St Mary's War Memorial School West Wyalong eNewsletter

Dear Parents/Carers,

Welcome Back to Term 4! As we begin Term 4, I’d like to extend a warm welcome back to all students, staff, and families. I hope the break provided a chance to rest, recharge, and spend quality time with loved ones.

Term 4 is always a special time in our school calendar. It brings with it a sense of celebration and anticipation as we prepare to conclude another year. Over the coming weeks, we look forward to a range of exciting events, including end-of-year celebrations, student performances, and opportunities to acknowledge the achievements of our students and staff. I encourage you to carefully read the ‘Important Dates in the Coming Weeks’ section of the newsletter.

Yesterday the staff engaged in important safety intervention training. The professional development was vital as we remain committed to fostering a supportive and inclusive learning environment. We thank you for your continued partnership in helping and supporting every student at St Mary’s.

Last term, we placed a strong emphasis on wearing our school uniform with pride, and I’d like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank all families for your support. Your efforts in ensuring students arrive at school in full uniform, neat and well-prepared, have not gone unnoticed.

As we begin Term 4, I’d like to remind families that students are required to wear black school shoes or black boots with their summer uniform. Brown farm boots or other alternatives are not a part of our uniform policy. Maintaining consistency in our uniform not only fosters a sense of belonging and school spirit but also reflects our shared commitment to high standards.

Thank you again for your continued support. Wishing everyone a successful and joyful final term of the year.

Remember my door is always open.

Principal

Damian Collins

Although there was no designated focus value at St Mary’s this week, our prayer during our professional development day centred on the theme of Hope. This continues the spiritual reflection we began at the start of Term 3 and aligns with the Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee Year theme: “Pilgrims of Hope”.

This enduring message invites us to journey together with faith and optimism, and continues to inspire our school community.

Term 4 Class Mass

Class Masses will reconvene in Term 4. Beginning with the 4-6 Mass on Wednesday in Week 2 (22^nd of October).

Date

Class

Week 2

Wednessday 22nd October

Year 4, Year 5 & Year 6 Class Mass @ 12pm

Parents and friends are more than welcome.

Christmas Eve Mass - Save the Date

St Mary’s students are warmly invited to take part in this year’s Christmas Eve Mass.
Students will be involved in singing and performing the Nativity Scene, helping to bring the spirit of Christmas to life for our parish community.
We encourage all families to support their children’s participation in this special celebration. Further details will be shared closer to Christmas.

Student Pick Up and Drop Off Procedures

A reminder to all families that when collecting your child/ren early from school or dropping them off late, you must report to the Front Office.

For safety and accountability reasons, parents are not permitted to go directly to classrooms to collect their child. Upon arrival at the office, staff will contact your child’s classroom teacher and have them sent down to meet you.

You will also be required to sign your child in or out using the Compass Kiosk (pictured below).

We appreciate your cooperation in helping us maintain a safe and organised school environment.

Classroom Access Reminder

We kindly remind all families that parents are not permitted to enter classrooms at any time during the school day. This is to ensure minimal disruption to learning and to maintain a safe and secure environment for all students.

If your child has forgotten an item, please bring it to the Front Office, and our office staff will ensure it is delivered to your child promptly.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

STUDENT OF THE TERM

Term 3

Kinder Kind - Audrey Redden

Year 1 Joy - Henry Pursehouse

Year 2 Mercy - Isabelle McDonell

Year 3 Peace - Arlie Orr

Year 4 Trust - Ivy Wilson

Year 5 Hope - Rose Player

Year 6 Faith - James Curry

Our assemblies are held at school on Friday afternoons at 1:50pm in the School Hall. All parents and carers are welcome to attend.

Ignite and Explore Day

On Wednesday, 24th September, our school hosted its very first Ignite and Explore Day – a special event designed to celebrate and reward our students for their dedication and hard work throughout the year.

Students were invited to choose from a wide variety of fun and creative activities, including:

Trivia and Board Games with Mrs Iverach

Creating a Song and Dance with Mrs Harland

Diamond Art with Mrs Turner

Slime Making with Mrs Manchur

Paint by Numbers with Miss Thomas

Beading with Miss Turner

Kite Making with Mrs Tulloch

Gardening with Mrs Baker and Mrs Browne

Chess and Online Games with Mr Collins

Yoga with Mrs Speedy

Sewing with Miss Holmes

The day was filled with excitement, laughter, and discovery as students explored new interests and enjoyed hands-on experiences. To top it all off, they were treated to a delicious lunch, generously prepared by our canteen manager, Casey.

