ELC Bulletin - Term 1, Week 2

Please see timetable below using dropdown arrow.

ELC K-1 Meet the Teacher Evening is Tuesday 10 February (please see timetable below). This will be an important opportunity for you to meet with our dedicated ELC teachers, learn about the specific routines and curriculums used and the shared expectations we uphold at St Mark's. Ms Linda Sweet (Deputy Head of Primary K-1) and Mr Pressley (Acting Head of Primary) will speak to all parents to outline key information about the year ahead. The evening will begin at 6pm, there is no need to book sessions to meet with your child's class teacher for this presentation - please see the timetable below. Please also note the new venue of the Chapel for the presentation. If you are using a mobile phone to view this article, please swipe left to see location.

• TERM DATES FOR 2026 – Please visit the School website
  Term 1 commences on Monday 2 February.
  Kindy Starfish will commence on Monday 2 February (half days for Week 1 – Monday and Tuesday)
  Kindy Turtles will commence on Thursday 5 February (half days for Week 1 – Thursday and Friday)
  
  
• KINDY PART TIME ATTENDANCE AT START OF TERM 1
  Week 1 (no Kindy classes on Wednesday): Sub-groups (A or B) attend one morning session and one afternoon session on different days.
  Week 2 (no Kindy classes on Wednesday): Sub-groups (A or B) attend one full day only
  Week 3 (no Kindy classes on Wednesday): all Starfish (A+B) and all Turtles (A + B) attend two full days
  Week 4: STARFISH Monday and Tuesday; TURTLES Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
  Week 5: STARFISH Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday; TURTLES Thursday and Friday
  
  
• ELC CHAPEL – Wednesdays 1.30pm, in the Chapel
  ELC students will attend Chapel once a week on most Wednesdays during the School term.
  Parents are welcome to attend if they wish to.
  
  
• ELC MEET THE TEACHER EVENING – Tuesday, 10 February 6.00-7.30pm, in the Chapel
  Please note change of venue as the PAC is not currently available.
  
  
• K-12 EMERGENCY DRILL – Tuesday 17 February 2026
  K-12 students will be participating
  
  
• LABOUR DAY PUBLIC HOLIDAY – Monday 2 March
  
  
• MARNJAMOORTUP FESTIVAL – Friday 6 March, 6.00-10.00pm, Quad
  A St Mark’s Celebration
  
  
• PP & Y1 HOUSE ACTIVITY DAY – Wednesday 1 April
  Pre-Primary and Year 1 students will participate in various activities in their House groups. They will need to wear their House shirts on this day.
  
  
• LAST DAY OF TERM 1 – Thursday 2 April
  
  
• GOOD FRIDAY PUBLIC HOLIDAY – Friday 3 April
  
  
• FIRST DAY OF TERM 2 – Tuesday 21 April
  Kindy Turtles first day will be Wednesday 22 April

School Email addresses (please include your child’s first name, surname and class in the subject line):
elcreception@stmarks.wa.edu.au – for all communications to ELC Reception
absentee@stmarks.wa.edu.au – for notifications of student absences, late arrivals, early departures, etc. Parents are reminded that the Government requires schools to record a reason for any absences – please include a brief reason for your child’s absence in your notification to the school.
principal@stmarks.wa.edu.au – for notifications of non-medical student absences of three days or more. It is a requirement that our Principal be advised of these absences.

Child collection notifications:
Please email elcreception@stmarks.wa.edu.au if any changes are required to child collection arrangements before 2.15pm.
It would be very much appreciated if regular arrangements could be established with any changes being kept to a minimum.
Please note that we do need to be advised if your child will be collected via drive through so that they can be waiting at the correct collection point and we also need to have permission from parents for someone else (including after school care establishments) to collect your child/children. Guidelines regarding drive through drop offs and collections have been posted in SEESAW.
Name cards were sent home on Monday for display in windscreens when collecting your child/children via drive through. It is best if this is attached to the visor on the passenger side with your child’s first name facing outwards. If additional name cards are required for others who regularly collect your child, please send your request via email to elcreception@stmarks.wa.edu.au

Please follow the links provided below to add your name to one of the rosters if you are able to assist. Thank you.

These are shared documents which all ELC parents are able to view.

• ELC UPCYCLING ROSTER (no opportunities at the moment)
  ELC Shared Upcycling Roster
  
  

• ELC WATERING AND OTHER OUTDOOR TASKS (ongoing roster)
  ELC Outdoor Enviro Volunteer Roster
  
  
• OTHER ELC PARENT HOUR OPPORTUNITIES
  Parents will be advised via the Weekly Bulletins or Class SEESAW pages when opportunities do become available. Parents will be able to access the shared roster via the link provided below to add their names for the advertised task(s).
  ELC Various Tasks Roster

As part of our 40th anniversary celebrations, we’re thrilled to invite our School Community to the Marnjamoortup Festival — our premier birthday event — taking place on Friday 6 March on Marnjamoortup, affectionately known to many Old Scholars as the Quad.

Expect a relaxed evening filled with community, celebration and a healthy dose of nostalgia. Enjoy live music from our incredibly talented student bands, followed by tunes from Red’s Tribe featuring vocals from our amazing Ms Guelfi. Add roving entertainment, substantial food offerings, a cash bar and plenty of opportunities to reminisce, and you’ve got a celebration worth breaking the rules for.

