Principal's News

Term 3 – Week 3 Highlights

🧓🏽 👴🏻 👵🏿 👨‍🦳 👩‍🦳 100 Days of Prep👴🏽 👵🏼 🧓🏿 👨‍🦳 👩‍🦳

Last week, our Prep students celebrated an exciting milestone—100 Days of Prep! Students dressed up as if they were 100 years old and took part in a variety of fun activities, including a visit from some friendly farm animals. It’s incredible to reflect on just how much growth and learning takes place in the early years of schooling. We are privileged to be part of our students’ foundational learning journey and to witness their development firsthand.

🎭 Year 6 Theatre Experience

Our Year 6 students were invited to a special preview performance of Guys and Dolls at Padua College. It was a wonderful opportunity to see live theatre in action and experience the magic of the performing arts—from the music and acting to costumes and set design. We thank Padua College for the invitation and for organising transport for the students.

🕊️Confirmation Reflection Evening

On Wednesday evening, our Confirmation candidates and their families joined with the St Joseph’s Crib Point community for a reflective and meaningful evening in preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation. It was a lovely event filled with learning, faith and connection. Thank you to Natalie Dullard and the team at St Joseph’s for their thoughtful organisation. We look forward to the celebration of Confirmation this Sunday at the Immaculate Conception Church at 10am. All are invited to join us on this special occasion.

👶 Staffing Update – Welcome and Farewell! 💐

On Tuesday, we farewelled Monica Smith, our wonderful 3/4 teacher, as she begins maternity leave in preparation for the arrival of her second child. We send our warmest wishes to Monica and her family as they step into life as a family of four—what a special time! We’re sure little Noah will be a fantastic big brother!

Moving forward, 3/4SW will become 3/4PM, with some new and familiar faces stepping in:

• Teagan Pyne will be joining us to teach the class on Mondays. Teagan is already known to many at St Mary’s from her time working as a CRT and we are excited to welcome her more permanently.
• Khris May (formerly Woodward!) will continue to teach the class from Tuesday to Friday, providing consistency and a strong connection for the students.

A big thank you to both Khris and Teagan for their support and commitment—we know our students will continue to thrive under your guidance

🎒👶 Prep 2026 – Welcoming Our Newest Learners!

Naomi and I have had the privilege of sitting down with many of our 2026 Prep students and their families, and we are thrilled to welcome them into the St Mary’s community! 

We’ve enjoyed meeting lots of new families, as well as reconnecting with returning ones. It’s already clear that these future Preps will bring joy, curiosity, and a love of learning to our school.

If you know someone who is still considering enrolling their child for Prep in 2026, please encourage them to apply as soon as possible. Our enrolment numbers are high, and we are quickly reaching capacity. We would hate for anyone to miss out on the opportunity to join our beautiful school community. They can contact the office on 59791959 and our lovely Nicole Fletcher will assist them. 

We can’t wait to begin this exciting journey with our newest learners! 

🎣 Congratulations, Paxton!

Pax had a fantastic evening at his very first Westernport Angling Club Presentation Night! He proudly took home awards for Heaviest Bream, Most Meritorious Catch, and was crowned Junior Champion Angler 🏆.

As if that wasn’t enough, he also won first prize in the raffle—what a night to remember!

Well done, Pax! We are so proud of your achievements and look forward to hearing more about your fishing adventures! 🎉🐟

✨ Share Your Celebrations! ✨

Families, if your child has a special occasion or achievement outside of school—whether it’s in sport, the arts, a hobby, or community involvement—we’d love to hear about it! 🎉

Please email details and photos (if you'd like to share) to principal@smhastings.catholic.edu.au.Let’s celebrate the amazing things our St Mary’s students are doing beyond the classroom! 🌟