Community Wellness

BOYS TO THE BUSH (BttB) 

Over five exciting weeks, learners participating in the BttB program enjoyed a range of hands-on learning experiences that strengthened their connection to the community, local industries and the wider region. The program began with a Community Assistance Day at Tasman Parks, where students worked together to give back to the community before enjoying a friendly afternoon of lawn bowls. Students then took part in a Community Engagement Day, learning about health and wellbeing with Fit Mob, preparing pizzas at Taranto’s, and exploring local operations during a Port Tour. Emergency Services Day provided valuable insights into the important work of the Police, CFA, SES, Ambulance and RFDS, with learners gaining a deeper appreciation of the people who help keep our communities safe. 

The final two days focused on industry and culture. Students experienced life on the land through a shearing shed visit and tour of Riverina Wool, learning about the wool production process and employment opportunities within the industry. The program concluded with a rich Cultural Experience, where students learned about Indigenous culture through storytelling, painting, tool making, and traditional boomerang and woomera throwing activities. Throughout the program, students demonstrated excellent respect, teamwork and engagement, embracing every opportunity to learn from community members and industry professionals. We thank the team at BttB for their work with our young people and look forward to working together again soon. 

SWEAT VS STEAM: SME TEAM 

When: Sunday 15 November 2026 Where: Through and around the historic Port of Echuca and along the Murray River 

Timeline: 

9:50am 1km and 500m Junior Dash 10:30am (approx.)  Presentations at Hopwood Gardens 10:30am Event concludes.

As part of our commitment to supporting the health and wellbeing of our learners, SME is excited to support families by paying 50% of the entry fee for either of the children’s races at this year’s Sweat vs Steam event. By participating, we are not only encouraging our learners to get active, but also supporting our wider community, with proceeds from the event helping to support Echuca Regional Health. 

SME will pay 50% of your child’s entry! Simply use the code SMPSVS when registering to receive 50% off your child’s entry fee, the rest is on us!  We would love to see lots of our learners get involved, have a go and enjoy being active together! SME staff will be there on the day, and we are hoping everyone can wear their SME tops so we can show our school pride and celebrate our efforts as one big team. 

We hope to see a big SME team there!  

BEHAVIOUR DATA 

We are proud to celebrate a significant achievement in student wellbeing and behaviour this year. Compared to this time last year, our school has seen a 29.88% reduction in high and extreme behaviour incidents, highlighting the positive impact of our whole-school approach to supporting students. This outstanding result reflects the dedication of our staff, learners, and families in creating a safe, respectful, and supportive learning environment. Well done everyone! 

ATTENDANCE DATA 

After experiencing a dip in attendance throughout the middle of the term, largely due to the number of students affected by seasonal coughs, colds and minor illnesses, it has been encouraging to see our attendance rates begin to climb again. In Week 6, whole-school attendance increased to just over 92%, reflecting the growing number of learners returning to school healthy and ready to learn. 

Regular attendance plays a vital role in student wellbeing, learning progress and maintaining strong connections with classmates and teachers. We thank families for their continued support in balancing student health needs with school attendance and are pleased to see our attendance trend moving in a positive direction as we head towards the latter part of the term. As part of our obligations with Catholic Education Sandhurst, we closely monitor student attendance and notify families when a learners attendance falls below 80%. At this point, an Attendance Support Plan is developed in partnership with families to help improve attendance and ensure every child has the best opportunity to engage in learning. This is a supportive process focused on understanding any barriers to attendance and working together to identify practical strategies that help students attend school regularly, feel connected, and experience success. Your child's classroom teacher and I will work alongside you to develop a plan that best meets your child's individual needs and circumstances. 

Liz Chapman  

Deputy Principal: Community Wellness