Newsletter, W6 T3, 2025
Principal's Report
Dear Parents & Carers,
Welcome to our newsletter!
I’d like to begin this report with a staffing update. We recently introduced a new position in our school, Operational Teaching Assistant (OTA). This is a new role designed to take some of the administrative pressure off our teaching staff enabling them to focus more on their classrooms. I’m very pleased to announce that Ebony Dickie has accepted this role. This has meant some changes within our Learning Diversity Team, so I’m equally happy to let you know that Jess Milevski will be stepping into Ebony’s current LSO role and Aimee McTighe has joined our staff. Aimee will replace Jess as the Year 3/4 LSO. Everyone has transitioned well into their new roles and we are delighted to have Aimee join us!
I anticipate some of our staff will choose to move on from St Mary’s at the end of this year. We are always sad to see people leave our school community but we understand that life sometimes takes us in different directions. While nothing is confirmed as yet, in preparation for vacancies, I will begin advertising positions in the near future and confirm changes in staffing a bit later in the year.
Over the past few weeks our students have participated in several sporting events. These have included the Primary Football and Netball Regional competition in Swan Hill where our Year 5/6 students represented us proudly. Well done to all!
Last week we held our annual whole school Athletics Day. Despite the blustery weather, it was a fantastic day enjoyed by all. Unfortunately, time got away from us and we were unable to finalise the relay events on the day. Our back up plan to run them on Friday failed because of the weather as well! We will let everyone know what we plan to do about the relays and Athletics presentations very soon.
A huge thank you to Jane Aikman and Chris Costantino for coaching our regional teams and to all the parents who volunteered their time to coordinate events at the athletics. Without your support we would not be able to have these days. Thanks also to the staff who always give their best and to Des Lowry for his organisation.
In week 4, we honoured the Feast of the Assumption with a whole school liturgy. Thanks to Mikalyla Simpson, our newly appointed Religious Education Leader, for her work in planning such a lovely celebration.
During week 5 we celebrated Book Week which always culminates with the much anticipated dress up parade. This year did not disappoint! The effort and imagination that goes into the costumes on this day is nothing short of amazing. Thanks to all the students and parents for taking the time to dress up and for coming along to support and enjoy the parade. Special mention to Carly Sidorow and her Book Week committee, Kirstyn Pepping, Reema Madhur, and Will Lowry, for all their efforts in organising such a fantastic Book Week. Their creativity and organisation helped make it a memorable event and ensured that a love of reading continues to be fostered amongst our students.
Earlier in week 5, while our students enjoyed a long weekend, all our teaching staff participated in a professional learning day led by Michael Ymer, an expert in teaching Mathematics. We all enjoyed learning from his creative and engaging approach to teaching maths and appreciated the opportunity to learn from someone with so much knowledge and skill in the area. Thanks to all our families who enabled us to participate in this valuable learning.
Last week instructions to book Parent/Teacher Interviews online were sent home to all families. Please make sure you book your appointment soon!
Finally, a friendly reminder that if you plan to enrol your child at St Mary's in 2026, either as a new Prep student or in another year level, please collect an enrolment form from the office and return it asap.
Kind regards,
Andrea Welsh
SWPBS
R U OK? Day – A Conversation Could Change a Life - September 11
R U OK? Day is a national day of action in Australia, held each year to remind us that every day is a good day to ask, "Are you OK?"
This year's message is simple but powerful: "A conversation could change a life."
It's a reminder that we don’t need to be experts to support someone who’s struggling. All it takes is a moment to check in with a friend, colleague, or loved one – and to really listen.
Here’s how you can start the conversation:
Ask – "Are you OK?"
Listen – without judgment, with patience.
Encourage action – help them find the right support.
Check in – follow up and show you care.
Whether it's at home, in the workplace, or in the community, your words can make a difference. Let's take the time to connect, listen, and support one another – not just on R U OK? Day, but every day.
Social Justice
Laudato Si' - Signs of Hope on the Edge
As we entered the Jubilee Year 2025, Pope Francis reminded us that we are all “Pilgrims of Hope.” Let us be a Church that brings healing, dignity, and hope. Let us walk with those who are homeless and mentally unwell, not just as service providers, but as neighbours and friends.
