From the Principal
Reminder: School Closure Day
Tuesday 11th March
School Review Workshop with Whole Staff
Dear Parents and Carers
Season of Lent: Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday
As we begin the season of Lent, we invite our school and faith community to reflect on the meaning of this important time in the Church calendar. Lent is a season of preparation, where we grow closer to God through prayer, fasting, and acts of kindness. It is a time to renew our hearts and minds, making space for spiritual growth.
Before Lent begins, we celebrate Shrove Tuesday, a day known for its fun tradition of pancake making. This Tuesday many of students were able to participate in preparation and eatting of a pancake (or piklet) in the classroom marking this part of our catholic tradition. It’s a time to enjoy simple pleasures before the more serious reflection of Lent starts. This tradition has roots in the need to use up “rich foods” like eggs and butter before the fasting period of Lent.
On Tuesday there will be a “Burning of the Palms” liturgy where the ash used for Ash Wednesday is produced. This will be led by Fr Jerald and Year 6 students, and is a short but powerful liturgy that helps us understand the significance of using ashes to start the Season of Lent.
This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, a special day when we receive ashes on our foreheads as a symbol of repentance and humility. It marks the beginning of the 40-day journey to Easter, where we remember Jesus' time in the desert.
We encourage families to take this opportunity to reflect together on the importance of Lent and how we can grow in faith, love, and kindness during this special season. May it be a time of renewal for us all.
St Simon’s Parents' Association 2025
Our Parents’ Association (PA) is more than just a group—it’s a community of faith, friendship, and support that enriches the students' school experience. By coming together, we strengthen our school and our shared values and faith.
The PA plays a vital role in organising events, fundraising, and supporting school initiatives, all of which help create a warm and welcoming environment for our children to learn and grow. Through our collective efforts, we can lead by example, showing our children the importance of service, generosity, and faith in action.
As a way of getting to know our Parents’ Association members, please check out a special welcome and profile section in this newsletter. The intention is to try and break through the barriers of busyness and being time-poor many families experience, and offer some details of the parents association members so that we can further building connections and community. Please take some time to read.
Getting involved in the PA is a fantastic way to meet other families, build lasting friendships, and deepen our connection to our school’s faith community. Whether you can spare a little time or a lot, your contribution makes a difference!
School Review
Every four years all catholic schools in Victoria undergo a school review process that is part of a continual focus on school improvement. The process also focuses on ensuring we are compliant with the many frameworks, regulations and legal structures required to operate as a registered school.
Throughout this year, staff will be collecting evidence and reflecting on data to determine
In the past, when families have participated in the MACSSIS (Melbourne Archdioese Catholic Schools School Improvement Survey), this data is used as part of our school improvement reflection. The surveys are implemented usually in Term 3 of each school year and are available to school families to respond.
The School review process work takes place throughout the year, with some of the core work taking place on Tuesday, 11th March, when we have school closure day. During this time, staff will work through a process of reflection and evidence collection relevent to our school improvement
Prep 2026 Enrolment and School Tours
School Tours are available for prospective families interested in joining our St Simon’s Community! Our best form of marketing is word of mouth so you have friends and\or family in the area who have preschool-aged children, please encourage them to get in touch with us to organise a school tour.
The Prep 2026 Parent Information Night will be held on Wednesday 7th May at 7pm in the School Library
Year 6 Student Leaders Conference
This week the Year Six student action leaders attended the GRIP Leadership Conference on Tuesday 4th March. Click here for all the details.
NAPLAN 2025
Please click here to find out more about NAPLAN assessments for Years 3 and 5 students. The NAPLAN assessment period commences next week on Wednesday, 12th March.
School Canteen returns THIS WEEK Friday 7th March
Our Friday school canteen is something that students and families enjoy and value, and we look forward to the service returning on Friday, 7th March. Our canteen exists because of the generosity and commitment of parent and family volunteers, for which we are very grateful. To get involved, please click here.
St Simon’s Staff and Contact details
A complete staff list including roles and position for 2025 is available through the newsletter each week by going to Staff Contacts and the General Information section
St Simon’s Socials
Check-in with Facebook and Instagram channels to see some of the latest activities within our St Simon’s community.