Dear families,

We're excited for tonight's St Mary's annual trivia night! Our staff table is ready for the win.

A huge thank you to the P&F, especially Kelly Mevel, for coordinating this wonderful event each year. The excitement in the yard this morning was palpable.

Fr Deonildo

Last weekend, the Parish farewelled Fr Deo, who this week returns to Timor-Leste after completing his Master's in Educational Leadership at ACU over the last nearly 3 years. We wish Deo well and hope to see him in Altona again some time.

Supporting our staff while planning for the future

Currently, all Catholic schools are working through planning and budgeting activities for 2027 to ensure we are well placed to support our staff, students and school communities in the coming year. This includes looking at how we can accommodate the changes likely to flow from a new Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA) with school staff.

We recognise the significant financial pressures many households are facing, and we are making a conscious effort to ensure these costs are not passed on through significant fee increases.

We will continue to keep our parent community informed throughout this process. As always, our focus remains on maintaining strong school communities and continuing to deliver a high-quality Catholic education for every student.

There is a great deal of unhelpful misinformation circulating at the moment, so if you have any questions, you are always welcome to come and see me.

Code of Conduct: parents

Please ensure you are familiar with the content of the Parent Code of Conduct. By enrolling at the school, parents automatically agree to abide by its contents.

We understand that it can be upsetting when issues arise between children during the school day. When this happens, please inform your child's teacher as the first point of contact, and follow up with a member of leadership if the issue continues.

Under no circumstances should a parent approach another child about their behaviour. If an adult approached your child directly, you would rightly be concerned. We ask that you extend the same courtesy and allow our staff to address issues between students.

Smart watches

At the start of the year, we extended our mobile phone policy to also ban smart watches at school. See our policy here.

We have recently noticed that students have again begun wearing these to school. We ask that you ensure these devices are kept at home, or handed to the class teacher at the start of the day for safekeeping until home time.

From next week, teachers will resume asking any students wearing smart watches to hand them in each morning.

Special Parent Session: ADHD

This Tuesday evening at 6:30pm, we have psychologist, Stewart D’Silva, running a parent session about ADHD. This session is open to all parents. He will be covering the following topics:

• How ADHD uniquely presents in children (and what to look out for)
• Practical, compassionate ways to support your child both at home and at school

Child minding is available. Please see the nForma notice to indicate your attendance.

Have a wonderful weekend, while the staff of St Mary’s revel in their win at tonight’s Trivia Night!

Kind  Safe  Responsible

 PUPIL FREE DAYS / EARLY FINISHES

Friday 18th September - All Students 1:30pm Finish time (End of Term)



KEY SCHOOL DATES

Thursday 10th September - R U OK Day
Wear a splash of Yellow!

Kind  Safe  Responsible

The School Advisory Council has created a link on its page where parents can ask questions or share suggestions for discussion by its members.

If you have anything you’d like to share or ask, you can access the form here.

Many thanks.

This week in Community News:

• Church bulletin
• Deborah Barrese, upcoming show

CHURCH BULLETIN

https://www.smaltona.catholic.edu.au/source/BULLETIN%2006-09-26%20with%20ad.pdf


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DEBORAH BARRESE LIVE SHOW

Details below for Deborah's next live show.

Deborah is a parent of our school community.




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SIMONDS CATHOLIC COLLEGE




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MAGIC BASKETBALL

 

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WESTERN BULLDOGS AFLW ALL GIRLS AUSKICK AND SUPERKICK PRE-GAME CLINICS

 

Calling all future Bulldogs!

 

Girls aged 4–12 are invited to join our AFLW All Girls Pre-Game Clinics at Mission Whitten Oval. Each clinic will take place two hours before every Western Bulldogs AFLW home game.

 

 Perfect for girls of all skill levels!

 

•  Auskick (Ages 4–7) – Learn the basics through fun games and activities.
•  Superkick (Ages 7–12) – Build skills and confidence in a game-based environment.

 Location: Mission Whitten Oval

 Clinic Dates:

• Saturday 22 August vs Richmond
• Saturday 5 September vs Sydney
• Saturday 3 October vs St Kilda
• Friday 9 October vs Essendon

 Only $55 for the program

 

 

 Special Offer: Use promo code FCB008C6 at checkout to receive $20 off registration.

 

 Register now:

 Auskick (Ages 4–7): https://www.playhq.com/afl/register/9dd463

 Superkick (Ages 7–12): https://www.playhq.com/afl/register/251cd8

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ALTONA BEACH SHORT FILM FESTIVAL

 

This is our twelfth year of showcasing short films by filmmakers from Altona and around the world.

 

We welcome participants of all ages and abilities to use their cameras, phones or tablets to create a short film no longer than 7 minutes in keeping with this year's theme "Home". Entrants' short films will then be shown at our Festival Gala Screening & Awards Night and go in the running to win cash prizes in the following categories:

 

Best In Festival
Special Recognition
President's Encouragement Award
Best Pre-Teen
Best Young Adult
People's Choice

 

Awards 1 - 5 will be decided by a panel of esteemed judges from the community. The People's Choice Award, however, will be decided by the audience on the night, so make sure your students bring as many of their friends and family as they can to ensure a higher chance of winning!

