From the Principal

Welcome to 2025

Welcome to the 2025 school year! A very special welcome to our Kindergarten families, new families, new staff joining St Mary's, and all of our existing families. I hope you enjoyed a wonderful Christmas and summer holiday break and spent some precious time with your families and friends. 

The beginning of a new school year is always filled with excitement as children reconnect with their friends and classmates and share news of what they did in the holidays. 

Last week Staff had two busy days of Professional Learning.  We explored our Annual Improvement Plan, Our Vision & Mission, Code of Conduct, Child Safety Standards, Emergency Procedures and set up the school to welcome students back to school.

We have many important events to look forward to this term:

Beginning of the School Year Mass: next Friday 14th February.

Swimming Carnival Monday 17th February.

P & F Welcome BBQ 20th Feb, Parent-Teacher Interviews Year 1-6 Week 4 17/2 & Week 5  23/2,  Kindergarten Interviews (TBC), when Best Start results have returned, NAPLAN Yr 3 & Yr 5, Confirmation Enrolment evening, Armidale Show and Easter, to name a few!

 I look forward to seeing our families at these events. In 2025 together, we will create wonderful experiences and foster a sense of belonging for all in our school community.

Kindergarten students started today!

We warmly welcomed our new Kindergarten students today, Friday 7th February.  Starting school is such a big milestone and we look forward to supporting our new students and their families as they embark on their learning journey with us. Today, was the beginning of a journey filled with learning, growth, and cherished memories for all of our Kindergarten students.

Beginning of School Year Mass -  Friday 14th February at 9:15 am in the Cathedral

Our first K-6 whole School Mass for 2025, is Friday 14th February starting at 9:15 am in the Cathedral. At Mass Father will bless the badges of our newly appointed School Captains & Vice Captains, House Captains and Vice House Captains, officially commissioning them into their roles. We warmly invite everyone to join us in celebrating this important Mass. 

Swimming Carnival Monday 17th February

Our Swimming Carnival is on Monday 17th Feb.  A Compass notice regarding the Swimming Carnival has been sent home to all families in Year 1 - Year 6 via Compass. We kindly request that you complete the consent process through Compass as soon as possible. 

Staff Mass Thursday 30th January

Our school staff gathered last Thursday for Mass to begin our 2025 school year.

Please read and reflect on Father Damien's Homily to the staff.

As we gather today for this opening staff Mass, we come together not just as educators, but as a community called to bear witness to the light of Christ in the lives of our students and each other. Our readings today are filled with powerful imagery that speaks to our mission, especially the Gospel from Mark we have just heard. 

In this passage, Jesus uses the metaphor of a lamp, saying, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a bushel, or under a bed, and not on a stand?” He challenges us to consider the purpose of a lamp: to provide light, to illuminate, and to reveal what is hidden. 

As we reflect on this passage, I invite each of us to consider our roles within this school, both as teachers and as beacons of light for our students. 

We are called to be lamps that shine brightly. But what does it mean to be a light in the context of our school community? It means fostering an environment where knowledge and virtue can flourish. Our students look to us not only for academic guidance but also for moral and spiritual direction. Like a lamp that cannot be hidden, we must let our faith shine in how we interact with one another and how we approach the challenges we face in education. 

Jesus continues by emphasizing that “the measure you give will be the measure you get.” This invites us to reflect on the generosity of our hearts and the dedication of our efforts. Are we truly giving our best? Are we fostering a spirit of encouragement and support among ourselves? Each interaction we have, each lesson we teach, offers a chance to measure out kindness, patience, and love. In a world often dimmed by negativity, let us strive to be generous with our light, knowing that what we give will be reflected back to us and multiplied in the lives of our students.

As we embark on this new school year, let us commit to cultivating an environment that not only strives for academic excellence but also embodies the love and teachings of Christ.  Let us work together to nurture a community where each student feels valued and seen, where their potential can shine as brightly as the lamp we carry.

Finally, let us remember that the light we carry is not our own, but a reflection of the light of Christ within us. As we fill our classrooms with knowledge, let us also fill them with the joy of faith. May we be instruments of His peace, guiding our students not just in their academic journeys but also in their spiritual growth. 

As we begin this year, may we be mindful of our calling as educators and as witnesses of Christ's love. Together, let us let our light shine in such a way that our school becomes a place of hope, inspiration, and transformation for every student who walks through our doors.

Let us pray for one another, that we may always walk in the light of Christ and help lead our students to that same light. Amen

2025 National Servicemen's Commemoration Day Service 16th Feb.

The Armidale and District National Servicemen's Association will be holding a Commemoration Service on Sunday the 16th of February commencing at 11am at the National Servicemen's Monument in Central Park Armidale.

The service is in remembrance of the national servicemen (conscripts) who were killed in action during World War 2 and Vietnam, who died during their service and those who have passed away since completing their military obligations.

St Mary's leaders have been invited to lay a wreath in memory of the departed national servicemen during this ceremony.