Dear Parents and Caregivers
I would like to extend a huge welcome to all of our new and existing families and staff members to our beautiful Mary Mac community! I hope you had a wonderful holiday and that you are feeling refreshed and ready for the challenges and fun that lie in the year ahead. It is always a fantastic experience walking around to all the classes saying, “Hello” to everyone and seeing their beautiful smiles on Day 1. I’m sure that you have noticed our new playground at the front of the school. This was kindly paid for by our local member of Parliament, Rita Saffioti, as a commitment she made before the last state election. I’m sure our students will get many years of use and fun from it, and we will get to show our appreciation to Rita at an assembly in the near future. Our students certainly are very well catered for here at Mary Mac with the resources available to them. It is another reason for making our community so special.
P&F Our very first meeting for the year will be held in the staffroom next Monday 9 February at 8.45am. One of the first things on their agenda will be organising the Family Fun/Welcome Night which will be held from 5.30pm – 8.30pm on Friday evening 20 February on the oval. Our P&F are an important part of our community and they are always looking for new members. If you would like to make a contribution to our community, please consider joining. They are a small but very capable group, and the workload is not too big these days.
Edu dance Once again, we are running this popular programme this term for the Blue classes from Pre Primary to Year 6. The programme commences on Monday 9 February. Please note Monday 30 March at 6pm in your diaries as this is when the concert will be held in the hall. The Kindy students and all the Gold classes get their turn in Term 3.
Parent Information Night This will be held on Monday 9 February from 6.00pm in the hall. I will speak briefly to all parents about our focus areas this year and then the teachers will run two sessions in their classrooms. The first session goes from 6.20pm to 6.50pm. The second session runs from 7.00pm to 7.30pm. Please note that these sessions will be providing general information only. If you would like to speak individually to the teachers about your child, please make an appointment and make a separate time.
Ash Wednesday We start the Easter season off with Ash Wednesday on Wednesday 18 February. Ash Wednesday is the start of Lent which is the 40 days leading up to Easter Sunday, the most important date on the Christian calendar. To recognise this, we will be having our first whole school Mass in the Church at 8.45am. All parents and grandparents are most welcome to come and join us. The ashes will be distributed during this Mass and we will be reminded to, “Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel”.
Right to Disconnect Please remember that you are welcome to contact our teachers during office hours which are from 8.00am to 4.00pm. However, please don’t be offended if they don’t respond to you outside these hours, as that is their own family time to deal with their commitments outside of school. Thank you for your understanding.
Laurie Bechelli
Principal