Mother's Day Breakfast - RSVP reminder!

A big thank you to the 400+ mums, grandmothers, and special women in our students’ lives who have already RSVP'd for our Mother’s Day Breakfast on Friday 9 May. Just a friendly reminder—RSVPs close tomorrow! If you haven’t yet, please secure your spot using the link below, and don’t forget to book a ticket for your daughter(s) too.

Careers Discovery Morning

On Tuesday 13 May, Stella will host a Careers Discovery Morning for Years 10, 11 and 12 students at the Benedict Campus from 7.15am to 8.30am.

The session aims to connect professionals in their field with students who are making key decisions about their studies and career paths. Sincere thanks to parents and carers who have volunteered as career mentors.

Students wishing to attend are asked to fill out the form using this link to let us know they are coming and to help us match career interest with appropriate mentors.

Career Expo - Save the Date

St Augustine's College extends an invitation to all Years 10, 11 and 12 students (and parents) to attend their Career Expo on Monday 5 May. With over 70 exhibitors in attendance, it promises to be another informative event for students seeking career and pathway guidance.

North Harbour Youth Mass

The next North Harbour Parish Youth Mass is on Sunday 11 May at 5.00pm at St Kieran’s, Manly Vale. It will be followed by dinner at 6.00pm. All families are welcome, and it is a great opportunity for students to socialise with students from surrounding schools. If students are interested in singing in the Mass, they can email Ines Paxton at ines_paxton@stellamaris.nsw.edu.au.

School Photo Days

Our school photo days will be held on the following dates in Term 2:

• Wednesday 4 June (individual and PC group photos)
• Friday 6 June (siblings and absentee/catch-up photos)

Group and portrait photographs can be purchased using the link below. If you prefer to order using an envelope, please visit Student Services, collect an order envelope and hand your payment to the AdvancedLife photographer on school photo day.

Two easy ways to purchase:

• Visa, MasterCard or PayPal
• Cash – have your daughter collect an envelope from Student Services, complete the envelope and return it to the AdvancedLife photographer on photo day

School photography information from AdvancedLife Photographers

• Online orders - do not require an envelope returned to your school
• Sibling Photos - Don’t forget to pre-order your sibling photos online up to 24 hours before photo day. We provide your school with a list of sibling orders right up to the day of photography, so no one misses out. If you miss the online order deadline, you can submit a completed sibling order envelope first thing in the morning of the day of photography, so your school is aware you want the photo taken and can bring your children together in time for it. Sibling photographs only apply to children enrolled at your school. Please note not all schools offer sibling photos
• 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.
• Previous Years’ photos - Past years’ photographs are available to order under the “previous years or group photo” tabs at your school’s advancedorder site when you click the school link below. You can also order past packages, portrait images and gifts from your child’s unique, individual and secure advancedyou image archive site using the unique 9 digit image code found on packages you have ordered in the past

AdvancedLife offers a 100% money back guarantee on products to ensure peace of mind. If you have any questions, comments or feedback relating to your AdvancedLife experience, please contact them at: www.advancedlife.com.au/contact

Northern Beaches Environmental Art and Design Prize

The annual Northern Beaches Environmental Art and Design Prize is coming up!

This prestigious award showcases thought provoking works by artists and designers from across Australia, bringing together a community of creatives to highlight our environmental concerns and hopes across the nation.

The works selected present fresh perspectives on our global climate crisis and sustainable life on earth. They will be on show in an outstanding exhibition of art and design from 1 August – 14 September at Manly Art Gallery & Museum, Curl Curl Creative Space and Mona Vale Creative Space Gallery.

If any of our students are interested in entering, submissions are open now until 19 May.

Please see our Art Assistant, Clare for details.

Duke of Edinburgh Meetings in Term 2

Please note the following meetings for students participating in Duke of Edinburgh programs this year. Students have been informed.

Beach2Beach Fun Run

It's that time of the year again...

Each year the students and staff of the Duke of Edinburgh program are involved in the iconic Beach2Beach Fun Run event to raise funds for, 'Happy Days' (a Mike Pawley charity, supporting impoverished Cambodian students and families).

Please tell your family and friends to join the Stella Maris College team to help us enter the largest school team in 2025 (prize money donated to 'Happy Days').

