Dear Families,

Congratulations to Tahlia and Tom!

We are thrilled to share the wonderful news that Tahlia and her partner Tom have welcomed their first child, Quinn! Baby Quinn arrived safely on the 12th of May and both mum and baby are doing well. We wish Tahlia, Tom and little Quinn a lifetime filled with love, joy and happiness.

Congratulations also to Kelly and William Herring and family on the safe arrival of baby Zoe, a sister for Camille (3/4S) and Ezra (1/2D). May baby Zoe fill your lives with sunshine and your hearts with joy.

It’s been a vibrant and joy-filled start to Term 2 here at St Michael’s - there truly is never a dull moment!

Last week, we had the pleasure of celebrating Mother’s Day with a beautiful morning spent in classrooms, where children and their special guests enjoyed a variety of engaging and creative activities together. This was followed by a lovely morning tea and a heartwarming performance by our school choir - there may have even been a few happy tears!

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who took time out of their busy schedules to join us and to celebrate not only mothers, but all those who care for and nurture our children. Special thanks also go to the wonderful team of parents who organised and ran the Mother’s Day stall, and to our dedicated staff for planning the classroom activities, preparing the morning tea and supporting the choir performance. Your time, effort, and generosity are truly appreciated and do not go unnoticed.

Following our wonderful Mother’s Day celebration, we continued the excitement on Monday with our vibrant Japan Day!

The day was filled with rich cultural experiences designed to celebrate Japanese culture and connect with the learning students are doing in their Japanese lessons.

A clear highlight was the taiko drumming performance, which had everyone captivated, and many students also thoroughly enjoyed tasting a traditional Japanese noodle lunch, “yakisoba.”

We were honoured to welcome Ms Natsuko Harada-Miguchi, Deputy Consul-General of the Consulate General of Japan in Melbourne. After her visit, she shared this message with us:

“We are very grateful for this opportunity in your school to be exposed to the Japanese language and culture from an early age. As I mentioned, learning about other cultures is important because it also enables children to understand their own culture. We would also be delighted if the children developed an interest in Japan and played a part in fostering the Australia–Japan relationship.”

We extend our sincere thanks to Pippa Sensei for her outstanding work in organising such a memorable and meaningful day for our school community.

Professional Learning Days – Monday, 5th & Tuesday, 6th May

On our recent school closure days, staff engaged in important and meaningful professional learning to strengthen teaching practices and improve student outcomes.

On the first day, teachers reviewed our approach to teaching and learning in line with the Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) Vision for Instruction, with a focus on Mathematics, Reading, and Writing.

Each year level team has now begun a Teaching Sprint - a short, focused block of professional learning (about 5–6 weeks), where teachers work together to make small, research-based improvements to their teaching. These sprints are designed to help students better recall and apply what they’ve previously learned. Teachers are collecting data before and after each sprint to track progress and ensure the strategies are making a real difference in the classroom.

The following three goals, included in our School's Annual Action Plan for 2025, focus on improving Literacy and Mathematics. These are the areas our Learning Sprints will focus on in Term 2.

Goal 1: Mathematics

To improve student achievement in mathematics, particularly in multiplication in Years 5 and 6.

Goal 2: Mathematics

To improve student achievement in mathematics, focusing on fluency in counting and place value by the end of Years 1 and 2.

GOAL 3: Literacy

To improve student achievement in writing, particularly in sentence structure and punctuation in Years 3 and 4.

On the second day of professional learning, our focus turned to preparing for our upcoming School Review, 2025. As a staff, we reflected on all key areas of school life -Religious Education, Learning & Teaching, Leadership & Management, Wellbeing, and Community Engagement.

We identified both our strengths and the areas where we can continue to grow. This valuable information will be shared with the external reviewer, who will be visiting St Michael’s later this month as part of the review process.

Overall, both professional learning days were a valuable opportunity for our team to reflect, refine our practices, and plan for the future, ensuring we continue to offer the best possible learning environment for our students.

Building Project

We’re excited to share that our building project has received full approval and is scheduled to begin on June 11. The construction company ARC3 has been awarded the project and is currently in the preparation phase.

While there will be some disruption to normal school routines, we are planning ahead to minimise the impact and ensure that our learning programs continue as smoothly as possible.

I will keep you regularly updated on the progress of the works and will let you know of any changes that may affect day-to-day school life.

This is a very exciting time for St Michael’s, as we continue to upgrade our facilities to support the growing demand for enrolments and provide the best possible environment for our students.

LIBRARY UPDATE

To assist in facilitating the moving of our library resources to clear our current library space for the building project, there will be no borrowing next week, Monday, 19th to Friday, 23rd May.

Learning Support Officer Appreciation Day 16 May,

We’re incredibly fortunate to have a dedicated team of Learning Support Officers (LSOs) who work alongside our teachers each day to support your children’s learning and social-emotional wellbeing. Their care, patience, and commitment make a real difference in helping students feel confident, included, and supported. We encourage you to join us in recognising and valuing the important role they play in your child’s school journey.

Punctuality Plus

Congratulations to Year 3/4S for having the lowest number of children arrive at school after 8:50am this week. Thank you to all the families who have worked hard to have their children arrive on time. As a reward, 3/4S will enjoy a special treat and some extra play time this afternoon.

Let's see who will take out the prize next week, the challenge is on!

Winter Uniform

This is a reminder to all families that black school shoes are a compulsory part of our Winter school uniform. Runners can only be worn on sports days. I ask families to ensure their children are wearing the correct uniform and shoes each day.

Prep 2026 Enrolment

Our Prep enrolments are filling quickly! One class is already full, and places in the second class are now being taken. If you have a child, starting school next year, please complete the online enrolment form as soon as possible to ensure you don’t miss out on a place. We look forward to welcoming your family to St Michael’s!

School Advisory Council Meeting

Our School Advisory Council meets next Thursday. If you have issues or comments you would like discussed at the meeting, please contact one of the SAC members so that we can add them to the agenda. You will find their names and details on the School Advisory Council page of this newsletter.

Denise Hussey

(Principal)

'The most simple thing I can do is to be good today but better tomorrow'

Catherine McAuley - Mercy Sisters Foundress

All students attending St Michael's Primary School have the right to feel safe. The care, safety and wellbeing of children and young people is a fundamental responsibility of all within our school.

Extracurricular Activities