Welcome Back to 2024! I am excited about the opportunities and experiences we will be able to provide your children with this year. I sincerely hope that you were able to have a holiday break filled with laughter and love with family and friends. 

This year we have clear direction as to where we are heading in supporting our students in their learning, faith formation and wellbeing. We look forward to continuing to work with you in supporting your child’s journey at Stella Maris.

Yesterday we welcomed the newest members of our community, the Kindergarten of 2024! It was a fabulous start to the day and all children settled in and had a fantastic first day. We welcome all new families across our school to the vibrant Catholic community of Stella Maris. We look forward to following your journey through our great school.

Over the school holidays Uncle Kevin put a video together to show the progression and story of his amazing artwork that is proudly displayed at the main entrance to the school. I encourage you to spend some time watching the development of the artwork and the display of Uncle Kevin’s great skills. 

This term we will be introducing our Year 6 leaders to the community via the newsletter. Each fortnight a different leadership group will share a video of themselves and their hopes as Year 6 leaders. We look forward to introducing our leaders of 2024!

This week we present the school Captains and Vice Captains.

Welcome to a new year at Stella Maris.  As we reverence the story of all people, may we work together as a community, to fill our hearts, and those of others, with faith, hope and love.  

This year has been designated by Pope Francis as a ‘Year of Prayer’, ‘dedicated to rediscovering the great value and absolute need for prayer in one’s personal life, in the life of the Church, and in the world,’ (Pope Francis).  Our school is a place of prayer, where the Word of God is proclaimed, and the rich devotional life of the Church forms part of the fabric of the school environment.  At Stella, we understand that it is in this context, that a young person’s faith will be enhanced.  For this reason, prayer is part of the everyday experience of life within the school.

As we begin Lent next week, please look out for the many events happening across the school!

God Bless

Alicia Sanchez-Levine

Religious Education Coordinator 

Shrove Tuesday 13 February 8AM CANTEEN

A GOLD COIN DONATION FOR A PANCAKE TO END POVERTY, PROMOTE JUSTICE & UPHOLD DIGNITY!

Often referred to as Pancake Day, Shrove Tuesday is a Catholic tradition that marks the day before the start of Lent. It's a day of preparation and feasting before any fasting in Lent.  This year, thanks to the P & F, we will be making and selling pancakes at the canteen before school to fundraise for Project Compassion, Caritas Australia’s main annual fundraising campaign, which raises much-needed funds to help alleviate poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity in the most vulnerable and marginalised communities in the world.

Ash Wednesday 14 February

As we enter the liturgical season of Lent, Years 1-6 will celebrate Ash Wednesday with a liturgy at 2pm under the COLA.  We welcome all parents and caregivers to this special celebration led by the Leaders of Vision and Mission.

The Year 6 Leaders of Vision & Mission only will be attending Mass with Mrs Sanchez-Levine at All Saints Parish Church at 9am, travelling to and from on the Corpus Christi minibus.

Opening School Year & Commissioning of Leaders Mass

Stella Maris would like to invite all parents and carers to attend the school’s Opening School Mass at All Saints Parish Church on Tuesday 20 February 10am.  This will be the first time we gather as a community to celebrate the new school year, as well as an opportunity to formally present the Year 6 leaders with their badges.  All students will be travelling to and from school by bus for the event.

Grade Masses at Stella Maris 

These Masses take place at our Stella Maris Church on Tuesdays at 9:30am.  Parents, grandparents and carers are most welcome to attend.  Please find below a schedule of the Masses for Term 1, 2024.  

Yr 5 Week 5 27 February  

Yr 4 Week 6 5 March

Yr 3 Week 7 12 March

Yr 2   Week 8 19 March

Yr 1   Week 9 26 March

Kinder  in Term 2, 2024

All Saints Catholic Parish  

Programme for the Sacrament of Penance - Reconciliation (Year 3 Students)

Timetable of Events after the Vigil/Sunday Masses:  

10/11 February: The books for workshops will be distributed after Mass.

17/18 February: Examination of the children’s ability to recite the Our Father and Hail Mary.  Please assist the children to learn these prayers before this weekend.

19 February: Workshops begin at Stella and Nazareth.  These workshops will continue for 4 consecutive weeks.  

24/25 February: Distribution of Holy Cards with Act of Contrition

2 / 3 March: Examination of the children’s ability to recite the Act of Contrition.  Parents are also asked to recite the Act.

9/10 March: Parents advised of ceremonies for First Reconciliation.

16 March 11 am: Celebration of Reconciliation

If there are any questions related to any of the Sacraments, please contact the parish office via email shellharbourcity@dow.org.au

Enrol Now for 2025!

