Big Freeze MND Fundraiser

A heartfelt thankyou to our school community for their support of our SLB students with the Big Freeze Fundraiser for MND. Many thanks to Miss Cook for assisting and guiding our student leaders. On  June 13, students, staff and guests gathered for the Big Freeze Challenge with students and staff members undergoing the ice bucket challenge. It was great to see staff and students dress up or wear blue and get in the spirit of the day.  Well done to those who bravely participated in the cool conditions and to all who supported the fundraising.

Transition From Year 10 to 11

Our Year 10 students have commencing planning for their transition to Year 11.  Visits from both Launceston and Newstead Colleges occurred earlier in the term and Year 10 students attended either the Newstead College or Hobart College open days yesterday. Students will also visit Launceston College on 1 July. Students have the choice of attending Year 11 at St Marys District School or transitioning to a Secondary College. Apprenticeships, School Based Apprenticeships, Traineeships, and other training opportunities are all options that students might consider for their future. In 2026 we are hoping to grow the Year 11 and 12 course offerings and we are currently exploring the possibility of offering a VET Construction Skill Set course for selected students interested in an apprenticeship pathway.  We encourage parents to also become involved in conversations with your young people about their thinking for 2026 and to support them planning for these important choices.  If you would like further information, please contact Ms Ringuet through the school administration office.

Online Information Hub for Families

The Department for Education, Children and Young People has an online information hub for families with school-aged children in Tasmania. This website has information to help you navigate your child's education, from birth all the way up to 18 years of age.

Some of the information you will find includes:

• tips on how to support your child’s learning at home
• information to help you keep your child safe and well
• a guide to explore courses for the career they want
• school holiday and term dates.

Visit the webpage at Information for families - Department for Education, Children and Young People (decyp.tas.gov.au)

Moderation Day/ Student Free Day

On the 6 June our teaching staff travelled to Campbell Town and joined teachers from St Helens DHS, Cressy DHS, Flinders Island DHS, Bicheno PS, Longford PS and Bracknell PS. During the day, teachers worked together to moderate student work, sharing work samples and discussing assessment against the Australian Curriculum achievement standards. Moderation is an important process for teachers to engage in to ensure assessments are consistent across the state.  During the afternoon block our teachers participated in professional learning focused on reading or respectful relationships education.

Carolyn Watson

Principal

A Day of Inspiration and Creativity 

On Thursday 5 June, a group of Year 7–10 Visual Art students had the incredible opportunity to attend the Bay of Fires Youth Art Prize and Professional Exhibition at Panorama Hotel. This year’s student exhibition featured over 396 artworks from a wide range of schools across the region, showcasing an outstanding level of talent and creativity. 

We are proud to celebrate that several finalists and winners were selected from our own school – a fantastic achievement that highlights the dedication and artistic skill of our students. 

Adding to the experience, students were treated to an inspiring floor talk by Patrick Grieve, a celebrated artist and educator. Patrick shared insights into the creative process and the power of visual storytelling through his landscape art and connection to the north-west, leaving students both informed and inspired. 

One of the highlights of the day was the People’s Choice Vote, where students got to select their favourite artwork from the exhibition – a great way to engage with the art and reflect on what moves them personally. 

It was an amazing day filled with creativity, inspiration, and pride in our school’s budding artists.

Congratulations to all involved!

BAY OF FIRES YOUTH ART PRIZE 2025 FINALIST LIST

CLASS GROUP

St Helens District High School - Prep/1 Vincent and Launceston Church Grammer (Grade 1)

SMALL GROUP

Lola, Hannah and Lily (St Helens District School )

Nina, Lucy, Molly and Winter (St Helens District School)

KINDERGARTEN - GRADE 2

Lincoln R (SMDS) , Giselle D, Victoria Q (SMDS) , Poppy C, Toby W (SMDS) , Bridie H, Enzo H (SMDS), Everly D, Emily M (SMDS) , Heidi Mc, Kai H and Ella C (SMDS) .

GRADE 3-5

Mumble M, Milla A, Layla Mc, Ario B, Blessing A, Coehn B (SMDS) , Jet H, Arabella J, Jack C, Leira R (SMDS) , Isobel F, Finn Q, Stella D, Wade H, Lincoln W, Griffin H and Marlee L.

GRADE 6 - 8

Elise G (SMDS) , Cacia C, JosephC, Nina S (SMDS) , Sophie M (SMDS) , Sophie C, Sophie P, Daisy McC (SMDS) , Rubi-Mae Q, Alice W, Max L, Lily B, Audrey D and Kaylee K.

