Parents & Friends Association (P&F)
Who the St Mary's College P&F are, when they meet, what they are raising money for in 2026, the events on the calendar and how to get involved as a parent or class rep.
The Parents & Friends Association (P&F) is the parent community of St Mary's College. Every parent and carer is automatically a member — there is no fee and no sign-up. The P&F runs the social events that bring families together, raises money for projects that benefit students directly, and gives parents a voice to College leadership. You can be involved as much or as little as suits your family: come to a meeting, help at a stall for an hour, or simply turn up to Trivia Night.
The committee (2026)
| Role | Name | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| President | Mrs Rachel Ibrahim | pandf@stmaryswc.vic.edu.au |
| Vice President | Mr Tony Marinelli | via pandf@ |
| Secretary | Mrs Leanne Gough (also class rep coordinator and second-hand uniform) | via pandf@ |
| Treasurer | Mr Daniel Cheng | via pandf@ |
| College liaison | Mrs Siobhan Reilly, Deputy Principal – Wellbeing & Mission | office@stmaryswc.vic.edu.au |
Dr Helen Carmody or a member of the leadership team attends each meeting to give a College update and answer questions.
Meetings
Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of each month during term, 7:00pm in the Staff Room, with an online link for anyone who cannot attend in person (the link is posted on the Parent Portal under Notices on the day). Meetings run for about an hour and a quarter. Newcomers are very welcome — you do not need to have been before, and you will not be volunteered for anything you have not put your hand up for.
| Date | Meeting | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 9 September 2026 | General meeting | Final planning for Trivia Night; Colour Run sponsorship launch |
| Wednesday 14 October 2026 | General meeting | Trivia Night wrap-up; Christmas raffle prizes |
| Wednesday 11 November 2026 | Annual General Meeting | All committee positions declared vacant; nominations to pandf@ by Wednesday 4 November 2026 |
There is no meeting in December. The first meeting of 2027 will be Wednesday 10 February 2027.
What we are raising money for in 2026
The 2026 fundraising target is new shade sails over the Junior playground, costed at $45,000. As at Monday 24 August 2026 the P&F has raised $31,200, thanks mainly to the Mother's Day events, the term second-hand uniform sales and the MacKillop Day sausage sizzle. The Trivia Night and Colour Run are expected to close the gap so the sails can be installed over the summer holidays, ready for Term 1 2027.
Previous P&F projects include the Junior School library reading nook (2025), the outdoor table-tennis tables in the Senior courtyard (2024) and the Music Centre percussion equipment (2023).
Events calendar — Terms 3 and 4, 2026
| Date | Event | Who | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 28 August 2026 | Father's Day Stall | Prep–Year 6 | Hall foyer, classes visit on a roster 9:00am–1:00pm; gifts $5–$15; cash in a named envelope. See Father's Day 2026. |
| Thursday 3 September 2026 | Father's Day Breakfast | All families | 7:15–8:30am, Hall. Free; RSVP via Portal by Monday 31 August 2026. |
| Saturday 12 September 2026 | Second-hand uniform sale | All families | 9:00–11:00am, Hall foyer. See Second-hand Uniform. |
| Saturday 10 October 2026 | Second-hand uniform sale | All families | 9:00–11:00am, Hall foyer — summer stock. |
| Saturday 24 October 2026 | Trivia Night | Adults only | 7:00pm, Hall. $25 per person, tables of 10 (or we will seat you with others). BYO nibbles; bar operating (no BYO alcohol). Tickets via Portal > Events from Monday 21 September 2026. Dress theme announced in the newsletter. |
| Saturday 14 November 2026 | Second-hand uniform sale | All families | 9:00–11:00am, Hall foyer. |
| Friday 20 November 2026 | Colour Run | Prep–Year 6 | 1:30–3:00pm, Main Oval. Students collect online sponsorship; wear an old white t-shirt and sport shorts. Parents welcome to watch (and get colourful). |
| Friday 4 December 2026 | Christmas raffle drawn | All families | Drawn during Carols on the Green, 6:00pm on the College Green. Tickets sold from Monday 16 November 2026. |
| Saturday 12 December 2026 | Second-hand uniform sale | All families | 9:00–11:00am, Hall foyer — last sale of the year. |
Class representatives
Each class from Prep to Year 6 and each homeroom from Years 7 to 12 has a parent class rep. Class reps are the friendly link between the P&F and families in that class. They:
- welcome new families and pass on the informal things a newsletter cannot (where everyone stands at pick-up, who to ask about the sports uniform);
- organise one or two casual social catch-ups a year — a coffee morning after drop-off, a park play, a parents' dinner;
- help find helpers for class-based P&F jobs such as the Father's Day Stall roster;
- pass on general (never personal) feedback to the P&F committee.
Class reps are not a channel for concerns about individual children, teachers or grades — those go to the class teacher first; see Communication & Newsletters. Class reps are coordinated by Mrs Leanne Gough. Several 2027 classes still need a rep — email pandf@ if you would like to know more.
How to get involved
- Come to a meeting — no commitment required.
- Help at an event — most jobs are one- to two-hour shifts. Sign-up sheets are posted on the Portal under Forms about three weeks before each event.
- Volunteer roles that involve students (stall helpers, Colour Run marshals) require a Working with Children Check and the College online induction — see Volunteering & WWCC. Trivia Night helpers and raffle sellers do not.
- Donate — raffle prizes and Trivia Night silent-auction items from family businesses are always welcome; contact the Treasurer via pandf@.
- Follow along — P&F news appears in every fortnightly Lumen newsletter under its own heading.