From the Principal

St Justin’s Primary School acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as Australia's First People and Traditional Custodians of the land and waterways on which our school stands.

We pay our respects to the Bunurong people of the Kulin Nation, and their elders past and present, and emerging as we continue to proudly live and learn on their land.

St Justin's Primary School - Celebrating over 40 years of Catholic Education

Dear Families and Friends,

Confirmation

This term our Year 6 students will receive the sacrament of Confirmation. During Confirmation, candidates will be ‘sealed’ with the Holy Spirit. Students will explore people who demonstrate saintly qualities and hopefully gain a greater understanding of the Fruits and Gifts of the Holy Spirit. To help prepare for Confirmation the students will attend Confirmation Medal Masses next weekend. The Sacrament of Confirmation being held on Thursday 14th August at St Patrick's Cathedral 6.00pm.  Like anything we do in life, preparation is important. Sacraments are not a "tick" object in life, but rather part of our life journey - a journey shared with God and family.

Please keep our candidates in your prayers as they continue on their faith journey.

Please refer to the Education in Faith page for all date in relation to Confirmation preparation.

Confirmation Workshop Evening 

On Tuesday night, our Year 6 students attended a Confirmation Workshop Evening alongside a parent or guardian. This session provided a wonderful opportunity for families to deepen their understanding of the Sacrament of Confirmation and to engage in meaningful discussion together.

Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to the evening. We hope it was a valuable and enriching experience for all our Confirmation candidates and their families. A special thank you to Mrs Snell and Father Andrew for their continued guidance and support.

Confirmation Reflection Day

Today, our Year 6 students and Parish Confirmation candidates took part in a special Reflection Day at the Don Bosco Retreat Centre in Lysterfield. This meaningful experience allowed the candidates to pause and reflect on the significance of the Sacrament of Confirmation in their faith journey.

We extend our sincere thanks to Father Andrew and Father Jean-Sebastien for joining us on the day, offering their support, and leading the students in the Sacrament of Reconciliation in preparation for their Confirmation.

It was a faith-filled and rewarding day for all involved.

Division Winter Sports

Over 3 days in the last week, 3 of our 5/6 Winter Sport teams participated in the Division Championships for their respective sports. They got this opportunity after winning the District competition at the end of term 2. Firstly, our Girls AFL team had their tournament with the girls having an amazing day making it all the way to the grand final. Unfortunately, Mt Scopus were a little too strong in the final but the girls returned to school with their heads held high. A magnificent effort for a team of girls who have limited experience in the sport, but showed what having fun and working perfectly as a team can achieve. 

On Tuesday it was our Girls Soccer team's attempt for Division glory. Throughout the day the girls had some really tight and hard-fought wins with results getting them into the semi-finals after finishing second in their pool. The girls had a 1-1 draw in the semi which resulted in the match going to penalties. Some amazing saves from Elexis D and some cool finishes from Sienna M and Chloe M saw the girls win through to the final which they were able to win 1-0 thanks to a superb left foot finish from Sienna Z. Awesome work girls for taking out the Division title. 

Finally, on Wednesday it was our Boys Soccer teams turn to chase glory. The day started perfectly with a huge 6-0 win. This was followed up again by more strong performances which resulted in the boy making the semi-finals. There the boys had another convincing win of 4-0 which saw them cruise into the final with a head full of steam and confidence. The final lived up to the hype and after regulation time it went to penalties. Tyson D stood up and saved not one but EVERY penalty which along with some cool finishes meant the boys as well took out the title. 

Overall to have 3 teams make the grand final is a testament to the commitment and hard work of each of our students and the love they have for representing our school. The Boys and Girls soccer teams will now compete in the Eastern Metropolitan Championships for a chance to compete at the state titles on Monday 18th August.

Good luck to you all and thank you to Mr Torpey, Mrs D'Angelo and Mr Johnson along with Nathan and Carla for your support and expert coaching of the teams.

Year 6 - Melbourne Zoo Excursion 

As we stepped onto the bus, the air buzzed with excitement. Everyone was chatting, laughing, and guessing which animals we’d see first. The ride to Melbourne Zoo felt quick because we were all so eager to get there.

