St Mary's Catholic School Wellington eNewsletter

Our Vision

St Mary's Catholic School is a Christ centred, inclusive community where individuals are supported to learn at high levels and to grow spiritually, socially and physically.

"We have gifts that differ, according to the grace given to each of us." (Romans 12:6)

Principal's Message

I can do all things though Him who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13

Dear St Mary’s Families,

Last week we welcomed Bishop Michael McKenna to St Mary’s. Bishop Michael spent the morning celebrating the Parish Mass with Year 8 and Year 5/6 students, then joined us for a school assembly followed by class visits. It was a great opportunity to showcase our school.

Students have represented St Mary’s in a positive and competitive way at a number of sporting events recently, including Primary Touch and Primary Rugby. Congratulations on your achievements.

100 days “brighter” in Kindergarten was celebrated this week and we are proud of how our Kinder’s have grown over this time. We are extremely impressed by their learning achievements. I have had the pleasure of meeting with our 2026 incoming Kindergarten students and their families over the past 2 weeks and we are looking forward to them starting their St Mary’s journey with us next year. Enrolment interviews are also currently being held for new students from Year 1 to Year 10 for 2026.

We have been very fortunate to have the opportunity to engage with International presenter on Wellbeing, Daniela Falecki who will spend a day with our St Mary’s Staff in November. The CEDB has granted us an additional Staff Development day (Pupil free day) which will allow us to attend..

Congratulations to all St Mary’s students for the amazing start that you have made this term with your focus on learning. Thanks to all families who were able to make it along to parent/teacher conferences this week. Great to see you supporting your child on their educational journey.

God Bless

Mrs Leanne Clarke
Principal

Diary and Important Dates

Next Pupil Free Day will be Friday 5 September (Staff Development Day)

Week 3

Monday 4 August: Christmas Artworks Due

Tuesday 5 August: Primary Western Athletics Carnival

Wednesday 6 August: Goodooga Games (Miimi Birang), Gotcha4Life visit

Thursday 7 August: Goodooga Games (Miimi Birang), Gotcha4Life visit, K-2 Imagine Performance in Dubbo

Friday 8 August: Goodooga Games (Miimi Birang), Soccer Gala Day, St Mary of the Cross Mass

Week 4

Monday 11 August: Maranatha Visit - Year 9

Tuesday 12 August:

Wednesday 13 August: NAIDOC Day SMCS

Thursday 14 August: Don Green Cup

Friday 15 August: School Newsletter, Y3-4 Beetle Show in Dubbo

School Photo Day - Wednesday 27 August 2025 - Full School Uniform

Religious Education News

Visit from Bishop Michael McKenna

Last week the Bishop of the Bathurst Diocese, Bishop Michael McKenna visited St Mary’s. The Bishop was treated to a school assembly featuring the Eisteddfod items of the amazing Year 3/4 students and a selection of student awards. Our Year K-2 students wrote beautiful prayers and revealed a prayer focus during their presentation. We finished with a great effort from the students by singing My Lighthouse, complete with actions.

The Bishop visited the classes of Years 5/6, Years 9/10, Year 4 and Year 2. All students were very respectful, asked good questions of the Bishop and engaged with him wonderfully. He finished by having lunch with the staff.

Christmas Art Competition

Entries for the Diocesan Christmas Art Competition are due next week for Year 5 and 6 students. Completed artworks also need a written reflection. For interested parents/carers, rules and information about the competition can be found here. Winning entries from Year 5 and 6 will be entered into the Diocesan competition. Please see Mr Stevens or Mr Jones for information.

World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly

Last Sunday was Grandparents Day. Our Parish bulletin contained this prayer, which is worth praying at any time, for our valued elderly loved ones. St Joachim and St Anne were Jesus’ grandparents (Mary’s mother and father).

"Heavenly Father,
We lift up our grandparents and the elderly to you. We pray for those who may be experiencing loneliness or illness.
Please grant them comfort, healing and peace. We ask that you surround them with love and support and that they may feel your presence in their lives.
May they find joy in their families and communities, and may their wisdom be shared with younger generations.
We ask this in your Holy name.
Amen.”

