Buddy Program

St Mary’s provides a wide range of leadership programs so that students of all ages learn how to become good leaders and benefit from good peer relationships.

To ensure a warm welcome and smooth start to school life, all Kindy students are assigned a ‘Buddy’ from Year 5 or Year 6.  The new Kindy students meet their ‘Buddy’ during their orientation program each November.  This ensures that each Kindy student is greeted by a familiar, friendly face on their ‘first day’ and that they have someone to assist them to settle into school routines, when they commence school the following year.  

The ‘Buddies’ continue to work together throughout the year in classroom activities such as paired reading and writing.  This provides Year 5 and Year 6 students with the opportunity to become good mentors and role models across a range of skill areas.