Dear Parents and Carers,

Wow!! What a great start we have had to the year. The highlight was definitely the new kindergarten students joining us for our first assembly on Day 1. I would like to welcome our continuing families to another exciting school year and extend a special welcome to our new families for 2024. This year we welcome the Cumming, Currie, Judd, Mariano, McKinnon, Pettit, Pham, Sayring, Walsh and Eza’awe families to St Mary’s. We also welcome back the Speedy family. I sincerely hope your experience with the school is positive and your students are engaged with their learning. 

The 2024 St Mary’s school year started positively and after visiting all classes I was impressed by the calm and settled approach of all the students. The 2024 school year started positively with our staff unpacking our school theme of ‘Love each other as I have loved you’. This focus started great conversations of how we can show compassion in our relationships. This flowed beautifully into how we can love each other and share that with our students at St Mary’s.

The direct instruction programs, so expertly implemented into our school in 2023, provided us with great PAT (progressive achievement test) and NAPLAN results. This will continue in all classrooms throughout 2024. We look forward to Michael Roberts returning in Week 4 to work with our staff around the Science of Learning and Direct Instruction. St Mary’s staff have worked together, using direct instruction to implement a new behaviour management plan. The staff have explicitly taught the routines and expectations in our classrooms. Our assembly on Friday was dedicated to ensuring the students understand the expectations of being a positive learner at St Mary’s.

It is with great joy that we welcome 14 new kinder students to our school, Olivia Brose, Lucy Browne, Matilda Cumming, Isla Currie, Halle Judd, Mikhaela Mariano, Evie-Lorraine McKinnon, Frankie Pettit, Mirabelle Pham, Henry Pursehouse, Tobias Sayring, Lila Speedy, Bailey Walsh, Winnie Wendt. They looked very smart in their new uniforms and I congratulate them on their efforts to settle in so well at St Mary’s. We also welcome Jeffrey, Paul and Nikolai Eza’awe to the St Mary’s school community. We trust your educational journey with us will be both a positive and fulfilling experience.

2024 also sees five superb educators join or rejoin our staff. We are so very lucky to have such experienced and dedicated teachers at St Mary’s. I would like to welcome Mrs Colleen Breust (3 Peace) and Mrs Allison Browne (Creative Arts Teacher Monday and Thursday). I’d like to welcome back Mrs Emma Speedy (Librarian Thursday and Friday), Mrs Robyn Akehurst (Year 1 Joy on Mondays) and Mrs Bree Taylor (Year 5/6 Faith Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday) to the team and look forward to what they will bring to St Mary’s. All of these teachers bring a wealth of knowledge, experience and passion to their classes and our community.

I would like to acknowledge the hard work that has gone on behind the scenes by all staff to ensure your children feel comfortable and safe in a positive, welcoming learning environment.

I would also like to acknowledge the hard work, organisation and fundraising of the Community Council. Our thanks goes to Stacey Smith for organising the planting of the new trees and to Andrew Connellan for giving up his time to make sure the school looked amazing for day one. We are so lucky to have such dedicated and committed parents at St Mary’s. I would also like to thank Brodie Greenwood, Diana Carne, Cory McKinnon, Ian and Amy Pursehouse, Michael Sayring and Rodney and Stacey Smith who gave up their time on Sunday to remove the current trees in preparation for the new ones.

I would like to offer an open invitation to our entire school community to contact me with any questions or concerns. 

My door is always open!!! 

Regards,

Damian Collins

Assistant Principal