Dear Families,

Welcome back to Term 3! It has been wonderful to return to St Mary's this week after an extended family holiday through London, York and Paris. While the European summer certainly turned on the heat - and there were plenty of long days and tired feet- it was a truly memorable experience and a wonderful opportunity to spend uninterrupted time together as a family.

Travelling always provides new perspectives, but it has been just as lovely to return home and reconnect with our students, staff and families. It has been fantastic to see everyone back, refreshed, recharged and ready for another exciting term of learning. It is clear that some of our students have grown over the holidays!

Before we launch into Term 3, it is only right that we celebrate the successes of the students in the 2nd annual St Mary's 4-Square Championship. On the second last day of Term 2, the basketball courts came alive as students gathered for fun and friendly competition! The championship finals were played in front of an enthusiastic crowd, with students cheering on their classmates in a fantastic display of encouragement and school spirit. Congratulations to all of our level finalists and medalists and the OPEN and SCHOOL champion (Josh!), and thank you to everyone who participated throughout the competition. Thank you to the staff who helped organise and supervise the tournament. It was a wonderful way to finish the term and another example of the vibrant student life that makes St Mary's such a special place.

We have a busy and exciting term ahead, beginning with one of the highlights of our school calendar—Grandparents and Special Friends Day. Tomorrow we look forward to celebrating Mass together before welcoming our special visitors into classrooms to share in their grandchildren's learning. During the Mass, we will also present our Semester 2 Student Representative Council (SRC) leaders with their blessed badges in front of our parish and school community, recognising the important leadership role they will play throughout the remainder of the year. Following the classroom activities, our guests will enjoy morning tea together in the Zen Zone. We look forward to welcoming so many grandparents and special friends to St Mary's and, for those who are unable to join us, please know that you will be remembered in our prayers during the Mass. Please see the message on Seesaw with the full timetable.

Thank you to all of our Grandparents and Special Friends for joining us—we can't wait to celebrate with you.

Mark your calendars for Retro Vibes: No Kids, Just Hits on Saturday 24 October! Our Parents & Friends Association is once again hosting a fantastic adults-only evening, bringing our community together for a night of great music, dancing and fun while raising valuable funds for St Mary's. Tickets are now on sale, with an early bird price of $55 available until 31 August before increasing to $65. Every ticket purchased directly supports our school and the opportunities we provide for our students. I encourage you to gather a group of friends, secure your tickets early, and join us for what promises to be a memorable night. Thank you to our wonderful P&F for all of the work already going into making this event a success. Tickets available here

Thank you to the many families who have already taken the time to complete our Cadbury Chocolate Drive survey. Your feedback is invaluable in helping our Parents & Friends Committee determine whether there is sufficient interest to run the fundraiser later this year. If you haven't yet had a chance to respond, the survey takes less than a minute to complete and closes at 5.00pm on Wednesday 29 July. We encourage all families to have their say (participate here) so we can make an informed decision that reflects the views of our community. Thank you for your support.

NAPLAN reports for students in Years 3 and 5 will be sent home with students tomorrow. These individual reports provide families with information about their child's achievement in reading, writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation, and numeracy, and show how their performance compares with the national proficiency standards. While NAPLAN offers a useful snapshot of a student's learning at a point in time, it is just one part of the broader range of evidence we use to understand and support each child's ongoing progress and development. As these reports contain important information about your child's learning, we encourage families to take the time to read and reflect on them together at home, rather than discussing them in the busyness of the school playground.

All families will have received their child's Term 3 Year Level Overview, which was shared earlier this week via nForma. These overviews provide a snapshot of the learning that will take place throughout the term, along with key dates, events and other important information. I encourage you to take a few moments to read through the overview with your child, as it provides a wonderful opportunity to engage in conversations about their learning and the exciting experiences ahead. As always, we greatly value the expertise within our parent community, and if your knowledge, skills or experiences align with a unit of learning, we would love to hear from you and explore opportunities for you to share them with our students.

One of the highlights of Term 3 will undoubtedly be our Art Show, held every second year, where we will proudly showcase the creativity, imagination and artistic talents of every student across the school. This special event is always a wonderful celebration of the Visual Arts and provides our students with the opportunity to share their learning with family and friends. We are also excited to welcome an African Drumming Incursion, giving students the chance to experience the energy and joy of music through a hands-on cultural performance and workshop. Another exciting milestone this term will be our Year 3/4 Camp to Anglesea, where students will enjoy a range of outdoor challenges, team-building experiences and opportunities to build independence, resilience and lasting friendships.

Finally, Term 3 is a special one for our Year 6 students, with a number of them preparing to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation. Throughout the term, all Year 6 students will learn about the significance of Confirmation as part of their Religious Education program. Students who are receiving the sacrament, together with their families, will also be invited to participate in a Family Faith Night led by Father Jerome, our Year 5/6 teaching team and myself, as well as a Reflection Day to help prepare for this important milestone in their faith journey. We look forward to celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation on Wednesday 26 August 2026 at 6.00pm in St Mary's Church.

Take care, and may God’s blessings and peace be with each of you as we journey through the year together.

James Millane

TheirCare