Principal's Message: 12 December 2025

Dear families,

It’s been an incredibly big week for our community.

Staff celebrated Mrs Masseni’s retirement on Wednesday, yesterday we celebrated our graduating class of 2025 with a beautiful Mass, followed by presentations and dinner and dancing at the RSL. 

This morning, our students spent time in their 2026 classrooms with their 2026 teachers. We know this can be a moment filled with big feelings, and that transition days often bring a mix of excitement and uncertainty. While there were naturally a few tears, it wasn’t long before students settled in beautifully.

We were also pleased to welcome several new teachers to our school community. They were genuinely delighted to meet their classes and were extremely impressed by the warmth, confidence, and readiness of our students. After chatting with a number of students, it seems the feeling was mutual. They were just as impressed with their new teachers.

It was wonderful to see so many positive interactions and to witness the reassurance that comes from students hearing that their teachers are feeling the same mix of nerves and excitement. It set a lovely tone for the year ahead.

Creating class groups for the new school year is a complex and very careful process. Our goal is always to set every child up for success—socially, emotionally, and academically. To do this, staff spend considerable time reviewing each student’s needs, learning styles, strengths, support requirements, and social dynamics. We take into account teacher insights, student wellbeing considerations, and the need to maintain balanced, effective learning environments.

A large part of this process is ensuring that children have familiar and supportive peers. While we cannot accommodate every request, we do guarantee that each child will have at least one friend from the list they provide. Staff use these nominations when forming groups, prioritising positive relationships that help students feel settled, confident, and ready to learn.

We also recognise that some families may feel disappointed if their child’s placement does not align with their preferred outcome. In these situations, we ask parents to work positively with their child—reassuring them, highlighting the opportunities that come with a new class group, and modelling confidence in the school’s decisions. Children take their cues from the adults around them, and a calm, encouraging response helps them approach the new year with optimism and resilience.

We appreciate parents trusting the professional judgement that goes into these decisions. Class placement is never taken lightly, and we are committed to making choices that best support all students across the school.

Last week, Tess Woodgate and Jane Kirkwood informed me they will be leaving us at the end of this year. We wish them both the best for their future pathways.

Amy, our canteen lady, will also finish up at the end of this school year. Amy has been with us since 2011 and will be missed by all, especially parents on a Friday morning when all that’s left in the pantry are the ends of a fast-getting-stale bread loaf. We are working with Subway to add Fridays to our lunch run. We will keep you posted.

Among the significant changes coming to St Mary’s in 2026, we are saddened to share that our longstanding affiliation with Catholic Care counselling and Now We’re Talking will come to an end. Due to budget reductions across multiple sectors, this has been an unavoidable and difficult decision.

Rishika and Liv, along with her amazing speech pathologists, have provided great support over the years and their absence will no doubt be felt.

That said, our commitment to supporting students with additional needs remains strong. At this stage, we will continue to allow allied health professionals to work with students onsite during school hours. We are aware that an increasing number of schools are no longer willing to accommodate this practice, and we are proud to continue to offer this support.

If you would like to arrange for your child to see a health professional onsite, please contact Cathy Sims, our learning diversity leader.

I am pleased to announce the staffing arrangements for 2026. In the midst of a very difficult staffing crisis facing the education sector, I am very proud of the team I present to our community.  

We are thrilled to announce the arrival of baby Riley to Mrs Richards and her family. Riley arrived on the 5th of December. Some of you had the pleasure of being introduced to him as Mrs Richards brought him along to Graduation last night. 

As we approach the joy of Christmas, we extend our heartfelt wishes to every member of our St Mary’s community. In this season of hope, peace, and renewal, we are reminded of God’s greatest gift to us in the birth of Jesus.

May the light of Christ fill your homes, guide your hearts, and bring comfort and joy to your families. 

We pray that this Christmas offers you moments of rest, gratitude and connection and that the blessings of Jesus accompany you into the New Year.

All the best,

Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage