Dear Parents, Guardians, and Community,

Here's what's happening this week and a look at some exciting upcoming events:

What's On This Week

• Monday, June 23: 2026 Prep Story Time at 9:15 AM
• Monday, June 23 - Wednesday, June 25: Years 5/6 Showcase
• Wednesday, June 25: Year 2 attending Parish Mass at 9:15 AM
• Thursday, June 26: Years 5/6 Excursion to the MCG
• Thursday, June 26: Fire Brigade visiting our Preps!
• Sunday, June 29: Father Greg's Birthday. Let's wish him a happy day!

Upcoming Events

• Tuesday, July 1: Year 5/6 Shark Tank at 6:30 PM (Come see our budding entrepreneurs in action!)
• Friday, July 4: End of Term – School finishes at 1:30 PM
• Monday July 21: School Closure Day: Literacy
• Tuesday July 22: Start of Term 2 for students.
• Monday July 28 and Wednesday July 30: School Review 
• Friday, August 1: Entries close for the Australian Mathematics Competition ($9 entry fee)
• Wednesday, August 6: Australian Mathematics Competition
• Friday, August 29: School Disco!!! (Get ready to dance!)

School Review: Guiding Our Future

Every four years, Australian schools undergo a comprehensive review process. This vital assessment helps shape our school's future by leading to a new four-year strategic plan, which then guides our direction. Each year, we also develop an annual improvement plan, driven by this overarching strategic vision.

This year, we've been busy preparing for our school review, which is scheduled for July 28 and 30. An external reviewer will be working closely with us throughout the process.

The review has two main components:

Part One: School Registration Check

This initial part focuses on ensuring we meet all the necessary requirements for school registration. It involves a thorough examination of our:

• School processes
• Documentation
• Policies
• Child-safe practices
• Insurances
• All other essential operational elements

This part of the review is already in progress, and we anticipate its finalisation very soon.

Part Two: Strategic Plan Evaluation

The second part of the review centres on our strategic plan. We have been diligently working with the Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) rubrics. These rubrics allow us to assess our own performance against set criteria, and we then provide clear evidence to support our self-judgements. Our staff has dedicated several meetings to this process, thoroughly examining the school improvement rubrics and gathering the necessary evidence.

We evaluate ourselves across five key areas:

• Religious Dimension
• Teaching and Learning
• Leadership and Management
• Student Well-being
• School Community

During the reviewer's two-day visit, she will meticulously examine our documentation and evidence, observe classrooms, and conduct interviews with staff, students, and members of the school board.

This is a very thorough and important process that will ultimately guide the future direction of our school.

Australian Mathematics Competition

First run in 1978, the Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC) is Australia’s longest-running, largest, and most well-known maths competition for school students. The AMC features unique problems designed each year by leading educators and academics to challenge and extend students' problem-solving skills.

It has two divisions: Middle Primary (Grades 3-4) and Upper Primary (Grades 5-6), and runs for 60 minutes. This competition is designed to identify Australia's brightest maths students, so the questions are quite challenging. If you would like your child to participate, please notify the office and pay the $9 entry fee by Friday, August 1.

St Mary's School Building Fund: Last Chance to Donate!

As we approach the end of the financial year, this is a great reminder that donations to our St Mary's Parish School Building Fund are tax-deductible. Your support helps us with building maintenance, repairs, replacements, or new building projects.

Donations can be made to: BSB: 083 347 Account Number: 435931250

The deadline for tax-deductible donations this financial year is June 30. Thank you for considering supporting our school!

P&F Volunteers Needed!

A big thank you to all our families who have already signed up to help at one of our P&F events for Semester Two. If you haven't had a chance yet, please follow this link. We've even added Icy Pole Duty to the list, so there are even more ways to help out! Your support is greatly appreciated.

AFTER SCHOOL CARE.

Don't forget we have a new After School Care provider, MACSEYE, starting at the beginning of TERM 3. To enrol with MACSEYE use the following link:-

St Mary's After School Care Enrolment MACSEYE

Last Day of the term, Friday July 4th, finishing time.1:30pm

God Bless

Anthony

St Mary’s Faith News

 School and Parish Connections

Gospel: Mathew 16: 13 - 19

The Solemnity of St Peter and Paul, Apostles

You are Peter, and I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi he put this question to his disciples,

‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’

And they said, ‘some say he is John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’

‘But you,’ he said, ‘who do you say I am?’

 Then Simon Peter spoke up, ‘You are the Christ,’ he said, ‘the Son of the living God.’

Jesus replied, ‘Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven.

So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church.

And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it.

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.’

St Mary’s Family Monthly Mass

Sunday 29th June 2025

Please indicate whether your child would like to participate in Mass

The monthly children’s Liturgy is fast approaching - Sunday 29th June.

Forms have been sent home, so please check your child’s reading folder or school bag.

Please fill in the forms and return as soon as possible - especially if you would like your child to read at Mass. There are limited readings and we need to make sure the children have time to practice at home and then in the church.

Anyone is welcome to sing with the choir. There will be a practice in the church with Monique and myself on Thursday at recess time. I will take the readers to practice on Friday.

A heartfelt thank you to all families who encourage their children to participate. It is always wonderful to see familiar faces at these Masses, and we hope even more families will join us in this special school tradition.

New Front Office Display

Crosses from Around the World

As part of our recent staff Reflection Day, we were inspired by the idea of creating a new display in our front office – a collection of crosses from around the world. This will be a whole school initiative, and we warmly invite our families and staff to take part.

If you have a cross from your travels – whether from overseas or within Australia – that you would like to donate, we would be honoured to include it. The crosses will be thoughtfully displayed on the wall beneath the mounted monitor in the front office.

We look forward to creating an inspiring and meaningful space that invites contemplation, discussion and reflection for all who visit.

Thank you for helping us bring this idea to life.

Wednesday Morning Masses

As part of our ongoing commitment to nurturing the spiritual life of our students, each class has been taking turns to attend the Wednesday morning Parish Mass at 9:15am.

The response from teachers has been positive. The children have been able to connect with parishioners and pay attention to rituals that they have been taught in class.

Moving in to term 3, we warmly invite parents and carers to join their child’s class on the day they are rostered to attend.

You may receive an email invitation or a paper invitation, so please check emails, children’s reading folders or take heed of your child’s verbal invitation.

This is a beautiful opportunity to come together in prayer and strengthen our connection as a school and parish community.

The class Mass timetable should have been sent home as a PDF last week by your child’s teacher.

We encourage you to check when your child’s class will be attending the Wednesday Mass.

We look forward to welcoming you to this special part of our faith life.

Sacramental Program 2025

Confirmation

Instruction will be conducted through the Parish with the Support of Mrs Lipnicki

Likewise if your child is in Year 6 and is yet to make their “Confirmation” please contact Mrs Lipnicki at clipnicki@smwilliamstown.catholic.edu.au

 School Masses

Term 2 

At the weekend family Masses, families sit together. Children who are reading are encouraged to sit with their family near the front of the church and ideally to have the reader sit in the aisle seat.

 Term 3

Welcome to Week 10!

Our Year 5/6 Shark Tank night is nearly upon us!

Next week on Tuesday 1st July, our fantastic students will dazzle all of you with their innovative designs and presentations in front of a Shark Tank Panel.

Our night will start at 6.30pm in the hall, doors will be open from 6.15pm.

The invitation is open all families at St Mary's and we would love to see as many of you there as possible.

This is our big Year 5/6 event of the year, the children have been working very hard and we would love to see a big crowd supporting these incredible entrepreneurs!

Thanks

Laura Graham