In past editions of our festival our junior entrants have truly had their moments to shine, with children taking away wins in many of our non-age-related categories several times.

 

Entries into this year's festival are currently open from now until 31 August 2026 at www.altonabeachfilmfestival.com.au

We will be contacting all participants to confirm their place in the lineup by no later than 01 September 2026.

 

This year's ABFF Film Screening & Gala Awards Night will be held on Saturday 19 September 2026 at the Altona Sports Club - 11 Altona Road, Altona VIC 3018.

Tickets are available at reception at the club for $5 per child, $10 per adult, or $20 per family (2x adults + 2 children).

 

We can't wait to see you there!

Kind  Safe  Responsible

We have some wonderful businesses run by the families within our school community.

Take a look and show your support!

We have some wonderful businesses run by the families within our school community. 
Take a look and show your support!

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Wilson & Co. Projects

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John Jones Electrical Services

Inner West & Surrounds

0412 547 060

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Altona Pines Dental

19 Harrington Square, Altona

03 8330 5999

www.altonapinesdental.com.au

10% discount on Comprehensive Check-Up and Clean for St Mary’s families

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Fudge & Coal Dog Grooming (Mobile)

Call Alistair- 0414 611 080

20% off first groom for St Mary’s families

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New Season Doula Care

Birth & postpartum doula & childbirth educator

0481 847 569

www.newseasondoulacare.com.au

10% discount on any standard package for St Mary's families

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New Season Doula Care

Birth & postpartum doula & childbirth educator

0481 847 569

www.newseasondoulacare.com.au

10% discount on any standard package for St Mary's families

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Pool Rescue

Swimming Pool and Spa Service

Call Tyson- 0407 272 758

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Fudge Gifts in Forest Hill

Call Sarah- 0432 481 259

www.fudgegifts.com.au

Get 15% off first order on full priced items for St Mary’s families when you sign up to our newsletter.

Free delivery to school for St Mary’s families – when you check out, choose ‘click and collect’ and write your child’s classroom as the location in the order notes.

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Jeongsin Taekwondo

www.jeongsintaekwondo.com.au

0400 103 122

7 day FREE trial for St Mary’s families

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Jim’s Specialised Kitchens and Cabinets

Call Joe- 0421 568 956

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Sundara Room

20 Sargood Street, Altona

www.sundararoom.com.au

10% discount code available to St Mary’s families

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Jim’s Mowing Group Altona Meadows West

Landscaping and Gardening Services

0481 948 669

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Laundry Chute

78 Railway Street, Altona

www.laundrychute.au

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Want to promote your business? Email ecross@smaltona.catholic.edu.au with your business name, location, contact number, website, and any discounts or promotions for the St Mary’s community.

Kind  Safe  Responsible

Our colouring competition has been a wonderful opportunity for students to participate in the week, express their creativity and reflect on the importance of kindness, inclusion and looking out for others.

As of the today - The Competition Has Now Closed! 

A big thank you to everyone who submitted a colouring competition entry. We have loved seeing the creativity and positive messages from our students throughout the school.

With entries now closed, our TRAM team and Wellbeing Leaders will be voting on the winning entries next week. There will be one winner from each year level, with winners receiving a $5 Yo Mama voucher.

Winners will be announced at our Week 8 Assembly.

Thank You to Our Sponsor!

We would like to extend a huge thank you to Yo Mama for generously sponsoring our colouring competition and providing the $5 vouchers for our winners.

We greatly appreciate their support in helping us make Bullying No Way Week a fun and meaningful experience for our students.

Thank you to all of our students for embracing this year's theme of “Small Acts, Big Impact” and for showing that even the smallest acts of kindness, inclusion and friendship can make a big difference.

Well done to everyone who entered, and good luck !

Thank you to our families for helping us spread the message:

SMALL ACTS BIG IMPACT!

Would you like to know more about ADHD?

This coming Tuesday August 18 from 6:30 - 8pm we have psychologist, Stewart D’Silva, running a workshop for parents to explore ADHD and how this can present in people.

Dear Parents & Caregivers,

Whether you are seeking clarity, practical strategies, or simply a supportive community, you won't want to miss our upcoming ADHD Information Night!

We are thrilled to host Stewart D'Silva, a psychologist with a wealth of knowledge in child development and neurodiversity. Earlier in the day, Stewart will be running specialized professional development sessions with our teachers and Learning Support Officers (LSOs)—and in the evening, he is opening the floor to our parent community.

Event Details

• Date: Tuesday, August 18
• Time: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
• Where: Tri Centre, St Mary's Primary School
• Guest Speaker: Stewart D'Silva (Psychologist)
• Babysitting available
  
  

What We’ll Cover

• How ADHD uniquely presents in children (and what to look out for)
• Practical, compassionate ways to support your child both at home and at school

Over 35 parents have already signed up, but it’s not too late to join us! Whether you’re at the start of your journey or looking to add new tools to your parenting toolkit, you are warmly invited.

We look forward to seeing you there for an insightful and engaging evening!

