Principal News

Dear St Joseph's Parents, Carers and Families,

It has been so lovely to enjoy a few warmer days this week, and the sunshine has certainly put a spring in our step! We have had another wonderful week at St Joseph’s, where our strong sense of community spirit continues to shine through everything we do. This week, we shared a very special Remembrance Day Liturgy, coming together in prayer and reflection. We also celebrated a vibrant and joyful Italian Day, filled with fun activities, cultural learning, and plenty of excitement. It has truly been a week that reflects the heart, energy, and connectedness of our school community.

Prayers for Remembrance Day- Lest We Forget

Remembrance Day - Tuesday 11th November

This week, on Tuesday 11th November, our school gathered for a special Remembrance Day Liturgy. It was a time for us to come together to remember and give thanks for the brave men and women who helped keep our country safe. We prayed for peace and reflected on how we can show kindness and care for others in our everyday lives. Thank you to all the families who joined us for this special service as we remembered together. For the families who missed the liturgy I have included the slides for you:

A heartfelt thank you to LCDR Luke Reynoldson (father of George and Isabell and Luke family) from the Royal Australian Navy for joining us for this special occasion. Luke shared an insightful recount of historical events and reflected on the price that Australia, and countries around the world, have paid through more than a century of war and conflict since the First World War. He also generously answered many questions from our students, who were eager to understand the significance of this important day, as well as Luke’s role in the Navy. We are sincerely grateful to Luke for helping make this occasion so meaningful for our students. It was also so lovely to see Luke's children share the pride in their dad's work.

We also extend a special thank you to Lincoln, the talented trumpeter from De La Salle College, for his performance of The Last Post. His skill added a deeply moving and respectful tone to our Remembrance Day liturgy, helping our students connect with the significance of this solemn moment. We are grateful to Lincoln for sharing his musical gifts with our school community.

It was also wonderful to see Year 6 student Oscar share his pride in wearing his grandfather’s medals during our Remembrance Day liturgy. Oscar’s dad, Danny, kindly shared some background about these very special medals.

Oscar’s grandfather, Fred Rose, fought on the Kokoda Track alongside his brother Alan during World War II. The medals Oscar wore are the original medals awarded to Fred in recognition of his service.

Seeing Oscar honour his grandfather in such a meaningful way added a personal and deeply moving touch to our commemoration. It was a powerful reminder of the real stories, courage, and sacrifices made by so many families, including those within our own school community.

Here are some other pictures from Remembrance Day on Tuesday: 

🇮🇹 What a Sensational Italian Day Celebration!

Our St Joseph’s community enjoyed a truly special day of cultural festivities, honouring Italian language, culture, and community.

Our students enthusiastically came dressed in Italian-themed costumes or in the colours of the Italian flag, red, green, and white, helping to create a vibrant and festive atmosphere across the school.

The day began with coffee and biscotti at the gate, accompanied by lively Italian music as children enjoyed Skipping Club with Ms Freeman. This was followed by a wonderful Italian Assembly, featuring class performances of songs, poems, and presentations celebrating all things Italian.

Throughout the day, students participated in a range of engaging cultural activities, including bocce, marionette (Pinocchio) making, and tombola (Italian Bingo).

A delicious Italian food-tasting table showcased favourites such as arancini, pizza, cheeses, cakes, and biscuits. We extend a heartfelt thank you to Fleur and Laura, who generously led the parent involvement and to the many parents - Amy, Stef, Adriana, Sami, Liv H, Aline, Claire, Jess Dennis, Tetyana, Angela, and to so many other parents and carers behind the scenes, who generously contributed such an amazing variety of Italian foods. Your support helped make the day truly special and memorable for our students - you really went above and beyond!

To finish the celebrations, a lively teachers vs. students soccer match took place, all while a Gelato Truck served authentic Italian gelato. Many students shared that this was the highlight of their day!

It was a joyful and memorable celebration from start to finish. We extend our sincere thanks to Signora Bennett for organising such a wonderful celebration of Italian culture.

