Hello Everyone, 

Last Thursday I sat in on our Parents and Friends group meeting and the enthusiasm within the room was fabulous to see. The current priority for the group is to bring together our school community by assisting new and existing families to make connections within the parent group. The group also spoke about some exciting initiatives and events that will soon be happening, so please stay tuned for further information. Whilst the past two years has brought about a level of disconnect between schools and parents, positive changes are being made and St Mary’s is on the right track.

Congratulations to our District Cross Country team who recently participated in the HDSSA event. St Mary’s placed equal 1st overall, and we wish those students who are competing in the next round this Monday in Yarram the very best of luck. 

Today the children participated in Walk Safely to School Day, an event recognised across the nation to promote active and healthy lifestyles for school aged children. Thank you to the parents and friends group and all our wonderful helpers who assisted with providing breakfast for the children. The children certainly enjoyed their special start to the day! 

I was recently asked at what age is it appropriate to allow your child to ride to school, and whilst at St Mary’s we encourage our students to ride their bikes and scooters to school safely, we do however acknowledge that there are many considerations to factor in. These include - the length of the ride, whether there are hills to contend with, traffic conditions and if there are roads to cross along the route. For the younger children, they can ride to school accompanied by their parents or carers at any age - right from Foundation. For the older children, there's no law governing what age children can ride to school on their own but it is suggested that around 10 years, most kids will have the necessary skills to manage the ride on their own.  This can only be judged by the parents - knowing their childs' confidence and abilities, and taking into consideration all the factors mentioned above on the school route. 

I look forward to seeing you all later in the term. 

Take care everyone, 

Lia