Principals News

This week at St Mary’s, we celebrated Father’s Day with our Father’s Day Breakfast, Stall, and the Father’s Football Carnival last Saturday. Congratulations to the St Mary’s Dads team on an 8-point win over Hampton.

School Production

What an exciting time it is for our community as we draw closer to our upcoming production of Frozen Jr! It will be one of the times when we are extremely proud of our students and school. Imagine being one of the main cast up on stage performing in front of over 400 people two nights in a row. I cannot think of anything more daunting but for many of our students, it is their time to shine under the lights. I congratulate the main cast for not only their commitment to their roles but also for willingly taking on feedback and continuing to improve. We are proud of these students and we know the younger children look up to them in awe as they perform in front of them. A highlight has been the way that the children have worked as a team to put on this special show. Well done to them all! Thank you especially to our Performing Arts teacher, Veronica Del Castillo, the staff and the many parents who have assisted Veronica with the show. We are lucky to have so many willing helpers. 

Today we ran our first full dress rehearsal at school. Despite the reduced hall space, it was flawless. To be honest, it could have been the opening night. The students looked stunning, and we once again thank Daliah McLoghney and her team for coordinating the costumes. All families must read the following which contains important details for next week.

Venue:

The performances will take place at St Bede’s Performing Arts Centre in Mentone - St Bede's College - Performing Arts Auditorium 16 Palermo Street, Mentone VIC 3194 - Entry via Gate 12 on Wednesday the 4th and Thursday the 5th of September with all students performing for both evenings. 

Time of Show:

Our show will commence at 7pm sharp and conclude at approximately 8:30pm. The performance will be divided into two Acts with a 20 minute intermission.  At the conclusion of our show, all staff and students will meet on the stage where students are to be marked off by their teacher upon collection of a parent/guardian. 

Arrival Time:

• We kindly ask families of our MAIN CAST and YEAR 3-4 CHOIR to please have your child dropped off by 5:30 pm sharp. All remaining students are requested at 6pm. 
• We ask that families wait outside the auditorium until doors open. 
• On arrival, your child will be ushered backstage and marked off by their teacher. Base layers (black tops and bottoms) will be returned the week of Production and are to be worn on both nights.

Intermission:

• Students will not be permitted to bring food or drinks as each child will be given a bottle of water and a small snack. Food and drinks are not to be consumed in the auditorium. Students are not to bring their mobile phones.
•  

Photography and Videoing:

• Photography/videography will not be permitted. 
• The performance will be recorded and will be made available online for purchase. Please refer to Operoo for purchase information.

Day after Production:

• School will be open from normal time both days after the show but we are expecting a late arrival for many of the students due to the later finish and bedtime for the children. 

Ticket Sales: 

There are very minimal tickets still available, so if you are still wanting tickets you best get in fast as we are down to the last seats left. 

Please use the link: https://www.trybooking.com/CUOHU

Battle of the Boots

Congratulations to all the dads who played in the Battle of the Boots last Saturday with St. Mary’s triumphing over Hampton Primary by 8 points. Thank you to all those in the community who played a role in making this event such a success again this year. A special thank you to Peter Fourtzis and Gerry Cleary for coordinating the St Mary’s side of the event. The total amount raised for this year's event was $14,043.27. Of this amount, $2000 will be donated to our nominated charity, White Ribbon. The balance is then divided up and will be transferred to the schools. This year each school is to receive $6,011.24 (note: this excludes the $250 donation from Sandringham Bendigo Bank). These are much needed funds for St. Mary’s. The game was played in a great spirit and great respect for the opposition and teammates alike. A testament to the great community we have here in Hampton.

Let’s build from here. For this event to thrive, we need to continue encouraging new dads to get involved with next year's game and further editions of BOTB. This event helps bring together dads from the school and helps build great friendships.

Father's Day 

This morning we held our  Father’s Day Breakfast, followed by the  Father’s Day Liturgy at 9:00 am. The children love having their dads here for these important events, so we hope to see all our dads or significant male figures here as part of their school.  Thank you to the mums who organised and ran the Father’s Day Stall yesterday and the breakfast today.  The children always love the opportunity to do a little shopping for their parents. On behalf of the staff, I would like to take the opportunity to wish all fathers and father figures a wonderful day on Sunday.

Father’s Day is a chance to reflect upon the important role that fathers play in the development of their children. Children get so many significant gains by having a father actively involved. There are things that we do as fathers and grandfathers that make a big difference in a child’s life. Even from birth, children who have an involved father are more likely to be emotionally secure, be confident to explore their surroundings, and, as they grow older, have better social connections with peers. These children also are less likely to get in trouble at home, school, or in the neighbourhood. Infants who receive high levels of affection from their fathers (e.g., babies whose fathers respond quickly to their cries and who play together) are more securely attached; that is, they can explore their environment comfortably when a parent is nearby and can readily accept comfort from their parents after a brief separation. A number of studies suggest they are also more sociable and popular with other children throughout early childhood. Research indicates that children are more likely to finish high school when they have fathers who are involved in their lives. Those children are also more likely to be happy and self-confident.

The way fathers play with their children also has an important impact on a child's emotional and social development. Fathers spend a much higher percentage of their one-on-one interaction with infants and preschoolers in stimulating, playful activity than mothers do. From these interactions, children learn how to regulate their feelings and behaviour. Wrestling or play fighting with dad, for example, can teach children how to deal with aggressive impulses and physical contact without losing control of their emotions.  Fathers also tend to promote independence and an orientation to the outside world. Fathers often push achievement while mothers stress nurturing, both of which are important to healthy development. As a result, children who grow up with involved fathers are more comfortable exploring the world around them and more likely to exhibit self-control and pro-social behaviour.

Some of the most vivid memories from my childhood are of spending time with my father. Whether it be kicking the football together after he arrived home from work, learning how to use various tools in the shed, these moments are still all very strong in my mind. This one on one time was made even more special considering I am one of five children and Dad was working full time, coaching football teams and participating in other community groups and initiatives. During this time, my father was a fine role model for my siblings and myself. The way he acted, as a father, has been extremely instrumental in the values by which I now live by. As a father now, I fully understand the impact my actions, behaviour and words have on our children as they develop as young adults. It is scary that sometimes I even see a little bit of myself in my own sons who are now both fathers. 

 As a teenager, my relationship with my father was not always ‘fun and games’. There were many important life lessons learned along the way. Indeed, the relationship between father and child goes through many stages as we grow older. There is the initial stage of “my father knows everything”, which then changes to “my father knows nothing”, and then as we get a little older again, we concede he may have known a few pretty important things after all. This fluctuation in the relationship is perhaps best summed up by a famous saying from Mark Twain,

“When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.”

 With Father’s Day on Sunday, please reflect on the quote from Charles Kettering, “Every father should remember one day his son will follow his example, not his advice.” My father didn’t tell me how to live. He lived and let me watch him do it.”

District Athletics

Congratulations to all the children who competed in the District Athletics Sports last Friday at Duncan McKinnon Track. The following children have been selected to compete in the Division Championships after finishing first or second in their event. The Division championships will take place early next term. 

Victorian Snowsports Interschools

A huge Congratulations to Matilda Worn who represented St Mary's at the Victorian Snowsports Interschools Event at Mt Buller recently.