And as Yianni in Prep so beautifully shared with the whole school community this afternoon - "We are so happy that Signora Bennett planned such a good day for everyone!"

We also thank Fleur once again for creating the beautiful flowers presented to Signora Bennett in appreciation of her efforts today! Thank you Fleur and to Signora Bennett!

And lastly, but certainly not least, we received an overwhelming number of comments from teachers, parents, grandparents, and carers about the beautiful manners our children displayed as they patiently lined up at the food-tasting table and again for gelato this afternoon. We are so proud of you!

Our school canteen also offered a special Italian-themed menu for the day. We would like to give a big thank you to our amazing canteen mums, Talia and Tennille, for putting on such a fantastic Italian Day lunch for us. What could be better than a delicious lasagne followed by a sweet Italian dessert? It was the perfect treat to help us celebrate the day, and we are so grateful for the time, effort, and love they put into preparing it for our students and staff.

St John's Ambulance First Aid Prep -6

Last week, our students took part in the St John’s Ambulance First Aid in Schools Program. This incursion supported our current Health unit, helping students learn valuable first aid knowledge and safety skills in an age-appropriate way.

Prep: Storytime

Through a storybook, the children saw how Johnny Bear identified an emergency, put the Danger, Response and Send for help strategy into action, and helped call 000 in an informative session. Students learned the first aid chant to help them remember what to do in an emergency. The session included a fun quiz to get students up and involved.

Grade 1: Bones, bumps and bandages

This program was designed to build students’ confidence in identifying urgent and emergency situations. They became familiar with different first aid equipment and learned how to help someone with a cut, broken bone, or head injury. They also reviewed the first three steps of the DRSABCD action plan and practised applying it to scenarios. Students enjoyed hands-on activities such as bandaging each other and roleplay.

Grade 2: Danger, Response, Send

Students learned how to spot DANGER in an emergency, RESPOND accordingly, and SEND for help. They were guided on which number to call and acted out a scenario to become comfortable calling 000 in real life. Students played a fun and interactive team quiz based on first aid. By the end, they left with essential skills and knowledge they could call upon in an emergency.

Grades 3 and 4: Airway & Breathing

Following on from the Prep-Grade 2 modules, students revised ‘DRS’, which involved assessing dangers, obtaining a response, and calling Triple Zero. The main focus of this module was demonstrating how to check airway and breathing and how to place a patient into the recovery position. Students then applied this knowledge through an interactive game based on the DRSAB action plan.

Grades 5 & 6: CPR

Students revisited the learning of DRSAB and participated in a practical CPR component, learning how to perform CPR and when it is required in a first aid situation. They also took part in group problem-solving scenarios based on a variety of first aid situations, allowing them to apply their new skills.

Assessment and Reporting

It is that time of the year again when our teachers are completing their end of year assessments with the children for their end of year school reports. It is a busy time in the classrooms as teachers are trying to get through explicitly teaching the Victorian Curriculum, while assessing your child's learning. Whilst learning and assessment is ongoing throughout the year, these end of year assessments give us a very detailed snapshot of student learning over the semester. If you have any questions about any of the end of year assessments please see your child's class teacher. We thank our learning leaders Amanda Jackson and Dean Butler for supporting our teachers with moderating assessments for reporting.

Furniture for our Senior Space!

Today we received a delivery of the new furniture for our senior learning space. We look forward to sharing photos of this exciting new environment once the furniture has been completely set up in senior space. We sincerely thank the P&F who have led events across the year and with the support of our community contributed substantial funds to this project, which directly benefits our children. With new carpet, a fresh coat of paint on the walls, and now brand-new furniture, this refreshed space is becoming a vibrant, welcoming, and purposeful area where our senior students can learn, collaborate, and thrive. 

Book Week Art Work- Thank you Hanna

We thank Hanna Rose (mum of Oscar in Year 6) for generously giving her time during Book Week to work with our children and create such a magnificent piece of art for our school. We also thank our Literacy Leader Ms Amanda Jackson for her creative vision and for working alongside Hanna throughout the project. The artwork beautifully captures this year’s theme, and we look forward to proudly displaying this in our school.

