From the Principal...

TERM 3 WRAP UP

What a busy and wonderful term it has been! Our students have shown great enthusiasm in their learning and embraced every opportunity to shine. This term we celebrated many special occasions, including First Eucharist, Book Week, Grandparents Day, Father’s Day Breakfast, Footy Day, and the very successful Fun-Raiser led by our Year 5/6 students. Each event not only showcased our students’ talents, creativity, and leadership but also highlighted the strong support of our families and staff.

There has been so much to celebrate—whether it was the joy of students sharing their learning, the excitement of dressing up for Book Week, the pride of families joining us for special days, or the generosity shown through our fundraising efforts. The sense of community spirit has been alive and well throughout the term, and we are grateful to everyone who contributed their time, energy, and encouragement.

A heartfelt thank you to our wonderful teachers and support staff, whose dedication, care, and hard work have made all of these moments possible. As we wrap up Term 3, we look back with pride at what has been achieved and look forward to all the learning, growth, and celebrations that Term 4 will bring.

FOOTY DAY FUN

Today our school was alive with colour and excitement as students proudly wore their AFL team colours to celebrate Footy Day. The morning kicked off with a terrific parade, followed by footy games and activities throughout playtimes and in the classroom.

A huge thank you to Miss Jennifer for her energy and enthusiasm in preparing such a fun-filled day – and good luck to your team if they are in the finals this year!

We are also so grateful to our wonderful Parents & Friends volunteers for providing lunch. A special shout-out to Hannah, Bianca, and Robyn for their organisation, and to Ryan and Stu for working the BBQs. What a great team effort!

END OF TERM MARKET

With so much happening next week, we’ve decided to move our usual End of Term Market to the start of Term 4 – and what a way to kick off the term! Our amazing Prep and Junior classes will be hosting a vibrant market, packed with fun, food, and plenty of community spirit. Make sure to join us on Thursday, 9 October for a fantastic morning of excitement, laughter, and celebration – a perfect way to start the term together!

HATS IN TERM 4

As we move into the warmer months, a reminder that from the beginning of Term 4 all students are required to wear a hat when outside in the yard. Hats can be purchased through the school office. Please ensure your child has a clearly labelled hat ready for the start of Term 4.

END OF TERM 3 REMINDER

Term 3 will conclude on Friday, 19 September at 1:00pm. Please make arrangements for your child’s early dismissal. After care is available from 1pm. We wish all our students and families a safe, restful, and happy holiday break.

Scarecrow Festival 2025 – Name Our Scarecrows!

The P&F are excited to announce a competition to name our scarecrows for this year’s Scarecrow Festival! Each class needs to come up with two fantastic names – one for each scarecrow. This is a team effort, so have fun brainstorming with your classmates and agreeing on the best names. Your teacher will be there to help you along the way! 

All entries must be handed in by Wednesday after lunch. The Rossmoyne Rummage Committee will choose the winning names, which will be revealed in the End of Term Newsletter. And here’s the best part – if your class has the winning entry, you’ll celebrate with a class pizza party next term! Get creative, have fun, and may the best names win!

CHILD SAFE STANDARDS

National Child Protection Week runs from 7th September to the 13th September.  As we approach this event I thought it timely to share the Child Safe Standards and showcase how our school puts these Standards into action. Over the next few weeks, I’ll highlight two standards at a time and share how we, as a school community, actively promote a safe environment and prioritise the wellbeing of all our students.

Child Safety Standard 3 

At St Mary’s we pride ourselves on student voice and agency. In line with our Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy and the Victorian Child Safe Standards, we ensure that children are empowered and that their views are taken seriously.

Our Student Leaders and SRC (Student Representative Council) provide important opportunities for students to contribute to decisions, represent their peers, and promote safety, inclusion, and respect across our school.

We are also proud to be connected with the Victorian Commission for Student Leaders, which amplifies our students’ voices and strengthens their ability to influence positive change. By embedding student voice through leadership and representation, St Mary’s demonstrates our commitment to Child Safe Standard 3: ensuring children and young people are empowered and have a say in matters that affect them.

Child Safe Standard 3 focuses on ensuring children understand their rights, have a voice, and know how to seek help when needed. At St Mary’s, our staff actively support this by helping students understand their right to safety, teaching what safe and respectful behaviour from adults looks like, and explaining how they can raise concerns for themselves or their friends.

Child Safety Standard 4

At St Mary’s, we believe that keeping children safe is a shared responsibility between the school, families and our wider parish community. In line with Child Safe Standard 4, we keep families informed about our Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy and regularly share updates through our newsletter and website. 

Parents and carers are encouraged to provide feedback and to be part of conversations about student safety and wellbeing. We also work closely with our parish and community partners to promote inclusion, respect and care for every child. Together, these partnerships help us create a culture where all children at St Mary’s feel safe, supported and valued.

At St Mary’s, we are committed to keeping families well-informed about the initiatives, policies, and programs we have in place to promote child safety and wellbeing. For families who would like more information, the Child Safety, Wellbeing, and other related policies can be accessed via our school website. We encourage everyone to review these policies to stay informed about how we ensure a safe and supportive environment for all students.