Dear Parents and Carers

I hope your week has been going well. As the year unfolds, we often find ourselves caught in the busyness of everyday life, balancing homework, after-school activities, work, and family commitments. It can feel overwhelming at times, but it’s comforting to remember that we don’t journey alone. Our school community is a place of connection, where we support one another through both the challenges and the joys.

Recently, we celebrated the Feast of the Assumption, a beautiful reminder of Mary’s special place in our faith. Her Assumption into heaven is not only a celebration of her unique role, but also an invitation for us to reflect on the love, devotion, and sense of belonging we experience within our families. Grandparents Day was another wonderful example of this; a day filled with thanks for the generations who help shape our children’s lives.

As Fr Josh reminded us at Mass that we can always turn to Mary in prayer and find comfort in her care. Please know that here at St Mary’s, our door is always open.

Book Week

Our Book Parade and Book Trivia was a huge hit with students, staff, and families this week! It was great to hear the excitement in our students as they arrived dressed as their favourite book characters. From classic storybook heroes to modern-day favourites, the creativity on display showed just how much our students connect with the magic of books. 

In the afternoon, our classrooms were buzzing with friendly competition as students took part in our Book Trivia. It was great to see the teams working together to answer questions and share their book knowledge.

Reading is such an important part of learning, and events like these help us nurture a genuine love of books in our students. By celebrating reading in fun and engaging ways, we hope to inspire our students to keep exploring new stories, ideas, and building their knowledge and vocabulary.

We’re also excited to share some very special news — our 2026 school musical production will be Finding Nemo! We can’t wait to showcase the incredible talent of our students and bring this much-loved story to life on stage.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined in the fun and helped make the day such a memorable celebration of Reading at St Mary’s.

First “Dip into Kindergarten” Session

We recently held our first “Dip into Kindergarten” session, giving our 2026 starters a wonderful opportunity to experience what big school will be like at St Mary’s. The children explored classrooms, met some of our teachers, and engaged in fun, hands-on activities designed to make them feel comfortable and confident in their new school environment.

We have two more sessions to go, each providing valuable opportunities to support the children’s transition to school. These sessions help familiarise students with routines, the classroom environment, and school life, ensuring they feel prepared and excited for their first day in 2026.

We look forward to welcoming all our new Kindergarten students and seeing them grow as part of the St Mary’s community!

School Uniform Update
Thank you to all families who shared their feedback on our school uniform. We are excited to let you know that there was strong support for introducing an additional jacket option, a soft shell style. We are currently working with our supplier, and once details are finalised a sample will be on display at the school. The jacket will be available for purchase directly through the school ready for 2026.

We are also partnering with Hip Pocket and Moruya Coastal Workwear to ensure our school logo is consistent across all uniform items. While this process may take some time, it will mean a sharper, more unified look for our students in the years ahead.

Our students represent the school each and every day through the way they wear their uniform. We are proud of the sense of belonging our uniform brings, and we are excited to continue strengthening this tradition with these positive updates.

Key Events Term 3
Our annual Father’s Day Breakfast will be held on Friday 5 September from 7.30am to 8.30am outside the Hall. All students are welcome to invite their fathers, grandfathers, uncle or special friend to come and receive a bacon and egg roll for breakfast to celebrate Father’s Day. The breakfast is prepared by the Staff at St Mary’s. (There is no cost involved). To help us with catering, please complete the quick survey below and let us know how many breakfast rolls your family will need by Friday 29 August. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/L69Y6WF

After breakfast, we invite you to stay for a special Father’s Day Liturgy, led by Kindergarten, in the Hall starting at 9:00am.  

• The Sacrament of First Eucharist is taking place Saturday 13 September at 5.00pm.
• Open Classrooms will take place Monday 22 September, from 2.00pm – 3.00pm. Parents will be invited to share in the learning in classrooms.
• St Mary’s is celebrating the end of Term 3 with a Disco on Thursday 18 September. All students are invited. Parents are welcome to drop their children off at the school Hall at 5.00pm and pick up at 6.30pm. Staff will be supervising the children.
• St Mary’s Talent Show: Thursday 25 September at 9.00am in the Hall

 Blessings on the week ahead.

Warm regards
Jo

Johanna Wain
Principal