SMM Newsletter | Week 1, Term 4, 2026
Dear Families
Welcome to the Final Term!
What a wonderful start we have had to the term! It has been lovely to see our students returning to school with big smiles, excited to reconnect with friends and share stories from their break.
It is certainly hard to believe how quickly this year is passing. As we begin our final term, we have a busy and exciting few months ahead, with many special events, activities and opportunities for our school community to come together.
We look forward to sharing another fantastic term with our students and families.
Hats
As has been mentioned in previous newsletters and via SeeSaw, it is essential that your child has a hat at school each day. Our SMM Bucket Hat is available at Lowes within the Elizabeth City Centre. Please do not send your students with caps or other styled hats. With the beautiful spring weather this week the UV rating is already extremely high. Students who do not have hats will be asked to play under sheltered areas during break time.
Spirit of Christmas End of Year Carols Celebration
We are delighted to invite all our families to join us for our Spirit of Christmas End of Year Carols Celebration a wonderful tradition that brings our school community together to celebrate the festive season. As in previous years, each class will perform a Christmas carol, and we look forward to seeing our students share their Christmas spirit with family and friends.
🗓️ Thursday 26th November
🕘 9.00am
Please place the date in your calendars and come along for a relaxed and festive evening with our school community. We will provide further information closer to the time. We look forward to seeing everyone there and celebrating Christmas together!
Farewell and Best Wishes
Next Wednesday we will farewell Miss Dom our wonderful school counsellor as she takes up a position at Thomas More College. Dom has been a valued member of our school community, and we are incredibly grateful for the care, commitment and support she has shown our students, families and staff. Her contribution has helped our students feel valued, supported and successful, and her presence will be greatly missed. We sincerely thank Dom for all she has contributed and wish her every happiness and success in her new role.
Building Update
We are excited to share that Horizon Builders are now on site and have officially commenced work on our new classrooms. This marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for our school community, and we look forward to watching this space transform over the coming months.
The new learning area has been thoughtfully designed to provide modern, flexible, and engaging spaces that will support teaching and learning for many years to come. Featuring contemporary architecture, light-filled classrooms, and innovative learning environments, the development will enhance the educational experience for all students.
The artist’s impression pictured below provides a wonderful glimpse of what the finished project will look like. While there is still much work to be done, it is exciting to see these plans becoming a reality. We look forward to sharing regular updates with our community as construction progresses and our vision takes shape.
We thank families for their ongoing support and patience during this period of development and are excited about the opportunities these new facilities will provide for our students and staff.
2027 Planning and Class Placement Information
All families should now have received a request to confirm their enrolment intentions for 2027. We kindly ask that all families respond to this request, particularly if your child will not be returning to our school next year.
As we enter the final term of the year, we recognise that this period can bring a range of emotions for students, including excitement, curiosity and, at times, some uncertainty about what lies ahead. Change can be challenging, especially for young learners, and we remain committed to supporting all students through this transition with care, understanding and purpose.
Throughout Term 4, our focus will be on helping students remain engaged in their learning, celebrate their achievements and finish the year with confidence. For students who may require additional support to prepare for the transition to 2027, we will implement thoughtful and appropriate transition processes to ensure they feel safe, supported and ready for the year ahead.
As we begin planning for 2027 class placements, we invite families to share any information about their child that they believe may assist us in creating positive and successful learning environments.
If there is information you would like us to consider, please provide this in writing to a member of the Leadership Team. To ensure a fair and equitable process for all students, requests for specific teachers or staff members will not be considered.
While all information received will be carefully reviewed and taken into consideration, please note that we are unable to guarantee that every request or preference can be accommodated. We appreciate your understanding and support as we work to make the best possible placement decisions for all students.
Reception Enrolments for 2027
Is your child turning 5 and ready to commence school in 2027? Its time to make sure yu are enrolled!
- Term 1 Intake (Start of the Year): For children who turn 5 years old on or before 30 April (or before 1 May).
- Term 3 Intake (Mid-Year Start): For children who turn 5 years old between 1 May and 31 October.
Reception enrolments are still open, with some places available for both Term 1 and Term 3, 2027. Please contact our Front Office for enrolment information.
If you have friends, family or neighbours with young children who may be considering St Mary Magdalene’s School for 2027, we kindly ask you to share this information with them.
Children already enrolled to commence Reception in Term 1, 2027 will begin their transition visits in Week 6 this term, providing an opportunity to become familiar with school and begin getting to know their educators and peers. We look forward to welcoming our newest students and families to our school community!
Term 4 Diary Dates
We know that Term 4 is traditionally a busy term and often flies by. Please be aware of the below dates and events that may be of importance to you and your family. For many, this may require you to book time off work if you would like to attend. For our Year 6 families, specific information for end of year events will be communicated early next term
Week 1
Friday 16th October | Mercy Day Colour Run
Week 4
Monday 2nd November | Children’s University Graduation (evening)
Week 6
Wednesday 18th November | New Reception Transition Visits Commence
Week 7
Thursday 26th November | Spirit of Christmas End of Year Carols Celebration – Whole School at 9.00am
Week 8
Wednesday 2nd December | Year 6 Graduation Dinner 5.30pm at the Midway Tavern
Thursday 3rd December | Nativity Liturgy at 9.00am
Friday 4th December | End of Year Mass at 12pm
Week 9
Monday 7th December | End of Year Assembly and Farewells (last Day Year 6’s)
Tuesday 8th December | Meet the Teacher (R-5)
Tuesday 8th December | Year 6 Graduation Ceremony at 6pm
Wednesday 9th December |Last Day All Students (R-5)
Please note that Thursday and Friday are Pupil Free Days and our OSHC Service will be available – book online now!
Further information will be corresponded to you before these events.