Upcoming dates

The Feast of Mary of the Cross MacKillop is next week on Friday (August 8). Please join our Mass to celebrate at 10 am.

During NAIDOC celebrations in week 4, we will have a K-10 liturgy on Wednesday (13 August). More details to follow.

Sacrament of Confirmation - Early Date Reminders

Week 7 Mon Sept 1 - Parent Information Evening

Week 7 Sat Sept 6 - Enrolment Mass

Mr Christopher Stevens
Leader of Ministry and Mission

St Patrick's Parish Sacramental Calendar 2025

School Information

Gotcha4Life Mentally Fit Schools Parent Information Session

St Mary’s has been given an opportunity to work with a team from 'Gotcha4Life' who will be delivering a mentally fit program for our school community over the next 3 years.

The partnership will assist our school to take action to embed mental fitness across the whole school community. With a focus on prevention, the program supports students, staff and families through developing simple daily habits, consistent language and evidence based tools that make a lasting difference.

The Gotcha for Life team will be visiting us next Wednesday 6 and Thursday 7 August.

To begin the mentally fit program, a parent information session will be held at 8:00am on Wednesday 6 August in the school hall. The school will provide student supervision beginning at 7:50am on 6 August. We encourage all St Mary's parents to join us. The session will unpack strategies listed above and provide parents/carers with resources and shared language to continue the conversation at home.

For further information on the Mentally Fit program, please visit:

https://www.gotcha4life.org/programs/primaryschools

School Uniform

With the exception of sport days, a reminder that all Kindergarten to Year 10 students are to wear their full winter uniform while at school, including the correct maroon school jumper, school tie (small navy cross tie for Secondary girls) and black school shoes. If your child is unable to wear the correct full uniform on a given day, please send a note to their classroom or Pastoral Care teacher.

With school photos coming up soon on Wednesday 27 August it is important that all students have the correct uniform items.

Parent/Teacher Conferences

Thank you to parents and carers who were able to attend our Term 3 Parent/Teacher Conferences this week. If you were unable to attend and would like to meet with your child’s teacher(s), please contact the office to organise an appointment.

A date for Year 6 conferences will be confirmed after Week 3 when Mrs Brien returns from leave. Once confirmed, all Year 6 conference bookings can be made through the Compass app.

Mr Allan Jones
Assistant Principal

Learning Matters

K-2

‘To every child, may your dreams be as big as your imagination and may you have the courage to chase them.’

K-2 have had an amazing start to term 3 jumping straight back into their learning with enthusiasm.

Next week will be a busy one with excursions. On Thursday we are heading to Dubbo to the theatre to watch Imagine and on Friday students will be back off to Dubbo for the soccer gala day. Please check compass for details and signing of permission notes if you have not already done so.

Thank you to all parents who attended parent/teacher conferences this week. If you were unable to attend and would like to speak to your child’s teacher please contact the office or email your child’s teacher to make an appointment.

Ms Kellie Rich
K-2 Leader of Learning

Year 3-6

Diocesan Rugby 10’s

A number of Year 5/6 boys participated in the Diocesan Rugby 10’s last week and had a great time. The team played their initial game against a combined team with students from Canowindra and Cowra. They then took on a very strong Mudgee team, who went on to win the competition. The boys were challenged, but continued to give their all. Later in the day they defeated a team from Holy Family school in Bathurst, before finishing the day with a game against a combined team that featured a number of students from various schools. The boys all played tough, were very respectful and most of all, had a great day.

Parent Teacher Interviews

Thanks to all parents who attended our parent K-6 teacher conferences this week. If you were unable to attend or would like to speak with your child’s teacher at other times throughout the year, can you please make an appointment through the office and/or email your child’s teacher.

