Principal's Message

Wayne Wood

Principal

To our St Mary’s Community

Welcome to Term 2! Students and staff will attest that there is certainly no easing into Term 2. In just these first few weeks, we have held ANZAC Day commemorations, Parent-Student-Teacher Interviews, our Cross Country, Primary School visits and more. It is hard to imagine we also managed to fit two long weekends…and a bit of rain… in there as well! Life is busy; and we would not have it any other way.  

Term 2 is an important one academically for all students. At the end of this term all students will receive their Semester 1 Report. I invite all our students to embrace the challenges ahead of them this term, knowing that our teachers are with them completely. 

Parent-Student-Teacher Interviews

It was great to see so many parents and students taking the opportunity to meet with staff. Thank you to all parents and staff for the positive spirit of the evening. These interviews certainly open crucial lines of communication between parents and teachers.

Our next opportunity to do the same is in July, following the Semester 1 Reports. Historically, we see a drop in attendance at these interviews. I encourage you not to miss this opportunity. Please ensure you book your interviews and come along. 

ANZAC Day

I am always particularly proud to see the passion in which our students and staff come together to commemorate ANZAC Day. In keeping with tradition, we held a special ANZAC Day ceremony in our Nazareth Pavilion. In addition, St Mary’s students and staff also attended the Edmonton Dawn Service. I thank all staff and students who were in attendance. I also extend my thanks to the parents who supported their child’s attendance. 

It is important that our young people are able to reflect on their connection with their wider community and with their history. ANZAC Day provides them with a wonderful opportunity to do so. We want them to realise that they are intrinsically connected to each other and that they have a responsibility to support their fellow citizens. This is what community living is about.

Catholics, like most Christians, are people living in communion with each other. So while a personal belief in Jesus is essential, we also believe we are intrinsically connected with each other. Our faith cannot be an individual thing. We are therefore called to support each other. 

NAPLAN Testing

Next week our Year 7 and Year 9 students will sit their respective NAPLAN test over three days. I certainly encourage students to take part in this test and do their best. At the same time, I hope parents do not worry too much about the test. The information the NAPLAN provides is useful feedback for parents and teachers. It is a good tool. However, it does not test everything! 

NAPLAN does not test some of the most important skills of a young person – compassion, respect, resilience, a willingness to help and the ability to work well with others. I would encourage parents to speak to their child about trying hard and giving their best to the test, but also making them aware of what the test does not test for – and the importance of these skills. 

Family Connect 

It is important that you know that every parent has automatic membership to our Family Connect. The group meets on the third Tuesday of every month from 5:15-6:30pm in the Library. You are most welcome!

A priority for our Family Connect is to sponsor a ‘Parent Series’ (presentations/workshops) that support parents in their child’s learning. The topics for the presentations were generated from listening to parent suggestions.

Last term, Family Connect hosted a workshop focused on improving parent understanding of the Canvas Learning Management System. This Term, we will see workshops on ‘ATAR: What does this mean for Years7-9?’ and ‘Counselling Services: How can students benefit?’. I encourage you to come along and make the most of these opportunities. 

Happy Mother’s Day 

The month of May is traditionally associated with Mary, Mother of God. It just makes perfect sense that we celebrate Mary during the same month that we celebrate Mother’s Day. However, we perhaps forget to make this connection.  

As we live this month of Mary, may we also remember that whilst Mary hold’s significant titles such as Mother of God, Our Lady, Queen of Heaven etc, Mary was also Mary of Nazareth, wife of Joseph, mother of a boy and a person of faith. These names are perhaps more relatable for us. Mary faced many challenges that we, too, face, including the need to take on family responsibilities, practice patience with our family members, care, clean, teach, comfort, listen and more. 

These characteristics and duties of Mary are the very ones that our mothers so often practice. This weekend, we especially give thanks for our mothers and pray for their good health. May we also ask Mary, our Good Mother, to pray for us, that we may follow her example of faith, hope and love.

God Bless