Dear Parents/Carers,

I hope you have all had an enjoyable couple of weeks. We have had a number of events occur during the last couple of weeks at school, including:

Lacrosse Clinic - Year 5
Halls Taekwondo - Year 4
Northern Metro Soccer Finals - (Girls Soccer) @ Darebin
Basketball Clinic- Year 2
Essendon Football Club Player Visit
First Holy Communion Masses
School Review
Feast of St. Mary MacKillop

These events have taken place alongside all of the wonderful learning happening in our classrooms each day. It has been fantastic to see our students embracing their learning with enthusiasm and curiosity, while also enjoying the many opportunities to connect, celebrate and contribute to our school community.

School Closure Day - Monday 17th August

This coming Monday 17th August, will be a School Closure Day for all students.

On this day, our staff will visit Westmeadows Primary School during the morning literacy block to deepen our understanding of explicit instruction in literacy. The visit will also focus on exploring effective strategies for increasing student engagement through the use of engagement norms.

Following the school visit, staff will return to SoGS to continue their professional learning in literacy. Guided by literacy consultant Deann Keane, we will further explore evidence-based best practice in literacy instruction and how these approaches can be embedded across our classrooms.

We look forward to this valuable professional learning opportunity, which will further strengthen our teaching practices and support improved literacy outcomes for all students.

Please note that MACSEYE will be running a program on this day at SoGS, for families who may require care for their children. Please see the School Community News tab in this school newsletter for information on how to contact MACSEYE.

School Review

A huge thank you to all staff, students and parents on the School Advisory Council and Parent's Association, for your participation and commitment during our School Review last Monday and Tuesday. It was wonderful to have our school reviewer, Donna Bryce, recognise the way we support one another, our students and families.

Donna highlighted our strong relationships and inclusive practices as significant strengths of our school, which is a wonderful reflection of the positive culture we have at School of the Good Shepherd.

We look forward to welcoming Donna back on Tuesday 8 September for our Dialogue and Engagement Day. This next stage of the review will provide us with valuable insight into the recommendations that will help shape our Strategic Plan and priorities for the future.

Year 5 Assembly

Yesterday it was fantastic to see the Year 5 students confidently share their learning and demonstrate the knowledge and skills they have been developing in the classroom.

The assembly was a wonderful reflection of their enthusiasm, creativity and engagement with one another. It was particularly pleasing to see students supporting each other, working collaboratively and celebrating each other’s achievements.

A special thank you to our Student Representative Council (SRC), who have been focusing on recognising positive examples of our school values: Compassion, Belonging and Growth. The SRC presented awards during the assembly to students who demonstrated these values through their actions and interactions with others.

It was wonderful to see these values being celebrated and recognised across our school community. Well done to all of our Year 5 students and SRC members for making the assembly such a positive and meaningful celebration of learning and our school values.

School Advisory Council

It is with great pleasure that I welcome Julia Torre (Emalija - Prep) and Bradley Thompson (Henry- Year 2) to our School Advisory Council. Julia and Bradley will join our current council members, Emily Greco and Fiona Keoghan, as we continue to work together to support our school community and contribute to the ongoing growth and development of our school.

Our School Advisory Council provides an important opportunity for parents and community members to share their perspectives, ideas and insights. We are grateful to all of our council members for their willingness to contribute their time, experience and enthusiasm to our school. We look forward to the valuable contributions they will make and to working together to strengthen our school community.

Our School Advisory Council is one way parents can support their children and contribute to our wider school community. Another wonderful opportunity is through our Parents’ Association, where families can become involved in supporting school events, building community connections and contributing to school life.

Please keep an eye on our upcoming newsletters for more information about how you can get involved with the Parents’ Association and play an active role in our school community.

A Gentle Reminder About Sharing

We would like to remind families about the importance of encouraging students not to share food or money with other students, even when their intentions are generous and kind.

It is wonderful to see children looking out for one another and wanting to help their friends. However, sharing food can create concerns around allergies, dietary requirements, food safety and individual health needs. For these reasons, students should only eat the food that has been provided for them from home.

Similarly, we ask that students do not give or lend money to other students. While this may be intended as an act of kindness, it can sometimes lead to misunderstandings, expectations or disagreements between students.

We encourage parents and carers to speak with their children about kind ways to support others without giving away food or money. Simple acts of kindness, such as including someone in a game, offering encouragement, helping a classmate or being a good friend can make a meaningful difference.

Thank you for helping us reinforce this message at home. We greatly value our students’ generosity and kindness, and together we can help them learn appropriate and safe ways to show care for others.

Kind regards,

Laura Petrie

Child Safety

Child Safe Standards in Focus