Dear families,

It’s been a sweltering start to our school year, but as expected, our students have begun settling into the new school year with gusto and enthusiasm.

 

 

Our teachers enjoyed meeting you all over the Getting to Know You Chats this week. We encourage you to continue to let your child’s teacher know about anything that may impact on their days at school. Whether it be through a simple message at the door at drop off, or via Seesaw, when we are aware that a child is struggling we can all work together to help them through.

Please note that staff will not respond to emails/calls outside of work hours and may take a few days to reply to correspondence.

Uniform policy

 

While we wait for our updated Uniform Policy to be ratified, here are a few beginning-of-year reminders:

• Earrings: must be plain studs/sleepers
• Necklaces if worn, should be a single simple chain with a small pendant (eg cross)
• Nails should be free of polish/layers (eg SNS)
• Skorts are part of the sports uniform. Older students can choose to wear the skirt that is part of the regular school uniform if they prefer this look outside of sports days
• Smart watches, if worn, must be set to school mode (see below for more information)

 

All students are required to hand in their mobile phones to their teachers for safekeeping at the commencement of each day. This is to ensure that phones don’t go missing or that students do not use phones during school time. We have had incidents where students have taken their phones into bathrooms. I’m sure you can understand why we are enforcing this expectation. Please ensure you talk with your child about the responsible use of their devices. Any child who is found to have a device on them will be required to hand their phone into the front office each day and collect it from there at the end of each day. 

It is also important to ensure that any smart watches are set to school mode. As these watches operate in the same way as mobile phones, the same rules and consequences apply if these devices are found to be accessed during the day.

Please do not communicate with your child during school hours via their smart watch or encourage your child to do so. If a child is unwell or has forgotten something, please encourage them to tell their teacher and office staff can notify you.

 

We appreciate your cooperation with this.

Supervision

 

Staff commence supervision of students onsite at 8:30am each morning. Please note that we are not responsible for children until this time. If you need to drop your child off earlier, as a once off, please let the office staff know in advance. 

At the end of the day, 2 staff members are on duty in the yard from 3:15-3:30; one on Area 1 (Junior playground and netball court) and on the basketball court. 

If you envisage you will arrive after 3:30pm, please let your child know to wait in the yard until the supervising teacher locks the gates. They will then need to wait in the office and be collected from there.

We understand that there can be many reasons parents run late every now and then, but if this is occurring regularly, please make a time to meet with me to discuss your options. 

Beginning of Year events

 

Our beginning of year Mass and picnic takes place this Tuesday at 5pm. At the end of this Mass we commission our 2025 school leaders.

Families are welcome to stay for a BYO picnic.

 

Our yearly Buddy Night for our Preps and their Year 6 buddies will take place on Thursday 13th March between 5pm and 7pm. Parents, look out for an Operoo note to register your attendance for this evening.

Lunches

 

Our onsite tuckshop will only operate on Fridays this year. On these days, lunch orders can be placed by using the good old brown paper bags and cash. Children will also have the opportunity to purchase snacks at recess and lunch time.

 

On Wednesdays, KingWIll Catering provides lunches via the MySchool Connect app.

2026 enrolments

 

We’ve barely made it back and here we are spruiking Prep enrolments for next year already!

We have moved to an entirely online system this year.

Existing families can complete their enrolment forms any time they like here.

Prospective families are encouraged to book a tour. If you know of any families who are looking for a school, you can direct them here. 

Have a joyous weekend,

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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In this week's Community News you will find information about Auskick, Altona Green Fate, Emmanuel college and more. We hope you enjoy the read. Vida Tennis - Altona & Williamstown

Auskick- 

Altona Green Fete - Saturday 29th March

Emmanuel College News- Latest Feb news

Karate Australia - Classes from 5 years - adults

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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Our students have returned for an exciting year of learning, full of energy and curiosity. As we settle back into school routines, it’s wonderful to see the genuine enthusiasm lighting up every classroom.

 

St Mary’s is buzzing with the sounds of pages turning and children eagerly exploring new books. Our new Prep students and junior school have dived into fresh learning experiences in reading and writing with great enthusiasm.

Our middle and senior students are immersing themselves in deepening their understanding of place value, while the senior students are eagerly awaiting the beginning of interschool sports.


In our specialist spaces, students are participating in a variety of engaging activities that emphasise collaboration, communication, reflection, and team building.

We also want to express our heartfelt gratitude to our passionate teachers, who are welcoming their new students and fostering a vibrant learning environment where curiosity and the joy of discovery thrive every day.

 As we journey through this new year, we look forward to the growth, exploration, and accomplishments that await us all.

