Term 4 Week 3 2025

Principal's Message

‘We do whatever it takes to lead the way in Love, Learning, Faith, School Spirit, Sport & Community’

Dear families and friends,

So much good Learning, Love, Faith, School Spirit, Sport and Community have already taken place this term ... our school is pumping along so well!!

Kids Toilets  
We could have just put in the run-of-the-mill toilets, but we took the opportunity to be creative and design something that says a little about who we are, an inviting, creatively themed space that ties into our playground. Our Playing 4 SheepStation toilets tie into our playground, and is very uniquely country Casino.  At SMP, we also celebrate All Hallows, where, as a Catholic school, we recognise loved ones and saints in heaven. In Mexico, they celebrate the ‘Day of the Dead’ tradition, highlighting that Faith is global and presents itself in many different ways across the world.  Like us at SMP Casino, in Mexico, they have an affection for cattle & openly display their strong Faith in Jesus and Mary.  I wish for our kids and community to be proud of our faith, which is a global one, very relevant today, and to feel comfortable to display it openly.  Thank you, Warren Steel, Luke & the team from GCB, and Signarama for bringing our vision to life! 

All Hallows
I would be pleased if, now and into the future, our SMP kids and families can relate Halloween, which is now very much in our popular culture, to reflecting on the meaning of All Hallows (All Souls and All Saints Day), and loved ones who have passed, alongside role models of the Church. It was great to see so many kids dressed as saints, past loved ones, and role models, and families bringing in photos to honour past loved ones. 

World Educators' Day
I also celebrated with my team today the blessing they are to our SMP community. They work so very hard to lead in Love, Learning, Faith, School Spirit, Sport & Community and deserve to be celebrated.

Staff for 2026
We are working on staffing for next year. Once I have a solid plan, I will share this with our community. I am so happy with my crew. We keep improving each year. Our staff is the most important thing for our success and the success of your child. I invest so much into us, to ensure we are hard working and dedicated. Our school vision leads this.

Like the last couple of years, we will not be changing classes drastically like we have done in the past. We will be using student learning data again, as we did to form the classes this year and in 2024. Our classes in 2025 have never been so engaged and settled, enhancing your child’s learning. Our learning results and behaviour have never been better. We smashed our latest PAT results.  We are growing stronger than the Australian average.  I could not be happier with our staff and students.

Students will find out their teacher and class for 2026 on Wednesday, 3rd December, and will spend time with them and their class on Monday, 8th December. We spend considerable time putting this together.  I will consider genuine special circumstances if presented to me regarding the placement of students, but I’m reluctant to grant requests for teachers or friendship groups and am pleased with how these students thrive after checking in with them the following year.

Draft 2026 Start Dates

• Year 1 - Year 6 ~ Thursday, 29th January 2026
• Kinder ~ Tuesday, 3rd February 2026

Take care
John O’Brien

Assistant Principal's News - Mission

Croc-Tober & All Hallows / Halloween Celebration
Today our students celebrated Croc-Tober and All Hallows with a dress up, prayer service, Mini Vinnies stalls and a disco. This was a huge day and was a big hit with our students who loved dressing up as their favourite Saint, role model in their life or their Halloween costume. As a school we have a focus on promoting and celebrating our faith in ways that our students engage with and will remember. We want our students to be proud of our Catholic faith, to be able to understand why we do certain things and have fun along the way.

Mrs Hammond also helped to create a "Wall of Remembrance", where families shared photos and messages for loved ones who had passed away linking to the Catholic celebration of All Hallows. The celebration begins with All Hallows' Eve (Halloween) on 31st October, which is the vigil before All Saints' Day (All Hallows) on 1st November, a day we remember all holy men and women.  The celebration concludes on 2nd November with All Souls' Day, when we specifically pray for the souls of our loved ones who have died, making this a time to honour both the saints in heaven and the faithful departed.

Jubilee Boat's Visit
We were so pleased to host the special travelling symbol for the Jubilee Year: the Jubilee Boat. Designed and built by Newman Senior Technical College, this beautiful symbol, which reflects the theme 'Pilgrims of Hope', arrived in our parish church on Tuesday, 28th October.

Our students marked the occasion with a special pilgrimage and prayer. On Wednesday we joined with the College to say a Decade of the Rosary to Mary. This has become an annual celebration for us as we recognise October being the Catholic month for Mary. As a school we are constantly looking for ways to meaningfully come together with SMCC to be one school community.

3:16 Youth Group - Years 2 - 6
Our next 3:16 Youth Group will be on 5th December (at the Relihan Centre) for interested students in Years 2 - 6. The Youth Group runs straight after school on those dates and finishes up at 5.00pm. For students who would like to register, please contact me via email (sam.irvine@lism.catholic.edu.au).

