Principal's News

Dear St Joseph's Parents, Carers and Families,

Over the weekend, we were deeply saddened to hear the tragic news of the mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney. As we hold our loved ones a little closer, we keep the Jewish community in our hearts, as they grieve, mourn, and come to terms with this shocking loss. May those who have lost loved ones find comfort and strength, and may we all surround them with our thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time.

Prayer for the Jewish Community

ArchBishop Peter Comensoli - 

"On the weekend we received news of the dark events that unfolded in Bondi, Sydney.In these early hours - marked by grief and fear - we lift up our prayers for all those who have been targeted, and for all those who have responded with care, courage and compassion."

"We pray in grief for the lost; for strength for the injured; and for the seeds of healing in the midst of this unimaginable tragedy. May the God of us all, draw us from this darkness into a path of light. Amen" - ArchBishop Peter Comensoli

Pope Leo XIV - Prayer for the victims of the massacre in Sydney:

This is our final newsletter for 2025. As we move through these last few days of our school year, it is wonderful to look back on the year that has been with gratitude for all that we have shared and achieved together. This year has been filled with learning, growth, faith, and community spirit. Our students have embraced new challenges with courage and enthusiasm, our staff have shown unwavering commitment and care, and our families have continued to be strong partners in supporting our school. Together, we have celebrated milestones, supported one another through challenges, and created many joyful memories. It has truly been a year marked by strength, kindness, and a deep sense of belonging, and I am thankful for each member of our St Joseph’s community who has contributed to making this year such a meaningful one.

End of Year Prayer for our St Joseph’s School Community

Loving God,

As this year comes to a close, we pray with grateful hearts for the many blessings You have given us. We thank You for our students, whose curiosity, energy, and resilience inspire us each day. Bless their learning, their friendships, and their growth and may they continue to flourish.

We give thanks for our dedicated staff, whose passion, guidance, and care have shaped a nurturing and vibrant community. May they be renewed and strengthened for the year ahead.

We are grateful for our families, whose support, encouragement, and partnership enrich our school in countless ways. May their love and guidance continue to shine brightly in their children’s lives.

We remember those in our community who have faced challenges or loss this year. May they feel Your comforting presence, and may we, as a community, surround them with care and compassion.

We are grateful for our Parish Priest, Fr Gallacher, and for Patrick, our parish seminarian, whose guidance, presence, and support have enriched our school community this year. We also look forward with hope and excitement to the continued blessings of the Oratory in 2026.

Bless our school - St Joseph’s, and all who are part of it. May the coming year be filled with joy, growth, hope, and shared success.

We make this prayer through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

As we come to the end of another school year, I would like to warmly congratulate and thank our St Joseph’s community. We have so much to celebrate and be grateful for. This year has been truly special, and the many successes we have shared are a direct result of the strong, trusting relationships between our families and staff. It is these partnerships that enable our students to thrive and our community to flourish. I am deeply thankful for the care, support, and commitment shown by everyone, which has made this year such a joyful and meaningful one.

As we look back over the year, it’s heartening to see how the continued growth and success of St Joseph’s has been shaped by the shared efforts of our students, staff and families. Together, you create a caring and supportive community where every child is encouraged to grow, learn and flourish. Our students have much to be proud of, achieving wonderful results not only in their learning, but also in the way they have shown perseverance, confidence and strength when faced with challenges. From successes in the classroom, to the playground, and on the sports grounds, to shining on stage in Beauty and the Beast Jnr, and giving back through leadership and service, their dedication has been truly inspiring.

I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to our remarkable staff. To Dean Butler, Deputy Principal, our learning leaders Amanda and Dean, and the rest of our Leadership Team- Donnella Stacey Georgie Clare and Marta, our class teachers - Luisa, Niki, Wendy M, Zoe, Tanya, Ella, Grace, Donnella, David, Lauren, Clare, Siobhan, our specialist educators- Sharon Marta, Fiona, Christie, Wendy D and learning support staff Briely, Rachael, Hudson and Mia, who consistently go above and beyond to ensure our students receive the very best learning experiences and care. Your love for teaching truly defines the spirit of our school, and I am deeply thankful to work alongside such a dedicated and compassionate team each day.

