Principal's News   

Dear Parents, Carers and Families,

This week has truly highlighted the wonderful community spirit, sense of belonging, joy and commitment that are so present and alive within our St Joseph’s community.

We sincerely thank all members of our community who have contributed in so many ways to the many events across the week - the commencement of our Junior Joey's Playgroup, Shrove Tuesday pancakes, our Ash Wednesday whole school Mass, members of our parent group who contributed to our School Advisory Council, and families who came along to support their child’s faith journey through the Reconciliation Family Night.

I recognise that behind each of these moments are many parents and carers who generously give their time, as well as our dedicated staff who work tirelessly to ensure these experiences are meaningful and successful for our children and families.

Together, this commitment and involvement create a vibrant, connected and faith-filled community where our children feel supported, valued and proud to belong. Thank you for the part you play in making St Joseph’s such a special place.

Joy in our St Joseph's Community

This is what friendship and joy looks like in our school community....

And it is so lovely to see our most responsible and kind members of our school looking after our youngest learners...

And this is what it looks like when you absolutely love our school and friends...

Family Welcome Picnic

Unfortunately, due to the very hot and windy weather, our Family Welcome event had to be postponed. It is now being held on the afternoon of Thursday 26th February.

We have our fingers crossed for beautiful weather so that we can come together to celebrate community and connection. We are truly looking forward to welcoming and getting to know the newest members of our school community, and we hope you experience the genuine spirit of friendship and belonging that makes our school so special.

A heartfelt thank you in advance to our amazing P&F for their incredible organisation and hard work in preparing what we know will be a wonderful and fun-filled event for everyone.

Shrove Tuesday  

On Tuesday we joyfully celebrated Shrove Tuesday with pancakes for the whole school. Throughout the day, students learned about the meaning of Shrove Tuesday and its significance in the liturgical calendar as a time of preparation before Lent. It was wonderful to see them deepen their understanding while also enjoying the fun tradition of eating pancakes on the day. And for some it was a very difficult decision to have to choose  whether they would prefer lemon, sugar, maple syrup, jam or butter on their pancakes! And I would ahve to agree the packes were very delicious!

Our wonderful P&F generously supported the event by organising a group of very keen parents to setting up, cook, and serve delicious pancakes for all of our children. The pancakes were thoroughly enjoyed by everyone and added to the excitement of the celebration. We are incredibly grateful for the time, energy and ongoing support of our P&F in making special moments like this possible for our students.

Ash Wednesday

"Repent and believe in the Gospel"

Our Ash Wednesday Mass on Wednesday morning was a beautiful and prayerful way to begin the season of Lent together as a school community joining the parishioners at St Joseph's Church. We sincerely thank our Parish Priest Fr Gallacher for leading us so thoughtfully and guiding us into this important time in our Church’s liturgical calendar. Each child, staff members, families and parishioners received the ashes on their forehead with the words "Repent and believe in the Gospel" . We are also deeply grateful to our Religious Education Leader, Ms Donnella DeVisser, for her care and preparation in helping make the celebration so meaningful for our students. It was lovely to see families join us as we marked the first day of Lent together.

The Beginning of Lent

Ash Wednesday is the first day of the Church Season called Lent. On Ash Wednesday, many Catholics receive the ashes, which are traced on their foreheads to remind them that they are disciples of Jesus and that this season of Lent is a time to give special attention to prayer, fasting and good deeds.

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Pope Leo XIV teaches that Ash Wednesday is a time of hope. Pope Leo highlights three ways to live during Lent:

• Prayer - spending time with God through talking, listening, Scripture, and the Eucharist.
• Fasting - letting go of things that weigh down our hearts, like selfishness, distractions, or anger, to make space for God’s grace.

• Almsgiving - showing love through helping those in need, remembering that faith is lived through kindness and generosity.

   

Lent is a journey of hope. It is about discovering the joy of being loved and forgiven.  Ash Wednesday is the start of this hopeful journey towards the joy of Easter.

A Lenten Prayer for our School Families

Loving God,

As we begin this holy season of Lent, we gather as a school community to walk with you.

Open our hearts to reflect on our lives, and give us the courage to make positive changes.

Guide our families, as we seek to grow in faith through prayer, kindness to others, and sacrifices that bring us closer to you.

Strengthen us to be generous in our love, patient with one another, and compassionate toward those in need.

May these forty days lead us to a deeper, more joyful relationship with you and each other.

We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen. 

Reconciliation Family Night

Last Thursday evening at 6pm, we gathered for our Reconciliation Family Night with our Reconciliation candidates. It was wonderful to come together to begin this special journey of preparation, and we greatly appreciated the presence and support of the many families who attended.

