Principal Announcements
Newsletter 5 Term 1
We are delighted to welcome three fantastic new members to the St. Mary’s Mooroopna team!
Caleb Nelson joins us as our Maintenance Assistant, ensuring our school facilities are well cared for.
Chris Anderson comes on board as a Learning Support Officer, bringing his expertise to support our students.
Bryce Brown, a talented basketballer from the USA, also joins us as a Learning Support Officer—we’re sure he’ll bring great energy to both the classroom and the court!
We look forward to the contributions they will make to our school community. Please join us in giving them a warm St. Mary’s welcome!
Anzac Day 2025
Anzac Day is a very important day for all Australians. Each year St Mary’s students march in the local ceremony, which starts at the water tower and finishes at the Cenotaph. If any students would like to take part they are asked to wear full school uniform meet at the water tower at 8:30am on Friday 25th April.
All students/families are invited to attend.
New Disability Parking
We are pleased to announce the addition of a new disability parking space at the carpark entry to the Marian Centre. This designated space, along with the existing disability park in front of the church, ensures that students and visitors who require accessible parking can do so safely and conveniently. We kindly remind parents and guardians to use only the other parking bays, leaving these spaces free for those who need them at all times. Your cooperation helps us support all members of our school community.
Thank you for your understanding and support in making our school an inclusive space for everyone.
St. Patrick’s Day
A huge thank you to everyone who joined in our St. Patrick’s Day celebrations! It was fantastic to see our school filled with green, music, and joy as students took part in fun classroom activities and embraced the spirit of the day. We are especially grateful for your generous support of Caritas Australia through gold coin donations. Your kindness will make a real difference!
Harmony Day
Our school community came together in a wonderful celebration of Harmony, embracing the diverse cultures that make St. Mary’s so special. Every class participated, with students proudly sharing their heritage through stories, traditional dress, music, and activities. It was a beautiful opportunity to learn from one another, celebrate our differences, and recognise the richness of our diverse backgrounds. A big thank you to our students, families, and staff for making this event such a joyful experience. Together, we continue to build a school where everyone belongs.
Italian Carnevale
What an incredible week we had celebrating Italian Carnevale at St. Mary’s! Every class got involved in specialist activities, immersing themselves in the rich traditions of Italian culture through art, music, food, and dress-ups. The school was a sea of red, white, and green, bringing the spirit of Carnevale to life! Special thanks to Kathryn Davkovski and Sherrie Thompson for their hard work in organising this special week. Your efforts made it a fun, engaging, and memorable experience for all! Grazie to everyone who participated—we loved seeing the joy and enthusiasm throughout the school!
It is truly inspiring to see the many learning opportunities that St. Mary’s provides.
Well done to all for making these such memorable and meaningful celebrations for our community!
Parish News
Thank you to everyone who joined us in celebrating Mons Peter’s official Parish farewell on Sunday, 30th March. It was a truly special occasion, beginning with the Mass and followed by a wonderful luncheon in the Marian Centre. We wish Mons every blessing in his retirement after 61 years of dedicated ministry and 10 years as our Parish Priest at St. Mary’s. We acknowledge and will always remember the profound impact he has had on our school, our parish, and the wider community. St. Mary’s will always be his home!
Holy Week Assembly
What a beautiful and moving assembly we experienced on Monday 31st March. Our students brought the Easter story to life with such reverence and thoughtfulness, truly capturing the spirit of Holy Week. It was wonderful to have Mons Peter and Graham to celebrate with us. Special thanks to our dedicated staff, especially Ms. Carroll, for the time and effort put into preparing this special event. Your guidance and support make moments like this possible. To our parents, families, and community members—thank you for joining us and for your ongoing support of our school.
Upcoming Easter Bonnet Parade
As we prepare for Easter, we warmly invite our school community to join us for this special events:
Easter Bonnet Parade – Friday, 4th April at 9:15am. We look forward to seeing our students’ creative and colourful Easter bonnets as we celebrate the joy of Easter together! We hope you can join us.
Thank you and Enjoy the Break
As Term 1 comes to an end, we would like to thank our students, families, and staff for a fantastic start to the year. It has been a term filled with learning, growth, and community spirit, and we are grateful for your support. We wish you all a safe, happy, and blessed Easter break. May this time bring peace, joy, and renewal to you and your families. We look forward to seeing you in Term 2!
🌟 New families 🌟
You're Invited to Our Open Day!
📅 When: Thursday, 1st May
⏰ Time: 11:45am – 1:30pm
📍 Where: Marian Centre, St. Mary’s Mooroopna
Discover all that St. Mary’s has to offer!
Join us for a warm welcome and presentation by our Principal, followed by guided tours of our school led by our amazing student leaders.
See our vibrant learning spaces, meet our dedicated staff, and experience the wonderful St. Mary’s community first hand.
Enrolments for 2026 close Friday, 30th May – don’t miss this opportunity to secure your place!
We can’t wait to welcome you to St. Mary’s Mooroopna!
End of Term 1 and Term 2 Dates
Reminders:
- Term 1 ends - Friday 4th April at 2:20pm
- Term 2 begins - Monday 28th April (3 weeks student holiday due to staff professional development from 22nd April to 24th April)
- Friday 25th April – ANZAC Day commemorations at the Mooroopna Cenotaph – the march begins at 8:45am from the former Mooroopna Water Tower in McLennan Street.
End of 2025 School Dates
From Sandhurst Diocese advice, our last school days for 2025 for students and staff will be as follows:
- Friday 12th December – Last day for students
- Monday 15th December – Staff Planning/Professional Development Day (Student-Free)
- Tuesday 16th December – Staff Planning/Professional Development Day (Student-Free)
- Wednesday 17th December – Friday 19th December – School Closure Days
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. 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.
Recent update: Due to the large number of students attending before school supervision, they now access the library from 8:00am to 8:20am. Students are then able to move outside until 8:30am on the concrete area. Then normal outdoor duty begins with students able to also access the junior and senior playground and basketball court from 8:30am to the morning bell.
Assembly 24th March
Principal’s Awards
24th March – Ruby Howell-Saunders
This week, the Principal’s Award goes to Ruby, who is very deserving of this recognition. Ruby’s ability to live out our Gospel values of love, understanding and respect by being involved with such interest and enthusiasm in our school events is inspiring. Your kindness and leadership set a wonderful example for others. Congratulations Ruby!
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 they not only miss out on learning, but they also lose some previous learning.
Ms V’s Inspirations
"Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is relax." – Mark Black
"Rest is the key to a peaceful mind and a productive day." – Unknown
“Let your light shine before others.” – Matthew 5:16
