Principal's News

Term 4, Week 3

St Mary’s Family Maths Night

A huge thank you to everyone who came along to our St Mary’s Maths Night last week! What an incredible turnout — it was wonderful to see so many families (including some new faces!) joining in the fun.Special thanks to Amanda Strickland for her leadership, planning, and organisation of this fantastic event, and to all staff and families who helped make it such a success. The atmosphere was buzzing with fun and learning — a true reflection of our amazing St Mary’s community!

👏 Congratulations, Mr Rowler!

We are thrilled to share that Mr Jacob Rowler has now been officially granted Permission to Teach for the remainder of 2025! Jacob will continue as the classroom teacher for 3/4R, and we know the students will continue to thrive under his care.

💐 Farewell to Lucette

This week we say a very fond farewell to Lucette Talbot, who is taking on an exciting new role in community health, supporting the wider Frankston community. Lucette has made a lasting impact on St Mary’s through her care, compassion, and dedication, and she will be greatly missed by students, staff, and families alike. Her service at breakfast club is unparalleled and I know on a Monday morning she will be even more missed!! 

We wish her every happiness in her next chapter.

🌟 Farewell and Congratulations

We  celebrate two of our wonderful staff members who are moving on to exciting new opportunities in 2026. We will farewell them properly at the end of the year.:

• Amanda Strickland has accepted a position at St Elizabeth’s Primary School as Maths and Intervention Leader. Congratulations Amanda, we are so proud of you and can’t wait to see your leadership shine in your new community! We will make sure we make the most of youru last St Mary's concert!
• Kayla Miller will begin a new teaching position at St Francis Xavier, Frankston, in 2026. We will miss her greatly but know she will bring her warmth and creativity to her new school.

Looking Ahead for St Mary’s

There is lots of change ahead for St Mary’s, and while this can sometimes feel daunting or uncertain, I want to assure our families that we are excited to begin this next chapter in our school’s journey.

We have worked very hard to employ staff with a wealth of experience and expertise who will continue to strengthen our community, supporting the wellbeing of every student while also improving academic outcomes across the school.

I am confident that these are positive changes for our community and that they will help every young person at St Mary’s to flourish and thrive, both in their learning and their sense of belonging.

In our next newsletter, I will be sharing the refreshed Leadership Structure for 2026, outlining how we will continue to build capacity and strengthen the future direction of our school. Don't hesitate to reach out to me directly if you have any questions or concerns you would like to discuss as I am happy to chat! You can book a time to meet by calling 5979 1959 or email me at principal@smhastings.catholic.edu.au 

 Staffing News for 2026

As we begin planning for 2026, we are delighted to welcome several new team members to St Mary’s! Each brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm that will strengthen our community:

• Emma Strom – Leader of Learning and Community

  With over 30 years of experience across multiple Catholic schools, Emma brings strong leadership and expertise in learning and teaching. 

• Marina Sloper – Wellbeing Officer and School Counsellor 

  Marina has extensive experience supporting student wellbeing and trauma-informed practice as a qualified counsellor and will be a wonderful addition to our team. She currently works as a school counsellor at St Macartan's in Mornington where she has held this role for 7 years. 

   

  Kayla (Kee-la) Burden – Classroom Teacher 

  Currently teaching at Botanic Ridge Primary School as well as leader of her PLC, Kayla brings great enthusiasm and a strong focus on wellbeing and collaboration.

   

  Emma Geary – Classroom Teacher 

  Emma joins us from St Macartan’s in Mornington, bringing strong experience in junior learning and a warm, student-centred approach.

   

  Daniella Polites – Classroom Teacher 

  Daniella has almost 30 years of teaching experience and a passion for literacy and senior learning.

🙏 Invitation to Join the Parish Leadership Team

Fr Shymon has extended an invitation to members of our wider parish community to consider joining the Westernport Parish Leadership Team (PLT). This invitation is open to parishioners of any of the Westernport Parishes. 

The PLT plays an important advisory role, supporting Fr Shymon in decision-making and helping to guide the pastoral direction of our parish. This is a wonderful opportunity to contribute to the spiritual and communal life of our parish in a meaningful way.

If you are interested or would like to know more about what being part of the team involves, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I am happy to answer any questions or connect you directly with Fr Shymon for further information.

The current team includes Gab Espenchied (Principal of St Joseph’s, Crib Point), Sue Carr (Principal of St Brendan’s, Somerville), Nicole Black (Principal of St Mary’s, Hastings), Fr Shymon, and several parish representatives.

The commitment is minimal with the PLT meets 6–8 times a year, usually on a Wednesday evening from 5:00–6:00pm.

We encourage anyone with a passion for faith, community, and service to consider joining this wonderful team.

Parents and Friends fundraiser 

If you are able and interested, please support our school by taking part in this FUNdraiser! It is a great deal for family and kids movie tickets! 

❤️ Thank You

As always, thank you to our families for your continued support of our staff and students. Our community spirit is what makes St Mary’s such a special place to learn and grow.