To our incredible office team, Isabelle and Lynnette, we thank you for the many ways you care for and support our school community each day. No request is ever too big, and your willingness to help never goes unnoticed. As the first friendly faces our families meet, your kindness, efficiency and professionalism create a welcoming atmosphere that reflects the heart of our school. 

To our families, I extend my heartfelt appreciation for the ongoing support you show our to our staff and our school. Your active involvement in your children’s learning, whether by giving your time, sharing in school celebrations, or fostering strong partnerships at home, brings depth and warmth to our community. We appreciate and encourage your continued strong sense of belonging and connection as this is at the heart of our community. We thank you for the care, connection and generosity you bring each day.

To our departing staff, we once again thank and acknowledge:

• Stacey Farrell, who is taking a well-earned break and looking forward to spending precious time with her family
• Clare Smith, who will be moving to a school closer to home
• Grace Harrick, who will be teaching at another school in 2026
• We also acknowledge Fiona Hansford, who will be undertaking casual relief teaching in 2026.

We are so grateful for their dedication and valued contributions to St Joseph’s. Each of these staff members has been an important part of our community, and will be greatly missed. We wish them every happiness and success in the next chapter of their journey and hope they remain connected to the St Joseph’s family.

I offer my special and sincere gratitude to our Parish Priest, Fr Gallacher, and seminarian Patrick, as well as to our parish staff, Clare and Bernadette. The connection between our Parish and school has been strengthened, and we are truly grateful for their guidance, support, and ongoing partnership in nurturing the faith, wellbeing, and growth of our students.

I am so deeply appreciative of the support of our amazing Parents & Friends Association, led by Laura and Kay, along with Talia Hassett, throughout the year. Your dedication and tireless efforts to bring our community together have been truly wonderful. The time, energy and care you have invested—particularly through your outstanding fundraising initiatives—have made a meaningful difference and ultimately benefit the children of St Joseph’s in so many ways.

I would also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the members of the School Advisory Council for 2025- Fr Gallacher, Dena Butler, Chair David Stegehuis, SecretaryCourtney Jendra, Sascha Pausewang, Michael Tuohey, Kate Tehan, Laura Kay, Talia Hassett. Your commitment, thoughtful guidance and strong advocacy for our school are greatly valued. Together, your leadership and generosity of spirit continue to strengthen our community and support the ongoing growth and success of St Joseph’s.

I thank also, Simon Fitzpatrick Senior Manager at MACS fo his continued support of our school across the year. He has supported me and our leadership team  and is a great advocate for our school and our school improvement journey. He acknowledges how diligently our staff work and I am grateful for his care and support.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Lexi, our Business Manager, for her incredible dedication and support in managing the financial aspects of our school throughout the year. Her commitment, professionalism, and care have been invaluable to our community. As she prepares to go on parental leave in 2026 to welcome her second child, we wish her and her family every joy, love, and happiness during this very special time. We look forward to celebrating this exciting new chapter in her life and we hope to welcome her back in the future.

We extend a special thanks you to Richie our Crossing Supervisor (and his dog Billy Bob) for looking after our families and ensuring our students cross the road safely to and from school. We thank Richie for being such a warm and valuable part of our community.

I thank Ally our lovely staff member for Extend Before and After School Care. Ally is so lovely with our children who are at St Joseph's before and after school each day. It is really nice to see her warmth and the care she brings to these children each day.

As we look back on the year that has been, we are also remember those special people within our community who we have lost this year. We warmly remember and pray for beloved Michelle Moore, former Principal of St Joseph's, and we also acknowledge the loss of Mark Whittle, father of Elsie. We recognise the profound loss and sorrow carried by their families and by all who knew and loved them. They remain in our thoughts and prayers, and as a St Joseph’s community, we continue to hold them with care, compassion and love.

I once again congratulate our graduating Year 6 students on a successful and memorable year. We are incredibly proud of all that you have achieved and the young people you have become. As you move into secondary school next year, we wish you every success and happiness, confident that you will carry with you the values of St Joseph’s - strength and kindliness. wherever your journey takes you.

I would also like to warmly acknowledge the students and families who will be farewelling St Joseph’s at the end of 2025. Thank you for the many years you have shared with us and for the commitment, trust and support you have given to our school community. You will always remain part of the St Joseph’s story, and we wish you every success and happiness in the years ahead.

