Dear families,

It has been an emotional fortnight for our community.  As times like these often do, amid all-encompassing sorrow, we find great strength and support in each other.

I am grateful to all who have reached out in support of the school and of the Dias family; particularly the large number of families who managed to provide alternate supervision on Tuesday which allowed staff to attend Dario’s funeral and gave us time to be together in our shared grief.  

I am immensely proud of Dario’s closest friends who shared prayers and reflections during the service. What a truly special gift to share with Dario’s parents and brother. With their permission, I share with you their prayers below. 

Rafael

Dario was one of my best friends, we used to play a lot on the monkey bars, one of our favourite places to stay. During the class when the teacher said to pick a partner, I always chose Dario because, in addition to being very funny, he was also very intelligent. I feel happy that Dario is in a better place, God created us to exist forever on His side.

Jabuk

My dear friend, kind and caring Dario

You meant so much to all of us


You were special, and that’s no lie

Taken far too soon, this isn’t fair 

Our time trading Pokémon, playing Roblox & hanging out

these memories I’ll forever cherish as to us they were rare.  

I sit around and wonder and watch the days go by

I look at all your pictures and ask, why did you have to die?

Sometimes I feel you with me, right by my side, 

I know this is true as our feelings never lie

The angels gathered near your side 
So very close to you.


For they knew the pain and suffering 
 That you were going through

You've been there for me, because you were my friend,

and now you’ll be in my heart forever, beyond the very end. 

It’s now time to let you go Your spirit is now free,

even though you won't really be gone, you'll live inside of me

For the loved ones left behind, Lord give us strength and hope until the day we meet again. 

This is hardly a goodbye, so I won't weep anymore,

because now you're in a better place than you ever were before

Even though I will miss you, and I'll think about you every day,

you'll always be my friend, and for now, that's all I have to say."

Gracie-Ella

Dear Lord 

I start by thanking you for blessing me with the privilege to have one of the world's greatest friends. Dario was a kind, caring person who would always make me laugh and would tell funny jokes and stories. 

I always felt I could be myself around him. Dario was the friend that never made me feel judged and would even stick up for me. He was a really good friend who I will miss.

I will forever miss the chats, the messages with exciting news, the laughs, all the fun times we had playing online games and matching our avatars. I will miss seeing the green light appear next to your picture when you are online and your random spans, but mostly I will miss you.

Lord please bless and watch over Susana, Isaac and Senan and give them the strength to get through this difficult time. Bless Dario’s family, friends and all those who loved him. Thank you Lord, for giving us the gift of Dario.

Lord, please welcome Dario into heaven a place of paradise, where he will feel no sorrow, no weeping, or pain but fullness of peace and joy. He will forever be in our hearts.

Loving you forever and always until we meet again.

Love Gracie 

Amen

Hayden

Dear Lord,

Today we pray to you for strength and comfort as we overcome Dario's passing.

Thank you for Dario's life.  We will never forget all the special memories we've shared with him all these years. 

We lift him up to you today in honour of the good we saw in him and the love we felt from him.  Please guide my best friend, Dario, to Heaven so that he can always be protected by your powers and your strength.

Dario may be gone from this earth but he will always be in our hearts and in Heaven, watching over us.

Amen.

Please continue to pray for Susana and Isaac and Dario’s brother, Senan.

We are gearing up for a busy fortnight as we race towards Easter:

• School Tours for prospective families commenced last week and continue in the coming weeks. Please let any local friends and family know and encourage them to come along.
• We’ve decided to combine our Beginning of Year Mass and Buddy Night. We will now host this merged event on Tuesday 26th March. An Operoo note will be sent out early next week confirming the details. We will also be asking our Prep and Year 6 families to confirm their attendance so we can let buddies know if they will be there.

A new addition to our play spaces

The children were very excited to see a giant, colourful Snakes and Ladders grid appear near the netball court overnight. We've also ordered a giant dice to be used with the game. This will be arriving soon. In the meantime, I have no doubt our students will be able to come up with many novel ways to use the space.
This latest addition is brought to you by our P&F, thanks to all of your fundraising efforts. Another one, a What's the Time Mr Wolf game, will be installed on the driveway next to the Junior playground in the coming weeks. 

Staff News

Mrs Angela Hamilton will be taking the rest of this semester off. She underwent surgery today and is currently recovering in hospital. We keep Angela in our prayers and wish her a speedy and positive recovery. 

We welcome Ms Rhona Cloud back to the fold to teach Performing Arts for the rest of this term.

From next term, we will be shaking things up a bit with Ms Bek Pelar returning as a specialist teacher of a different kind. Playing to her strengths and expertise, Bek will be running STEM classes.

And, believe it or not, Mr Freeman will take up the role of Choir Master until Mrs Hamilton’s return! Nicole Singleton will also continue to support the Choir (and Mr Freeman) during rehearsals and Masses.