We sincerely thank our Parish Priest Fr Gallacher, our two seminarians Patrick and Anthony who delightfully shared experiences of becoming closer and more connected to Jesus, and how we first learn about forgiveness through our families. We also thank Ms Donnella DeVisser for the wonderful work she and the class teachers Ms Christie Borch and Ms Siobhan O'Dwyer, have done with the children to prepare for this sacrament. We are truly grateful for their guidance, care and support during this important time in our students’ faith journey.

We look forward to seeing the families at Mass this coming Sunday at St Joseph's Church for the Reconciliation Commitment Mass at 10:30am

Hockey Clinics at St Joseph's

Over the past two weeks, our students have thoroughly enjoyed participating in an exciting hockey clinic at school. The sessions introduced students to the fundamentals of hockey through fun, skill-based games that built confidence, teamwork, and coordination. It was wonderful to see so many students actively engaged, trying something new, and demonstrating great sportsmanship.

A big thank you to Ms Zoe D'Intini ur PE teachers for organising such a great program for our students and to the coaches for delivering such energetic and inclusive sessions. For families interested in continuing hockey, the TEM Hockey Club has programs designed for children aged 5–12, including fun introductory sessions. Please see the Hockey clinic flyer in the school newsletter for more information. 

Well done to all students for their enthusiasm and effort!

St Joseph's Swim Team

The St Joseph’s Swim Team has been announced for the HOLT District Swimming Carnival.Congratulations to the following students on making the team:

Harry M, Gus D, Jack L, Frankie R, Frankie N, Piper H, Violet P, Bennett M L, Clements K, Alina U, Lucy N, Penelope W, Chelsea R, Matilda L, Harry W, Fabien C, William B, Wolf D, Daniel M, Xavier L, Spencer M L, Nicholas P and Danciel M.

We are so proud of your efforts, your willingness to challenge yourselves, and the dedication you have shown. For some of you, this will be your very first time competing at this level - what an exciting achievement!

The team will be presented with their swimming caps at next Friday’s assembly. We look forward to celebrating you all and cheering you on at the carnival.

SRC Promoting Caritas

Thank you to our Wellbeing Leader Ms Carman for supporting our SCR students with leading Caritas in their classes. 

Caritas is a global Catholic organisation dedicated to helping people in need. It works in over 200 countries, providing support such as emergency relief, food, shelter, education, and healthcare to vulnerable communities. Guided by values of compassion and social justice, Caritas aims to reduce poverty and respond to crises around the world. Through its charitable work, Caritas inspires people to care for others and make a positive difference in society.

We thank our community for getting behind this very important initiative during Lent.

School Advisory Council Meeting

This week our School Advisory Council (SAC) met for the first meeting of 2026. The School Advisory Council is a key aspect of MACS Schools Governance and a vital parent forum that plays a significant role in shaping our school’s future. This advisory board typically meets once (sometimes twice) per term to review essential areas such as school improvement initiatives, MACS policies, finances (including school fees), capital grants and projects, and any arising school matters. Being part of this advisory group creates a valuable opportunity to be a positive community voice and provide meaningful input toward the school’s ongoing development.

I am delighted to present the St Joseph’s School Advisory Council for 2026 and greatly appreciate each of the members' valuable contributions:

• Parish Priest - Fr Gallacher
• Principal - Annabelle Marinelli
• Deputy Principal - Dean Butler
• Chair - Kate Tehan (Mum of Alice)
• Secretary - Michael Tuohey (Father of Grace)
• Ongoing Member - Sascha Pausewang (Father of Scarlett)
• New SAC Member - P&F President: Stef Brunetti (Mum of Olimpia)
• New SAC Member - Annie K (Mum of Rafaela and Felix)
• New SAC Member- Jess Dennis (Mum of Albie, Will and Winnie)
• New SAC Member - Simon Hulett (Father of Holly)

• New SAC Member- Lucy McGrath (Mum of Spencer, Bennett and Agnes)

   

"The role of the School Advisory Council provide a crucial ppint of connection between the wider school community and school leaders. While they do not have decisions making authority they inform amd advise the principals and the school leadership" - MACS 2026

St Joseph's Family Fun Day - Save the Date: Saturday 28th March, 10am -3pm

There is a great deal of planning happening behind the scenes as we prepare for what promises to be a truly exciting and fun day for our school community - our St Joseph’s Family Fun Day.

Please save the date in your calendar! We are so grateful for the wonderful support and involvement of our community. Your enthusiasm and generosity make such a difference.

If you would like to help in any way, we would love to hear from you. Please get in touch with Fleur D’Altera (mum of Andre in Year 3), who is leading this major event on behalf of the P&F for our school.

This is a significant undertaking, and as the saying goes, many hands make light work. Thank you in advance for being part of what will be a fantastic day for our St Joseph’s family.

