Hello and welcome to the 2025 school year. We hope your holiday period was a time of rest and relaxation and you are looking forward to an exciting year ahead. We are looking forward to getting to know each member of our school community and encourage you to introduce yourself to us over the coming weeks.
There is always an enthusiastic buzz around that first day of school. Packing the school bag for the first time and putting on the uniform can bring about a mixture of emotions. Our staff cannot wait to work with your child to settle them into the new school year and set them up for success. We encourage you to maintain open, positive communication with your child’s teacher and keep them informed of anything along the way. As a school, our teachers use Seesaw as a way to keep in touch and share your child’s learning journey. Please see your class teacher to ensure you are connected.
It has been a very busy time for me (Gareth) as my family and I relocated from Whyalla to join this vibrant community. I am very much looking forward to immersing myself into the St Mary Magdalene’s school community and working alongside you to ensure the best outcomes for your child/ren.
You will also see Belinda Bennett regularly at our school. Belinda is our new Principal and is bringing a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm to our team. Belinda will work across both St Mary Magdalene’s and St Thomas More schools throughout the week.
We also welcome Richard Symons to our teaching staff. Richard will teach AUSLAN to our students for one lesson each week. As this is a new language for our school we are excited by this opportunity. Here are a few fun facts….
- Aslan is over 200 years old and relies on a mix of hand shapes, movements and facial expressions to convey information.
- Hand shapes – There are 38 hand shapes with 28 variants in Aslan
- Direction – The direction of your palm and hand to your body can change the meaning of words or add context.
- Location – Signs are made near different body parts to convey meaning Movement – Big or small movements of the head, arms, and hands can suggest other words
- Expression – Head and facial gestures or expressions convey emotion and emphasis
This year we are also fortunate to have Aimee Tullio as our APRIM. Aimee will work in collaboration with Melissa Musolino (St Thomas More), Fr Santosh and the Elizabeth Catholic Parish to lead the religious dimension and faith formation of our school. We look forward to Aimee’s leadership and support of our staff and families.
We also welcome a whole host of new students into our school community:
Reception / 1 Drewett: Naira, Muna, Abbas Ali, Zohair, Cecila
Reception / 1 Shapcott: Dante, Navi, Lilly, Elvis, Lavie, Zaiden
Reception / 1 Hill: Prisha, Sabriella, Zyah, Mykah, Zeik
2 / Petersen: Jaxon
3 / 4 Haylock: Dave, Anum, Amiah, Oliver,
3 / 4 Dickson: Jackynziie, Jhennifer (Sophia), Heidi, Noorpret, Memenyas, Minha,
5/6 Rose: Manu (Emmanuel)
5/6 Tullio: Alisha, Arpan
In the early days of this term your child will bring home some paperwork for you to sign and look over. These important documents help us know who to contact throughout the day if required.
A reminder that the yard access gate closes at 8:45am each day. Students who are late need to enter the school via the Front Office, collect a “late” pass and be signed in by a parent or guardian (if available).
A reminder to always drive safely within our school zone. Please adhere to the appropriate speed limit, respect our road crossing monitors and park in designated areas.
Finally, our Meet and Greet Night will be on Tuesday of Week 3. This evening provides a wonderful opportunity for you to meet your child’s 2025 teacher. More information about this evening will be circulated soon.
Both Belinda and I are very much looking forward to the year ahead and ‘shaping our future together’.
Belinda, Gareth, Michelle, Aimee and Matt
SMM Leadership Team
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