From Our Principal

St Mel's is a proud Catholic Education Community, striving, learning

and achieving together through Christ our light.

Newsletter ~ Term 3, Week 8, 2024

Principal's Message:

Dear Parents, Carers, Families and Friends of St Mel’s Primary School,

Weekend / After School Sports & Activities:

Congratulations to our students involved in a range of weekend and after school sports and activities from soccer and netball, through singing & dance, taekwondo & judo to playing musical instruments. It is always exciting to hear of our student's achievements in whatever 'extra-curricula activities' they engage in. We have soccer players and netballers in finals and Grand Finals at this time. Best wishes to you all.

We also congratulate members of our Staff Team for their achievements in sports and out of school activities. It was wonderful to hear Year 3/4 teacher (and past pupil of St. Mel's), Lauren Calder win the Piccola & District Football Netball League C-Res Best & Fairest medal earlier this week. Lauren's Katandra netball side plays in the PDFNL Grand Final this weekend!

2024 VRQA Review Validation Day:

Yesterday we hosted a visit from the external reviewer as part of this significant School Review process in support of our ongoing registration and operation as a school.

The Victorian Registration & Qualifications Authority systematically and cyclically review Victorian schools for ongoing compliance with minimum standards.

From the start of 2024 our School Self Review team consisting of: Libby Hamilton, Danae Napier, Laura Emanuelli, Karen Myers, Maria Makin and myself, with support from the Staff Team have worked through a self review of school systems, processes and documentation and provided required evidence of compliance to the VRQA prior to yesterday's visit.

I am very grateful to the school staff, including our School Self Review team for their support across the school year as we have engaged in the review and validation process. I am especially grateful for the outstanding work of Libby Hamilton who joined our Staff Team as a secondment from St. John's PS Euroa to support this significant body of work.

We have much to celebrate as a school community, given the extremely positive feedback we received from our external validation reviewer yesterday.

Annual ASHEfest - 'Schools Celebrating Culture Together!":

A number of our students will attend the 2024 ASHEfest at Rumbalara Football Netball Club next week. Wednesday (Prep, 1, 2 & 3), Thursday (4, 5 & 6). Our students are travelling with students from St Brendan's PS and will enjoy activities including: traditional games, face painting and arts & crafts. We look forward to hearing how the students enjoy this special day together with students from across the region.

'Magnify Sandhurst'

An exciting future direction for St Mel's PS and our diocesan Catholic Education community!

As a part of our ongoing commitment to ensuring that all regional and rural students have access to outstanding Catholic schools we are partnering with our fifty-five system-schools across the Sandhurst Catholic Diocese to implement the very latest educational research into our classrooms. While some of our staff have studied these advancements in recent years, it is now time to ensure that all our teachers and allied staff have access to the highest quality information and teaching resources available, so that your child receives an outstanding school experience.

The ‘Magnify Sandhurst’ project represents a major investment in the educational experience of your child. We are partnering with five national and international organisations across the areas of neuroscience, literacy, the Victorian learning curriculum, the behaviour curriculum as well as individual professional coaching for our teachers. In a first of its kind experience, and in partnership with our peers across Sandhurst, we are determinedly committed that you and your child can experience the very best that education throughout Australia has to offer.

In support of our involvement in the diocesan-wide professional learning underpinning the 'Magnify Sandhurst' initiative we are coordinating our 2025 Student Free Days in alignment with our diocesan schools. The attached document provides further information and advance notice to our families:

2024 SEPT Magnify Sandhurst Parent Letter .pdf

Staffing Update:

Our Arts Specialist Teacher, Robyn Banfield will be away on Long Service Leave for the next two weeks. Carolyn Brodie, who has supported us regularly with Classroom Relief Teaching will teach our Specialist Arts sessions until the holiday break. We wish Robyn a wonderful few weeks leave and look forward to her return after the holidays.

Orima School Engagement Survey - Closes Friday 13 September

Thank you to the parents and carers who have already completed the survey emailed out recently. This survey will provide valuable feedback in support of ongoing school renewal and development. A reminder for parents and carers who received the email to complete the survey by the end of next week. Children in Years 4, 5 & 6 and our Staff Team have already completed their surveys.

Sandhurst Arts on Show - Wednesday 18 & Thursday 19 September

Our school and school hall will play host to students from local Catholic Schools from across the local region as they gather for the annual Sandhurst Arts on Show events over two days.

Our Year 5/6 students will perform at the concert to be held from 1:00pm on Wednesday 18th. September. Parents and carers are invited to attend.

To support the Year 5/6 participation in the event our Specialist Timetable will be altered in the last week of term as follows:

Tuesday 17th. - Foundation & Year 5/6 Specialist Program

Wednesday 18th. - Year 1/2 Specialist Program

Thursday 19th. - Year 3/4 Specialist Program (as usual)

District Athletics - Term Four / Week One:

The children in Years 3 to 6 have commenced training for the annual local schools District Athletics to be held the first week back as follows:

Tuesday 8th. October - Year 6

Wednesday 9th. October - Year 5

Thursday 10th. October - Year 4

Friday 11th. October - Year 3

Regional Athletics will be held the following Monday 14th. October.

A reminder that Aths Week is re-arranged in the event of rainy weather.

Foundation (Prep) Enrolments Closing [REPEAT]:

With the majority of interviews for prospective Prep families almost completed, we move on to those families seeking enrolments for Years 1 through 6 for 2025. Parents / carers with children to commence school in 2025 are urged to contact our School Administration Office now for possible placement for next year. Please call (03) 5821 3163.

Student Free Days 2024 [REPEAT]:

Please find following a list of our remaining allowable Student Free Days for 2024 to support your planning for child minding:

Term Three:

Friday 13 September - Mathematics Professional Learning

Monday 16 September - Student Assessment Data Professional Learning

Term Four:

Monday 4 November - Report Writing

Monday 18 November - Planning Day for 2025

Thursday 19 December - First Aid Professional Learning for 2025

Friday 20 December - Last Day for Staff Team

Notes: Based on the availability of facilitators, the September dates create a long weekend for

families. (A reminder - there were no Student Free days held in Term Two!)