Primary News
Foundation
Thank you to all the families who have already signed the Foundation Tea permission note via SIMON Everywhere.
To help cover the cost of the day, we kindly ask for a $25 payment. This needs to be paid before the event and can be made:
- through the school office
- via bank transfer
- or by sending cash to school with your child for their teacher to pass on.
We’re excited to welcome the Responsible Pet Program on Wednesday, September 3rd. A Class Dojo message has been sent home to check if any children have a fear of dogs. If your child does, please let their teacher know as soon as possible.
Keep an eye out for Prep LC’s foyer display starting next week. We can’t wait for you to see the amazing tacos that they have made!
Year 1/2
The Year 1/2 students have been very busy the past few weeks. With so many exciting things happening at school, we have had to do some shuffling of our days to fit in all our great learning too. Thank you to our students and parents for being so flexible to adjusting their days for us to celebrate such fun events!
Mrs Simpson's room welcomed Miss Maria into their room over the past 3 weeks. Miss Maria is a pre-service teacher who elected to completed one of her placements at St Mary's, we bid her farewell on Friday the 30th. Miss Maria quickly became a highly valued member of the Grade 1/2 unit and we wish her the very best on finishing her studies to become a teacher!
Please keep an eye out for information regarding the Year 1/2 Sleepover, it is scheduled for early in Term 4 so information will be coming home soon as Term 3 comes to an end!
We look forward to seeing all our parents at Parent/Teacher Interviews in Week 9!
Year 3/4
It has been a very exciting and busy few weeks in Year 3/4!
In Reading, we are learning about the different features of fiction, realistic fiction, and non-fiction texts. Students have been comparing how content is organised in these different contexts depending on the purpose of the text.
In Writing, students are hard at work creating and designing their very own St Mary’s Year 3/4 Class Newspapers. These newspapers are linked to our learning about the history of Robinvale. To support this learning, we recently went on a local walking excursion to explore some of the historical and iconic sites around Robinvale. The students enjoyed seeing these places first hand and are now excited to include their new knowledge in their newspaper article writing.
In Mathematics, we are currently learning about fractions. Students are developing their understanding of equal parts, wholes, and groups. Next week, our focus will shift to money, where students will explore real-life applications of maths in everyday situations.
Book Week was another recent highlight for the Year 3/4s. The students looked absolutely outstanding in their creative costumes and thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the Book Week Parade.
Year 5/6
Term 3 has continued to be exciting and eventful in 5/6, with many activities taking place alongside our classroom learning. Here’s a look back at the past three weeks, as well as a glimpse at what’s still to come this term.
In Weeks 4 and 5, our boys’ AFL 9’s team and girls’ netball team travelled to Swan Hill to compete in the regional levels of their respective competitions. Both teams represented our school with great effort, fairness and sportsmanship throughout the day. A massive thank you to Mr Lowry for his organisation, and to our parent coaches, Chris and Jane, for their time and dedication in supporting the students.
Back at school, we celebrated Book Week with some fantastic dress-ups, proudly showcased in our parade and, more recently, we all took part in our annual Athletics Day.
In English, students have enjoyed discussing the proposed social media and YouTube bans, weighing up the pros and cons of this topical issue. They have written some excellent discussion texts presenting both sides of the debate. In Maths, we have focused on converting between 12 and 24 hour time, reading and planning timetables, and plotting locations on a map using grid coordinates.
Looking ahead, there are plenty of exciting events still on the horizon. Over the next two Fridays, we’ll celebrate Father’s Day with a special breakfast and enjoy Footy Colours Day. In Week 8, thanks to Miss Carly, we are fortunate to have author Jack Heath visiting our school - a wonderful opportunity that promises to be insightful and inspiring for the students.
Secondary News
Our Community Connections – Bingo at Aged Care
Members of our Student Leadership Team spent time playing bingo with residents at the Robinvale Aged Care Facility. This is a monthly highlight for our students and a wonderful way to serve our community.
