Save the Date! Celebrating 120 Years of Catholic Education 

We are thrilled to announce a momentous occasion in the history of our school and community. This year marks the 120th anniversary of Catholic education in Crookwell, and we would love for you to join us in celebrating this remarkable milestone. Together, let us honour the legacy of the Sisters of Mercy, whose arrival brought education, compassion, and a strong sense of community to our town.

We are organising a Dinner Dance on Saturday, 21st October 2023, to commemorate this significant event. It will be an evening filled with the sharing of stories and memories and a chance to reflect upon the history of St Mary's Primary School. We hope to bring together past students, teachers, principals, parents, and members of our wider community for a memorable evening cherishing our school's rich history and vibrant spirit.

As the event draws closer, we will provide further details on ticket sales and other important information. Be sure to stay tuned to our school newsletter and website for updates.

Stewards of Creation: Let's Reduce Our Rubbish at School!

Unfortunately, I must address an important issue: the growing rubbish on our playground. It's time for us to take action and become true stewards of creation by reducing our waste at school.

Over this term, staff has noticed increased rubbish left behind on the playground, and our bins are overflowing! It's disheartening to see our beautiful play area marred by litter. We have always been proud of keeping our school clean and green, and we believe it's up to us to address this issue together.

We are excited to re-introduce "Wrapper Free Wednesday". Starting next week, every Wednesday will be dedicated to raising awareness about reducing food wrappings in our school. Where possible, we encourage all families to pack lunchboxes free from disposable wrappers and opt for reusable containers instead. We have noted many younger families in our school who already make an effort with this.

Here are a few reasons why we believe this initiative is important:

1. Protecting Our Playground: Our playground is where we learn, play, and grow together. By reducing the rubbish, we can ensure a cleaner and safer environment for everyone to enjoy. Let's keep it beautiful and litter-free!
2. Preserving the Environment: When we use disposable wrappers, they often end up in landfills, where they take a long time to decompose. By choosing reusable containers, we can significantly reduce the waste we produce and protect our planet for future generations.
3. Inspiring Responsible Citizenship: We strive to teach our students about becoming responsible citizens. By participating in "Wrapper Free Wednesday," we can learn about the impact of our actions on the environment and take steps towards making a positive change.

Remember, small actions can make a big difference! Working together as a community can create a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable environment for ourselves and future generations. We urge all families to embrace the spirit of "Wrapper Free Wednesday" and join us in this journey towards reducing waste at our school.

Uniform Reminders

As we move deeper into the winter season, we want to remind everyone about the importance of adhering to our school uniform policy and dress code. A consistent and appropriate appearance fosters a sense of unity, pride and an optimal learning environment for our students. To quote an ex-student, 'If you look smart, you work smart!'.

Our school uniform symbolises our collective identity and reflects our commitment to maintaining a positive and inclusive atmosphere. It helps to create a sense of belonging and promotes equality. We kindly request your support in ensuring that your child is dressed in accordance with our uniform requirements.

The current winter uniform consists of the following items:

1. Bottle Green Winter Coat: As the temperature drops, students need a suitable winter coat in our official school colour, bottle green. We have a suitable coat available from the uniform shop, or if you source a coat from somewhere else, please ensure it is entirely bottle green with no large coloured branding or markings.

2. School Tie: The school tie is a key element of our uniform and represents our school pride. We encourage all students to wear their ties neatly and correctly as a part of their everyday attire.

3. Correct School Shoes and Socks: Proper school shoes contribute to the safety and comfort of our students during their daily activities. We kindly request that students wear the designated school shoes specified in our uniform policy (below). Please note that black joggers or vans style shoes are unacceptable on non-sports days. Grey with a green and gold stripe school socks for boys and green with a gold stripe for sports days for all students, are the only acceptable socks, and these are available from our non-profit uniform shop. The girls white socks are to be purchased outside of our uniform shop.

4. Hair Length and Styling: Hair should be kept neat and tidy. Boys and girls must tie back hair that exceeds collar length. Permanent hair colour is unsuitable for primary-aged students; let's reinforce how fantastic they are, just how they were made! Hair accessories need to be in the school colours.

5. Jewellery and Accessories: We kindly ask that students refrain from wearing jewellery or nail polish. Simple stud or sleeper earrings, a signet ring and a cross or religious medallion necklace, are permitted.

Adhering to these guidelines fosters an environment where students can focus on their studies, cultivate discipline, and develop a sense of personal responsibility. We greatly appreciate your cooperation in ensuring your child arrives at school dressed appropriately and ready for success.

** A reminder, please remember you cannot use direct credit or the old BPAY details to our school account any longer for uniform payments due to the change in our finance system. All uniform payments must be made via Qkr or cash.

Join Us for the Stage Two Showcase of Learning Assembly!

We are thrilled to invite you to our Stage Two students (Year 3 and Year 4) to be held in the Old Hall on the last day of term, Friday, 30 June.

As has been the format of the past few years, there will be two performances on this day.

1. Student Session: The first session will occur at 10:00am, allowing the students to share their performance with their peers and giving them a dress rehearsal before the visitors arrive. 

2. Parent Session: The second session will commence for parents, guardians and friends at 12:30pm. 

We warmly invite all parents, grandparents, and extended family members to join us for the Parent Session of the Stage Two Showcase of Learning Assembly. Your support and encouragement are invaluable to our students, and your presence will enhance their excitement.