Newsletter 2023 - Special edition 14th December
Principal Report
Dear parents and carers,
Welcome to this mini-edition of the newsletter to communicate information about staffing and leadership for next year.
Please find a full list of the class teachers below. Today your children will meet their new teachers in our Promotions Morning. We welcome two new teachers to our staff next year. Mr Joshua Meyers will join us as Acting Religious Education Coordinator (REC) for 2024. Josh has been seconded to us from St Joseph's Oberon for the year. In addition to his duties as REC, Josh will job share with Mrs Edwina Haydon on Year Two Gold. I thank Mrs Rachel Cranney and Mrs Sally Curran for taking on this enormous role this semester in addition to their regular responsibilities. We also welcome Mrs Janine Parsons to our Kindergarten Team. Janine is a qualified Early Years Teacher (0-8) and comes to us with a wealth of experience in teaching early literacy and numeracy skills. We also welcome Mrs Gaby Funnell back to us from Parental Leave. Gaby will be teaching Music two days per week.
This week we also farewell some lovely staff. Mr Philip Heath is returning to the UK after his year with us. We thank him for his kindness and care for our students and wish him well. Mr Joe Coady has secured a job in Sydney working in a specialist Sports' College (Sport is his absolute passion). We wish him every success in this new role. Mr Hugh Thornhill leaves us to take up study for a Teaching Degree in Bathurst and we hope to see him back soon! Finally, Mrs Nicola Nathan is leaving us to spend more time working in her family business. We thank Nicola and Hugh for their dedicated support to the learning in Year One. It is always sad to lose staff of such high calibre, and hope that they always have a piece of St Mary's love in their hearts.
I am incredibly discerning about the staff members that we select for roles at St Mary's. Expertise is of the utmost importance, but I always seek people of high integrity who will show commitment to your children, contribute positively to our team and culture and uphold our school values.
I want to acknowledge the hard work of every member of my team this year... and I mean every member. A school is a complex organisation and without every person willing to play their part things would quickly unravel.
I wish all of our graduates the most wonderful experience in the High School years. They will always remain children of St Mary's. I wish to thank the families leaving us for the last time this year for their support and loyalty to us. May God bless you all, always.
Have a blessed and safe Christmas and find time for many moments of joy. Looking forward to the promise of a new year and all of the opportunities it will provide.
Warmest wishes to you all,
Gayle Stratton
Religious Education
An Irish Blessing for our Leavers
May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.
Christian Leadership Awards
George Staniforth
Edie Wait
In recognition of "Community & Common Good "
School News
Staffing for 2024
Leaders for 2024
School Captains
Elwyn Evans & Braxton Robinson
School Vice Captains
Brianna Zwiers & Patrick Penberthy-Neil
Mission Leaders
Zana Bishop & Jack Flitcroft
Environmental Leaders
Scarlett Purvis & Robert Shore
House Captains
Shannon: Bree Collins & Darek Valdez-Barclay
MacKillop: Hannah Sara & Logan Benson
McNamee: Bonnie Venner & Lewis Hinchcliff
McAuley: Indiella Carter & Ryan Marshall
Awards for 2023
Sports
SPORTS UNIFORM 2024 Term 1 week 1 & 2
(any changes to the uniform days will be sent out in compass)
Wednesday 7th February 2024 Week 2 is our school Swimming Carnival, children attending to wear sports uniform, please remember to label your belongings.
Kindergarten - Friday
Year One - Friday
Year Two - Friday
Year Three - Friday
Year Four - Friday
Year Five - Friday
Year Six - Friday
Canteen News
Student Wellbeing
School Wide Positive Behaviour for Learning (SPB4L)-SCHOOL UNIVERSALS
As learners at St Mary's we are expected to:
BE SAFE BE RESPECTFUL BE RESPONSIBLE
The aim of SPB4L at St Mary's, is to actively teach and model positive behavioral expectations through consistent, reasonable, and proactive strategies that will foster positive relationships with students, staff, and parents.
BE SAFE ❖ We will keep our hands and feet to ourselves ❖ We will follow the rules of the game
BE RESPECTFUL ❖ We will use kind words ❖ We will follow the teacher directions
BE RESPONSIBLE ❖ We will include others and play fairly ❖ We will engage in our learning
