From the Principal
Dear Parents and Caregivers,
The countdown to the end of the year is here as we wrap up a year of learning for our students.
A big thank you to our wonderful Parents' Association for outstanding effort in building our sense of community, as well as the fundraising activities throughout the year. As we wrap up for 2025, perhaps during your summer holiday reflection, you might like to consider how you can be involved with the PA in 2026. Click here for more details.
Office News
Please visit the Office page of the newsletter for important information about school fees, uniform shop trading hours and school hats.
Prep 2026 Transition
The 2026 Prep Transition Program has now concluded with all our newest students showing lots of signs of excitement and a few nerves at the idea of starting their primary school journey. Further information will be shared directly with 2026 prep families regarding scheduling appointments for the Prep Assessment days, held on Wednesdays throughout February. In the meantime, we look forward to welcoming our prep students next year on Friday, 30th January 2026!
Season of Advent - All Welcome to Attend
As we move toward the season of Advent, I warmly invite all families to join us for our School Advent Liturgies, with the next opportunity happening on Monday, 8th December at 2:30 pm in the church. These gatherings provide a special opportunity to pause, reflect and prepare together for the coming of Christmas.
Thank you to our dedicated staff, families and students for continuing to contribute to the rich life of our school.
Changes from Operoo to nForma
At the end of this year, the St Simon's School community will no longer use Operoo as one of the key communication platforms. Instead, we will transition to nForma, which will become our primary platform for online parent communication.
Parents are already familiar with nForma as the system used to access student reports. In addition to reports, parents will now be able to access important information such as medical forms, permission slips, excursion details, school notices and newsletters. Notifications will also be shared directly through the platform.
We are currently working behind the scenes to ensure all student details are transferred from Operoo to nForma, including any up-to-date medical information. This will be transferred over the January break. When we return to school in the new year we will ask you to check that all the information is there, and if not to update as required. For students who require updated medical forms or action plans, these will need to be uploaded directly into nForma.
Parents can log in to nForma using the exact login details currently used to access their child’s school reports.
School Reports: Semester 2
The Semester 2 report for each student will be available for download from Friday, 5th December, via the Nforma Parent Portal. Please look out for announcements via Audiri and email notifications.
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.
2025 Thanksgiving Mass Thursday 11th December @ 9:15am in the Church:
During this celebration, we will:
- Acknowledge any staff leaving or not returning in 2026
- Acknowledge any returning or new staff for 2026
- 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
2025 Final Assembly Tuesday 16th December @ 9:00am in the Hall
During this celebration, we will:
- Present various community-based awards
- Acknowledgement of all Year 6 Awards presented at Graduation Mass
- Formal farewell to leaving staff, including "right of reply" speeches
- Announce Student Leaders for 2026
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 2026.
To assist with your household planning for the beginning of the school year, please note the following 2026 dates for Term 1.
Term 1 Dates: Tuesday 27th January to Thursday 2nd April
- Tuesday 27th January: Staff Return (No students)
- Wednesday 28th January: Meet and Greet Session ( by appointment with your child's classroom teacher), Prep Assessment session (by appointment for current families with a 2026 prep child)
- Thursday 29th January: Yrs 1- 6 Students return
- Friday 30th January: Preps' First Day of School
