Dear SMCM Community, Wominjeka!

Welcome to the 2025 School Year!

A special welcome to our 92 Prep students and all the new families joining our school community this year!

Despite the warm start, we have had a wonderful first week with our students as we settle into new homegroups and routines, meet new teachers and friends and catch up on all the holiday news!

2025 School Theme

In 2025 our school focus comes from the 2025 Jubilee theme Pilgrims of Hope and is inspired by St Mary MacKillop’s words “Be Calm and Full of Hope”. Mary’s call to "be calm" encourages inner peace and composure in difficult situations, while "full of hope" suggests an unwavering faith that things can improve and that a positive, hopeful attitude is crucial for overcoming obstacles. Calm and Hope are words of action. In 2025, we are invited to embrace calm in the face of challenges and to hold onto hope, believing in a brighter future for ourselves and our community.

Traffic Safety around our School

This year our staff and student numbers have continued to grow. It is essential families follow the road rules at all times when picking up and dropping off your children including parking appropriately. Patience and consideration are required by all community members during this busy time in our school.

No parking zones on Farmhouse Blvd & Redding Rise – these areas are strictly drop off and pickup zones. You can not park and get out of your car. Children should not be called to enter a car parked in the middle of the road.

Staff carpark – Please do not enter the staff carpark at pick up and drop off times. As a staff we have exceeded our current staff carparking. Parents or students who require the disabled parking should only enter the carpark if leaving the vehicle to enter the school. Parents entering and exiting the carpark at these times causes additional safety issues and traffic congestion.

Pedestrian Crossing – Please utilise the Pedestrian Crossings. Crossing between parked cars and moving traffic puts our children at risk.

Be considerate of our neighbours – please do not park in or over the driveways of the neighbouring properties.

Our children are always watching! They model their behaviour on the adults in their community. Please help model the correct behaviour for our students.

Congratulations to Ana from Extend who has accepted a position as Area Manager. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Ana who has run our Out of School Hours Care Program for the past seven years. Ana provided an outstanding prorgam and showed a genuine care for our students and school. We welcome Kristian as our new OSHC co-ordinator.

We offer our thoughts and prayers to Sheetal, Sandeep and Inaya (Peace Homegroup) on the passing of Sheetal's father in India over the holidays.

We offer our thoughts and prayers Kristie, Robert, Jack (Pilgrims Homegroup), Emma (Greenfields Homegroup) and Thomas on the passing of Kristie's father last week.

Jocas, Eladio and Huey (Hope Homegroup) new baby girl Livvy

Please continue to share your family news with us so we can celebrate or acknowledge this with our community.

Communication

This year we will be moving to a fortnightly newsletter. Each week we will post the 'Weekly What's On' via the Audiri App for a summary of key events and reminders for that week.

I look forward to another great year together as a school community!

Claire

Principal

claire.pitcher@smcmeppingnth.catholic.edu.au

Child Safety