Term 4 Week 1 2025
PRINCIPAL'S REPORT
Welcome back to Term 4! I hope everyone has returned feeling refreshed and ready for the final term of 2025. You may notice over the coming weeks that many of our upcoming Masses and focuses within Religion lessons centre on the theme of growth — a fitting reflection as we see growth all around us: in our students’ learning and confidence, in our school community, and in the evidence of new life at this time of year. Growth takes time, care and faith — all qualities we continue to nurture together here at St Mary’s.
We’re looking forward to an excellent term ahead and to our continued connection with families and the wider community over the coming weeks.
Pioneers Night
With families and community connection in mind, this Saturday 18th October, students have been invited to perform at Pioneer’s Night at the Batlow RSL Club. Students will meet in the Batlow RSL Club foyer at 6:30pm before performing in the auditorium at 6:45pm. Once they have finished, students are most welcome to return home for the evening. If your child is able to attend, please complete the Compass permission that has been shared. We understand this can be a busy time for families, and we truly appreciate those who are able to prioritise and support this community event.
Uniform
A reminder that students should now be wearing their Summer Uniform. Please also ensure that hats are brought to school each day, as the weather is getting warmer. Thank you for helping students be prepared and sun safe.
Book Fair and Open Classroom - Week 3
In conjunction with our Book Fair in Week 3, St Mary’s will be holding an Open Classroom morning or afternoon on Tuesday, 28th October. Families are warmly invited to come along and let students share the learning they have been doing this term. This will be a wonderful opportunity for students to showcase their work at a time when many families are already visiting the school to purchase books.
Year 6 interviews
This week, we will start highlighting our departing Year Six students in the newsletter. This includes some of their highlights over the course of their time at St Mary’s and a few different questions about each of our graduating students. Congratulations to our Media and Hospitality leaders, Jess and Ruby, for coordinating this, and to Saskia for being the first interviewee!
Enjoy the remainder of the week,
Ryan
FROM THE REC
Welcome back to Term 4! I hope you all had a relaxing and enjoyable term break. Term 4 will be a busy time with lots happening. Our K-2 students will be leading our school mass on Thursday 6th November and our Parish and Children’s Mass is on Sunday 23rd November at 5 pm. We then have our end of year thanksgiving and Year 6 Graduation Mass on Thursday 11th December. We love seeing all of our families and students at these Masses and everyone is very welcome to attend.
The month of October each year is dedicated to the Holy Rosary. It was instituted to honour the Blessed Virgin Mary in gratitude for the protection that she gives the Church in answer to the praying of the Rosary.
The Rosary as a form of prayer was given to St Dominic (1170-1221) by Mary, the Mother of Our Lord, who entrusted it to him as an aid in the conflicts with the Albigensians. The Dominican pope, St Pius V, worked to further the spread of the Rosary and it became one of the most popular devotions in Christendom. It was the same Pope St Pius V, who in 1569, formally approved the Rosary in its present form with the Papal Bull, Consueverunt Romani Pontifices. It had been completed by the addition of the second half of the "Hail Mary" and the "Glory be to the Father" at the conclusion of each mystery.
The Rosary is primarily a scriptural prayer. This can be summarised by the traditional phrase used by Pope Pius XII (papacy: 1939-1958) that the Rosary is "a compendium of the entire Gospel" (AAS 38 [1946] p. 419). The Rosary draws its mysteries from the New Testament and is centred on the great events of the Incarnation and Redemption.
The Rosary consists of a series of smaller prayers, “The Apostles Creed”, “The Our Father”, The Hail Mary” and “The Glory Be”. Please see below the Hail Mary. I have also attached a link with more detail about the Rosary for anyone who would like to learn more about how to pray this prayer.
https://rosarycenter.org/how-to-pray-the-rosary/
I hope you have a wonderful weekend in the beautiful spring sunshine.
Jeanette Dumbrell
Religious Education Coordinator
Hail Mary
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
SCHOOL FEES
Term 4 school fees will be emailed out this week. If you are paying by installments please continue making regular payments. If paying in full, please do so by the due date 7 November.
OPEN CLASSROOMS
Families and carers are invited to join us for our Open Classrooms Day on Tuesday the 28th of October. This is a wonderful opportunity to witness the fabulous learning students have been doing this year. Classrooms will be open in the morning from 8.30am - 8.55am and in the afternoon from 3.10pm - 3.30pm. We look forward to seeing you then.
BOOK FAIR
CAKE RAFFLE
This week the QUARMBY (Phillip) family will be baking.
Next week the RODMAN family will be baking.
HOME COOKING
This week the GANNON family will be cooking.
Next week the GARNER family will be cooking.
YEAR 6 IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Saskia
What's your favourite memory from your time at St Mary's? The Ballarat excursion because i enjoyed panning for gold, exploring and the horse and cart ride at Sovereign Hill and Bendigo.
What are you most proud of achieving this year? The Western Region Athletics carnival where i participated in discuss, did my best distance and it was great having my mum with me.
What was your go-to lunch box snack this year? Apricot Bar.
What High School are you going to? McAuley.
What's one word to describe you 5/6 class? Loud.
What are you most looking forward to about high school? More classes such as Art, Woodwork, Ag, Spanish and Food Tech.
What are you going to miss about St Mary's? Gardening Club because it was fun taking on a new role working with Hayley in the garden and spending time with other students and Mrs Jackson.
What do you want to do when you're grown up? A Zoologist.
RADIO NEWS
Radio news will begin next Tuesday.
Tune in from 12.40pm to hear what is happening with RUBY & JESS
PIE DRIVE
Forms are being sent home with each family today
IGA LUNCH ORDERS MONDAY & FRIDAY
YEAR 7 2026 ORIENTATION INFORMATION
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
BATLOW COMMUNITY INVITE
