St Roch’s School theme 2026:

"United in Faith, Sharing the Light"

Dear Families,

Welcome to Issue 9 for 2026 of our iNewsletter! We hope this newsletter continues to keep you up to date with all the news, events and learning that happens at St Roch's.

Staff Formation Day

Our staff were fortunate to attend a whole day of professional learning yesterday building our Faith Formation. We joined with the staff from St Mary's East Malvern and St Joseph's Malvern as part of Malvern, Malvern East and Glen Iris Parishes. This day was led by Father Gallacher and coordinated by the three Religious Education Leaders from each school, with Louise Bolton supporting us all throughout the day. Father Gallacher opened the day and directed the sessions with an outstanding Q&A at the end of the day. The sessions were presented by our seminarians Anthony Wright, Patrick Harris part of the Melbourne Oratory -St Philip Neri. Kyle Hoad from Melbourne Archdiocese of Catholic Schools presented the new Religious Education curriculum.

We thank everyone for the beautiful and deeply moving sessions. This reflective and spiritual experience allowed us to pause, breathe and reconnect with our inner purpose as educators of your children. We were reminded of what truly matters leaving the day feeling lighter, more grounded and deeply inspired. Our sessions included valuable information and insights. Below is a snapshot of the day:

The Life of St Philip Neri by Anthony

Father Gallacher was inspired by the life of St Philip Neri to begin the Melbourne Oratory here in the Parishes of Malvern, Malvern East and Glen Iris. After five years of discussions and preparations the Archbishop approved the establishment of this Oratory in Melbourne, the second in Australia.

Known as the patron saint of joy and laughter, St. Philip Neri taught that living a virtuous life brings true happiness and demonstrated how to live Christ's teachings within one's own age and culture. His mission as a teacher was driven by a responsibility to share goodness, he founded the Oratory—a community centered on prayer, joyful pilgrimages and the promotion of love and virtue.

Prayer by Patrick

This session on prayer deeply explored what it truly means to be human and how we connect with our God. Reflecting on the truth that we are uniquely made in the image and likeness of God, the session highlighted that humans possess both a body and a soul. It is this divine soul that gifts us with an intellect and a free will, profound attributes that set us apart from the animal kingdom and call us to freely meet God through prayer. Ultimately, we learned that while the world is full of noise, God speaks the profound language of silence, inviting us to quiet our minds and hearts so that we can draw closer to Him in deep, personal relationship.

The Religious Education Curriculum

The new Religious Education curriculum being developed by Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) is designed to comprehensively support teachers while directly meeting the modern needs of our students. This coherent curriculum proposes a meaningful reason for our life through the joyful, charismatic sharing of the story of Jesus Christ. The curriculum equips teachers to engage contemporary students in a vibrant, relevant dialogue that makes the Catholic faith an attractive and foundational anchor for their lives.

Congratulations to all who participated at Cross Country!

Mrs King and all of us are extremely proud of all students who competed at the Division Cross Country event. Thank you to Mr Pinchbeck and Mrs King who trained all of the children at various stages and to the parents who cheered loudly from the sidelines as well as all of our staff who attended and supported the events and training.

Well done to Amelia, Oscar, Matthew, Tabi and Charlotte!!

Year Prep Assembly

A huge thank you to our wonderful Prep students for an absolutely outstanding assembly last Friday! It was a joy to see the students confidently share their incredible Talk for Writing work, beautifully demonstrating how storytelling, actions and hard work are helping them become such talented writers, not to mention their ability to remember their lines. Their enthusiasm, vibrant energy and impressive skills captivated us all! We could not be prouder of how much they have grown and how beautifully they expressed their creativity. They are certainly on their way to becoming master storytellers!

Thank you Alex Granland for her commitment to the Prep students and her excellent teaching, as well as Nicolle Briglia and Mia McHarg-McKenzie who work with Alex to support our Prep students achieve such amazing academic results.

First Holy Communion for Year 4

The Year 4 students attended their Retreat Day today led by Louise Bolton, Teresa Hogan and Father Gallacher. A beautiful experience for these students and we look forward to celebrating Mass with these students and students within the Parish on Sunday 15 June at 12.00pm. They will receive their First Holy Communion for the very first time. A special moment in their faith journey. We wish them and their families all the very best.

Little Roch Stars

St Roch's P&F Trivia Night Friday 31 July 2026

DONATIONS NEEDED FOR ST ROCH'S TRIVIA NIGHT!

Help Us Create an Amazing Silent Auction!!!

