Using School Email Safely

As part of our ongoing commitment to student safety and digital wellbeing, we are sharing a reminder with families about the appropriate use of school email accounts. School email plays an important role in learning at the College and understanding how to use it safely helps protect students and our wider school community.

At Stella Maris College, all students are provided with a school email account. These accounts are an important part of how students access learning platforms, submit work, and receive information from teachers. For this reason, it is important that students understand what school email is for and what it is not for.

A school email address should be used only for school‑related learning activities and communication. It should not be used to sign up for:

• Gaming platforms
• Social media or messaging apps
• Online shopping or streaming services
• Competitions, giveaways, or non‑school apps

Each time a school email is used outside of learning, it creates an additional link back to the school’s systems. Over time, these links can increase risk and make it harder to keep student accounts secure.

Families can support students by reinforcing a few clear expectations:

Do not use your school email for non‑school sign‑ups - Create or use a personal email address for gaming, social media, shopping, and entertainment.

Use strong, unique passwords - School passwords should not be reused anywhere else.

Be cautious with unexpected messages - Emails or messages that ask you to “verify”, “unlock”, or “confirm” an account should never be acted on without checking first.

A helpful rule for everyone is that if a message feels urgent, slow down. Urgency is often used to pressure people into clicking or replying too quickly. If anything looks unusual or confusing, students should tell a trusted adult or contact the school before clicking links, responding, or deleting the message.

Families may also wish to consider setting up a personal email address for their daughter (such as an Apple ID email, a Gmail address, or an Outlook email) for use on home devices. Using a personal email (such as the ones listed above) allows families to enable built‑in parental support tools such as Apple Family Sharing, Google Family Link, or Microsoft Family Safety. These tools can help parents and carers monitor and manage certain aspects of their child’s device use at home, such as app downloads, screen time, and account settings. If a student has already used their school email to register for non‑school websites or apps, families should ensure that the school email address is removed or deleted from those services and replaced with a personal email where appropriate. Over the next few weeks, we will be visiting Year meetings to provide students with practical tips around school email use and staying safe online.

If you would like further information on helping children stay safe online, including guidance on email use, scams, and digital wellbeing please visit the eSafety Commissioner or contact ITsupport@stellamaris.com.au

School Photo Days

Wednesday 3 June - Main Photo Day (PC Group and Portrait Photos)

Wednesday 10 June - Sibling and Absentee Portrait photos

To order, please visit: www.advancedlife.com.au and enter online order code: KY8 HAC 97W

OR have your child collect an envelope from Student Services, place cash into the envelope along with the order and your child will be required to hand the envelope to the photographer on the day.

Additional Information

• Sibling Photos - You need to pre-order your sibling photos online up to 24 hours before photo day. If you miss the online order deadline, you can submit a completed sibling order envelope (collect from Student Services) first thing in the morning of the day of photography.
• Late fees - a late fee will be applied to each package purchased after photo day due to the additional cost of producing these packages separately.
• Package delivery - School photographs will be returned approximately 6 weeks after the day of photography. Please note this delivery timeframe is dependent on proofing and additional photography days at your school.

Love Luna Discount Code

We extend our sincere thanks to 'Love Luna' for their generous donation of sustainable period underwear to support students at the Happy Days School (a Mike Pawley charity) in Cambodia. This thoughtful contribution will make a meaningful difference to the health, comfort, and confidence of young people in the community.

In July, our Duke of Edinburgh students will travel to Cambodia, where they will have the privilege of personally delivering these items and connecting with the students we support. This experience highlights the power of global citizenship and compassionate action. Stella Maris College have proudly supported Happy Days for the past 12 years.

Love Luna has provided a one-time discount code (SMC10) for our community, so you can support a brand committed to sustainability.

Community News

God in Creation Youth Camp

Frenchs Forest Catholic Parish extends an invitation to Stella students aged 14 - 18 to attend the God in Creation Youth Camp to be held from 6 - 7 June in Terrey Hills. Further details below:

Library News

After School Study Tutor Timetable

An updated copy of the tutor timetable can be found on the Stella Library website:
Stella Maris Information Centre

The student booking sheet is located at the library desk.

