From the Principal 

Dear Families,

What an incredibly busy and exciting few weeks we have had here at St Mary's!

Last Saturday, we were absolutely blessed to hold our St Mary's Family Fun Day. It was an amazing community celebration that truly embodied all that is good in our school. A huge, heartfelt thank you must go to our dedicated P & F Leaders; Jeremy, Holly and Mel and all the volunteers whose tireless efforts ensured the day was a resounding success. Bumping in on Friday afternoon was seamless with the tents, tables set up and everything was ready to go for Saturday morning. Early Saturday morning was wet with lots of grey clouds and I prayed and hoped that the sun would shine through. The P & F team were not to be deterred, pushing the water off the top of the tents, setting up tables and lots more.  Many of us bonded over chopping up tomato, lettuce and, onions for the brave, in preparation for the delicious egg and bacon rolls and sausages. 

Of course the sun shone and so did our community. The playground was full of current families, past families and families joining us next year and beyond. I don’t want to single anyone out but cannot thank you enough for your time, energy, creativity and passion for our community. To see the children proudly singing, dancing and sharing their dog tricks with us all was just terrific. I congratulate our Year 6 leaders for welcoming everyone to the day, hosting shows and running various activities throughout the day, their confidence on a microphone will set them up for public life after school. Mr Millane, recovering from the dreaded camp lurgy, did a fantastic job organising the talent both of the human kind and canine kind, on the stage. The music was so much fun, as were his numerous jokes and public announcements. I am sure if he wasn’t our deputy he could be hosting shows on television or various media platforms. 

It was wonderful seeing our Taekwondo presentation. We love working with Sofia and her team and if you would like to join please see the community page for further details. Thank you to those families who gave so generously when bidding for the Art Auction. Mrs Perri’s work with the children is superb and I know each piece will find a special place in their new home. The variety of food on the day was delicious and a huge thank you to everyone for their contributions. Of course it would be remiss of me not to thank our special visitor who popped in to see the children and then had to go off to see more children close by. I know the P & F team will thank everyone personally.

I would also like to publicly thank and acknowledge our amazing staff. They allowed each year level to showcase their talent and together with the children allowed one or two to perform on Saturday. This was all done in between explicit teaching and action packed school weeks. To have so many of them pop in on the day, speaks volumes to them as professionals and their commitment to each of you and our community. We are blessed to have each one of them. It was truly a memorable day for everyone. Please see the Parents & Friends page for photos. 

Yesterday our musicians showcased their talents. We congratulate these students and thank Ian for his work with them. We also thank our supportive audience who respectfully watched and listened throughout.  

This morning we had out final Prep 2026 Orientation and it was a calm and highly organised space. We wish each of the children and their families a happy end to their pre-school days and a Merry and safe Christmas and January. We can't wait to get to know each of you as you 'officially' join our St Mary's family next year. 

This evening we have the Year 2 sleepover, which Miss Jacquie has prepared the students so well for. They are going to have the opportunity for lots of fun and challenges.  We also thank Miss Raffaele and Mrs Borgese for staying overnight to support the students and to Mr Millane who will arrive early tomorrow morning. We can’t wait for the photos and to hear all about it. 

Our Year 5 students are preparing to embark on their leadership program, taking the first significant steps towards becoming the school leaders of 2026. 

Our Year 6 students are busy preparing for their Graduation. We encourage them to take this time to pause and reflect upon their primary years at St Mary’s, a time of friendship, learning, and faith in action. 

Thank you to Bella, a proud member of our crochet club. We love out necklaces and bracelets. You are so thoughtful. 

I had the pleasure of some proud Prep students sharing their mathematical learning with me, as they learn about and record tens and units. 

We are currently gathering donations for our St Vincent de Paul Christmas Hamper drive. This initiative is a beautiful way for our St Mary's community to share God's love and generosity with those who may need extra support this festive season.

Finally, our thoughts and prayers are with the Fischer family as they mourn the recent loss of their uncle/great uncle, Mr Steve Martin. He will be remembered as a kind, caring and endlessly positive man who touched many lives and will be deeply missed. May they find comfort and peace during this difficult time and know that they are in our prayers and hearts. 

Take care and wishing God's blessings and peace upon each of you. 

Mrs Cathy Ferrari