Date: Sunday 24 August

Distance:

• 3km (Mona Vale - Newport Beach)
• 6km (Warriewood - Newport Beach) N.B. Duke of Edinburgh students will enter the 6km event
• Half Marathon (new in 2025) and 14km (Dee Why - Newport Beach)

To register for the 'Stella Maris College' team click here (Super Early Bird registrations are on now. Register before sold out!).

Alternatively, you could make a tax-deductible donation directly to 'Happy Days' by clicking here.

Thank you, in advance, for your involvement and support of this Duke of Edinburgh initiative.

Parent Webinar

Details of a parent webinar: The Complexity of School Refusal can be found via the link below. Gain a greater understanding and explore support options to help 10 to 16 year olds navigate school attendance challenges.

The information below is published to help parents/carers navigate College procedures.

Absences, Early Exits or Late Arrivals

Parents/caregivers are required to notify of a student’s absence as soon as practical and no later than seven days from the first day of absence using our Stella App (under the Absentee tile). Where your daughter is absent with an illness, provide a brief explanation of symptoms (eg cold, headache, COVID-19 etc).

Where students are involved in Elite Sport/Arts, please submit your request for approval via the Stella App.

Early Exit or Late Arrival

Where a student is exiting before the official end of the school day (prior to 3:20pm), is arriving late to school (after 8:50am), or will be absent from a before or after school lesson, please notify Student Services as soon as practical. The student is required to visit Student Services to sign-in or sign-out of school grounds. *Year 7 to 10 students will need to be collected from Student Services by a parent/caregiver when departing the school grounds early.*

Where a student is leaving during a lesson, the student is to visit Student Services (before school, during Recess or Lunch) to obtain a Leave Pass to give to the teacher allowing them to be released from class. The student then proceeds to the Student Services office to meet parent/caregiver and be signed-out of school grounds.

Where a student is leaving during Recess or Lunch, the student is to proceed to the Student Services office to meet the parent/caregiver and sign-out of the school grounds.

* Year 10 students can leave the school grounds without a parent/caregiver if we have received this request in writing via the Stella App.

Student illness during school hours

Where a student is feeling unwell, they can visit the Student Services office. Our team will conduct a basic assessment with a view for them to return to lessons.

Parents/caregivers will be contacted if it is best for the student to be sent home.

Medical Plans and Medication

Where a student has a serious medical condition which requires a rapid response you must upload information to Consent2Go.

This would include:

• a clearly scanned Health Care Plan (may also be known as a Medical Plan, Care Plan or Action Plan), and

• associated in-date medication (either prescribed or over-the-counter). Parents/caregivers will be notified if medication is due to expire.

Contact our Student Services office for assistance or guidance.

Over-the-counter medication

Our staff do not provide, supply or administer 'over-the-counter' medication (eg Panadol, Clarantyne, Zyrtec etc).

This is in accordance with NSW Government - Education, where schools do not generally supply or administer medications, unless they have been provided by parents/caregivers, as part of an individual health care plan for a specific student.

NSW Health advises that ‘over-the- counter’ medication may still be harmful and schools should follow the same procedures for non-prescribed medications as for prescribed medications.

It should be noted however that in any life-threatening situation, the welfare of the student is paramount and must be dealt with immediate priority, even if there is no appropriate individual Health Care Plan in place.

Special Notes

• Please label personal belongings (including wireless devices), uniforms, pencil cases and lunch containers so they can be returned to students.
• The Kiss and Drop Zones is located at: - Iluka Avenue 8:00am - 9:30am and 2:30pm - 4:00pm. Please respect our neighbours and avoid obstructing driveways.
• P Plate drivers are encouraged to read all parking signage as significant penalties can apply. All student drivers must complete a driving contract - students to see the Head of Year.
  

NSWCCC Representatives

Congratulations to the Stella students who have represented Stella at CGSSSA and NSWCCC level over recent weeks.