A huge thank you to all the staff who made this day possible – and to our wonderful students for bringing such enthusiasm and joy to every activity. We look forward to making Ignite and Explore Day a new tradition!

Emergency Services Expo

On the last day of term, the entire school took a walk to McAllister Oval to attend the Emergency Services Expo – an exciting and educational event that gave students a closer look at the vital work of our local emergency services.

Students had a fantastic time exploring the different exhibits and learning about the roles of various emergency responders. Highlights of the day included:

Stepping inside an ambulance and a Highway Patrol car

Learning the basics of CPR

Spraying a fire hose

Trying on a firefighter’s suit

It was a fun and interactive way for students to gain valuable knowledge about safety, emergency response, and community support. A big thank you to all the emergency service personnel who made the day so memorable!

Happy Birthday to

Charlotte Somerset

who celebrates her birthday during this week.

We hope you enjoy your special day.

The following events are in the calendar in the next few weeks.

The Compass Calendar is updated to show Mass times, sporting events, important events.

Day	Event	Location
Tuesday 14th October	Students Return	At school
Monday 20th October	Kinder Orientation - 1/2 day & Parent Information Session	At school
Tuesday 21st October	Basketball NSW Regional Tournament Day 1	PCYC, Wagga
Wednesday 22nd October	Basketball NSW Regional Tournament Day 2	PCYC, Wagga
Monday 27th October	Kinder Orientation - Full day	At school
Monday 3rd November	Kinder Orientation - Full day	At school
Tuesday 4th November	Melbourne Cup 2025
Monday 10th November	Kinder Orientation - Full day	At school
Thursday 13th November	School Photo Day	At school
Monday 17th - Friday 21st November	Intensive Swimming K-6	Holland Park Pool

Canberra Goulburn Archdiocese Trials

If your Year 5/6 child has the ability to compete at a representative level in the following sports - Basketball, Cricket, Netball, Football (Soccer), Softball, Touch Football and Rugby Union - you are able to nominate them for the Archdiocesan trials.

Please note that the Archdicocesan representative sport trials are highly competitve and there is an expectation that children nominating for these trials have extensive experience in the sport and currently compete at a high level.

If you would like to nominate your child to trial for a sport please go to https://csnsw.sport

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Basketball NSW Regional Primary Schools Tournament 2025

The BNSW Regional Primary Schools Tournament is coming back to the Riverina in 2025.

The upcoming tournament will be held at PCYC in Wagga on the 21st and 22nd of October (next week). A detailed draw has been released and is attached to the Compass event for your reference.

Year 5 and 6 parents, a Compass event has been sent out and includes all relevant information regarding the event. If you haven't yet consented, please do so as soon as possible.

Call for Referees – Basketball NSW Tournament

Basketball NSW is currently seeking volunteer referees for the upcoming tournament. If you, or someone you know, may be able to assist by refereeing during the event, we kindly ask that you contact the school as soon as possible.

We are very excitied to welcome our 2026 kinder students next week for our 2025 Kinder Orientation!

Thursday 13th November 2025

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School photography day is Thursday 13th November (Week 5). Group and portrait photographs can be purchased by following the link above.

Important Information:

School photos purchased online DO NOT require envelopes returned to school. Envelopes have not arrived at school yet. We will notify you when they do.
Don’t forget to order your sibling photos now - when you order your single photos.
Late fees/additional charges will be applied for purchases after photo day
Photos will be returned to your school for distribution approximately six weeks after photos are taken
Past years’ photographs are available at school’s advancedlife & your advancedyou photo sites (follow the link above)

*Sibling photographs must be ordered either online, prior to the day of photography. A photograph will not be taken without an order. Sibling photographs only apply to children enrolled at the school.

Order envelopes have arrived and can be picked up from the school office.

Please remember - You DO NOT need an envelope if you order online.

advancedlife would like to express our appreciation to St Mary's War Memorial School for placing your trust in us. Please remember we offer a 100% money back guarantee on our products to ensure your peace of mind. We would also love to receive your feedback or resolve any issues you may experience as fast as possible, to ensure your satisfaction. If you have any questions, comments or feedback relating to your advancedlife experience please contact us at enquiries@advancedlife.com.au .