Term 4 Dates:

Monday, 28/10 to Friday, 31/10: Jubilee Boat Week

Friday, 31/10: Croc-Tober / All Hallows

Friday, 7/11: Year 4 Accendere, 9.00am - 1.30pm, Windara

Friday, 7/11: Years 3 & 5 Prayer Service, 1.00pm, Church

Tuesday, 11/11: Remembrance Day Prayer Service, 11.00am, COLA

Friday, 14/11: Years 4 & 6 Prayer Service, 1.00pm, Church

Friday, 21/11: Year 5 Exuro, 9.00am - 1.30pm, Windara

Friday, 21/11: K, 1 & 2 Prayer Service, 1.00pm, Church

Thursday, 27/11: Christmas Concert, 5.00pm, School

Wednesday, 3/12:  Year 6 Incitare, 9.00am - 1.30pm, Windara

Friday, 5/12: 3:16 Youth Group, 3.10pm - 5.00pm, Sister Centre

New Resource for Families: Supporting Children Through Grief and Loss
We know that grief and loss can be some of the most difficult experiences for children to face. To support families in having these important conversations, a series of videos and resources has been created for parents and carers.

These resources, which focus on bereavement, are now available in the Parent Resource Centre Link.

We encourage you to explore these materials and use them to support your child during times of loss. If you have any concerns about how your child is coping, please share them with us so we can work together to provide the care and support they need.

Sam Irvine
AP Mission

For those interested in joining the Casino Amateur Swimming Club, please contact them directly on their Facebook page for further information.

Assistant Principal's News Teaching & Learning

Insights
Insights are a functionality of your child’s Compass Dashboard that allow you to see the celebrations and current goals for your child, as set by their class teacher. These are directly linked to their Success Criteria and Student Led Conferences and are accessible through the browser version of Compass. If you would like to see your child’s current celebrations and goals, navigate to their profile and at the top there is a tab labelled “Insights”. All responses from their Student Led conferences should be visible here.

Academic Awards Assembly
We will once again be celebrating the amazing academic achievements at SMP with our Annual Academic Awards Assembly.  This will be held in the Relihan Centre on Friday 12th December.  The categories will be Academic Achievement in Spelling, Maths, Reading and Writing and Annual Growth in Spelling, Maths, Reading and Writing.

The award winners will be decided based on PAT Assessment Data and Brightpath Writing Assessments.  If your child has been successful in achieving one of these awards, you will be notified by text at least a week before the assembly to allow you to attend.

Superstar Learners
Thomas Shelton - Thomas is a superstar learner for his ability to clearly share his learning journey in his Student Led Conferences. His teacher was incredibly impressed with his deep knowledge around what he has learned this Semester and what his next steps are for his continual growth.  Well done, Thomas!
Bonnie Pearce and Charlotte Wells have been doing some incredible writing during their Quick Write time in class. They have been telling stories about Hummingbirds escaping from their phones, using creative imagery, engaging openings and descriptive language. They have both produced amazing texts that demonstrate their exemplary writing abilities.  Amazing work Bonnie and Charlotte!
Claire Claydon - Claire has been working hard in Maths, specifically in using fractions.  Claire is a superstar learner because, even when things get hard, she does not give up.  Keep it up Claire!

Felicity Wilde
AP Teaching & Learning

Superstar Learners

Sport News

Touch Football
A terrific day was had at the Zone Touch Football Gala Day! All students demonstrated impressive skills and continued to develop their understanding of the game throughout the day. Both Mrs Hammond and Mr Parrish were extremely pleased with their teams’ skills, attitude, and sportsmanship. Congratulations to Chloe Clark, Harper Williams, Larah Kenny, Laisa Vakararawa, and Finn Irvine on being selected to progress to the Diocesan Touch Trials later in November.

Swimming Years 3–6 Swimming Assessment
In preparation for our upcoming School Swimming Carnival in Week 7, all students are required to complete a swimming assessment. This helps us maintain accurate school swimming records and ensures the safety of all students during swimming events. The assessment will take place on Friday, 21st November (Week 6) at the Casino Pool.
 
For any further questions, please contact Cohen Parrish via email.  

2025 Swimming Carnival
Our annual Swimming Carnival will be held on Monday, 24th November, for all students in Years 3 to 6. Competitive swimmers from Years 1 and 2 are also welcome to participate, provided they have nominated for their events beforehand and have Swimming Club experience and/or can swim 50m competitively.

The 100m Freestyle event (the first race of the day) is an all-ages event (7–13 years combined) and can be nominated separately.
If you haven’t already done so, please complete one or both nomination forms for your child by Friday, 7th November (Week 4). Links to both nomination forms are provided below.

Cohen Parrish
Sports Co-ordinator

Leader of Love and Community

SMP 2025 Christmas Concert

Our Christmas Concert is fast approaching, and we are excited to share the details for the evening.

When: Thursday, 27th November  5:00pm – 7:00pm
Carols will begin at 6:00pm. Please have students ready in their allocated areas by 5:30pm.

• K–3 students will assemble at the flagpoles (front of the school)
• Years 4–6 students will meet in their classrooms

Where: St Mary’s Primary School – Sister Centre Deck

Seating will be available on the synthetic turf, basketball court, and undercover concrete areas.