 

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

 

       

       

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Next Tuesday will be our final Swim training/trials session, in the lead up to the District Swimming Carnival.  Sessions are held at the BayFit pool in Mason St, Altona North. It's not too late for your child to sign up, in fact they would be warmly welcomed. Training sessions are open to all students in Years 3 - 6.  Students should be able to swim 50m in some recognised strokes. 

Our final session will be held from 7 - 8am on Tues 11th Feb at a cost of $10 per session.  Parents will need to drop their children at the pool (stay to watch or help out if possible) and then ensure that their child is taken to school.  Breakfast will be served to our swimmers from 8:20 - 8:40am in the school hall. 

If your child hasn't already participated but would like to please email me as soon as possible. 

Please also contact me via email if you have any questions.

Regards
Marg Masseni
Mental Health & Wellbeing Leader
mmasseni@smaltona.catholic.edu.au

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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On Tuesday 11th February, we will celebrate the beginning of a new school year with our Opening of School Mass at 5pm, followed by a picnic dinner, on the oval.
This is a great way to make links with other parents of children in your child's year level and celebrate our new school leaders.

During the mass, we will also acknowledge the commitment of our student leaders as they receive their badges for the year ahead, recognising their dedication to leadership and service.

Following the Mass, we invite you to a picnic on the school oval. This offers an opportunity for parents, students, and staff to come together in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere.

Your presence enriches the school community, and we eagerly anticipate celebrating the beginning of the school year with you.

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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...our 2025 Student Leaders
We are excited to introduce our 2025 Student Leadership Group! This wonderful team of dedicated students has been selected to represent and lead their peers, demonstrating strong values of responsibility, courage and teamwork.

They will work alongside the staff to create a positive, inclusive school environment, fostering school spirit and organizing exciting events. From helping to support younger students to contributing ideas for improvement, our leadership group will be the voice of our student community. We are proud of their commitment to making 2025 an unforgettable year for all students!
Let’s applaud them and support them in their journey.

SCHOOL CAPTAINS  
      
     Stella               David              Alexis             Angus
 
LITURGY / SOCIAL JUSTICE
  
      Emily            Alyssa

WELLBEING                     CHOIR
        
   Maks                          Leda               Lani

ENVIRONMENTAL
  
    Chalia              Austin

BLUE                                               RED
      
    Harrison         Penelope        Thomas           Joshua

GREEN                                           YELLOW
      
      Ryder              Meagan            Ethan               Max

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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Prep - 2 Literacy Programs
UFLI 
Last year staff at St Mary’s advanced our understanding of implementing a synthetic phonics program to align with the Science of Reading. Based on our new learning, we have decided to implement UFLI, which stands for University of Florida Literacy Institute.

UFLI is an explicit and systematic program that follows a carefully developed scope and sequence. It is designed to ensure that students systematically acquire skills needed for reading, writing and spelling. As it incorporates spelling it will replace our SMART Spelling program in 1/2. You can read more about it here

Our P-2 staff will all be attending further training on UFLI on Feb 19.
Although we will be de-implementing Little Learners Love Literacy (LLLL), which is a recognised synthetic phonics program, its resources will support UFLI so you will see take-home readers from the program come home with your child. The sounds in these books will complement what your child is learning through UFLI. 
Take-home readers for 1/2s will begin in Week 4. 

MiniLit Intervention
MiniLit is a Tier 2 small group reading program for students in the bottom 25% of the expected range for their age group in Year 1 and 2. The program provides explicit instruction in phonemic awareness, systematic synthetic phonics for reading and spelling, letter formation, and connected text reading.
We will begin assessing students next week and the program will commence soon.
Parents whose children will be involved in this program will be notified.

 

3-6 Literacy 
This term we are exploring resources through OCHRE Education which aligns with explicit teaching and the Science of Reading. These resources incorporate the Daily Review which is a fast-paced review to help students embed their learning into their long term memories. They also include focussed spelling words, which we will use in place of the SMART Spelling program. 

VCOP & The Big Write
We will continue using the VCOP structure to support Writing sessions in our classrooms. It focuses on four main aspects of the writing process (VCOP) and provides children with the skills to improve their own writing through self-assessment.
VCOP stands for Vocabulary, Connectors, Openers, and Punctuation
Big Write sessions happen throughout units of work, providing students with the opportunity to write a full start-finish writing piece with support of the teachers and VCOP resources.
Cold Write sessions are where students are not given the opportunity to talk about the topic before writing and the learning aides are removed. It often comes with a whole school stimulus to get everyone talking. This is an opportunity for students to display what they know without the assistance from external resources.

Brenda Lycke
Literacy Leader

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Our long standing tradition of running Fun and Fitness will continue in 2025!

Fun & Fitness sessions will be run by me every Wednesday morning from 8 - 8.30am on the basketball court beginning on Wednesday 12th February. Sessions are open to all children from Prep - Year 6.
Parents and siblings are also welcome to attend and join in the fun but there is no obligation to stay.

