Principal Announcements
Newsletter 4 Term 1
Schools Clean Up Day – Friday 7th March
On Friday, March 7th, all classes participated in a Clean Up Day, spending time after lunch tidying their designated areas. It was wonderful to see the pride our students and staff took in caring for our school environment, working together to keep St. Mary’s looking its best.
A big thank you to everyone for their enthusiasm and effort! Moving forward, each class will continue to take responsibility for their designated area, especially when we need to manage extra
rubbish in the yard. To keep things fun and encourage ongoing care, we may even introduce spot prizes throughout the year for the cleanest spaces.
Anzac Day 2025
Anzac Day is a very important day for all Australians. Each year St Mary’s students march in the local ceremony, which starts at the water tower and finishes at the Cenotaph. If any students would like to take part they are asked to wear full school uniform meet at the water tower at 8:30am on Friday 25th April.
All students/families are invited to attend.
Parking Safety Reminder
We kindly remind parents and carers to avoid double parking, especially near the Emma Street gate. Double parking creates safety risks for our students and can obstruct visibility for both pedestrians and drivers.
To ensure the safety of all children, please use designated parking areas and follow road safety guidelines. Your cooperation and support in keeping our school community safe are greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your continued commitment to our students' safety.
Cross Country – Friday 14th March
On Friday, March 14th, we held our School Cross Country, and what a fantastic day it was! A huge thank you to Josh Preston for his outstanding organisation of this event. The students showed incredible determination and pride as they represented their houses, and it was truly inspiring to see their effort and enthusiasm.
We would also like to extend our gratitude to the parents, guardians, and friends who came along to cheer on our students and support them throughout the day. Your encouragement made the event even more special.
Well done to everyone involved—we are so proud of our school community!
Our Wonderful Wildlife!
Even our local friendly kookaburra took some time to enjoy our new values totems at the front of the school last week, admiring them from our ‘Let Your Light Shine’ sign. How lucky we are to live in country and enjoy our local wildlife.
Parish News
We all look forward to celebrating Mons Peter’s official Parish farewell on Sunday 30th March at the 10:00am mass with a luncheon afterwards in the Marian Centre. Everyone is welcome!
NAPLAN 2025 – Grade 3 and Grade 5 students
Our Grade 3 and 5 students have truly raised the bar with their incredible effort and engagement throughout the new NAPLAN setup! Their resilience and positive growth mindset have been outstanding, and we couldn’t be prouder of how they approached each test.
A huge thank you to all the staff who supported our students during this process, and a special shoutout to our Grade 3 and 5 teachers for their fantastic preparation and encouragement. Your dedication has made a real difference. Well done to our students for tackling the challenges with such a positive attitude—you’ve done us proud!
Enhancing Catholic School Identity (ECSI) Survey
On Monday 17th March, all families received a letter advising you of the opportunity to participate in this year’s ECSI survey. As this provides the school with valuable data to set future goals, your participation in this survey would be much appreciated. All details and access passwords are in the letter provided. The Survey closes on 28th March
🌟 New families 🌟
You're Invited to Our Open Day!
📅 When: Thursday, 1st May
⏰ Time: 11:45am – 1:30pm
📍 Where: Marian Centre, St. Mary’s Mooroopna
Discover all that St. Mary’s has to offer!
Join us for a warm welcome and presentation by our Principal, followed by guided tours of our school led by our amazing student leaders.
See our vibrant learning spaces, meet our dedicated staff, and experience the wonderful St. Mary’s community first hand.
Enrolments for 2026 close Friday, 30th May – don’t miss this opportunity to secure your place!
We can’t wait to welcome you to St. Mary’s Mooroopna!
Keeping Our School Safe: Child Safe Standard 7
At St Mary's School Mooroopna, we are committed to ensuring a safe and supportive environment for all students.
Child Safe Standard 7 requires us to have a clear, accessible complaints process that allows concerns to be raised and addressed appropriately. Complaints should be made directly to a teacher or Ms Vertriest —parents must never approach or speak to children about complaints.
All concerns are taken seriously, handled promptly, and reported to the appropriate authorities when necessary. Our policies ensure a culturally safe, inclusive process that protects privacy and prioritises student wellbeing. By working together, we can maintain a safe, respectful school community. For more information, please contact Gary Woodward, Child Safe Officer.
Reminder: Special Toys & Collectables at School
We have noticed an increase in special toys and collectables, such as ‘Cubeez,’ being brought to school.
While we understand the excitement they bring, they are causing concerns around safety, lost or damaged items, rubbish in the yard, and distractions from social play.
To support a safe and positive school environment, we kindly ask that these items remain at home. If brought to school, they should stay inside bags or the classroom during the day.
Thank you for your cooperation in helping us keep St. Mary’s a safe, clean, and engaging place for all students.
End of 2025 School Dates
From Sandhurst Diocese advice, our last school days for 2025 for students and staff will be as follows:
- Friday 12th December – Last day for students
- Monday 15th December – Staff Planning/Professional Development Day (Student-Free)
- Tuesday 16th December – Staff Planning/Professional Development Day (Student-Free)
- Wednesday 17th December – Friday 19th December – School Closure Days
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. 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.
Recent update: Due to the large number of students attending before school supervision, they now access the library from 8:00am to 8:20am. Students are then able to move outside until 8:30am on the concrete area. Then normal outdoor duty begins with students able to also access the junior and senior playground and basketball court from 8:30am to the morning bell.
Assembly 17th March
Principal’s Awards
17th March – Bella Walsh
This week, the Principal’s Award goes to Bella Walsh, who is truly deserving of this recognition. Bella’s exceptional ability to live out our Gospel values of love, understanding, and respect was brought to my attention by a community member. Bella, you are certainly letting your light shine by making our Preps feel so welcome at St. Mary’s. Your kindness and leadership set a wonderful example for others. Well done, Bella—we are so proud of you!
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 they not only miss out on learning, but they also lose some previous learning.
Ms V’s Inspirations
"Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle." — Christian D. Larson
"Every day is a chance to learn something new and grow a little stronger." — Unknown
“Let your light shine before others.” – Matthew 5:16
