From the Principal 

Dear Families

We hope you are enjoying the early spring weather, which has helped to make our last fortnight even more memorable. The Year 4 daffodils are blooming and are being enjoyed by us all. 

Our students have had so many amazing opportunities to discover the world around them and the part they can play in making the world an even better place. This week our students have had a focus on standing up against bullying, aligned with the  National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence, which has been renamed 'Bullying No Way: National week of action 12th to 16th August'.  The students through the lens of our three School Norms: Be Responsible, Be Safe and Be respectful, in their social and emotional learning have explored the role each one of them can play, as they care for their friends, families and school staff.  As a faith filled community we model ourselves on the person of Jesus Christ and how he treated those around him and try really hard to live this in our everyday. If we can do this in small ways, it can add up to changing the world! 

St Mary’s Primary School Olympics 

A huge thank you to Mr Speranza and our school leaders for Green and Gold Day.  I am really missing watching the Olympics and learning about the athletes, Paris and the world around us.  So many inspirational stories of so many people and you didn’t need a gold medal to be a champion, representing your country and competing in Paris was a huge accomplishment in itself.  Fortunately the Paralympics start soon, which I can’t wait for. We celebrated all things green and gold and I am still finding yellow feathers around the school grounds.  We love multi age activities and the skipping, Kahoot and games were enjoyed by all.  Skipping has now taken off at school, thanks to Mrs Kylie Mark’s our PE teacher. 

Italian Day 

This is always such a special day in the school calendar.  We are blessed to have Carmel Vozzo working with our students and community.  She has spent months organising the activities and securing ‘real woodfire pizza makers’, which was enjoyed by everyone.  Thank you to Anthony Speranza for supporting this day with timetables and the group organisation. Our staff morning tea and lunch is always a highlight and this year did not disappoint. Carmel, Anthony, Miss Jacquie and Ms Denise shared a delicious authentic Italian menu with us, including views of Rome and various parts of Italy in the background.  To hear the Italian language skills of each year level shared in the morning, speaks to the calibre of our program at St Mary's Primary School.  The students shared songs, role plays, stories and our school prayer, all in Italian and confidently using the microphone to do so.  Molte grazie  Olive e Nicole for leading our Italian Showcase.  Of course this day would not be possible without support from our families. Thank you to Louisa and the entire team! 

Hoop Time 

Basketball is so popular at our school that three teams represented St Mary’s Primary School on their day off!  A huge thank you to Anoushka, Craig, Rohan, Ms Kat Reade and the many parents who came to coach, score and cheer us on. Thank you Mrs Angela Mason for coordinating all the teams and the infrastructure to get us onto the courts. Each game our teams  improved and our students are to be congratulated for their spirit, determination and grit!  I received many positive comments from former colleagues and parents about the sportspersonship of our community.  Please read Jemima's reflection in Around the School. 

Prep 100 Days 

On Tuesday the whole community celebrated our Prep students being a part of our community for 100 Days! I was most surprised to find ‘an old’ lady wearing slippers in the Prep classroom. On the same  morning, whilst on duty I met several ‘old’ students, whom I didn't recognise and I wondered where our spritely Preps had gone. To see the confidence of each student as they paraded in front of the whole school, received their certificate and high fived the whole community was wonderful to see. Thank you to Mrs Daniela Borghese, who has just returned from her overseas trip this week and Mrs Rosemary Perri, with support from all of the Prep families for making this day so memorable. There were many weary Prep students and their teachers on Wednesday morning.  

The Pioneer 

A few weeks ago our senior students had an excursion to the State Library and the NGV.  Ava used the painting by Frederick Mc Cubbin to create a story called The Pioneer. I was delighted when Ava shared her original work with me yesterday.  In her own time, she undertook creating a backstory to the painting, as it left a big impression on her.  Please enjoy an extract of her text below.  Congratulations Ava, you have a gift for writing. 

An extract from The Pioneer by Ana Quinn 

“ I often thought about moving to the town but Joseph was certain about staying in the bush. Soon after Theodore’s fifteenth birthday, I fell sick. Joseph did everything he could for me, but since we didn’t live in town it meant no medical care. Joseph tried tirelessly to bring me back to good health, but everything came tumbling down, when he too fell sick…

Theodore

It’s been five years since my parent’s passing. I still visit their grave daily and share my troubles with them and tell them of the day's events.  I don’t expect an answer, but it still feels like they’re listening. My mother’s wish came true, of me finding good work. After they fell ill, I became interested in medical care and am now a doctor. I have a wife and kids and I teach them all I know. I do miss my parents, all those days in the river, running around the cottage with mum and cutting down trees with Dad. I miss them but I’ll see them again. Someday in heaven. “

Frederick Mc Cubbin: The Pioneer NGV 

Annual Report to the School Community 2023

You are invited to look at the Annual Report to the School Community for 2023, which has been uploaded on our school website. This report encapsulates all that we did in 2023, I encourage you all to read it. 

Monday 28th October - School Closure Day - TIMS - MACS

On Monday 28th October our entire classroom teaching staff with our leadership team, Anthony Speranza and myself have the opportunity to attend a Teaching for Impact in Mathematic Series (TIMS) day at the Catholic Leadership Centre. This initiative is in partnership with MACS (Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools), OCHRE education and Teach Well. This day is part of a series of face to face and online learning and resources providing professional support and resources to teachers and leaders to build high impact instruction into our classrooms and to accelerate the learning for all our students. We are really excited to be a part of this and thank you for your understanding with a school closure day. Their Care will be available to support families.

Next week 

Our Year 3 & 4 Camp meeting - Monday 19th August 3pm in the classrooms.

We look forward to Bishop Tony visiting our Confirmation students on Tuesday and their Reflection Day on Thursday 22nd August. This is all in preparation for their Sacrament of Confirmation on Sunday 25th August at 10:30am. 

Of course Book Week and the Book Fair are another yearly highlight. We look forward to seeing all things magical next week. 

Thursday 22nd August is our student movie night. Please see the P & F page for more information. This evening is always loads of fun. 

Keep Friday morning 7:30am - 8:45am free to join us for the Father's & Special Friend's Day breakfast, followed by a whole school Mass at 9:15am.

Take care and wishing God's blessings and peace upon each of you. 

Mrs Cathy Ferrari