Principal Announcements

Welcome back to Term 3! 

I hope all of our students, families and staff enjoyed a restful and refreshing break and are feeling ready for another exciting term of learning and growth at St. Mary's.

Term 3 promises to be a busy and rewarding one, with many opportunities for our students to learn, celebrate and connect as a school community. As we continue celebrating our 90th year, we remain committed to Honouring Our Past, Inspiring Our Present and Building Our Future, with our weekly assembly alumni visits providing a wonderful opportunity for students to hear stories and memories from those who have been part of the rich history of St. Mary's.

Other highlights this term include:

• Sacramental preparations and celebrations
• Grade 2 sleepover
• Grade ¾ camp
• Grandparents' Day
• Lockdown Drill
• CESL Spirituality Day – Wednesday 5th August (Student Free Day)
• Book Week Parade – 14th August
• Bullying No Way Week
• School Athletics Day
• Father's Day Stall and Breakfast
• Continuing our 90 Year Celebrations with weekly Assembly Alumni Visits
• Student Leadership preparations for 2027
• 2027 Prep Enrolment Interviews

These exciting events will take place alongside our Magnify learning schedule, ensuring our students continue to experience high-quality, evidence-informed teaching and learning every day.

A key focus this term will be strengthening our Classroom Mastery practices as we continue to consolidate our new Positive Behaviour Curriculum. Students will continue to develop consistent routines for entering and leaving the classroom, responding to the cue to start, participating positively in lessons with questioning and use of whiteboards and demonstrating our shared expectations for learning with different voices. Through our Positive Behaviour Interventions and Supports (PBIS) framework, we will continue to recognise and celebrate students who model our Gospel values of Love, Forgiveness, Understanding and Respect.

Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership. We look forward to another productive, positive and memorable term as we continue to help every child flourish and Let Their Light Shine.

Jared Cooney Horvath videos – The Science of Learning

We have just a few short months of access left for the videos that Jared prepared for Sandhurst schools. You may find these helpful!

Session 1– Sleep, Tech and Stress (50 mins) https://vimeo.com/1102066450/6f1c9d2218

Session 2– Surviving study (50 mins) https://vimeo.com/1102068293/eebb560b41

Session 3– A tour through your child’s brain (30mins) https://vimeo.com/1102069365/c7ab744186

Holiday Maintenance Works at St. Mary’s

Once again, over the holiday break, St Mary’s has been a hive of activity with a number of maintenance projects taking place across our school grounds. 

All gutters have been cleaned. Soft fall and sand have been added to the playground areas. An unsafe tree has been removed near the basketball court. Garden areas have been refreshed.

Painted caterpillars have been freshened up and will assist with the Preps routine of lining up safely and efficiently.

All air conditioners have been serviced and all electrical items have been checked and tagged.

Thank you to Lincoln for his outstanding coordination of these works. His expertise and dedication ensured the upgrades were completed smoothly and efficiently. Both our students and staff will greatly enjoy the benefits of these improvements.

Staff Updates – Welcome to Mrs Caitlin Burgess - Our new Prep teacher

We are excited to welcome Mrs Caitlin Burgess to St. Mary’s as a new Prep teacher. Caitlin brings with her a wealth of experience and a strong passion for early years literacy. We look forward to the energy and expertise she will bring to our community. Please join us in making Mrs Burgess feel warmly welcomed as she begins this new chapter at St. Mary’s.

Welcome to Bishop René Ramirez

We warmly welcome Most Reverend René Ramirez as the Ninth Bishop of the Diocese of Sandhurst.

Bishop René's Installation Mass will be celebrated on Thursday, 30th July at the Sacred Heart Cathedral, Bendigo, marking a significant and joyful occasion in the life of our Diocese.

It is an honour for St. Mary's Primary School that Deputy Principal Catherine Dyke and I will represent our school community at this special celebration as we join parishioners, clergy, religious and representatives from schools across the Diocese in welcoming Bishop René.

We look forward to Bishop René's leadership and ministry and pray that God blesses him with wisdom, strength and good health as he begins this important role serving the people of the Sandhurst Diocese.

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 will be briefed on the new leadership opportunities early this term 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!

Honouring Our Past, Inspiring Our Present and Building Our Future

As part of our 90-year celebrations this term, we are celebrating how we are all part of the St. Mary’s story by inviting alumni to share their memories and experiences with our students at assembly.

 In Week 1, we were inspired by Sheila Griffin, a much-loved past staff member who began teaching at St Mary's in 1971 in the original Church on Mill Street. Sheila shared wonderful memories of her early teaching years, recalling classes of more than 40 students and even teaching a combined Grade 1/6 composite class—something that would be considered quite extraordinary today. Her stories highlighted the dedication and adaptability of teachers during a very different era of education.

