Principal Announcements

Community Connections

Our school community is strengthened by the wonderful connections we share with our families, staff and parish. We are incredibly grateful for the commitment and support of our Advisory Council and Parents & Friends Committee, whose contribution helps build a strong, connected and vibrant St. Mary’s community.

We also extend our sincere thanks to all of our parents and carers who generously volunteer their time throughout the year. Whether helping at events, in classrooms, on excursions or behind the scenes, your support makes a real difference. We are truly blessed by the generosity of our community and the many ways you help our students ‘Let Their Light Shine’.

Thank You, P&F Association!

A heartfelt thank you to our Parents & Friends Association for organising and running the Bunnings BBQ on Sunday, 9 August.

We would like to extend a very special thank you to Emma Lloyd, whose hard work, organisation and leadership were instrumental in making the day such a success.

Despite the very inclement weather, the atmosphere throughout the day was warm and welcoming. It was wonderful to see so many members of our school community come together to volunteer, support the event and enjoy each other's company. The strong community spirit on display was a fantastic reminder of what makes our school so special.

Thank you to everyone who contributed their time and effort. Your support is greatly appreciated, and the success of the day reflects the generosity and commitment of our wonderful school community.

Book Week Parade

Our Book Week Parade was a wonderful celebration of reading, filled with excitement, creativity and plenty of smiles. It was fantastic to see students proudly dressed as their favourite book characters and sharing their love of books with one another.

A special thank you to our parents and carers for their support in helping students prepare for this special school event. Your efforts helped make the day a memorable and enjoyable experience for everyone.

Thank you to all who contributed to the success of this wonderful celebration of literature and imagination! 

P/1/2 Swimming Program Underway

Our Prep, Year 1 and Year 2 students have enjoyed a fantastic start to their swimming program this week. The excitement has been evident as students have enthusiastically participated in lessons, developed their water confidence and practised important swimming and water safety skills.

We are proud of the positive attitude and effort being shown by all students and look forward to seeing their skills continue to grow throughout the program. A big thank you to our staff, instructors and families for supporting this valuable learning experience.

Bullying No Way Week

This week, our school is proudly recognising Bullying No Way Week, with students participating in a range of activities and classroom discussions focused on kindness, respect and inclusion. Please find attached information from Catholic Education Sandhurst for this focus.

Throughout the week, students have been exploring the importance of positive relationships, understanding the impact of their words and actions, and learning strategies to support themselves and others. These meaningful conversations help reinforce our commitment to creating a safe, supportive and inclusive environment where every student feels valued and respected.

We are proud of the thoughtful engagement shown by our students as we work together to promote a culture of kindness across our school community.

Empowering Our Future Leaders – Student Leadership 2027

At St Mary’s, we are committed to nurturing leadership in all students. In 2026, we introduced a refreshed student leadership structure that provides meaningful opportunities for senior students to lead with confidence, compassion and responsibility.

Leadership positions include School Captains, Vice Captains, Faith and Justice Captains, and House Captains. These roles are designed to reflect our school values and give students a voice in shaping school life, from faith and service to house spirit and school representation. Our existing leadership groups will also continue to run.

All grade 5 students have been briefed on the new leadership opportunities and provided with a detailed information package for them to consider applying for these positions. We look forward to seeing our future leaders grow and shine in 2027!

All applications are due on Friday 11th September. 

Good luck to all!

Honouring Our Past, Inspiring Our Present and Building Our Future

Celebrating Our St. Mary’s Alumni

Our Alumni Visits have continued this term at each assembly, providing students with a wonderful opportunity to hear from former St. Mary’s students who have gone on to achieve success in a variety of fields.

It was a privilege to welcome long-time parishioner and past St. Mary’s parent, Liz Donnelly, to week 5’s assembly. Liz shared her wonderful St. Mary’s story with our students, including memories of her first classes being held in the church and the special morning routine she had to prepare the classrooms for the Mercy Sisters. Her stories gave our students a beautiful glimpse into the history and traditions of our school. Liz also reminded us of the importance of always remembering our school motto, “Let Your Light Shine.” We are very grateful to Liz for sharing her memories and helping our students appreciate the rich history and community that makes St. Mary’s so special.

This week, we were very fortunate to welcome a very special member of our St. Mary’s community, Helen Betson. 

Helen has been a long-time parishioner, a past St. Mary’s parent, a former member of our Parents & Friends Committee, a current member of the Parish Finance Council, and a member of our St. Mary’s Golden Oldies. Helen has been connected to St. Mary’s in so many different ways over many years, and her continued involvement is a wonderful example of what it means to be part of a strong and caring community. We are very grateful to Helen for joining us to share her memories, experiences and connection to St. Mary’s with our students.

These visits continue to inspire our students, reminding them that great achievements often begin with the opportunities, friendships and experiences formed right here at St. Mary’s. Thank you to Liz and Helen for taking the time to reconnect with our school community and share their stories with our students.

