Stella Maris Catholic Primary School Shellharbour eNewsletter

School News

PB4L News

This term, we have introduced a range of new playground games under the COLA. These activities give students more options to enjoy during break times, especially if they prefer something other than the usual sports games. Each year group has a roster for recess and lunch, allowing students to play and have fun with their friends.

Attendance

As we continue into Term 4, attendance continues to be a significant focus for all schools in the Wollongong Diocese. A gentle reminder in the flowchart below about the importance of regular attendance.

Sunscreen

As the weather heats up, there is sunscreen available in all classrooms for students to use as they go out to recess and lunch. If this is something that you would like your child to use, please talk to them and, if appropriate, let their teacher know. Although teachers remind students to apply sunscreen, due to allergies, we are unable to make all students use it.

Staffing Update

Congratulations to Mrs Alicia Sanchez-Levine on her appointment at St John's Dapto. We are pleased for Mrs Sanchez-Levine and she will be missed. She has made a significant contribution to the Stella Maris community in her role as Religious Education Coordinator.

Congratulations to Mrs Casey Sablowski, who has accepted a role with Hockey NSW. Mrs Sablowski is a great loss to our community; however, a return to her roots and her passion is something that is close to her heart. We wish Mrs Sablowski all the best in her new adventure, and we are sure she will still come and visit from time to time.

Classes 2026

As Term 4 progresses, we begin planning for 2026. This includes classes for 2026. If you have any unique or extra ordinary circumstances that you would like considered in class allocation, we invite you to please email the school office. Many factors are taken into consideration for class allocation each year, and it is a complex process. Please note that an email submission does not mean it will be able to be acted upon.

Year 6 Gift to the School

Our Year 6 Captains have shown outstanding initiative this year by actively contributing ideas for the traditional Year 6 gift to the school. One of their standout suggestions is a themed mufti day to raise funds for the Creative Arts

The Year 6 Captians created the idea of a mufti day, dress up as your favourite entertainer and bring in a gold coin donation. The purpose of this upcoming mufti day, initiated by our Year 6 captains, is to raise funds for purchasing new and up-to-date resources to support creative arts across the school.

On Friday, 21 November, students are invited to dress up as their favourite entertainer and bring a gold coin donation.

Key Dates For Term 4

28 October	P&F Meeting
12 November	Socktober Silly Socks Fundraiser
21 November	Year 6 Gift to the School Mufti Day
5 December	Colour Run
9 December	End of Year Mass at Stella
11 December	Christmas Mufti/Celebration Day
12 December	Year 6 Graduation
13 December	Mass & Christmas Carols at All Saints
17 December	Last Day of Term 4
18/19 December	Pupil Free Days

School Counsellor News

STEM MAD

Throughout Terms 1-3, some students in Years 3, 4, 5, and 6 participated in STEM MAD. STEM MAD provides an opportunity for students to utilise their STEM skills and experiences to design and create authentic solutions to real-world problems so that they can Make A Difference (MAD). Students worked in teams, where they researched their problems, tested prototypes, and created a video presentation describing their design process and solution.

From these projects, two were selected to represent Stella Maris at the Innovate for Impact event on September 23rd at the Innovation Campus. Throughout the day, both teams presented to multiple judges, confidently sharing their design process and answering questions with clarity and creativity. We’re incredibly proud of their innovation, teamwork, and commitment to making a difference through STEM! You can view a description of their project and their submission videos below:

Project Name: The Suspension Chair
Student Names: William Yeo, Carter Crosswell, Nicholas Nadis
Short Blurb of their Project: The Suspension Chair is designed as a safe alternative to wobble stools and chair swinging. Using shock absorbers attached to the legs of the chair, users are able to get the sensation of swinging without any legs leaving the ground!

Project Name: Social Buddyflies
Student Names: Abbie Chapman, Anabella Condy, Isla Clarke
Short Blurb of their Project: Social Buddyflys is an app designed to help children and teenagers strengthen their social skills. The app has questions that ask children how they feel about social interactions and the AI robot, specifically coded with children in mind, allows users to practice social interactions and provides tips on making and sustaining friendships.

Social Buddyflies Website Link - https://www.jotform.com/app/251310265773857