Enrolments for 2027

Enrolments for current (and new) families for 2027 are now open. We encourage all current and new families to submit an application to ensure a place in our Prep intake for 2027. The enrolment application form can be found on our website. Please contact our school office if you have any queries. Current families please get your applications in asap as we we like to prioritise our offers for families already in our school. 

Open Days at St Joseph's

Our official Open Days for 2026 are being held across the following dates:

We have our first Open Day on Monday 23rd February from 9 to 11am. We look forward to welcoming prospective families to our school on Monday.

If you have family or friends who are exploring school options for 2027, our Open Days are a great opportunity to see our beautiful school in action, meet our staff, and learn more about what makes our community at St Joseph's so special.

We have already received a number of applicants for 2027 and we have many registrations for our Open Days. Once we receive applications, interviews will take place from Monday 2nd March and First Round Letters of Offer will be sent on Tuesday 10th March.

Please spread the word to any prospective families who may be looking for a school for 2027. Our families are our greatest advocates, so please share your thoughts with your friends and family about our beautiful school . 

Junior Joey's Playgroup Commences!

This week at St Joseph’s it was so wonderful to warmly welcome our young families back for our Junior Joey's Playgroup. The morning, led by our wonderful Prep and Junior Transition Leader, Ms Liolios, was filled with joyful play, laughter, connection and a beautiful sense of community. We are truly grateful to share this special time together and look forward to many more happy and welcoming mornings throughout the term.

St Joseph's School Assembly

This morning we gathered as a school community to celebrate our STAR Award recipients and our recent birthdays, joyfully singing Tanti Auguri together once again. It was such a lovely way to finish our week. A big thank you to our wonderful school leaders, Cooper and Alexander, for leading us so confidently at assembly today.

We also took the opportunity to extend our sincere thanks to Jess Purcell for her hard work in coordinating tomorrow’s Working Bee. We are so grateful for the time and energy she has given to our community.

During assembly, Mr Butler invited Henry V to share his fantastic initiative focused on caring for our school environment. Henry thoughtfully requested some buckets, gloves and tongs to help students keep our grounds clean and tidy. What amazing young people we have at St Joseph’s, showing such responsibility and leadership at such a young age.

Henry, we are so proud of you!

Welcome Back!

It is always so lovely when families return from an extended time away and come back to school excited to share stories of their adventures, but just as excited to be back at school!

Cacharts in Italy by Fabien and Frederica

After a countdown on our calendar, we finally reached the exciting day to leave for Italy! We were there for one month, seeing family in Sicily and Rome, and not to forget Naples, Pompei, Florence and Venice!

Fabien:

My top 3 favourite things:

• Walking along the crater of Mt Vesuvius, imagining what this vulcano was able to destroy in 79AD - Pompeii!
• Going on my first gondola ride & seeing Ponte Rialto
• Climbing up the Tower of Pisa and feeling the lean right under your feet!

Frederica:

My top 3 places on my trip were:

• Picking mandarins and “cedro” (a  fruit that is like a lemon but it’s MASSIVE!) in my cousin’s orchard
• Playing snowball fights with my cousins on Mt. Etna (the vulcano in Sicily that is near my family’s house)

• Seeing all the costumes and masks at Carnevale in Venice, so many people were dressed up!"

   

We thank Fabien and Frederica for sharing highlights of their trip with us!

Important Dates for Term 1

I encourage you to take a moment to review the Term 1 dates page in this week’s newsletter so you are up to date with all the important activities and events happening this term. We encourage you to be involved in the life of our St Joseph’s community.

Working Bee- Saturday 21st February 1pm-3pm

Our amazing Parents and Friends have been busily preparing for our first Working Bee for 2026, and we would love our families to join us tomorrow from 1pm–3pm. A heartfelt thank you to Jess Purcell for taking on the huge task of organising this event for our school.

We invite all families to come along and generously give a little of your time to help improve and maintain our grounds for our students. Your support truly makes a world of difference, and together we can ensure our school continues to look beautiful and safe for our students, and also, that everything looks fantastic in time for our Open Day on Monday 23rd February. We hope to see many helping hands there!

Thank you to the families who have signed up or made a donation towards the working bee. Your generous time or financial support benefits our school and your children directly.

A couple of our superstars Valentina and Arabella helping during their lunch break to sweep the leaves, making the job a little easier for our parents and carers tomorrow!

School Photos & Summer School Uniform 

School Photos are booked for Monday 23rd March. All students will be dressed in their full full summer uniform, with the correct socks and shoes. We thank you in advance for ensuing that all students come to school each day in their correct uniform. This includes the school colours in hair as well as no fancy jewellery or nail polish. Thank you for your support with this. We also have some new St Joseph's vests that can be purchased for the cooler mornings.