We are now taking enrolments for 2025! All enrolments are now done online. If you have any questions please ring the school office.

We are holding an Open Day on 7 March between 8.45am-10am, please view the flyer below and call the school office to book your place.

School Uniform Expectations

Hair Cuts

When considering hair cuts and styles, all families are asked to follow the school uniform expectations of hair cuts and styles that do not invite comment or are outrageous. This includes no mullets, undercuts, mohawks, rats tails (or any tails), coloured braids, or coloured hair.  All hair that is shoulder length must be tied back.

Any students who do not follow the school expectations the school procedures are:

• Class teacher will follow up with families 
• If it is not rectified, it will be passed on to the stage leader to follow up with families
• If it continues to be an issue it will be referred to the Assistant Principal or Principal to follow up.

We thank you in advance for your cooperation and understanding.

Summer Uniform Addition

At the end of last year we advised of the introduction of a culottes option for the girls summer uniform to be worn with the unisex summer shirt and existing socks. Many girls have returned with the culottes as their uniform and it looks fantastic. 

Allergies and Food Choices at School

A gentle reminder that Stella Maris is a nut free school. This means that children should not come to school with peanut butter sandwiches or any foods that contain peanuts, nutella or nut related food products. This is to keep all children safe. Thank you. 

Attendance Requirements and Legislation

The NSW Education Act (1990) and Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong (CEDoW) require Parents/Carers to ensure that children of compulsory school age attend school on each day that the school is open for instruction. If children are absent from school, Parents/Carers are required to provide the school with an acceptable explanation, within seven days of the absence. 

After seven days, absences will automatically be recorded as Absent - unexplained / unjustified if the school is not provided with an acceptable explanation from Parents/Carers. Parents wishing to provide the school with an acceptable explanation after the seven day period, will need to contact the school and the school will adjust the attendance register. Parents are unable to enter the absence through the parental portal in Compass after the seven day period. 

The school will continue to support Parents/Carers and frequently send home letters giving Parents/Carers the opportunity to provide the school with an  explanation for absences. There may be instances where parents may receive a pastoral phone call in support of regular attendance and/or receive a further letter at the end of a term indicating emerging attendance concerns.

Please do not hesitate to contact the school should you require further information regarding attendance and the requirements.

Communication with Teachers and the School

Last year the school’s communication processes were streamlined to assist families with communicating with teachers and the school. A reminder that day to day messages, that the class teacher may need to know about, are done through Class Dojo. Any significant details, medical reports, requests for meetings etc should be emailed to the school office and this will be passed on to the appropriate person. Communication from the school of whole school events will be communicated via Compass.

Please be mindful that staff will reply to messages and or emails in a timely manner and during school days and appropriate hours. It is not appropriate for staff to be engaging in or replying to messages over a weekend or late afternoons.

Safer Internet Day

PB4L News

Recess & Lunch Play Activities 

Diocesan Representative Sport

It is a busy start to the year for representative sport. The Diocesan representative pathway for 2024 is well underway with Basketball and Tennis completing their first round of trials at the end of 2023. In February we have several Stella Maris students trialling in the sports of Touch Football, AFL and Cricket. Students who were successful/unsuccessful in their nominations will be notified in the coming weeks, in order of the trials. We wish all our students the best of luck in each of their sporting pursuits.

South Coast Swimming Carnival Team

Students who have been selected to attend the South Coast Swimming Carnival will be notified by the end of this week (Week 2). After lengthy discussions, there will be no swim squad this year with results from the school carnival being final. New students to the school will have the opportunity to nominate current times across all events which will be cross checked with previous results. After this, a decision will be made around the inclusion of these students as ‘independent’ (representing the South Coast Carnival as an independent swimmer, not a Stella Maris representative).

For more information on Diocesan sport, Gala Days, event information and dates, please make yourself familiar with the CEO DOW website and look through the Sport section. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the school.

Mrs Sablowski

Sports Coordinator

Canteen News

We are a school run canteen and rely on volunteers to operate.

Canteen is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays to make and prepare lunch orders and serve the children over the counter.

Online orders can be made via the My School Connect app - www.myschoolconnect.com.au/stellamarisps click on create account.

Our upcoming P & F AGM and General Meeting will be held on Monday 19 February at 6pm in the school staffroom.  All parents are welcome.  At the AGM nominations for the 2024 P & F Executive Committee will be called for and voted in.

Our annual Welcome Barbecue will be held  on Friday 22 March following the Easter Raffle.  

We look forward to welcoming our families to 2024 at Stella Maris.