Principal's News
Dear Families,
As part of our Year Six Graduation each year, we award the Spirit of St Mary's Award to a student who has consistently demonstrated the RICH values of the school, promoting the school vision and these values within our community. From 2022, this award will have alongside it two other graduation awards, that have been generously sponsored.
The St Mary’s Student Leadership Awards are designed to recognise and celebrate outstanding students that represent different qualities which are valued within the school and broader community.
Invisible Courage Award for Resilience
At St Mary's we encourage student from Prep onwards to develop their 'growth mindset', to have a go and to remember that when we can't do something at first we can remind ourselves that "We can't do it YET!"
The St Mary’s Invisible Courage Award for Resilience has been established in memory of Líadan Rolfe, a former student of St Mary’s who died in September 2020, aged 21.
There is a plaque in her memory on the wall of the parish Memorial Garden, adjacent to the school basketball court.
Líadan always gave her best in everything she did and stood up to challenges when it would have been easier to step away. She was creative, laughed often and made friends wherever she went by being herself and accepting everyone as they were.
She knew that everyone struggles with something sometimes. Líadan advocated for others when they perhaps felt unable to do so for themselves.
The Invisible Courage Award for Resilience will be awarded to a student in Year Six each year at the Year Six Graduation Ceremony. The recipient of the award will be a student who has demonstrated resilience and determination.
The Invisible Courage Award for Resilience is in recognition that the most important things in life often start with something small and invisible – be kind to each other, believe in yourself and rise each time you fall.
We would like to thank Louisa and Richard Rolfe and Rolfe family for generously sponsoring this award.
St. Mary's Community Foundation Award
The St Mary's Community Foundation is a trust set up by the estate of a parishioner of St Mary's Parish. The foundation generously put forward a proposal to sponsor this new award.
The St. Mary’s Community Foundation Award is to be presented to a Year 6 student who has demonstrated a commitment to Social Justice in St Mary’s School or wider Community.
The Award acknowledges the student’s application of Catholic Social Teachings; Care for our Common Home; Dignity of the Human Person; Preferential Option for the Poor and the Common Good.
In the months prior to this Award being given, Year Six students will identify a charity in the wider community for support and assistance. This will be communicated to the St Mary’s Community Foundation Board, which will make a donation of $1000 to the chosen charity.
Parents and Friends Committee - Thank you!!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! to the many parents who helped last Saturday at the Bunnings Sausage Sizzle at Mentone. We are so appreciative of you giving your time to help support our beautiful school. By all accounts it was an incredibly successful day, so successful in fact that several runs to the supermarket to restock the sausages was required! A special thank you to our PnF Coordinator Malina Curry who coordinated to day and also helped on the stall throughout the day. The imminent springtime and sunshine on the day brought everyone to Bunnings Mentone, and our generous parents helped raise valuable funds for our school. All proceeds will be going towards the completing of the upgrade to our Imagination Garden, which will hopefully commence in the September school holidays. Stay tuned for more information on this exciting new project!
Battle of the Boots
Of course tomorrow is the legendary Battle of the Boots at Boss Street Reserve. With a barmy 19 degrees and sunshine forecast for the day (finally!) and a strong team of up to 40 players on the team, the scene is set for what is an enormous fundraiser for the year - all of which will continue to to toward to upgrade of our playground spaces and facilities for the students of St Mary's to enjoy! There will be St. Kilda FC inflatables and face painters for the kids, as well as a BBQ, bar and canteen. Formalities will commence on the ground at 2pm, followed by the warm up and kick off.
Morning Arrival Time
Please note that school gates open at 8:30am each morning. We ask that parents please be aware that students who arrive on their own before 8:30am are unsupervised. At the moment there are quite a number of students arriving, particularly on bikes, sometimes 20 minutes before the gates open.
Matthew Sweeney
Principal