Junior School Bulletin - Term 3, Week 5

A part of the school that I really value is our Primary School library. Each day I find many children in there, reading, talking about the books they have read and taking the time to find their next imaginative adventure though books. It also hosts clubs and activities from Pokémon through to craft and drawing. It is a hub for all, and our students always support its use extremely well. Please find below a piece from our Primary School teacher librarian, Mrs Fransz and please take note of the upcoming book week parade. It will be magic!

Mark Douglas - Head of Primary School

Life in the library continues to be busy with children embracing reading and challenging themselves by borrowing new series, different genres and new authors. Over the term holidays, a large number of children completed the “Winter Reading Bingo” challenging them to read for 15 minutes every day with added challenges such as reading to someone younger than them, reading at bedtime or reading outside in the sunshine. These children were rewarded with a certificate last week.

We regularly purchase new books for the library. Recently two of our Year 5 students recommended some new book series. We purchased these books, and it was wonderful to see the joy on their faces when we showed them to them. If anyone has any new book suggestions, we would love to hear them.

Book Week and Book Fair are fast approaching. This year’s theme is “Reading is Magic”. Some classes have been reading the CBCA picture books. Our Year 3 children enjoyed reading “The Concrete Garden” by Bob Graham. They then created a class drawing of their own garden. There were some very amazing things in these gardens. Our Year 2 students had the wonderful experience of walking to Whitford Library and listened to Amy Dunjey is a children’s author and speech pathologist. Amy has written four rhyming picture books, with more on the way! She also writes poetry and short stories for children’s magazines. Amy’s session was filled with stories, dancing and fun activities.

We all know the importance of reading whether to meet an AR target, learn new information or for pleasure so we continue to encourage children to read daily. The students in the Primary School have borrowed over 17 000 books so far this year showing how valued and important reading is.

Mrs Jane Franz - Teacher (Primary Library)

JUNIOR SCHOOL INTERHOUSE EISTEDDFOD

We are getting excited for our Junior School Interhouse Eisteddfod coming up on Monday 19 August! All students in Years 2-5 will wear their House uniform to celebrate and encourage their House during the day.

Each year group will come and attend the session that their peers will be performing in. Due to such a large group of Year 4 students signed up (well done 4’s!), we will have two Year 4 sessions as seen below. Session finish times are approximate depending on how we are going for time!

Parents and friends are warmly invited to attend. Please book your free tickets here, seats will be limited! https://www.trybooking.com/CUIPT

Session 1: 8.50am-10.15am (Year 3)

Session 2: 10.40am-11.15am (Year 2)

Session 3: 11.20am-12.00pm (4Martino/4Mason)

Session 4: 12pm-12.40pm (4Hum/4Upson)

Session 5: 1.15pm-2.35pm (Year 5)

Students are to wear Sports uniform with House shirt and School hat, and please apply sunscreen before school. Parents are welcome to attend. This is an all day event and will be held on the Secondary Oval. Students must bring a packed lunch and water bottle on this day as lunch orders from the Canteen will be unavailable. Further detailed information will be sent to parents via Consent2Go shortly and the Program will be available on the School App in the coming days.

Week 6: 19 to 23 August is Book Week! “Reading is Magic”

• Friday 23 August the Primary School will celebrate Book Week by dressing up as their favourite book character. Please talk with your child/children about characters from the books they have read this year, or even some of your own favourite characters from books you have read. Children should come to school in their chosen dress up.

Week 7: 26 August to 30 August is Book Fair

• Once again, we will have Book Fair running in the Primary School Library. We encourage parents to accompany their children before or after school. It is a great time to buy some birthday and Christmas gifts!
• Book Fair opening hours:
  Monday: after school 3.15pm to 3.45pm
  Tuesday to Thursday: before school 8.15am - 8.45am, lunch time 12.55pm until 1.15pm, and also after school 3.15pm to 3.45pm
  Friday: before school 8.15 - 8.45am and lunch time 12.55pm until 1.15pm

Once again, the Year 3 classes from St Mark’s will be participating in a project called Operation Christmas Child. This is a charity project run by Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian organisation which supports children in need around the world. We are seeking donations to fill shoe boxes which will be given to children less fortunate than ourselves. Items can be placed in the large boxes set up in the Year 2/3 open area. All items must be new, as per the charity guidelines.

Donations are for children aged 2-14 years old and can include items from the following categories:

• Something to love (eg. a small soft toy or doll)
• Something for school (eg. pencils, sharpener, eraser, pencil case, notebook)
• Something for personal hygiene (eg. a flannel, a bar of soap, a hairbrush, a toothbrush)
• Something to wear (eg. any new clothes, hats, shoes or underwear)
• Something to play with (eg. a ball, a small toy, a yoyo, a skipping rope)
• Something special (eg. a bag to carry their box, a bracelet or necklace, small books)

For postage and safety reasons, we cannot accept liquids, pastes, gels or balms or any items related to war.

Thank you in advance for your support of this important project. Please contact Mrs Greaves via email egreaves@stmarks.wa.edu.au should you have any further questions.

• Y5 Peninsula Farm excursion - 5HUE on 10 September, 5D/E on 11 September, 5MAR on 17 September, and 5DUF on 18 September. Notifications have been to Y5 parents via Consent2Go.
  
  
• R U OK Day - Thursday 12 September (Week 9)
  Primary students are invited to add something yellow to their usual school uniform on this day if they wish, i.e. a yellow hair ribbon, yellow socks.
  
  
• Y3 Gravity Discovery Centre excursion - Friday 13 September (Week 9). Notifications have been sent to Y3 parents via Consent2Go.
  
