From the Acting Principal
Dear families,
Family Fun Day
What an amazing community event we had at our Family Fun Day on Saturday. The weather was perfect and the sense of fun, teamwork and co-operation was fantastic. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed in any way. There are far too many people to thank individually and I apologise in advance if I leave anyone out. This was such a team effort where staff, students, families and friends worked together to provide our community with the opportunity to gather and build relationships in such a fun and positive way.
A special thank you to our Kids Matter @ St Mark’s Action Team members and Family Fun Day Committee who have been working away tirelessly behind the scenes for many months to make this day such a success. The feedback from all those who attended was so positive. A big thankyou to Arron Ollington for stepping in as food coordinator and Lisa Marchio for coordinating the market stalls in the hall and for leading the KM@SM team!
Following is a list of families, businesses and agencies who donated time, money and/or goods and services. We thank them all for their generous support of the event and of St Mark’s School.
Ray White Coburg - advertising boards
Henry Ene - Security Attendants
Fawkner RSL
NOVCON Group
Mercy College
St Margaret Mary's Brunswick North
Westbreen Florist
Davies Bakery
John A Morris Jewellery - Liberato Family
Raja Family
JPS Heath & Fitness
Frappa Family - fruit
Nikhil Family - barista
Joseph Family
Di Pietro Pasqualini Family - coffee beans
Chamma Family
Nepalese cooks - Momo's
There were also many families that assisted with a multitude of tasks such as monetary, book and food donations, loaning marquees, setting up on Friday evening and Saturday morning, packing up, the list goes on.
To everyone involved we say THANK YOU!!!
We raised an incredible $11,000 and all these funds raised will go towards devices to support our learning and DT programs for your children. Please see the KM@SMAT page for more information and some photos of the day!
Class Groupings for 2026 - over the next few weeks, we will begin to develop our class groupings for 2026. Please contact Peter in writing at principal@smfawkner.catholic.edu.au with any information for your child's class placement for 2026 that you would like us to be aware of. This information is confidential and is a consideration when we follow our processes to create balanced class groupings to meet the social, academic and behavioural needs of all learners at St Mark's.
We also need to know if any students (other than Gr 6’s) will be leaving St Mark’s at the end of 2025. If your child will not be returning to St Mark’s in 2026 can you please inform Peter in writing as soon as possible.
Traffic safety around our school
It is unfortunate that we feel this reminder (also sent to the community as recently as last week) is of urgency again, as there has been some concerning and unsafe driver behaviour around our school.
In the interests of child safety, please follow all Parking Signs in Argyle St Lee St and surrounding streets at all times.
It is important that you;
- drop off students in designated areas
- please do not wait in no standing zones at the front of the school
- avoid parking across driveways of our neighbours or across the staff carpark driveway
- use the designated school crossings on Argyle and Lee St
- do not perform U-Turns in the parish driveway and use the parking bays
- follow the signs near our pedestrian crossings by not parking or dropping off near the Lee St and Argyle St school crossings - its blocks visibility for other drivers approaching
If you have family members helping with drop off and pick up, please share these reminders with them so they are aware. I am anticipating the cooperation of all members of St Mark's school with this, as we all act in a way that keeps our students, families and members of the wider Fawkner community safe.
Halloween is a celebration observed in many countries on the 31st of October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows' - please see the Religion page of todays newsletter where you will find a short explanation about the Catholic faith and it's connection to Halloween.
School Assemblies in Term 4 - Assemblies in Term 4 will be held each Friday morning at 9.00am in the Hall. All details are included in the Dates to Remember page, including our Advent Liturgies in December. Families are invited and encouraged to attend our weekly assembly to support the children, and engage in the wonderful learning that happens here.
A reminder that next Monday 3rd November is a closure day for staff professional practice and TIL acquittal. I hope you all enjoy the upcoming Melbourne Cup weekend with your families. We look forward to seeing you all back next week on Wednesday 5th November.
Feeling blessed to be part of an amazing community!
Warm regards,
Claire
Miss Claire - Acting Principal and Learning & Teaching/Literacy Leader
claire.white@smfawkner.catholic.edu.au
‘The St Mark’s Catholic Primary School, Fawkner Community promotes the safety, wellbeing and inclusion of all children.’
St Mark’s Catholic Primary School respectfully acknowledges the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation, who are the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we live, learn, work and play. We pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.