A Fun Reading Challenge

Is your daughter ready to collect all seven Knud stickers?

Students chat with their English teacher about the books they have enjoyed, and their teacher signs the bookmark once complete.

Bookmarks are available at the library desk.

It takes a Stella Village

Building our Library Collection Together - thank you!

Student recommendations continue to help shape a collection that reflects the interests and enthusiasm of our readers.

One recent success has been the Lottie series, which has proved especially popular with Year 7 and Year 8 students.

Jocelyn Christenen
Teacher-Librarian

Visual Arts News

Finding Inspiration at Bundanon

At the end of last term, 20 Visual Arts students travelled to the Shoalhaven River for an immersive creative experience at the Arthur and Yvonne Boyd Education Centre at Bundanon. Located in Illaroo on the South Coast of New South Wales, Bundanon overlooks the beautiful Bangli/Shoalhaven River and is renowned as a place where creativity and community are inspired by the natural landscape.

During their stay, students explored and extended their own artmaking practices through a range of hands-on art making experiences. Students also visited the contemporary gallery on site, experiencing a diverse range of artworks, and explored Arthur Boyd’s original homestead and studio, gaining insight into the life and work of one of Australia’s most significant artists.

Supported by their teachers, Ben Waters, Ranee Fitzgerald and Marisa Quick, students embraced this unique and privileged opportunity. They returned inspired, with new ideas and directions to inform the development of their own bodies of work as they move into Years 11 and 12.

Mosman Youth Art Prize

The Visual Arts department would like to recognise and celebrate our recent entrants to the Mosman Youth Art Prize. Although the show has now closed, Stella had 13 students from Years 9 – 12 chosen to exhibit at Mosman Art Gallery as part of the prestigious Mosman Youth Art Prize.

A very special congratulations to Erin R, Year 10, who received third prize in the Senior Category for her sgraffito ceramic pot. Erin’s pot features a beautiful carved image of the Trevi Fountain, Italy, and was praised by the judge, artist Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran, for its skill and creativity. Well done to Erin and all our exhibiting artists!

Marisa Quick
Head of Department

Stella Athletics Carnival

The Stella Athletics Carnival was held at ES Marks Athletics Track on Wednesday 6 May, with warm and sunny weather providing ideal conditions for a fantastic carnival. The participation across all events was outstanding, with everyone enthusiastically taking part in running, jumping, throwing and novelty events. It was wonderful to see students supporting one another, enjoying the activities and showing great house spirit all day.

Congratulations to all students for their enthusiasm, energy and positive participation. There were many exceptional performances across both track and field events. Congratulations to the following students who broke records on the day:

• Ellie F – 16 Years 100m and 16 Years 200m
• Bella R – 14 Years 800m
• Lucy T – 12 Years Long Jump, 12 Years Discus and 12 Years Javelin
• Millie M – 14 Years Javelin
• Karina O – 15 Years Javelin

One of the highlights of the carnival was the exciting House Relay, which ended in a very close finish. Congratulations also to Ellie F, who won the Champion of Champions 100m race in an impressive time of 12.24 seconds. Beatrix B placed second, followed by Year 7 students Phoebe D and Anieke C. All age champions and the winning house will be recognised at the next whole-school assembly, with further details to be included in the next newsletter. Congratulations to everyone on a successful and enjoyable carnival, and thank you to the staff whose hard work helped make the day such a success.

NSWCCC Sport

Stella students have been excelling at the NSWCCC level at various sports over recent weeks, with a number of students selected into NSWCCC teams! This is an outstanding achievement to be selected into a state level team to play at the NSW All Schools Championships. Congratulations to the following students who have been selected to represent NSWCCC so far this year:

Touch Football
Ellie F will play in the NSWCCC Open team at the National Youth Championships in September.

AFL
Claudine S was selected into the NSWCCC AFL team to play at the NSW All schools championships in Albury in June. Congratulations also to staff member Holly Wickham who has been named as NSWCCC AFL team manager

Rugby 7s
Lara M and Matisse F have been selected into the U16/open rugby 7s teams. They will represent NSWCCC at the upcoming NSW All Schools championship in June.

