Newsletter Term 4 Wednesday 18 December 2024
Happy Christmas Everyone!
Dear parents and carers,
Welcome to this mini-edition of our Newsletter, the purpose of which is to update you on Staffing for 2025!
Most of our dedicated teachers are returning for 2025 and we welcome a few new team members, indicated in bold text below.
In addition, we are extremely happy to announce to the community the successful appointment of Miss Claire Nicholson to the permanent position of Religious Education Coordinator (REC). This role was made vacant by the appointment of our incumbent REC, Mr Glenn Corben, to Principalship at St Columba's Yeoval. We wish Mr Corben every success in his new position and also thank Mr Josh Meyers for his outstanding work in his temporary REC role this year. Mr Meyers returns to St Joseph's Oberon for 2025. Please join me in wishing Miss Nicholson every success as she joins our School Executive Team in this significant position.
We are also thrilled to announce the appointment of a permanent full time English as a Second Language/ Dialect (EAL/D) Teacher, Mrs Jenni Preston. This role acknowledges St Mary's as a school who values inclusive practices and equity of opportunity, understanding the need to provide ongoing support for our students who are learning the English as a Second Language. We thank Ms Alex Magennis for her dedication to these students over the past few years and also Ms Polly Paradice for laying the groundwork for this position to be possible.
We thank Mrs Rebecca Harper and Ms Polly Paradice for their wonderful work with 3 Orange and Mr Will Warner for his assistance with the Year Two cohort.
Mrs Helen Chegwidden farewells St Mary's this week to take up an exciting new position as the 0.6 EAL/D teacher at Catherine McAuley. We hope that Mrs Chegwidden and Mrs Preston will be able to collaborate across both schools, as they develop this important new role.
Mrs Clara Carruthers will take on the role of Sports' Coordinator in 2025 and we thank Mrs Frew for her brilliant work in this position in 2024. We are thinking that the sports' role may 'cycle' around staff due to the significant demands of the Coordinator's time outside of school.
Our beautiful Student Support Officer Jenny O'Brien retires this year after 21 years of service to St Mary's. Anyone who has worked with Jenny knows her heartfelt commitment to improving the outcomes of her students. She leaves an indelible mark on the heart of this commuity and we hope to see her back in 2025 for some casual days.
| Our Kindergarten team | Miss Melanie Moon, Miss Jessica Coughlan and Mrs Janine Parsons |
| Our Year One team | Mrs Karen Proudford, Mrs Cheree Pell, Mrs Stacey Nobes and Miss Olivia Sanvicente |
| Our Year Two team | Mrs Edwina Haydon, Mrs Sally Curran, Miss Emma Cullen and Mr Nathan Salomoni |
| Our Year Three team | Mrs Michelle Brown, Mrs Mandy Stewart, Mrs Sonja McNiven and Mrs Chloe Brooks |
| Our Year Four team | Miss Erin Holmes, Mrs Erin Lenti and Miss Farzeen Irani |
| Our Year Five team | Miss Claire Nicholson, Mrs Grace Lee, Mrs Clara Carruthers and Ms Alex Magennis |
| Our Year Six team | Mr David Duncan, Mrs Katie Frew and Mrs Sjaan Wilson |
| Learning Support Teachers | Mrs Gemma Belmonte and Mrs Rachel Cranney |
| English as a Second Language/ Dialect (EAL/D) teacher | Mrs Jenni Preston |
| Teacher Librarian | Mrs Anne Frederickson |
| Music Teacher | Mrs Jemima Abbey |
| Sports' Coordinator | Mrs Clara Carruthers |
| Wellbeing Officer | |
| School Counsellor | Mrs Nicole Chambers |
| RFF Teacher - Health | Miss Olivia Sanvicente |
| Our Student Learning Support Team | Mrs Chrissy Burgess, Mrs Rachael Curran, Mrs Nikki Provost, Mrs Leanne Pinkstone, Miss Caitlin Dwyer, Ms Naomi Vogler and Miss Jodie Paton. |
| Aboriginal Education Officer | Mr Ben Benton |
| Our Office team | Mrs Nicole Downey, Ms Linda Ogilvie and Mrs Gemma Dwyer |
| Grounds and Maintenance Officer | Mr Adam Cusack |
| Canteen Manager | Mrs Sarah Jeffery |
| Primary Coordinator | Mrs Sally Curran |
| Religious Education Coordinator | Miss Claire Nicholson |
| Assistant Principal | Mrs Rachel Cranney |
| Principal | Ms Gayle Stratton |
Wishing you a beautiful Christmas and a safe and happy 2025. This time of year means many different things to many different people. I encourage you to focus on those who you love with gratitude in your hearts, whether they be near or far. The message of the season is not fancy gifts, expensive holidays or an abundance of food (although these things are very nice); it is a time to see the promise of hope for the world in the joy of Christ's birth.
I look forward to sharing the journey with you again next year and the exciting things we can achieve together for our children. Thank you for your trust in us. God bless you all.
Gayle Stratton
Principal.