Touch Football: Congratulations to Summer B, Giselle B, Charlotte B, Ellie F, April U, Lara M, Zsa Zsa B, Ana T and Mia L who represented CGSSSA at the NSWCCC Touch Championships on the Central Coast on 29 and 30 April. The Stella girls played amazingly well and both the U15 and open team recorded outstanding results. The U15 team lost a very close semi-final 5 – 4 to Wagga, and the open team won the silver medal, losing 3 – 1 to Wollongong in the grand final. Well done to all of the Stella girls and a big congratulations to Ellie F who was selected into the NSWCCC U15 touch team.

Swimming: The NSWCCC Swimming Championships were held at Sydney Olympic Park late in Term 1. Stella had four students representing CGSSSA at this event: Zara D, Jess O, Mila C and Charlie C. Zara and Jess had fantastic swims in their individual events and teamed up with Mila and Charlie for the open 4 x 50m free and 4 x 50m medley relays. The relay results were outstanding, with the team finishing with the silver medal in the 4 x 50m free (just 0.01second behind the gold medal!) and 5^th in the medley relay.

The relay team will now represent NSWCCC at the NSW All Schools Swimming Championships later this term. Well done!

Hockey: Congratulations to Riliegh S who has been selected into the NSWCCC hockey team. Well done on this outstanding achievement!

Netball: Well done to Ana T, Summer B and Celyn E who were selected to attend the CGSSSA netball trials. The standard at this trial is very high, and the Stella girls played very well. Congratulations to Ana T who was selected to play in the U15 team at the NSWCCC netball championships later this term.

Rugby League: Congratulations to Mia L, Lara M and Poppy F who attended the CG/BB rugby league trials late in Term 1. All three Stella students played well, with Mia and Lara selected to attend the Metro level trials. Mia was again successful at the metro trials and has been selected to represent the Sydney metro team at NSW Championships later this term.

IGSA Grand Final Winners

Congratulations to the Stella teams who played in the IGSA touch and tennis grand finals at the end of Term 1. Stella had great success in the Term 1 IGSA sports.

Congratulations to:

STM02 Tennis: our Year 7 and 8 tennis team who defeated MSB in the grand final. It was a very close and exciting game, with Stella winning by just one game!

STM01 and STM02 touch: Congratulations to both of our touch teams who went through the season undefeated and had exciting wins in the grand finals (both against Monte). The STM01 had a very close game, with scores level at full time. The game went into a drop off and after 20 minutes of extra time, Stella scored to win the grand final. The STM02 grand final was a lot less stressful, with Stella leading from the start to win the game 5 – 1.

Peninsula Cup Rugby 7s

The Peninsula Cup Rugby 7s Gala Day was held at North Narrabeen Reserve at the end of Term 1. Stella had three teams playing in this event. All three teams played very well, with many of our players new to the game. They trained hard throughout Term 1 and their efforts paid off with their improvement and good results. Well done to all three teams!

AFL Grand Final

Congratulations to the Year 7/8 AFL team who played in the grand final of the Sydney Independent Schools AFL competition. The Stella team played really well and it was a very close game! With the scores equal at full time, the game went into extra time, but unfortunately the Stella team lost by just one goal. Congratulations to all members of the team and a special mention to Emily C who was awarded the best on ground for the grand final.

Bill Turner Soccer

The 2025 Bill Turner campaign has begun, with Stella having two great games to start the season. Stella played Barrenjoey High late in Term 1 and had a great 10 – 0 win. We then moved through to round two against Oxford Falls Grammar. It was another great game, with Stella dominating with a 7 – 0 win. Congratulations to all members of the team and we look forward to many more great games in this knockout competition.

Stella Sporting Stars

Many Stella students have been achieving amazing results in many different sports at a state and national level in recent weeks!

Athletics: Congratulations to Leanne B, Bella R and Pip Q who represented NSW at the Australian Athletics Championships in Perth in April. All three students had outstanding results. Special mention to Leanne who won four medals – two gold and two silver. Leanne is now the fastest 12 year old in Australia… winning gold in the 100m!

Surf Lifesaving: Congratulations to the Stella girls who competed at the Aussies SLS on the Gold Coast in April. Special mention to Chanelle H, Charlotte S, Amelia M and Zoe B who all won medals – an outstanding effort at a national level!

AFL: Well done to Amali E who was part of the Sydney Swans team who won the U16 National Championships in the holidays. Congratulations also to Charli S who represented Stella at the Sydney Independent Schools AFL representative game. Charli represented the Sydney North team.