Swimming
Jess O, Zara D, Charlie C and Mila C recently won the NSWCCC Open 4 x 50m freestyle relay, and will now represent NSWCCC at the NSW All Schools Championships next week.

In addition to these students gaining selection, we have had many students representing CGSSSA at NSWCCC events in recent weeks:

NSWCCC AFL
Well done to Claudine S, Lucy T, Ella F, Emily C and Mackenzie W who played in the metro team at the recent NSWCCC AFL trials in Wagga. All of the Stella girls played very well in this high level of AFL. Congratulations to Claudine who was selected into the NSWCCC team.

NSWCCC Golf
Congratulations to Jade B who was selected to play at the NSWCCC Golf Championships at the Hunter Valley Golf Club. Jade enjoyed the experience of playing at such a high level event, against players from the junior pro tours. She has been playing extremely well and has lowered her handicap to 8.6! Well done Jade.

NSWCCC Rugby League
Well done to Lara M who was selected into the metro team to play at the NSWCCC rugby league championships this week. Results from this event will be listed in the next newsletter.

NSWCCC Netball
Good luck to Ava S who will play in the CGSSSA netball team at the CCC Netball Championships next week.

Hockey
Rileigh S, Isla S and Hannah L have been named in the NSWCCC Open and U15 teams to play at the NSW All Schools in Newcastle in late May. As well as their achievements at a school level, Hannah and Isla also recently represented NSW at the recent National Hockey Championships!

Cross Country

We are well into the Cross Country season, with the team busy with training and various carnivals.

The IGSA Cross Country Championships were held at Frensham on Friday 8 May. It was a chilly day, with the temperature at just 3 degrees when we arrived. The cold weather didn’t stop the Stella students, who had outstanding results across all of the age groups! The team enjoyed experiencing a real ‘cross country’ event, through the grounds of Frensham, a beautiful boarding school in the Southern Highlands. It was a great warm up run, in preparation for the CGSSSA Championships which will be held this coming Friday 15 May.

A special mention to our students who finished in the top five of their events – an outstanding achievement at such a high level, with more than 100 runners in each race!

• 12 years: 4^th place: Lucy T
• 13 years: 3^rd place: Sarah C
• 15 years: 3^rd place: Amelia M

Good luck to the team at CGSSSA this week!

Music News

Congratulations

Congratulations to Sophia S in Year 10 who has written, produced, mixed and mastered two original songs and entered them into Triple J Unearthed High. Be sure to check out her music and leave a review at https://www.abc.net.au/triplejunearthed/artist/sophia-saady

Dance News

Below are the confirmed dance competitions for the year. These dates have been relayed to your daughters via email since mid Term 1. I will put these dates up on the App as well. Please note these dates in your diaries - each level will compete at four competitions.

Exact schedules and times will be released as they become available (usually two weeks before the competition). The first competition details for IRBD (Extension Groups Only) are listed below.

Dance Competitions

• I’d Rather Be Dancing (May 23rd) - Extension Groups Only
• Extreme Eisteddfod (June 21) - All Groups
• (ADF Resonate Wild Card Event (July 25) - NEW - Ext Jazz only - TBC
• Dance Spec Challenge (August 9) - Ensemble & Company Groups Only
• Dancelife Unite Season 2 (August 28) - All Groups
• Hills Dance Spec (August 30) - All Groups

School Performances

• Friday 19 June – Semester 1 Dance Night
• Friday 13 November – Semester 2 Dance Night
  

I’d Rather Be Dancing Competition (IRBD)

Saturday 23 May, Brigidine High School - 325 Mona Vale Rd, St Ives (Bowie Hall)

• Arrival time 9:30am - Extension Lyrical Company “Miss You” - No. 13 out of 13
• Arrival time 10:30am - Extension Jazz Company “Purple Hat” - No. 13 out of 13
• Arrival Time 11:15am - Extension Hip Hop Company “Hey Mama” - No. 7 out of 7

Students must arrive with hair and make-up done and your first costume on underneath your tracksuit (students may wear the Stella tracksuit or black tracksuit pants with the Stella tracksuit jacket or the Dance Company jacket). There are very few change rooms/toilets and not much time to rehearse so please arrive ready to go. We will rehearse at the arrival time so please DO NOT BE LATE.

