Principal News
Thank you for taking the time to read this week’s newsletter. There’s a lot happening around our school and plenty to celebrate. We’ve just wrapped up some great community events, and with the sunshine starting to show, there’s a lovely energy around the school.
Art Show
Last Thursday was a fantastic celebration of our community during our bi-annual Art Show! The creativity and effort from our students were outstanding. With over 500 attendees, our school looked amazing. Thank you to Mrs Daliah McLoughney, our wonderful art teacher, and to Mrs Michelle Perpina and the St Mary’s staff for their support. A big thank you also to the many parents who helped in the lead-up—mounting artwork and taking care of all the details. It’s great to have such strong parent support at St Mary’s. Congratulations to the auction winners, and we’ll keep the artwork on display for everyone to enjoy.
Grandparents & Grandfriends Day
Last Friday, we welcomed our Grandparents and Grandfriends for a special Mass in the church. Thank you to Mr Ed Simpson and Miss Rachel Ashfield for organising the day, and to our Prep students who led the Mass so well alongside Father Martin. Our visitors enjoyed spending time in classrooms afterwards and seeing the wonderful student artwork. It’s always special to have our extended families join us and share in school life.
Sporting Success
We’re so proud of our Year 3/4 basketball team, the St Mary’s Magpies! They recently won the regional championships after an exciting final that even went into overtime. Next stop—the state championships! A big thank you to Mr Fergal McGeough & Mr Charlie Clarkson for their coaching and to all the parents who supported the team. Go Magpies!
Playgroup
A reminder that our playgroup runs every Friday, and all children from birth to school age are welcome. Thank you to Mrs Georgie Bevenuto for running these sessions each week.
We usually have around 15 to 20 families join in for fun and learning. Please spread the word—everyone is welcome!
PSG Meetings
Our PSG meetings are an important way to make sure every student gets the learning support they need. These meetings also help us secure the funding that supports our students further.
Thank you to Ms Annie Walker for coordinating these meetings. Annie prepares and delivers over 40 meetings across a 2 week period. This is a massive time and work commitment. Thank you the class teachers and to the families for their support
School Marketing
Next Thursday, we’ll be filming and taking photos for new school marketing materials that highlight all the great things happening at St Mary’s. We’re also working on a refreshed website, set to launch later this year. It will give families a clear picture of what makes our school special.
Parents who’d like to help with some short video interviews next Thursday 30th October can email me at sanderson@smhampton.catholic.edu.au.
2026 Planning
We’re now well on the way planning for 2026, including class structures and enrolments. The school is positioning itself for further enrolment growth and we are experiencing demand for places in 2026 and beyond.
If your family is not returning in 2026, please let us know as soon as possible. This helps us manage our waitlist and plan for the year ahead. Thank you for your help with this.
Past Student Success!
We love celebrating the achievements of our past students. Recently, 9 of our former St Mary’s students were awarded leadership roles at Star of the Sea College. Our students continue to go on to great things, and given our size, we definitely punch above our weight! Well done, girls — we’re very proud of you.
Thanks
Steele