Matters Term 4 2024

a MESSAGE FROM OUR PRINCIPAL Cover: Mater Dei School Captains Trey and Torey enjoying their last few days of school “The ability to put a smile on someone's face is one of the greatest gifts we possess. If only it were utilised more often, the world might not be such a mess.” - Samuel Decker Thompson I find particular inspiration in this quote about the power of a smile. I recently read about the many personal benefits that can be achieved from smiling, including increased mood and decreased stress, reduced blood-pressure and living longer! Overall, you just simply feel better when you smile! As you enjoy this edition of Mater Dei Matters, I challenge you to be mindful of the smile on your face and how you are feeling as you read the articles and enjoy the photos. As we come to our final edition for 2024, I have no doubt that many will join me in thinking where has the time gone. But, time does have a wonderful way of showing us what really matters! As I consider all of the wonderful milestones, events and celebrations from across our Mater Dei Community that are captured in this publication, I am most grateful for the gift of time to look back over these past months in deep appreciation of our parents, carers, families, staff and supporters who continue to make a difference and put smiles on the faces of Mater Dei children, students, young adults and participants. On behalf of all Mater Dei staff, I wish you a blessed Christmas season and may the gift of faith, the blessing of hope and the peace of Christ’s love be yours and fill your home. Jenny Foldes, Mater Dei School Principal It’s been a busy term for the Mater Dei School Choir, with students gleefully sharing their talents across the Mater Dei community. In October, our Choir performed live for our visitors at the Mater Dei Country Fair. This was a proud moment for our students as many were able to perform in front of their families and friends for the first time. To further foster our connection with our local community, the Choir along with students from Kindergarten, performed a number of songs and Christmas hits for the residents of Wivenhoe Village. These joyous occasions brought smiles to many faces and allowed our students to showcase their talents while also giving back to our generous community. Singing OUR Song This term, parts of our grounds have resembled more of a building site than a school as construction on our long-awaited COLA (Covered Outdoor Learning Area) commenced. Set to be completed ahead of Term One next year, this new COLA will enrich learning opportunities for our students while supporting physical and social development in a safe and welcoming environment. It is through the support of our incredibly generous community that such a dream has become a reality for our students, with the supporters of our past Mater Dei Foundation Dinner raising the funds necessary to make this project possible. COLA CONSTRUCTION