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

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

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.

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!

At St. Mary's, we are committed to maintaining a strong culture of child safety. We implement strategies and practices that demonstrate our commitment to child safety through everyday life at the school, guided by the policies and documents listed below.

Our Child Safety Officer is Sonia Riccardi (Principal).

Our Child Safety Team

Our Child Safety Team consists of:

• Sonia Riccardi – Principal / Child Safety Officer

• John Hein – Deputy Principal & Learning and Teaching Leader

• Cathy Sims – Learning Diversity Leader

• Nikita West – Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader

The Child Safety Team works together to promote a culture where children and young people feel safe, respected, listened to and empowered to speak up about anything that makes them feel unsafe or uncomfortable.

Please contact John Hein or another member of the Child Safety Team if you would like to discuss any matters related to Child Safety.

Thank you for your understanding, and we apologise again for the earlier error. We hope this reprinted and corrected information provides families with the accurate details they need.

Child Safety Code of Conduct

Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy

Child Safety and Wellbeing Procedure

Child Safety and Wellbeing Record Keeping Procedure

Dear Parents and Carers,

We would like to remind you that the nForma for Parents app will be decommissioned at the end of August.

From 1 September, all parents and carers will need to access nForma through the nForma Connect app.

If you are still using the old nForma for Parents app, please ensure you download and transition to nForma Connect as soon as possible to avoid any interruption to your access. You may also have received a prompt within the old app to update or upgrade.

For further information and guidance on downloading and using the new app, please visit the nForma Connect FAQ page:

https://nforma-help.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/51000437532-nforma-connect-app

Thank you for your attention to this change and for helping us ensure a smooth transition to the new app.

- Admin

A private speech pathologist works with some of our students on Tuesdays and has informed us she has some upcoming availability.

She is able to support with:

• Speech sounds and pronunciation
• Language and communication
• Reading, spelling and literacy

Sessions can be NDIS-funded or privately/self-funded and are provided conveniently during the school day.

If you are interested in speech pathology support for your child, please contact Kimberley Olive 0409849748 for further information.


Thanks,
Cathy Sims - Learning Diversity Leader

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

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

This Thursday 10th September - Wear a splash of yellow.

This Thursday 10 September, our students will be recognising R U OK? Day, a day that reminds us that a conversation can make a real difference to someone who may be struggling.

Students are invited to wear a splash of yellow to help brighten our school and show support for the message of the day:

“I’m here, let’s talk.”

R U OK? Day encourages us to check in with the people around us, not just on one day, but throughout the year. We want our students to know that it is okay to ask, “Are you OK?”, to listen without judgement, and to seek support when they or someone they know needs it.

We encourage families to continue the conversation at home by checking in with one another and reminding children that they are never alone and there are people who care and are ready to listen.

A splash of yellow, a simple question, and a caring conversation can make a difference.

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

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

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

• 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