School News

Dear parents, families and friends,

Welcome back to Term 4. I will begin by catching up on some of the events that happended in the last week of school and then talk about the first two weeks of Term 4.

Please ensure you read each page of the newsletter carefully as it contains important information, updates and insights into what is happening at St. Augustine's.

Art Show

The Art Show at the end of last term was a huge success. I was blown away ( Kansas Twister) by the artwork produced by the students. It really felt like we were not in St. Augustine's anymore. I want to congratulate all the students on their hard work and creativity. I'd like to thank Mrs Ady for all her work in teaching the students all the skills and techniques they needed to create their artworks and for setting up the art show. It was a big two days of exhibition. The silent bidding auction for the collaborative artworks was a huge success. I believe we raised about $900, which will go towards next years school concert.

Footy Day

We ended ther term by celebrating Footy Day on the last day. The school was full of colour with all the children dressed in their footy team colours. The morning was spent with the children participating in a variety of AFL Footy themed activities. 

Go the Blues!!!!

Relocation to Building C

In preparation for the commencement of work on Building B we will be moving all classrooms by the end of the year. This means that they will be able to go into their classrooms for 2026 on Step Up Day. At this point we are expecting the build to begin in January and to finish in September.

Moving Timeline

Week 3 - Wednesday 22nd October - Moving Prep Furniture and Resources into OHSC Room 2.

Week 4 - Wednesday 29th October - Moving Year 1/2 Furniture and Resources into Music Rooms 1 and 2.

Week 5 - Wednesday 5th November - Packing Up, Clearing Out and storing Visual Art and Drama Resources, Furniture and Equipment. Dispose of all unwanted, un-needed old props, artworks etc.

Week 6 - Wednesday 12th November - Moving furniture and resources for Year 5/6s into Art and Drama Rooms.

Week 7 - Wednesday 19th November  - Packing Up and storing LOTE and STEM resources.

Week 8 - Wednesday 26th November - Moving furniture and resources for Year 3/4s into LOTE and STEM rooms.

Working Bees

On Saturday 25th October, 10am to 3pm will will have our third Working Bee to continuing cleaning up and preparing spaces for the moving of classrooms. We will also need extra helpers (especially anyone with carpentry skills and tools) to assemble the gazebo, BBQ and workbenches for the outdoor kitchen in the garden area. We greatly appreciate all the help that we can get.

Air Quality Grant

Earlier in Term 2 Mrs Mazzeo and I submitted an application for an air quality grant. This week we were notified that we were successfull. This grant willenable us to install planter boxes along the outside wall of Building A facing Somerville Road. We will also plant screening trees from the front entry garden and around the corner all the way down to the large gate near the church. We will also install a misting sprinkler system and air quality monitors. The purpose for this is to reduce dust and air pollutants entering the school from Somerville Road by creating a natural screen and barrier of trees and mist. The misting system will also serve to water the trees. We will hold a working to assemble the planter boxes and misting system and plant all the trees, so watch out for the operoo volunteer form coming soon.

Year 3 - 6 Student Vending Machine

The student initiated Vending Machine has been installed and is available for use by our Years 3 to 6 students. It is a card only machine. There are hazards with money machines in schools with foreign objects being jammed into the coin and note slots, damaging the machine. From now until the end of the year the children can use their own credit/money cards which I know many have, to tap, swipe or insert to make purchases during lunch and recess only. We are exploring the option of setting up a Mr Vending Machine Card for next year as there is some work that needs to be done to get this option up and running. The vending machine is currently stocked with water, sparkling water, juice and flavoured milk, chips, Arnotts Shapes and some healthy snack bars. Tegan and Pearl have worked very hard to get this up and running and it is wonderful to see that they have achieved their goal. I congratulate them on their vision and drive to make this a reality.

Term 4 Sunsmart

A reminder that school hats need to be worn by all students when outside during lunch, recess, sport lessons and on excursions. These need to be school hats, either the older legionnaire style or the newer bucket hat style. Even Year 6 students are expected to wear the school hat. Second hand hats can be purchased fromStudents are permitted to wear sunglasses as well when outside, however these need to be their responsibility to care for them. Children are also encouraged to bring sunscreen and to apply it before going outside. Bottles of 30+ sunscreen will be in each classroom and key locations around the school for communal use.

Sport Uniform

Sport uniform is to be worn only on Tuesday or Wednesday when the children have their Physical Education lesson and on Fridays, so each student is permitted to wear their sport uniform two times per week.

Book Launch

Potrick the Caterpillar, the book that all the students contributed to creating during Book Week, is being printed at the moment. We are going to hold an official Book Launch on Friday 28th November during school assembly at 2.30pm. The Deputy Mayor of Maribyrnong will be joining us to help launch Potrick the Caterpillar. We will present her with copies of the book to be placed in local libraries around the City of Maribyrnong.

St. Augustine's is a Publishing House

To be able to sell Potrick the Caterpillar through local bookshops and have it added to local libraries for borrowing we needed to purchase an ISBN for the book. To purchase an ISBN we also needed to officially register St. Augustine's as a publisher. So St. Augustine's is now a publishing house under the name of 'Spirited Scribes'. We will hold a competition for students to design the logo in the next few weeks.

School Garden

Mrs Re has been working very hard to continue expanding our school garden with Green Thumbs to create Greener Pastures. She has engaged some family gnomes to help her in this ongoing task. Thank you to Mrs Re and her helpers (her husband and sons) for all the hard work, the garden is looking amazing.

Sport Equipment Storage

In her role as School Sport Coordinator, Miss Marissa and her dad spent the first Saturday of the holidays rearranging and reorganising the Sports Storage. Look at the result. Thank you Miss Marissa and her dad! Mr Manoleras will have no trouble locating the equipment he needs quickly and easily for his Physical Edcuation classes.

Student Achievements

Jimmy and Lachlan competed in the Victorian State Band Championships with Hyde Street Youth Band towards the end of last term.

Something is Hatching in Year 1/2

I'm not yolking! Take a sticky beak into 1/2 M and check out the chicks. The 1/2s are naming each chick as they hatch, some of the names will crack you up! Read Classroom and Curriculum news for the full eggcellent, eggciting and uneggagerated story.

Important Upcoming Events:

• Friday 24th October, 3.30pm to 5.00pm - Prep Afternoon Activities
• Saturday 25th October, 10am to 3pm - Working Bee to continuing cleaning up and preparing spaces for the moving of classrooms. We will also need extra helpers (especially anyone with carpentry skills and tools) to assemble the gazebo, BBQ and workbenches for the outdoor kitchen in the garden area.
• Thursday 30th October - Crazy Sock Day for Catholic Mission Week 'Socktober'
  • 9.15am - Whole School Mass - Families Invited to attend
  • 11.40am to 1.40pm - Crazy Walk-a-Thon
• Friday 31st October, 9.30am to 2.00pm - Years 3 to 6 Colour House Swimming Carnival
• Monday 3rd November - School Closure
• Tuesday 4th November - Melbourne Cup Public Holiday

Q: When does a joke become a dad joke?

A: When the punchline becomes apparent!

Matthew Stead

Principal