Principal Announcements

The Joys of Winter

We hope everyone enjoyed the long weekend with the King’s birthday holiday.

As we move into the heart of Winter, we are invited to slow down and notice the quiet blessings this season brings. The crisp mornings, the softer light, and the comfort of gathering together all offer a gentle reminder of the importance of rest, gratitude, and connection.

Winter can be a time to pause and appreciate the simple moments — a warm meal shared at the table, children wrapped up in coats heading off to school, or the comfort of home after a busy day. In these everyday experiences, we are reminded of the warmth that comes not just from the season, but from the people and community around us.

May this Winter be a time of renewal and reflection for all our families, and an opportunity to nurture wellbeing, kindness, and togetherness.

The Golden Rule – Learning Through Stone Soup

At our recent assembly, students listened to the much-loved story Stone Soup as part of our continued focus on The Golden Rule: "Treat others as you would like them to treat you."

The story reminds us of the power of cooperation, generosity and community. Although each villager initially had very little to offer, when everyone contributed what they could, they created something wonderful together. The message is a powerful one for our students – when we work together, share our gifts and support one another, we can achieve far more than we can alone.

Throughout the week, classes have reflected on how cooperation helps create positive relationships and stronger communities. Whether in the classroom, on the playground or at home, working together respectfully allows everyone to feel valued and included.

Encouraging Cooperation at Home

Families can help reinforce this important message by:

• Encouraging children to help with household jobs and family responsibilities.
• Playing board games or participating in activities that require teamwork.
• Discussing ways family members can work together to solve problems.
• Praising children when they share, compromise or assist others.
• Modelling cooperation by working together on family projects and decisions.

By working together at school and at home, we continue to help our children grow into caring, respectful and cooperative members of our community.

Safeguarding and Wellbeing Professional Learning Day

CESL schools participated in a system-wide Wellbeing and Safeguarding Professional Learning Day on Friday 5 June 2026. The day formed part of the ongoing commitment to strengthen student wellbeing, embed evidence-based behaviour routines and practices, and ensure compliance with safeguarding requirements across all schools.

Healing Mass

We are incredibly proud of our Student Leaders who represented St. Mary’s so beautifully at the Justice and Healing Mass held at St. Mel’s Church as part of National Reconciliation Week.

Our students participated reverently throughout the Mass, with several members of our choir sharing their gifts through song and helping to create a meaningful and prayerful celebration. Their respect, leadership and commitment were a wonderful reflection of our school values.

We were also delighted to see the beautiful artwork created by our students displayed during the Mass, adding a thoughtful and personal contribution to this important occasion.

Thank you to the students and staff who were involved, and a special thank you to Catherine for her organisation and support in preparing our students for this significant event.

School Review

Last week, St. Mary’s completed our School Improvement Tool (SIT) Review conducted by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER). This week we have completed the Catholic Identity Review. The reviews have provided a valuable opportunity to reflect on our achievements, celebrate our strengths, and gain important insights that will help shape the strategic directions of our next School Improvement Plan over the coming three years.

The review team acknowledged the strong commitment of our staff, students and wider school community, and the process has provided us with clear guidance as we continue to enhance learning, wellbeing and faith formation outcomes for all students.

I would like to sincerely thank all staff, students, families and community members who contributed their time, perspectives and expertise throughout the review. Your involvement and support were invaluable, and we look forward to working together as we build on these insights to continue strengthening St. Mary’s into the future.

Catholic School Parents Victoria – Supporting Families in Catholic Education

Catholic School Parents Victoria (CSPV) has been re-established to strengthen the voice of parents and carers in Catholic education across Victoria, recognising parents as the first educators and key partners in their child’s learning, wellbeing and faith journey.

CSPV is guided by a Council of parent representatives from across the state, ensuring that the diverse perspectives of families in Catholic schools are reflected in its work and advocacy.

