School News

Graduation Mass

As the year draws to a close, we are thrilled to invite all parents, families, and friends to our Graduation Mass and Whole-School Nativity Play. This special evening is an opportunity to honour our graduating Year 6 class, celebrate their achievements, and welcome the Christmas season.  

Following the Mass, a BYO Picnic dinner takes place, offering the perfect opportunity for our school community to gather, share stories, and reflect on the year’s blessings.

We encourage everyone to join us for this memorable celebration—a time to congratulate our Year 6 students as they prepare for their next chapter and embrace the spirit of Christmas together. We can’t wait to see you there!

End of Year Mass  Tuesday 16th December 6:00 pm (St Mary’s Church) 

*Estimated times

6:45 Student Awards 

6:50 Departures 

7:00 Graduation Ceremony  

7:10 BYO Picnic Dinner 

7:30 St Mary’s Casual Carols  

7:45 Pack Up 

2026 Fees

Last week, you would have received a letter outlining the fee structure for 2026. St Mary's School wants to ensure that our fee structure remains as affordable as possible while continuing to provide high-quality education and support for all our students. After careful review, there will be a small increase in school fees for 2026 (3.5%), with a focus on keeping costs manageable for families.

We understand the financial pressures that many families face, and our goal is to keep tuition and other levies as low as possible, whilst still maintaining the excellent programs and services that make St Mary’s a great place for learning. 

In welcoming news, St Mary's is pleased to announce Catholic Education Sandhurst Ltd will significantly reduce school fees and levies for families with a valid Health Care Card (HCC) in the upcoming year. The total annual fee will be reduced to $540 per student, which amounts to just $10 per week.

2026  Class Structures & Staff Roles

In order to cater to the needs of all individual students and deliver a high quality and evidence-based teaching & learning program, St Mary’s will continue to run a combined F-6 classroom in 2026. The combined classroom will have the benefit of three and four adults working with the students at any given time, creating a ratio of 1:4  for Literacy and Mathematics. All educators will continue to be involved in regular professional development to aid their ability to differentiate to each child’s learning needs. 

2026 Classes:

• Miss Tayla Fenwick and Mrs Cath Williams (F-6)

2026 Staff:

• Mr Stephen O’Shannessy: Principal, Learner Diversity, Religious Education Leader, Learning & Teaching Leader and Science Teacher
• Ibu Cath Williams: Grade F-6 Classroom & Indonesian Teacher 
• Miss Tayla Fenwick:  Grade F-6 Classroom & Learning & Teaching Leader
• Mrs Brianna Gleisner: Wellbeing, Behaviour and Mental Health Coordinator 
• Mrs Franceen Innes: Learning Support Officer and Pastoral & Wellbeing Support (Chaplain)
• Ms Ruby McLean: Learning Support Officer
• Mrs Sandra Coffey: Office Administrator

Office Hours

Our Office will be open from Tuesday, 27th January, for any parents who would like to purchase any last-minute uniform items before school commences for students on Friday, 30th January.

School Hours

Students can be dropped off at school after 8:30 am, where they will be supervised. We kindly request that students refrain from arriving on the premises before this time.

Out of Hours School Care and Holiday Programs:  

If you require out-of-hours school care, St Mary's will organise supervised transport to and from In2Schools, which conducts their business at Inglewood Primary School. 

The fees are heavily subsidised for families with a Health Care card. Contact inglewood@in2learning.com.au for further details or to sign up. 

2026 Term Dates 

Student Reports & Learning Portfolios

Our student academic Semester Two reports were sent home and released on PAM earlier in the week. Please take the time to read your child’s report. 

The Learning Portfolio forms a part of St Mary’s overall reporting process, which also includes work samples directly linked to the Victorian Curriculum completed throughout the year. These should be viewed in conjunction with the academic reports. Each learning task in the portfolio is assessed using a rubric that indicates the achievement of your child. 

Parents should be familiar with their child’s academic progress prior to receiving their reports. Teacher Learning Conversations occur each term and provide families with the opportunity to examine and discuss school-based testing and work samples. These meetings allow for the co-creation and monitoring of individual learning goals.

2026 Fee Concessions

St Mary’s School is pleased to announce that Catholic Education Sandhurst Ltd will significantly reduce school fees and levies for families with a valid Health Care Card (HCC) in the upcoming year. The total annual fee will be reduced to $540 per student in 2026, which amounts to just $10 per week. 

The discount will be automatically applied to your school fee account once you provide a copy of your HCC to the school office, complete a CSEF form, and set up a direct debit arrangement. If you've already submitted your HCC, completed the CSEF form, and have a direct debit in place, no further action is needed the discount will be applied automatically.

The CESL understand that many families have varying circumstances and in response to the rising cost of living expenses, are committed to supporting those who need additional assistance. Please be assured that this support is provided to ensure all students have the opportunity to thrive in our school community. If you have any questions or need further clarification, please contact the school office.

PAM Access

Important Update: Parent Access Module (PAM) Reopening with Enhanced Security

SIMON are pleased to provide an important update regarding reinstatement of access to the Parent Access Module (PAM), which is now available online via your web browser but not via the app. 

What’s New: Enhanced Security Measures

There has been a full password reset for all PAM users. When you next log on to PAM, you will need to reset your password by selecting the “Forgot Password” option on the PAM login page to request a new password link be sent to your registered email account.

A password guidance is set out below;

Password Requirements

• Password resets are mandatory for all users – as outlined above, users will need to use the “Forgot Password” option on the PAM login screen to request a new password link which will be sent the registered email account.
• Create a password with a minimum of 12 characters.
• Include uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.
• Reuse of the last two passwords is blocked.
• Common passwords (including username or email) are not permitted.

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

• MFA is still required for all users accessing PAM via the web.
• A 6-digit authentication code will be sent to the registered email address associated with your account. 

We are seeking support from families to help care for our school chickens over the holidays. If you have a suitable space at home to host them, or if you would like to come in and visit them during the break, we would be most appreciative.

Please let the school know if you can assist, as they will need to feed and collect eggs.