From the Acting Principal 

Dear Families 

As we move further into Term Two, our school community continues to be filled with energy, learning and connection. It has been wonderful to see students so enthusiastically embracing the many opportunities on offer across the classroom, sporting field and wider community. The weeks ahead promise to be equally busy as we continue to learn, celebrate and grow together at St Mary’s.

Last night, I had the pleasure of joining Mrs Daniela Borgese, Mrs Perri and some of our wonderful Community Leaders Mia, Christopher and Annie in meeting prospective families at Renown Kinder Parent Information Evening. It was especially lovely to see young families connecting so naturally with our students. Thank you to the families of the students who attended - having our students representing our school and reflecting our school qualities so obviously, is very powerful.

We are incredibly proud of the way our Year 6 students lead our Friday assemblies with confidence, enthusiasm and personality. Last week, due to the beginning of Senior Interschool Sport, that opportunity fell to Arabella and Josh from Year 4 - and what a fantastic job they did!  It is always wonderful working alongside our student hosts each week they arrive full of ideas, eager to contribute and always ready to bring energy and fun to the role.

A huge thank you to our Year 6 families for hosting the recent school Cake Stall, which was a tremendous success and completely sold out on the day. The generosity, baking talents and support of our community were on full display, with important funds raised to support the school. Events such as these are a wonderful reminder of the strong partnership between home and school that makes St Mary’s such a special place.

It has certainly been a sporty couple of weeks here at St Mary’s, with students enthusiastically representing the school across a range of events including the HOLT Soccer Lightning Premiership, HOLT Cross Country and Interschool Sport against St Joseph’s Malvern. We are incredibly proud of the way our students competed with energy, teamwork and respect throughout the fortnight. Well done to all involved, and thank you to the staff and families who supported these opportunities for our students. We look forward to hosting Our Lady of Lourdes tomorrow!

Child Safety  - 11 Standards, 11 

This month, our focus is on Child Safe Standard 3, which centres on empowering children to understand their rights, have a voice in decisions that affect them and know that they will be listened to and taken seriously. At St Mary’s, this is reflected in many aspects of school life from our student leadership opportunities and classroom discussions, to the way staff actively encourage student voice, feedback and participation. We continue to work to create a school culture where students feel safe, respected and confident to speak up, knowing their ideas, concerns and perspectives matter.

As we look ahead to tomorrow, we are excited to welcome families and special guests to our annual Mother’s Day and Special Friends Breakfast from 7:30am. This is always a wonderful opportunity for our community to gather, celebrate and acknowledge the important people in our students’ lives. Thank you to the P&F for their tireless energy and organisation to make this morning happen.

Following the breakfast, families are warmly invited to join us for Mass at 9:15am as we come together in prayer and thanksgiving. A special thank you to Mrs Perri and the P&F team, who has been working creatively alongside the students on a beautiful surprise that we are very much looking forward to sharing.

As we approach Mother’s Day, we extend our warmest wishes to all mothers, grandmothers and the many special people who nurture, guide and care for the children in our lives. We are deeply grateful for the love, support and encouragement you provide each day, and we hope this weekend offers an opportunity to celebrate and acknowledge the important role you play within our families and community.

   “To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.” 

– Dr Seuss

Dental Van

Unfortunately we have been informed that there has been delay with the Dental Van due to mechanical issue. We will let you know once we have more information. A huge thank you to Miss Kat who has been hard at work coordinating this important initiative.

Winter Uniform 

A reminder that from next week (Week 4), Monday 11th May all students are expected to be wear the full Winter Uniform.

Reminder School Closure: Friday 15 May

A gentle reminder that the school is closed on Friday 15th May as staff undertake a full day's training of the TeamTeach approach to Behaviour Management. This training complements and extends our established School Wide Positive Behaviours Learning approach (PBL) which has been embedded at St Mary's for several years. 

Have a wonderful week and enjoy the weekend with your loved ones.

Take care, and may God’s blessings and peace be with each of you as we journey through the year together.

James Millane