While on the topic of surgery, I will be undergoing surgery for a Hiatus Hernia next term. I will be taking around 2 weeks’ leave during Weeks 3 and 4 (29th April - 10th May). During this time Mr Hein will take up the role of Acting Principal.

All the best,

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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As you would be aware, we are now accepting Easter raffle donations.

Chocolates and Easter eggs, books, crafting kits, fun socks and pre-loved baskets would all be so welcomed. You can deliver you Easter donations to your classroom or front office. Raffle books will be sent home with the eldest sibling in the family last week.  If you don't get yours, head to the office as Fiona and Katrina have spares for those who may have missed out as well as for those who would like extra books.

The raffle draw will take place on Thursday 28th March at 12:30pm.  This is the last day of school for Term 1 and students will be dismissed at 1:30pm.  Family members are welcome to come along to the raffle draw which will be held outside the hall. 

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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Thanking all families that came to the Book Fair! We sold $1800 and the school received $540 worth of books for the school!

Also, due to the short term, Issue 2 of Book Club will be sent out on Monday.

Take a look inside some of the books in Issue 2

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The 2024 Clean Up Australia Day proved to be a remarkable success at St Mary’s PS, with 12 dedicated students actively participating in the cleaning of both the school yard and the surrounding perimeter.

By adopting a proactive approach and fostering a culture of sustainability within our school community, we can make meaningful strides towards reducing our environmental footprint. Educating students about the importance of waste reduction and recycling empowers them to become responsible stewards of the planet for generations to come. 
 

Encouraging students to utilise the bins provided at school and promoting the use of nude food lunch boxes by parents are crucial steps in reducing rubbish at our school and in our local environment.

As a community it is important to prioritise our environment and take actions to reduce the impact of single-use plastics. Through collective effort and determination, we can create a cleaner, healthier environment for all.

  

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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National Ride2School Day is a cherished annual event that not only promotes sustainable transportation but also fosters a sense of community and well-being among students. 

On 22 March students and staff alike aim to leave their cars at home and embrace alternative modes of transportation such as bicycles, scooters, skateboards, or even walking.

National Ride2School Day is not just about reducing carbon footprints; it's a celebration of health, fitness, and the joy of being outdoors. Students revel in the freedom and empowerment that comes with navigating their journey to school independently. The event also promotes road safety awareness, encouraging responsible habits among the young participants.

To further support this day our House Captains will be collecting data around how students are getting to school, as well as, assigning house points to the appropriate teams. National Ride2School Day serves as a reminder that small, collective actions can contribute to a more sustainable and interconnected future.

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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Dress up Fun! Harmony Day is on Thursday the 21st of March. Students are invited to dress up in their culture's national dress or wear the colours of their countries flag. (eg. Italian - wear green, white and red.)

Harmony Day, which is held on the 21st of March every year, is widely celebrated in the community and at schools around the country. This significant day coincides with the United Nations’ International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. It is a time to celebrate Australia’s cultural diversity and promote inclusiveness, with its key message being ‘Everyone Belongs’.

On Harmony Day, students will engage their community in a variety of activities. These activities aim to teach an understanding of how all Australians equally belong to this country and enrich it, as well as promote cultural respect for all. 

We invite students to dress in the traditional dress of their family or your family's national flag colours (ie. Italian - green, white, and red) on the 21st of March. 

We look forward in learning how to appreciate our differences and similarities, promote inclusiveness and show mutual respect for everyone, regardless of race, colour, religion, or background. ‘Everyone belongs’,

 

Warm Regards;
Stephanie Murdoch
Wellbeing Leader 

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We are very aware that we have put quite a few requests out recently, but if you can see your way clear to read below and see if you can help us out that would be wonderful.
This year we’re asking our Dads, Grandads, Special Men of St. Mary's to assist students shop our Mother’s Day stall. Volunteers wanted Friday the 10th of May in the School Hall.

Hours required are 9-11 am.
All volunteers need a valid WWC check.
If you can help out please email parentsfriends@smaltona.catholic.edu.au
A Working With Children Check is FREE. Apply here



We are also calling out for Mother’s Day gift creations and donations.
We're looking for donations of items to sell at our Mother's Day stall. This way 100% of proceeds can go towards our fundraising goal this year
of purchasing new and maintaining recreational and sports equipment.

Creations include our students getting crafty making multiple bracelets, bookmarks, keychains, sugar scrubs and earrings Mum would love.

Donation ideas; Chocolate, lollies, cookies, candles, hand cream, bath bombs, lip gloss and nail polish. New comfy slippers, socks, eye masks, photo frames, drink bottles.

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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Bayside Netball Club are still looking for some new 9 years and under players and we have information included about a new holiday program.  You can sign up for Creative Music lessons in Term 3 and also read our Parish Bulletin.

We would also like to thank Mancini Real Estate for their continuous support to St Mary's Altona.


             

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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There have been a few items removed and a few price changes on our school tuck shop menu. Please see our updated menu here

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