St Roch’s School theme 2026:

"United in Faith, Sharing the Light"

Dear Families,

Welcome to Issue 1 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.

As we launched into this year, we introduced our school-wide theme: "United in Faith, Sharing the Light." It has been a joy to watch this theme come to life immediately in our hallways and classrooms.

To "shine our light" isn't just about being "good" or "bright"—it’s about discovering the specific gifts and talents that each child brings to our community.

This week, we are seeing these lights flickering on in beautiful ways:

The Gift of Compassion: I watched students help younger students find their classroom with a smile.
The Talent of Curiosity: I heard incredible, "out-of-the-box" questions in our classrooms.
The Gift of Leadership: I saw students stepping up to organise games at recess and include those standing on the sidelines.

We believe that every child is a "light-bearer." Some lights are bold and neon; others are soft, steady, and warm. Our goal this year is to help every student identify their unique talents so they can use them to brighten the world around them.

Quotes from our new Prep students:

Our Preps have so much to share already and here are their quotes of the day answering Nadine Bolton's question: "What did you like most about your first day of school?"

Alaska - I like playing with my buddy Matilda and I liked colouring in a unicorn.

Ellie - I liked buddy time.

Divyanka - I liked playing with my buddy at playtime.

Silvia - I liked playing on the playground. I like my new friends.

Molly - I liked playing with my big cousins and my buddy, Olivia.

Teddy - I liked playing in the sandpit.

Thanasi - I liked watching my buddies play on the tennis courts. I brought them their tennis balls.

Georgie - I like my buddy.

Remi - I liked playing with my buddy George.

Max - I liked playing with my buddy Mia in the sandpit. I made some paper dolls.

Hudson - I liked colouring in a cat.

Zelie - I liked playing in the kitchen.

Lucy - I liked being outside with my big sister Scarlett.

Sadie - My favourite thing on the first day was playing in the kitchen. Some people were making food for Miss Granland with soap.

Noah - I liked playing with toys. I liked playing in the kitchen and reading books. I like playing with a Mario van.

Emily - I liked playing with my buddy Harper on the playground.

Jackson - I liked playing football. I liked school so much that I couldn’t wait to come back today.

Theodore - I liked seeing my buddy, Luka.

Ana-Rose - I loved everything about school!

Isabella - I liked going outside with my buddy, Harper.

Sebastian - I liked drawing in my book.

Catholic Education Week Creative Arts Exhibition

We are very excited to announce that three of our students Grace Colliver, Harper Connellan and Matilda Stubbs have had their artwork selected for submission into the 2026 Catholic Education Creative Arts Exhibition. These students have shown great effort, creativity and persistence in developing their art pieces.

We would like to congratulate Grace Colliver in Year 6 for her craft wire self portrait.

We would like to congratulate Harper Connellan, Grace Colliver and Matilda Stubbs for their art works titled 'Leaves of Country.'

The Catholic Education Week Creative Arts Exhibition is a celebration of the vibrant creativity within our Catholic school communities. Through visual art, students are given the opportunity to share their stories, express their faith, and explore the beauty of the world around them.

Adhering to Child Safety and Security

Our commitment to Child Safety and ensuring the wellbeing of every student is our highest priority. To enhance our security measures and ensure we remain fully Child Safety Compliant during school hours, we have implemented important changes to our gate procedures.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we introduce these necessary steps to keep all students safe throughout the school day.

Key Changes to Access Procedures

To maintain a secure school environment, the following changes are now in effect:

Perimeter Gates (Glenvale and Valency Roads) will be locked from 9:15 am until 3:00 pm.
The only entry point during these hours will be via the Reception Gate on Glenvale Road.
Should you need to enter the school between 9:15 am and 3:00 pm, please use the Reception Gate.

Security Note

Please be reminded that, as per safety regulations, CCTV cameras are in operation across the school grounds to monitor activity and ensure the safety of our students and staff.

Thank you for helping us maintain a safe and secure environment for all our learners.

Student Leaders for 2026

We look forward to the leadership of these students in 2026 and acknowledging them at our 'Tune in Tuesday' Morning Greeting tomorrow morning at 8.45am in the playground. All families are welcome. We would love to see you there!

School Term Dates 2026

Term 1: Friday, 30 January – Thursday, 2 April 2026 at 1.00pm

Term 2: Monday 20 April – Friday 26 June 2026 at 1.00pm

Term 3: Monday 13 July – Friday 18 September 2026 at 1.00pm

Term 4: Monday 5 October – Tuesday, 15 December 2026 at 1.00pm

Student Free Days 2026

Term 2: Friday, 24 April 2026

Tuesday, 9 June 2026

Term 3: Monday, 10 August 2026

Monday 14 September 2026

Term 4: Monday, 2 November 2026

Monday 30 November 2026

Welcome to 2026 Parent Social Evening in the St Roch's Hall 7.30pm

The date will be Friday 13 February 2026 at 7.30pm in our school hall.

We hope many of you can make this evening where parents can connect and get to know each other.

SAVE THE DATE: FRIDAY 13 FEBRUARY 2026 @ 7.30pm

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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