St Mary's School Donnybrook
2026 Term 4 Week 1
Fostering a culture where every child feels valued, respected and included.
Children are naturally curious and often try to make sense of behaviours they see around them. At times, however, they may use labels or terms they have heard without fully understanding their meaning or impact. We are seeking your support in having conversations at home about the importance of using respectful and inclusive language when talking about others.
Recently, we have become aware of students using diagnostic labels to describe or explain the behaviour of their peers. While these comments are often not intended to be hurtful, they can be upsetting, inaccurate and can contribute to misunderstandings about individuals and their unique needs.
We encourage families to remind children that everyone learns, communicates and interacts in different ways. When a classmate behaves differently or responds to situations in a way they do not understand, it is important to approach this with kindness, empathy and respect rather than making assumptions or applying labels.
A helpful message for children is: "If you don't understand someone's behaviour, it's okay to be curious, but it's not okay to label them. Instead, choose kindness and remember that everyone's story is different."
As a school, we are committed to fostering a culture where every child feels valued, respected and included. By working together to promote thoughtful language and understanding, we can help create a community in which all students feel safe and supported.
Thank you for your ongoing partnership in reinforcing these important values with your children.
Year 6 Confirmation
At 6pm on Saturday 17th October, our Year 6 students will participate in the Sacrament of Confirmation. Confirmation is the last of the 3 Sacraments of Initiation (after Baptism and First Holy Communion) where those receiving the Sacrament receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit (wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord). This Mass will be celebrated by Fr Tony, who has a deep connection to our community and many of our families. Leading up to this our students will participate in a retreat day being held tomorrow, Friday 16th October.
Assembly
Our next Assembly is planned for 9am Thursday 22nd October in the Multi-Purpose Room. This assembly will be led by our Year 3 students. It would be great to have many families there supporting our students and celebrating in their learning and achievements.
Following this, our Year 1’s will be hosting an assembly on Thursday 5th November.
P&F Meeting
Our next P&F meeting is planned for 9:30am Thursday 22nd October, following the assembly. It would be great to have many parents there supporting our committee members.
Interschool Athletics Carnival
Congratulations to the students who have been selected to represent our school at next week's Interschool Athletics Carnival at Hay Park. Information has been shared with those involved. We wish our team all the best!
Book Club
Issue 7 Book Club orders are due back to school by Friday 23rd October.
Socktober
On Wednesday 28th October, students are invited to wear their most colourful and creative socks and bring a gold coin donation in support of Socktober. Staff members will also contribute through their Casual Friday gold coin collection. This year’s campaign aims to support communities in Malawi by helping children gain improved access to food and education. Through this initiative, students can make a positive impact while learning about global social justice issues.
Annual Community Meetings (ACM)
As previously communicated, and as a reminder to our community, the requirements relating to Annual Community Meetings (ACMs) have recently changed. As a result, the school will no longer hold a formal ACM event.
Information regarding nominations for the Parents and Friends (P&F) Association and School Advisory Council (SAC) will be shared in the coming weeks. Where voting is required, this will be conducted online to ensure a convenient and accessible process for all families.
School financial information, including fee structures and relevant reports, will also be made available online. In addition, information regarding staff placements for 2027 will be communicated to parents via email later in the term.
Thank you for your understanding and ongoing support of our school community.
Pupil Free Day
There will be a pupil free day on Monday 2nd November. On this day, staff will be at school unpacking student data and strategically planning for ongoing growth and improvement. Please enjoy the long weekend with your loved ones.
Parish Mass and Picnic
The parish will be hosting a Mass and Family Picnic at 10:30am on Sunday 8th November at Ironstone Gully Falls (1813 Goodwood Road, Capel River). All are welcome to attend and join in on this occasion. Please BYO chairs, blanket, food, drinks etc.
Making Jesus Real (MJR)
During Week 5, we will again recognise Random Acts of Kindness Week. This celebration encourages students to put MJR values into action through simple acts that positively influence their families, school and wider community. The week also provides an opportunity to focus on staff wellbeing, fostering meaningful connections, reflection, and positive experiences among our staff. The students will again be invited to wear free dress in recognition of their kind efforts on Friday 13th November.
Year 6 Camp
During Week 5, our Year 6 students will attend camp at Woodman Point. The camp provides a memorable experience, with a variety of activities designed to build resilience, teamwork, independence and personal development. We sincerely thank Brad Swarbrick for generously volunteering his time and support, helping to make the camp a successful and enjoyable experience for all students. We wish our Year 6 students all the best on camp.
Parish Annual General Meeting (AGM)
The parish will be hosting an AGM after the 10:30am Mass on 22nd November. The parish relies on support from parishioners to ensure smooth operations and outreach opportunities. If you would like to get involved, your support would be much appreciated. All are invited and welcome to attend.
Parish Christmas Hamper Appeal
We will again be supporting the parish in reaching out to the community through their Christmas Hamper Appeal. More information will follow soon. If you know of anyone who might need a little extra support this Christmas please contact the office.
Leaving Students
In preparation for budget and staffing requirements, we have to nominate as accurately as possible our student numbers for 2027. If you are not planning on returning to St Mary’s, for whatever reason, can you please let me know a.s.a.p.
Health Care Card (HCC)
Parents across Catholic Education who hold a HCC receive discounted tuition for their children. The HCC discount is in line with the Low Fees Initiative that supports our school in making Catholic Education affordable to our community. Whilst HCC holders will not receive further discount at our school, the government will support our system financially if we provide HCC details. If you hold a current HCC, can you please provide Katja with the details so that she can look towards receiving extra support for our school.
Lunch Orders
Thank you to Hannah Spencer for collecting lunch orders on Fridays. We are still in need of a volunteer to collect lunch orders on Thursdays. If you are able to assist with this please contact the school office.
Term 4 Calendar
There is much happening this term as we prepare for Christmas, Graduation, another P&F Colour Fun Run and much more. Please note these important dates in the Term 4 calendar which can be found HERE
School Website
Our school website can be found HERE and contains much information regarding school operations and procedures.
Parent Information
An updated parent information booklet, including teacher email addresses and school operations, can be found on our school website under the school information tab or by clicking HERE.
Student Enrolments
St Mary’s is open for enrolments and has places available across all year levels for 2026. Should you be interested in a tour with the principal, please contact 97324700. More information, including an introductory video, can be found on our school website at http://www.stmarysdbrk.wa.edu.au/.
Thank you
Andrew Gammon
St Mary's School Donnybrook
Email: admin@stmarysdbrk.wa.edu.au
Website: www.stmarysdbrk.wa.edu.au
Location: 30 Bentley St, Donnybrook, WA, 6239
Phone: 08 97324700
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/St-Marys-Catholic-Primary-School-Donnybrook-1835840293345149/