Principal's News
Dear Parents, Carers, and Families,
The past week has been a busy and rewarding one across our school, with students and staff fully immersed in learning, assessment and the many activities that make our school community so vibrant. A highlight of the week was our Athletics Day, which provided students with the opportunity to challenge themselves, demonstrate teamwork and sportsmanship, and enjoy a wonderful day of participation and fun. Events such as these bring our school community together, create lasting memories and contribute to the strong sense of belonging that we value so highly.
As we near the end of Semester 1, our teachers have been carefully gathering evidence of student learning through classroom observations, daily learning activities and assessment tasks. This thoughtful process ensures that the Semester 1 report provides a meaningful and accurate reflection of every child's growth, achievements and progress. We are proud of all that our students have accomplished this semester and look forward to sharing and celebrating their learning with families when reports are sent home next week.
Refugee Week "A Million Stories"
During Refugee Week this week, our students explored this year's theme “A Million Stories”, celebrating the many journeys, experiences and contributions of people from refugee backgrounds. Through stories, discussions and creative learning activities, students developed a greater understanding of empathy, inclusion and the importance of making everyone feel welcome. The week provided an opportunity to recognise that every person has a unique story to tell and that these stories help shape the diverse and vibrant communities we are proud to be part of. We thank our students and staff for embracing the values of kindness, respect and belonging throughout this meaningful week.
As part of Refugee Week, the Preps listened to the story Grandma’s Treasured Shoes, which explores the experiences of a refugee and the importance of hope, kindness and belonging. We then participated in a circle time discussion about empathy and making others feel welcome. Each student shared a kind and welcoming message for their peers, reflecting on how we can help everyone feel included in our classroom community.
After listening to the picture story book ‘Out’ by Angela May George, students in Year 1MJ discussed the following points:
- What is a refugee?
- What is an asylum-seeker?
- Why do people become refugees?
- How would it feel to be a refugee living in a country that is not your own
As part of Refugee Week, 3B explored and discussed the following learning intentions:
- Explain what a refugee is and why people might leave their homes.
- Show understanding and empathy for refugees’ feelings and experiences.
- Share ways to be kind and welcoming to new people in our community.
- Write or say a prayer for refugees around the world.
As part of Refugee Week, our Year 3DB students explored the theme "A Million Stories" and reflected on the importance of welcoming and caring for others. Through prayer, discussion and learning activities, students developed an understanding of what it means to be a refugee and how we can show kindness, respect and inclusion in our community. Inspired by Jesus' call to "love one another," students shared thoughtful ways they can help others feel welcome and celebrated the dignity of every person.
Refugee Week Prayer
Loving God,
We thank You for the million stories that make up our human family. Each story is unique, precious and worthy of being heard.
We pray for people who have been forced to leave their homes because of war, conflict, persecution or disaster. May they find safety, hope and a welcoming community wherever they go.
Help us to listen with open hearts, to show kindness to those in need, and to recognise Your presence in every person we meet.
Teach us to celebrate diversity, respect one another's experiences, and build a world where everyone feels valued, included and loved.
May we be people of compassion and peace, sharing Your love through our words and actions each day.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
First Eucharist Mass - Sunday 21 June
We look forward to joining our Year 4 students and their families on Sunday as they celebrate the Sacrament of First Eucharist. This is a very special milestone in the faith journey of our students, as they receive Holy Communion for the first time and deepen their relationship with Jesus and our parish community.
Over recent weeks, students have been preparing thoughtfully for this important occasion through prayer, reflection and learning about the significance of the Eucharist in our Catholic faith. We thank our families for their support and commitment throughout this preparation process, as well as our staff and parish team for guiding and nurturing our students along the way.
We keep all of our First Eucharist candidates in our prayers and wish them a joyful and memorable celebration surrounded by their families, friends and parish community.
Parish News and Invitation to Parish Luncheon
Please take a moment to read the Parish News page in this week’s school newsletter.
All members of our community are warmly invited to join the Parish for the Parish Luncheon on Sunday 28 June, from 12:30pm to 3:00pm at Malvern Town Hall.
This special gathering will be a wonderful opportunity to come together as a community, and hear Fr Gallacher share a keynote address on the Mission of the Parish in the Catholic Church. His reflections promise to inspire and encourage us as we continue to grow in faith and service together. We would love to see many of our families and parishioners there. Please find the link to this week's Parish Bulletin:
Semester 1 Reports
Next week, the Semester One School Reports will be distributed to families via nForma. We are excited to share and celebrate the learning growth, achievements and progress made by each child throughout the first half of the year. These reports reflect the hard work, persistence and dedication shown by our students, as well as the support and encouragement provided by our staff and families. We encourage parents and carers to take the time to read through the report and acknowledge and celebrate the many successes and areas of growth highlighted within it. We look forward to discussing each student's learning journey, achievements and future learning goals during our Parent Teacher Interviews on Thursday 16 July, as we continue to work in partnership to support every child's learning and wellbeing.
