SMM Newsletter, Term 3, Week 7, 2025
Dear Families,
Welcome to the end of week 7 and finally, Spring has Sprung… We are looking forward to increased sunshine and longer days. Spring provides us an opportunity to take stock and notice all the new life around us and give thanks for our ever-changing environment. As the weather warms up, we will be reminding students to wear their school hat from the start of Term 4. Now would be a good time to find the hat and whip it through the washing machine so it is ready to go.
Happy Father’s Day…
Happy Father’s Day to all our Dads, grandfathers, uncles, brothers, mentors, and all the special men who play a vital role in the lives of our children. Your presence, your guidance, and your love help shape the next generation in ways that words can hardly capture. Whether you’re the one tying shoelaces, reading bedtime stories, cheering from the sidelines, or simply offering a quiet moment of support—your impact is immeasurable. You teach resilience, kindness, strength, and integrity through your actions every day. Wishing you a day filled with joy, connection, and the recognition you so richly deserve.
On Friday we warmly invite all father figures to our Father’s Day Liturgy – hosted by Reception/Year 1 Hill. This is from 9am in the Yarning Place. After the Liturgy we will have some warm croissants and hot drinks for our Dads to enjoy. We hope to see you there.
Staffing Announcement…
We are delighted to share with you that Mr Anthony Filpi has been appointed as our new Business Manager. Anthony brings with him a wealth of knowledge, experience, and a strong background in school operations and financial management. His leadership and insight will be invaluable as we continue to move forward and strengthen our work together.
At the end of this term, we farewell Mrs Leah Dickson who commences her Maternity Leave. Leah is such an enthusiastic and vibrant member of our staff who will be missed. We welcome Ms Eldi Yzel to our staff. Ms Yzel will teacher Year 3/4 for the duration of Term 4. From Week 8 this term, Eldi and Leah will work in a team teach model to ensure a smooth handover and transition for our students. Please join us in making Eldi feel welcome.
Child Protection Week…
Next week is Child Protection Week. The 2025 theme is “Every Conversation matters: Shifting conversation to action.” This is a special week where we emphasize the importance of turning discussions about child safety into tangible actions. We value the importance of school life and home life working in partnership to keep our children safe. Do you have conversations with your child about what they do online? Do you ask them if they feel safe at school and in the community? Do you ask your child if there is anything that is bothering them? Protecting our children is everyone’s business.
Changes to ICT Laws…
As we mark Child Protection Week, it’s a powerful reminder that safeguarding children isn’t just about physical environments—it extends to the digital world too. In an age where online interaction is part of everyday life, ensuring our children are safe, supported, and informed online is more important than ever.
That’s why we want to highlight an important update coming this December: new social media regulations under the Online Safety Act will require platforms to take stronger steps to prevent children under 16 from accessing age-restricted services. These changes are designed to reduce exposure to harmful content and create safer digital spaces for young people.
While platforms will be held accountable for enforcing age restrictions, parents and carers remain the most powerful line of defence when it comes to online safety. Monitoring your child’s digital activity, setting boundaries around screen time, and having open conversations about what they see and do online are all essential steps.
Here are a few ways families can stay proactive:
- Regularly check privacy settings and app permissions
- Use parental controls where appropriate
- Encourage children to speak up if something online makes them uncomfortable
- Stay informed about the platforms and trends your child engages with
Together, we can build a safer, more supportive online world for our children—one click, one conversation, one caring adult at a time.
Madhavi Parker – Emotional Regulation Workshop…
What a wonderful turnout we had at our Parent Workshop last Wednesday. Madhavi’s wisdom and insight into how we can support our children when they are dysregulated was very well received. Our staff also experienced a professional development session where they were given skills and techniques to manage their own well being as well as gaining further tools they can use in the classroom to benefit our students.
For those who attended the session, we would love your feedback – please email info@smm.catholic.edu.au
If you were not able to attend, you may request the slides from the evening. Please request via our Front Office.
Fostering Mercy Values and Positive Behaviour
This term, we’ve honed our focus on living out the Mercy Values in everyday school life, with a renewed emphasis on promoting and celebrating positive behaviour. A key initiative has been the introduction of our Mercy Token Trade, where students can exchange a Mercy Card for a token that contributes spirit points to their House team. This simple but powerful system is already gaining strong traction, encouraging students to act with kindness, compassion, and integrity.
By shifting our lens toward what we do want to see—respect, responsibility, and empathy—we’re building a culture that uplifts and affirms. Acknowledging and rewarding positive behaviour not only reinforces our shared values but also inspires others to follow suit. It’s about creating a ripple effect of goodness, one Mercy Card at a time.
