Week 7, Term 3 2025 - 26th August 2025
Principal's Reflection
At St Mary’s School, we believe that a thriving educational environment is built on a strong partnership between home and school. When parents and staff work together, students benefit from a consistent, supportive network that nurtures both academic and personal growth.
This commitment to collaboration was on full display over the weekend at the Australia vs South Africa cricket matches, where our P&F team hosted a community BBQ fundraiser. The event was a wonderful example of the spirit that defines St Mary’s—many of our parents volunteered their time, energy and smiles to make the event a success. Their efforts not only raised funds but also strengthened the bonds within our school community.
As the saying goes, “many hands make light work,” and at St Mary’s, we know that “teamwork makes the dream work.” We are deeply grateful to our families for their ongoing support and engagement. Whether it’s through the myriad of P&F events, classroom volunteering or simply staying connected with teachers, every contribution helps create a vibrant, inclusive school culture.
Together, we’re building something special—one partnership at a time.
All very best
Wes Rose
Principal
From our Principal | Mr Wes Rose
School News
- Today, Mrs van Lint, Mrs Battaia and I attended a 1-day conference in Brisbane, led by international education expert, Dylan Wiliam.
- This Wed-Fri, our Year 6 students will travel to the Capricorn Coast for camp. Enjoying a visit to the Cooberrie Park Wildlife Park, Koorana Crocodile Farm, Great Keppel Island and the Capricorn Caves, I am sure they will have a wonderful time. Thank you to Mr Townsend, Mrs Cusack, Mrs Yet Foy, Miss Borg and Mr Kelland for accompanying the students. I will also attend camp and MRs Battaia is acting principal in my absence.
- This Friday, Year 4 and 5 students will attend a matinee performance of the St Pat’s College production of Matilda Jr. I am sure the students will thoroughly enjoy this experience.
- All the best to our chess players who are attending the Gardiner Chess competition next Monday, under the tutelage of Mrs Cleaver.
- A reminder that Friday 5th September is a Pupil Free Day. We welcome Mrs Steph Salazar (instructional coach), who will work with our staff to unpack our new coaching model.
Quote of the Week
“Seize every moment of your life and savour it. Value the present moment.”
- Wayne Dyer
House Shirt Day
REMINDER: All students are invited to wear their House shirt on the last day of every month — let’s show our House spirit this Friday!
Father's Day Stall
Our wonderful P&F are once again making it easy to spoil Dad this Father’s Day!
Next Tuesday to Thursday, from 8am-8:30am, students will have an opportunity to buy Dad something special from our Father’s Day Stall which will be set up inside the school hall.
We wish all our dads a very happy Father's Day on Sunday 7th September.
St Mary's Art Extravaganza - Tuesday 16th September
St Mary’s Art Show is back for 2025!
Tuesday, 16th September @ St Mary’s Hall
Join us for a vibrant evening celebrating creativity and community!
P&F Art Raffle
Win an original painting by Katherin Murray — generously donated by the artist herself! Tickets available on the night. https://www.facebook.com/Katherin-Murray-Art.../
Nonno’s Wood Fired Pizzas
Pre-order your dinner via QuickCliq.com.au
Enter the date 16/09/2025
Pre-orders close 9am, 10th September
Live Entertainment & Bar
Enjoy music and refreshments on the green (outside Year 2 & 3 classrooms).
Calling All Artists!
We welcome student and parent artists to display their work — please contact the school office to get involved.
St Mary's Got Talent Thanks
St Mary’s Got Talent
What a show! The 2025 edition of St Mary’s Got Talent was a spectacular celebration of the creativity, courage and talent of our students. After weeks of auditions the school community gathered in the Hall on Monday to witness the grand finale—and it did not disappoint. From singers and dancers to magicians and comedians, every act brought something special to the stage. The energy was electric, and the support from families and friends made the event even more memorable. The highlight of the day was Elly W’s breathtaking piano performance, which earned her the coveted 2025 St Mary’s Got Talent trophy. Her poise, passion and musicality captivated the audience and judges alike. Thank you to our judges, Mrs Rosenkranz and Mr Bauer, who did a marvellous job adjudicating proceedings. A special thank you goes to Mrs Donna Wood, whose many hours of planning, coordination and encouragement made this event a runaway success. Her dedication to celebrating student creativity is deeply appreciated by the entire St Mary’s community.
P&F Thanks
🏏Heartfelt Thank You to Our Amazing Volunteers🏏
On behalf of the P&F Committee, we want to extend our deepest thanks to every volunteer who helped make our 2-day BBQ event such a fantastic success. Your generosity, time, and team spirit brought warmth and joy to the event, and we couldn’t have done it without you.
From setting up, flipping burgers, taking and making orders, to making everyone feel welcome — your efforts created a truly memorable experience for all involved. It’s this kind of support that makes our school community such a special place. Thank you for showing up, pitching in, and making a difference. We are so grateful for each and every one of you!
A shout out to our generous suppliers who provided top-quality ingredients and equipment. Your unwavering support is truly appreciated.
Lastly, thank you to Harrup Park. Your generosity and support not only brought our community together through the love of cricket, but also helped us raise funds for our school.