Water Polo: Congratulations to the Stella students who played at the National Water Polo club championships in Perth over the holidays.

Term 2 Sports

Good luck to all of the Stella teams who are commencing their Term 2 sport competitions, including NSSWPA water polo, Mollie Dive Hockey and Peninsula Cup netball.

Athletics Carnival

Date: Wednesday 7 May, 2025

Venue: ES Marks Athletics Track, Kensington

Time: PC will be held at school at 8.40am. Buses depart Stella from 8.45am and will return at the conclusion of the carnival by 3.20pm.

Buses will be provided to transport all students to and from the carnival. There will be two early buses which depart at 7.30am for house captains and competitors in the discus, javelin and 1500m events.

What to wear: House colours in the theme: ‘movie characters’

Students should dress up in their house colours, and are encouraged to get involved in the fancy dress theme of movie characters. Please ensure clothes are suitable for athletics events, including appropriate sport shoes.

Jav, disc and 1500m events: these events will be held before the start of the carnival. Students who have signed up for these events must catch the bus that departs Stella at 7.30am. A separate consent2go will be sent for the early bus.

The carnival is a compulsory school day. Parents/guardians should follow regular absentee procedures if their daughter is unwell. Carnivals are whole day College events. Students in Years 7 – 12 are required to be present all day.

• Entries for the championship running events and field events will close on Friday morning 2 May. Students have all been emailed the link to sign up for these events. Please note that all field events will require students to sign up prior to the carnival.
• Students may enter the non-championship 100m, 200m, and 800m as well as some fun novelty events on the day.
• There are no finals for any event. Overall placings will be calculated on times.
• We encourage all students to get involved in lots of events!
• Please bring sun cream and hat.
• There will be NO CANTEEN at the carnival. Students will need to pack ALL FOOD AND DRINK for the day.
• Phones should be left at home or at school – NO PHONES at the carnival.
• The carnival will conclude at 2.15pm. Students will then return to school in time for a 3.20pm dismissal.
• Carnivals are “no drive days” for Senior students.

The Athletics Carnival will be a fun day. We encourage all students to get involved in all of the fun events and cheering!

A reminder to all parents/guardians to approve the consent2go permission note by Tuesday 6 May.

Sailing News

A Sea of Learning and a Boatload of Fun

Last term, our Stella Sailors enjoyed eight spectacular Wednesday afternoons sailing on Middle Harbour in the Melges sports boats. Guided by experienced instructors, the girls learned to read the wind, tack, gybe, and sail the boats with growing knowledge and confidence.

It was wonderful to see and hear them out on the water, building new skills, teamwork and friendships. We’ll be sailing again in Term 4 and look forward to welcoming back our enthusiastic sailors for more afternoons of adventure on the harbour.

Stella Sailors Impress at the 46th Australian Secondary Schools Sailing Championships

Over the April school holidays, Daisy F (Year 9) and Alana H (Year 8) proudly represented Stella Maris College at the 46th Australian Secondary Schools Sailing Championships at Belmont 16ft Sailing Club. With 80 boats from schools across NSW competing, the regatta was a true test of skill and endurance.

Daisy and Alana spent four days racing in tough, windy conditions in their Flying 11 on Lake Macquarie. Despite this being only their second event together, they delivered an impressive performance finishing 8th among all girl crews, securing 9th place within the Flying 11 fleet and placing 41st overall. This is a fantastic result against such strong competition!

Congratulations to Daisy and Alana for their skill, teamwork and determination in the face of tough sailing conditions. A huge thanks to their families for facilitating and supporting their daughters in this impressive endeavour. We are incredibly proud of Daisy and Alana and thank them for representing Stella so well.

Ann O'Brien
Sailing Co-ordinator

Ensembles are Back

All ensembles are back this week, working hard and rehearsing for our Performing Arts Winter Concert Series coming later in the closing weeks of this term.

Battle of the Bands

This year at Stella day, we will have our first ever ‘Battle of the Bands’. We will be putting an emphasis on fun performances and seeing who can get the crowd most involved. Students have been emailed with more details and we encourage you and your friends to sign up and support the event. 

