Principal News

Welcome to Term 2

It’s been a fantastic start to Term 2, with great energy and enthusiasm across the school. It’s been wonderful to hear students sharing stories of their holiday adventures, and it’s clear many made the most of the break. We’ve hit the ground running with a busy start, including our ANZAC Day commemorations—a meaningful reminder of the importance of respect and reflection. There’s a great vibe around the school, and it’s shaping up to be another engaging and productive term!

Staff Update

We’re pleased to welcome Dillon Trower as our new Learning Support Officer (LSO). Dillon will be working primarily in our Prep and Year 1 classrooms, and we’re excited to have him on board.

In Year 3, Aoibhinn McGoldrick will be stepping in while Fergal takes a month’s leave to attend his brother’s wedding in Ireland. Aoibhinn has been working at St Mary’s as a Casual Relief Teacher this year. She is an experienced educator, and we are lucky to have her supporting the Year 3 students during this time.

We are currently recruiting for teaching positions in Prep and Year 5, with interviews scheduled for next week. These roles are being filled in preparation for the upcoming maternity leaves of Ewelina Santana, Vanessa Gooden, and Ally Mullany. We will update the community once appointments are confirmed.

Finally, we’re delighted to share that Veronica Del Castillo is expecting her second child later this year. We send our warmest congratulations to Veronica and her family during this special time.

Pope Francis

We were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Pope Francis, a compassionate and humble leader who inspired millions around the world with his message of love, mercy, and care for the poor and our planet. His legacy of inclusiveness and peace has left a lasting impact on the global Catholic community. At school, we marked his passing with classroom prayers, and a special Mass was celebrated by Father Martin at Sandringham. We thank the families who attended this Mass.

Pope Francis embodied our school’s RICH values - Respect, Inclusion, Compassion, and Honesty. We can honour his life by continuing to live out these values each day.

Fun Fit Fridays & Coffee Cart

What an awesome morning we had on Friday with Fun Fit Friday and the coffee cart on site!

Around 30 students took part in footy and netball activities—it was fantastic to see so many students active and engaged to start their day. The event also served as a wonderful social opportunity for parents. It was great to see so many families out on the playground, enjoying a coffee from the Roadshow Coffee Cart and celebrating the week together.

We’re planning to make this a regular event, so stay tuned for upcoming dates—details will be shared via our socials!

Thanks to Sam Sullivan, Ed Simpson and the many staff who assisted with the sports activities!

ANZAC Day

ANZAC Day holds a special place in our hearts, and we were proud to see all our Year 6 students attend the schools’ service at the Hampton RSL to honour those who served and sacrificed. A special well done to our school captains, Juliet and Luca, who represented our school with pride and respect - Juliet laid the wreath on behalf of our community, and Luca read the Ode of Remembrance with great poise. It was a moving and meaningful occasion, and we’re grateful to the Hampton RSL for hosting such a respectful and well-attended event.

Dendy Cross Country

Here is a report from one of our Sport Leaders, Tom S (YEAR 6)

On Thursday all the runners that qualified for Dendy Cross Country from Year 3-6 got to run at Bald Hill to represent St Mary’s. The 9/10s ran 2 kms and 11/12/13 ran 3 kms. The day was really fun and everyone showed good manners and were well behaved, as well as running really well. We had 55 students attend which is awesome and good to see everyone try their best. We also supported each other. Please give a round of applause to Lachie D in Year 4 and Elliot in Year 5 who have made it to the next round, both finishing in the Top 3 for their age. Overall it was a really fun day with lots of memories for everyone.

Thanks to all our teachers and the numerous parents who supported us on the day. Big thanks to Katie and Todd for being a marshall.

Mother's & Special Friends Festivities

We’re looking forward to celebrating all the wonderful mothers and special friends in our school community next week!

Please visit the Parents and Friends tab of this newsletter for all the details about the upcoming events and activities planned for this special occasion.

We wish all our mums, grandmothers, and special friends a joyful and memorable day filled with love, appreciation, and connection. Thank you for the important role you play in the lives of our students and school community.

Thank you to Marissa, Roxy and the Year 2 parent team for coordinating these key events!

Open Days

We had a busy day of School Tours on Thursday and it was great to have another chance to showcase our school to the community and prospective parents. Our Year 5 & Year 6 students do such an incredible job showing families around the school, and the visitors always comment on their confidence, manners and pride in the school.

Please remind friends who may be looking at schools to register for our upcoming events. We have had a strong interest in Prep and other year levels for 2026.

Premier's Reading Challenge

A big congratulations to all the students who have already started or completed the Premier’s Reading Challenge!

The Challenge is a fantastic way to develop a love of reading, improve literacy skills, and explore new worlds through books. There’s still time to get involved, so if you haven’t started yet, now is the perfect time to jump in. Whether you’re reading at school or at home, every book counts.

Let’s keep turning those pages and aim for our best participation yet!

Please remember to use the VPRC login, see image below. Student login details are in the student diaries.

P&F & School Advisory Council Meetings

A big thank you to our Parents and Friends group and the School Advisory Council for your time and input at Tuesday’s meetings.

Our fantastic P&F team is already busy planning events for the rest of the year, including the big annual fundraiser next term. The School Advisory Council is also working hard on the school’s Masterplan, helping shape the future of our school and its facilities.

We really appreciate the support and commitment from both groups. Your work makes a real difference to our school community.

First Aid - Parent Notifications

Starting this week, all first aid incidents that occur at school will be communicated to parents via email. This means students will no longer bring home a paper slip. If your child receives a head knock, rest assured—our usual policy still applies, and you will receive a phone call. This change helps us streamline communication and ensure messages reach you directly and promptly.

Thank you!

Steele Anderson