Year 3&4 Excursion to Melbourne Zoo
This week, our Year 3 and 4 students had the wonderful opportunity to visit Melbourne Zoo, where they observed a wide variety of animals up close and deepened their understanding of wildlife, habitats and conservation. The excursion provided valuable opportunities for students to make real-world connections to their classroom learning while exploring the diverse environments in which animals live.
It was a joy to see the students' excitement, curiosity and enthusiasm throughout the day as they asked thoughtful questions and engaged with the many learning experiences on offer. The visit was not only educational but also a memorable and enjoyable experience that fostered a greater appreciation for the natural world. It was a fantastic day of learning beyond the classroom!
St Joseph's Athletics Carnival
On Wednesday, our whole school community enjoyed a fantastic Athletics Carnival at Duncan Mackinnon Athletics Track. The day was filled with energy, enthusiasm and a wonderful spirit of participation as students gave their very best across a range of athletics events, including sprints, long jump, triple jump, relay races and a variety of fun track and field activities. It was inspiring to see students challenging themselves, encouraging their peers and embracing every opportunity to get involved.
A special thank you to our wonderful sports teacher Ms Zoe D'Intini for her outstanding organisation of this highly successful event. We also extend our sincere appreciation to Ms Birch, Mr Hudson and Mr Prowse for their support and willingness to give their time to ensure the day ran smoothly. We are grateful to the many parents who attended and cheered on our students, helping to create such a positive and supportive atmosphere. Thank you also to our wonderful volunteers who completed the required Child Safety Induction and generously assisted with events and class activities throughout the day.
Finally, we thank our dedicated staff for their care, encouragement and support of students. Most importantly, we acknowledge our students for their sportsmanship, resilience, kindness and enthusiasm were on display throughout the day and made the carnival a memorable celebration of participation, teamwork and school spirit.
Congratulations to Red House, who were crowned the overall winners of the 2026 Athletics Carnival and proudly took home the Athletics Shield. Their success was a reflection of not only strong performances across the various events, but also their teamwork, encouragement of one another and enthusiastic participation throughout the day. Congratulations to Red House Captains Spencer and Daniel for their speeches at the end of the event- congratulating their own team and acknowledging the efforts of all students. Well done to all members of Red House on this wonderful achievement, and to every student who contributed to making the carnival such a positive and enjoyable event.
School Assembly
It was lovely to have so many families joining us for our school assembly this morning.
At our assembly today, we once again, we warmly congratulated the students who received STAR Awards and for displaying the values of S- Stay Safe, T- Try Your Best, A- Act Responsibly and R- Respect Yourself and Others.
We also wish all of our birthday children a very happy birthday! Celebrating birthdays together is always such a joyful part of our week, and it is especially lovely hearing our students sing “Tanti Auguri” to the birthday children at our school assembly.
I also had the pleasure of presenting a number of Principal's Awards to students who demonstrated our school value of Kindliness at our School Athletics Carnival on Wednesday. These students were nominated by their teachers for the care, encouragement and support they showed towards others throughout the day. Whether it was cheering on a classmate, helping someone who was finding an event challenging, including others in activities, or simply being a good friend, each of these students embodied the spirit of kindness that we value so highly at St Joseph's.
Instrumental Music Concert
This morning, we had the special privilege of listening to some of our very talented students perform as part of our Instrumental Music Program. It was wonderful to see their joy, confidence, dedication and musical skills that students have developed through their lessons and practice. We congratulate all performers on their outstanding efforts and thank them for sharing their talents with our school community.
Families are warmly invited to attend our Instrumental Music Concert next Thursday evening, 25 June, where students will once again have the opportunity to showcase their musical achievements. We look forward to celebrating their hard work and enjoying an evening of wonderful performances together.
Lovely Baby News! Congratulations Ms LaRosa!
We are delighted to share that Ms Luisa La Rosa and her family have welcomed a beautiful baby boy, Leo Flanagan, into the world.
Leo arrived safely on 11 June, making an early appearance 10 days ahead of schedule, weighing a healthy 3.42kg. We are thrilled to hear that both Mum and baby are doing well, although we have heard there may be a little sleep deprivation in the Flanagan household at the moment!
