Principal's Update

Dear families and friends,

It certainly is a busy time at St Margaret’s as we approach the halfway point of the final term of the year. There has been plenty happening across the school and a lot to look forward to in the weeks ahead.

Year 1 Enrichment Day: One of the highlights of the past fortnight was our Year 1 Enrichment Day. This special day forms part of our school’s camping program and helps prepare students for the overnight camps that begin in Year 4. I am very grateful to our Year 1 teachers and support staff for their hard work and early start on Thursday morning to provide breakfast and a full day of engaging learning experiences. It was wonderful to see the smiles and enthusiasm of our students throughout the day.

Planning for 2026: Behind the scenes, there has been a lot of planning underway for 2026. I am currently finalising staffing for next year, including some changes to our school leadership structure which I look forward to sharing soon. It is also exciting that we will be welcoming four additional Learning Support Officers to our team. The quality of applicants for these positions has been outstanding, and I know their work will make a positive difference to student learning across the school.

Goats on the Move: Last weekend brought a surprise when I received a call to say the goats had escaped and were wandering around the school. I was halfway through searching online for goat-wrangling advice when Shane, our site manager, managed to get them safely back behind the fence. Thankfully, all is now secure, and the goats are continuing their good work keeping the grass short behind the school. It seems there is hardly a week that passes without an animal related incident at St Margaret’s.

Building Progress: The new building project continues to move ahead quickly. Most of the structural steel is now in place, and the new facilities are beginning to take shape. The presence of cranes and diggers has certainly captured the interest of many of our students, who are keeping a close eye on the progress.

Emergency Preparedness: Recently, we conducted a practice emergency evacuation as part of our safety procedures. It was pleasing to see how calm and sensible our students were, and how well our staff followed our processes. These drills are held each term to ensure we are always ready and well-prepared.

School Improvement Planning: The leadership team has been busy developing our new School Improvement Plan for the next four years. This follows our formal school review earlier in the year. We are working closely with Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) to build on the review’s recommendations and continue to strengthen all areas of our school. I look forward to sharing more about this work soon.

Swimming Program in 2026: Looking ahead, we are pleased to announce that St Margaret’s will be reintroducing a swimming program for students in Years 1 to 6. The program will run for five days in late Term 1 next year. While many families already participate in swimming lessons outside school, it is important that all students have opportunities to develop water safety skills as outlined in the Victorian Curriculum. Mr Hogan and I have been working with Maribyrnong Aquatic Centre to ensure that the program will be valuable and enjoyable for all students.

As we head into the long weekend, I hope everyone has the chance to relax and enjoy some time together. The weather forecast looks promising, and it is a good opportunity to recharge as we move into the second half of the term.

God bless,

John