Principal

-Spirit of God - 

Holy Spirt come 

Blow winds of change, breathe in our lives 

Stir in our hearts, shine through our eyes. 

Pour out your gifts, work through our hands 

And renew the face of this land. 

💫 The Sacrament of Confirmation was a great night. We welcomed Bishop Ramirez, and he spoke so well to the candidates and their families.  Fr Eugene supported Bishop Ramirez and was proud of the children as he is of St Mary’s.  Celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation is a sacred time of initiation, belonging and continuing to be strengthened through the gifts of the Holy Spirit that all candidates received at Baptism. Jesus promised the Apostles that he would send them the Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom; Understanding; Counsel; Fortitude; Knowledge; Piety; and Fear. These gifts will help and guide the candidates to live as Christ did and in the way he taught his followers to help others with kindness.  

St Mary’s College is a great school, and we value the presence of Fr. Eugene, our daily prayers in classes, Wednesday masses and our commitment to those who need support in our world. We value our Mercy (College) Values of Compassion, Justice, Respect, Hospitality, Service and Courage. The holistic nature of St Mary’s Catholic educates our students for life, nurturing a personal relationship with Christ and for our students to take the spirit and values of our College into their teenage and adult years.  

Confirmation brings with the celebration wonderful memories and my wish for the children who received the sacrament is that they be blessed with the kindness of Venerable Catherine McAuley, the wisdom of Saint Anthony of Padua and the courage of Saint Mary Mackillop. 

💫 Year 7 Enrolments 2026. 

There will be a waiting list for next year. Letters of Acceptance will be sent to parents before the end of term.  Foundation interviews are in progress. Classes across the years are filling up, as the local population increases.  

💫 Go Seymour 

People are starting to take notice of Seymour. I remember in my younger years the track down the old Hume Highway…a long two-way road trip to Melbourne from Albury. Seymour was popular for travellers along the Hume - the last stop before Melbourne or the first stop on the way back up to home. 

I have absolutely no doubt that Seymour will become the place to live in future years. My dad, a real country boy spent his childhood years swimming in the Murray at Albury. Dad loved country life and always said any town that has the three R’s will do well – Road, River and Rail. Seymour is lucky because it has what other places cannot create, that is, geographically it is one of, if not the best central location in Victoria. I call Seymour, the town that is an hour from everywhere. The beauty of Seymour is that even with substantial growth it will not lose is country feel. The landscape, the hills and valleys will always be in eyesight.  

In time, flood mitigation will be sorted, Mitchell Shire will value Seymour’s location and economic opportunity for the region, industry will come, and local businesses will continue to prosper on the back of population growth and economic stimulus. It will happen and at St Mary’s we are working hard to prepare for the College’s future, so our students have every opportunity to be successful in their career pathways. At St Mary’s we have a focus on the present and on the future for the benefit of our students and families.  

💫 Standards  

There is much commentary about student behaviour in schools, always a popular social and media conversation.  In the last Marian I mentioned that Australia’s is ranked very low out of 80 countries when it comes to student behaviours. Surveys and research of this nature must always be received with some caution – who was surveyed, who were the sample group etc – also how many of these countries had comparable factors. 

Over my 40 plus years in education, I have never shied away from tough love. Tough love has standards, expectations, rights and responsibilities. Tough love is pastoral in nature and has its foundation in the Mercy charism of kindness and service.  At St Mary’s we value the standards of our students.

💫 Stage 1 VCE Senior Learning Centre and Stage 2 Science Extension 

It is pleasing to know that the progress of works are on schedule. The roof will be completed within the week. ROAM architects are drafting landscaping plans. The building is large and will be fantastic when commissioned and so good for the future of at St. Mary’s. The cricket new nets weather pending will be completed by the first week of Term 3.  

💫 Stage 2 Science Extension 

The draft plans are very impressive and will be released to the College community once signed off for design and construction.  The College Advisory Council have been shown the draft plan with ROAM mixing the old with the new and incorporating the Monsignor Toms Science Centre within the new design. Landscaping will be similar to the VCE Centre and set a common footprint for future building development.  Mrs Melville (Director Business & Compliance Services) and I meet weekly with MACS, Moretto Constructions and ROAM for Stage 1 & Stage 2. 

💫 Stage 3 

The process for Stage notification takes time and the College will hear from MACs later in Term 3 as to the progression of the Stage 3 submission.  

💫 Work Experience 

Best wishes to our students on work experience next week. It is an important and essential component of the College’s pathways program. Students will be visited during the week to check on their experience and performance. Taryn Kneebone the new College Careers Coordinator has brought a wealth of experience in careers and the students have made connections and value Taryn’s advice and guidance. 

💫 Exams 

Mrs Wood Director Learning has increased the importance of secondary exam protocols. As students move through their secondary years having a good understanding of exam expectations and processes are important and can lessen unnecessary anxiety.  

💫 Our junior secondary AFL team were brave on Wednesday up at Wangaratta playing in freezing conditions.  Well done to the parents who made the trip up the Hume Freeway to support the team. Everyone was so pleased to be in their cars before a heavy down pour started.  

💫 Princess Park Carlton 

May this weekend be sunny with no wind and may the Carlton faithful remain strong. The tide will turn for the once feared might Blues. When I’m disheartened, I watch a replay of the 1999 Preliminary Final against Essendon or the 79, 81, 82 87 and 95 Grand Finals. Those were the days! 

Best wishes

Wayne Smith

Principal

DipEd (ACU) DipREd (ACU) Bed (ACU) GradCertEdAdmin (Edith Cowan) 

GradDipREd (ACU) MEdAdmin (Charles Sturt) MTheoStudies (BBITAITE)