Week 4, Term 4 2025 - 28th October 2025
Principal's Reflection
Living Our Mission Through Care
At St Mary’s, our mission is to nurture a community where every child is known, valued, and inspired to grow in faith and learning. Central to this mission are our school virtues: Encouragement, Care, and Respect. These virtues guide our actions, shape our relationships, and reflect the Gospel values we strive to live each day.
This week, I’d like to focus on the virtue of ‘Care’—a value that touches every part of our school life. Care is more than kindness; it’s a commitment to looking out for one another and taking responsibility for the spaces we share. Whether it’s helping a friend who’s feeling left out, checking in on someone who’s had a tough day or simply offering a smile, care builds the strong, compassionate community we strive for at St Mary’s.
Care also extends to how we treat our school environment. Our classrooms, playgrounds, and shared facilities are places where learning and joy happen every day. When we care for our equipment and spaces—by tidying up, reporting damage and using resources respectfully—we show pride in our school and gratitude for what we have.
I encourage all students, staff, and families to continue living out this virtue. Let’s be mindful of each other’s needs and take collective responsibility for keeping our school and wider community a safe, welcoming, and beautiful place to live, learn and grow.
All the very best,
Wes Rose
Principal
From our Principal | Mr Wes Rose
Staff News
- Mrs Cusack is away this week, as her father is unwell in hospital in Townsville. Mrs Rose (Mon-Tue) and Mrs Motteram (Wed-Fri) will teach the class in her absence.
- Mrs Belinda Battaia (Assistant Principal: Curriculum) is on Long Service Leave this week.
- Mrs Deb Quinn (school counsellor) is away this week.
- This Thursday, Mrs Ahwong and Mrs Brake will attend the regional Indigenous Professional Development session.
This Friday at St Mary’s: A Day of Reflection and Celebration
- This Friday, we come together to recognise two important occasions in our school community. Firstly, we honour Day for Daniel, Australia’s largest child safety education and awareness initiative. All students and staff are encouraged to wear a touch of red to show support and raise awareness about the importance of child safety. It’s a powerful reminder of our shared responsibility to look out for one another and ensure every child feels safe and supported.
- We also celebrate World Teachers’ Day, a special opportunity to acknowledge the incredible dedication, care, and passion our teachers bring to their work every day. To mark this occasion, we’ll be hosting a staff luncheon and treating our teachers to a morning coffee from the on-site van—just a small gesture of thanks for the big impact they make.
- In the spirit of community, our wonderful P&F Association will also be shouting 50 free coffees for parents on Friday morning. Be sure to stop by the van early to enjoy a coffee, courtesy of our generous P&F. Let’s make this Friday a meaningful day—celebrating care, safety and the people who help shape our children’s futures.
St Mary’s Shines at the ‘Run with Cathy’ Challenge
Congratulations to Nina, Flynn, Lexie, and Hudson, who proudly represented St Mary’s at the interschool Run with Cathy Freeman Challenge last Friday at Harrup Park. The team competed in the 4 x 100m relay, winning their heat with confidence and advancing to the final against five other primary schools. Nina got the team off to a strong start, holding her own against tough competition. Hudson and Flynn maintained the pace with determination, and a smooth final baton change set Lexie up for an exciting finish. She and Fitzgerald SS’s fastest runner left the line neck and neck, battling down the home straight. Lexie gave it everything, finishing a close second in a thrilling race.
In the individual 400m events, Nina won her heat but was placed in an outside lane for the final. Unfortunately, the starter’s hard to hear PA system meant she missed the jump, but she showed great resilience to fight back and finish fourth. Flynn also won his heat and entered the boys’ final with quiet confidence. He ran a smart, steady race and crossed the line in first place—an outstanding achievement! Thank you to Flynn, Nina, Lexie, and Hudson for your effort, sportsmanship, and teamwork. You represented St Mary’s with pride and spirit!
Quote of the Week
“How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”
- AA Milne
School Fees
Please note that school fees were issued on the 10th October and were due for payment on Friday 24th October 2025.
Please check the parent orbit app to see if you have paid your fees for this term. If you are on a payment plan, please use the fees invoice as a statement.
If you did not receive your fees via email, please don’t hesitate to contact me so that I can resend them to you.
If you have any questions in relation to school fees, please don't hesitate to contact me.
St Mary's Market Day
Reminder: Please bring in a gold coin to support our Mercy Works Fundraiser tomorrow!
Thank you for supporting this wonderful cause!
2026 Booklists
Just a friendly reminder that booklist orders for 2026 are due tomorrow, 29th October. Orders must be placed directly through Mackay School Supplies by clicking on this link.