Staffing for 2026

I am pleased to share that we have finalised our staffing for 2026 and are looking forward to the year ahead with great excitement. This process has involved careful consideration of many factors to ensure we place the very best educators in roles that meet the needs of our students at every stage of their learning.

At St Joseph’s, we take great pride in the dedication, expertise, and professionalism of our staff. Our 2026 team brings together a strong blend of experience, enthusiasm, and a genuine passion for supporting each child’s academic growth, wellbeing, and love of learning. We remain firmly committed to delivering the academic excellence our school is known for, alongside the exceptional care that ensures every child feels valued, supported, and inspired.

We thank our school community for the overwhelming positive response we have had to the announcement of our staff for 2026. We are proud to have such a strong team in 2026.

I am confident that this outstanding group of teachers, support staff, admin staff, and school leaders, will continue to foster a warm, inclusive, and engaging learning environment where every student is encouraged to flourish, both as a learner and as a young person, in faith, hope and love.

We appreciate your ongoing support and partnership in the education of your children.

As we look ahead to 2026, we’re filled with excitement and gratitude for our amazing St Joseph’s staff. Their hard work and commitment continue to inspire our students and strengthen our school community. Here’s to a bright and rewarding year ahead!

Exciting Staff News

This week we welcomed two new staff members to our St Joseph's team. Mia Watkins and Skye Lee have both commenced as new learning support staff and will working to support children in classrooms and with MSL intervention. I know you will join me in welcoming Mia and Skye to our community. They bring warmth, experience and kindness in abundance!

Transition Program for our Year 4, 5 and 6 students 

There’s a wonderful buzz among our Year 4, 5 and 6 students as conversations turn toward their upcoming senior years. Next week, they will be introduced to our transition program, carefully designed to help them feel confident, prepared, and excited for life in the senior grades at St Joseph's, and for the students who will transition on to other schools in Years 5, 6 and 7.

We place great importance on students moving into our senior school, as they will become the new leaders of our community. They will be provided with meaningful opportunities to grow into these roles, with opportunities that nurture their confidence, strengthen their relationships, and help them recognise the positive impact they can have on others. Through this transition program, students begin to see themselves as emerging leaders, capable of inspiring, supporting, and guiding the younger members of our school.

The transition program for our 2026 senior students includes five sessions, featuring team-building experiences, opportunities to meet and connect with their Prep buddies, and time to reflect on our school values. As part of their journey, they will engage in team building activities to build string foundations of friendship as the begin as a new composite cohort. They will have opportunities to explore what it means to be an inspirational leader in our community and begin crafting their leadership speeches for 2026, an important milestone in their senior years at primary school.

We recognise that some of our students will be transitioning to new schools next year. While we will certainly miss them, we are excited for the opportunities that lie ahead and are pleased they will have meaningful transition experiences at the new schools to support their next chapter. Over the coming weeks, they too will participate in a 5 session transition program that helps them to reflect on and celebrate their time at St Joseph’s. They will engage in memorable activities that honour their contributions and time in our school community. These experiences will also help them feel confident and supported as they prepare to begin their new schools in 2026. We look forward to making their final weeks with us both joyful and special, full of celebration and positive memories.

We look forward to sharing more information with you next week.

2026 Orientation Session

We are excited to welcome our 2026 Prep families and students and students to St Joseph's once again for their final session of their Orientation program on Thursday 20th November where they will meet their senior school buddies. Our Pre-Prep program has helped to ease the transition from a small kinder setting to a larger school setting. For our 2026 Prep parents and carers, we look forward to welcoming you for our Parent Information Evening on Tuesday 18th November at 6pm. This information evening is a wonderful opportunity to meet new families, teachers and other school staff who will work with your child next year. 

We continue to welcome our 2026 families each week, for our Pre Prep Program. It is truly wonderful to see new friendships being established and the children becoming more familiar with our school environment.

