Principal's News
Dear Families,
What a fun and exciting week we have had at St Joseph’s! The beautiful sunshine today has certainly added to the energy around the school, with our students making the most of the warmer days and enjoying plenty of time outdoors.
As we head into our final week of Term 3, it is wonderful to see that, even with the end of term in sight, our students and staff continue to embrace rich learning opportunities, special events and experiences that bring our school community together.
There has been so much happening across the school, with students continuing to learn, create, explore and challenge themselves, while also enjoying opportunities to connect with one another and celebrate being part of our St Joseph’s community.
With just one week to go, there is still plenty happening across the school. We look forward to making the most of our final week together and finishing the term with the same energy, enthusiasm and sense of community that has been such a feature of the term.
I hope you enjoy reading about some of the wonderful things that have been happening across our school this week.
R U OK? Day
Today, our school enjoyed a wonderful day of learning, connection and fun as we celebrated R U OK? Day.
A huge thank you to our Wellbeing Leader, Ms Georgie Carman, for leading this important initiative across our school and creating meaningful opportunities for our students to learn about looking after their own wellbeing and supporting the wellbeing of others.
Throughout the day, students engaged in a range of activities, including class-based learning, a special whole-school assembly and wellbeing activities. Our students also enjoyed creating chalk drawings during break times, sharing positive messages and reminders about the importance of checking in with one another. We finished the week with our Friday Disco, providing another wonderful opportunity for our students to connect, have fun and celebrate together.
It was fantastic to see our students embracing the message of R U OK? Day in such an age-appropriate, positive and joyful way.
Thank you, Ms Carman for the care, creativity and energy you put into making today such a success. Please take the time to read more about our R U OK? Day celebrations on Ms Carman’s page in this week’s newsletter.
Our students had so much fun today creating chalk designs all across our school grounds as well as having a dance at our usual Friday disco!
Military Flyover
It was such a lovely morning for our children to be outside in the sunshine, enjoying their fruit snack and scheduled brain break, when they were treated to the spectacular sight of a military flyover.
Some of our Preps were especially in awe of the impressive display!
As Charlie Guest In Prep beautifully observed: “They had really good teamwork!”
Pre-Prep Program
This morning, the newest members of our St Joseph’s community enjoyed a wonderful Pre-Prep session and a fun-filled morning at Bounce in Glen Iris.
It was such a lovely opportunity for our children to get to know one another, play and build connections as they begin their journey with us.
Year 2 Choir Practice
This week, our Year 2 students had the pleasure of working with our seminarian, Anthony, who led them in song and shared some wonderful tips and techniques around singing and breathing.
Our Year 2 students also had the opportunity to learn some new hymns that they will be able to sing during our school liturgies.
We are so grateful for the wonderful relationship between our parish and school, and for the time Anthony has generously given to share his knowledge and passion for music and singing with our students. Our Year 2 students certainly have some angelic voices, and it was beautiful to hear them singing together!
Seminarians working with our Senior Students on our House Names
Earlier this week, our Parish Seminarians, Anthony and Patrick, spent time with our Year 5 and 6 students exploring the lives and stories of the saints. Their sessions supported students to develop a deeper understanding of the saints and their significance within our Catholic tradition.
This learning will help our school leaders make informed and meaningful choices as they consider the names and stories that will shape our new House Teams.
We are very grateful to Anthony and Patrick for sharing their knowledge and faith with our senior students and for supporting them through this important process. They will join the students again in class next Monday to continue this work.
A special thank you to our School Captains, Cooper and Xavier, who took the time to thank Anthony and Patrick and acknowledge the wonderful contribution they are making to our students and school community. It was lovely to see our student leaders demonstrating such gratitude and respect.
Today's School Assembly
Today, we enjoyed a special whole-school assembly celebrating R U OK? Day. Our School Captains, together with Ms Carman, shared an important message with students about checking in with one another, looking after our wellbeing and being there for others.