PLEASE NOTE: Orders can still be placed after 29th October, however these packs will need to be collected directly from Mackay School Supplies located in the Mackay Showgrounds.
Book packs will be available for on Monday 1st December 8am-8:30am and 2:45-3:15pm in the School Hall.
If you have any queries, please contact Michelle at Mackay School Supplies on 0432 515 407 or ask at the school office.
Day for Daniel
🔴 Day for Daniel – Friday 31st October Let’s stand together for child safety awareness!
All students and staff are encouraged to wear an item of red to support Day for Daniel, a national initiative promoting child safety and protection.
☕ Plus! St Mary’s P&F are generously shouting 50 FREE coffees for parents attending Assembly. A coffee van will be on site from 8:00 AM, so come early, grab a cuppa, and join us in supporting this important cause.
Together, we can make a difference. ❤️
Christmas Book Fair
Looking for Christmas Gift Ideas?
St Mary’s will be holding a Christmas Book Fair starting on Tuesday 4th November, running for three mornings. It’s a great opportunity to find some festive reads and thoughtful gifts!
If you’re available to volunteer, please contact the school office.
St Mary's Christmas Fair
Fair Rosters
It's time to start planning our stalls for the Christmas Fair! Please click on your specific year level link and add your name/phone number into any timeslots you are available to assist.
There are 2 tabs - roster and information for the stall. Sweet stall includes some additional tabs.
If you have any problems accessing the files please feel free to contact the P&F at smm_pandfpresident@rok.catholic.edu.au or alternatively let your year coordinator know how you would like to assist. Thank you for your continued support of our school, it is greatly appreciated.
Year 1, 3 and 4 still need Coordinators - please let us know if you can assist.
Prep - Drinks Roster- click here
Year 1 - Hot Chips Roster - click here
Year 2 - Cent Sale Roster - click here
Year 3 - Popcorn/Fairy Floss Roster - click here
Year 4 - BBQ Roster - click here
Year 5 - Sweet Stall Roster - click here
Year 6 - Bar Roster - click here
Fair Raffle
Last week, fair raffle tickets were sent home with each student. Please return all money and completed ticket stubs to the school office by Friday, 14th November.
If you would like additional raffle books, they are available for collection from the school office.
IF YOU HAVE ANY RAFFLE TICKET BOOKS THAT ARE UNSOLD, PLEASE RETURN TO THE OFFICE.
Thank you for your support and good luck in the draw!
Fair Rides Wristband Presale
Wristbands are now available online only until midnight Tuesday, 11th November.
🎟 Families who pre-purchase can join the Presale Line at the fair for faster entry.
✅ Open to everyone – not just St Mary’s attendees!
Thank you to our Fair Sponsors
Lost Property
We have an abundance of water bottles, lunch boxes & other miscellaneous items in our lost property box.
Please encourage your student to check the box outside the office, if they are missing any of these items.
Student of the Week
Week 3, Term 4 Student Award Winners
| PC | Roman | Roman, your teacher is incredibly proud of your determination and persistence in writing this week. You were brave when sounding out and writing tricky words, and you reread your sentences to ensure they made sense. Keep being a writing superstar! |
| PC | Duke | For your wonderful performance on Grandparents Day. You sang, smiled, and used your signing hands so beautifully. Thank you for sharing your joy and talent with everyone who came. You made the day truly special for your Nanny! |
| PR | Charlie | For the effort you show during maths sessions. You are working hard to build your confidence with adding and subtracting to 20. Fantastic work! |
| PR | Spencer | For being a kind and thoughtful student. You show kindness and beautiful manners towards your peers and teachers. Thank you for being a wonderful role model and friend in Prep R. |
| 1B | Oskar | For the persistence and practise you put into number patterns and working out the rule in maths this week. You stayed positive and kept going. Well done Oskar! |
| 1B | Airlie | For bringing such a positive vibe to our classroom. You’re always thoughtful, caring, and ready to help others. What a great role model Airlie! |
| 1C | Class 1C | For exceptional behaviour and participation during our Queens Park Excursion this week. Mrs Cleaver was so proud of every single student. She loved the way you scientifically investigated all the push and pull forces in the park. Well done 1C! |
| 2A | Reshali | For always being a quiet achiever who consistently approaches her work with focus and determination. Your calm presence make you a valued member of the 2A classroom. Way to go Reshali! |
| 2A | Samuel | For the improvement in focus and readiness to learn you have made this week. Your engagement in class has made a real difference in your progress. Keep up the great work Sam! |
| 2L | Harper | Harper has shown a beautiful willingness to listen, learn, and grow this week. She approached her testing with quiet determination and focus. Keep up the amazing effort! |
| 2L | Cash | Cash has worked quietly and steadily during Soundwaves this week, showing great focus. His confidence is growing beautifully in Boost reading groups. |
