Dear Families

We have had another action packed fortnight to be proud of. Our students are so fortunate to be able to participate in so many varied activities. I often wish I could stop being a principal and sit in on an Italian class to learn about Momo and Coco with the Preps, and learn how to make dumplings with our Year 4s did last week at St Mary’s College Food Tech department and read the script in character for our upcoming Magic Treehouse: Pirates Past Noon Kids, with our senior students and be creative in many of our art projects. Alas being a principal is what I must do, to keep things moving for our community.

Junior Mass: Sunday 30th May 5:30pm

It was wonderful sharing our Junior Mass with the St Mary’s parish, a fortnight ago. Our Prep, Year 1 and Year 2 students read so confidently and participated in mass, reverently and respectfully. We thank those families who were able to attend.

Sacrament of First Eucharist

We pray for our Year 4 and parish students preparing for this Sacrament. We look forward to working in partnership with their families, as their first educators in faith. On Thursday 18th May we have our Family Faith Night at 6pm in the Year 5 classroom and Flexi space. Father Jerome, Jes Earle, Anthony Speranza, Maureen McDounald, Aoife McGuinness and myself have planned some engaging and faith forming experiences for all attending. Thank you to Jes, Aoife and Maureen for supporting this sacrament.

Uniform

Please note that we have added some additional items to our St Mary’s Primary School wardrobe. This is to give our students greater choice in what they would like to wear. We are in the process of phasing out skivvies over the next few years. If you have skivvies the students are more than welcome to wear them. Some of our students have chosen to wear navy pants instead of the tunic and they look and I am told feel terrific. Next week is our last week for summer uniform and all students need to be in winter uniform as of Monday 22nd May. Hats are no longer required for recess or lunch.

2024 Enrolments

Our Prep interview letters for 2024 have been sent out and I look forward to meeting with our prospective students and their families over the next few weeks. We are so proud of our 2023 Prep students and how comfortable they are at school now. I love popping into Prep B and having a chat with the students , sharing their learning moments and receiving feedback about the school and ways in which we can make it better and what they love about school. Their ideas never cease to amaze me!

Building Update

The concrete outside the Prep and Year 1 classrooms continues to be cut up and ready for removal. Monday 15th May and Tuesday 16th May, will be busy around the office area and parking out the front. Hopefully by the end of the week, the area is ready for the concrete pour. We hope the weather stays dry to allow this work to be done. We hope to be back in our learning spaces and Zen Zone areas soon and thank you for your understanding and support.

As we discussed at our School Advisory Council meeting last week, we had our landscaping plans drawn up last year and hope to focus on the front of the school to start with. Orion and Bela’s dad, Heinz, has been supporting us. Please see his ideas below.

As a small community Catholic school, St Mary's plays a huge part in our lives. The proposed landscape masterplan provides a great opportunity to expand on the arenas that learning and wellness can take place within the school as well as improve many functional needs across the grounds.

I would like to reach out to my networks in the urban design / landscape architecture industry to help us progress the works.

I am hoping to enlist help from interested practice or practices in the form of high level advice, consulting, time and materials.

I believe that certain components of the masterplan can be executed through a “grassroots community effort” where families and community members volunteer their time for planting etc. (as allowable)

I’d like to reach out to any other parents or family members that would be interested in helping volunteer or know anyone in the industry that might offer their help.

If anyone has any expertise or connections please speak with myself, Anthony or Heinz, to help us make this project happen.

HOLT Soccer Friday 28th April Caulfield Park & Cross Country Friday 5th May

We congratulate both our teams for making it to the grand final HOLT Soccer Lightning Premiership at Caulfield Park. Whilst we were not victorious this time, our students showed great sportspersonship and represented our school very well. We thank Mrs Mason, Mr Addicoat, Miss Denise, Miss Paula and Kat Reade for supporting the students to participate.

