From the Principal 

Dear St Mary's Families,

As we move into the second half of Term 3, there is plenty happening across our school community. Book Week is just around the corner next week, followed by our much-anticipated Art Week in Week 9. We will also take time to celebrate the special people in our lives with Father’s Day, before finishing the term with our much-loved Footy Day. There is lots to look forward to, and we encourage our families to keep an eye on the school calendar and communications for all the details.

I've pleased to report that I've heard from our Year 3 and 4 students who are having a fantastic time at YMCA Anglesea Recreation Camp, embracing every opportunity to challenge themselves, try new experiences and strengthen friendships. From outdoor adventures and activities to sharing meals, stories and plenty of laughs, it is  wonderful to see our students supporting one another and making memories that they will treasure.

A very special thank you to Mrs Mason, Mrs McDonald, Miss Kat and Mr B for giving their time and energy to make the camp such a wonderful experience for our students. Their care, encouragement and enthusiasm throughout the camp are greatly appreciated.

As a result of parent and student feedback, I’m excited to be preparing the re-launch of Tinker Club at St Mary’s — a hands-on lunchtime opportunity for students to pull apart old and discarded electronic or IT  equipment, explore what’s inside and learn more about electronics and how things work. If any parents have a keen interest in electronics, technology or tinkering and would be willing to volunteer during lunchtime from 1:40–2:20pm, I’d love to hear from you. Please email me directly. 

We’re excited to invite our 2027 preps, current siblings and local kinder students and their families to Connect with Prep at St Mary’s!  Across the coming weeks, we welcome our littlest friends to experience some of the fun, creativity and community that makes St Mary’s so special — from Book Week and Arts Week to African Drumming, Live Art and Italian Day.

These relaxed and engaging activities are a wonderful opportunity for children to begin making connections, meet some of our students and teachers, and feel right at home in our school community. Come, explore and connect with St Mary’s — we can’t wait to meet you! 

Register for any of the events here

P&F Leadership 2027 on beyond

After two awesome years as your P&F leads, Mel and Jez will be stepping down at the end of this year, and we're on the hunt for the next crew to take the reins alongside Bec!

Being part of the P&F leadership team is such a rewarding way to connect with our school community, you get to help shape events, support fundraising that directly benefits our kids, and work alongside a genuinely lovely group of parents and staff. It doesn't require any special experience, just a bit of time, some enthusiasm and a willingness to pitch in.

Whether you're keen to step into a lead role or just want to know more about what's involved, we'd love to hear from you. No commitment required at this stage, just a chat!

Our school community is only as strong as the people who show up for it, and we'd love for you to be part of what comes next!

BOOK TICKETS FOR FATHER'S & SPECIAL FRIENDS DAY and RETRO VIBES

There’s plenty of volleyball action happening at St Mary’s at the moment! Our Year 3–6 students are getting stuck into some fantastic volleyball sessions as part of their PE program, developing their skills, teamwork and game sense — and having a whole lot of fun along the way!

It’s fantastic to see our students serving, setting, spiking and cheering each other on, with plenty of energy and enthusiasm on display. A huge thank you to our amazing PE teacher, Mrs Braithwaite, for bringing such engaging sporting opportunities to our students and inspiring them to get active, have a go and enjoy being part of a team.

Buongiorno! We are excited to officially launch details for Italian Day which is at  St Mary’s on Thursday 15 October. Students will enjoy a wonderful day of Italian culture, including traditional dancing and plenty of Italian-themed fun. Students are also encouraged to get creative with their Italian costumes. Families are warmly invited to join us for the Fashion Parade at 2:30pm, followed by the traditional Italian dance performance at 3:00pm. Please see more information from Signora Vozzo attached.

Our latest Child Safe Standard 7 (see Child Safety page of the newsletter) update focuses on ensuring that processes for complaints and concerns are child-focused. This means creating a school culture where children feel safe to speak up, families feel confident raising concerns, and every concern is listened to, taken seriously and responded to with care, fairness and respect. We encourage all families to take a few moments to read this important update and learn more about how we work together to support the safety and wellbeing of every child.

We have a few staffing updates  to share as we look towards the end of the year.

Mrs McDonald will be taking leave for the final three weeks of Term 3. We wish her a restful break and look forward to welcoming her back next term. We are also delighted to welcome Mrs Borgese back to St Mary’s to reconnect with the Year 3 students. It is wonderful to have her back with us, and we thank her for supporting the school and our students.

At the beginning of Term 4, Ms Tovey will commence maternity leave. We wish her and her family all the very best as they prepare for this exciting new chapter. We are pleased that Mrs Borgese will cover Ms Tovey’s class for the final term of the school year, providing continuity for students and families.

Gymnastics Stars at St Mary's

A huge congratulations  to  two of our talented St Mary’s students, Zoe and Milla, who competed in Gymnastics competitions over the weekend and came home with some fantastic medals. 

Their hard work, dedication and commitment to their training have certainly paid off. We are incredibly proud of their achievements and love seeing our students pursuing their passions, challenging themselves and representing themselves and their families so proudly. Well done on a fantastic achievement and good luck for future comps!

Our Confirmation candidates are continuing their preparation for this important step in their faith journey. Following a wonderful Family Faith Night, they will now take part in their retreat day and be presented to the Parish community at the Senior School Mass before celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation on Wednesday 26 August at 6:00pm. We ask our school community to keep all of our candidates in their thoughts and prayers as they prepare for this special celebration.

Change of time: Senior School Mass: please note that the Senior School Mass will now be at the 10:30am mass, not the 5:30pm mass on Sunday 23rd August.

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

James Millane