Principal's Report
Dear Parents,
This week we held the first of our Prep 2025 orientation sessions. My thanks to Miss Stephanie Murnane, Mrs Emily Thorley and Miss Nikahla Short our 2025 prep teachers for their work already in this space. Special thanks to the many staff who have supported the students on the orientation days, we had a wonderful morning getting to know each other.
Our final Prep orientation session is scheduled for:
26th November - Prep 2025 Orientaton Session #2
School Fees for 2025
In 2025, we will be introducing an Annual Capital Fee per family to help cover the costs of our current school building loans. The School Advisory Council (SAC) has approved a fee of $250 per family, effective from 2025. This new annual charge will be billed with the Term 1 invoice. The Capital Fee will be reviewed by the SAC every three years, considering factors such as projected student enrolments and the school’s financial outlook. It is anticipated that the fee will increase by approximately $40 per year over the next three years. The SAC will conduct another review of the fee structure at the end of the three-year period.
The completion of this building project provided the space required to facilitate the growth of the school and increased enrolments over the past 3 years, resulting in the record number of students enrolled in 2025 in 21 classes between Prep to Grade 6.
The building project completed in 2022 had a total cost of $3.4 million, with half of the funding provided by the government and the remaining half covered by a 15-year, interest-free loan from the Catholic Development Fund. To maintain the interest subsidy on this loan, repayments must be made on time, and the Capital Fee will be used to cover a portion of these repayments, in accordance with the guidelines set by the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne.
Please see below our 2025 school fee letter.
Enrolments for 2025
If your family/child is not returning to St. Patrick's in 2025 can I please request that you contact me via the office on 9583 5033 or alternatively on principal@spmentone.catholic.edu.au so we can accurately plan for the 2025 school year.
Class Placements 2025
The staff have begun the very important job of placing students in their 2025 classes. Please note that we are unable to take specific requests from parents for the placement of their child as this would make a very difficult job even harder, as well as undermine the work currently undertaken by class teachers.
Our process involves the students making a list of 5 people in their year level they would like to be in a class with, and then the teachers, on balance, create the class lists. We endeavour to have at least 2 friends from students lists in their new classes. All lists of 5 are recorded digitally for accuracy.
Considerations to be taken by the staff across the 3 year level classes include: gender balance, academic balance, social and emotional needs balance, friendships and clashes of personalities. No class list is going to be perfect, and it is important that we encourage our children (and parents) to develop resilience around this.
Junior Athletics Day
Tomorrow is our annual Junior Athletics Day, which will be from 9am to 11am. All families are most welocme to attend and can view the events from the center of the grass oval. All junior students are expected to wear their full summer sports uniform for this day (including School Hat).
School Advisory Council
If you are interested in joining our School Advisory Council in 2025, I encourage you to contact me via the school office ASAP. We currently have 2 places available for our next 3 year cycle.
Once in a life time opportunity!
Have you ever wanted to own a piece of history? If your answer is yes, then look no further! We are selling our main props from the school production at the unbelievable bargain price of $50 each (Donation to the P & F). Below are the listed items, first in - first served. No holds, take ASAP! The 3 items include the Stingray Bike, Whale, and a spare large yellow tricycle (Adult size).
Upcoming School Closure Days
Monday 25th November - School Closure Day for Staff Professional Development and 2025 planning.
2025 Stationery Orders
Please refer to the Deputy Principal Page for a change in process to our 2025 Stationery orders.
School Calendar
Please use the following Google link to add the school calendar to your own calendar for ease of information exchange. School Google Calendar HERE.
God Bless,
Pat Berlingeri
Principal