Principal's News
Dear Parents, Carers and Families,
We are very much looking forward to our St Joseph’s Family Fun Day tomorrow—a wonderful opportunity to come together as a community. It promises to be a joyful celebration, and we can’t wait to see you all at school as we share in the fun, connection, and spirit of the day.
This special event wouldn’t be possible without the incredible efforts of so many people who have truly gone above and beyond. We are so grateful for the dedication, time, and care that has gone into making this day so welcoming, inclusive, and enjoyable for our school and the wider Malvern community. We look forward to acknowledging and sincerely thanking everyone who has played a part.
With only one sleep to go, excitement is certainly building! We hope you’ll join us on Saturday 28th March, from 10:00am to 3:00pm, for a fantastic day filled with laughter, activities, and shared moments.
We look forward to seeing you all there!
This week’s newsletter will be a shorter one from me, as I’ve spent most of the week attending the VACPSP Principals’ Conference in Lorne. It has been a truly enriching experience listening to and learning from a range of inspiring keynote speakers, and connecting with almost 300 principals from Catholic primary schools across Melbourne.
On Wednesday, the conference was opened by Episcopal Vicar for Catholic Schools Fr Mark Reynolds, who celebrated Mass with all principals. It was an especially meaningful occasion, as it coincided with the Feast of the Annunciation. Fr Mark invited us, as school leaders, to reflect on our own sense of calling and to consider how we are each called to say “yes,” just as Mary did when the Angel Gabriel asked her to become the Mother of Jesus. He encouraged us to think deeply about how we respond to those in our community, and how we can recognise and honour the presence of God in every person we encounter. It was a thoughtful and inspiring way to begin the conference, setting a reflective and purposeful tone for the days ahead.
One valuable aspect of the conference was the time set aside for reflection at the beginning of each day. I made the most of this by taking early morning walks along the beach, enjoying some spectacular sunrises, and taking time to think deeply about the presentations and the learning. These quiet moments allowed me to reflect on our shared vision and the continued impact we strive for within our St Joseph's Malvern school community.
I sincerely thank our Deputy Principal Dean Butler who, with the support of our leadership team and staff, very capably and with great care, looked after our school in my absence.
School Photos
Our whole school, class, and individual photos were taken on Monday, and we were fortunate to enjoy such lovely weather for the occasion. Students arrived at school with bright, beautiful smiles, looking their best and showing great pride in wearing their uniforms. There was a real sense of excitement in the air as classes gathered and friendships were captured in these special moments. It is always a highlight of the school year, creating lasting memories for both students and families to treasure.
Billy Bob was also dressed up for school photos!
Ride2School Day at St Joseph’s
This morning, our whole school participated in Ride2School Day, made possible with the generous support of Stonnington Council. It was a wonderful event that encouraged active and healthy ways of travelling to school.
Dr Cranky’s Bike Service was on site, giving students the opportunity to bring along their bikes for a check-up and ensuring they were safe and ready to ride.
As students arrived at school - whether walking, riding, scooting, or skating - they received a ticket to enter a special draw to receive a number of Bike Skills passes generously provided by Stonnington Council.
Bike’N’Blend also joined us, and students who travelled to school actively or via public transport enjoyed hopping on a bike-powered blender to make their own smoothies- definitely a highlight of the morning!
A big thank you to Ms Siobhan O’Dwyer for all of her work in organising this fantastic event for our school community.
Beachside Division Swimming Competition
On Tuesday, Harry W, Will B, Fabien C, Wolf D, Nicholas P and Spencer ML represented Holt District at the Beachside Division Swimming Competition. Congratulations to all boys for making it to Division this year. The boys finished second in their relay and all individual swimmers did a fantastic job, with some swimming faster than their HOLT times!
We are incredibly proud of their efforts, teamwork, and the way they represented our school. Well done, boys! We sincerely thank Mr David Prowse and Ms Tanya Huebner for their support with the early morning training schedule and ongoing encouragement of the boys!
Cross Country
What a fantastic day we had at our Cross Country event! It was wonderful to see so many students getting involved, challenging themselves, and showing such determination out on the course.
A big congratulations to all of our Year 3–6 runners for their effort, perseverance, and positive attitude. Whether students were striving for a place or simply giving it their best, we are incredibly proud of everyone who participated. We also recognise all students who received ribbons -your achievements are something to be very proud of.
A heartfelt thank you to our parent volunteers and staff, especially to our wonderful sport teacher Ms Zoe D’Intini for her sensational work in organising our 2026 Cross Country and to Ms Christie Birch for all your very helpful support on the day too to make the day such a success!
We congratulate Red House Team - our 2026 Cross Country Champions!
Our Preps - Palm Sunday Liturgy
Our beautiful Prep students reverently began our Holy Week liturgies today by sharing the story of Palm Sunday with our school community at the Easter liturgy this afternoon.
They did a wonderful job bringing this important moment in the Church’s story to life, helping us all to reflect on the significance of Jesus’ journey into Jerusalem. We are so proud of the way our youngest students participated with such confidence, care, and respect, setting a meaningful and prayerful sharwd experience for the days ahead.
Open Days at St Joseph's
This week on Tuesday we hosted our third Open Day at St Joseph's. Once again it was so lovely to welcome prospective families through our gates. It is always such a joy to share our school and showcase what makes our community so special.
The remaining official Open Days are being held across the following dates:
| Open Day 4 | Tuesday 28th April 9am-11am |
| Open Day 5 | Wednesday 27th May 9am-11am |
If you know family or friends who are exploring school options for 2027, our Open Days are a great opportunity to see our beautiful school in action, meet our staff, and learn more about what makes our community at St Joseph's so special. Please spread the word to any prospective families who may be looking for a school for 2027. Our families are our greatest advocates, so please share your thoughts with your friends and family.
Junior Joey's Playgroup
It was so lovely to see our Junior Joey’s Playgroup in full swing on Monday led by our wonderful Prep and Junior Transition Leader, Ms Liolios.
Our playgroup mornings are always filled with joyful play, laughter, connection and a beautiful sense of community. They provide a special opportunity for families and young children to come together in a warm and welcoming environment, and we are very grateful to share this time with our community.
What's On Next Week..
Staying Connected...
At any time, if you have any questions or concerns about the wellbeing, care or learning of your child, please do not hesitate to reach out to your child's class teacher, one of the school leaders, or Dean Butler, Deputy Principal or myself, Annabelle Marinelli, Principal.
I wish you all a lovely weekend with your beautiful families.
With the warmest regards,
Annabelle Marinelli
Principal