From the Principal 

Dear Families 

We have finished the year with an action packed fortnight. Whilst last year we had rain for carols last year,  Tuesday night was a tad hot!  Our Carols evening was one of celebration and joy. Father Christmas was most impressed with our students and their singing! Please find a message from him below. 

As our Year 6 students prepare for Graduation this evening, it is my delight to announce the 2024 Leadership Teams.  We are very proud of our student leadership model at SMPS. Each student learns to lead, has a mentor and has many opportunities to authentically practise and enact leadership skills. Mrs Mason and Ms Romios designed a leadership unit that has been most successful. Many parents, carers and staff including Father Jerome came in and talked to the Year 5 students about their own leadership journey. We look forward to being led by our 2024 Year 6 students next year. 

2023 - What a Year . . . 

We, as the St Mary’s Primary School family have achieved so much this year and should feel immensely proud. There have been too many highlights to list each one, but each of you will remember your favourite(s). The success of this year can be attributed to everyone helping. I would like to thank everyone for supporting our community in so many varied ways and this has all contributed to giving our students the best opportunities that we can. 

I would like to thank Father Jerome for working with us and for being my constant support and colleague.  Mr Speranza continues to bring so much to our community and I thank him for his wisdom, work ethic and care for each student and their family and each staff member. Mostly I thank him for laughing with me each and every day and for his culinary skills. I look forward to all that we will achieve next year. 

To our Leadership Team, you are the best! Mrs Borgese, Mrs Le Hunt and Mrs Mason, each of you have guided your curriculum area with professionalism and hard work. 

We wish Melissa Eyers all the best as she travels with her family to the UK and thank her for her work with Year 4.  We thank Chris Kidman for her many years of service and care for her students and wish her the best as she reduces her teaching days. To Janelle Adams, also after many years at St Mary's and wish her all the best and thank her for the many roles she has undertaken. Simon Addicoat, we wish you all the best with your new endeavours and thank you for all that you have brought to SMPS. Stephanie Schultz begins Maternity Leave and we can't wait to meet you new family member in February. Thank you for your expertise and guidance in supporting our students with Literacy. We thank Anastasia Romios for her day in Year 3 and Year 5.  We look forward to working with her next year as a casual relief teacher. 

Paula, we wish you an amazing second retirement!   We look forward to hearing about all your adventures. I cannot begin to thank you for working in Year 6 in first Term, Long Service Leave cover in Year 5 in Term 2 and teaching Year 3 for Semester Two.  You will be sadly missed, especially by me! 

Erica, it is my pleasure working with you and your calm and gentle manner each day. Thank you for your support and guidance. To the staff, each of you makes working here a delight. We constantly push each other to do our best and be our best for the students and their families. 

To Claude, our School Advisory Council Chair, Ben (stepping down as his last child finishes Primary School).  Hywell and Ruth, we thank you for the hours you have given the school and myself as we steer the school. Ben we wish you all the best on your journey and our school is all the better for having had your family as a part of it.  

To the amazing P & F committee, where does one begin.... To each of the class reps and those who supported the reps, you make each event the success that they have been. To our amazing Fete committee, you pulled off an amazing community event!  A special thank you and acknowledgement for Louisa and her leadership of the P & F this year.  I also thank each of your families who have supported home life, freeing you up to assist at school. 

Finally, I thank each student and family for their support of our school and my leadership. It is great hearing your feedback about our events and your appreciation for the work that goes into them. We look forward to many more fun filled activities next year. 

A highlight of mine was our last Crochet Club for the year. Thank you to Hywell for getting it up and running.  We shared afternoon tea, danced, sang, chatted and crocheted.  We had so much fun.  Fingers crossed Hywell can join us next year. 

As we finish our final week at school, we are proud of our Year 6 students graduating this evening and our final Mass and guard of honour tomorrow.  We invite all members of our community to join us in the morning at 9:15am. In our Nano Nagle tradition, we will be announcing  the Year 6 winner of the  2023 Nano Award and the Year 6 students will pass on the lanterns of leadership to our Year 5 students in the Ceremony of Lights. This is always a moving part of the last day of the y. 

We farewell some of our Year 6 families, who are finishing their St Mary’s journey this year. I am aware that each of you have done much over the years and thank you for this. We farewell the following families and wish them all the very best:

Beardsmore family

Clelland family

Elia family

Giannone family

Lie-Olesen-Phillips family

McGennisken-Pope family

Merlin family

Merrigan family

Passarini family

Sims family

Solarte family

Stoitsis family

Tripolitano family

Wilson family

Finally, our prayers and thoughts are with families, who have unwell family members at the moment, who have lost loved ones during the year, and/or have extended families along way away. 

May each of you have the gift of faith, the blessing of hope and the peace of God’s love at Christmas and always.

He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. 

Isaiah 9:6

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Please find the 2024 dates for the school year on the calendar page.

Cathy & Anthony