Principal

Dear Parent and Carers,

💫 2026 Enrolments

Enrolment interviews are being held this week and beyond for 2026. If parents know of families considering St Mary’s for Year 7 and Foundation it is important to contact the College as soon as possible. 

💫 St Mary’s Learning & Teaching 

At the Catholic Leadership Centre Melbourne today Mrs Wood, Director Learning & Teaching; Mrs Patterson, Primary Curriculum Leader and Mrs Pearce, Primary Literacy Leader presented St Mary’s journey from 2021 to 2025 on the changes made to improve student learning. There were representatives from many MACS schools in attendance. St Mary’s was invited to be a presenter following MACS Curriculum Leaders visiting our College classrooms to witness the impressive quality of explicit teaching at St Mary’s. 

- Presentation 

- Implementing the VFI (Vision for Instruction)

- Creating a consistent learning journey for our teacher and students.

2021-2022

A commitment was made by the Executive and staff to move to the Macquarie University MultiLit methodology – an evidenced based literacy researched program that uses data to improve results. The decision required investment in staffing, professional development training and program resourcing.  The new curriculum journey began with focusing on F-2 students after identifying that a number of younger children were not meeting minimum literacy standards.

2022-2023

It was clear ‘the shift’ that was required, a ‘one in all in’ commitment if the transition to a whole College approach was to be successful. Staff agreed, which then led to professional learning being evidence-based as the pedagogical framework with teacher modelling essential. Each classroom displayed LI – Learning Intention and SC - Success Criteria to develop consistent teaching approaches, particularly in teacher language across primary and secondary classrooms. 

The Initial literacy results were amazing from Year 1 to 2 over 2022/23 and clearly demonstrated that the approach to improve student literacy results is a success. The growth for many students was excellent. There was still much work to do to ensure there is classroom alignment, but this was to be expected, especially when adopting a new approach to learning and teaching.  

2024 – VFI

MACS released the archdiocesan Vison for Instruction (VFI), a system wide approach to explicit teaching through a “coherent, integrated academically competitive and distinctly Catholic educational offering. “(MACS VFI p4). College professional learning focused on the Why and the What of explicit teaching. Using the previous work done in primary classes, secondary teachers could see the improvement of VFI in F-2, which showed an upward trend in standardised testing results. Of note was the improvement in Year 3 Numeracy – the largest % increase of any MACS school and the VCE General Maths Unit 3/4 results with a medium score of 38 placing the class in the top 10 of all VCE schools in Victoria. 

2025

This year teaching staff have been focusing on the How of instruction, ensuring lessons are sequenced and clearly linked to assessment. In teams an inquiry process was established focusing on trial – implement – observe – evidence – celebrate.

Future

There will always be challenges when working to improve learning outcomes. Upskilling, developing learning walks for teachers to observe peer teaching; engaging in more student voice for learning and ensuring data analysis drives learning outcomes will ensure St Mary’s continues to be a Catholic College of Academic Excellence

💫 Rotary Dinner

Mrs Gordon and I had the honour of accompanying College Captains, Sophie Munro and Cooper Shearer to the Seymour May Rotary Dinner. Sophie and Cooper gave glowing speeches about their roles, pride in St Mary’s and the influence that St Mary’s staff and students have on their lives. We felt privileged to be in the audience and proud of our College leaders who are excellent ambassadors for St Mary’s, especially with the return to Year 12. 

💫 Building Works

• The VCE Centre is on schedule with roofing to follow framework.

• New cricket nets are under construction. They will be fully enclosed with artificial grass pitches and net dividers.

• Draft plans for two new Science classrooms are nearing completion.

• An outdoor volleyball court along with landscaping will be added alongside the hall and  VCE Centre. 

💫 Mercy Kindness - yesterday, today and tomorrow. 

St Mary’s has a strong emphasis on kindness. Kindness is a word that is not foreign to our students. Our older students know the very reason why our wonderful College exists due to the extraordinary generosity and vision of Catherine McAuley all those years ago in Dublin, Ireland. The legacy of Catherine’s kindness permeates in our College as it does in all Mercy heritage schools and across the Australia wide Mercy Health network. 

The modern story of Mercy began with the founding of the Order of the Sisters of Mercy in Dublin in 1831 by Catherine McAuley, who dedicated her life to serving people in need. The story of Mercy Health has been operating in Australia for 105 years.  Catherine McAuley was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1778. Dedicating her life to caring for the poor, particularly women, Catherine established the House of Mercy in 1827 — a facility built to house and educate poor women. In 1831, Catherine made her Profession of Vows and created the Order of the Sisters of Mercy, “Sisters of Mercy should be particularly kind — the kindest people on earth, with the tenderest pity and compassion for the poor.”   Catherine McAuley.

💫 Wellbeing and Kindness

St Mary’s staff under the leadership of the Wellbeing team have made significant and positive changes to student Wellbeing by developing the primary and secondary Positive Behaviour for Learning Matrixes, a Behaviour Management Policy that is clear and based on restorative practices, rights and responsibilities. The College has a wraparound holistic approach and students are aware that there are consequences for inappropriate behaviours as much as they are aware that often but not always ‘it takes two to tango.’ 

Our College is proud of our standards and expectations for behaviour and the importance of kindness. Children and teenagers are not perfect souls – none of us are but when issues happen, they are addressed in line with our policies and if there is need in consideration of a student’s personal circumstances. Although all students know that as tough as life can be there is a right way to treat others. 

Autumn has been kind with sunny days. The drought word is not a word anyone living in rural areas wants to hear. When my family lived in Cootamundra (Riverina/Southwest Slopes) I saw first hand the devastation from the last major drought – the effect on families and businesses was hard on everyone.

Each week Fr Eugene leads at Mass the Prayer for Rain. May the heavens open, especially for farmers in the Western district of Victoria. 

🌧️ Prayer for Needed Rain   Heavenly Father, maker of all things and protector of your people, look upon us in your love and give us your help. Open the heavens for us and give us the rain we need. Teach us to live for you and to share your gifts with others. Father hear us in our need, for we come to you through Christ our Lord. AMEN.  🌧️

Best wishes

Wayne Smith

Principal

DipEd (ACU) DipREd (ACU) Bed (ACU) GradCertEdAdmin (Edith Cowan) 

GradDipREd (ACU) MEdAdmin (Charles Sturt) MTheoStudies (BBITAITE)