ESSI Money Challenge (Year 7 & 8)
Over the past few weeks our Year 7 and 8 students have been taking part in the ESSI Money Challenge, an interactive online game that builds financial literacy through real-world decisions about earning, saving, spending, borrowing and investing. A number of our students have made the Victorian leaderboard - special mention to Vincent Lamattina who has remained in the top 5. Well done Vincent! The challenge closed Friday 29 August.
Athletics Day
Well done to all students who participated and showed great sportsmanship on Athletics Day, despite the ordinary weather conditions. Thank you to the staff and parents for your organisation and support.
NAPLAN Reports (Year 7)
The school has received the 2025 NAPLAN individual student reports. These can be collected in person from your child’s Homeroom Teacher (or from Mrs Leslie). Please note reports will not be mailed home, given to students, or distributed by the office.
Languages Day – Thursday 18 September
On this day, our Year 7 & 8 students will celebrate their French and Spanish learning with a range of fun, hands-on activities.
Parent/Teacher Interviews – Week 9
We’re looking forward to meeting families during at Parent/Teacher Interviews. Please refer to the informaion sent home last week for further details and booking information.
Warrnambool Camp – Coming Up
Our Warrnambool camp is fast approaching. A ‘what to pack’ list and a departure time reminder will be sent home shortly.
Basketball Clinics – Week 9
St Mary’s is excited to offer Basketball Clinics for Prep – Year 8 with 'Back Court' proprietor Sammy Pilegi, thanks to the generous support of the Robinvale Basketball Association.
- Monday 15: Year 5 - 8
- Tuesday 16: Prep - Year 4
Students are encouraged to wear PE uniform and bring a water bottle. A big thank you the Robinvale Basketball Association for making this opportunity possible!
🍩 Banjo's Donut Fundraiser – Thank You for Your Support! 🍩
We’re thrilled to share that our recent Donut Fundraiser was a sweet success! Thanks to your generosity and enthusiasm, we were able to raise valuable funds that will go directly toward supporting our school.
A thank you goes out to all the parents who bought a dozen (or two!) donuts. Your involvement makes all the difference and it's your continued support that allows our students to thrive.
Student of the Week
Book Week Fun
'Guess How Many Bookworms in the Jar?' 🐛
As part of our Book Week celebrations, students were invited to borrow a book and take a guess at how many bookworms were in the jar!
A big thank you to everyone who took part – we had some fantastic guesses!
Congratulations to our clever winners:
Prep Hendrix Giofrelle
Year 1/2 Eartha Edmund
Year 3/4 Ruben Jansen Van Vuuren
Year 5/6 Serah Tony & Imogen Shawcross
Year 7/8 Jayde Manna
Congratulations to our Book Raffle Winners! 📚
As part of our Book Week celebrations, we also held a special Book Raffle and the results are in!
A big congratulations to the following lucky winners:
Prep LC Valli Romeo – Book Week Bear
Prep JP Blake Rattya – Bowerbird Blues
1/2 SW Mitchell Rogers – Animals
1/2 MS Emily Lazzara – Super Diaper Baby
1/2 FO Arlo Charalambous – The Terrible Trio
3/4 SN Matisse Costantino – Roller Girl
3/4 RM Ava Lazzara – The Travelling Bookshop
3/4 CBSN Archer Brigante – Evil Duck
5/6 KP Sione Lemani – The Factory
5/6 WL Shiloh Giofrelle – Taylor Swift
5/6 NZ Macy Aikman – Lo & Behold
Year 7 Yamila Albanese – Electric Life
Year 8 Iggy Jukes – Mountain Biking
We hope you enjoy your new books and keep the reading spirit alive!
Thank you to everyone who entered and helped make Book Week such a wonderful celebration of stories and imagination.
Well done to all our winners. Enjoy your prizes, and happy reading!
Footy Colours Day - Friday 12th September
On Friday 12th September students are invited to wear their footy and sports colours to school and to order a hot pie, pastie or sausage roll for lunch. $1 from every pastry purchased will be donated to support kids with cancer. All money and order forms are to be sent to the front office. Please remember to bring them in.