House points are given to those who attend.

During the sessions, we engage in a variety of games and activities suitable for all ages levels.  The more the merrier ~ so come along and try it out.

For more information, contact me via the school office, send me an email (mmasseni@smaltona.catholic.edu.au) or catch me in the yard before or afterschool on Mondays, Tuesdays or Wednesdays.

I'm looking forward to seeing you there!

Regards
Marg
Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader

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Our Parents & Friends group welcome parents from all year levels to join our friendly, supportive group. We appreciate your time is limited and anything you can contribute is appreciated.

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Dear Parents and Carers,

We are pleased to confirm that school photos will be taken on Monday, 24th February. This includes class, individual, family, Student Leader, and JSC photos. Please ensure that all students attend school in their academic uniform. PE/sport polos and shorts are not to be worn on this day. Additionally, students will be required to remove their jumpers or outerwear for the photos.

For your convenience, all photo ordering will be done online. Please refer to the attached PDF for further details on how to place an order. Ordering Flyer

If you have any questions about the ordering process, feel free to contact the school office or email us directly.

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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With the success of Crochet Club in 2024, we saw our middle and senior students create crochet masterpieces.
Craft Club will be returning in Week 3 of 2025. Craft Club will be open to students in grade 3 and above with regular special meetings for our younger students. 

 

Taking on feedback from students, Craft Club will be an opportunity for students to learn and practice a range of crafts such as making friendship bracelets, beading and of course crochet. We welcome donations of good quality craft materials

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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VISIT US
Visiting our College is a great way to explore our dynamic learning spaces and experience learning in action. You will meet our Principal, students and staff and see why Mount St. Joseph Girls College is the best choice for your child. Tours of the College are led by our student ambassadors. This gives visiting families the unique opportunity to ask questions and gain an honest insight into our programs and what it is like to be a student at Mount St.Joseph Girls College.

Please register for one of the following Open Events by visiting
our website or scan the QR code.
Open Mornings – 9:15am – 10:30am
Thursday 13 March
Thursday 19 June
Thursday 24 July
Thursday 07 August
Thursday 4 September

Open Day – 10am – 2pm
Sunday 18 May
APPLY NOW
Students wishing to attend Mount St. Joseph Girls’ College for Year 7 in 2027 should
apply in Grade 5 of their primary school education.
Applications for Year 7 in 2027 are now open. Apply online via the College website. The
closing date for applications is Friday 15 August 2025.
For application to Years 8-12, there is no application closing date, but vacancies are
limited and waiting lists may apply.
For all enquiries, please contact:
Sherri Collins: registrar@msj.vic.edu.au
133 Maidstone Street, Altona
(03)8398 2000
www.msj.vic.edu.au

CLASS OF 2024 VCE RESULTS
“We are incredibly proud to announce the results of our 2024 Victorian Certificate of
Education (VCE) and Vocational Major (VM) students. Each student has worked
incredibly hard throughout the past two years and these results are well deserved.”
Kate Dishon – Principal

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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St Marys is a SUN SMART SCHOOL and has been for 29 years.  As such students and staff are required to wear sun smart hats from 1st September to the end of April regardless of whether the sun is out or not.
This measure is part of our commitment to ensure the safety and well-being of our students during outdoor activities. Check out the widget at the bottom of our website which will guide you in the hours to especially check UV. 

Please make sure your child has their school sun smart hat (legionnaire or wide brim) each day, at least until the end of April.

Thank you for your cooperation!




Regards
Marg Masseni
Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader 

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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From the Events calendar you can save events directly into your phone's calendar with ease!

       

Click on the images below to download Updat-ed, or visit the App Store for iphones and Google Play for Androids. Search for Updat-ed.  

      

If you already have the current app there is no need to download it again. 



If you are signed up for the app and you haven't been getting the alerts, please contact me. 


Regards
Marg Masseni - mmasseni@smaltona.catholic.edu.au
Community News Curator

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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At St. Mary's we are committed to maintaining a culture of child safety. We implement strategies which demonstrate this through everyday life at the school, guided by the documents listed in the 'Read More' section.
Our Child Safety Officer is John Hein (DP & Learning & Teaching Leader).

Our Child Safety Team consists of John, Sonia Riccardi (Principal), Cathy Sims (Learning Diversity Leader) and Tony Freeman (RE, Maths & ICT Leader).

      

Please contact John (jhein@smaltona.catholic.edu.au) or another member of the team if you would like to discuss any matters related to Child Safety.

St. Mary's School Child Safety Code of Conduct

St. Mary's School Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy

St. Mary's School Child Protection - Reporting Obligations Policy
Strategies for Empowerment of Students

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