Dear Parents,

Thanks to Natalie Dullard and Lisa Galvin and all staff who contributed to such a wonderful Beginning of the year Mass and community BBQ on Friday. Building a strong community around our students is at the heart of everything we do as it provides a wonderful landscape for everyone to thrive, flourish and build a sense of identity. It is then that we can all make a difference and enrich the world around us.

Congratulations to our student leaders who received recognition of the exciting leadership journey they have commenced in 2024. All of our Year 6 students work collaboratively in teams leading house spirit groups, sustainability, technology, social justice and Indigenous fire carrier groups.

Thank you to Lisa Galvin and teachers on a wonderful two days at the Beach last week. Students participated in life saving activities at Point Leo Beach led by the Portsea Surf Lifesaving association. This is a highly valued program especially considering our proximity to many wonderful beaches. Our students thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful environment at Point Leo.

Congratulations on a wonderful week of learning last week. Students have been working really well in their new learning communities and are setting learning goals to achieve the very best in all they set out to do.

As Principal, I am very proud of the scaffolds, routines and supports in place ensuring safe environments that are consistent and automatised, allowing our brains space to learn new things and reach the highest of academic standards.

The article in the media on the weekend highlighted a new senate alarm bell into student behaviour. The report highlighted four important factors.

Set expectations, routines and rules.
Prepare the classroom environment
Build student teacher relationships
Respond to behaviour

I thank staff for the dedication they demonstrate ensuing our Positive Behavior Approach is consistent and embedded in all learning communities and the excellent preparation our teachers have done ensuring all of the four factors mentioned in this article are of the highest priority.

We strive to achieve excellence for every student in their learning. We have the highest priority on ensuring every student reaches their full potential in the basic skills in literacy and numeracy. Home learning has commenced so please ensure your child is reading every night and bringing their signed diary in each day.

On top of our high priority on Literacy and Numeracy we strive to provide opportunities for every student to shine and flourish in inspiring ways.

We have a number of exciting events happening this week at St Mary’s. Our mangrove warriors and Dolphin Research ambassadors are working with Oz Fish today to plant mangroves on the foreshore. We are passionate stewards of God’s earth and continue to raise awareness of the important ecosystem Westernport Bay is. Our 3/4 learning community highlight this through our Sea is our Best Friend theme.

This week we commence the Lenten season. Tomorrow students will celebrate Shrove Tuesday which is , is the traditional feast day before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday. Lent – the 40 days leading up to Easter where we self reflect on ways we can change and grow to be more like Jesus. Students will enjoy pancakes tomorrow cooked by Matt our wonderful chef.

On Wednesday we invite all of our community to our Ash Wednesday Mass at 2.00pm in the Church.

We invite all of our community to come and celebrate our Senior school Swimming sports at Crib Point Pool on Friday 16th commencing at 12.30pm. We invite all of our community to come along and cheer on our students as they swim for their house.

Finally, we congratulate James Corkhill and his wife Emma on the birth of their beautiful boy Beau.

Yours in Partnership,

Gab

Elysium OHSC