Principals Report
Last week, I had the privilege of attending a Dialogue Day alongside our parish priest, Fr. Stephen, as part of a gathering led by Bishop Shane and Kate Fogarty. This important event brought together Catholic Education Sandhurst Ltd (CESL) principals and clergy from across the diocese to reflect on our shared mission and the vital role both parish and school play in the life of our local communities.
Throughout the day, we engaged in deep and meaningful conversations about how we can continue to strengthen the connection between our school, parish, and wider community. A key focus was on enhancing engagement with our families and community members so that our mission is lived out not just within our walls, but beyond them.
As part of this process, we also reviewed and revised our Shared Mission Agreement—a guiding document that outlines how we work together in faith and partnership. This renewed agreement will soon be enacted and will help shape how we collaborate to nurture the spiritual, educational, and communal life of our students and families.
Child Safety
At St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, the safety and wellbeing of every student is our highest priority. Our Child Safeguarding Policy reflects our strong commitment to providing a safe, supportive, and child-friendly environment for all children in our care. This policy outlines how we implement the Victorian Child Safe Standards, Ministerial Order 1359, and the National Catholic Safeguarding Standards (NCSS). It also guides the policies and practices we follow to prevent harm and respond to concerns, ensuring that every member of our school community understands their responsibilities in keeping children safe.
Our Child Safeguarding Policy supports:
- The creation of a safe and inclusive school culture
- Clear procedures to respond to and report any concerns
- Ongoing promotion and discussion of child safety across our school
- Compliance with all relevant laws and standards
We encourage all families to familiarise themselves with our policy, which can be found on our school website 'St Mary's Child Safety Policy' . Together, we share the responsibility of protecting and supporting the children in our community.
Next week marks Reconciliation Week, a time when we celebrate the indigenous culture. At its heart, Reconciliation is about strengthening our relationships with others - relationships with our friends, family, community, country and God. Reconciliation is a journey for all Australians, as we strive for a more just and equitable nation, where everyone is treated with mutual respect and understanding. When we unite together to build this mutual respect and understanding, we shape a better future for generations to come.
Enrolments for 2026 are now open! Existing families who have a child who will begin Foundation next year are invited to collect an Application for Enrolment pack from the Office. We’d appreciate it if you could spread the word about enrolling at St Mary’s and all of the fantastic things we do here throughout the Inglewood and Bridgewater communities.
Kind Regards,