Attire: We ask that children dress in Christmas colours/clothing.  Santa hats, elf ears and other festive accessories are encouraged to help get into the Christmas spirit!

All Hallows

Thank you to all the families who brought in photos of loved ones who have passed as part of our All Hallows prayer. It was beautiful to witness students sharing conversations with their peers, reflecting on special memories, and talking about the attributes that made their loved ones unique. This was such a special experience and something I hope continues to grow each year. What a lovely way to keep those who have passed close and alive in the hearts of family and friends.

It was fantastic to see the incredible effort and creativity that went into costumes for our All Hallows Dress Up! From saints and role models to much-loved family members who have passed, our students truly embraced the spirit of the day. The afternoon disco was a huge hit — especially with our special guest, DJ Red Rain Dog, keeping the energy high and the smiles wide! So much fun, laughter, and love were shared — a beautiful celebration of community and remembrance of those that mean the most to us.

Nicole Hammond
Leader of Love and Community

Leader of Inclusion

On Friday, 26 September, our Student Support Educators attended a Professional Learning workshop focusing on Neurodiversity. Guest speakers included Visiting Teacher for Autism Kate Mayo and school counsellor Lia Masman.  We also reviewed the procedures and engagement norms for Explicit Direct Instruction and the positive impact this learning and teaching model has had on all of our students at St Mary’s.

The Neurodiversity Workshop with Kate Mayo & Lia Masman provided us with the opportunity to continue to develop our understanding of:

* Neurodiversity/ASD/ADHD, Anxiety, and Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)

* Strategies to support students both in the classroom and on the playground

* Providing support/Prompting Hierarchy, low to high level prompting

Our Student Support Educators are a very experienced, professional and dedicated group of educators, and they actively engaged in the Neurodiversity Professional Learning experience.

Paula McIntyre
Leader of Inclusion

Early Departures

Early departures and late arrivals can disrupt learning and while there are valid reasons like appointments, frequent absences impact your child's academic performance and sense of routine.  We ask that early pick-ups only happen when absolutely necessary to avoid disruption to the school day.  If you need to collect early, please call in at the office, sign your child out and the office staff will locate the student.  There is no need to phone the office prior to collection.

2026 School Fees

Dear parents, caregivers and families,

Information for you regarding school fees for the 2026 academic year. Fee levels have been set to sustain high-quality Catholic education, taking into account rising operational costs and shifts in government funding.

We recognise the financial pressures that families may face and strive to offer flexible payment options to accommodate different circumstances. More information is available on the Enrolment and Fees page of the Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools website.

We appreciate your understanding and continued support as we work together to provide an exceptional educational environment for your children and young people. 

FEE SCHEDULE  2026

School Fee statements are sent out to families monthly.  All fees are billed annually in Term 1. 

Sibling Discounts are applied to Tuition Fees for families with children in the Primary School and across the Primary School and the College.

The Building Levy is an annual contribution which all families make towards the capital development of our Parish Schools.  This is not an optional extra.

Vision & Learning Achievement Awards - 31 October 2025

Carlo Acutis Award 

Term 4 Dates

3 - 7 November ~ Year 6 on Brisbane Camp

7 November ~ Year 4 Accendere Retreat at Windara

12 - 14 November ~ Year 5 on camp to Tyalgum Ridge Retreat

21 November ~ Year 5 Exuro Retreat at Windara

24 November ~ Swimming Carnival
24 November ~ Kinder 2026 Information night - 6.00pm 7.00pm

27 November ~ Christmas Concert

28 November ~ Student Free Day

3 December ~ Year 6 Incitare Retreat at Windara

8 December ~ Going Up Day

11 December ~ Year 6 Graduation Mass in Church & Farewell Dinner

12 December ~ Academic Achievement Assembly in Relihan Centre

17 December ~ Last day of school for 2025

Birthdays

Happy birthday to Payton Fuller Brooklyn Walker Drew Ludlow Nash Stephens Slater Gould Kobee Hammond Maddox Ring Chelsea Rose Reagan Fraser Gabrielle Grayson Jacob Convine Myah Witthahn Finn Irvine Mason Newby Blake Simeoni Zoe Northfield Takoda MacMahon Alice Appleby Athena Brown Charlie Campbell Harpah Baker Jakob Brammah Skylar Durand Darcy Trevillien Adeline Jones Andre Monks Ariah Whitney-Thompson Calla Ring Ella Limberiou Zac Northfield Bobby Botfield Claire Claydon Harriett McLennan Granger Kook Milly Maroney Clancy Rollison Adira Lindsay Jack Farrelly Clyde Rogers Lexi Hancock Isla Serone Oaklen Wenzel Moana Stavenow Izak Willis Claire-Maree Shephard Sutton McDermott Kalli Clark Jax Beaumont Alex Farrelly Lara Garzoni  Braxton Lynes Charlie Holmes and Jake Campbell who celebrate their birthday in October.