St Justin’s Primary School acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as Australia's First People and Traditional Custodians of the land and waterways on which our school stands.

We pay our respects to the Bunurong people of the Kulin Nation, and their elders past and present, and emerging as we continue to proudly live and learn on their land.

St Justin's Primary School - Celebrating over 40 years of Catholic Education

Dear Families and Friends,

MACS Southern Region Visit St Justin's

Celebrating Positive School Practices

On Monday this week, our school had a visit from six MACS Staff from our Southern Office, who spent time observing the daily life of St Justin’s. We are very pleased to share that the feedback received was overwhelmingly positive and highlighted the many wonderful practices that take place across our school each day.

Some of the key strengths acknowledged by the MACS Staff in their feedback during the visit included:

Morning Prayer Routine – Our students begin each day with prayer, creating a calm and reflective start while strengthening our faith community.
Teacher/Student Wellbeing Check-ins – Staff actively support students in their wellbeing, fostering a positive and caring environment for all.
Orderly and Tidy School Environment – The school grounds and classrooms were commended for being well-presented, organised, and welcoming.
Student Behaviour and Learning Engagement – Visitors noted the high level of respect and enthusiasm demonstrated by our students in their learning.
Consistency Across Year Levels – Teaching and learning practices are aligned across the school, ensuring a smooth and consistent experience for students.
Team Planning Amongst Staff – Our staff’s commitment to collaboration and shared planning was recognised as a strong feature of our learning culture.

We are very proud of this feedback and of the efforts of our students, staff, and families who contribute to making St Justin’s such a vibrant and positive learning community.

Regional Soccer

Boys Team Report

On Monday, August 18th, the St Justin’s boys soccer team competed in the Eastern Metropolitan Regionals against some very strong opponents. We had prepared well in the lead-up to the big day at Petty’s Reserve in Manningham, with special thanks to Coach Tim Dakis, the Technical Director from Nunawading FC, who generously volunteered his time to train and guide us.

Our first match was against Our Lady of the Pines Primary School. We opened the scoring with a great goal, but they equalised just before half-time. Despite our best efforts, the game ended in a 1–1 draw.

In our second game, we faced St Peter Julian Eymard, a team full of talented players. We went into the break 2–0 up, but in the second half they fought back hard, and the match finished 2–2.

Our last pool game was against Templeton Primary School. We started strongly, scoring two quick goals early on. The rest of the game was tight, but we held our lead to win 2–0. After three tough games, we finished second in our pool, which meant we qualified for the semi-finals.

In the semis, we came up against St Bede’s, who had topped their group after winning every game. We knew it would be a huge challenge, and we started with incredible intensity—it felt like professional football. The first half ended 0–0, and both teams were working tirelessly. Midway through the second half, we broke away on a counterattack and scored with five minutes left. The celebrations were massive, but we weren’t done yet. With just two minutes to go, we scored again from a free kick to seal a 2–0 victory and book our place in the grand final.

With only a short break, we went straight into the final against Livingstone Primary School, who had also won their semi-final. The atmosphere was electric with both teams cheering on loudly. We scored an early goal to give ourselves confidence, but Livingstone equalised right before half-time. The second half was an all-out battle—every player gave everything in defence and attack. Then, in the dying moments of the match, we were awarded a penalty. We calmly converted, and the whole team and supporters erupted with joy.

At the final whistle, we were crowned champions, collecting our medals and banner with pride. It was a day full of determination, teamwork, and excitement.

Now we look forward to the state finals, where we’ll face even tougher opponents—and give it everything once again. A huge thank you to Mrs D’Angelo for her belief in us and constant support throughout the journey.

Written by Lachlan D & Cristian L on behalf of the boys team.

Girls Team Report

On Monday, 18th August 2025, our girls’ soccer team proudly represented the school at the Regional Soccer Championships. We were led by our amazing coach, Nathan, who is also Sienna Montana’s dad. From the moment we stepped onto the field, we were determined to give it our all.

In our first match, Mia B sealed the win with a brilliant goal, giving us a 1–0 victory. In the second game, Charli A stunned the crowd by scoring within the first five seconds, but despite the strong start, the opposition fought back and we went down 3–1. Our final game was another tough battle, and although we played hard, we finished with another 3–1 loss.

While we were disappointed not to make it through to the State Championships, we are incredibly proud of our efforts and grateful for the opportunity to represent our wonderful school.

Written by Alexa B and Sienna Z 6DB.

Important Dates

Whilst we have most dates in the calendar, some dates include:

Tuesday 26th August - School Advisory Meeting 7.30pm
Wednesday 27th August - Maths ICAS Assessments Year 2-6
Thursday 28th August - District Athletics Years 3-6

Please refer to Dates Ahead for a full list of important dates in Term 3.

BOOK WEEK

This year, our school celebrated Book Week 2025 with the theme “Books an Adventure”—and what an adventure it was!

