Principal’s Message

Kid’s Helpline’s Largest Anti-Bullying Lesson - Monday 11 August

This Monday, all St Mary’s students will take part in Kids Helpline’s Largest Anti-Bullying Lesson, a national initiative designed to promote kindness, respect, and inclusion in schools across Australia.

This lesson focuses on helping students recognise bullying behaviours, build empathy, and learn practical strategies to stand up safely and support others. It also highlights the importance of speaking up and knowing where to go for help.

As a school, we are proud to support this important initiative and to continue building a safe, supportive environment where all students feel valued and respected. To learn more about the program, visit https://kidshelpline.com.au/ 

ThinkUKnow Parent Presentation - Wednesday 13 August

We are excited to invite you to an important ThinkUKnow Parent Presentation happening next Wednesday evening, and encourage all parents to attend. ThinkUKnow is a nationally recognised program, led by the Australian Federal Police and provides essential information to help keep children safe online. 

To support attendance, on-site child minding will be available during the session through a teacher-led disco! 

RSVP is essential, please confirm your attendance by scanning the QR Code on the flyer by Monday 11 August. Unfortunately, due to safety requirements, only students whose parent/s are attending the presentation will be able to attend the disco.

To make the evening more enjoyable, a light snack will be provided for both students and parents attending, generously supported by Parent Partnerships - Diocese of Lismore.

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Friday 15 August 

Next Friday, 15th August, is the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a Holy Day of Obligation in the Catholic Church, meaning that Catholics are called to attend Mass on this day. To mark this important occasion, the entire school will join with the parish community and participate in the Midday Mass at St Mary's Church. Families and friends are warmly invited and encouraged to join us as we come together in prayer. 

All students will need permission via Compass prior to this day, we kindly ask that you action this at your earliest convenience. 

Sacrament of Reconciliation and First Eucharist

We are pleased to share that our 2025 candidates have begun preparing to receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Eucharist. This is a very special time in their faith journey, as they take important steps in deepening their relationship with God and becoming more fully initiated into the Catholic Church.

These sacraments are central to our Catholic tradition. Reconciliation offers us the grace of forgiveness and a chance to restore our relationship with God and others, while the Sacrament of First Eucharist marks the first time our young people will receive Jesus in the form of Holy Communion, the heart of our Catholic faith.

As part of their preparation, students are learning about God’s love, mercy, and the importance of living out their faith in everyday life. Regular attendance at Mass and involvement in parish life are key parts of this journey, and we encourage families to support their children by participating actively in the life of the Church.

Important Dates:

23 - 24 August First Eucharist Family Commitment Masses

29 August Sacrament of Reconciliation

13th - 14 September Sacrament of First Eucharist

We ask our school and parish community to keep these students and their families in your prayers as they prepare for these sacred and joyful occasions.

Book Character Dress Up Day 

Get ready to celebrate Book Week with us! On Friday 22 August, we will be holding our annual Book Character Dress-Up Day. This year's theme is "Reading is My Secret Power," so we encourage students to come dressed as their favorite book characters, superheroes, or anything that represents the theme.

The Book Character Parade will begin at 9am in the school hall. Parents and families are warmly invited to join us for this fun-filled event. We can't wait to see all the amazing costumes!

Staffing Updates 

Farewell to Our Wellbeing Officer, Jane

We are writing to let you know that our Wellbeing Officer, Jane Dougherty, has resigned from her position. Jane is a valued member of the St Mary's community, and we are deeply grateful for her significant contributions to the wellbeing of our students. She will be greatly missed by everyone.

We are actively recruiting for this important role. The position has been advertised, and we expect to finalize the recruitment process in the coming weeks. We will keep you informed of any updates.

On behalf of the entire school community, we wish Jane all the very best in her future endeavors and thank her for the positive impact she has had on our school. 

Wishing Jasmine Smith well as She Goes on Maternity Leave

We're also excited to announce that our Student Education Worker, Jas Smith, will begin her maternity leave at the end of Week 5. Jas has been an incredibly valued and dedicated member of the St Mary's community, and we are so grateful for her contributions to our students' learning and development. We will miss her dearly.

We have already begun the process of recruiting a replacement for this role. The position has been advertised, and we anticipate finalizing the recruitment in the coming weeks. We will keep you updated.

We want to thank Jas for all her valuable work and wish her all the best as she prepares to welcome her first child. We look forward to hearing her happy news!

Jasmine Stuart has asked us to be very clear that this baby announcement is for Jas Smith and that Jas Stuart is not expecting a baby! ?

Curriculum Update

In 2025, our school will begin implementing the new NSW Science and Technology K–6 and Creative Arts K–6 syllabuses. These revised curriculum documents, developed by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA), are designed to better support your child’s learning by aligning more closely with the world they live in today and the skills they'll need for the future.

Science and Technology K–6: Building Curious, Capable Thinkers

The new Science and Technology syllabus aims to foster students’ curiosity and develop their problem-solving and critical thinking skills through real-world contexts.

What’s New:

• Greater emphasis on scientific inquiry, design thinking, and digital technologies.
  
  
• Students will learn to ask questions, predict outcomes, conduct experiments, and apply technology to solve problems.
  
  
• Integration of coding, robotics, and engineering concepts from an early age.
  
  
• Stronger focus on sustainability, innovation, and how science impacts our lives.
  
  

What it means for your child:
Your child will explore exciting topics like how things work, how to design and test solutions, and how technology shapes the future. They’ll also develop the ability to think creatively and analytically — skills that are valuable across all learning areas.

Creative Arts K–6: Encouraging Expression and Imagination

The updated Creative Arts syllabus continues to nurture students’ creativity and self-expression through Music, Visual Arts, Drama, and Dance, while aligning more closely with contemporary arts practices.

What’s New:

• Stronger focus on creative process, student voice, and cultural diversity in the arts.
  
  
• Emphasis on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in artistic expression.
  
  
• Opportunities for students to create, perform, appreciate, and reflect on the arts in meaningful ways.
  
  
• Increased use of digital tools to create and respond to artworks.

What it means for your child:

Students will be encouraged to explore their creativity in multiple forms, build confidence through performance and presentation, and develop a deeper appreciation for the role of the arts in society and culture.

Year 3 - 6 Enrichment 

We are excited to share that 50 of our talented students from Years 3 to 6 recently took part in the Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC)—a highly regarded national event that challenges students to think creatively and apply their mathematical skills in unique and engaging ways.

Participation in the AMC forms part of our Enrichment program, designed to extend learning beyond the classroom and foster a love of problem-solving, logical reasoning, and independent thinking. The competition encourages persistence and rewards thoughtful approaches to complex problems, giving students a valuable opportunity to stretch themselves academically.

We are incredibly proud of all the students who participated and demonstrated enthusiasm, determination, and mathematical curiosity. 

Results and certificates will be shared with families once they are released later this term. We look forward to celebrating the achievements of our young mathematicians!

School Fee Assistance

We recognise the financial pressures that families may face and strive to offer flexible payment options to accommodate different circumstances. DLCSL is developing an organisation fee assistance and debt management processes that will replace the current policies that exist at our schools. 

Please reach out to Jacki if your family experiences financial difficulty or hardship, or alternatively you can complete the form on our school website.

Term 3 2025 Calendar link

Pupil Free Days and Public Holidays 

Warm regards

Jacki, Jasmine and Hannah