Deputy Principals' Report

Dear Families,

We hope you have had a productive and enjoyable week.

On Monday, our staff engaged in a School Closure Day as we begin the important process of our School Review. The review process will involve input from staff, students, families, and external reviewers, ensuring that our school continues to flourish and provide the best possible learning environment for every child. We thank you for your support as we embark on this exciting and important phase in our school’s future. Using an improvement framework, staff members collaborated with each other to identify the school's progress across the areas of Religious Education, Learning & Teaching, Student Wellbeing, School Community and Leadership and Management.

Congratulations to our Year 4 students who have made a great start to their Bike Education program this week. They have been practicing their riding skills and focusing on safety awareness as they prepare for their Year 4 Bike Education Camp in Term 4. This program is an excellent way for students to build confidence, responsibility, and independence while learning the importance of safe riding habits.

Across the school, Sue Pain has continued to lead Protective Behaviours sessions with our students. These sessions help children develop important skills in personal safety, resilience, and self-awareness. We thank Sue for her dedication and expertise in supporting the wellbeing of our students.

Meanwhile, our Athletics Team have continued their training sessions in readiness for the District Athletics Carnival next Tuesday at Dolomore Oval. We are proud of their commitment and perseverance and wish them the best of luck.

Thank you, as always, for your ongoing support of our students and school programs. We look forward to another week of learning, growth, and celebration ahead. 

Warm Regards, Deputy Principals: Joelle Diakrousis and Anthony Speranza

Try Booking Link for Father's Day Morning

We warmly invite all dads, grandfathers, and special father figures to join us for our Father’s Day Morning. This is a wonderful opportunity to spend time together and celebrate the important role fathers and father figures play in our school community.

September 2nd at 7.45am and Mass at 9.15am (optional)

To assist with planning, please book your place via the link below:

 TryBooking – Father’s Day Morning

Art Show Parent Helpers 

Mrs Brown is seeking parent helpers for the upcoming Art Show (Tuesday 9th September- Thursday 11th September). There are still a number of preparations to be completed, and any assistance from parents between Tuesday and Friday would be greatly appreciated. Your support will help make the Art Show a success and a wonderful showcase of our students’ amazing artistic talents.

Labelling of uniform 

As the colder weather sets in, we’re noticing an increasing number of jumpers and jackets being misplaced or left around the school. To help us return lost items promptly and ensure no child is left cold during the day, we kindly ask families to clearly label all uniform items, especially outerwear.

A quick check to ensure your child’s name is on their jumper or jacket makes a big difference!

Smart Watches at School

We kindly remind families that smart watches are not permitted at school. These devices can be a distraction to learning and may pose privacy concerns. If a student is wearing a smart watch, they will be asked to remove it and store it in their bag for the duration of the school day. We appreciate your support in helping us maintain a focused and respectful learning environment for all students.

Resilience Groups Year 3 & 4 (Formerly Bounceback)

Mrs Diakrousis has resumed her small group Resilience sessions. At this stage, the groups will be offered to Year 3 and 4 students only.

These sessions will explore a range of strategies designed to support the development of resilience through small group activities and discussion. Our second focus will be on Resilience —Building Inner Strength.

During the sessions, students will:

• Recognise thoughts and feelings during challenges.
• Learn calming and coping strategies to bounce back.
• Develop positive self-talk skills to stay strong and motivated           

The program will run as an eight-week block, with sessions held once a fortnight in the afternoon.

We look forward to supporting our students as they continue to grow in confidence and emotional wellbeing.

Seasons for Growth – Grief and Loss Support Program

We would like to let families know that Mrs Diakrousis will resume the Seasons for Growth program this term.  Seasons for Growth is a small-group program designed to support children who have experienced significant change, loss, or grief—such as the death of a loved one, family separation, or other major life changes.

The program helps students explore their feelings in a safe and supportive environment through age-appropriate discussions, stories, creative activities, and personal reflection. It aims to build emotional resilience and equip students with strategies to cope with change.

The program will be available for students from Prep to Year 6, and groups will be organised by level: Junior (Prep–Year 2), Middle (Years 3–4), and Senior (Years 5–6).

If you feel your child would benefit from being part of this program, please contact Mrs Diakrousis at jdiakrousis@spmentone.catholic.edu.au.

This week, our Seasons for Growth groups began their first session together. The children engaged in activities that introduced the program and helped them understand that change and loss are a natural part of life. They explored their own experiences in a supportive setting, beginning to develop language to express feelings and learning strategies to build resilience. We are proud of the way students approached the session with openness and care, and we look forward to walking alongside them throughout this journey of growth.

Random Acts of Kindness 

We would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to the following students for their outstanding display of kindness and compassion towards others. Your willingness to support, encourage, and uplift those around you has set a wonderful example for our entire school community. It’s incredibly inspiring to see students across different year levels go out of their way to make others feel valued, included, and respected.

Your acts of kindness—whether through small gestures or significant efforts—are powerful reminders of the positive impact we can all have. Thank you for embodying the values that make our school a welcoming and caring place for everyone. Keep up the amazing work!

Week 6

Harper P. (1CL) Harper took the time on the weekend to make a welcome card for our new student and present it to her on her first day. So kind Harper!

Evie A. (4AE) For taking the time to help the Grade 1s clean up at the end of lunch and putting rubbish in the bin without being asked. 

Kayden Veliades (3FH) For assisting a staff member on the playground. 

Nicholas K. (4AE) For helping another student make his clock in class

Henry R., Remy N., Jack P. (4KL) For heling the junior students on the playground throughout lunch time.

Jeronimo H., Louis C., Joshua V. (1JM) and Oliver D. (3EL) For keeping our school clean and beautiful.