Term 3 Week 6 | 20 August 2025

Principal - Ms Megan Pearce

We’ve been getting ready for Book Week for a few weeks now, and it’s been so much fun to see it all come together. The dress-ups, shared stories, and classroom activities have brought plenty of smiles and reminded us just how powerful books are in sparking imagination.

We’ve also been welcoming families for our Prep interviews as we prepare for the 2026 intake. It’s always exciting to meet the newest members of our St Mary’s community and share with them what makes our school such a special place. A big thank you to staff for helping make these visits so warm and welcoming.

Last week we also celebrated our Feast Day of the Assumption of Mary. This was a special opportunity for us to come together in prayer and community, remembering Mary’s faith and the way her “yes” to God inspires us in our school life today.

This week I’m up in Cairns at the 2025 Australian Catholic Education Conference with all the other Principals from our diocese. It’s a great chance to learn, connect, and bring back new ideas for our school. I’m looking forward to sharing some of the highlights with you when I return.

As we reach the halfway mark of the term, our focus remains on high-quality learning in every classroom. I’m so proud of the way our students are engaging with their learning, and of the dedication our teachers show each day to helping every child grow and succeed.

Warmest wishes,

Megan

APMI - Miss Imogen Hunt

Celebrating the Assumption of Mary

On Friday, our entire school community came together in a beautiful celebration of the Feast of the Assumption of Mary led by our year 3 students. This a significant day in the Catholic calendar that honours Mary being taken into Heaven, body and soul. This solemnity reminds us of Mary’s unwavering faith and her special place in God’s plan, serving as a model of hope and devotion for all of us.

Year 3 guided us through a thoughtful Mass, sharing prayers and readings that helped us contemplate Mary’s faith, courage, and devotion. Their leadership reminded us of the importance of saying “yes” to God, just as Mary did, and inspired us to live with grace and compassion.

The celebration was a meaningful moment for our community to pause and reflect on Mary’s role in our faith and the hope her Assumption brings to Catholic people.

If you’d like to read more about the Feast of the Assumption, visit Australian Catholics.

https://www.australiancatholics.com.au/article/feast-of-the-assumption-of-mary

Year 1 Prayer Celebration – The Story of Creation

This coming week, our wonderful Year 1 students will be leading us in a Prayer Celebration focused on the Creation Story. We’re looking forward to seeing how they bring this beautiful and foundational story to life through prayer, reflection, and creativity.

It’s always inspiring to witness our youngest learners share their understanding of God’s creation and the joy it brings. We can’t wait to gather as a community and support Year 1 in this special moment.

Warm regards,

Imogen Hunt 

Learning Support - Ms Susan McInnes

Hi St Mary’s Community,

I’m thrilled to share that I have recently transitioned to a new role, Learning Support Teacher. This new position allows me to work more closely with students who benefit from additional guidance in their learning journey and I’m looking forward to supporting their growth in a more personalised way.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me in this change—I’m excited for the opportunities ahead and to continue making a positive impact in our school community!

Yours in Learning,
Susan McInnes

Library - Mrs Vanessa Alexander

Week 6 Book Week Celebration!

This week we’re diving into the wonderful world of stories as we celebrate Book Week! Our school is buzzing with excitement, and one of the highlights is our Character Parade happening on Wednesday, 20 August. Students and staff will be dressing up as their favourite book characters—expect to see everything from wizards and detectives to superheroes and storybook animals roaming the halls. It’s a joyful celebration of imagination, reading, and creativity!

We also want to give a huge shoutout to our Readers' Cup team: Clara, Dominic, Addison, Billie and Abraham. These five outstanding students will be heading to Brisbane from 3–5 September to compete in the National Championship. Their dedication to reading and teamwork has brought them this far, and we couldn’t be prouder. Let’s all wish them the very best of luck as they represent our school on the national stage!

Happy Book Week everyone—keep turning those pages and exploring new worlds!

St Mary’s Library

Bookweek - Book Character Parade

The Arts - Mrs Leilani Thomas

Charleville Performing Arts Festival is almost here!

Next week is the much-anticipated CPAF, and we cannot wait to share the magic with you all! Attached you’ll find some images with all the details you need, and an excursion activity will be uploaded to the Parent Portal shortly so you can give permission for your child to be part of this awesome event.

Each classroom teacher has been preparing a verse with their class, while Miss Spalding, Mr Mulhall and I have been busy getting our choirs, ensembles, and bands ready. We are so excited to showcase the incredible talent of our students, and you are warmly invited to come along and enjoy the performances.

Please note: Prep to Year 3 students will need to be dropped directly to the Racecourse this year, as the festival will be starting earlier.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We can’t wait to see you there!

Kindest regards,
Lani

Health & PE - Mr Pete Lambourne

It’s been a busy and exciting term in Health and Physical Education at St Mary’s!

Prep students have been developing their Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS) with a focus on jumping, overarm throwing, and underarm throwing. It’s been wonderful to see their confidence and coordination grow each week.

Years 1–2 have also been working on FMS, with an emphasis on catching, dribbling (basketball), and hopping. These skills are being developed through fun, engaging activities that build both physical ability and teamwork.

Years 3–6 spent the first five weeks of the term learning a variety of athletics skills, including running, jumping, and throwing events. These sessions helped prepare students for our School Athletics Carnival, which was held in Week 2. It was a fantastic day filled with energy and school spirit. Congratulations to Xavier House, who took out the win!

Following the carnival, 25 students represented St Mary’s at the District Athletics Carnival, with several students now progressing to the South West Carnival in St George next week. We wish all our competitors the best of luck—go St Mary’s!

For the remainder of the term, Years 3–6 will be focusing on invasion games, developing their attacking and defensive strategies, teamwork, and spatial awareness through dynamic, game-based learning.

In Health, all year levels have been exploring the topic of Respectful Relationships, aligned with the Zones of Regulation framework. Students are learning to identify their emotions, understand how these emotions affect their behaviour, and develop strategies to manage them in positive and respectful ways. This learning supports emotional wellbeing and helps build a safe and supportive school environment.

It’s been a fantastic term so far, and I’m proud of the effort and enthusiasm all students have shown in Health and PE.

Mr Pete Lambourne
HPE Teacher

Year 5 & 6 Camp Fundraising

August Birthdays

Flyers