Mr John Nugent
3-6 Leader of Learning

Year 7-10

Welcome back for Term 3. A big thank you to all parents and carers who came along to the Secondary Parent/Teacher conferences on Wednesday afternoon. It was a great night to set planning goals for our students for the remainder of the year. If you were not able to attend and need to contact your child/rens teachers please make an appointment through the front office.

Mandatory Technology

Year 7 & 8 Students are reminded that they are required to wear enclosed leather shoes for their practical experiences during Term 3 & 4. Year 7 Monday P 5&6 and Year 8 Friday P 5&6.

Assessment Tasks

A reminder to check your assessment booklet for upcoming Assessment tasks during Term 3.

Diary Date

Taste of Secondary and Elective Information evening - Tuesday 26 August from 5.30am.

Year 6 students are invited to come along and learn about the opportunities in Secondary at St Mary’s.

Year 8 students will be able to attend an information session explaining the range of elective choices that they will have in 2026.

Mrs Tammy Nugent
7-10 Leader of Learning

Sport News

Primary and Secondary Touch Football

Well done to all primary and secondary students who participated at the Touch Carnivals last week. All students put in 100 percent effort and represented the school extremely well. A huge thank you to our secondary students assisted with refereeing and coaching. You did an amazing job and set a great example for the younger students.

Primary and K-2 Soccer

Compass notes have gone out for the K-6 Soccer Gala day next Friday. Please consent asap and indicate if you can assist on the day as a team coach. Thank you.

Primary Western Athletics

Good luck to our Primary Western Athletics team who will be competing at the Western Diocesan Athletics Carnival next Tuesday. If you have not consented please do so asap.

Mr Alistaire Thompson
Sport Teacher

SPB4L Focus- Use Technology Appropriately

A new SPB4L focus was launched last Thursday during our K-10 assembly. The ‘Use Technology Appropriately’ focus aims to remind all students of the importance of responsibly using devices, such as mobile phones, chromebooks and ipads, in a way that is safe and complies with the school’s rules and expectations. Students were praised for the way in which they have cared for their chromebooks and were provided with information about ‘digital footprints’.

Cub Credit Shop

A number of new items have been added to the Cub Credit shop to begin Term 3. 3-6 students are encouraged to earn as many Cub Credits as they can through excellent work and behaviour, and head down to the shop to check out the new arrivals.

Mr Allan Jones
Assistant Principal

School Fees Reminder

Payment Reminder – School Fees

We kindly remind families that some school fee accounts remain outstanding. If you have not yet made your payment, we would appreciate your attention to this matter at your earliest convenience.

If you are experiencing difficulties or require a payment plan, please don’t hesitate to contact the school office — we are here to help and happy to discuss flexible options to support you.

Thank you for your ongoing support and cooperation.

Library News

The library has been filled with Book Fair excitement over the last two weeks, the perfect way to start Term 3 ‘Let’s Read!’. We had classes come together in Week One for a sneak peek of the fair. Our older students helped younger ones write out their wish lists for the fair. It was truly beautiful to see students helping one another but mostly enjoying spending time together and so much book talk happening in the library.

A HUGE thank you to everyone who came along and supported our Book Fair. It was fantastic to see so many students excited to find the perfect book or two! With the money raised from the fair we will be able to fill the library and school with lots of new, exciting books and resources. A very special thank you to those families who also donated books from the fair to the school. I can’t wait to get these books on the shelves as quickly as possible, so students can start enjoying them straight away. There were lots of orders taken from the fair. These orders have been finalised today, as soon as they arrive I will notify families and get these orders out and sent home with students.

As part of the Book Fair celebrations we have been running two competitions. This week during the fair, three ‘Where’s Wallys' were hidden around the school each day. Congratulations to everyone who found Wally and claimed a prize from the Book Fair. The other competition that has been running is a ‘Grug’ book cover design competition. Students and staff were asked to design their own ‘Grug’ book, coming up with a new adventure or unique thing for Grug to do. There have been so many clever cover designs handed in. Entries for this competition close Monday, Week Four, August 11 and winners will be announced at our book parade- Wednesday August 20

I really can't thank everyone enough for supporting our Book Fair and helping make it our most successful one yet!

