Dear Parents,

What a wonderful Community Day we had on Friday, celebrating all our Fathers and special father figures at St Mary’s. It was such a show of strength for our community, and how important it is to ensure we have opportunities to celebrate and be with our precious children. A huge thanks to Lisa Galvin for her excellent leadership and organisation of the breakfast and activities for our families to have fun spending time together.

Our wonderful Prep students led our Father's Day reflection and were inspirational to all in the confidence they demonstrated and the way they were shining and flourishing. Thanks to our wonderful faith leader, Natalie Dullard, for her excellent work with our Preps.

Fathers and father figures play a critical and distinct role in children’s lives and the evidence demonstrating fathers’ potential to positively influence their children’s health, social success and academic achievements is indisputable.

Current research shows that targeted and universal interventions aimed at promoting positive parenting behaviours and fathers’ engagement significantly improve child outcomes and prevent harmful and anti-social behaviours. Thanks to all our community for coming along and joining in celebrating our fathers and special people.

A huge congratulations to our senior students on a great performance at the District Athletics last Thursday. We are so proud of all of your great efforts and congratulate all students who have proceeded to the next level.

Marketing and Promotion

The best marketing tool for our school is word of mouth. We would love you to promote our wonderful school to any interested and potential families.

Please promote that we are an inclusive community where all families are welcome and we have a concessional fee policy for all health care recipients and any families suffering financial hardship.

We are having a dedicated marketing campaign where we are offering a chance to win a scholarship for any parent who successfully refers a family to our school. If you refer a family, you will go in the draw to win a scholarship for your family fee for the 2024 school year.

Places are limited for 2024, so please let any prospective family know so they don’t miss out as we will be keeping our class sizes to a minimum to ensure we provide an excellent learning environment for all.

A letter is being sent out on Operoo explaining our current marketing plan.

Please try to fill out the MACSSIS survey emailed out to families last week. We highly value your feedback.

I am heading away on two weeks' leave and leave the school in the capable hands of Acting Principal, Sue Jackson, and our wonderful leadership team.

I will be walking 125km on the Camino in Spain with some Principal colleagues from our Peninsula network. The Camino is the oldest and most significant pilgrimage in Europe. A Pilgrimage is a meaningful journey to a sacred place. It provides the opportunity to step out of the non-stop busyness of our lives to seek a time of quiet and reflection.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our leadership team on leadership@smhastings.catholic.edu.au . I will return in Term 4 to continue to work in partnership with you to ensure your children shine and flourish in all that they do.

A reminder that Term 3 finishes on Friday 15th September at 1pm.

Yours in Partnership,

Gab

P & F News

Raffle tickets and money due back Wednesday 13th September - Drawn at the Spirit of St Mary's Award Presentation 12:30pm Friday 15th September in the hall.