On behalf of the entire St Joseph's community, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to Luisa and Andrew on this very special occasion. We wish them much joy, love and many precious moments as they settle into life with baby Leo. We look forward to meeting baby Leo very soon! Congratulations and best wishes Ms LaRosa!
New School Flag Poles
We are delighted to share that three new flag poles are in the process of being installed at the front of our school. These flag poles proudly display the Australian Flag, the Aboriginal Flag and the Torres Strait Islander Flag, each representing an important part of our nation's identity and history.
The presence of these flags serves as a visible reminder of our commitment to respect, inclusion and reconciliation. They provide an important opportunity for our students to learn about and recognise the rich histories, cultures and contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, while also celebrating our shared national identity. As a Catholic school, we value the dignity of every person and strive to foster a community where all feel welcomed, respected and valued.
Our School Leaders will take on the important responsibility of raising and lowering the flags each day as part of their leadership role at St Joseph's. This will provide a meaningful opportunity for them to demonstrate responsibility, pride and service to our school community.
We extend our sincere thanks to parents Narelle (Mum of Navy), Annie and Lukas (Parents of Rafaela and Felix) for their encouragement and support in assisting us with the purchase of the flag poles and flags. We also thank Lynnette and Dean for their assistance in helping bring this project to fruition. We are grateful for the support of our community in creating a school environment that reflects our values and commitment to learning, respect and belonging.
Photography of Students at School and School Events
We understand that families enjoy capturing special moments at school events and celebrations. As part of our commitment to protecting the privacy and safety of all students, we kindly ask parents and carers to follow our current procedures regarding the taking of photographs or videos of children at school events. We ask that families only photograph or record their own child at school and school events and avoid photographing or recording other children unless you have consent from other parents or carers.
We also ask families to refrain from sharing images that include other students on WhatsApp groups, social media or other public platforms without the permission of their parents or carers. Please be mindful that some families have privacy or safety considerations and may not wish for images of their children to be shared.
Any parents or carers volunteering at school events are also expected to adhere to these same expectations. We also ask volunteers to remain focused on their designated role and responsibilities, ensuring that child safety and student wellbeing remain the priority at all times.
We would also like to advise families that we are currently awaiting updated guidance from Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) regarding photography and the use of images in school settings. Should there be any changes to current expectations or practices, we will communicate these with our community as soon as further information becomes available.
We appreciate your support in helping us maintain a safe and respectful environment for all members of our school community.
School Advisory Council Meeting
This week, our School Advisory Council (SAC) met for the second time this term. The purpose of the School Advisory Council is to support the strategic direction of the school, provide advice on important matters, and strengthen the partnership between the school and our parent community in the best interests of all students.
We engaged in valuable discussion on a range of topics, including child safety and the associated policies, procedures and practices at St Joseph’s. Other agenda items included the Parent Carer Code of Conduct, maintaining a welcoming and postive school culture, student enrolments, the Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA) and its impact on our school community, along with a number of other important school matters.
The School Advisory Council continues to be an excellent sounding board and advisory group. I greatly value the insights, perspectives and expertise that members bring to these discussions, and I sincerely thank them for their time, commitment and ongoing support of our school. Their contributions play an important role in helping to shape and strengthen our school community.
Working Bee - Save the Date
Our next School Working Bee is scheduled for Saturday 18 July from 1pm to 3pm. We encourage all families to save the date and join us for an afternoon of community spirit and teamwork as we work together to maintain and enhance our school grounds.
Working Bees are a wonderful opportunity to contribute to our school community, meet other families and help keep our learning environment safe, welcoming and beautiful for all students. There will be a range of jobs available, and any assistance, whether for the full afternoon or part of it, will be greatly appreciated.
Further details and a Sign Up Genius will be provided early next term. We look forward to seeing many families and thank you in advance for your support of our school.
School Fee Payments
As we approach the halfway point of the school year, we would like to express our gratitude to the many families who have maintained their school fee payments or are continuing to make regular contributions towards their accounts. Your support is greatly appreciated and contributes to the ongoing provision of quality learning opportunities and resources for all students.
At this time, we encourage families to check their fee account balance and payment arrangements. By the middle of the year, accounts should generally be around 50% paid.
Should you have any questions regarding your account, or if your family's circumstances have changed and you would like to discuss payment options, please contact the School Office. We are committed to working respectfully and confidentially with families to provide support where needed.
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.
I wish you a lovely weekend with your beautiful families.
With warmest regards,
Annabelle Marinelli
Principal