The moment we arrived, we burst off the bus like popcorn, ready to explore. Our group headed straight for the lions, who were lounging lazily in the cold morning air. They looked half-asleep and not very interested in us. Next, we wandered through the big cat section, spotting the majestic snow leopards and cheetahs. But the most exciting part was when we reached the dingo enclosure—one curious dingo sprinted right up to the glass! It was so cute, and we couldn’t stop watching it.

Then we entered the reptile house. It was dark and warm, and we scanned every corner looking for slithering snakes. Some of them were camouflaged so well, we had to squint to spot them!

After a quick snack break, we made our way to the giraffes. One of the keepers told us that one of them was pregnant and expecting her baby any day—how amazing is that? From there, we headed to the cheekiest animals in the zoo: the baboons! They were running, screeching, and showing off their bright red bottoms, which made everyone laugh.

Our next stop was the Forest of Wonder. As soon as we stepped in, a wave of warm, humid air hit us, and we were surrounded by colourful butterflies fluttering everywhere. They landed on our shoulders, arms, and even our heads. It felt magical.

Soon after, we regrouped with the other Year 6 classes and were taken to a special education session with a zookeeper. She showed us real animal skulls and asked us to guess what animals they belonged to. We learned a cool rhyme: “Eyes on the side, ready to hide. Eyes at the front, ready to hunt.” That helped us figure out which animals were prey and which were predators.

Later, we watched the lemurs being fed—they were bouncing around like gymnasts! After that, we passed through the monkey enclosures and saw some adorable otters splashing about. The baby hippo stole the show with its playful swimming and silly splashes.

After lunch, we explored the sea life area. We were lucky to get an up-close view of a seal and spotted two fluffy baby penguins waddling around—so cute! Before heading home, we had some time to play on the zoo playground, which was full of ropes, slides, and laughter.

We visited the giraffes one last time, said goodbye to the animals, and climbed back onto the bus, tired but thrilled. It had been an incredible day at the zoo—full of fun, learning, and unforgettable moments.

Happy 80th Birthday Tony 

We would like to wish Tony our crossing supervisor a very Happy 80th Birthday and thank  you for keeping us safe!

Important Dates 

Whilst we have most dates in the calendar, some dates include: 

• Thursday 7th August - Writing ICAS Assessments Year 3-6
• Friday 8th August  - Saint Mary MacKillop Feast Day 9.15am Mass
• Sat 9th & Sun 10th  August - Confirmation Medal Masses
• Monday 11th August - School Closure Day UFLI Phonics Professional Learning Day
• Tuesday 12th August  - Assembly - 100 Days of Prep

Please refer to Dates Ahead for a full list of important dates in Term 3.

St Justin's 2025 School Production 

The countdown is now on!!

Our whole School Production ‘The Down Under Road Trip’ is in full swing. Please take note of all the important information enclosed in this newsletter. 

Fair on the Hill

Whilst our Annual Fair on the Hill is still some time away (Saturday 8th November 11:00am - 4:00pm) there has been an amazing amount of planning going on.

Please refer to the Fair on the Hill page for more information.

Professional Learning - School Closure Days

Ongoing professional learning is essential for St Justin's to keep abreast of the latest in education. Please note there will be no school for students on these days.

Term 3 Monday 11th August - School Closure Day - Staff Professional Learning Day Focus: UFLI  Phonics  and Friday 19th September, the day after our school production.

Please note that these days are not taken lightly - they are essential for us to continue supporting our students at St Justin's. 

School Fees

A reminder that all School Fees are due to be finalised by Thursday 17th September. 

There is an expectation that families make progress payments throughout the year and if intending to make payment on the due date that you reachout to the school to advise us so that we can plan ahead.  With families keeping up with payments or keeping in contact with us in regards to fees or if you are requesting assistance this allows us to maintain activities and programs we already have in place at St. Justin's. We would greatly appreciate your support in regards to being on top of your fees.

As is our ongoing practice, should any family’s financial situation have changed, please contact Patrick Torpey or office staff on 9561 7644 or email office@sjwheelershill.catholic.edu.au to discuss your options.

All the best,

Pat

Mr Patrick Torpey

Principal