Dear Parents,

On Monday we had the privilege of celebrating our Opening School Mass at St Mary’s Church, a truly special event marked by the beautiful singing of our talented staff and students. It was a lovely celebration of our school as we welcomed Fr Casmir to our school community.

We would like thank our parents for the way you engaged with our recent  Parent/Teacher interviews. This was an important opportunity to discuss your child’s progress and to share information about your child with their teachers.

Today we had our school swimming sports. Congratulations to all of the students who participated, you made us so proud. We also thank our staff who organised and ran the event. It was a great day!

For families with Foundation students, please note that Wednesday, March 5th, will be the final day off for these students. They will begin attending school full-time from Tuesday, March 11th. Should your child require a rest day, we understand and are happy to accommodate this; we kindly ask that you complete a Parent Notified Absence through PAM.

NAPLAN testing for Year 3 and Year 5 students will take place from March 12th to March 24th. This online assessment evaluates students’ literacy and numeracy skills on a national level. The results from NAPLAN help the school assess the effectiveness of teaching strategies and inform future planning. A comprehensive Parent/Carer Information brochure is available on the VCAA website, and it is offered in multiple languages for your convenience.

We would also like to take this opportunity to inform families about the 2025 School Savings Bonus (SSB), a State Government initiative aimed at alleviating cost-of-living pressures. Under this program, each eligible student is entitled to a $400 bonus, which can be applied toward activity levies and uniform purchases from approved suppliers. All families who hold a Centrelink Health Care Card and have not previously applied for the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) are strongly encouraged to contact the school office to initiate an application. Further details are available through the provided link.

On Monday the 3rd of March until Tuesday 4th of March, our Year 3 and 4 students will be attending camp at Mill Valley Ranch. Wednesday the 5th of March is a day off for the campers and the staff who attended the camp. We wish our campers a wonderful time.

On Tuesday the 4th of March, we will be celebrating Shrove Tuesday, a day when Catholics traditionally make and eat pancakes.  Shrove Tuesday traditionally was the last chance for a spot of indulgence before 40 days of fasting during Lent, and also an opportunity to use up food that couldn't be eaten during Lent. This included eggs, fat and milk, which were made into pancakes and eaten on that day.

A couple of reminders:

We have a School Closure Day on Friday March 7th.

We will be having our Parents and Friends Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday March 5th at 6.30pm in the staffroom. (Children welcome).

We will also be having our School Advisory Board Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday March 12th at 6.30pm in the staff room. All parents are welcome to attend.

We appreciate your cooperation and support in all that we do, and encourage all families to stay informed of the events happening around the school. The newsletter is a great way to stay informed and Dojo is a great way to stay updated on what is happening at school.

https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/camps-sports-and-excursions-fund/guidance/submitting-application

Kind regards
Lisa

HPE so far

In the Junior and Middle years, students are focusing on developing their athletic skills, particularly in running and throwing techniques. Students are learning running form, working on high knees, opposite arms to legs and head straight. They have been participating in activities to help perform better in sprints. When it comes to throwing, students are introduced to pushing and swing techniques to help with shot push and discus.

In Years 4, 5 and 6, students have the opportunity to develop their hockey skills, focusing on essential techniques such as dribbling, receiving, and passing the hockey ball. Students practice receiving the ball in a hockey ready stance, controlling and passing the ball to improve their accuracy and timing to send the ball to a teammate. As they progress, the students gain confidence in their ability to work together, making quick, effective passes and supporting each other during games based play. 

Lego Display

Labour Day 10th March

Football Auskick Program

Hockey

Moe United Soccer 

St Mary's Craft Group

St Mary’s Craft Group would like to thank the families who have supported our fund raising efforts last year. 

If any of the new families would like to know more about us we meet in the School Hall every Tuesday at 9.00am and always ready to welcome newcomers and share a cuppa!

Many Thanks,  

St, Mary’s Craft Group

Please place orders via the CDFpay App.  This can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or Google Play. Alternatively scan the QR code below;

PAM (Parent Access Module)

March 2025

• Friday 7th - School Closure Day
• Monday 10th - Labour Day Public Holiday
• Wednesday 12th - Advisory Board AGM Meeting 6.30pm 
• Thursday 13th - Regional Swimming Carnival
• Friday 14th - Andrew Chinn Concert Day 
• Monday 17th - School Photos
• Friday 21st - Colour Run
• Monday 24th - Whole School Athletics Carnival 

April 2025

• Thursday 3rd - Grade 1 & Grade 2 Camp Day
• Thursday 3rd - Last day of term for students
• Friday 4th - Student Free day End of term 1 
• Tuesday 22nd - Start of term 2
• Friday 25th - ANZAC Day Public Holiday