Students arrived dressed as their favourite book characters, showcasing creativity, imagination, and a love of reading. From classic storybook heroes to modern favourites, the costumes truly brought stories to life and filled our school with colour and excitement.

The spirit of adventure continued beyond the costumes. Thanks to Proactivity, our students experienced real-life adventures through a range of exciting activities, including the Ninja Warrior Course, Giant Earth Balls, Tug of War, and even a daring encounter with the Swamp Monsters. These activities encouraged teamwork, resilience, and plenty of laughter.

We extend a big thank you to our staff, families, and community for supporting Book Week and helping us create such a memorable day. Together, we celebrated the joy of reading while showing that adventure can be found both in books and in real life!

Thanks to everyone for their support with Book Week . A special thank you to Mrs Wegmann for organising the day - much appreciated.

Sausage Sizzle

Thank you to Tony and our wonderful Parent Helpers.

We apologise for the error with the sausage orders yesterday and for any inconvenience this may have caused. We hope that you understand at times mistakes do happen.

As a school we couldn’t hold these kind of event without your support and look forward to our next P&F event!!

Henny Penny

As part of the whole-school curriculum focus this term, ‘Relationships’, the Preps have been learning about how living things grow and change over time. Last Monday we welcomed some chicken eggs to St. Justin's to help us to develop this understanding. We have been waiting patiently and have been lucky enough to see the chicks hatch throughout the week.

Have a look at our eggcellent photos to see the learning and fun we are having with our chicks!

Footy Colours Day – Friday 12th September

Every year, more than 950 children and young people in Australia are diagnosed with cancer. With treatment starting instantly, many spend over six months away from their school, friends, and normal routines.

After the success of last year’s event, St Justin’s is proud to once again take part in Fight Cancer Foundation’s Footy Colours Day to help these kids! On Friday 12th September, students are invited to wear their favourite team colours, scarves, and jerseys for a fun-filled day that blends the excitement of sport with a meaningful mission.

Why it matters

Purpose: Footy Colours Day raises funds to support families and fund vital cancer research.
Participation: By wearing your team’s colours, you’ll not only show your sporting pride but also help children who are bravely fighting cancer.

Community Spirit: Together, we can make a difference and teach our students the importance of kindness, empathy, and support.

How you can help

All money raised will go directly to the Fight Cancer Foundation, supporting families with accommodation close to hospitals and contributing to life-saving research. Every donation – big or small – counts.

👉 Link to Donate

Let’s fill St Justin’s with colour, joy, and team spirit while supporting such an important cause. Together, we can kick goals for kids with cancer!

MACSSIS

Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools – School Improvement Surveys (MACSSIS): Monday 1 September – Friday 19 September 2025

Throughout each year, we pause to listen to our students, families and staff to gauge how our learning community is travelling. This feedback is invaluable to our progress as effective school communities and is backed by evidence-based research and best practices.

A significant and formal way in which we engage and gather data is through MACSSIS, the Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools – School Improvement Surveys.

I encourage you to read the Letter of Informed Consent

St Justin's 2025 School Production

The countdown is now on!!

Our whole School Production ‘The Down Under Road Trip’ is in full swing. Please take note of all the important information enclosed in this newsletter.

Free Health, Wellbeingand Development Checks

Parents were recently provided information and a postcard about the Primary School Nursing Program. If you have not yet completed the questionnaire and would like to do so, please use the QR code or link to access the questionnaire:

Term 3 - School Closure Day

Friday 19th September is a School Clousre Day - the day after our school production.

The students last day of Term 3 will be Thursday 18th September.

Fair on the Hill

Whilst our Annual Fair on the Hill is still some time away (Saturday 8th November 11:00am - 4:00pm) there has been an amazing amount of planning going on.

Please refer to the Fair on the Hill page for more information.

School Fees

A reminder that all School Fees are due to be finalised by Thursday 17th September.

There is an expectation that families make progress payments throughout the year and if intending to make payment on the due date that you reachout to the school to advise us so that we can plan ahead. With families keeping up with payments or keeping in contact with us in regards to fees or if you are requesting assistance this allows us to maintain activities and programs we already have in place at St. Justin's. We would greatly appreciate your support in regards to being on top of your fees.

As is our ongoing practice, should any family’s financial situation have changed, please contact Patrick Torpey or office staff on 9561 7644 or email office@sjwheelershill.catholic.edu.au to discuss your options.

Car Parking

A reminder that the school carpark should not be used to drop students off, unless:

accessing before or afterschool care,
picking up or dropping a student off for an appointment, or
with permission from the principal.

The staff carpark is a busy place in the mornings and after school, and we would hate to have any accidents because drivers thought it would be more "convenient" or quicker to use the carpark to drop off.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Enjoy a restful weekend with your families and stay safe!

All the best,

Leanne

Mrs Leanne Snell

Deputy Principal

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