Dear Parents/Carers,

Welcome to Week 9. Our last full week for 2024. Where has the time gone?

The students have been busily rehearsing for our end of year play, A Hint of Snow White. We will have our final full-dress rehearsal on Wednesday. Students are to wear their sports uniform and again on Thursday to leave their school uniform nice and neat for Speech Night.

Last Tuesday we held a farewell morning tea for Year 3 teacher and Religious Education Coordinator Colleen Breust. She will not be returning to St Mary’s in 2025. We wish her well as she makes the move to be closer to her family in Geelong taking up a teaching position at St Thomas Primary in Drysdale, Victoria. We thank you for everything you have contributed to St Mary’s. Your focus on the best interests of the children at St Mary’s will be missed.

On Sunday we celebrated the second Sunday of Advent when we lit the second Advent candle, the candle of Peace. We celebrated this occasion yesterday morning at assembly. We will also farewell Fr Dominic Byrne our parish priest, next Tuesday at a special assembly at 12:30.

The staffing model at St Mary’s for 2025 has been finalised. Please be aware there is ongoing recruitment that will continue during the holidays and may have an impact on this model.  As you can appreciate this is a difficult task and finding suitable teachers has proven to be very challenging.  I pass on my enormous thanks to our current staff for their flexibility and putting the needs of the children at St Mary’s first.

Principal – Mr Damian Collins

Kinder Kind – Mrs Tessa Turner

1 Joy – Mrs Nickey Harland (AP and REC)

2 Mercy – Miss Georgia Thomas 

3 Peace – Mrs Carlie Iverach & Mrs Kate Dean (Mondays)

4 Trust – Mrs Lauren Manchur & Mrs Robyn Akehurst (Mondays)

5/6 Faith – Mrs Bree Taylor & Mrs Speedy (Wednesdays)

Library – Mrs Speedy

Classroom Support Teacher – Mrs Kylie Tulloch (Tuesday & Wednesday and every second Thursday)

Release from Face to Face – Mrs Allison Browne (Monday & Wednesday)      

Learning Support Assistants – Miss Lana Stephanie, Mrs Casey Loudon, Mrs Jenny Baker, Mrs Anna Davis & Mrs Sarah Wood

Front Office Manager – Mrs Wendy Connellan & Mrs Sarah Wood

School Cleaner – Mrs Maree Spackman

Groundsman – Mr Ralph Nicholson

Please feel free to contact me with any concerns you may have for the 2025 year.

We will celebrate the end of another year at St Mary’s with a whole school disco next Wednesday the 18th. Students are invited to come to school wearing Christmas mufti clothes.

Our thank you morning tea will be held on Wednesday the 18th for all those who have given up their time to support St Mary's. This event is a very important occasion and anyone who has helped at St Mary's with anything big or small is invited to attend!! 

You will be able to access your child’s report on Compass at 3pm on Friday. You will be advised of this. Please contact your teacher for any clarifications, questions or to arrange a discussion.

Remember my door is always open.

Principal

Damian Collins