Principal's Message
Dear Parents and Carers,
Who can believe that the 2021 school year is almost over. In many ways, it feels like it has just begun and yet everyone is quite exhausted. I noticed this week how the students are starting to tire easily and are ready for a good long break from learning. However, despite months of COVID lockdown, the students have definitely learnt. Our school and student literacy and numeracy data is stronger than expected across all stages and shows an improving trend over the years.
As a school, we are currently doing an amazing job with students in the middle and bottom bands. Students involved in our Literacy Intervention programs; MiniLit, MacqLit and BOOST have made exceptional progress in 2021. Next year, our Annual Improvement Plan will focus on moving our middle to top band students even further along in both literacy and numeracy.
Staffing 2022
I am pleased to announce our staff for 2022. We are truly blessed to have such an amazing group of teachers and support staff at St Mary’s. Mr Jeff Prow and Mrs Claire Burrows will be taking extended leave for the whole of 2022. We look forward to welcoming them back in 2023. You will notice that we have made the decision to keep our current Year 5 teachers with the Year 6 cohort next year. Teachers are mixing the students so they will not necessarily have the same teacher. This decision was based on what we believe is in the students’ best interests. The Year 5 students have had a very successful year and their teachers did not wish to ‘let them go!’.
We welcome Mr James Campbell and Mrs Kaylene McClurie to our staff and know that they will fit in perfectly at St Mary’s. James is well known to the staff and students, currently teaching in a relief capacity across the school. Kaylene is an experienced educator relocating to the area after many years teaching in western NSW.
LEADERSHIP TEAM
Parish Priest: Fr George Azhakath
Principal: Mrs Noeleen O’Neill
Assistant Principal: Mrs Sue Heffernan
Religious Education Coordinator: Mrs Jess Afflick
Coordinator and PDHPE teacher: Mr Justin Bateman
TEACHING STAFF
| Kindergarten | Mrs Jacquie Stephen |
| Year 1 | Mrs Gen Schofield |
| Year 1/2 | Mrs Fran Devonald |
| Year 2 | Mrs Carla Durnan |
| Year 3 | Mr Matthew Harpley |
| Year 4 | Ms Georgia McCormick |
| Year 4 | Mrs Alicia Hampson |
| Year 5 | Mrs Jess Afflick and Mrs Sophie Kenny |
| Year 5 | Mr James Campbell |
| Year 6 & Sports Coordinator | Mrs Megan Grant |
| Year 6 | Mrs Jessie White |
| Japanese Teacher | Mrs Lorraine Wilkie |
| RFF teacher | Mrs Kaylene McClurie |
| Learning Support Teacher | Mrs Jo Matthews |
| Pastoral Teacher | Mrs Margaret Croese |
SUPPORT STAFF
| Learning Support Assistants |
Mrs Shellie Butler, Mrs Janet Ryan |
| Aboriginal Education Worker/Canteen | Mr Kirby Hodgson |
| Office Manager | Mrs Annette Hazell |
| Office Admin Assistants | Mrs Cathy Smith and Mrs Cathy Moffitt |
| School Counsellor | Ms Faith Costigan |
| Cleaner | Ms Tollein Kelly |
Student Leadership 2022
Yesterday afternoon, I announced to the students our Year 6 Student Leadership Team for 2022.
Two School Leaders and six House Leaders make up the Student Leadership Team. We believe that in Year 6, all students are our leaders and expected to be excellent role models for other students. A special congratulations to the students who were elected to the official School Leadership positions for 2022. Each of them is very worthy of such an honour.
SCHOOL LEADERS
Lincon S
Taylah C
HOUSE LEADERS
Ayr - Dusty I and Charlotte Ek
Howard - Heidi VW and Kobi P
Cassidy - Zac W and Morgan D
COMPASS - Reports
Parents will be able to access their child's Semester Two report through COMPASS from this evening. Please read them with your child, focusing on the affirmations from their teachers. Not everyone can get As and Bs through life. Please remember that the most important part of a child's report are the comments and grades around effort and learning habits. If any parent requires a hard copy of the report, please email the front office.
Season of Advent
In the busyness of life, it is sometimes easy for us to forget about the true meaning of Christmas. At school, we have been teaching the children that Christmas is not just a secular holiday with Santa and presents. As Catholics, the season of Advent is a special time for us to take time, reflect and prepare ourselves for the birth of Jesus.
On behalf of the staff at St Mary’s, I would like to thank you for your commitment to St Mary’s and your messages of support this year. We are truly blessed to have such a beautiful school for our children to learn, play and grow up in. Working together, parents and teachers can do amazing things for the most important people in our lives; our children.
I wish you and your families a safe and blessed Christmas and summer holidays.
See you in 2022.
With God’s blessings