Principal Announcements
Newsletter 3 Term 4
Colour Fun Run – A Wonderful Community Celebration
Last Friday, our school community came together for a fantastic Colour Fun Run, and what a wonderful day it was! We were delighted to have Mayor Shane Sali join us, along with representatives from the local fire brigade, who helped make the event even more memorable.
A heartfelt thank you goes to our Parents & Friends Committee for their outstanding organisation of this highlight on our school calendar. Their commitment and creativity ensured that the day was filled with colour, energy and joy.
We are also incredibly grateful to our families for their enthusiastic participation and generous support. Thanks to the remarkable efforts of our community, we raised over $15,000—a terrific achievement that truly reflects the strength and spirit of St Mary’s.
Thank you to everyone for Letting Your Light Shine!
Community Recognition – Julian Mandaradoni
Julian Mandaradoni recently drew a detailed artwork of a specific sports car, which caught the attention of a member of our St. Mary’s community who is passionate about car racing. By chance, they also have a connection with the owner of the exact car featured in Julian’s drawing.
Impressed by his skill and creativity, the car’s owner has gifted Julian a selection of special items—including free tickets to the upcoming SummerNats event!
Congratulations, Julian, on this wonderful recognition of your artistic talent!
Well done to Our Outstanding Sandhurst Diocese Award Recipients
Last Thursday, I had the pleasure of attending the Sandhurst Awards in Bendigo, where two of our exceptional students were recognised for their outstanding achievements and contributions.
We are very proud to announce that Sophie Church and Theo Howard were honoured as outstanding students within the Sandhurst Diocese. This is a remarkable achievement that reflects their leadership, dedication, kindness, and commitment to living out our St. Mary’s values each day.
Congratulations, Sophie and Theo—your school community celebrates this well-deserved recognition with you.
St. Mary’s Shines Brightly Across the Sandhurst Diocese
We are delighted to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our staff and students who were honoured at this year’s Sandhurst Awards. Their dedication, talent, and service to Catholic Education continue to inspire our entire school community.
Jubilarian Award
Congratulations to Fiona Dowling, recognised for more than 25 years of exceptional service in Catholic Education. This remarkable milestone reflects Fiona’s unwavering commitment to her students and her vocation.
Highly Commended
We also congratulate Gary Woodward, who received a Highly Commended recognition for his outstanding leadership in student wellbeing and engagement. Gary’s genuine care and tireless efforts make a significant impact every day.
Award Nominees
We are proud to acknowledge our staff who were nominated for excellence across a range of categories:
• Fiona Dowling – Curriculum Teaching Excellence
• Jacqueline Mulraney – Student Engagement Teaching Excellence
• Phil Crowe – Allied Services
• Amber Feehan – Allied Services
• Catherine Dyke – Spirit of Sandhurst Leadership
• Tayla Junor – Spirit of Sandhurst School Staff
• Ann-Margaret Carroll – Catholic Mission and Formation
In addition to Sophie and Theo, who received the Sandhurst Inspirational Student Leader Award
we are also proud of Madelyn Pearce (Grade 6), who was nominated for the Spirit of Sandhurst Student Award.
We are incredibly blessed to have such passionate, committed, and inspiring staff and students at St. Mary’s.
Congratulations to all—your achievements truly let your light shine!
Congratulations to Our Confirmation Candidates
Last weekend we were blessed to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation with our wonderful candidates from St. Mary’s. We congratulate each of our students on taking this important step in their faith journey, supported by their families, sponsors, teachers and parish community.
Havana Collins, Isaac Lagana, Tyler Irwin, Julian Mandaradoni, Cristina La Gamba, Jensen Ferrari, Bella Walsh (with photos)
The reverence, joy and sense of commitment shown by our candidates was truly inspiring. We thank Fr. Ronald, our staff, and all who helped prepare the children so beautifully for this special occasion.
May the gifts of the Holy Spirit continue to guide and strengthen our newly confirmed students as they grow in faith, courage and love.
Transition and Orientation Notice
We are looking forward to our Transition afternoon on Friday 5th December, where students will have the opportunity to explore new learning spaces and begin connecting with some of the staff they may be working with in 2026.
This will be followed by Orientation Day on Tuesday 9th December, providing students with another valuable chance to experience new environments and support a smooth, confident start to the year ahead.
A letter outlining the proposed class structures for 2026 will be sent to all families on Monday 8th December.
Thank you for your ongoing support during this important transition period.
Get Ready for Our Christmas Concert & Community BBQ!
We are excited to invite all families to our St. Mary’s Christmas Concert and Community BBQ as we come together to celebrate another wonderful year of learning, growth and joy at our school.
