Principal's Report

Dear Families,

Welcome to Week 4! I hope you all enjoyed a restful weekend. This week brings one of Australia’s most iconic events, the Melbourne Cup, often referred to by Aussies as the race that stops a nation.

This year’s race was particularly special, with a female jockey, Jamie Melhan, riding the winning horse, a wonderful reminder of how far the sport has come in terms of diversity and inclusion. If you’re interested in learning more about the journey of women in racing, I highly recommend the film Ride Like a Girl, which tells the inspiring story of Michelle Payne, the first female jockey ever to win the Melbourne Cup.

The movie is not only uplifting but also features some incredible performances, including Michelle’s brother Stevie Payne, who plays himself as her strapper. With a stellar cast including Sam Neill, Brooke Satchwell, and a cameo from Magda Szubanski, this is definitely a heartwarming watch.

Whole School Updates

1. Chess Competition 

Over the next few Tuesdays, STMM will be hosting a Chess Competition to find our best Stage 2 (Years 3 & 4) and Stage 3 (Years 5 & 6) players. We are looking for six students to represent St Margaret Mary’s at a one-day tournament on Thursday, 4th December at St Andrews, Malabar.

2. Parish Feast Day – St Margaret Mary 

We warmly invite all families to join our parishioners on Saturday, 15th November for the celebration of St Margaret Mary’s Feast Day. Following Mass at 5:30 pm, the parish has extended a warm welcome to join them in the undercroft for refreshments and a chat.

3. OLSH Parish Raffle 

STMM will be supporting Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish to raise much-needed funds for the orphanage they support in Lospalos. Tickets will be sent home with the eldest child in each family, and I urge everyone to dig deep to support this wonderful initiative.

Our parish has provided all the prizes—and back by popular demand, the PlayStation is the major prize! Additional tickets will be available at the office for anyone with a large extended family. The winner will be drawn at our Christmas Carols Concert on Wednesday, 10th December.

4. Celebrating All Achievements 

During a recent conversation with a supportive parent, I was reminded that our school’s core business is education. While our staff are caring and empathetic professionals who support students in many ways, our primary function is to educate.

Although we aim to celebrate all student achievements, sporting success often dominates. For this reason, I encourage parents to send in a photo and brief message about any out-of-school achievements, whether in music, dance, drama, or academic enrichment programs such as UNSW’s GERRIC. Our newsletter is the perfect way to share these successes, and our community loves hearing about the diverse talents of our students.

Looking Ahead

Tomorrow marks a very special occasion, our first Kindergarten Orientation Morning! We are so excited to welcome our new families and those with siblings starting Kindergarten next year. The second session will be held next Thursday, 13th November, and we know the whole school community is looking forward to making these families feel at home.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership in making STMM a vibrant and inclusive learning community.

Warm regards, 

Kylie O’Donnell