Welcome to Term 3 Week 8 2025
Principal Report
Mercy Week Reflections – A Community of Faith and Gratitude
As we prepare to celebrate Mercy Feast Day on Wednesday, 24th September, our school has been blessed with two very special visitors who helped deepen our connection to the Mercy tradition and our faith.
We were honoured to welcome Sr Margaret Henderson, one of only two Sisters of Mercy in Tasmania, who travelled from Hobart to be with us. Sr Margaret joined us for our school Mass and then spent time with several of our classes, sharing her experience with Godly Play. This powerful and imaginative approach to religious education uses small dolls and figures to engage children in Scripture and spiritual understanding. It teaches us how to listen for God’s voice and to respond in authentic, creative ways.
We extend our sincere thanks to Sr Margaret for making the journey and for enriching our Mercy Week with her wisdom, warmth, and presence.
We are also deeply grateful to Fr. Jesse for celebrating our Mercy Mass with us. His presence at Stella Maris Catholic School is always warmly welcomed. It was lovely to witness the children’s eyes follow his every move during the Mass, a testament to their reverence and engagement in the liturgy.
Our students were incredibly respectful and prayerful throughout the Mass; a reflection of the values of kindness, dignity, and compassion that we strive to uphold. Parents and carers should feel very proud of their children, who demonstrated a deep understanding of the significance of this special celebration.
Mercy Week continues to be a treasured time in our school calendar; a moment to pause, reflect, and give thanks for the enduring legacy of the Sisters of Mercy and the loving, faith-filled community we are so fortunate to be a part of.
Thank You to Our Wonderful Parent Engagement Group (PEG)
A heartfelt thank you to the Parent Engagement Group for their incredible support and hard work in making our Father's Day breakfast and Father's Day Stall such special events. With Rosie Walker leading this incredible team, we always know everything will be organised and carried out with professionalism and care.
Thank you to everyone involved; your efforts truly make a difference. Our students absolutely love these special days, and it's all made possible through your dedication.
If you had a photo taken by Mr Kim Yap on the day, we will communicate how you can receive these very shortly.
Smart Play Uniform Update
Our new Smart Play uniform continues to look fantastic as we move through this transition period. It's been wonderful to see our students wearing it with pride.
As a reminder, during this time, socks should be either:
- The official Smart Play socks,
- Plain black socks, or
- Plain white socks.
We appreciate your support in maintaining a neat and consistent appearance as we complete the uniform transition.
RE News
Reflection on the Sunday Gospel
Lk 14:25-33
Jesus teaches about the demands of discipleship.
Provide your children with a list of things that they are responsible for, interspersed with things that they like to do; for example, make their beds, take out the garbage, go to the park, do homework, watch television, have a snack, and feed the cat. The list should reflect their responsibilities and favourite recreations. Tell them to pretend that the company is coming and ask which of the things listed should be done first. Explain that this is called setting priorities.
Paraphrase the Gospel story for the children. Ask them what Jesus says is the most important thing for them to do. Jesus tells us that the number-one priority is to follow him. But just as it is not always easy to do the things we are supposed to do before doing the fun things, it is not always easy to be a follower of Jesus. Yet when we put Jesus first, we will be truly happy.
Grade 5 Liturgy
Due to inclement weather, the Grade 5 students held their Liturgy at school with families.
The grade 5 cohort gathered to celebrate and learn about two very important things: empathy and kindness. Big words that have simple and powerful meanings.
Empathy means being able to understand how someone else is feeling. It’s like putting yourself in someone else’s shoes, imagining what they might be going through, and caring about it. When we show empathy, we become better friends, better family members, and better people.
Kindness is when we do something to make someone else feel good, happy, or loved. It can be as small as a smile or a kind word, or as big as helping someone in need. Kindness is how we show love in action.
Students listened to the story of the Good Samaritan and were challenged to lead kind and empathetic lives.
Prep Liturgy
The Prep students, together with their families, gathered in the church to reflect and celebrate Father’s.
Students listened to Ephesians 6:1-4
Children, obey your parents in the Lord,[a] for this is right. 2 “Honour your father and mother”; this is the first commandment with a promise: 3 “so that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.”
4 And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Students then had time to reflect on all the things our dads, granddads, and special people in our lives do for us, as well as about Jesus’ dad, Joseph.
Thank you to all the families that were able to join us in prayer.
Celebrating the Sisters of Mercy
This year, our school community will gather with Sr. Margaret and Fr. Jessie to celebrate our Mercy Feast Day. Together, we will honour the life and teachings of Jesus and the legacy of the Sisters of Mercy through prayer, song, and reflection. Sr. Margaret will also spend time with some of our children, sharing the story of the Sisters of Mercy through Godly Play.
In Week 10, students will live out the Mercy charism by engaging in acts of service, bringing God’s love into our local communities. Each year level will participate in a service activity, demonstrating kindness, gratitude, and compassion in action:
- Kindergarten – Cleaning the school grounds
- Prep – Rubbish collection at Marist
- Grade 1 – Thank you cards for specialist teachers and get well cards for parishioners
- Grade 2 – Thank you cards for community helpers (Police, Firefighters, Nurses, Doctors, etc.)
- Grade 3 – Thank you cards for Teacher Assistants and office staff
- Grade 4 – Singing at Umina and reading to a resident
- Grade 5 – Cards for residents at Yarandoo
- Grade 6 – Cards for residents at Umina Park
Through these actions, our students are embracing the Mercy values of service, compassion, and faith, making a positive difference in the lives of others.
