From the Principal...

Welcome to 2025!

I am both humbled and honored to write to you as the new Principal of St Mary's Thornbury. The warm welcome I have received from each and every one of you has been truly heartening, and it’s clear to me that this is a vibrant, caring, and dedicated community. I am so grateful to be a part of it.

As I step into this role, I want to express my deep commitment to supporting the growth and success of our students and to fostering an environment where every member of our school feels valued and empowered. I am excited for the journey ahead, as we work together to build on the strengths of our community, embrace new opportunities, and continue to strive for excellence in all that we do.

The future is full of promise, and I’m excited to work alongside students, teachers, and families to shape it. Together, we will accomplish amazing things!

I am excited to work alongside St Mary's dedicated teachers, learning support officers and admin staff to foster a positive and enriching learning environment for all students. Their passion, commitment to the craft of teaching, and expertise is already evident to me.  They possess the qualities essential to ensuring every child feels supported, motivated, and empowered to reach their full potential. By collaborating closely, we will continue to build a space where creativity, curiosity, and growth thrive, providing a strong foundation for all our students' success. Together, we will continue to create an environment where every learner can shine.

It's been 10 days since the children in grades 2-6 returned for the new school year, and 12 days for our Prep/1 children.  They have all settled in beautifully to their new routines. and have been ever so welcoming to me!  

It is with great excitement that I welcome our new Prep students to their very first year of school. This marks a significant milestone in their educational journey, and we are delighted to be part of this important chapter in their lives.  This year will be full of fun, new friendships, and countless opportunities for growth, both academically and socially. We are committed to creating a warm, nurturing environment where every child feels supported and encouraged as they take their first steps into the world of learning.

I would also like to extend a heartfelt welcome to our Grade 6 students, who are embarking on their final year of primary school. This year is a special one, filled with opportunities for growth, reflection, and celebration as they prepare for the next chapter in their educational journey.  For them, it is a year of leadership, confidence, and personal growth, where students will have the chance to step into new roles, take on more responsibility, and leave a lasting impact on our school community.

I congratulate the following children who have been elected to assume student leadership roles in our school.

School Captain - Sophie Augustine

School Captain - Levi Jafer

SRC President - Alyssa Milidoni

Social Justice Captain - Abbey Charles

Sustainability Captain - Estelle McClowry

HOUSE CAPTAINS

Medici Captain - Duy Lu

Lourdes Captain - Ilias Petroulas

Polding Captain - Aidan Freeman

Vaughan Captain - Mason Biewer

I have no doubt that these leaders will lead with integrity, kindness, and a passion for making a positive impact in our school community. Best of luck on this exciting journey – we believe in you!

Last week, I sent home a 'Welcome Back' flyer containing information about the 2025 specialist days, daily routines, and timetables. I would like to apologise for a couple of staffing errors—I'll play my 'I'm still new!' card here. I feel quite remiss for not including Poppy Brennan our Learning Support Officers' list. Poppy is a long-standing and incredibly valued member of our team! Additionally, I mistakenly listed Marita Canning as a Learning Support Officer, when in fact, Marita is our wonderful  and very valued Digi Tech teacher.

Apologies again to Poppy and Marita!

If you missed this flyer please see the attached PDF.

OPENING OF THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR/ST MARY'S FEAST DAY MASS

This Sunday, we will celebrate the start of the school year and St. Mary's Feast Day during the 10:00am Mass. We warmly invite you to join us as we bless our St. Mary’s staff and commission them for the new school year. In a special ceremony, we will also recognise and present our student leaders and present them with their leadership badges.

In honour of our Feast Day, we will hold a procession with the St. Mary statue, which will conclude in the schoolyard. Following the procession, families and friends are invited to the school hall for a morning tea.

We would love for you to be part of this special celebration. If you're able, please bring a platter to share!

NEWSLETTER AND COMMUNICATION 

This year, the newsletter will continue to be released on Fridays and will be available on a fortnightly basis. This new platform for the newsletter offers a more personalised experience, allowing you to easily access the sections most relevant to you. In the coming editions, I will gradually expand the content, ensuring it includes important updates, celebrates student achievements, and highlights community initiatives.  

The newsletter will be sent out via email and as a link on the Operoo App. Please ensure that you have the app downloaded as all of our ‘day-to-day’ messages are communicated as a push notification, including all permission slips for excursions and school events.

SCHOOL PHOTOS

School Photos will be taken on Thursday February 27.  We kindly ask that all students wear their full school uniform for the occasion.  School shoes should be worn - not runners, and for those with longer hair, (below shoulder length), please ensure it is tied back, with hair ties and/or ribbons in school colors only.   

SCHOOL ATHLETICS CARNIVAL

Join us on Friday, March 14th for an exciting day of sports, fun, and community spirit. We’d love for you to come along and cheer on the students as they compete in various events. It’s going to be an amazing day filled with energy, teamwork, and celebration. Don’t miss out on the action – we can’t wait to see you there!"

PARENTS & FRIENDS

Earlier this week I met with the P&F executive team to discuss "all things P&F".  We set a date for the first P&F meeting that we will hold on Monday, Feb 24 at 6pm in the staffroom.  At this meeting, we will discuss the events for 2025, and hopefully have plenty of input from everyone on what the events will be, ensuring that everyone's ideas and suggestions are heard and considered. Additionally, we will be looking for volunteers to help make these events a success, so we encourage everyone to get involved and come along!