Dear Parents and Guardians,

As we begin the 2026 school year, I would once again like to welcome all our new families to Good Shepherd. Over 80 students across the school have begun their journey with us this year and it has been great to see them settle in so well. Our Prep students are shining as they learn about routines and develop new friendships.

Our school theme this year is “Belonging”. Belonging is the feeling of being seen, valued and accepted for who you are. It is knowing that your voice matters. As we walk into school each day, we carry different experiences, cultures, talents and dreams. And it is this diversity that makes our Good Shepherd Community so vibrant. Belonging is shown through kindness, respect and courage.

We all belong to the community of Good Shepherd and Together, we will continue to create an environment where everyone has a place, everyone is valued and everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Everyone BELONGS at Good Shepherd.

Congratulations

Amalie Jenkel LSO welcomed beautiful baby Cassie in January. Big brother Callan is so proud of his little sister and dad Damien is taking great care of the family.

We congratulate LSO Nilani on her marriage to Gavindu in January. Nilani was a beautiful bride and we wish them a lifetime of happiness.

Traffic safety

You will find included in today’s newsletter important reminders about traffic management around the school. Unfortunately on a daily basis I am notified of parents displaying risky and unsafe behaviour that could result in a serious accident. This morning Liz the council lolly pop lady reported to me some very serious safety incidents out on Academy avenue. Monash council have been notified and will monitor the area and report any unsafe road practices to the police.

Please do not allow your child to exit your car on the street or in the carpark where it states no standing. This includes stopping in front of the school office. You should be driving all the way to the kiss and drop area before 8:45am or parking your vehicle and walking your child safely to the office if you arrive after this time. Parents are not permitted to drive into the parish driveway to drop off their children.

Communication

We continue to ensure our communication processes are effective to enhance parent-school partnerships. If you are having difficulties logging into nForma could you please email gsoffice@gswheelershill.catholic.edu.au so we can address this matter. We meet with the nForma administrators regularly to iron out any issues.

We are looking forward to seeing parents at upcoming PSG meetings and the Tell Us About Your Child (TUAYC) sessions next week to support your children having a successful year.

Enrolments for Prep 2027

Could families who have a child starting Prep next year please complete an enrolment application form as soon as possible and no later than the end of March. We have moved to online enrolment forms through our school website. Please follow these steps on the website and all documentation will be forwarded to our enrolment team. If you would prefer to complete a hard copy enrolment form they can be collected from the school office.

We have set our School Tour dates for semester 1 for prospective families. Please share them with family and friends who may considering choosing Good Shepherd for their children.

Thank you to our PFA

A heartfelt thank you to our Parents and Friends for their wonderful efforts in organising and selling second-hand books, and to our school community for generously donating and purchasing books during last year’s Book Week. With the funds raised through this initiative, the school was able to purchase over $1,200 worth of new books for our students to enjoy. The image above showcases a selection of these newly purchased titles.

Coming up

Today’s newsletter is certainly action packed. It includes many important reminders, reflections and upcoming events. We are excited about building stronger opportunities for parental involvement this year and hope many of you can join us for the relaunch of our Parents and Friends night coming up on Tuesday 23 February.

At the end of the newsletter you will find important dates for your diaries for Term 1 and all the school closure days the year for future planning. Parents can access the school calendar through the nForma portal through a website browser link. An important reminder that Term 1 finishes for students on Wednesday 1 April at 1:00 PM as Thursday 2 April is a school closure day.

Thank you for your ongoing support

Jacqui Marshall

Principal

Traffic Management