Dear Parents, Guardians, and Community,

As we wrap up Term 3, here is a look at what is coming up.

Mark Your Calendars

• This Friday, September 19: It's our special Footy and Fairies Day!

• This Friday, September 19: Don't forget, we have an early finish at 1:30 pm for the end of the term.

• Monday, October 6: Term 4 begins!

• Thursday, October 16: Year 5 Leadership Day

• Wednesday, October 22: Year 2 Big Day Out

What a fantastic term it has been! We have just completed our school review, which was a huge success. We have spent time looking at our data and gathering feedback, and it is confirmed that the changes we have made to our teaching approach are working. We are now seeing the amazing results of this hard work in our data and our students' NAPLAN scores.

Our Year 3 students, who have been taught with our explicit teaching model since the beginning, are especially thriving. Their average NAPLAN score is an incredible 40 points above the state average across all subjects! We couldn't be prouder of their achievements.

We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the 11 families who signed up with Blue Fit Fitness Centre. Your support has resulted in a wonderful and unexpected $1100 donation to the school. We are so grateful for your generosity and hope you enjoy your new fitness journey!

We also want to wish a fond farewell to Luna in Year 1. We wish her and her family all the best at their new school and thank them for everything they have done for our school.

Staffing Update. Elle Marioli has informed us she will not be returning to St Mary's next term as she continues to recover from her car accident. It has been a real challenging journey for Elle and she is devastated to be leaving her class. She is hoping she may be able to return with the occasional relief teacher day this year. Next year, her plan is to return as a relief teacher.

One other change, Gina Coetzee will be taking over Fridays in Prep Yellow for the rest of the year. Jenny is taking some long service leave to travel and then time to look after her grandchild. Jenny will still be teaching Art on Mondays to Thursdays.

Friendly Reminder: Term 3 concludes this Friday at 1:30 pm with an early dismissal. School will resume for Term 4 on Monday, October 6.

Finally, good luck to all the local teams still playing in the finals!

St Mary of the Cross, Pray for us.

Happy Holidays

Anthony

St Mary’s Faith News

 School and Parish Connections

Gospel: John 3: 13-17

 The Son of Man must be lifted up

Jesus said to Nicodemus:

‘No one has gone up to heaven

except the one who came down from heaven,

the Son of Man who is in heaven;

and the Son of Man must be lifted up

as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,

so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.

Yes, God loved the world so much

that he gave his only Son,

so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost

but may have eternal life.

For God sent his Son into the world

not to condemn the world,

but so that through him the world might be saved.’

 New Front Office Display

Crosses from Around the World

We have now collected about 9 crosses - Thank you to everyone who has donated a cross

 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.

Steven has started putting up the crosses on the wall above the staffroom door.. Keep your eyes peeled for more crosses to come.

Thank you for helping us bring this idea to life.

St Mary’s Family Monthly Mass

Sunday 21st September 2025 cancelled

There will be no Family Mass on the 31st of September

This mass will resume on the 26th October which coincides with the Year 1 Family Mass

Wednesday Morning Masses

As part of our ongoing commitment to nurturing the spiritual life of our students, each class will continue 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 prayers and rituals that they have been taught in class.

We continue to warmly invite parents, grandparents and carers to join their child’s class at the Wednesday Masses, when 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.

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.

During this Mass you are welcome to sit with your child, but we ask that you join us as a class - so please come along and sit with us at Mass.

After the Parishioners have received Communion, Younger students in years Prep to Year 3 will be invited to receive a blessing from Fr Greg. Everyone is welcome for a blessing. Those wishing to receive a blessing should approach Fr Greg with hands crossed over their chest

Term 4 Masses