Let’s go team!

Miss Jones
Teacher of Dance

Community, Connection and Social Justice at Stella

National Reconciliation Week

Stella is ready to welcome Royston Noell on 27 June to show that we are "All In” this coming Reconciliation Week (27 May to 3 June).

As part of our recognition of Reconciliation Week, Stella Maris College will proudly welcome Royston Noell to our community on Wednesday 27 May during Period 2. Royston, winner of Australian Idol 2023, has since become a successful professional musician.

Royston’s music carries both warmth and quiet power, and we are incredibly privileged to have him share his gifts with our students and staff. Our choir will also have the special opportunity to accompany Royston on several tracks, creating what promises to be a memorable and deeply meaningful experience for all involved.

More than a performance, this visit represents an opportunity for our community to continue nurturing genuine connections with our Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander friends and neighbours through listening, reflection and shared experience. Through music, storytelling and presence, Royston will undoubtedly sprinkle his magic across our Stella community through both his creative talent and his gentle, inspiring manner.

Red Earth Cape York Immersion: Learning Beyond the Classroom

Meanwhile, in Far North Queensland, within the rugged and breathtaking landscapes of Cape York, our recent Red Earth Immersion students discovered that learning sometimes happens far beyond the classroom walls.

In the land of Australia where cyclones change even the best laid plans, crocodiles lurk quietly in nearby creeks, hammerhead sharks thrash about in the shallows, and green ants and goannas watch over you from high above in the trees, students experienced the extraordinary privilege of being welcomed onto three Traditional Homelands.

This created an experience spanning from the bushlands of Mbabaram Country in the Atherton Tablelands, to the rainforests of the Daintree on Yindiji Country, where students visited the sacred 500-year-old Cathedral Fig.

From there, students travelled to the lush tropical lands of Panamunjie Country, where Traditional Owners Tim and Eileen generously shared language and stories of the Guugu Yimithirr people and kept us safe with the smoking ceremony to welcome us to their land. Students also quickly discovered the boundless energy of their delightful five-year-old grandson, Timmy, who managed to run everyone out of puff.

The immersion then continued to the coastal landscapes of Elim Beach and the sacred Coloured Sands, where students met Traditional Owners Ivan and Pearl. Along the way, there were many eye-opening conversations, friendships formed and memories created that will continue to deepen in value and perspective over time. We finished the adventure with a final day on the beautiful Great Barrier Reef and saltwater country and were shown various sea creatures and coral from our Indigenous guide’s perspective.

The immersion challenged students to step outside their comfort zones and into a deeper understanding of connection; to Country, to culture, to community and to one another. Through shared conversations, practical work, laughter, storytelling and reflection, meaningful relationships formed and a richer appreciation for the strength, generosity and wisdom of the communities who hosted them and their rich and continuing culture was gained.

At our upcoming Reconciliation Assembly with Royston Noell, the Red Earth students will share their reflections and insights with the wider Stella community.

Celebrating Service at the Women and Children First Mother’s Day Gala

On Friday 8 May, Stella students Ava W and Roisin O were especially invited to attend the annual Mother’s Day Gala Luncheon at the Manly Pacific hosted by Women and Children First in recognition of their outstanding commitment to the organisation’s Children’s Homework Club.

Their consistent volunteering plays a vital role in supporting children and their mothers transitioning out of domestic violence. Through helping children keep up with schoolwork, offering encouragement and simply providing warm and gentle social interactions, our students help create a sense of normalcy and stability during times of significant upheaval.

Importantly, this support also allows mothers the opportunity to focus on rebuilding their lives through financial literacy programs, employment training, housing support and other essential services designed to help them move forward with dignity and confidence.

A particular highlight of the event was seeing Stella alumna Caitlin Turnbull deliver a keynote address to attendees. Caitlin was truly outstanding, and we are incredibly proud of her continued leadership and contribution within the sphere of social justice and community service.

Ava and Roisin reflected afterwards:

“It was a really special experience and an honour to be invited to the Women and Children First Mother’s Day Lunch. It was so lovely to see all the women dressed up and to hear their stories and how far they’ve all come.”

