From Our Principal
St Mel's is a proud Catholic Education Community, striving, learning
and achieving together through Christ our light.
Newsletter ~ Term 3, Week 6, 2024
Principal's Message:
Dear Parents, Carers, Families and Friends of St Mel’s Primary School,
The end of another eventful fortnight in learning and sharing our gifts and talents for our vibrant school community and the beginning of an exciting next chapter in our ongoing ever developing approach to teaching and learning in support of our children.
Last wednesday we gathered in Mooroopna, as a school community, in the Westside Performing Arts Centre for the St Mel's School Production of 'The Hit List'!
An amazing spectacle of singing, dancing, movement and acting. An opportunity for our children to shine as part of a whole school ensemble, within their Pastoral Groups and/or Year Levels. A culmination of a performing arts sessions across the first part of the year (and year's prior), with a run of special rehearsals leading up to the 'Big Night!'
Whether 'The Arts' is your child/ren's favourite area of the curriculum, or not so, each child's performance contributed to the success of the night and of the production as a whole. An opportuinity for each performer to shine! (Thank you Robyn for your wonderful work with the school production, along with the support of our staff team and parent volunteers).
Last Friday we gathered as a school community to celebrate our annual Mass of Compassion, held this year on the Feast of the Assumption. Fr Ruel celebrated our Mass and spoke beautifully about the Gifts and Talents each of us brings to our community. Our celebration was also an opportunity to celebrate our Year 6 leaders, their gifts and talents, and the many roles they are playing across our school community as members of the many Year 6 Leadership Teams that traditionally provide wonderful support and leadership within our school.
Annual Book Week Parade... 'Reading IS Magic!'
Today we gathered in costume to celebrate all things READING & BOOKS!
It is always exciting to be in the school yard from early morning to witness our children (and staff) arriving in their costumes, trying to guess which particular book (or genre) is being represented and listening to the buzz in the playground!
Our Library has been transformed into a magical space in keeping with this year's theme and has been a popular place to visit for daily book readings this week. (Thank you Katie and Maria for your work in this special feature of our school!)
Principal's Reading Challenge:
We congratulate all children who have taken part in the annual Principal's Reading Challenge this year - a challenge to read as many books in a set period of time in the lead up to our Book Week Celebrations. Remember to keep reading! Read as many books as you can going forward to continue to improve your reading and literacy skills, but importantly, to continue to be exposed to new stories, new places, interesting ideas and wonderful adventures.
Congratulations to the winners of each Pastoral Unit this year:
- Foundation: Shivam Makadia, Genaro Tayong, Morgan Gleeson & Imi Warrior
- Year 1/2: Mohammed Aleedany, Fahad Jaber, Hujjat Qasimi, Jack Piastri, Charli Gleeson, Rianna Kaur
- Year 3/4: Sehaj Kaur, Joy Yakani, Aarusha Karki, Zeldha Tshaka, Cassidy Atkinson & Toby Hawker
- Year 5/6: Sydney Almond, Nimrat Pannu, Sophia Napier, Beatrix Young & Faith Borzillo
A GRAND TOTAL of 1837 books have been read by the school across the two weeks of the Principal's Reading Challenge.
(Thank you Maria for coordinating another very successful Principal's Reading Challenge this year!)
Foundation (Prep) Enrolments Closing:
With the majority of interviews for prospective Prep families almost completed, we move on to those families seeking enrolments for Years 1 through 6 for 2025. Parents / carers with children to commence school in 2025 are urged to contact our School Administration Office now for possible placement for next year. Please call (03) 5821 3163.
Student Free Days 2024 [REPEAT]:
Please find following a list of our remaining allowable Student Free Days for 2024 to support your planning for child minding:
Term Three:
Friday 13 September - Mathematics Professional Learning
Monday 16 September - Student Assessment Data Professional Learning
Term Four:
Monday 4 November - Report Writing
Monday 18 November - Planning Day for 2025
Thursday 19 December - First Aid Professional Learning for 2025
Friday 20 December - Last Day for Staff Team
Notes: Based on the availability of facilitators, the September dates create a long weekend for
families. (A reminder - there were no Student Free days held in Term Two!)
The last day for students for the 2024 school year is Wednesday 18 December.
Kiss & Go Reminder - Please remain in your vehicle! [REPEAT]
If you wish to park your car and enter the school grounds to pick up your children please park in the carpark next to the tennis courts and use to the school crossing to approach the school.
The Hamilton Street 'Kiss and Go' parking spaces are only to be be used by parents / carers who do not park the car and enter the school to pick up children. This supports a steady, safe flow of traffic at the end of the day.
Thank you also for your patience with new staff (including myself) becoming accustomed with family cars, names of children and faces of parents / carers. (Given we rotate the duty across school staff we get a bit rusty at times!)
Celebrating Fathers & Father's Day:
Our annual Fathers' Day events will be held next week as follows...
...Fathers' Day Stall - Thursday 29 August
...Fathers' Day Breakfast - Friday 30 August
Our annual Fathers' Day activities are a traditional way to celebrate our dads, grandads, pops, nonnos, pa's, poppa's, etc... We are grateful to the St Mel's Parent/Carer Social Committee for coordinating these activities on behalf of our community. For more information please see: Upcoming Dates & Events section of this newsletter.
Kind regards and best wishes for our new fortnight ahead!
Stephen 'Steve' Hicks
Principal
Did you know? ~