We are looking for prizes, vouchers, experiences, products and services to include in our Trivia Night Silent Auction.

Every donation helps raise valuable funds for our school community and makes the night even more exciting for our guests.

We Would Love Donations Such As:

Event or entertainment tickets
Restaurant or café vouchers
Retail gift cards
Beauty, wellness or fitness packages
Family activities and experiences
Hampers and specialty products
Goods, services or unique experiences

To Donate a Prize

Please email prize details to Jessica Mount jgmount@hotmail.com

Thank You for Your Generosity!

Together, we can make St Roch's Trivia Night a fantastic community event.

St Roch’s Community Catch-Up: Past & Present!

It takes a village and we happen to think the St Roch’s village is the absolute best.

A special message on behalf of Dave Sheehy to invite all past and current parents or anyone with a connection to St Rochs (including teachers) to attend this evening.

Bringing together our wonderful community for a casual social night! Whether your kids are currently in uniform, graduated years ago, or you used to teach at the school, you are warmly invited. There’s no agenda other than enjoying each other’s company, sharing a few stories and having a great night out.

Teeth on Wheels

This is a friendly reminder that Teeth On Wheels will be visiting our school for dental check-ups starting on July 20th 2026.

Early dental visits are crucial for your child’s long-term oral health. At this visit, Teeth On Wheels will help identify and address common dental concerns, such as:

Thumb-sucking– which can affect tooth development.
Teeth eruption– ensuring teeth are coming through correctly.
Bite issues– preventing misalignments that may cause future problems.
Hypoplasia– weakened tooth enamel that can lead to decay.
Decay and cavities – catching early signs before they develop into bigger issues.
Deep grooves and pits– which can trap food and bacteria, increasing the risk of decay.
Gum infections– preventing long-term damage to gums and surrounding tissue.

To ensure your child is part of this visit, please complete the consent form by clicking the link below:

Complete Consent Form HERE!

Once completed, the Teeth On Wheels team will Check your child’s eligibility for FREE care under the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS). If your child is not eligible, Teeth On Wheels is offering a special deal of $125 for a full check-up, clean, fluoride treatment, and any required x-rays (which can be claimed through your private health insurance).

Important: The cut-off date for completing your child’s form is July 13th 2026.

If you have any further questions, feel free to contact the Teeth On Wheels team at (03) 9338 1191.

Thank you for prioritising your child’s oral health!

PARENT/TEACHER/STUDENT CONFERENCES -

TUESDAY 16 JUNE FROM 1.30pm until 6.30pm.

Students will be dismised at 1.00pm to enable staff to be present for these conferences.

The Hall doors will open at 1.30pm for the beginning of the conferences. MACSEYE will be available book your child in during this time.

As we cross the midpoint of the academic year, the release of Semester 1 reports offers a valuable moment to reflect on your child’s achievements and areas for growth. These reports serve as a vital blueprint for the upcoming months which is why we highly encourage all parents to attend these upcoming Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences.

Our Semester 1 reports will be available to families on Monday 15 June at 4.00pm.

Please read today's a notice from nForma to book in for our upcoming Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences. These meetings are a wonderful opportunity to discuss your child’s progress and achievements and collaborate on ways to support their learning moving forward.

Please note that students are expected to attend the final moments of the conference to share their personal goals for Semester 2. This ensures they are an active part of the conversation and deeply invested in their own learning journey. Students can wait in the allocated seats whilst their parents begin the interview with the Classroom Teachers in the Hall.

Condolences

Our thoughts and prayers are with Maria Porto and her family on the sudden death of her father. May the wonderful memories of their loved one comfort them during this time of loss and sadness.

Inform & Empower - Session: Raising Kids in a Digital World - Wednesday 10 June at 7.00pm in the Hall by Marty McGauran & Carley McGauran

We look forward to seeing many parents at this presentation this evening.

A video invitation from Marty & Carley: vimeo.com/1034366431

Parent registration link: rsvp.informandempower.com.au

In this ever changing digital world, we take digital safety very serious and need to prepare our students, your children for the future.

Please register for this important event at St Roch's Hall tonight! All are welcome!!

Warmest regards,

Angie Mastoras

Principal

All students attending St Roch's Parish 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.

We acknowledge the Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri people, the Traditional Owners of the land on which we meet today, and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.

St Roch’s Parish Primary School

Glenvale Road, Glen Iris 3146

Telephone: 9885 7704

Email: principal@srgleniris.catholic.edu.au

Website: www.srgleniris.catholic.edu.au

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