The concert will be held at John Gray Oval on Wednesday, 10th December from 5:00pm. Our students have been rehearsing beautifully, and we can’t wait for you to enjoy their performances in this festive end-of-year celebration. Let’s all pray for reasonable weather!
Azem will once again be serving delicious food on the night, and families are also welcome to bring their own chairs, picnic blankets and any extra food or drinks to enjoy throughout the evening.
We look forward to celebrating with you all as we finish the year in true St. Mary’s spirit—coming together as a wonderful community.
Master Plan Progress Update
We are pleased to share that our Master Plan development with B3 Architects is progressing well. Together, we are thoughtfully exploring and refining draft design options that will best support the future growth and learning needs of our school.
At this stage, our focus is on carefully considering a range of possibilities to ensure that the final design provides modern, flexible, and engaging learning spaces for our students and staff. These plans will help us continue to create an environment that reflects our school’s values and supports the vibrant learning culture at St Mary’s.
We look forward to sharing more details as we move toward the final design stage and to realising our vision for outstanding facilities that will benefit our entire school community for years to come.
Animal on School Grounds Policy
St. Mary’s School values the positive impact animals can have on learning and wellbeing but must also ensure the safety and comfort of all students and staff. Our new Animals on School Property Policy outlines clear expectations for when and how animals may be brought onto school grounds.
In general, pets are not permitted on school property unless approved by the Principal. Registered assistance or therapy animals, and approved educational visits, are welcome under specific conditions.
You can read the full policy at the link below:
Student Safety at Afternoon Pick-Up
A reminder to all families that the front of the school is extremely busy at the end of the day with buses and other vehicles arriving for pick-up. For the safety of all students, please ensure children enter your car from the curbside rather than the roadside. Thank you for helping us keep our students safe during this busy time.
Parking Safety Reminder
We kindly remind all families to please ensure you are parking safely and legally during school drop-off and pick-up times. A concerned community member has observed an increasing number of cars parking in non-designated areas and obstructing others who are doing the right thing.
This not only causes frustration but also creates significant safety risks for our students and families. Please:
- Use only designated parking bays
- Avoid parking in no-standing zones or driveways
- Be patient and respectful during busy times
Thank you for your continued cooperation in helping to keep St. Mary’s a safe and welcoming environment for everyone.
Principal’s Awards
17th November – Bayden Newman
Last week’s Principal’s Award went to a student who is doing his best by showing responsibility even when situations are difficult. Bayden has been making very good decisions to support our school values and his peers – showing true leadership skills.
Congratulations, Bayden!
24th November – Ava Fisher
A big congratulations to Ava Fisher, who received the Principal’s Award this week for demonstrating wonderful leadership by consistently supporting others. Ava is a fantastic role model to her peers, and we are very proud of her efforts.
Well done, Ava!
Assembly 17th November
Assembly 24th November
Attendance matters!
Every minute matters. This is a simple statement, but a true one. For every minute a child is at school they learn. For every minute they are absent they not only miss out on learning, but they also lose some previous learning. Long term, this can have an effect on students' future outcomes.
St. Mary’s Bingo
St Mary's Bingo has been able to support our school financially each year which helps with projects or initiatives across the school. This would not be possible without the support of volunteers from both the Parish & the school.
We continue to seek help for St. Mary's Bingo. This would generally involve helpers to attend on a Saturday evening once a term. With helper numbers being quite short at the moment, your help would be invaluable!
Please see attached flyer for more information regarding the tasks we need help with, if you are able to help out, fill in the slip and return to the school office.
Bingo is a fantastic way to engage with our school community whilst raising funds for various programs.
Please contact Maree Williams on 0438 084 364 if you need more information.
Thank you for your consideration, your support makes a big difference!
End of 2025 School Dates
From Sandhurst Diocese advice, our last school days for 2025 for students and staff will be as follows:
- Friday 12th December – Last day for students
- Monday 15th December – Staff Planning/Professional Development Day (Student-Free)
- Tuesday 16th December – Staff Planning/Professional Development Day (Student-Free)
- Wednesday 17th December – Friday 19th December – School Closure Days
Before School Supervision
Please note that all students that arrive at school prior to 8:30am must fill out an application via the link below. For new and casual before school arrivals, please complete prior to 4:00pm each day to enable student lists to be updated for the following morning. Before school supervision is for early bus travellers and parents/guardians who must attend work earlier than 8:30am.
A reminder that students are not to arrive or be at school before 8:00am as they are not actively supervised.
I appreciate everyone's understanding and cooperation regarding this.
Ms V’s Inspirations
“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” – Aesop
“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt
“Let your light shine before others.” – Matthew 5:16