| 3M | Luca | For always giving your best effort and working collaboratively with others. Your work is beautifully presented, and your positive attitude makes a real difference to our classroom every day! |
| 3P | Lindsey | For wonderful learning throughout our Iron Man novel study. You have shown great effort in answering inferencing questions and writing interesting sentences during our vocabulary writing session. Keep up the super work Lindsey! |
| 3P | Asha | For showing excellent effort and focus while learning how to write an information report during our English lessons. You are working hard to take notes and use them to write clear sentences for your report. Keep up the wonderful work Asha! |
| 4G | Class 4G | For a beautiful Year 4 Liturgy and open classroom. Those who spoke did so clearly and confidently, and everyone participated with enthusiasm and respect. Miss Graham was so impressed and is so proud of how beautifully you represented our class and school community. |
| 4R | Class 4R | For your wonderful participation in our liturgy this week. Each of you contributed with reverence, enthusiasm, and teamwork, helping to create a prayerful experience for your families and one another. Whether you contributed by leading prayers, reading scripture or supporting your classmates your teacher was so impressed by your efforts. Well done 4R, for sharing your gifts and making our liturgy so special! |
| 5C | Charlie | For your can-do attitude in the classroom, your unwavering willingness to learn, and your genuine desire to succeed — Charlie, you’ve truly earned this recognition. Your positivity, persistence, and drive inspire those around you every day. Keep reaching for your goals and showing us what’s possible when determination meets heart. Well done! |
| 5C | Theodore | For your kindness in being a good friend, your thoughtful care in looking out for others, and your maturity in seeking help and advice when needed — Theodore, you’ve shown what it means to be a supportive and responsible member of our classroom community. Your empathy and courage make a difference every day. Keep shining! |
| 5C | Nate | For your kindness in being a good friend, your thoughtful care in looking out for others, and your maturity in seeking help and advice when needed — Nate, you’ve shown what it means to be a supportive and responsible member of our classroom community. Your empathy and courage make a difference every day. Keep shining! |
| 5F | Santiago | For your fantastic effort on your religion assessment! Your growth in independence, focus, and attitude really stood out. Well done, Champ — keep up the great work! |
| 5F | Jayda | For looking out for others. It’s awesome to see you stepping up and doing what’s right—just like Jesus did—by being an Upstander instead of just watching from the sidelines. You’re making a real difference! |
| 6C | Ewan | For your inquisitive nature during Mathematics lessons this week. It is great to see the way you tackle a problem and ask questions to deepen your own knowledge and that of your peers. Keep up the great work Ewan! |
| 6C | Woodley | For your tireless dedication to your learning. You can always be relied upon to put in 100% effort and set a wonderful example for your peers in all that you do. Well done, Woodley! |
| 6T | Mitchell | For your impressive skills in tackling challenging math problems this week! You read each question carefully, identified the key information, understood what was being asked, and solved them with great accuracy. Keep up the excellent work, Mitchell! |
| 6T | Eirian | For showing exceptional leadership at Happy Hearts last week. You led your group with confidence, made sure everyone was included, and encouraged others to share their ideas. Your teachers were very impressed! Great work, Eirian! |
| Sport | Chet | For giving every skill challenge your absolute best, showing pride in your progress, and bringing boundless energy and happiness to PE this week! Your enthusiasm and determination uplifted those around you and made our activities even more fun. |
| Sport | Class 4G | For demonstrating outstanding focus, cooperation, and care during PE! You transitioned smoothly between activities, listened attentively to instructions, and worked brilliantly in your small groups. Keep it up. |
| Drama | Class 2A | For creating delightful digital photo stories and for trying your hardest while learning new and exciting technology skills. |
| Drama | Class 2L | For creating delightful digital photo stories and for trying your hardest while learning new and exciting technology skills. |
Community News
Council invites community feedback on future of walking and riding
Council is inviting the community to help shape the future of walking, riding and micromobility across the region through its draft Mackay Region Active Transport and Micromobility Plan 2025-2036.
The draft plan sets a long-term vision to make Mackay a walking and riding-friendly region, with safe, convenient and enjoyable paths designed for our tropical climate.
It aims to create a network that connects people to places that matter – schools, shops, parks and public transport – while supporting healthier lifestyles and reducing transport emissions.
The draft plan is now open for public comment at www.connectingmackay.com.au from now until 11.59pm, Sunday, November 16, 2025.