And that;

“The experience amplified our understanding of other people’s hardships and highlighted how important a supportive community can be for someone experiencing crisis.”

Brigidine Social Justice Forum

Last week, a group of Year 12 Stella students attended the Social Justice Forum at Brigidine College, St Ives, joining students from across Sydney to engage with speakers and organisations working to address inequality and social disadvantage both locally and globally.

Students heard from organisations including Days for Girls, Jesuit Refugee Service and Hornsby Women’s Shelter, while keynote speaker Hana Assafiri inspired attendees through her advocacy, storytelling and commitment to breaking down barriers through hospitality and conversation.

The forum provided students with an opportunity to deepen their understanding of the challenges faced by vulnerable communities while also exploring practical ways young people can contribute to meaningful change within their own school and local community.

Reflections from Zara D, Georgia M, Bronte S and Primrose R included:

“It was amazing to hear the stories of individuals helped by the Jesuit Refugee Service and to think about practical ways Stella could help support those most in need.”

“The forum gave us a deeper understanding of the challenges many communities face and inspired us to think about how we can create meaningful change within our own school community.”

“One of the highlights was connecting with students from other schools and sharing ideas about social justice initiatives and advocacy.”

Cooking Up Community

Between the eye-watering onions, sizzling pans and the occasional Thermomix rescue mission, the Gift Cook girls worked with tremendous energy and teamwork to prepare a delicious and nutritious con carne meal for families supported by the GIFT Cook outreach service.

Thoughtfully made without chilli to suit younger palates, the meals were cooked and packaged in record time showcasing a wonderful example of Stella students putting compassion into action. Thank you to Alex Y, Isla McG, Annie M, Alice M and Grace and Eleni H.

Whether through song, service, listening or accompaniment, these moments remind us that meaningful change begins in relationship and grows when we choose to walk alongside one another.

Tasmania Gold Adventurous Journey 2026

Recently, my Duke of Ed comrade in arms completed our Gold Tasmania Three Capes Track. This expedition was beyond enjoyable and an experience that brought together our team. My group and I will be forever thankful to the school for prompting us to join. Whilst hiking, we trekked through rainforests, were spat out at dolerite figures and stopped by to learn the vast history of Tasmania. This hike set the bar high with the final day ascent to Mount Fortescue and the concluding swim at Fortescue Bay. Joined by Ms Ferguson, Ms Randall and Mr Symons, our group became close over card games and cooking. The cabins at the end of each day’s trek offered a welcome place to rest and recharge after long hours on the trail, making the experience both rewarding and memorable. Our Duke of Ed hike in Tasmania was a proper adventure from start to finish: a mix of culture, coastline, cabin life, and a whole lot of walking that turned into a team memory we’ll be talking about for ages. It was challenging, memorable, and honestly a great team experience.

We started in Hobart with MONA, which gave the trip a pretty fun opening before heading into the more serious business of the Three Capes Track. While filming we made our own video to ‘Ain't No Mountain High Enough’, documenting the voyage. The walk itself was the highlight: day one took us from Port Arthur into the bush, day two pushed us through forests, heathlands, and up to Arthur’s Peak, and day three was the big one with the climb to The Blade and the views over Cape Pillar. By the final day, we were definitely feeling it, but the last stretch to Cape Hauy and Fortescue Bay made the effort worth it. What stood out most was how the trip brought the team together — long days, early starts, shared snacks, tired legs, and the kind of laughs that only happen when everyone is in it together. It was the sort of experience that was hard work at the time but really satisfying by the end.

Harper F - Year 11

Cambodia Collection Drive

Please help the Gold Duke of Edinburgh girls reach their 2026 collection target of 4000kg of donations!! The girls are collecting:

• Reusable sanitary products for teenage girls in the Srebolke High School and Happy Days English school in Siem Reap
• Clean clothes for all ages - focus on t-shirts, long sleeve shirts (men and women) and baby/toddler clothing
• Stationery - pens, pencils and textas
• Sporting uniforms - soccer uniforms and large-size soccer boots

There will be collection boxes at both campus student service offices. Thank you!

