YEAR 8
Building Strong Connections
Clare Robertson
Head of Year 8
YEAR 8 KEY INFORMATION: WEEK 6
Swimming Carnival
The St Mary’s Swimming Carnival is on Tuesday at Woree Pool. This is a compulsory College event and all students are expected to attend. Participation in College sporting carnivals contributes to your child's holistic development and offers benefits, including building resilience, encouraging students to step out of their comfort zone, developing teamwork skills, and establishing strong physical activity habits for lifelong health.
I look forward to seeing everyone in their House shirts and costumes, bringing their biggest and loudest House spirit, and swimming up a storm on Tuesday. Go Cahill!
Strong Start to Year 8
Congratulations to the Year 8 cohort for their strong start to the 2026 school year. The vast majority of Year 8 students are presenting with excellent uniform standards, displaying positive learning behaviours in class, and serving as excellent role models for our new Year 7 students. I have been delighted to hand out so many Head of Year Certificates at the beginning of the year!
Year 8 students are also demonstrating high levels of participation in extracurricular activities, particularly the school musical and Run Squad. Thank you, students and families, for your support and hard work in making such a positive start to the year.
Reminder - Chewing Gum
Just a reminder that chewing gum is not permitted at the College. Students were warned about this at Community Pastoral Group last week, and detentions will be issued to students who continue with this behaviour. This is to maintain the hygiene and safety of our students.
Extracurricular Spotlight - Sewing Club
Sewing Club is held every Wednesday at lunch in F8 with Ms Anthony and Mrs Cowan. This term, students are making felt Easter Eggs in preparation for the holidays!
Year 8 Camp - Fitzroy Island
Save the Date - the Year 8 Camp will be held on Fitzroy Island in Week 7, Term 2.
- Female camp - Monday 1 June - Wednesday 3 June.
Male camp - Wednesday 3 June - Friday 5 June.
More information will follow about this two-night adventure camp.
UNIFORM SCHEDULE: WEEK B
WHOLE-OF-COLLEGE NOTICES
School Fees and Levies - Term 1 2026
School fees and levies for Term 1 were issued on Wednesday, 18 February 2026. The due date for payment is Wednesday, 4 March 2026.
If you are a fee payer and have not received your statement, please contact the Accounts Team. The Accounts Team is also available to assist families in setting up an approved payment plan for those who are unable to pay the full amount by the due date.
Thank you.
Accounts Team
smw.accounts@cns.catholic.edu.au
Shoe Guide
At the College, students are required to adhere to the uniform and personal grooming guide. We want to support families, students, and teachers in understanding specific requirements, particularly for sports shoes. We know students are currently wearing shoes in the 'not suitable' section of the graphic below.
To provide clarity, we have listed the main shoes worn by students with their sports uniforms that require fixing and shoes must meet expectations for the start of Term 2. This provides you and your family time to make changes to comply with the uniform guideline outlined in the College Diary under Uniforms: Sport shoes - Low cut, supportive, lace-up, all-purpose shoes for running with a suitable grip. Colour scheme should be discreet. Skate shoes and other flat-soled shoes are not acceptable.
The shoes shown in the graphic below are examples we frequently see; they are not the ONLY shoes not permitted. If you are unsure of the correct shoes, please send a picture or ask your child to speak with the Head of Year for clarification. Uniform infringement consequences will come into play at the commencement of Term 2. We appreciate your support in making it very clear what we expect regarding appropriate footwear at the College.
The Tuckshop
The Tuckshop has advised that ordering for the Swimming Carnival on Tuesday will close on Monday at 5:00pm. Please ensure all orders are placed before this time.
Commemoration Mass and Morning Tea
Sunday, March 8 2026, 10:00 am
We warmly invite you to join us for St Mary's Catholic College Commemoration Mass. This special occasion marks 40 years since the commemoration of the opening of the College. Following Mass, morning tea will be provided.
Please register via the following link: https://www.trybooking.com/DIYHJ
College Key Dates
Please note that all key dates are listed in the College Calendar. This can be accessed via the MyCE Parent App and synced with your personal calendar.
| Event | Date | Term |
|---|---|---|
| Swimming Carnival | Tuesday, 3 March | Term 1 |
| Commemoration Mass & Morning Tea | Sunday, 8 March | Term 1 |
| Cross Country | Wednesday, 1 April | Term 1 |
COLLEGE WEBSITE - For the latest information and guidance relevant to both staff and families, please refer regularly to our St Mary's Catholic College Website.
Leah McBryde
Assistant Principal
Junior Secondary (Years 7 to 9)
On behalf of the College Leadership Team
College Leadership Team
College Pastoral Team