Grade 9-12

Isaac W (SMDS) , Tommi S (SMDS) , Zephyr L (SMDS) , Sophie S, Henna B (SMDS) , Shun Man L, Zoe M, Brodie P, Phoebe R, Harry F, Shikha R, Reuben C, Lhoath C, Mia B, Josie T and Ernie C.

This term in Year 11/12 English Inquiry, students have been exploring creative expression through a variety of engaging activities and workshops. 

We kicked off the term with a comic-making workshop, where students experimented with visual storytelling, character development, and layout techniques. They explored how images and text work together to convey meaning, humour, and emotion, producing some fantastic original short comics. 

Building on this, we shifted our focus to poetry and narrative writing, encouraging students to develop their own voice and style. They analysed contemporary and classic texts for inspiration, and then created their own original works, experimenting with imagery, structure, and tone. 

Students have been refining their drafting and editing skills, sharing their work with peers, and engaging in thoughtful discussions around theme, audience, and purpose. 

It’s been a rich and creative term, with students growing in confidence as writers and storytellers. 

As a result of finishing in the Top 10 placement at the Winnaleah ENE Cross Country on May 21, we would like to congratulate Hamish D. and Jade J. for competing in the Athletics Tasmania Primary All Schools Cross Country Championship held this week at Symmons Plains on Tuesday 17 June. 

Hamish came 138th place out of a huge field of 227 runners.  His time was well under the average runners’ time for the event. 

Jade came 114th Place out of 200 runners in her age group.  Her time also was well under the average race time for this event. 

We would like to thank both students and their families for accepting the invitation to compete and making the appropriate arrangements to attend the carnival on the day. 

Hamish and Jade – we are proud of your determination and courage in what is a very challenging physical and mental long distance running event. 

Karen Bramich 

HPE Teacher 

At the moment in Grade 1/2A we have been learning about multiplication.

We have spent time understanding how to make equal groups, use repeated addition, write number sentences, and finally use arrays to determine the total amount.

An array is made up of rows and columns. We looked at real life examples of arrays and where we see them like in movie theatres, supermarkets and egg cartons.

This week to end we made an 'Array Fruit Shop'

Meet our staff!

This week we celebrated the hard work of our incredible EFA Team who work tirelessly behind the scenes to keep our school clean, safe, and welcoming every single day.

THANK YOU for everything you do. Your hard work is truly appreciated and celebrated today and every day! 

Cyber Safety visit from Legal Aid Tasmania  

St Marys students from years 3-9 were visited by Jade, a Community Education Officer and Lawyer from Legal Aid Tasmania.  The purpose of Cyber Safety sessions are to educate young people in this fast moving space and keep young people under the age of 18 safe online.  All sessions were age appropriate and tailored to common online situations different ages may encounter.   

Technology can be fun and help young people connect with others. Families can teach them to protect personal information and understand privacy settings. As well as set rules together for safe device usage to enhance open conversation. 

A cybercrime is a criminal offence committed using technology. Young people can commit cybercrimes without intending to break the law. Examples are included below along with a picture provided by Legal Aid Tasmania for reference. 

• Stalking: Unwanted calls, messages, or social media interactions that intimidate. 

• Defamation: False statements that damage someone's reputation. 

• Sexual Harassment: Unwelcome sexual behaviour, including comments on social media. 

• Sexting: Sharing explicit messages or images. 

• Bullying: Repeated harmful behaviour, including cyberbullying. 

Young people aged 14 and older can be charged with offences. For those between 10 and 14, police need to prove they understood their actions. It's illegal for anyone under 18 to send, receive or store explicit images. 

If your child receives a nude photo, it should be deleted immediately. Talk to them about the legal consequences and potential harm of sending nudes. Encourage them to seek support if they feel worried. 

Where can you go if you need some help? 

Kids Helpline – this service is for young people up to 25 years of age. Call 1800 55 1800 to speak with a counsellor at any time of the day. 

Headspace is a youth-focused mental health service for young people aged 12-25. Phone counselling is available all day, every day on 1800 650 890. Online chat is available 9.00 am to 1.00 am EST daily. 

The eSafety Commissioner provides a wide range of online safety programs and resources, including resources for parents helping their children to safely navigate the digital world. 

All students were able to identify support pathways if they experienced a negative experience online and students came up with the most important message, which was,  to seek help when needed as nothing is so awful that you can’t tell someone about it. 

These notices have been sent home to parents in the last fortnight.  If you did not receive one and would like to receive a copy of the notice, please contact the school office on 63 723 900.

PRIMARY

• Country Gold Selection Trials - Selected Students - 23 July 2025

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