We wish the following students all the best- 

Chloe L,  Luke R,  Jojo L,  Max V,  James O'L,  Dylan G, Franco B,  Matilda C,  Luella L, Bart H,  Valentina M,  Harry S,  Mathias S,  Elsie W,  Evelyn W,  Chloe K,  William G,  Milana D,  Emilio K,  Tom J,  Alfred B, Bridget B,  Sienna F,  Jamie H,  Bekim H,  Max L,  Philippa N,  Charlotte O'L,  Lucy R,  Oscar R,  Max S,  Victor G,  Stella W  and  Callum W.

Welcome to Julia in Prep

Last week, we warmly welcomed another new student - Julia, who has joined our St Joseph's school community. Julie received a very warm welcome from all the Prep students and Ms Luisa La Rosa has supported her in making some new friends before the end of the school year. We are very excited to have Julia and her family as part of our St Joseph's family. Pictured below- Lovely Harvey playing with Julia after school this week..

Class Parties

On Monday and Tuesday our students enjoyed a lovely end of year celebration in their classes with their teachers and classmates. Many thank you our parents and Grade reps for supporting with this across the school. The children certainly enjoyed this end of year celebration!

Semester 2 Reports

Semester 2 reports are now live and available to view via the nForma for Parents app. We would like to sincerely thank our teachers for the time, care, and professionalism they have shown in preparing each child’s report. These reports reflect thoughtful observations of your child’s learning and growth across the semester. If you require any support accessing nForma, please contact Dean Butler at any time. A user guide has also been attached for your reference:

School Captains for 2026

Our 2026 school captains Cooper and Xavier have already been involved in leadership responsibilities leading their first assembly last Friday and sharing their voice in choosing the design for next year's student diaries.

Building Works to Commence over the Holidays

Beginning next week after school finishes and over the Summer holidays, there will be some much needed building works that will commence. This money comes from the $400000 supplementary capital fund (SCF) that we were extremely fortunate to receive from MACS earlier this year.  After having the MACS Infrastructure assess the essential works, some of the exciting works include:

• Roof works over the main school building
• Internal make good after the roof works 
• Structural floor works in the Music Room & PE office
• Drainage & Softfall 
• Internal refurb of the bathrooms TBA in 2026

We look forward to this work commencing and having a safe and exciting learning environment for our children. 

Please note that our playgrounds and basketball courts will not be accessible during the holidays as this will become a worksite and will not be safe for families or children to be on the school grounds.

New Library Furniture

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Adrian McAlister, Principal of Our Lady of Lourdes in Prahran, for his generosity in gifting us their beautiful library furniture. This kindness will make a lasting impact on our learning spaces and will be enjoyed by our students for many years to come. While the furniture is not yet fully set up, we are delighted to share a first glimpse of it as we prepare our new library space for 2026.

We would also like to sincerely thank Sami (Jaxsen’s mum) for her time and help in setting up the books in our new library area. Her support and willingness to lend a hand have been greatly appreciated as we begin this exciting new chapter for our school library.

Important Dates and Reminders for Term 1, 2026

• Staff return on Tuesday January 27 and have 2 days of Professional Learning Tuesday January 27 and Wednesday January 28
• Students return on Thursday January 29
• A reminder that our school gates open at 8:30am ad school begins at 8:45am
• From 2026 all students are welcome to be in their classrooms or in the playground before school
• Our Beginning of the Year School Mass: Friday January 30, 9:15am 
• P&F Welcome Picnic: Friday, February 6, 3.30pm
• Please note that all students are expected to be in the in correct school uniform in 2026- Correct school shoes. Black leather shoes for school uniform days, runners for PE days only. Navy socks with school uniform and white socks (with no logos) with sports uniform. No nail polish , excessive jewellery or nail polish

• Our Specialist classes (PE, Italian, Visual Arts, Music) will commence in commences in Week 2.

Important Dates for Term 1 2026

Please take some time to view the important notes page in this week's newsletter.

And Finally...

We look forward with great anticipation to welcoming you back in 2026 on Thursday, 29 January, building on our successes and  achievements of 2025. The new year will bring many more meaningful moments with our continued strong focus on wellbeing, care, excellence, belonging and connection. Thank you for your continued support and partnership throughout the year; it is truly valued and deeply appreciated. I wish you a joyful and peaceful holiday season.

With Christmas blessings and warmest regards,

Annabelle Marinelli

Principal 

annabelle.marinelli@sjmalvern.catholic.edu.au