Dear Families,

As we wrap up another school year, I want to say a heartfelt thank you to you all for the trust you place in us each day. The partnership we share with you matters deeply. It is built on care, honesty and a shared commitment to your children. You bring warmth, generosity and a strong sense of belonging to our community, and it is deeply felt.

The end of the year is always a special time at St. Cecilia’s. Graduation gives us the chance to pause and recognise just how far our Year 6 students have come. Farewelling families who are moving on is never easy. Each family leaves a mark on our community, and we thank you for the years you have shared with us. Our Christmas Assembly, so beautifully coordinated by Annmaree Hoy, is a joyful way to end the year together. It reminds us who we are and what we value. I also love the gentle and thoughtful way we farewell our current classes and welcome our 2026 classes through our transition program. It is a tradition that speaks to the care we take with children and families at every stage.

Throughout the year, your children have grown in so many ways. They have stretched themselves as readers and thinkers. They have tackled challenges, learned to work with others and shown resilience when things were not easy. Just as importantly, they have shown kindness and care for one another. You should be very proud of them.

Our staff have worked with great care and commitment. They know their students well and plan learning that is purposeful and engaging. I thank every member of our team for the energy, patience and professionalism they bring to their work each day.

We have also shared many moments together beyond the classroom. Liturgies, performances, sporting events and community gatherings all help shape the strong sense of belonging we value so highly. Thank you to every parent who volunteered, attended events or quietly helped behind the scenes. Your support makes a real difference.

I would also like to thank our School Advisory Council and Parents Association. Key people like Georgie Carman and Chris Knott add so much to our culture and sense of spirit. Your time, insight and generosity help us continue to grow while staying true to what matters most.

As the holidays begin, I hope you find time to rest and slow down. Enjoy the small, ordinary moments with your children. They matter more than we often realise.

Thank you once again for being such an important part of our school community. I wish you and your family a safe, happy, holy and peaceful Christmas break.

To our departing families….

The Arango Family

The Barac-Macey Family

The Cesal Family

The Gillen Family

The Gillmer Family

The Ho Family

The Howard Family

The Knott Family

The Kouzmin Family

The Pititto Family

The Mawer Family

The Baxter Family

The Boone Family

The Nolan Family

The Tepeli Family

The Zambruno Family

The Zanoni Family

The Barrett Family

The Slattery Family

The Kaziuk Family

The Leach Family

The Leslie Family

The Porto Family

A PRAYER FOR THOSE LEAVING OUR SCHOOL

May God's blessing follow you all as you find new journeys to travel. May you walk safely along the pathways of your dreams.

May his gentle hand guide the decisions you will make and the passions that you follow.

May your hearts and lives always reflect his love and truth,

And may hope be a light within you that you carry into each new day.

Remember - you are always part of this wonderful community - Amen

2026 Update:

One of the greatest strengths of St Cecilia’s is our staff. We are fortunate to have a team with minimal turnover who bring deep experience, strong capability and a genuine care for your children. Their commitment has shaped the culture of ongoing improvement across our school. It has also supported our growing enrolment numbers and the confidence we continue to receive from families.

As we look ahead to 2026, there have been a few staffing changes that I would like to share with you.

I would like to begin by acknowledging Teresa Burdeau who has been part of our administration team this year. Teresa has decided to retire. It has been an absolute pleasure working alongside her. We thank her for her professionalism, good humour and the gentle care she has shown our students, staff and families, and we wish Teresa every happiness as she begins this next chapter.

Teresa’s retirement gives us a wonderful opportunity to welcome Simone Karpin to our administration team. Simone will work alongside Lucy in our front office. She is highly experienced and we look forward to working with her as she becomes part of our school community.

We are also delighted to offer a very warm welcome back to Jo Hurley who has had some time away. Jo will once again form part of our Year 4 team in 4K, teaching on Monday and Tuesday, with Jacqui Chalkley to continue in 4K on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. We are very excited to have Jo back with us at St Cecilia’s.

We also welcome back Trish Revere who has been away on maternity leave. Trish will be working in Grade 3D on Tuesdays and supporting the Year 5 and 6 classes on alternate Fridays. It will be great to have Trish back with the team.