Linda Silburn and the D of E team

Kathmandu Gear Up Discount for Year 9 Hike

Kathmandu is pleased to invite Year 9 families to an exclusive shopping program offering a one-off Gear Up Discount on purchases across the entire Kathmandu range (valid from 11 to 17 May). Simply present the flyer below to claim the discount in store.

Upcoming Events

Stella Fellas Barefoot Bowls – 31 May

Calling all Dads and male carers! The Stella Fellas are hosting a Barefoot Bowling afternoon on Sunday 31 May. It promises to be a fun afternoon with food and bowls.

Tickets are $29.

Any questions, please contact Nick Poutney on 0418 383 336.

This is a dad-only event. Click Here to book your tickets!

P&F Annual General Meeting – Thursday 4 June

We will be holding our annual general meeting on Thursday 4 June, 6.30pm in the Library and online. If you are interested in being a member of the P&F, please contact Catherine at catherinefitzgerald@hotmail.co.uk

Trivia Night – Friday 12 June @ Manly Leagues - Tickets Now on Sale

Get ready to paint the town (and your table) red—or blue, or neon green! We’re back for another night of wit, whimsy, and high-stakes competition, but this year, we’re doing it in Technicolour.

🤓 The Night: Whether you’re a human encyclopaedia or just here for the buffet and the vibes, grab your brightest gear and join us for the highlight of the school calendar.

🌈 The Vibe: High-energy trivia meets a rainbow explosion. This year, it’s not just about what’s in your head—it’s about what’s on your back! Each table will be assigned a specific colour - information to follow shortly on available colours. Go as big or as subtle as you like. Whether you’re rocking a full-body monochromatic suit or just a funky pair of socks, represent your hue with pride! Bonus points (and major bragging rights) may or may not be awarded for the most coordinated table...

🏆 The Prizes: We’ve got massive hauls for the winning teams, plus "spot prizes" for those moments of brilliance (or hilarious failure) throughout the night.

💡Pro Tip: Start thinking about your outfit now. A little bit of "Green with Envy" or "Feeling Blue" goes a long way when there's a trophy on the line!

🚀 Ready to Play?: Tickets available now

🎟️ Tickets & Teams & Colours - First in, best dressed for the table colour of your choice! Available here!

💰 Price: $70 per person (includes a full buffet dinner to fuel your brainpower). Grab a squad of 8 to 10, or sign up solo/as a pair and we’ll match you with your future trivia teammates! Tables at this event sell out faster than a chocolate crackle at a primary school bake sale! Don’t miss your chance to shine, showcase your skills, and see which colour reigns supreme.

🎨 Colour Selection: We will be in contact with information on table colour allocations - if you have a burning desire for a particular colour - first in, best dressed.

Luna Park Funday – 2 May 2026

A great day was had by the Stella girls, plus a few siblings and friends, who enjoyed their day at Luna Park!

This event is proving to be popular mainly with Year 7 who are building their friendships, but it was great to be joined by a few Year 8s too.

We’d like to make this an annual tradition, so if you have any feedback, please send through to: pandf@stellamaris.nsw.edu.au

Mother's Day raffle

Thanks for supporting our Mother’s Day raffle! We raised $5,700 this year, which is our best year ever!

The winning tickets are as follows with all winners contacted:

Once again, thanks to our generous sponsors below. Please support them should you require their products and services, continuing to connect Stella with our local community partners:

• Nathans boards
• Manly Pacific
• Manly Orthotics
• PharmaCare
• Harvest Lane Foods
• The Boathouse
• Aqua Vitae Day Spa
• 4Pines
• Magnolia Home
• Home Serva

Uniform Shop News

The Uniform Shop is open Tuesdays to Thursdays from 8:00am to 4:30pm during term and can be emailed on uniform_books@stellamaris.nsw.edu.au

Please encourage your daughters to collect their online orders.

Online Uniform Orders

The Online Store can also be found on the Stella app by following “Links”.

2026 Pricelist

Second Hand Uniforms

Week commencing Monday 18 May

Week commencing Monday 25 May

Term 2

2026 Term Dates