Principal News

Dear Families,

Despite the recent rainy days, there is a tangible feeling in the air that spring is just around the corner. The longer afternoons and subtle shifts in the weather bring a welcome sense of renewal and energy to our school.

There are so many wonderful things happening across our school community right now, and I am extremely grateful to everyone who continues to support us. A huge thank you to all those who helped out at District Athletics on Thursday, to the dedicated parents and volunteers working hard behind the scenes on fundraising and engagement activities with our PFA, and to those who regularly support our school masses, prayer gatherings, and assemblies. Our school community is truly strengthened by these ongoing, vibrant partnerships.

And so much to look forward to in the next few weeks: Book Week/Fair; Father's Day Pie afternoon; Disco; Feast Day; and no doubt more sport! And let's not forget all the amazing learning our students continue to do! We are building our PODCAST to include more exciting stories from our adventures in the classroom- Monday is our next release date. Thanks to our amazing school leaders for their time and effort in putting this together- their voices and their stories. Our social media also is a great way to track what is on for the week.

Exciting Learning News: Mathematics Intervention Trial

We are thrilled to share that this semester we are trialling an intervention Maths program for students from Year 1 through to Year 6. The program, Learning through Doing, is designed in line with the MACS Vision for Instruction. Using targeted explicit teaching support, it provides selected students with the opportunity to improve fluency, build confidence, and master core mathematical concepts. We look forward to seeing the positive impact this trial will have on our students' learning journeys.

New School Gates

School Security & Gate Protocol Update

Our new school gates look fabulous and are already providing an extra layer of care and security for our entire community. To ensure our community remains safe throughout the school day, please note our updated gate schedule beginning this Monday:

Gate Schedule: All internal perimeter gates - (new ones!), including the Traffic School area, will be locked promptly at 9:00 am and reopened at 2:55 pm.
Late Arrivals: Rolls are marked at the start of the day. Any students arriving after 8:50am must be brought to the front office by a parent or carer to be officially signed in.
Early Pick-Ups & Daytime Access: If you need to drop off or collect your child outside of standard drop-off and pick-up times, please come directly to the main office for assistance.

Thank you for your cooperation and support as we implement these measures for our students' safety.

Sacramental Journey: Year 4 First Holy Communion

This upcoming weekend also marks a deeply meaningful milestone for our school family, as our Year 4 students formally commit to making their Sacrament of First Holy Communion (Eucharist) during parish commitment masses on either Saturday or Sunday. Preparing for the Eucharist is a significant step in our students' spiritual lives, representing their growing connection to their faith and community. Please keep these children and their families in your thoughts and prayers as they take this important step. We extend our warmest wishes to each candidate, and we thank our parish team, teachers, and parents for their ongoing guidance.

Staff Updates

We have a few updates regarding our teaching staff as we look toward the remainder of the year:

Farewell to Cailin Prebble: Cailin will be finishing up with us at the end of this term as she takes a well-deserved break from teaching. Cailin began her teaching career here- after also being a student here! She has been a wonderful member of our community for many years. We want to extend our deepest gratitude to Cailin for her incredible commitment, dedication, and flexibility, particularly throughout this term. She will be dearly missed by students and staff alike, and we wish her all the very best.
Welcome Back Micheal Portelli: Micheal will be stepping into the Outdoor Education role for the rest of the year. It is wonderful to have Micheal back in this position—our students absolutely love his work, and we know they are in for an engaging and exciting program.

Thank you all for your continued support as we celebrate these milestones and transitions together as a community.

Warm regards,

Jane Barlow

Acting Principal