Sheila also reflected on the exciting growth of St Mary's throughout her career, including the move into the classroom wing that now proudly bears her name. Her memories of the school's evolution, together with her passion for teaching and the strong sense of community that has always existed at St Mary's, provided a wonderful reminder of the rich history and enduring spirit that continue to shape our school today.

In Week 2, we were delighted to welcome long-time St Mary's community member Maree Williams as part of our 90th anniversary celebrations. Maree shared memories of beginning as a parish volunteer before joining the school office in 1985, recalling a very different era when accounts were handwritten, staff were paid by cheque, and there were no computers or mobile phones. During her 24 years in the office, she worked alongside five principals and witnessed enormous changes in technology, student support and school facilities.

In 2009, Maree transitioned to a classroom aide role, where she particularly enjoyed supporting students through the Rainbow Reading program and assisting with camps and classroom learning. Today, she continues to generously volunteer through the Breakfast Program, After School Program, library activities and the Book Fair. Maree's reflections were a wonderful reminder of the dedication and generosity that have helped shape St Mary's over the past 90 years.

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.

Every Piece Tells a Story 

As part of our 90th anniversary celebrations this term, students have embraced a special whole-school project celebrating our theme: Honouring Our Past, Inspiring Our Present and Building Our Future 

Each student has created their own personalised puzzle piece, celebrating their unique gifts and connection to our St. Mary’s community. The creativity, care and excitement shown by our students have been wonderful to see.

Together, these pieces will form a beautiful display, reminding us that every student, past and present, is an important part of the St. Mary’s story. As we celebrate 90 years of faith, learning and community, we recognise that each generation continues to build upon the strong foundations of those who came before us. At St. Mary’s, every student matters, every story is valued, and every piece belongs.

Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD)

Throughout Term 2, our staff have been actively engaged in moderation processes and Parent Support Group (PSG) meetings as part of our preparation for the annual Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD) submission, which occurs in early August.

The NCCD is a nationwide process that assists schools in identifying and supporting students with disability by recognising the adjustments and support provided to enable them to access education on the same basis as their peers. The moderation process ensures that our staff consistently apply the NCCD guidelines and accurately document the adjustments being provided for students across the school.

Parent Support Group meetings play an important role in this process, providing families and school staff with an opportunity to discuss student progress, review existing supports, and collaboratively plan for future needs. These partnerships help ensure that every student receives the support necessary to achieve success at school.

Families wishing to learn more about the NCCD can access the parent information fact sheet here: https://www.nccd.edu.au/sites/default/files/nccd_parent_fact_sheet_english_0.pdf

Further information about the collection of data for the census is attached below.

We would like to sincerely thank Cherie Malnati and her team for the significant time, effort, and dedication they have invested in coordinating this important work. Their commitment ensures that our students receive the support they need to flourish both academically and socially.

New CSPV (Catholic School Parents Victoria) Newsletter

Following the establishment of the CSPV as communicated in previous newsletters in Term 2, they now have their own newsletter which we have been asked to share. Enjoy!

https://cspv.catholic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/CSPV-Newsletter-0726.pdf

St. Mary’s Bingo – THANK-YOU!

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 recent $2,600 donation from Bingo, which will 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!

Road Safety Reminder

Following recent observations by local Police, we would like to remind all members of our community to drive safely and follow the road rules when entering St. Mary's.

Police have observed some drivers approaching from the west along McLennan Street crossing the double centre lines to turn into the school entry near the front of the Church. This manoeuvre is illegal. Drivers travelling from this direction are required to continue to the Echuca Road traffic lights, complete a legal U-turn, and then enter the school safely.

Police have advised that crossing the double lines in this location may result in a $440 fine and the loss of 3 demerit points.

The safety of our students, families and the wider community is our highest priority. Thank you for your cooperation in helping to keep everyone safe during our busy drop-off and pick-up times.

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.

2027 Prep Enrolments

📢 Enrolments for 2027 closed 31st May – please contact the office for further assistance.

School Parking and Safety Reminder

We kindly remind all members of our school community to observe all parking restrictions during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up times.

In particular, please do not park in the designated No Parking zones, including the area alongside the church. These restrictions are in place to ensure clear visibility for drivers, safe access for pedestrians, and the safety of all students, families and staff entering and exiting the school grounds.

While we understand that pick-up and drop-off times can be busy, adhering to parking regulations helps maintain a safe and orderly environment for everyone. We ask all families to allow a little extra time if needed and to use the designated parking areas available.

Thank you for your cooperation and for helping us keep our school community safe.

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. 

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

20th July – Aurora Loader

This week's Principal's Award goes to a student who is truly letting her light shine by demonstrating our values of Love, Understanding and Respect.

Aurora went out of her way to welcome Mrs Burgess to St. Mary's during her special classroom visit last week, showing kindness and making her feel part of our community.

Thank you, Aurora, for being a shining light at St. Mary's. Congratulations!

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

“A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal.”— Steve Maraboli

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”— Mahatma Gandhi

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