Welcome to the 2026 School Year

Dear Families,

On behalf of the SoGS staff, I would like to officially welcome you to the 2026 school year. It has been wonderful to welcome students and to share in the joy of celebrating our community being together once again.

The beginning of the school year brings with it a multitude of emotions, and I want to thank families for all the ways you continue to support your children as they get back into the swing of things. A special shoutout to our brand new Preps who are doing the most amazing job of learning all about life at School of the Good Shepherd.

Year of St. Francis of Assisi

Pope Leo XIV has proclaimed a special year of St. Francis of Assisi to mark the 800th anniversary of the saint's death in 1226. St. Francis of Assisi lived a life of humility, compassion and deep love for all of God’s creation. He chose simplicity over wealth and service over status, reminding the world that true joy is found in caring for others, especially the poor and vulnerable.

His legacy calls us to live with kindness, to seek peace, to respect the dignity of every person, and to be responsible stewards of our world. Through our words and actions, we are invited to follow his example by building a community grounded in love, respect and care for one another. These values align closely with our school’s commitment to belonging, growth and compassion, and throughout 2026, we will continue to develop our understanding of what these values mean to us as a community.

Exciting news

I am thrilled to share that our 2A classroom Teacher, Mrs G, is expecting a baby! We wish Melissa and her husband Aki all the very best and pray for her at this exciting time.

MACS Vision for Engagement and Student Behaviour Management Framework

In June, 2025, Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) published its Vision for Engagement, a system-wide roadmap to optimising classrooms and schools for learning, to support the teaching approach and content in our classrooms.

We are sharing the short guide to the Vision for Engagement (linked below) to support our community's understanding of how this evidence-informed and authentically Catholic commitment to student learning and wellbeing for learning impacts teachers and students at School of the Good Shepherd. At its core, it is about nurturing calm, respectful and inclusive classrooms and environments in which every student can thrive academically, socially, emotionally and spiritually. The Vision for Engagement has informed our updated Student Behaviour Management Framework, which is also shared below.

It is important that all teachers, students and families are aware of our approach to behaviour management, so that students hear clear, consistent messages about our expectations and the importance of embodying our school values of belonging, compassion and growth at all times.

We have started the school year with a whole-school focus, "IT STARTS WITH ME". Through explicitly planned lessons covering topics including our school values, our school rules, accountability, problem solving skills and resilience, teachers have set very clear expectations for behaviour both in the classroom and in other areas of the school, with the shared goal of creating and maintaining environments where every child has the opportunity to flourish.

The Leadership Team has spent time speaking to each year level, explaining the warning system and the Shepherd Shoutout reward system that will be implemented this year. While it is important to address behaviours that are having a negative impact on student learning and/or wellbeing, it is just as important to acknowledge those behaviours that exemplify our school values. Positive reinforcement is an effective strategy for changing behaviours and supporting students to understand the importance of working together to create an environment in which all of us feel safe and happy.

Summary of process when a fourth warning is given to a student:

The student is informed that they are receiving a fourth warning and they will be Off Yard for half of lunch the following day
A leader will send an email to parents/guardians to inform them of the Off Yard consequence
The student attends the Off Yard consequence with a leader during the first half of lunch, where they will complete a worksheet designed to help them reflect on their behaviour- a copy of this will come home to support parents/guardians with conversations regarding behaviour

Please note the following important information:

In the event of a serious breach of the school rules that impacts student safety or wellbeing:

the student will be removed from the classroom
the student will speak to a school leader immediately
the parent/guardian will be contacted
the student will attend an Off Yard Consequence the following day

Examples of serious breaches of school rules:

Intentionally hitting, kicking, or injuring others
Threatening or intimidating others
Deliberately damaging school property
Swearing or using discriminatory language online or in person during school hours
Refusing to follow instructions in a way that disrupts safety or learning

If a student receives three Off Yard Consequences in one term, parents/guardians will be asked to attend a meeting with a member of the Student Engagement Team to discuss the process of implementing a Student Behaviour Support Plan.

We appreciate your support as we work together to ensure students are happy, safe and have the opportunity to learn, play and grow in environments that support their wellbeing.

I wish each and every one of you all the very best for the year ahead,

Elizabeth Sarpa

Parish News