NAPLAN Results
2025 NAPLAN Results
We are proud to share the outstanding achievements of our Year 3 and Year 5 students in this year’s NAPLAN assessments. With 107 students participating, the results reflect the hard work of our learners, the dedication of our staff, and the partnership of our families.
Year 3
- Writing was a standout, with 76% of students achieving a strong level of proficiency and a further 9% exceeding expectations.
- Numeracy results were also impressive, with 69% of students achieving at a strong level.
- Overall, Year 3 students performed above national and state averages in all areas, showing a strong start to their learning journey.
Year 5
- Numeracy continued to be a strength, with 68% of students achieving a strong level of proficiency.
- Results in Reading, Writing, and Spelling were consistent with state levels.
- Across all domains, Year 5 students showed steady growth since Year 3, with scaled scores now sitting close to or just below the national average.
Looking Ahead
These results remind us of the incredible progress our students are making each year. While we celebrate their successes, we are also committed to continuous improvement. Grammar & Punctuation has been identified as an area of focus in both Years 3 and 5, and we will continue to explore ways to strengthen students’ knowledge and skills in this area.
Congratulations to all our students for their effort and achievements. A heartfelt thank you to our dedicated teachers for their commitment, and to our families for the encouragement and support you provide every day. Together, we are helping our children shine!
Tribute to Maxine Cunningham
Last week, our school community was saddened to hear that our much-respected and loved crossing guard, Mrs Maxine Cunningham, passed away. Mrs Cunningham kept our children and families safe for many years, and we were blessed to have her oversee the safety of our children.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Brian and his family throughout this difficult time.
Smile, open your eyes, love and go on
Stella Stars
Sessions for 2025
Every Wednesday 9.15 am - 10.45 am and 12.00 pm - 1.30 pm
See our Facebook Stella Stars Early Years Learning for more information
Parent Engagement Group
Dear Families,
We warmly invite you to attend our fifth Parent Engagement Group meeting for 2025.
The meeting will be held on Thursday, 18th September, at 10 am–11 am at Stella Maris in the staff room.
Agenda Items will be:
Father’s Day Review
Calendar Proposal for End of 2025
Christmas Raffle Preparation
Thank you,
Abbey Walters
Acting Deputy Principal
SunSMART Policy
In line with our SunSMART Policy, students are required to wear hats from September 2025 through to April 2026.
Please ensure your child brings their hat to school as soon as possible. From Monday, 8th September, students without a hat will be asked to remain in a shaded area during playtimes.
Thank you for your support in helping us keep our students safe in the sun.
School Reminders
Just a reminder that if students arrive at school after 8:50 a.m., a parent or guardian must sign them in at the office. This ensures every child’s safety by accurately recording attendance and streamlining the process for our staff.
Additionally, if your child is absent, please record the absence on Compass or contact the school office directly, rather than the classroom teacher. Messages sent through Seesaw may not always reach us on time, and notifying the office ensures accurate and timely record-keeping.
We also ask that students refrain from using the front office entrance to access their classrooms in the morning.
Thank you for your cooperation and support.
Fathers Day Photos
If you would like a copy of the photo taken of your child with their special person at the recent Father's Day event, please reach out to our office team.
Medication at School Parent Responsibilities
Student Achievements
Congratulations to Everly Sucic, who achieved 3rd place in the recent Eisteddfod and was the youngest in her age category.
Important Upcoming Dates
Thursday 11th September - Inter School Chess (selected students)
Wednesday 17th September - Grade 1 Slipstream Circus Excursion
Tuesday 23rd September - Grade 4 HIVE and Penguin Composites Excursion
Tuesday 23rd September - Grade 2 Astronaut Excursion
Wednesday 24th September - Grade 1 Liturgy at Star Of The Sea Church
Wednesday 24th September - Grade 4 Umina Residential Aged Care Excursion
Thursday 25th September - Grade 6 Graduation Photo Day/ Catch Up Day
Friday 26th September - Term 3 concludes
Monday 13th October - Student Free Day
Tuesday 14th October - Term 4 commences
Monday 20th - Friday 31st October - Learn To Swim Grade 4,5,6
Monday 3rd November - Recreation Day Public Holiday
Tuesday/Wednesday 4th-5th November - Grade 5 Camp
Thursday/Friday 6th-7th November - Grade 6 Camp
Wednesday 5th November - Hobart Hurricanes Clinic @ Stella (Prep-Gr 4)
Wednesday 12th November - NW Athletics (selected students)
Friday 21st November - Schools Triathlon Challenge
Monday 1st December - Grade 6 Marist Orientation Day
Thursday 11th December - Christmas Concert PM
Friday 12th December - Hobart Hurricanes After School Program Commences
Wednesday 17th December - Term 4 concludes - Final day for students & teachers
2026
Friday 6th February - Term 1 commences for students
Monday 9th March - Eight-Hour Day Public Holiday
Easter - Friday 3rd April - Public Holiday
Monday 6th April - Public Holiday
Tuesday 7th April - Public Holiday
Thursday 16th April - Term 1 concludes for students
Monday 4th May - Term 2 commences
Monday 8th June - King's Birthday Holiday
Friday 10th July - Term 2 concludes
Tuesday 28th July - Term 3 commences for students
Thursday 1st October - Term 3 concludes
Monday 19th October - Term 4 commences
Friday 23rd October - Student Free Day
Recreation Day - Monday 2nd November
Friday 18th December - Term 4 concludes
* Stella Stars Early Years Learning - Every Wednesday - bookings via Facebook
Outside News