Lisa-Ann McNamara
P&F President
Student of the Week
Week 6 Term 3 Student Award Winners
| PC | Emily | For the wonderful confidence you’re building each day in your learning. You now tackle challenging questions with determination and never give up. Keep shining Emily! |
| PC | Poppy | For showing fantastic writing skills! You’ve been creating interesting and detailed sentences, carefully listening for every sound and spelling words with confidence. Keep up the amazing work! |
| PR | Myka | working hard during literacy sessions. You are becoming a confident, independent writer and producing excellent pieces of writing. Keep up the fantastic work! |
| PR | Rhys | trying hard every maths session. You put in a super effort when working on sharing skills this week and are becoming more confident. Keep up the great work! |
| 1B | Quinn | For your reading in our Boost groups this week. Your expression brought the story to life. It was a pleasure to listen to you read Quinn! |
| 1B | Ryker | For showing determination and persistence in your learning. It’s great to see you apply a ‘can do’ attitude to all you do. Thank you always trying your best. Keep up the super effort Ryker! |
| 1C | Walter | For your artistic work creating your 2D shape art. You followed all the instructions and successfully painted your shapes with varying colours. Super effort Walter! |
| 1C | Eva | For your amazing effort with our new ‘Automathic’ speed activity. You are keen to practise and improve your fluency. You were successful in moving up to the next level because of your determination. Super work Eva! |
| 2A | Rory | For showing behaviour as stellar as his space facts, this young explorer is rocketing through our Solar System unit with curiosity and confidence. Keep up the great work Rory! |
| 2A | Henry | For shining across all five pillars of the You Can Do It Program, showing confidence in his ideas, organisation in his work, and persistence through every challenge. His resilience and ability to get along with others make him a true role model in our 2A classroom. Well done Henry! |
| 2L | Vance | For approaching each task with focus and determination, always striving to complete your work on your own. Your quiet confidence and pride in your achievements remind us that success isn’t just about getting things right—it’s about giving your best, every single time. Well done!! |
| 2L | Gianna | For her kindness and caring that make our classroom feel like home. She’s always looking out for others—tidying up shared spaces, returning lost belongings, and making sure everyone feels included and supported. Her thoughtful actions show just how powerful kindness can be. Gianna we are so lucky to have you in our class! |
| 3M | Jovi | For showing initiative in narrative writing and making a great effort to improve your handwriting. We love reading your imaginative ideas! |
| 3M | Narnia | For your thoughtful and enthusiastic contributions to our class discussions. |
| 3P | Hannah | For the diligence you demonstrate across all areas of your learning and schoolwork. Thank you for always being ready to listen and learn. Keep working hard Hannah! |
| 3P | Audrey | For always trying your best in class and for sharing your ideas during our lessons. Your hard work and effort across all learning areas is amazing. Keep working hard Audrey! |
| 4G | Maggie | You have shown great persistence and resilience when working with addition and subtraction of decimals in maths this week. Even when the work became challenging, you didn’t give up and kept trying until you succeeded. Your determination and positive attitude towards learning are something to be proud of Maggie! |
| 4G | Jheramie | When you share your ideas in class discussions, your contributions are always thoughtful and well-considered, making a real difference to our learning. Your quiet strength and careful thinking make you a valued and important member of our classroom community, Jheramie! |
| 4R | Limo | For your creative and thoughtful approach to exploring the Holy Trinity in your Religion assessment. The image you drew showed your understanding of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, in an imaginative and meaningful way. Keep up the great work Limo! |
| 4R | Kheiruz | For always being a kind and thoughtful member of our class. Your teacher is so impressed with your responsible and conscientious attitude to all tasks in the classroom. Thank you for always trying your best and for the shining example you set for your fellow class members. Keep up the fantastic work Kheiruz! |
| 5C | Oliver | For your insightful contributions to classroom discussions about land clearing and mining in Australia. |
| 5C | Elyse | For your hard work this week with 2 digit by 2 digit multiplication. You have shown great persistence and determination! Keep up the great work Elyse! |
| 5F | Kevin | For your consistent effort and positive work ethic. You always apply yourself, complete tasks with care, ask questions, and use feedback to improve your work. Well done and keep up the great work! |
| 5F | Lexi | For your dedication to your learning this week. Lexi, you have been organised and ready to learn for every lesson. It has been amazing to watch your focus and drive build over the term. I am so proud of the learner you are becoming! Please keep up the hard work! |
| 6C | Ashlyn | For a fantastic effort with your information report. The effort you have gone to with your research and note taking is impressive. I can't wait to see the end result. |
| 6C | Lachlan | For your conscientious effort in Religion this term. It is wonderful to see the perspective you offer and your thoughtful interpretation during class activities. |
| 6T | Mia | For the amazing effort you showed when creating your Human Rights poster. It displayed all relevant information and was visually appealing for your audience. Great work Mia! |
| Sport | Declan | You have worked hard in PE this term to be a positive role model. Your teacher is impressed with your listening skills, support for your peers and your willingness to get out and pack away equipment. |
| Sport | Rumi | You are always willing to help others in PE. You help your friends when they find things tricky and can be counted on to safely pack away equipment. Keep it up. |
| Drama | SMGT Finalists | To all our SMGT finalists. Thank you for letting your light shine. Chookas for Monday! |
Community News