Year 11 Major Productions

In the final week of Term 1, Year 11 Drama students presented three plays, ‘The Small Hours’, ‘Stuff’ and ‘A Series of Apologies’ for their assessment. The performances took place over two nights in two locations in front of a live audience. It was an amazing couple of evenings and their hard work definitely paid off. Congratulations and well done girls!

Northern Composure Unplugged

Congratulations to ‘CC Tunes’ (Charlotte H and Claudia P in Year 10), who competed in the final of ‘Northern Composure Unplugged’ last Thursday. The girls advanced through the heats by winning the ‘People’s Choice’ award and went on to claim the ‘Judges’ Choice Gold’ award in the Under 18 category, which came with a $500 cash prize.

Welcome back to Term 2! We hope you all managed to get some well-deserved downtime. If not, we're sure your grocery bill will be a little lighter now that you aren't being eaten out of house and home!

Plenty is happening this term, so here's a rundown of what's in store:

Important Dates to Remember:

• Mother's Day Breakfast & Raffle – Friday 9 May – raffle tickets on sale Friday 2 May!

• P&F General & AGM Meeting – Thursday 5 June - Time: 7.30pm

• Trivia Night – Friday 13 June – Tickets on sale Friday 2 May at 9.00am

Mother’s Day Breakfast – A final call out for raffle prize donations

As we prepare for Stella's annual Mother's Day Breakfast on Friday 9 May, the P&F always organises a raffle. Last year, your generosity helped us raise over $5,000.

How You Can Support
We are actively working with the school to decide how the funds will be spent; more details will follow shortly.

How You Can Contribute:

1. Donate a Prize: Gift items, gift cards, services, or experiences are all fantastic contributions that will make our raffles and auctions exciting.
2. Please spread the word: Share this with friends, family, and local businesses to help us engage more potential donors and participants.

To donate a prize, please fill out the form: https://forms.office.com/r/LDkvyGddeV.

These events offer an opportunity to make a real impact. Stay tuned for more updates on our plans and how the funds will be utilised to enrich our school.

Thanks in advance for any support you can provide.

Mother’s Day Breakfast Raffle - get your raffle tickets now!

Today, we're thrilled to announce that Mother’s Day Raffle tickets are now on sale!

Tickets are:

• 3 for $10
• 7 for $20
• 20 for $50

Thanks to all those who have donated prizes.

SAVE THE DATE: Stella P&F Trivia Night - Tickets on sale: Friday 2 May at 9:00am

Mark your calendars and set your alarms! Tickets for the much-anticipated Stella P&F Trivia Night will go on sale at 9:00am on Friday 2 May (that's tomorrow!). Get ready to join us for a thrilling evening of trivia, laughter, and outrageous costumes!

• Stella P&F Trivia on Friday 13 June
• Time: 7:00pm - 11:00pm
• Location: Manly Leagues Club
• Fantastic Prizes: For our trivia champions, also Raffle tickets and a silent auction

Don't miss your chance to participate in this legendary event. Gather your team, strategise your name and theme, and be ready to claim your spot when tickets become available on Friday 2 May at 9.00am!

Minutes from Term 1 P&F General Meeting

Thanks to the big crowd in person and online for the first P&F General Meeting of 2025. Click here for the minutes for those who missed it.

Save the date and register for the Term 2 P&F General & AGM Meeting on Thursday 5 June at 7.30pm in the Library.

Week commencing Monday 5 May

Week commencing Monday 12 May

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

A reminder that full winter uniform is to be worn from Monday 12 May (Week 3). This includes the Junior Blazer (Years 7-9) and Senior Blazer (Years 10-12) - they are different. Black stockings or black socks can be worn. Stockings can be purchased online or in store. Black socks will need to be purchased elsewhere. The Uniform Shop is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, so any purchases will need to be made by next week to meet the Monday deadline.

The Uniform Shop will be closed on the day of the Athletics Carnival, Wednesday 7 May. Please purchase any sport items prior to that day. Online sport orders will also need to be collected prior.

Many online orders are to be collected. Orders are ready for collection from Recess after the order has been placed. Reminders are only sent as a last resort.

Please follow this link to the P&F Facebook second hand page:

2025

Term 2

Term 3

Term 4