  
• Junior School Disco - Friday 13 September (Week 9). The theme will be 'Spooky' and tickets can be purchased here. Please note, scary masks will not be allowed.
  
  
• Interschool Athletics Carnival - 17 and 18 September (Week 10). Notifications have been sent to parents of selected students via Consent2Go.
  
  
• Last day of Term 3 - Friday 20 September (Week 10)
  Students will finish at their normal time on this day.
  
  
• First day of Term 4 - Monday 7 October
  Students are to wear summer uniform in Term 4.
  
  

On Friday 30 August, ELC dads and special friends will gather in the morning to celebrate Father’s Day. If you would like to earn some Parent Commitment Hours and help cook the BBQ breakfast, there are plenty of rolls to cut (please BYO a bread knife or two if you can spare it!) and sausages to cook. We will start at 7.45am and finish about 9am.

Please email Joe da Costa at jdacosta@stmarks.wa.edu.au if you are interested. There are about eight spots available.

The St Mark's community are invited to join the St Mark's P&F for their general meeting on Tuesday 27 August at 7.00pm in the Barbara Godwin Performing Arts Complex.

• Refreshments will be served after the meeting.
• Bookings are not required.
• Two parent commitment hours are available for each family who attends.

Rebecca Rourke, Head of Inclusion, Learning, and Diversity, and Samantha Goldberg, Senior Psychologist, will present on "How we address individual needs at St Mark's from a Wellbeing and Learning Diversity Perspective.

We invite you to purchase raffle tickets as part of the Hoogenkamp Spirit Cup.

Our Year 12 students and Old Scholars are gearing up for the annual Kristian Hoogenkamp Memorial AFL Match. This match honours Kristian Hoogenkamp, our beloved Class of 2020 member, who bravely lost his battle to rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare cancer, in 2019. This year, the Class of 2024 is taking it to the next level by raising funds for Sock it to Sarcoma through the Hoogenkamp Spirit Cup Raffle.

So why not help a worthy cause that is extremely close to our hearts and possibly win a prize at the same time?

The raffle will be DRAWN FRIDAY 30 AUGUST 2024 at 3.00PM.

The purchase of raffle tickets online closes at 1.30pm on Friday, 30 August 2024.

Raffle tickets will be available to purchase from Thursday, 23 August 2024, at 4.00pm via the online platform (credit card only) or from the Main Parent Reception (credit card). Our Prefects will also be selling raffle tickets during the Kristian Hoogenkamp Memorial Game.

TICKETS ARE $2.00 EACH - PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS HERE

Please make your online credit card payment at the same time as registering for your raffle tickets - you cannot go back at a later date to make the payment online. For valid raffle tickets to be issued, please ensure all steps of the transaction, including payment, are completed.

• Winners will be notified by phone/email.
  
• Your ticket details will be provided directly to the event organiser to be included in the draw.
  

Grand prize:

• Framed Signed Fremantle Football Club 2022 AFLW Pride Guernsey (thanks to the Fremantle Football Club)
  

Raffle prizes:

• $200 Stax. Clothing Voucher (thanks to Stax and Matilda & Don Robertson)
• 3 x 5 free entry passes to Koalas Play Centre (thanks to Koalas Play Centre and Paula Mitchell)
• Gift Pack of funky socks, West Coast Eagles travel mug (with thanks to the Cameron family)
• 2 x $20 Mecca Vouchers (with thanks to the Cameron family)
• 1 x Pandora jewellery set (Sterling silver heart necklace and sterling silver heart stud earrings) valued at $158.00 (with thanks to the Forder family)
• 1 x Pandora jewellery box (not filled) valued at $39.00 (with thanks to the Forder family)
• 1 x $25 Alex Junior Voucher (with thanks to the Forder family)
• 5 x free coffee tokens Alex Junior (with thanks to the Forder family)
• 1 x $30 Eftpos Card (with thanks to 3 Residential and the Nolte Family)
• 5 x coffee tokens Prontissimo (with thanks to 3 Residential and the Nolte Family)
• Lots more prizes are available

If raffles aren't your thing, but you'd still like to support our cause, you can make a donation to Sock it to Sarcoma via this ticketing system.

Thank you for your support.

For any enquiries, please contact the Community Relations Office akemp@stmarks.wa.edu.au

All Old Scholars are invited to attend the 2024 Annual General Meeting at 7pm on Tuesday, 17 September, in the SAC Staffroom.

Drinks and nibbles will be served.

Parent Commitment Hours can be claimed.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

All positions will be declared vacant, and nominations are called for a new Committee. All current members of the Association are encouraged to attend the AGM, and any member may nominate to join the committee.

• Nominations can be submitted to osa@stmarks.wa.edu.au by Friday 13 September. Nominations can also be taken from the floor at the AGM.
• Any members who are not able to attend may select a proxy to vote on their behalf at the AGM. Completed proxy forms should be emailed to osa@stmarks.wa.edu.au by Friday 13 September.
• Members are welcome to submit items for the agenda by emailing emailed to osa@stmarks.wa.edu.au by Friday 13 September.
  
• The Agenda, Nomination Forms and Proxy forms are available by request to osa@stmarks.wa.edu.au.

We are excited to announce that the Art Show returns to St Mark's for 2024!

Mark your calendar for October 4-6, and save the date now! We look forward to seeing you all at the Gala Opening Night, during which you can purchase beautiful artwork from various local artists.

To stay up-to-date with all the latest news about the exhibition, follow the St Mark's Art Show on Instagram and Facebook.

Keep an eye on the Weekly Bulletins for information about buying tickets and opportunities for volunteer hours. It promises to be a fabulous event, but we need your help to make it happen.

Artists who wish to express their interest in submitting work to the exhibition should contact artshow@stmarks.wa.edu.au