Last Day for Canteen 2024 -

Friday 6th December

Dear Parents and Carers,

Prep 2025 Transition - Final Stages

Our Prep 2025 Transition program is in its final week, with our third and final Transition session to be held this Wednesday, 27th November, 9:00-10:30am. At this session, students will find out who their prep teacher is and their class name. In 2025, Sharon Sanna will be teaching Prep B and Nicole O'Sullivan will be teaching Prep G.

I want to express sincere gratitude to our St Simon's Parents' Association, who hosted our prep 2025 families with morning tea at all three sessions. We had a strong attendance of families, and it was heartening to see people chatting and connecting as part of the St Simon's Community spirit.

The final parent-focused Prep transition event will be the School Readiness Webinar with psychologist Carly McGauren. Prep 2025 families are encouraged to access the link via a recent email reminder.

End of Year events

As we come to the end of the year, please keep the following end-of-year celebrations in your calendars. It is an exciting and memorable time when we come together to celebrate achievements and learning whilst also farewelling families and staff. All families and members of the school community are invited to attend.

2024 Thanksgiving Mass Thursday 12th December @ 9:15am in the Church:

During this celebration we will:

Acknowledge any staff leaving or not returning in 2025
Acknowledge any returning or new staff for 2025
Acknowledge any families leaving St Simon's at the end of the year, i.e. the youngest child in the family is in Year 6, or a family that is moving to another school.
Acknowledge volunteers in SAC members, Parents' Association, Canteen
Performing the “Passing on the light” ceremony - All Year 5 and Year 6 students

2024 Final Assembly Tuesday 17th December @ 9:00am in the Hall

During this celebration, we will:

Presentation of various Community based awards
Acknowledge of all Year 6 Awards presented at Graduation Mass
Formal farewell to leaving staff, inc right of reply speeches
Announce Student Leaders for 2025- 8 Action Teams

Thank you to our school advisory council and Parents’ Association for another successful year supporting our school through community engagement, feedback and fundraising.

I am excited to announce that our much-anticipated upgrade to the prep playground will take place in the weeks of February next year.

Key dates for the start of 2025.

To assist with your household planning for the beginning of the school year, please note the following 2025 dates for Term 1.

Term 1 Dates: Tuesday 28th January to Friday 4th April

Tuesday 28th January: Staff Return (No students)
Wednesday 29th January: Meet and Greet Session ( by appointment with your child's classroom teacher), Prep Assessment session (by appointment for current families with a 2025 prep child)
Thursday 30th January: Yrs 1- 6 Students return
Friday 31st January: Preps' First Day of School

Term 1 School Closure Days

Friday 28th February: Professional Learning - Literacy
Tuesday 11th March: School Review Staff Workshop Day

Term 2 School Closure Days

Monday 28th April: School Closure Day

Season of Advent: Liturgies at St Simon’s

The season of Advent begins this Sunday. This is a time in our church calendar when we prepare for the birth of Jesus, ultimately celebrated on Christmas Day.

In the lead-up to Christmas, the four Sundays prior are marked as days to celebrate the Advent season. At St Simon’s School, we celebrate and enter into the spirit of Advent through four student-led liturgies during the final weeks of the school term.

On Monday, 2nd December, our Prep students will lead the whole in the 1st Sunday Advent Liturgy. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Monday 9th December
Friday 13th December
Monday 16th December

All members of our school community are encouraged to attend and join the students at these liturgies as this forms part of our end-of-year Christmas celebrations.

Staffing

I would like to inform the community that Philly Tarlinton, Year 4 Classroom Teacher and Co-Learning Leader, has indicated that she will be leaving St Simon's at the end of the 2024 year. Philly has taken up a classroom teaching position at The Knox School. Our end-of-year events and celebrations will allow us to acknowledge Philly's contribution to our St Simon's School Community.

ALL OUTSTANDING SCHOOL FEES are now DUE

(unless you are on a payment plan).

Please contact the school office to finalise any outstanding balances.

St Simon’s Socials

Check in with Facebook and Instagram channels to see some of the latest activities within our St Simon’s community.

Denise Do	Mary Reilly	Jayda Dragwidge	Liam Fernando
Patrick Helmore	Elsa Etaatgar	Ruby McCallum	William McCallum
Addison Baker	Kaiden Theophilus	Yoshane Amaratunga	Vivian Dennis
Glen Raqauqau	Hannah Papp-Meade	Lucas Fryer

Birthdays