Cross Country - Bald Hill Park - Friday 5th May by Miss Aoife McGuinness

What a fantastic day we had at Bald Hill Park for our 2023 HOLT district Cross Country. Our students who participated were chosen to represent St Mary’s St Kilda East, from our interhouse Cross Country competition, and they did a wonderful job. We were blessed with the weather and the course was dry. It is a difficult course, so well done to those who completed it, this highlights your perseverance and resilience.

Congratulations to Indie and Leo on getting through to the Beachside division competition. This will be held on the 30th of May. We wish them the best of luck from all of us here at St Mary’s.

We would like to particularly thank the teachers Huda Abiad, Denise Santamaria, Melissa Eyers, Mrs Ferrari and parent helpers, Lizzie and Ruth who facilitated the running of a smooth day. Thank you to those parents who came to lend some moral support to those students running the course as well.

Well done to those students who came in the top 20 of their age group.

9/10 Year Old Boys

11th place - Alexander

17th place - Nirvaan

11 Year Old Boys

9th place - Alec

12/13 Year Old Girls

9th place- Brie

13th place - Josephine

16th place - Poppy

18th place - Matilda

In the background to our Cross Country success and all our sports and fitness is our Running Club. This is now moving to a cardio fitness games session on the main playground, all are welcome. We thank Lynn, Claudette and Lizzie for their enthusiasm and passion in organising this for our community. This is another activity I would love to do each week.

Year 5 & 6 Winter Sport

This Friday at Alma Park, our Year 5 and 6 students represent our school, playing football or netball in the HOLT Winter Sport competition. These inter school matches are a great way to meet students from other schools, whilst playing sport. The culmination of this program is the Netball and Football Lightning Premiership towards the end of term. Thank you to Aife McGuinnness for organising these matches and for the support of Chris Kidman, Simon Addicoat, Denise Santamaria and Paula Incretolli.

Australian Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships : Gold Coast 14th - 21st May

We wish Charlotta all the very best as she competes in these championships. We look forward to hearing all about them and can’t wait to see some photos.

Magic Treehouse: Pirates Past Noon KIds

We are all so excited about our school musical this year. Ms Jes Earle will keep us all up to date with this exciting extravaganza. Please read her page in the newsletter each fortnight to keep abreast of auditions, year level information, costume and scenery support and much much more. We thank Jes for sharing her God given creative talents with us. Please mark 13th of September in your calendar.

Mother’s Day/ Special Friends Breakfast & Mass

We are really looking forward to tomorrow morning. I have lots of photos of beautiful cards and surprises being made, but will share them in our next newsletter, as I don’t want to spoil the surprise. Have a wonderful day to these special people and much loved family members. We thank Louisa and many members of the P & F for their work behind the scenes, to make our morning the special event that it is. We have also had many kind donations and thank those contributors very much. On a personal note, enjoy your breakfast in bed with your children, dogs, crumbs everywhere and the odd argument or two as your children prepare to surprise you!

Staffing Update

We welcome Kala McInnes to our staff. Kala will be working as a Learning Support Officer and we look forward to working with her and all that she will bring to our community.

South Central Principal Conference in the Northern Trip 21st May to 26th May

In a fortnight I am handing over the reins to a highly capable Mr Anthony Speranza and thank him very much for this, whilst I attend our conference in Darwin. This conference provides a unique opportunity to expand our understanding of the Catholic Church's role in the lives of Indigenous communities by visiting an Indigenous community, Catholic school on the Tiwi Island and some of our contemporaries in the Catholic Education Northern Territory Diocese of Darwin Office. I look forward to sharing my experiences and new knowledge with the community, as l build my own capacity through this professional development.

Finally we keep Gabe, Lea and Philip and their family in our prayers and thoughts with the passing of Lea’s father. Our prayers are also with Mrs Chris Kidman and her family with the passing of her father-in-law. Please know that we are thinking of you all and send our love and prayers to each of you.

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

Mrs Cathy Ferrari

TheirCare Program