Welcome!

Dear Parents and Carers, 

Congratulations to our Year 1 children and staff who led a wonderful assembly last Friday. Our class awards identified children who had a positive outlook on life and their learning. Awards last week were aligned to our school value of Care for Self & Others. 

As I walk around the classrooms… 

I thought it worth a mention the way your children are engaging in their learning. The rooms are abuzz with interest and excitement with the work that they are doing. The connections they have with their teachers are strong and warm.  

So often, the media (social media included!)  is filled with stories of negative behaviour of children and stories where children show little regard for others. It is a privilege to be able to wander the rooms and playgrounds of our school and see and hear children being respectful, caring people, learning how to relate with each other and solve their problems. I can only say that the future will be in great hands with their hopefulness, their vitality and their creative ways of dealing with their lives and respecting the lives of others.  

Pupil Free Day – Wednesday 5th August 2026 

Please note that school is closed: 

• Wednesday 5th August for a Catholic Education Sandhurst Limited (CESL) Staff Spirituality Day 

Term 3 Learning Conversations 

Our Term 3 Learning Conversations will take place this Wednesday 29th July and Tuesday 4th August from 3:30 pm to 6:00 pm.  

These meetings provide an important opportunity for families, teachers and students to come together to celebrate learning, discuss progress and set goals for the future. Students will be actively involved in the conversations, sharing work samples and reflecting on their achievements and next steps.  

We encourage ALL families to attend and strengthen the partnership that supports every child's success. Appointments will be available to book on SIMON everywhere. 

In order to facilitate more effective conversation at these meetings, it may be worth giving some thought to the following questions:  

• What do you see as your child’s most important success this year at school? 
• How do you see that your child’s learning needs are being met at the moment?   
• How might we be able to work together to enhance things further for the second half of the school year?   
• Do you or your child feel the need to raise any issues for discussion at the meeting? 

Midyear meetings are a formal opportunity for parent/teacher communication but certainly these meetings are not the only times when there can be effective communication about your child’s learning.  Teachers are always happy to make themselves available to discuss your child’s progress.   The allocated time is 15 mins per interview. 

Bishop’s Installation 

This week I will have the privilege of attending the installation of Bishop René as the ninth Bishop of Sandhurst on behalf of St Peter’s. It will be a significant occasion for our Diocese as we welcome Bishop René into his ministry among us and pray for him as he begins this new chapter of leadership and service. 

Please keep Bishop René in your prayers as he prepares for this important milestone. Families who are unable to attend the installation can watch via the live stream, which is available on the diocesan website. 

Casual Dress Day – Friday 31st July 

This Friday is our next Casual Dress Day. Students are invited to wear casual clothes and, if they are able, bring along a small donation to support our chosen charity, the Opening the Doors Foundation. 

The Opening the Doors Foundation supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students across Victoria by helping remove barriers to education. The foundation provides scholarships and assistance with school expenses, helping young people access opportunities and achieve their educational goals. 

We thank our families for their generosity and support of this important cause. Every contribution, no matter how small, helps make a difference in the lives of young people and their families. 

How was school today? 

It is not uncommon for parents to ask “How was school today?”, and get little response from their child. If that’s the case at your house try some of the following questions at the end of the school day. 

Different ways to ask your child, “How was School today?” 

• What was the best thing that happened at school today? 
• If you could choose who would you like to sit next to in class? 
• Where is the coolest place at the school? 
• Tell me something that made you laugh today. 
• If I called your teacher tonight what would she tell me about you? 
• How did you help somebody today? Did anyone help you? 
• Tell me one thing that you learned today and I’ll tell you something I learnt at work. 
• Do you have any wonderings about today? 
• Who would you give student of the day to today? Why? 
• Tell me something good that happened today. 
• What is the most interesting thing your teacher said today? 
• What do you think you should do/learn more of at school? 
• What do you think you should do/learn less of at school? 
• Who is the funniest person in your class? Why is he/she so funny? 
• If you got to be the teacher tomorrow what would you do? 

We hope that these little tips help begin a conversation that is both positive and informative! 

I hope you have a great week, and I look forward to seeing you at the Learning Conversations! 

Kind regards, 

Paul Bissinella 

Acting Principal