Another significant change is Hollie French returning to the classroom full time. Hollie will teach Grade 2 next year, alongside Helen Lloyd, after two very successful years coordinating and teaching our PE program together with her classroom responsibilities. Hollie has been fantastic in this role. Our students have benefitted greatly from her approach to sport, health, resilience, trying new things and having a go. She will be warmly welcomed back into full time classroom teaching.

Hollie’s move back into Grade 2 gives us the opportunity to welcome a new staff member to our school. Lewis Balcombe will join us as our new PE teacher. We are very excited to welcome Lewis. You will soon see that he brings great energy and passion for teaching PE. He will add strongly to our culture of excellence just as Hollie has. Welcome Lewis.

We will also welcome back Chloe McKenna who many of you will know from her previous work in our classrooms. Chloe will return as a Learning Support Officer for two days a week next year. It will be wonderful to have her contribution and support back in our learning spaces.

There have also been some changes with a few teachers moving levels, slighting shifting within their roles or adjusting their days. One of these is Marnie Chapman who will move to teaching her Foundation class five days a week. This allows Tracey Toner to continue in her Literacy Leader role for a full day a week. Marnie and Tracey have shared the Literacy Leader role in recent years and have been a fantastic combination. They have offered strong guidance, vision and a clear pathway for our teachers in the development of our literacy program. We thank Marnie for her outstanding work in this space and look forward to continuing to work with Tracey in her continued leadership role.

One significant shift you may have noticed is the move of Pauline Kilduff into a new role. Pauline will be our Wellbeing Leader and Literacy Enhancement Leader for two days a week next year. These areas draw directly on her strengths and her outstanding capacity to support both students and teachers. We are all looking forward to seeing her flourish in this role.

It is important to acknowledge that for any teacher who has been in the classroom for a long time, stepping out of a full time class is a big and emotional change. Pauline has taught many hundreds of children over many years and has left a lasting mark on every family she has worked with. The gratitude felt by our community for the way she has shaped and supported so many young people cannot be overstated. We are enormously grateful for Pauline. This new chapter will open fresh opportunities for her and will deepen the support, care and expertise offered to our students, staff and families.

Finally, I want to share some news regarding the health of Robyn Mustey, a significant member of our community who brings so much soul and love to all she works with, from within and around St. Cecilia’s. Robyn is currently experiencing some health challenges and is being cared for at St Vincent’s Hospital as she recovers. We will keep you updated and ask that you continue to hold beautiful Robyn in your thoughts and prayers.

Thank you for your ongoing support. Our focus remains on providing stability, high quality learning and a warm environment where every child feels known and valued. We are incredibly excited about next year!

Chickens - Help needed!

If anyone would like to do a week or two of chicken monitoring - which involves checking on water levels, feeding scraps, checking on food levels, picking produce and collecting eggs to keep - please contact Anna aclarkson@scgleniris.catholic.edu.au

PARISH CHRISTMAS FAMILY MASS - HELP NEEDED

Dear parents and carers,

We invite all St Cecilia’s families to our Christmas Eve Children’s Mass at 5pm in the hall of the school. Come along and join in the singing of all our favourite Christmas Carols. Angels and shepherds are welcome too!

It is a St Cecilia's tradition that the children perform a nativity play during the Mass for the telling of the Christmas story. It's a very simple and much loved feature of our mass.

We are currently looking for a parent or small group of parents to take the lead on this for 2025.

What is required?

A short (under an hour) rehearsal on Christmas Eve morning .. usually 10am, where you will allocate roles (F- gr2) and readings (gr3-6) and "direct" the play.
Be at the 5pm mass to run the nativity play (run time: about 5 minutes)!
I am available to support and hand-over prior, but am unavailable on the 24th itself. Other members of the parish will be on hand on the day.

Please contact rita.zambruno@hotmail.com if you can help with this role.

Rita (St Cecilia’s Parish Children's Liturgy and Grade 4 mum)

Have a great break everyone!

Marty McKenna

Principal

St Cecilia’s Primary School

Education in Faith

Christmas Mass Times at St. Cecilia's Parish