Many, many thanks,

Mrs Hayley Jones
Librarian

Taste of Secondary & Elective Information Evening

Tuesday 26th August (from 5:30am)

Year 6 students are invited to come along and learn about the opportunities in Secondary at St Mary’s.

Year 8 students will be able to attend an information session explaining the range of elective choices that they will have in 2026.

Parent Helpers - Documentation required

Documentation required for parents/carers transporting students in private vehicles to school events, helping in classrooms, school canteen or on site school events.

If you are using your own vehicle to transport students to an organised school event, you must show your drivers licence and proof of motor vehicle registration to the school office staff the day prior to the event.

All parents/carers assisting with supporting students in any area of the school (on site) or transporting students to events must have a current declaration for working with children form completed.

This form can be collected from the school office.

SRC Update

As leaders of the SRC we have collaborated with student representatives on a number of things to improve our school and wider community. Towards the end of term 2, students enjoyed attending school socials, which were a big hit! Our 80/90s themed 3-6 social was a blast from the past with amazing costumes, fun games and heaps of dancing. Spotlight was a massive success for both 5-6 and secondary students. For our 7-10 social we began the night enjoying pizza, before heading into the hall to play laser tag that was led by the PCYC. There was much laughter and fun while still being a friendly competition. We headed outside to play spotlight with students hiding in various spots within boundaries to not get found by Mr Jones’s torch!! Thankyou to all the students who took part in the night and all the teachers who helped supervise and organise the event, it is greatly appreciated!

After our St Patrick’s Day fundraising in term 1 the SRC committed to donating Fr Carl and the Parish with half of the earnings made to support the continuation of the Church. Fr Carl was very pleased and thankful for our efforts and generosity. Another major fundraiser was our Bake Sale to support Stepping Out Cambodia in purchasing education packs for their students. These were put together by Clare during her recent trip to Cambodia.

Yesterday our school held a Jersey Day where students could wear their favourite sports jersey in exchange for a gold coin donation. The proceeds from this were raised to support the Cancer Council and their research. Around 170 000 people in Australia had been diagnosed with Cancer in 2024. As school we wanted to show our support for not only those affected but for their families as well. The SRC greatly appreciates your ongoing support for our fundraising efforts. The SRC raised $160 for the Cancer Council this week with this Jersey Fundraiser.

Maranatha House Visit - Year 10

On Monday Year 10 students visited Maranatha and as the elderly continue to express their gratitude (and delight) at craft activities we planned on making collages based on a horse theme - as Maranatha celebrates horses birthday which is the 1st August. With a kind donation of old horse magazines from Horseland in Dubbo we were treated to so many options to bring this shared activity together.

All the students were so very patient and kind by gently sharing in the jobs of cutting,gluing and creativity. As you can see everyone was thrilled with the results. The activity brought back many happy memories for the elderly as many are off the land and have a deep love of horses

Louise Hennessy
Community Wellbeing Program Manager

We are thrilled to advise that TICKETS ARE NOW ON SALE for our 25 October CCSP Parents and Carers Conference! And we wanted you to be the first to know!

SUPPORTING FAMILIES: WORKING TOGETHER IN A MODERN WORLD

This special one-day event will bring Catholic school parents together from across NSW to explore how we can support and strengthen families in a rapidly changing world. With thought-provoking keynotes, breakout sessions and opportunities for connection, it’s set to be an amazing day.

Find out more about the program, speakers and session details on our website:
ccsp.schoolzineplus.com/2025-conference

Secure your ticket now via Eventbrite:
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/supporting-families-working-together-in-a-modern-world-registration-1363786414879?aff=oddtdtcreator

We look forward to welcoming you to this milestone event as we celebrate, reflect and look to the future of Catholic education and school + family partnerships!

When: Saturday 25 October 2025

Where: Novotel Parramatta, Sydney

What time: 8:30am – 3:30pm