EVENT DETAILS:

• Friday 6 March 2026
• 6.00pm – 10.00pm
• Marnjamoortup (The Quad), St Mark’s Anglican Community School
• Dress: Smart (with your dancing shoes!)
• Parking: Junior School Oval, enter via Gate 4 on Whitfords Avenue
• Please note: this is an 18+ event
• RSVP by Friday 20 February 2026
• Tickets: $30 - Includes a complimentary drink on arrival and substantial finger food
  https://events.humanitix.com/marnjamoortup-festival-st-mark-s-40th-celebrations

Come celebrate 40 years of St Mark’s — we can’t wait to see you there.

The Australian Government Department of Education would like to notify you that we have requested for your child’s school to provide residential address and other information.

Under the Australian Education Regulations 2023, the school is required to provide the department with the following information about each student at the school:

• names and residential addresses of the student’s parent(s) and/or guardian(s)
• student residential address (excluding student names)
• whether the student is a primary or secondary student (education level)
• whether the student is boarding or a day student (boarding status).

Can families please update their information on Consent2Go by Wednesday 11 February 2026.

A permission request was sent out to K-Y1 parents on Wednesday 11 February via Consent2Go. Parents would have received an email asking them to update permissions for each of their ELC child/children. All ELC families are asked to please follow the prompts provided in the email to access the 2026 Confidentiality Agreement and provide your response as soon as possible. This will need to be done for each child you have in the ELC. It would be greatly appreciated if all responses could be received by the end of February. Thank you. Class lists of responses will then be provided to the relevant class teachers for their information.

Teachers will soon be providing rosters via their class Seesaw page for parents to sign up to assist with various activities in the classrooms. Please be aware that parents will need to have read and acknowledged the 2026 Confidentiality Agreement before being able to assist in classrooms.

The Parents Prayer Group (PPG) meet fortnightly to pray for the students, staff and school community.

We will be meeting every second Friday at 2pm in the school chapel, starting 13 February. Please sign in at reception. All are welcome.

Please share any prayer requests by emailing parentsunitedforprayer@gmail.com or call Wing Shattock on 0433 002 151.

Get ready to colour, cut or shave for a cause that truly matters. On Tuesday 24 March 2026, St Mark’s will once again take part in the World’s Greatest Shave, proudly supporting the Leukaemia Foundation.

This is a powerful opportunity for our community to come together, show compassion, and make a real difference. Last year we came so close to our fundraising target — and this year, we’re aiming even higher with a goal of $23,000. Let’s hit it together!

What’s happening on the day?

• Hair spraying and a Bake Sale at recess, run by our Year 12 students

• Main shaving event during lunch in the quad

Get involved

Students and staff are encouraged to take part by shaving, cutting, colouring, or fundraising. Families can support by donating or spreading the word.

Join or donate via our St Mark’s Team Page:
https://www.worldsgreatestshave.com/join/StMarksAnglicanCommunitySchool2180

Calling all hairdressers!

If you have a family member or friend who is a hairdresser and would be willing to donate their time on the day, we’d love to hear from you. Please email Mrs Parsons: lparsons@stmarks.wa.edu.au

Let’s start building excitement, spreading the word and encouraging our students to get involved. Together, we can make 2026 our biggest and best World’s Greatest Shave yet!

Calling all former students from the Classes of 1996, 2006 and 2016 - Your Milestone Reunion is coming up on Saturday, 21 February, and we’re celebrating at a brand-new venue — the Whitford Brewery (because we’re all adults now).

Even better? You’ll also be helping us celebrate the School’s 40th birthday! Forty never looked so good.

Worried you won’t get your nostalgia fix? Relax — there’s a school tour beforehand, so you can revisit the classrooms, relive the memories and say, “Wow, that looks smaller than I remember.”

Old friends, milestone years, a brewery and a birthday — honestly, what could go wrong?

Start rounding up your classmates and book your ticket today! Book your ticket here

We are excited to announce the return of our Career Curiosity Series! This initiative aims to further support our students in making informed decisions about their future careers by providing valuable insights and real-world experiences. We believe parents and alumni bring a wealth of knowledge and diverse perspectives that can be highly beneficial to our students.

What is the Career Curiosity Series?

The Career Curiosity Series provides opportunities for students to explore diverse career paths, develop essential skills, and understand how their interests align with future opportunities. These sessions are designed to:

• Expose students to a wide range of professions and industries.
• Provide insights into the skills and knowledge required for different careers.
• Encourage students to think creatively about their future options.
• Help students leverage curiosity in strategic thinking, innovation, and design thinking.
• Facilitate career curiosity conversations, encouraging students to explore the fit and possibilities between themselves and work.

How Can You Get Involved?

We invite current parents and alumni to share their expertise and experiences with our students through various avenues:

• Be a Guest Speaker: Share your career journey, insights into your industry, and advice for students interested in pursuing a similar path. The Career Curiosity events are held before school (7.30 am - 8.35 am).
  

• Work Experience Opportunities: Offer students the chance to gain hands-on experience in your field.

By participating in the Career Curiosity Series, you can play a vital role in shaping the future of our students. Your unique perspectives and experiences can help them discover their passions, develop essential skills, and make informed decisions about their education and career paths.

Contact Us

If you are interested in participating in the Career Curiosity Series or would like to learn more about how you can contribute, please get in touch with Amanda Kemp via email akemp@stmarks.wa.edu.au.

We look forward to partnering with you to empower our students to explore their curiosities and achieve their career aspirations!