We invite you to explore the CSPV website at www.cspv.catholic.edu.au where you will find a wealth of information and resources to support your parenting journey within Catholic education, including guidance on wellbeing, faith, learning and key issues impacting families. You can also subscribe via the website to join the CSPV community, receive the quarterly newsletter and be invited to upcoming events.

You can also connect with CSPV on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook to access valuable insights, updates and practical resources.

Together, we can continue to strengthen the partnership between families, schools and the wider Catholic community.

2027 Prep Enrolments

📢 Enrolments for 2027 closed 31st May – please contact the office for further assistance.

Parking and Road Safety Reminder

We kindly remind all members of our school community to observe all parking restrictions during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up times.

In particular, please do not park in the designated No Parking zones, including the area alongside the church. These restrictions are in place to ensure clear visibility for drivers, safe access for pedestrians, and the safety of all students, families and staff entering and exiting the school grounds.

While we understand that pick-up and drop-off times can be busy, adhering to parking regulations helps maintain a safe and orderly environment for everyone. We ask all families to allow a little extra time if needed and to use the designated parking areas available.

Thank you for your cooperation and for helping us keep our school community safe.

Aerosol Deodorants

For child safety reasons, aerosol deodorants are not permitted to be brought to school. We kindly ask families to support this guideline by ensuring students use roll-on deodorants as the preferred alternative. This helps maintain a safe and comfortable environment for all students.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

School Uniform

A reminder to all families about the importance of students wearing the correct school uniform each day, particularly in relation to footwear. Students are expected to wear black school shoes or plain black sneakers as part of their daily uniform.

We understand that many students enjoy wearing more colourful sneakers; these are welcome to be worn on designated PE days or special sports days.

Thank you for your ongoing cooperation and support in helping us maintain a consistent and respectful school uniform across the community.

Student Birthdays

We remind families of the importance of regular school attendance in supporting every child’s learning and wellbeing. Each day at school provides valuable opportunities for students to build their knowledge, develop routines and strengthen their connections with others.

While birthdays are a very special occasion, they should not automatically mean a day off from school. We love celebrating our students’ birthdays as a community and enjoy acknowledging these special milestones together throughout the school day.

Thank you for your continued support in helping us maximise learning time for all students.

St. Mary’s 90 Years Production – From Humble Beginnings – Let Your Light Shine

PLEASE NOTE DATE CHANGE

This year we are having a School Production on Wednesday 25th November. 

Seat bookings are now open and can be made at no cost via the link below. Families can book up to 3 tickets at one timeslot, any unallocated seats will be opened to all families 2 weeks prior to the production. 

https://www.trybooking.com/DLWKO

Gold coin is encouraged upon entry at the event.

Please read the parent/guardian letter sent at the end of term 1 for all the exciting details to celebrate our 90 years. 

St. Mary’s Alumni

As part of our celebrations for this year, we would love to hear from St. Mary’s Alumni – past staff, community members and students. We would love to hear about your past experiences of St. Mary’s. If you are willing to be involved, please contact the school office on 5825 2858 or email at office@smmooroopna.catholic.edu.au

Before School Supervision

Please note that all students that arrive at school prior to 8:30am must fill out an application via the link below. 

Before School Supervision

For new and casual before school arrivals, please complete prior to 4:00pm each day to enable student lists to be updated for the following morning. Before school supervision is for early bus travellers and parents/guardians who must attend work earlier than 8:30am. 

A reminder that students are not to arrive or be at school before 8:00am as they are not actively supervised. 

I appreciate everyone's understanding and cooperation regarding this.

Principal’s Awards

1st June – Nate Bale

Congratulations to Nate Bale for winning this week’s Principal’s Award. Nate excels with his effort and dedication to his learning. 

Well Done Nate, we are so proud of your efforts.

8th June – No award due to King's birthday holiday.

Attendance matters!

Every minute matters. This is a simple statement, but a true one. For every minute a child is at school they learn. For every minute they are absent they not only miss out on learning, but they also lose some previous learning.

Ms V’s Inspirations

"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." — Helen Keller 

"Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success." — Henry Ford

“Let your light shine before others.” – Matthew 5:16