We also celebrated our weekly STAR Awards, birthdays and the winners of our Line Points, recognising the wonderful achievements and positive contributions of our students across the week.
Our Arts Captains also had the very exciting job of announcing our 2027 school production – Frozen! There was plenty of excitement in the room as students heard the news!
Our students once again proudly sang the National Anthem, and we thank all the families who joined us for our assembly this morning. It is always wonderful to have our families join us as we celebrate the achievements of our students and come together as a school community.
We look forward to gathering again next week for our final assembly of the term, where students will be presented with their Principal’s Awards for Term 3.
Year 6 Captains Term 4 Fundraiser - Crazy Sock Day for Socktober!
We are excited to announce a new fundraiser at St Joseph’s this Term 4!
On Friday, 16th October (Week 2), students are invited to join in the fun by wearing their craziest and most colourful socks to school.
- When: Friday, 16th October (Term 4, Week 2)
- Dress Code: Full school uniform with your favourite crazy socks! (Note: This is NOT a casual clothes day).
- Donation: A gold coin donation.
All funds raised will support Socktober (Catholic Mission), helping children in need around the world. This year, the Socktober organisation is focusing on Malawi, helping to provide essential food, clean water, and educational support to children and families for a brighter future. Please find more information about this year's charity here:
Get creative with your socks and help us make a difference!
Thank you,
Xavier and Cooper
Year 6 Captains
Exciting Production Announcement!
Exciting Announcement from our Performing Arts Teacher Ms Wendy Chang:
"St Joseph’s Malvern are we ready to venture into a land of magic icicles and wonderous snow?
Yes that’s right, we are performing Frozen next year as our school musical production!
This story is about family, friends and magic. It focuses on a royal family who are hiding a secret that they believe should be concealed. It includes a show that has enchanted creatures, a winter wonderland with lots of snow and special effects and it teaches about trust and being comfortable and happy as who you are.
We can’t wait to start auditions next year and then rehearsals, to perform for our school community in 2027."
De La Salle Art, Design and Technology Experience
Next week, our Year 4, 5 and 6 students will have the exciting opportunity to visit De La Salle for a hands-on Art, Design and Technology experience.
Students will explore the specialist learning spaces and take part in practical, engaging activities that will allow them to create, design and develop their skills using the facilities and resources available at the senior school. This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to experience the hands-on nature of Art, Design and Technology learning at secondary school. We look forward to sharing their experience in next week's newsletter.
Class Liturgies and Open Book
Next week each of our classes invite you to attend our end of term Class Liturgies and Open Book events in classrooms. Each class will host a short liturgy, followed by the chance to explore your child’s learning and celebrate their achievements. We warmly invite you to attend and share in this with your child. Please note below the days and times for each of the Class Liturgies and Open Book sessions.
Footy Colours Day
On Friday 18 September, the last day of Term 3, we will be holding our annual Friday Footy Colours Day! Students are invited to come dressed in their favourite footy colours or footy gear and get ready for a fun-filled day celebrating our love of footy and our wonderful school community. There is more information about the day in this week’s newsletter.
We are looking forward to a very exciting day! A huge thank you to our P&F Executive Team, led by Angela N, Angela L and Jess G, as well as all the parents and carers who have volunteered to help on the day. We are so appreciative of your time and support in helping us create such a fun and memorable day for our children. We can’t wait to see everyone in their footy colours!
What's on Next Week...
Staying Connected...
At any time, if you have questions or concerns regarding the wellbeing, care, or learning of your child, please do not hesitate to reach out. We encourage you to contact your child's class teacher in the first instance, or alternatively, one of our school leaders, Dean Butler (Deputy Principal), or myself, Annabelle Marinelli (Principal). Working in partnership with our families is incredibly important to us, and we are always happy to listen, support, and work together to ensure the best possible outcomes for every child.
With only one week to go before the holidays, let's all support each other in getting to the finish line, after a long, busy and cold Term 3!
With warmest regards,
Annabelle Marinelli
Principal