St. Mary's Hampton Newsletter

Principal News

As we head towards the end of term, our school community is buzzing with excitement! Spring is in the air and the Pies are flying into another Prelim Final - so the excitement is real! 

 

From the faith-filled preparations of our Year 4 and 5 students celebrating the Sacrament of Eucharist, to outstanding sporting achievements on the athletics track and netball court, to the fun and community spirit of the Battle of the Boots, there’s so much to celebrate. Add to this our upcoming events, Father’s Day celebrations, and important initiatives to improve our school, and it’s clear that together, we are creating a vibrant, supportive, and inspiring place for our students to grow and thrive.

 

Thank you for taking the time to read this weeks newsletter.

Sacrament of First Eucharist

This Saturday, many of our Year 4 students, along with some of our Year 5 students, will celebrate the Sacrament of Eucharist. This is a very special step in their faith journey, and we are so proud of the way they have been preparing with such care and reverence.

 

We are very grateful to Father Martin, our incredible Parish Priest, who will lead this beautiful celebration with our school and parish community. A big thank you also goes to Veronica Del Castillo, our Religious Education Leader, and to the Year 4 teaching team – Michelle Dolling, Cinzia Banks, Ed Simpson, Marie Hird and Lindsay Torr – for their dedication and support in guiding the students in their preparation.

 

Please keep these students and their families in your prayers as they take this important step in their faith.

Battle of the Boots

What a day! Around 1,000 people came along to cheer on the St Mary’s Dads Footy Team as they took on Hampton Primary in the annual Battle of the Boots. Unfortunately, we went down by just one goal, but that didn’t dampen the incredible spirit and community atmosphere that carried well into the evening for many of the dads.

 

A huge thank you to Peter F. and Gerry C. for their outstanding organisation of this important community event. Thanks also to our amazing kids who played in the curtain-raiser match and set the tone for a fantastic evening of footy.

 

We’re thrilled to share that over $7,000 was raised for our school, which will go directly towards our new playground. And a special thank you to Janna B. for capturing the day with her wonderful photos.

 

Let’s bring that trophy back home next year!

 

Sporting Success

We are very excited to celebrate some wonderful achievements in sport this week! Congratulations to Zac C., Koby N., and Mila B. from Year 5, along with Lachlan D. from Year 4, who have been selected to represent our school and district at the upcoming Beachside Athletics Carnival. Their strong performances at the Dendy Carnival have earned them this fantastic opportunity – well done!

 

A big congratulations also goes to our Year 5/6 Mixed Netball Team, who finished in the top 8 out of more than 300 schools in the State Championships – an outstanding achievement that shows their teamwork, determination, and school spirit. A special thank you to Briony and Bianca for coaching and supporting our netballers throughout the season.

 

Finally, we wish our Year 5/6 Basketball Teams the very best of luck as they compete in the Dendy Tournament today (Friday). We know they will represent our school with pride.

 

 

St Mary’s Footy Day – Friday 19th September 

Get ready to kick off the end of term with St Mary’s Footy Day on Friday 19th September! Students are encouraged to wear their footy colours, any code  and join in a day full of fun and activities.

The day will begin with our AFL Club Parade at 9am, followed by exciting events including a class vs class Kahoot, footy drills and a sausage sizzle to celebrate the game.

Parents are welcome to grab a coffee from the coffee cart before the parade and enjoy the festivities as we wrap up the term.

Come along, join the fun, and celebrate Footy Day before the holidays kick off!

 

Upcoming Events

We have some exciting community events coming up early next term, so please save the date on your calendars:

 

  • Friday 10th October – School Disco
  • Thursday 16th October – Art Show (5:00pm – 7:00pm)
  • Friday 17th October – Grandparents Day

  • Friday 25th October – P&F Fundraiser

     

More specific details, including how to purchase tickets, will be shared via nForma shortly. Thank you for your ongoing support of these important events – we look forward to seeing you there!

SAC & James Newbury MP

This week, I had a productive meeting with Rachel, Paula, and Anna from our School Advisory Council, alongside James Newbury MP, as we continue to ramp up our campaign for state government support for much-needed improvements to our school buildings.

 

Over the coming weeks, we will be sharing our strategy with the whole school community. These improvements are vital to ensure our children learn and grow in the best possible environment – the school our kids truly deserve.

 

We encourage every member of our community to get behind this important initiative. Together, we can make a real difference and secure the support our school needs for the future.

Father's & Special Friends Celebrations

We kicked off our Father’s Day celebrations this morning with a special Father’s Day Breakfast, followed by a meaningful liturgy in the Church. It was wonderful to see so many families come together to celebrate the important dads, grandfathers, and father-figures in our community.

 

 

A big thank you to our Year 1 P&F team for bringing this all together and making the morning so memorable for our families and for their set up and work for the Father's Day Stall on Thursday. 

 

MACSSIS Surveys

Each year, Catholic schools across the Archdiocese of Melbourne take part in the MACSSIS (School Improvement Surveys).

 

This year, the survey window runs from Monday 1 September to Friday 19 September 2025.

 

All families at St Mary’s are warmly invited to share their feedback by completing the survey. On September 1, you will have received an email with your family PIN and link to complete the survey. Please check your junk/ spam folder if you are unable to find it, as it may have been redirected there. 

 

A big thank you to those families who have already completed it. If you haven’t yet had the chance, we would love you to take part — your feedback is so important to us. Every family’s voice matters, and your input plays an essential role in shaping the future direction of our school.

 

To support families, we are also offering a Parent Drop-In Session for anyone who would like assistance logging in and completing the survey. Please feel welcome to join me in the Staff Room on Monday, 15 September at 8:45am or again at 3:00pm. Coffee will be available for those who attend. 

 

MACSSIS results provide valuable insights that guide our priorities and future planning at St Mary’s, and we would be grateful if all families participated.

Further details about the survey can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIW89sAP-bk

 

R U OK? Day

 

R U OK? Day – Thursday 11th September. This Thursday, we will recognise R U OK? Day, a national day of action that reminds us to check in with each other and start conversations that can make a real difference. To show our support, students are encouraged to wear a touch of yellow alongside their school uniform. Let’s come together as a community to spread kindness, compassion, and care for one another. 

 

Thanks

Steele