We are truly blessed to have such wonderful alumni and community members willing to share their stories with us as we celebrate 90 years of faith, learning and community. Together, we continue to Honour Our Past, Inspire Our Present and Build Our Future.

St. Mary’s School Advisory Council

Our St. Mary’s School Advisory Council provides a wonderful opportunity for parents and carers to become actively involved in the life of our school and contribute to the ongoing growth and development of our community. The Council works in partnership with school leadership to support the vision, values and future direction of St. Mary’s.

Meetings are held once or twice each term, usually on a Tuesday evening at 7:30pm, and generally run for approximately one hour.

Our next Annual General Meeting (AGM) to vote in new Council members and roles will be held on Tuesday 8th December at 6:00pm. We warmly encourage any parents or carers who are interested in becoming involved to consider joining the Advisory Council.

If you would like more information, please speak with myself, Catherine Dyke, or our current Advisory Council President, Michael De Maria. We would be delighted to discuss what is involved and how you can contribute to supporting our wonderful St. Mary’s community.

2027 Family Intentions

A reminder to families to please complete the 2027 Family Intentions Form recently sent by the Office. The information provided is important in helping us plan our 2027 class structures, staffing and overall school planning.

We kindly ask all families to complete and return the form as soon as possible. Thank you for your assistance in helping us prepare for another successful year at St Mary’s.

2027 Enrolments

📢 For 2027 Enrolments or enquiries, please contact the school office for further assistance. Phone 58252858 or email office@smmooroopna.catholic.edu.au

St. Mary’s Bingo

We are currently seeking support for St. Mary’s Bingo, which generally involves attending on a Saturday evening once a term. With numbers being quite short again at the moment, your help would be invaluable!

Bingo is a wonderful way to connect with our school community while raising funds that directly support student learning and school initiatives. We are incredibly grateful for the regular donations from Bingo which make a significant contribution to the learning, opportunities and growth of our St. Mary’s community.

If you are able to volunteer your time and be part of this valued community group, we would love to hear from you. For more information on how you can get involved, please contact Maree Williams on 0438 084 364.

Thank you for your consideration and ongoing support — every contribution makes a big difference!

St. Mary’s 90 Years Production – From Humble Beginnings – Let Your Light Shine

PLEASE NOTE DATE CHANGE

This year we are having a School Production on Wednesday 25th November. 

Seat bookings are now open and can be made at no cost via the link below. Families can book up to 3 tickets at one timeslot, any unallocated seats will be opened to all families 2 weeks prior to the production. 

https://www.trybooking.com/DLWKO

Gold coin is encouraged upon entry at the event.

Please read the parent/guardian letter sent at the end of term 1 for all the exciting details to celebrate our 90 years. 

Parent Code of Conduct and Social Media

Strong partnerships between home and school are essential in supporting the success and wellbeing of our students. By working together, building trust and maintaining open communication, we create the best possible environment for children to learn, grow and flourish.

In promoting & upholding this culture, we expect that Parents/Guardians will:

• Treat staff, students and other parents with respect and courtesy
• Support the school in its efforts to maintain a positive teaching and learning environment
• In raising concerns on behalf of your child, or making a complaint about the school’s practices or treatment of your child, we expect that you will:
• Observe the school’s stated procedures for raising and resolving a grievance/complaint
•  Follow specified protocol for communication with staff members.
• The school places high value and priority on maintain a safe and respectful working environment.  We regard certain behaviours as harmful and unacceptable if they compromise the safety and wellbeing of a member of our school community.  These behaviours include, but are not limited to: 
• - verbal intimidation,
• -  Writing rude, defamatory, aggressive or abusive comments to/about a member of the school community or about the school.

 At St. Mary’s, we expect that all members of our community abide by the Parent-School Relationships Code of Conduct for the benefit of our students and the whole St. Mary’s community.

Before School Supervision

Please note - all students who arrive at school prior to 8:30am must fill out an application via the link below. 

Before School Supervision

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.

Principal’s Awards

10th August – Isabella McNair

Congratulations to Isabella Mc Nair, this week’s Principal’s Award recipient. 

Isabella has embraced her role as a FIRE Carrier with great responsibility, always remembering her duties and completing tasks with care and initiative. Her reliability, independence, and positive contribution to our school community make her a very deserving recipient.

Well done Isabella!

17th August – Anastasia Mitsos

Congratulations to Anastasia Mitsos, this week’s Principal’s Award recipient. Anastasia consistently demonstrates our school Gospel values of Love, Forgiveness, Understanding and Respect through her kind and caring interactions with others. She is a wonderful role model for her peers and a great example of the message behind Bullying No Way Week, helping make St. Mary’s a safe, welcoming and inclusive place for everyone. Super effort, Anastasia!

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.

Ms V’s Inspirations

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” — Helen Keller

“The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.” —Phil Jackson

“Let your light shine before others.” – Matthew 5:16