Warm regards,

Cathy Sims 

Learning Diversity Leader

Kind  Safe  Responsible

Trivia Night Success!

Our Trivia Night was a huge success, with plenty of laughs, fun and friendly competition throughout the evening!

Thanks to everyone who came along and helped make the evening such a fantastic success. Together, we raised just short of $3,000 on the night alone.

A big thank you again to our major sponsors, Xynergy Realty and Loaram Construction.

Kind  Safe  Responsible

BOOK WEEK IS IN 1 WEEK! Are you ready?!

Friday 28th August: Dress up day!
We will have a costume parade at 9:00 am.

There will be lots of other exciting activities planned for Book Week, from Monday 24th - Friday 28th August.

The theme for this year's Book Week is Symphony of Stories!

Bookweek theme and artist, Briony Stewart's (Author & Illustrator of 'Gymnastica Fantastica') introduction to 2026 Book Week & Theme:
https://youtu.be/wz-psnQnUmQ?si=_BfrV-bY7yyJ88aH

On Friday 28th August, students are encouraged to come to school dressed as their favourite book character.

Home made costumes are encouraged! 
They're fun, creative, sustainable, and a great way to keep costs down! 

We will have a costume parade at 9am.

We can’t wait to see our school filled with students favourite book characters, colourful costumes and a whole lot of storybook magic! 

Kind  Safe  Responsible

Kind  Safe  Responsible

If your child is registered, please ensure their reading progress is being recorded in the online portal. Meeting the book targets is essential for successfully completing the challenge:

• Prep to Grade 2: Read at least 30 books

• Grade 3 to Grade 6: Read at least 15 books

All students who complete the challenge will receive an official certificate signed by the Premier of Victoria. In addition, students who read the most books in each age category (Junior, Middle, and Senior) will receive a special prize!

Let’s continue to encourage and support our students to achieve their reading goals and celebrate their love of books!

If you have any questions or need help with the online portal, please feel free to contact me at blycke@smaltona.catholic.edu.au 

Happy reading!

Kind  Safe  Responsible

Our very first Family Book Club was a wonderful and memorable evening!

Families came together to celebrate the book Leo and Ralph, a story about friendship and embracing what makes everyone different, with a night full of activities including:

An out of this world game of Bounce the Moon with balloons
Dreaming up and naming our very own aliens and their planets
A sausage sizzle 
Sharing our best book reviews and favourite parts from the story
Gazing through a telescope and spotting the moon in the night sky

A huge thank you to all the families who joined us and to our amazing staff who helped make this such a special community event.

Kind  Safe  Responsible

We are still collecting eligible containers to raise money for our environmental projects.

Our fundraising title is 'Recycle and Grow'

How can you help?

There are two simple ways to support our school through the scheme:

Option 1: Donate Your Refund at Collection Points

• When you visit a CDS Vic return point, you’ll be asked if you want to donate your refund.
  
  
• Simply download the app and enter our donation code (2000063591) or search for our school name on the app.
  
  
• All your refunds will be transferred directly to our school account!
  
  

Our donation code is: C2000063591

You can find your nearest return point at: https://cdsvic.org.au/locations 

Option 2: Send Eligible Containers to School

• We will be setting up a collection bin at school next to 3/4W so students and families can bring in eligible containers.
  
  
• Please make sure containers are:
  
  
• Empty and not crushed
  
  
• Have the 10c eligible label
  
  
• Not broken or overly dirty
  
  

We’ll return them in bulk, and the refunds will go straight to our school for our ‘Recycle and Grow’ fundraiser. All funds raised through container deposits will go directly towards keeping our outdoor environment thriving.

Thank you for supporting our school and the environment. Let’s turn trash into treasure and make this initiative a big success!

Kind  Safe  Responsible

• Link to the online family information session
• How to enrol
• Customer Service contact information

Introducing MACSEYE: Your new before and after school care provider.


Online information session:
https://youtu.be/jg0C4kgrHW4


How to enrol:

1. Visit our dedicated MACSEYE OSHC webpage:
https://macseye.vic.edu.au/oshc/oshc-locations/st-marys-oshc-altona/

This web page contains all the key information needed to get started, including:
• Session times
• Fees
• Enrolment information
• Enrolment form link

We encourage all families to complete your enrolment by the end of this term, even if you are still thinking about when you might need care. That way you can book as soon as you are ready.
All children must be enrolled with MACSEYE to attend.

For more information, you can also please refer to the attached MACSEYE brochure.


2. Click the green 'Enrol Now' button and complete the online enrolment form.


Contact MACSEYE - Customer Service
If you need support with enrolment or have any questions, the Customer Service Team is available to assist, Monday to Friday between 9am – 5pm (AEST):
1300 501 029
enrolments@macseye.vic.edu.au

Kind  Safe  Responsible

Our wonderful LSO's are selling bags of chips in Term 3 for $1 each.

Every lunchtime from Monday to Friday. 

All profits are going towards our school.

Thank you for your support in helping us make this fundraiser a success and for giving our students an exciting winter snack this term.

Kind  Safe  Responsible

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

Kind  Safe  Responsible