Principal Announcements
Newsletter 3 term 4
School Ground Access
Please access the following message sent via email on Wednesday 23rd October, regarding school ground access and the opening and closing of gates. Thanks for your support in ensuring the safety of all at St. Mary’s.
These arrangements also apply when attending Monday afternoon assemblies. Parents/Guardians/friends all need to access the school through front reception and sign in. A sign-in page will also be available at the Marian Centre. Thanks again for your understanding.
Healthy Eating
We have made some updates to our breakfast program to ensure we are providing students with a healthy and nutritious start to their day, as per the Healthy Eating Guidelines. These changes aim to support students’ wellbeing and prepare them for a successful day of learning. A heartfelt thank you to Maree Williams and the dedicated staff who generously volunteer their time to make this program possible—we are truly grateful for your support.
Art Exhibition
Congratulations to Theo Howard in grade 5 for his winning entry in the MacKillop Art exhibition in Bendigo this week. Special thanks to Mrs Wilson for supporting this initiative with the students. There is still time to vote online for the People’s Choice Award.
Well done Theo!
Literacy Professional Development
You may have noticed that some of our junior school teachers have begun their training in preparation for our Literacy program next year. During this time, we’ve had replacement teachers in these classrooms to ensure continuity of learning.
This professional development is an important opportunity for our staff to enhance their skills, supporting the growth and success of all students. We sincerely thank our students for staying engaged in their learning and upholding our school values with the replacement teachers. Your support in this process is greatly appreciated!
Italian Project Showcase
Congratulations to grade ¾ and 5/6 Italian for their excellent presentations of the Italian projects. There have also been some wonderful displays in the office. Thanks to Mrs Davkovski for this opportunity for you to learn so much about the Italian culture.
Learning and Teaching
As we enter the final four weeks of the school year, it’s important for our students to stay focused and give their best effort in their learning. These weeks provide a valuable opportunity to consolidate skills and reflect on their achievements. At the same time, we’re excited about the upcoming end-of-year celebrations and events that bring our community together in joy and gratitude. Let’s encourage our students to finish the year with determination while savoring the moments that make this time so special!
Sacrament of Confirmation
This weekend and the next, we joyfully celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation with our students who are taking this significant step in their faith journey. Confirmation marks a deepening of their relationship with God and the strengthening of the Holy Spirit in their lives. We invite our school community to pray for these students and their families as they embrace this sacred milestone. May it be a time of blessing, reflection, and celebration for all involved.
Attendance matters!
Every minute matters. For every minute a child is at school they learn. For every minute they are absent they not only miss out on they are absent they not only miss out on learning, but they also lose some previous learning.
We are a partnership, Your student, Yourself and Our School. Our partnership provides support for growth along with emotional and learning success.
Congratulations to everyone for helping us to achieve our goal of raising our attendance percentage.
Health Care Card and School Fee Arrangements
Catholic Education Sandhurst Ltd (CESL) is pleased to inform Primary School families holding a valid Health Care Card (HCC) that you are eligible for a significant reduction in school fees for the upcoming year including all fees and levies. The discount will be automatically applied to your school fee account once you provide a copy of your HCC to the school office, complete a CSEF form, and set up a direct debit or centrepay arrangement. If you've already submitted a copy of your HCC for 2025, completed the CSEF form, and have a direct debit or centrepay arrangement in place, no further action is needed — the discount will be applied automatically.
We understand that many families have varying circumstances and in response to the rising cost of living expenses, we are committed to supporting those who need additional assistance.
Please be assured that this support is provided to ensure all students have the opportunity to thrive in our school community. If you have any questions or need further clarification, please contact the school office.
Click on the PDF File below for further information -
We will make available any further relevant information and appropriate application forms as this becomes available.
IMPORTANT - Not returning in 2025
We understand circumstances can change, so to assist us with planning classes for 2025, if you know your family or student is not planning to return to St Mary's in the new year, we ask you to please let the office know in writing prior to Tuesday 3rd December.
This will help us when we are looking at classes for 2025 and working out class sizes and groupings.
St. Mary’s Bingo
We are currently seeking support for St. Mary's Bingo, which would generally involve your attendance on a Saturday evening once a term. With numbers being quite short at the moment, your help would be invaluable! Bingo is a fantastic way to engage with our school community while raising funds for various programs.
For more information on how you can get involved, please reach out to the current Bingo team as detailed in the information letter recently sent home.
For further information please contact Maree Williams on 0438 084 364.
Thank you for your consideration, Your support makes a big difference.
St. Mary’s School Advisory Board
We invite new members to join the St. Mary's Mooroopna School Advisory Board!
This is a great opportunity to contribute to our school community. Meetings are held once a term, usually at 7:30 PM for about an hour. If you're interested in making a difference, please consider joining us!
Expressions of interest can be sent to the Principal principal@smmooroopna.catholic.edu.au
Before School Supervision
Please note that all students that arrive at school prior to 8:30am must fill out an application via the link below. I appreciate everyone's understanding and cooperation regarding this.
Assembly 18th November
Assembly 25th November
Principal’s Awards
18th November - Brodie Dunbar
Brodie has been an excellent help with technology around the school this year. From setting up the cameras and microphones for assembly, to helping with iPads in the classroom. He has also really stepped up as a leader in the classroom. Constantly putting his hand up to contribute to class discussions and using his time wisely to complete his work. Brodie is also a very accepting and patient friend to everyone - and is happy to work with a variety of his peers in the classroom.
25th November - Zach Vanderdonk
Zach consistently demonstrates the PBIS values of responsibility, resilience, respect, and safety. He is a hardworking and studious learner who seeks feedback, exceeds expectations, and approaches challenges with resilience and a positive attitude. Zach is also a respectful team player, contributing responsibly and effectively to the Tech Team while embracing new opportunities with enthusiasm.
Final Student Day
The final student day for 2024 is Tuesday 17th December at 2:15pm.
Bus travellers will be supervised until normal school finish time by staff.
Ms V’s Inspirations
"Behind every young child who believes in themselves is a parent who believed first." – Matthew Jacobson
"You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." – A.A. Milne
Elaine Vertriest
Principal
"Let Your Light Shine before others, so they may see your good works." Matthew 5:13