Principal

Dear Parents and Guardians,

New staff have settled in seamlessly and have expressed how much they already enjoy St Mary’s with our standards, students who show respect and colleagues who focus on student learning and who are professionally and collegially supportive. We welcomed Claire Laffey to our College staff in the week before school resumed for 2026. Claire is teaching secondary Performing Arts Dance.  

Foundation children are happy, secure and feel reassured of their start at ‘big school.’

F-2 is a special community within a larger College community. 3-6 have settled quickly into the groove of learning. New primary colleagues, Tanya Cunningham and Grace McMahon enjoy the sense of community and students, who respect the right to learn and teach. Our new Year 7 students have also settled very well and are a cohesive group with new friendships developing.

Support for Families affected by the Bushfire.

The Rotary Club Milawa Oxley have offered to replace new bikes for any families who lost or had bikes badly damaged in the fires. Seymour Rotary have offered to cover the cost of uniforms and student stationery. 

Please email principal@smseymour.catholic.edu.au for further information.

Year 12 Retreat Day

Year 12 had the first of two retreat days last week to reflect on their final year at St Mary’s. Students took time to quietly reflect on several important areas of their life: Self-Acceptance and Presence; Community; Wellbeing and Faith. Year 12 have begun their final year in a positive and focused way, which is excellent for them. Once Year 12 move into the Sacred Heart Centre, they will enter a space that will nurture and reinforce a senior student culture, providing our senior students with the physical environment to exceed.

Child Safety and Wellbeing

Child Safety is the first priority for every MACS school. Policies and procedures are in place to ensure Child Safety is a continuance of our daily culture. We have four Child Safety Officers (CSO):

· Allison Moore: Director Wellbeing

· Genevieve Gordon: Deputy Principal Operations

· Tanya Begley: College Counsellor

· Wayne Smith: Principal

Staff consult with a CSO if concerned about a student’s safety. If the concern meets the threshold for more serious action this is done for legal and mandatory requirements. 

Following the Royal Commission in 2013 every state in Australia reviewed and renewed their approach and processes to improve child safety. The Victorian government endorsed 11 Child Safe Standards to create culturally safe, inclusive, and secure environments to protect children and young people from harm. To compliment the 11 standards, MACS has released A Child Safety & Wellbeing Framework so that MACS Schools systems and procedures align with the standards. During 2026 every MACS school will focus on a standard to embed an active child safe culture in daily practices. In February the focus is Standard 1: ‘Cultural Safety.’

Stage 1 Sacred Heart Centre – Stage 2 Monsignor Toms Science & STEM Centre

Following the quality assurance checking of tenders, the recommendation for the preferred tender for Stage 2 has been complete. There will be an announcement for the College community. Access to the Sacred Heart Centre will happen once the Occupancy certificate is approved. Once the fire compliance visit happens, the building will be operational.

Enrolments 2027

Tours will be held this term for next year's enrolments. If you know of parents considering St Mary’s then I would recommend they do so earlier rather than leaving it to later in the year, otherwise they may be on a waiting list.

Lent 2026 is an Awakening.

"Lent comes to reawaken us."

Students and staff will receive the Ashes next Wednesday for the liturgical season of Lent. Lent is the period of 40 days from Ash Wednesday 18th February to Holy Saturday 4th April, a time for reflection on how we live our lives towards others and what consumes us. Lent leads into Holy Week commemorate Christ’s final days. 

There will be Lenten Mission boxes in classrooms so that our students are minded that to give is to serve.

The annual swimming carnival is on Monday for Years 3-10. McAuley House have had their arms wrapped around the trophy for too many years. Padua House, “it is time to let your actions speak.”

It would seem those hot days may be dwindling as we move closer to the great season of Autumn. It would be nice to receive some of the northern states rain to replenish thirsty gardens, paddocks and dams.

Best wishes for the weekend

Wayne Smith

Principal

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