From Our Principal

Newsletter  ~ Term 3, Week 10, 2024

Principal's Message:

Dear Parents, Carers, Families and Friends of St Mel’s Primary School,

'Magnify Sandhurst' 

An exciting future direction for St Mel's PS and our diocesan Catholic Education community!

This term as part of our commitment, alignment and engagement with 'Magnify Sandhurst', our whole of system change project focussed on growth and improvement for all Sandhurst schools, with a specific targeted focus on improved student outcomes, members of our Staff Team will engage in Professional Learning commencing next term.

Foundation, Year One and Year Two teachers, two Learning Support Officers and school leaders will train in InitiaLit, an evidenced-based structured literacy approach designed to enhance literacy development and growth in students across the first three years of school. 

Teachers from Years 4 through 6 will participate in afternoon briefings focussed on embedding a low-variance knowledge-rich curriculum using the OCHRE online curriculum resources. 'Planning knowledge-rich curriculum, learner activities and assessments is a repeatable process that is an inefficient use of teacher’s time. Providing low-variance curriculum to our schools ensures the relevant curriculum is addressed, that activities and assessments are meaningful and quality assured. Teachers will be able to free valuable head-space and heart-space to respond to individual student needs' (Magnify Sandhurst). 

As indicated in our previous newsletter, in support of our involvement in the diocesan-wide professional learning underpinning the 'Magnify Sandhurst' initiative we are coordinating our 2025 Student Free Days in alignment with our diocesan schools. The attached document provides further information and advance notice to our families:

Annual ASHEfest - 'Schools Celebrating Culture Together!":

Students from across the school community enjoyed their participation in the annual ASHEfest last week. Participants engaged in cultural activities, traditional games, aboriginal art and building relationships with students from local schools. It was encouraging to see participating children share their experiences with class members on their return to school.

An important opportunity to celebrate culture.

Staffing Update:

With our 2024 Victorian Registrations and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) Review completed Libby Hamilton, who joined our Staff Team on a secondment from St. John's Primary School in Euroa completes her tenure with us this Friday and returns to her school community for Term Four. On behalf of the St Mel's PS Community Libby has been acknowledged for the outstanding work she has completed across Terms Two and Three, along with other members of our Executive Leadership Team, Administrative and Staff Team in meeting the requirements of the VRQA. Thank you Libby for your wonderful support as a member of the St Mel's PS Staff Team and community these past two terms. Best wishes for the remainder of the year.

Life Relationships:

Last Wednesday night children from Year 5 and 6 along with parents / carers participated in our biennial Life Relationships evening at school. 

There is a requirement for all Victorian Schools to address aspects of personal development within their core curriculum provision.  Students in Years 5/6 engage in the Life Relationships Program, which has been developed in the Sandhurst Diocese. This parent/ guardian evening is designed to be delivered whilst students are engaging in the grade 5/6  Source of Life unit Life Relationships at school. 

The program offers an holistic approach within the context of Catholic teaching to topics such as: relationships, family, adolescence, puberty and reproduction. This session provides a wonderful opportunity for further discussions in the home between senior students and their parents / carers. Many thanks to all parents, carers and children who were able to attend this important evening and to our Deputy Principal Danae Napier for presenting the content is such a natural and informative manner. 

Working Bee - Sunday 6 October - 8:30am to 12:30pm

Parents / Carers ONLY please - NO Children to attend please.

A special Working Bee to attend to some cleaning up of garden beds and play areas for our children to enjoy safely in Term 4. 

Please bring: shovels, rakes, brooms, wheel barrows, gardening implements and gloves.

With NO children on site - this will not be a child related work  meaning parents / carers yet to complete volunteer applications are able to assist!

Come for an hour or more. We have some general gardening and tidying up to do before the start of Term Four.

Orima School Engagement Survey - Closed!

Thank you to the parents and carers who joined members of our Staff Team and learners from Year 4 to Year 6 in completing this annual survey. This survey will provide valuable feedback in support of ongoing school renewal and development. The survey is now closed and will be collated in preparation for analysis at the local level. I look forward to analysing the data (feedback) with our Executive Leadership Team, School Advisory Council and Staff Team, in light of our school experience, and providing an overview to the broader school community.

Sandhurst Arts on Show - Wednesday 18 & Thursday 19 September

It was a great pleasure for our school community to host the biennial CES Ltd Sandhurst Arts on Show for our local Catholic schools on Wednesday and Thursday of this week.

On Wednesday our Year 5/6 Learners participated in the day of rehearsal, dance and preparation for the daily 1:00pm concert. Given our focus on Performing Arts this year, our students were able to share numbers from our School Production along with learning some new material for Wednesday's concert. Visiting school and CESLtd staff were very complementary about our facilities and the welcome they received from our students and staff across the two days.

Last Day of Term Three - Footy Colours / Supporters Day:

Our learners and Staff Team enjoyed dressing in their supporters colours today for a bit of fun prior to the school holidays. In addition to the annual and traditional Year 6 v Staff Netball match, our children brought along COINS to donate to Catholic Mission, the Pope's international Mission agency in Australia. Catholic Missions partner with communities around the world to help them flourish by supporting grass roots projects, including healthcare, education and spiritual care.

Thank you for the generous donation of coins for this special fundraising effort.

Emergency Evacuation Drill:

Last Thursday we conducted our Term Three evacuation drill, along with learners and staff of the St Mel's Kindergarten. Once again, our children and Staff Team evacuated to our on-site Assembly Area calmly and quickly providing another rehearsal of an activity we will be well prepared for if ever there is a need. 

District Athletics - Term Four / Week One [REMINDER]

The children in Years 3 to 6 have commenced training for the annual local schools District Athletics to be held the first week back as follows:

            Tuesday 8th. October   -    Year 6

      Wednesday 9th. October   -    Year 5

        Thursday 10th. October   -    Year 4

             Friday 11th. October    -    Year 3

Regional Athletics will be held the following Monday 14th. October.

A reminder that Aths Week is re-arranged in the event of rainy weather.

Student Free Days 2024 [REPEAT]:

Please find following a list of our remaining allowable Student Free Days for 2024 to support your planning for child minding:

Term Three:             

             Friday 13 September       -    Mathematics Professional Learning

             Monday 16 September    -    Student Assessment Data Professional Learning

Term Four:

             Monday 4 November       -    Report Writing 

             Monday 18 November     -    Planning Day for 2025

             Thursday 19 December   -    First Aid Professional Learning for 2025 

             Friday 20 December         -    Last Day for Staff Team

Notes:   Based on the availability of facilitators, the September dates create a long weekend for 

               families. (A reminder - there were no Student Free days held in Term Two!)

              The last day for students for the 2024 school year is Wednesday 18 December.

I look forward to the start of Term Four on Monday 7th October after a safe, enjoyable and pleasant break from school routines. 

Best wishes to all our learners, parents, carers and staff members for the approaching school holiday break.

Stephen 'Steve' Hicks

Principal

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