School Newsletter

Principal's Update

Welcome Back to Term 4: Welcome back to school after the holidays. Term 4 is certainly action packed and there are plenty of exciting activities and learning experiences planned over the next ten weeks. It is wonderful to see the weather improving and our students returning with a spring in their step. I wish everyone a positive and productive term ahead.

 

Building Works Update: Over the holidays, important underground works continued, including the linking of stormwater drains, as well as plumbing and electrical installations. The concrete slab has been poured and the steel frames are now being erected. It is exciting to see the project taking shape, and the work progressing quickly. The project remains on track for completion in early Term 2 next year.

Turning of the Sod Ceremony: Last week, we were delighted to welcome Katie Hall, the State Member for Footscray, for our official “Turning of the Sod Ceremony” to mark the beginning of our building project. Our school captains gave a beautiful speech to celebrate the occasion and to thank the State Government for the $2.6 million grant that made this project possible. Katie shared some lovely feedback about how polite and well-behaved our students have always been whenever she has visited St Margaret’s.

Playground Improvements: New basketball rings and soccer goals have already made a positive impact in our playground. This has been especially important while our yard space is reduced during the building project. To help ease congestion, our Year 6 students are also visiting Maribyrnong Oval a couple of times a week. Although this is a new initiative, we have already seen a decrease in playground injuries, particularly on the soccer field. These small changes seem to be making a difference.

 

Animal Visitors: St Margaret’s continues to attract not only wonderful students and families, but also curious wildlife. This year we have welcomed visits from Red-capped Plovers and Echidnas, and last week a Blue-tongue lizard surprised one of our Year 2 classrooms. Ms Millie and Ms Yvette did a fantastic job helping our scaly visitor return safely outdoors. We have also welcomed our goats back to help keep the grass tidy behind the school.

School Fees for 2026: Rising costs and system-wide pressures have meant that school fees for 2026 will need to increase at a higher rate than we would have liked. This will also include a swimming levy to support the reintroduction of our swimming program next year. Further details will be published next week. Families who are experiencing financial difficulties are encouraged to reach out to me directly for support.

 

Peaceful Kids Program: Congratulations to Will, Alessia, Gabriella and Sophia, our first ever graduates of the Peaceful Kids program at St Margaret’s. This ten-week program helps students build mindfulness, resilience and positive coping strategies. Each of these students participated with enthusiasm and positivity, and it is clear that the program has been a great success. We hope to offer this program to more students next year.

School Review: Our formal school review has now been completed and the final report was received late last term. Reviewer Mark Workman from Valad Solutions was extremely complimentary of St Margaret’s, describing it as a high-performing school with strengths across all areas.

Achievements

  • Successfully implemented school improvement plans since the last review
  • Catholic identity clearly visible through prayer, Religious Education, parish partnership and service
  • Strong academic outcomes above state and national averages in NAPLAN, particularly in reading
  • Broad and inclusive curriculum with effective explicit teaching and assessment
  • Improved wellbeing through Berry Street strategies and social-emotional learning
  • Positive, welcoming and inclusive school community with strong family engagement
  • Upgraded facilities that support learning and enrolment growth

Future Priorities

  • Strengthen explicit teaching in English and Mathematics
  • Build teacher and leader capability in instructional leadership
  • Enhance Catholic identity through Religious Education and Catholic Social Teaching
  • Develop student agency, empowerment and voice in learning and wellbeing
  • Increase family engagement in student learning and community life.

Three Years Since the Maribyrnong Floods: Tuesday 14 October marks three years since the devastating floods that impacted so many in our local community. Some of our students have shared their reflections in a book titled We Watched Our River Rise, created by young people from the Maribyrnong area to tell the story of the community’s flood recovery journey. It has been inspiring to see our students’ contributions and the way they continue to show resilience and empathy.

Wishing everyone a wonderful start to Term 4.

 

God bless,

John