Principal News

"Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much." – Helen Keller

Our school community is thriving, and it's fantastic to see teamwork, dedication, and enthusiasm in full force! From exciting events within our school to students proudly representing us beyond our walls, there’s so much to celebrate. By working together in partnership, we achieve success more quickly and provide better outcomes for the most important stakeholders in our community - the students.

Thank you for taking the time to read this week's newsletter.

Hampton Rotary Friendship Awards

We were honored to welcome Geoff Tickner to our school assembly to present the Rotary Hampton Friendship Award to Remy & Max! 

For 25 years, this special partnership has recognised students who embody kindness, responsibility, fairness, friendship, and acceptance—values that make our school community stronger.

A huge congratulations to Remy & Max for being shining examples of these qualities! 

Castlefield Centenary - School Choir

This coming Sunday, the Bayside community will turn out at the Castlefield Reserve in Ludstone Street Hampton on Sunday 23 March from 11.00am for a once-in-a-century event – with St Mary’s Choir featuring!

Our choir will hit the stage shortly after 11am, so it would be great to get the school community their to support. St Mary's will also be hosting an information tent throughout the event. A special mention to Veronica Del Castillo for coordinating the choir, and to the many staff of St Mary's who will assist on the day! 

Athletics Trials

We will be holding our Senior School Athletics Trials for students in Years 3-6 next Friday, March 28th at Sandringham Athletics Track (Glamis Ave, Hampton). 

Year 3-6 students will need to be dropped off at the track by 8.45am and will walk back to school at approximately 12pm.

Thank you to our amazing sport staff Sam Sullivan & Nicole Jones for preparing the students for this event. Thanks to Ed Simpson who will be running the carnival.

Hoodie Day 2025

This Wednesday (26th of March) , we’re coming together to celebrate the beauty of diverse minds at St. Mary’s! Our students will be proudly wearing their hoodies over their school uniforms to show their support for neurodiversity. It’s a day to recognise and honour the unique ways in which each of us thinks, learns, and experiences the world. By embracing neurodiversity, we foster an inclusive environment where every individual’s strengths and differences are celebrated. Let’s continue to support and appreciate what makes each of us special, creating a stronger, more understanding community.

Neurodiversity is the idea that neurological differences, such as Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, and other cognitive variations, are natural and valuable parts of human diversity. Rather than viewing these differences as something to be fixed, neurodiversity encourages us to celebrate the unique ways in which individuals process and experience the world. It acknowledges that people think, learn, and interact in different ways, and these differences contribute to a more creative, innovative, and inclusive society. Embracing neurodiversity means fostering understanding, acceptance, and support for everyone, regardless of how their brains work. Thank you to Annie Walker for leading this important initiative for the community 

St Patrick's Day Mass

A group of our Year Leaders today represented the school at the annual St Patrick's Day Mass & Concert in the Park event.

In 2025, the theme for Catholic Education Week is  'Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you (Is 60: 1)'. 

Thank you to our incredible student leaders!

NAPLAN

A huge well done to our Year 3 and Year 5 students for completing NAPLAN! We are so proud of the effort, resilience, and determination you’ve shown throughout the assessments. Thank you to our teachers and families for your support in making this a smooth and positive experience. Now it’s time to celebrate your hard work!

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is a nationwide assessment that helps track student progress in reading, writing, language conventions, and numeracy.

Special shout out to Bridie Kelly for coordinating the testing this year! A huge effort. 

Spelling Mastery

Starting Term 2, students in Years 2-6 will learn spelling through a new program called Spelling Mastery, a differentiated and research-based program designed to build strong spelling skills.

Spelling Mastery uses Direct Instruction, a structured, teacher-led approach that equips students with effective spelling strategies. The program helps students understand the relationship between sounds, word parts, and spelling patterns, supporting their development as confident and proficient writers.

Through Spelling Mastery, students learn to spell using three key methods:

• Phonemic Approach: Students learn predictable spelling patterns by understanding the relationship between sounds and letters.
• Whole-Word Approach: Students master commonly used words with irregular spellings, such as friend, answer, and people, which cannot be easily sounded out.
• Morphographic Approach: Students learn to combine smaller word parts, called morphographs, to spell a wide range of words and apply spelling rules effectively.

We are excited to implement Spelling Mastery and support our students in developing strong and lasting spelling skills!

Premier’s Reading Challenge!

The Premier’s Reading Challenge is back for another year, running from March until the first Friday in September. This exciting initiative encourages students to develop a love of reading by completing a set number of books and recording their progress online. Since its launch in 2005, more than 4.5 million students have read over 63 million books!

Next week, students will receive their login details. If your child would like to participate, please follow the steps below:

How to Log In:

Your child’s teacher will provide a Challenge username and passcode—keep these details safe!

1. Go to the Challenge application and select the School/Student button.
2. Select the VPRC login option.
3. Enter your username and password.
4. Select Login.

We encourage all students to take part in this wonderful opportunity to explore new books and build a lifelong love of reading.

Building Resilience

Resilience is a key life skill that helps children navigate challenges, bounce back from setbacks, and develop confidence in their abilities. At school and home, we can work together to build this vital trait in our young learners.

What Does Resilience Look Like in Children?

A resilient child doesn’t give up after a mistake, manages big emotions, and tackles problems with a ‘can-do’ attitude. They may not always get things right the first time, but they keep trying! Mistakes are a natural part of learning, and as adults, our role is to guide children through them - not to bail them out.

How Schools and Parents Can Work Together

Fostering resilience is a partnership between educators and families. Here are some strategies to strengthen it in our children:

🔹 Encourage a Growth Mindset – Help children see mistakes as learning opportunities. Instead of “I can’t do this,” encourage them to say, “I can’t do this yet!”

🔹 Model Problem-Solving – When challenges arise, guide children to think of solutions rather than just fixing things for them.

🔹 Teach Emotional Regulation – Simple strategies like deep breathing, mindfulness, and naming emotions can help children manage stress and frustration.

🔹 Promote Independence – Allow children to make age-appropriate decisions and take responsibility for their actions. At times the world can be a unfair place, and it is important that our children have the skills to navigate this. 

🔹 Celebrate Effort, Not Just Results – Praise perseverance and hard work, not just achievements, to reinforce the value of trying. This is particularly important on the sporting field! 

🔹 Maintain Open Communication – A strong school-home connection ensures that children feel supported in all areas of their lives. Regular check-ins and open conversations help reinforce resilience-building strategies.

By working together, we can equip our children with the skills they need to thrive - now and in the future! 

Steele