Scottish immigrants. She was the eldest of eight children and spent her early years working to support her family. At the age of 24 she dedicated her life to God and took on the name “Mary of the Cross”.

Along with Fr Julian Tenison Woods, Mary opened a school in a disused stable in Penola, South Australia. Her vision was to provide education for underprivileged children. Many other women came to join her there, and Mary and Julian founded Australia’s first religious order: The Sisters of St Joseph.

Mary and the Sisters were committed to serving the poor – to going to where the need was and living amongst those in need. This took Mary all over Australia to many rural areas.

Mary faced fierce opposition throughout her life, which at one point culminated in her being excommunicated. In the face of trial, Mary was a model of forgiveness, insisting no ill be spoken of those who wronged her, while also remaining resolute in her convictions.

Mary was remarkable as a strong female leader in 19th century Australia. Education in this country is what it is today thanks to her dedication and determination.

Our School, St. Mary’s Catholic Primary School was started by the Sisters of St. Joseph so we have a special connection to St. Mary of the Cross.

 

St. Mary of the Cross MacKillop made the statement: “We are but travellers here, so while we are here we should do as much good as we can and live in peace with each other.”

Kind regards,

Sue Benc

Book club orders are due back on Monday, 5th August 2024.