Dear families,

On Friday March 8th we celebrated International Women’s Day. We pray for the women in our lives, present or past; our mums, wives, sisters, aunts, grandmothers, cousins, teachers, friends, neighbours, parishioners. We especially pray for the Mercy Nuns who founded St Mark’s School.

A prayer for International Womens Day

God our Creator, We thank you for all women throughout the world. We celebrate their strengths and their achievements and pray for the day when each woman will be treated with honour and dignity.

We pray that all women benefit from financial opportunities, access to education, the possibility of choosing their life journey, religious freedom and the right to vote. Protect them from exploitation, discrimination and repression.

We thank you for the women who have been pioneers in all areas of life in the arts, sciences, business, education, literature, sport, the army, agriculture, religion, medicine, industry and politics.

We are grateful to them for their perseverance in opening the doors of opportunity for those who have followed them.

We acknowledge, with gratitude, the role of women in our families and in our societies, those who have fed, guided, taught, loved and protected us.

We pray for your continued blessing of all women.

May they reach their full potential in faith, as well as in life.

Amen.

KidsMatter @ St Mark's Action Team Hot Cross Bun Fundraiser

The Kids Matter @ St Mark’s Action Team along with Bakers Delight Campbellfield would like to offer you the opportunity to purchase delicious Hot Cross Buns and help raise funds for our school and children.

Choose from Traditional, Choc Chip, Apple & Cinnamon or Fruitless

For each packet of 6 hot cross buns sold, St Mark’s will raise $2. Simply fill in the form that is being sent home to each family today and return to school by Monday 23rd March. Orders will be delivered to school for collection on Wednesday 1st April.

St Mark’s Enrolment Tours for 2027 Prep Students – This year we will once again be offering personalised School Tours in March and April for families wishing to enrol their children at St Mark’s for Prep 2027. Please tell your family, friends and neighbours to contact the Office on 8335 4100 to arrange an Enrolment Tour. It has been great to see the siblings of current St Mark’s families being enrolled for a start in Prep in 2027. It is important we know these numbers so that the school can determine how many places are available for new families wishing to enrol their child at St Mark’s next year. Enrolment Applications for Prep 2027 close on April 30th, 2026.

Assemblies - Please join us for assembly in the Hall each Friday morning beginning at 9am. Please note, Term 1, 2 & 4 Assemblies will be held on Friday mornings at 9.00am, while Term 3 Assemblies will commence at 2.50pm. This weeks assembly will be hosted by LA3, LA4 and LA5.

Newsletters - our iNewsletter is our major means of communication with parents, so please ensure that you take the time to read it. The newsletter is published every second Wednesday. A link to the online newsletter is uploaded onto the school’s website and sent out on Seesaw and the Audiri App. For environmental reasons, we distribute the newsletter electronically, rather than paper format.

Please email Lisa or Ange in the office (admin@smfawkner.catholic.edu.au) with your email address and they will add you as a direct subscriber.

NAPLAN 2026 - National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy tests are conducted annually by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Grades 3, 5, 7 and 9 students. These tests, along with all written and verbal information provided by the school, provide valuable information about student progress.

Once again this year NAPLAN will be conducted in March. Implementing NAPLAN earlier in the year enables us to access valuable data to guide strategic planning for future learning and teaching here at St Mark’s.

Our Grade 3 and 5 students began today with the Writing assessment. We were fortunate at St Mark's in that we were not impacted by the issues experienced around the country with the plaform today. The assessments will continue on the following days;

Reading on Thursday March 12th,

Language Conventions on Friday March 13th and

Numeracy on Monday March 16th.

It is important that all Grade 3 and 5 students are in attendance and on time on these days. Please reach out to me or your child’s teacher if you have any questions or concerns regarding NAPLAN.

Uniform reminder - the uniform items shown crossed out below have been phased out - this means they can no longer be worn. Please ensure your child is in the updated uniform. All of the new uniform items are in stock at PSW.

Harmony Day - Friday 20th March

Harmony Day is the day we acknowledge and embrace the rich and diverse cultures here at St Mark’s. On this day students are encouraged to come to school dressed in their traditional dress or wear the colour orange. On this day we also explore the diversity in our school through different activities in the classroom, and the Student Action Team Leaders will present at assembly at 9.00am. All welcome!

*students attending the Mass of St Patrick for Schools on this day - please wear full school uniform on this day (not Harmony Dress

National Walk/Ride to school day - Friday 20th March

Over the past 40 years the number of children who are physically active everyday has significantly dropped. In the 1970s, eight out of ten students rode or walked to school but today that number has dropped to just two out of ten. Students who ride or walk to school contribute to their minimum physical activity level of 60 minutes per day. They are also more focused and ready to learn compared to those who are driven.

Everyone is encouraged to safely ride, skate, scoot or walk to school with their parents or carers on that day. This is a great way for children to contribute to their minimum activity level of 60 minutes per day, while at the same time learning about road safety. Our staff and Student Action Team will be serving a healthy breakfast from 8.15am in the school playground on that morning.

Please contact me if you can assist with the Healthy Breakfast.

God bless,

Miss Claire - Acting Principal and Learning & Teaching/Literacy Leader

claire.white@smfawkner.catholic.edu.au

‘The St Mark’s Catholic Primary School, Fawkner Community promotes the safety, wellbeing and inclusion of all children.’

St Mark’s Catholic Primary School respectfully acknowledges the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation, who are the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we live, learn, work and play. We pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.

Playgroup