From Our Principal

Newsletter ~ Term 4, Week 2, 2026

Principal's Message:

Dear Parents, Carers, Families and Friends of St Mel’s Primary School,

Our students and Staff Team have returned from the recent school holidays with renewed enthusiasm for 'school learning' and settled calmly, purposefully and swiftly into our usual school routines and learning programs. This was amidst our annual local schools Athletics Carnival Week for students from Year 3 to Year 6 and the majority of our Pastoral Groups in temporary Learning Suites. At Monday's assembly it provided great satisfaction speaking to our students and Staff Team of my gratitude and satisfaction for this wonderful beginning of a new term.

The children (and staff) have been commended on their positive start to our final term of 'school learning' for 2026.

Thank you to our parents, carers and families for the ongoing support you provide your children, their teachers, Learning Support and other staff, including our Executive Leadership Team. We look forward with optimism as we journey together through the last term. Of course, we especially keep in mind our Year 6 school leaders as they complete their primary school here at St Mel's and participate in a number of final key events across the term, including their Graduation Mass.

Magnify Sandhurst' 

Every Student - Every Teacher - Every School - Every Day!

Today we welcomed two CESL School Improvement Leaders (SILs) for our Term Four 'Pulse Check', including our SIL, Libby Hamilton, who was employed at our school in the second half of 2024. The Pulse Check is a CESL system check of schools related to our implementation of the various elements of Magnify and a broad range of school organisational and functional areas. Another way to look at this process... termly visits, observations and document checks (mini school reviews). The Pulse Checks also involve meeting with our Executive Leadership Team and analysis of our academic and other data sets.

These termly reviews provide commendations and recommendations in support of our ongoing school improvement agenda focussed on improving learning outcomes for our students. Our Staff Team also receive constructive feedback on the implementation of the Magnify knowledge rich and low variance curriculum. Again today, we have been affirmed on our continued improvement agenda, especially pertinent given Libby Hamilton's previous time working within our school community.

Staffing and School Arrangements for 2027 (& beyond):

Ongoing planning continues, as usual, to confirm staffing and curriculum arrangements in support of the approaching new school year. Our straight grade structures support this process and provide some predictability in regard which classes students will be in next year. Growth in our student numbers will support our plans to continue to offer the range of programs, excursions and experience we have in recent years. 

Digital Technologies, Learning & Children:

In keeping with what we know in relation to the Neuroscience of Learning and the impact of technology use and screen time for young children Catholic Education Sandhurst Ltd Central Office are providing useful fact sheets for parents and carers to support home efforts to minimise children's screen time and encourage safe, responsible and respectful use of digital technologies. I encourage our parents and carers to read this information and reflect on your child/ren's access to and use of technology.

Year 1 Activity Afternoon & Year 2 Sleepover:

We look forward to this annual event to be held next week in our school. A special 'Mystery Night' theme underpins the activities afternoon and sleepover, providing some intrigue in the lead up to what looks to be a fun and engaging evening. Following the Sleepover, our Year 1 and Year 2 teachers will not be at school, due to the need to provide Time In Lieu.

A reminder an alternative program will operate for the Year 2 children who are at school and unable to be away on the Friday. Thank you in advance to Year 2 families able to keep their children home on Friday 23rd. October.

Parish-based Sacramental Program:

This week end our students participating the the Sacramental Program will attend either the 9:30am or 5:00pm Mass on Sunday. This is a Commitment Mass for these children who will meet in family and/or larger groups focussed on learning more about the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Please keep these children and their families in your thoughts and prayers in coming weeks and months.

Building Project Commences:

Our refurbishment and improvement project in the Year 3 to Year 6 Building commenced as planned in the second week of the recent school holidays and continues to progress on schedule. Floor coverings, redundant pinboards, built in furniture and non-essential fittings have been removed to make way for the construction of walls, operable doors, internal windows, doors and new pinboards to follow. This is an exciting capital improvement project which will significantly enhance learning and teaching in these spaces. Interesting that building noise cannot be readily heard from the project area and given it is an internal project, progress can only be seen through the windows.

As per the end of Term Three, reports from individual teachers and support staff, along with observations of visiting colleagues from CESL Central Team, again today, indicate the children and their teachers are very settled into their new locations and learning has continued seamlessly. We are extremely grateful to the Australian Government for providing a substantial capital grant towards these much needed improvements in support of student learning.

Local Schools Athletics Carnival:

Our Year 3 to Year 6 students have been commended on their participation and sportspersonship in the recent Athletics Week held at McEwan Reserve. From all accounts our children at each year level were displaying appropriate, engaged and exemplary behaviour during the event. They have been affirmed on this back at school this week.

'No Hat - No Play' School Hats:

According to school policy and advice from the Anti Cancer Council wearing school hats in Term Four and Term One each year is an important way to ensure we are 'Sun Smart" and avoid harmful exposure to ultra violet (UV) light from the sun.

Students without school hats are asked to sit under the shade sales outside our School Administration area. 

2027 St Mel's Kinder Enrolments: [REPEAT]

Parents and carers with children to commence at St Mel's Kindergarten are advised to enrol now for next year. Independently judged as best local kindergarten, the St Mel's Kindergarten offers a wonderful early years program for pre-school children. Places will fill quickly and parents and carers are advised to contact Kinder Enrolment Officer Leah via:

                    Phone: 0439 336 014

                    Email: scececenrolment@ceosand.catholic.edu.au

                    Website: www.stmelskindergarten.weebly.com

School Closure Days (Term Four):

There is no school for students on...

• Monday 2 November. This is a Report Writing Day for Teachers and a Professional Leaning Day for other staff. 

  NOTE: Tuesday 3 November is Melbourne Cup Day holiday.

             (This effectively provides a long weekend for families!)

• Monday 16 November. Traditionally a Planning Day for 2027, we will incorporate a Professional Learning Day for our Staff Team focussed on Digital Technology.

NOTE: The St Mel's Uniting Outsise School Hours Care will operate on both School Closure Days. Parents / carers wishing to access this care are requested to book in now.

Staffing Update

• Bridie Cooke (Teacher) has returned two days per week (Thursdays & Fridays) following a period of Maternity Leave. We welcome Bridie back to our school community as she assumes her roles in our school.
• Annalei Moon (Year 5 Teacher), Cassie Waack (LSO), Rachel Bell (LSO), Elisabeth Rodriguez (Wellbeing Officer) and Julia Barnes (Foundation Teacher) have experienced periods of ill health over the past fortnight.
• I (Steve Hicks) will be taking four days Long Service Leave at the end of Week Three and beginning of Week Four. Danae Napier, Deputy Principal, will lead the school in my absence.

I remain ever grateful for the ongoing support of part time teachers, classroom relief teachers and our senior leaders for their support in 'filling the void' when teachers have been absent to ensure our learning programs continue unimpeded by these absences.

St Mel's Uniting Outside School Hours Care - Vacation, Student Free Days and Before School Care: 

NOTE: Registering your child/children in St Mel's Uniting Outside School Hours Care can take up to a week to process, given the documentation required.

Parents and carers are recommended to register NOW if there is a possibility of using this service at any time this year. Once registered, children are booked in via the registration app.

Parents and carers seeking more information or wishing to register children for Vacation Care are directed to contact Uniting Vic Tas directly by:

             Phone: 1800 183 103

             Email: earlylearning@unitingvictas.org.au

School Dates:

Please check the Upcoming Dates & Events section of the newsletter regularly.

Did you know? ~