Dear Parents and Carers,

What an incredible way to wrap up the school term!

Our students have accomplished so much—both collectively and through individual milestones—and should be proud of all they’ve achieved.

This term has been filled with rich experiences and exciting events, including Foundation Drop-In sessions and our first official Transition session for the year, NAIDOC Week and the NAIDOC Week Walk-a-Thon, the Year 5/6 UY Round Robin, continued progress on the St Joseph’s Masterplan, the production of Madagascar, the Flourishing Learners Conference, Learning Walks with Rob Horwood, Father’s Day celebrations, the Year 3/4 Tabloid Sports, Japanese Fun Day, Netball Clinics, Footy Colours Day, the F/1/2 Inquiry Showcase, the Madagascar Bazaar, the Principal’s Pilgrimage to Italy—and, of course, a great deal of amazing learning along the way.

After such a vibrant and full term, it’s no surprise we’re all ready for a well-deserved break these holidays!

Photos from Nick's journey to the Holy Land

Nick, along with the principals from other Outer Eastern MACS schools, has been making the most of their time in Rome during the Jubilee Year. We’re eagerly looking forward to hearing all about his journey when he returns in Week 2 of Term 4.

Driveway Alerts

Over the last few days, we have been noticing wildlife crossing the road into school just past the white fence. There have been kangaroos crossing at different times of the day and wombats in the early evening. If you are coming into school for any reason, please be on the alert as the animals are accessing the creek for water.

Please also be reminded that the road into school is 40km/h and that the driveway up to the school and church are all at walking paces of 5km/h. Please also be reminded to stop when exiting the drive and give way to oncoming traffic into the council depot.

Flourishing Learners Conference

Last week Lisa Bourke, Simone Traynor, Rebecca Beveridge and I went to Marvel Stadium for the Melbourne Archdiocese Flourishing Learners Conference. We were among nearly 2000 of our colleagues learning about the advances in education and the future for education.

Professor Br David Hall FMS deeply inspired us, highlighting the vital role of hope in education. Drawing from Romans 5:5, he urged us to "awaken hope in our students, because hope does not disappoint." His message reminded us that teaching is not just about imparting knowledge; it’s about nurturing the spirit of each learner, recognising that we are spiritual beings on a human journey.

One of the keynote speakers, Dylan William, delivered a crucial message about the speed at which students learn. He emphasised that whether a child finds learning easy or challenging depends on their individual characteristics. He also highlighted the importance of designing learning experiences for all students, the structure of the school, the quality of teaching, and the significant impact teachers can have on student progress.

Tom Sherrington’s engaging keynote presentation offered practical, research-backed strategies that seamlessly apply to the classroom. His emphasis on techniques like cold calling, pair-share, explicit instruction, and inclusive whole-class discussions brought the "All vs Some" approach to life, aligning perfectly with our Catholic philosophy of educating the whole child.

The two-day conference provided a valuable opportunity to connect with fellow educators, deepen our understanding of how learners thrive, and reflect on how we can apply these insights within our own school community.

MACSSIS Survey

Thankyou to all of our families who have completed the MACSSIS survey. We value your feedback. The survey closes tonight. To be in the draw for a family pass (2 adults and 2 children) to Reading Cinemas, complete the survey by closing tonight.

Tickets will be drawn on Monday 6th October. Stay tuned to see who the winner is!

Maria Ruberto

Maria's last session with us will be held at St Joseph's School in the SPA centre on Tuesday, 14th October from 5-6pm. It would be a great opportunity for you to come along and listen to Maria's last session with us. Child Minding will be on offer. Please email Katie Vranken if you are attending and if you have children who require minding.

kvranken@sjyarrajunction.catholic.edu.au

St Joseph's Masterplan Community Meeting invitation

St Joseph's is looking for our community to consult with us on the upcoming new Masterplan. This meeting will be held online and will be in collaboration with Sibling Architects. If you would like to view the plans for St Joseph's and would like to provide feedback, please join us on Wednesday 15th October 7:00-8:30pm via Zoom. We would love for you to see the exciting new development and provide feedback, suggestions and approvals.

A Google invitation will be sent out early next term to register your attendance.

We cannot wait to see you online!

Upcoming Dates

Please read the following information, which was sent as an email last week. Many of these upcoming events will need families to check in with NForma alerts for more information or forms to be completed. Please check in with the Google Calendar to see more events for Term 4.

Term 4

Students return Monday 6th October

Year 5/6 Camp to Phillip Island

Wednesday 8th October - Friday 10th October

Please see communication coming out in the next few days regarding permission and dietary requirements. This will be through Nforma.

Maria Ruberto session at St Joseph's

Come along to Maria's last session with St Joseph's parents on Tuesday 14th October 5-6pm in the SPA cenrtre. Even if you have not attended the last two sessions, it would be great to see you there. Child minding will be available on the night.

St Joseph's Masterplan Community Information session

Wednesday 15th October at 7pm

Join us online to meet the architect team and see the plans for St Joseph's Masterplan. All families and community members are welcome to join us for the community consultation session and to offer suggestions and feedback on the plans.

Thursday 16th October

Foundation 2026 STEAM and Pizza night.

Come along to our Foundation 2026 STEAM activity night and enjoy some pizza, and get to meet the Foundation 2026 families.

Friday 17th October

Socktober fundraising day - wear your quirkiest and colourful socks and contribute to the fundraiser. More information to follow.

Whole School Swimming Program

20th October to 30th October 2025.

More information to follow next term.

I hope that you all have a restful holiday and get the chance to go away and spend some time with your families.

If you need to contact me over the holidays, please do not hesitate to contact me via email kvranken@sjyarrajunction.catholic.edu.au or to call in the case of an emergency on

0409 433 191.

Stay safe these holidays,

Katie Vranken

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