Principal Network Meeting

A couple of times each term, I meet with a group of inspiring principals from our South Central Network. We share stories from our schools and discuss school growth and improvement initiatives across our network and within our own communities.

It is always uplifting to come away from these days with a renewed sense of excitement and vision for our school. I am truly grateful for the colleagues who continue to support one another as we all work hard in service of our communities.

We are grateful to Richard, Principal at OLA in Cheltenham for sharing his school with our network.

I was asked to lead prayer with the principals. Below I have shared the prayer that we prayed together at the beginning of the year for our leaders and our school communities, and as we now enter the Lenten season:

As we gather here today, at the beginning of a new school year and in this sacred season of Lent, we pause to remember who we are, why we are here, and what we are called to do.

This week, on Ash Wednesday, we were marked with ashes, a humble reminder to turn our hearts to God. As we begin this Lenten journey, we are invited to renew our commitment to prayer, compassion, and service. And as we begin this new school year, we are given the same invitation: to start the year with hope, courage, and love.

The beginning of a new school year and the beginning of this Lenten season, is a new season for our school communities - a season of growth, learning, hope, and possibility.

As leaders and principals in our schools, we carry a sacred responsibility. The example we set, the words we choose, the compassion we show, and the courage we model, shape the culture of our schools. As leaders in each of our school communities we are called to serve and to make a difference, Today, we recommit ourselves to leading with integrity, humility, and faith.

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus reminds us what is at the heart of our mission and our work: “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14)

Through these words, we are reminded that our work is sacred. Each child entrusted to our care is precious in God’s sight. We are called not only to educate, inspire and to lead, but to nurture hearts, to create safe spaces, and to honour the dignity of every child so that they feel welcomed, valued, and loved. As leaders, may nothing in our words or actions ever hinder them from growing into the fullness of who God created them to be.

In his 2026 Lenten Message, Pope Leo XIV invites us to open ourselves to listening, fasting, and community. He reminds us that every journey begins by allowing God’s Word to touch our hearts. During this Lenten season, the Holy Father calls us to a very practical form of abstinence: refraining from words that offend and hurt our neighbour. He urges us to avoid harsh words, rash judgment, and speaking ill of others, and instead to make space for words of hope and peace. We can reflect on Pope Leo’s message and as leaders carry this back into our school communities.

If we fast from hurtful words, our classrooms become safer places.If we listen deeply, to God and to one another, our relationships grow stronger.If we promote kindness and respect in our schools, in our corridors, staffrooms, meetings, and playgrounds, we create a community where every child, every family, and every staff member can flourish. Our leadership must model what Lent calls forth. When we lead with calm in times of pressure, with fairness in times of conflict, and with hope in times of uncertainty, we reflect Christ to those entrusted to us.

Let us pray.

Loving and faithful God,You are the source of all wisdom and understanding.As we begin this school year, during the holy season of Lent, renew our hearts and guide our steps.

Teach us to lead with courage and compassion.

Teach us to listen,

To Your Word,

To the quiet needs of our students,

To the concerns of families,

And to one another.

Help us to fast from harsh words and quick judgments.

May words of frustration give way to words of hope.

May criticism give way to encouragement.

May indifference give way to compassion.

Bless our students.

May they grow not only in knowledge,but in kindness, resilience, and confidence.Help them to know they are valued, supported, and deeply loved.

Bless our families.

Strengthen them in times of stress and uncertainty.

May our school be a place of partnership, welcome, and belongingwhere every family feels heard and respected.

Bless our teachers and staff.

Grant them patience, creativity, and compassion.

When the days feel long, renew their spirit.

When challenges arise, remind them of the difference they make.

And bless our colleagues.

That we may lead with love, joy and humility. 

Create in us, and within our schools, a spirit of unity and hope.

As Lent calls us to prayer, fasting, and almsgiving,Teach us what that means in our school community:To pray with sincerity,And to give generously of our time, encouragement, and care.

May we support one another.

May we notice the child who needs reassurance,

The family who needs understanding,

The colleague who needs encouragement.

We entrust this year to You.

May it be a year of growth, compassion, and shared purpose.

And may everything we do reflect Your love in our schools, our classrooms, our conversations, and our community.

Amen.

What's On Next Week..

At any time, if you have any questions or concerns about the wellbeing, care or learning of your child, please do not hesitate to reach out to your child's class teacher, one of the school leaders, or Dean Butler, Deputy Principal or myself, Annabelle Marinelli, Principal.

I wish you all a lovely weekend with your beautiful families.

With the warmest regards,

Annabelle Marinelli

Principal 

annabelle.marinelli@sjmalvern.catholic.edu.au