Community Wellness

SHINE  

Last Friday was another wonderful SHINE day. We began with mindfulness, learning how calming our minds and bodies can help us in different situations, including our equine therapy session at HorseHand. The girls showed great courage and enthusiasm as they learnt about trust, communication, emotional regulation, and self-awareness through their interactions with the horses. 

After lunch, we visited Echuca Police Station, where Youth Specialist Officer Shane Roberts spoke to the girls about cyber safety and making responsible choices online. The girls also enjoyed a tour of the station and learning more about the role police play in our community. 

We finished the day with reflection and downtime, giving the girls an opportunity to process their learning. We are proud of their engagement, curiosity, and willingness to challenge themselves throughout the program and look forward to our next SHINE day on Wednesday 4 November. Thank you to Mrs Pentreath, Tamie and Mrs Chapman for supporting this week, as well as The Caledonian for your ongoing support with our transportation!  

Tegan Reid  Family & Community Liaison  

SWEAT VS STEAM🏃 

Get ready to lace up your running shoes! The Sweat vs Steam community running event is coming up on 15 November, and we would love to see our SME learners getting involved. Families are reminded to use the discount code SMPSVS when registering for either of the children’s races. 

If your child has used the discount code and will be attending as part of the SME crew, please ask them to come and see me over the next few weeks. 

We are looking forward to a fun morning of running, community connection and cheering each other on!  

ATTENDANCE 

Our attendance data is looking strong as we move into the warmer weather, with overall attendance sitting above 92% this week. It's great to see improvements across many year levels this fortnight. A special shout-out to our Foundation and Year 1 students, who sit at 95% with some days having 100% of learners on site. This is a great effort, and we thank everyone involved in ensuring our learners are present. 

A reminder to all families that every day counts. Regular attendance helps students stay connected and successful in their learning. Well done, everyone!  

BEHAVIOUR 

We are pleased to share some positive trends in student behaviour across the school. Compared to 2025, High and Extreme Behaviour incidents have decreased by 31.5%, with only a small increase in Low and Medium behaviours noted. 

This shift indicates that fewer behaviours are escalating to the more serious levels, with children increasingly demonstrating the skills needed to regulate emotions, solve problems, and seek support appropriately. We thank our learners, staff, and families for working together to create a positive and supportive learning environment for all. The increased level of calm across the school has been recognised by prospective families, visiting allied health professionals, and Knowledge Society, creators of the Classroom Mastery routines and expectations we implement at St Mary's. 

We are looking forward to welcoming Jo Griffith from Classroom Mastery back to SME in Week 5 to observe our practices. We are excited to share her feedback and celebrate our progress with the community in Week 6. 

 Liz Chapman 

Deputy Principal: Community Wellness