Term 2 has been a long and busy period for all across our six campuses. Whilst being physically present is a challenge for me due to the distance between our campuses, I have confidence in my Heads of Campus to represent the school leaders daily and, of course, the Principals of our partner schools who lead those communities with heart, effort, and excellence. My role in planning and setting the direction for St Mary’s College and each campus helps me stay in the loop about the programs at each campus and the fantastic experiences and wins across the school.
Students Discover
Now that students have settled into the school year, it is a great time to learn through exploring. Senior students have been taking field trips outside the classroom and exploring them through a variety of activities. Year 10 have engaged in work experience and career exploration. Year 9 have been exploring our wonderful city and the art of driving, while our junior secondary students have explored science through experiments and projects. Our primary students explored the wonders of nature through Dreamtime art and cross-country runs, and experimented with mixing substances.
Staff Engage
Our school continues to support more teachers to get into the field of Deaf Education by offering fully funded Master’s placements. Three teachers at St Mary’s are in receipt of a John Patterson Bursary, building their knowledge in deaf education while working and developing professional growth in inclusive education through the University of Melbourne. We are incredibly proud of the growth culture that exists among our staff and their commitment to improvement as lifelong learners and contributors to student success. This year, we currently have:
- 5 Teachers studying Master of Inclusive Education (Deaf Education)
- 1 Teacher studying Master of Instructional Leadership
- 2 Learning Support Officers studying Cert IV in Education Support
We also have three teachers presenting at an international Conference for Educators of the Deaf in Rome during the July school break on the school’s PBL explicit instruction and student wellbeing.
Why enrol in St Mary’s College instead of my local school?
Parents of children who are deaf or hard of hearing (hearing impaired) often wonder about the best option for primary and secondary school for their child. Here is just one of the many advantages of being part of St Mary’s College in partnership with one of our local Catholic schools.
Reason #1: Reading
Recent research shows that thanks to better hearing aid technology, cochlear implants, and good early intervention, literacy levels for students who are deaf and hard of hearing have improved.
However, specific parts of reading required to decode new and unfamiliar words that students come across as they progress in their education are often mislearned in students with a hearing impairment due to the nature of hearing loss. This might make them read more slowly, struggle with understanding more complex books, or just find reading tiring and frustrating. Having a Teacher of the Deaf onsite, who works closely with students every day, means challenges like these can be spotted early throughout their school life. They will then quickly and expertly design tailored teaching plans to fix any gaps so students can keep up and succeed in all their subjects.
Enrolments
Limited places in Prep are available at our Wantirna South campus for 2026. Primary students have automatic entry into our secondary campuses, and financial scholarships are available for new primary enrolments.
Year 7 enrolments for 2027 are now open. Interested families can contact the administration office for a tour of one of our campuses and an enrolment pack. The closing date for Year 7 2027 applications is 15th August 2025.
Wishing everyone an enjoyable and safe term 2 break and hoping it provides you all with an opportunity for some quality time with family or friends.
