Deputy Principals' Report

Dear Families,

We've been so impressed in Week 2 to see nearly all students bringing and wearing their hats before heading out to play. This is a wonderful commitment to being Sun Smart, and we encourage everyone to keep up this excellent effort throughout the term! 

Speaking of warmer weather, we've noticed a few more jumpers and jackets being left on the playground as students shed layers during the day. This is the perfect time for a quick check: please ensure all uniform items—especially jumpers and hats—are clearly labelled with your child's name. If your student is already missing an item, please remind them to check our Lost Property area, which is quickly filling up!

Warm Regards, Deputy Principals: Joelle Diakrousis and Anthony Speranza

SLIP, SLOP, SLAP, SEEK, SLIDE

A reminder for all students to come prepared with their hats and sunscreen each day at school. As we spend more time outdoors, it’s essential that everyone stays protected from the sun’s UV rays. Parents, it would be greatly appreciated if you could teach your children to apply sunscreen at home before they come to school in the morning. This not only helps start their day off with good coverage but also ensures they’re familiar with the routine, as students will need to reapply during the day. By building this habit at home, we can work together to keep everyone sun safe .A helpful PDF on sunscreen is attached below:

A helpful reminder for all of us is the Cancer Council’s “Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, and Slide” slogan. This easy-to-remember message encourages children to Slip on a shirt, Slop on sunscreen, Slap on a hat, Seek shade, and Slide on sunglasses whenever they’re outside. Practicing these sun safety steps helps build lifelong habits that protect skin health. Further advice is also attached below:

St Carlo Acutis 

Thank you to Alexandra and the Mears family for donating the book on the recently canonised St Carlo Acutis. We appreciate your generosity. The book can be borrowed from our school library. 

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.

Random Acts of Kindness

Harvey Q. (5MH) For being resilient and responding maturely and kindly when faced with a difficult challenge