School Tours and Prep 2027 Enrolments

Enrolments for new and current families for 2027 are now open. We require all current families to ensure they submit a sibling application for 2027 to ensure a placement in our Prep intake for 2027. The enrolment application form can be found on our website. Please contact the school office if you have any queries. Prospective families are also welcome to contact the office to join one of our school tours for 2027.

Year 3 and 4 Camp Information

In a few weeks out Year 3 and 4 students will enjoy an overnight camp to The Briars near Mt Martha. Thank you to the parents and carers who attended the Information Session this week, online or in person, regarding the camp. All camp information anf forms have now been shared on the Class Dojo and through Operoo. We thank our senior leaders Ms Clare Smith and our 3/4 teachers for the work they have done in ensuring a safe and enjoyable camp for our children.

St Joseph's Colour Run

On Friday 24th November our senior students, led by our school captain Callum, will be holding a colour run to raise money for  for the Opening Doors Foundation, as part of being a FIRE Carrier School. We thank Callum for leading this initiative and we thank the other Year 6 leaders and Ms Siobhan O'Dwyer for their support with this.

Please see further information about his exciting event:

School Improvement Network

This week, our school executive leaders, Amanda, Dean and I, attended the final School Improvement Network Day with 300 leaders from across the Southern region. The day provided a valuable opportunity to reflect on our school improvement goals for 2025 and to plan for 2026. We are very proud to be part of the Melbourne Archdiocese of Catholic Schools, a system that consistently outperforms local government schools. The network days also provide wonderful opportunities to connect with other schools, share ideas, and showcase the great stories and achievements from St Joseph’s with the wider network of schools.

Parents & Friends Members for 2026

Having sought requests for our Parents and Friends for 2026 I would like to sincerely thank parents from our school community who have generously expressed interest in leadership roles on our Parents and Friends (P&F) Committee for 2026.

Our next P&F AGM and final meeting for 2026 will be held on Tuesday 18th November, and all members of our school community are warmly invited to attend. 

On this evening we will warmly thank our existing P&F team for their unbelievable work this year - not only in raising significant funds for our school, but in bringing our community together. I will proudly share my report for the year, along with Laura, and I will extend a heartfelt thank you on behalf of our school community to Laura and Talia, outgoing P&F presidents, and Jane, outgoing secretary, who have led our P&F with passion, hard work and a drive to make this school a better place for all children and families.

I will also share our new P&F Exec Team for 2026 and I sincerely thank them for their commitment to our school community. We are an inclusive community and I welcome all members of our school community to be part of our P&F for 2026. I look forward to seeing some old and new faces. I invite all parents and carers to attend this meeting as the more ideas, support, and involvement we have, helps to make our school the wonderful place it is.  

Working Bee - This Saturday 15th Nov 2pm-4pm

We look forward to seeing our Year 2 and Year 4 families at our school's working bee tomorrow from 12pm. We are so grateful for your time and help in making our school shine a little brighter! Thank you to Jess Purcell (mum of Jimmy and Violet) for your continued support in organising our working bees across the year!

Save the Date - Christmas Picnic Supported by our P&F

Save the date for our final P&F event for the year - The School Christmas Picnic - Tuesday 9th December, proudly supported by our P&F!

Upcoming School Closure Day- Monday 1st December

Please note that Monday, 1st December will be a school closure day. On this day, our staff will be engaged in important professional planning and preparation for the beginning of the 2026 school year.

This dedicated time allows teachers and staff to collaborate, reflect on the year’s achievements, and ensure that our programs, learning environments, and resources are ready to provide the very best start for our students in 2026.

We appreciate your support and understanding as we take this valuable time to plan and prepare for another exciting year of learning and growth at St Joseph’s.

A Reminder about the Parish Car Park 

This is another reminder about using the Parish car park before and after school.

At today’s assembly, Fr Gallacher reminded all families that the parish carpark is strictly for parish use. While the parish generously allocates a small number of spaces for our school staff, the remaining bays are reserved for parish staff and affiliated organisations who pay for and rely on these designated spots.

We kindly ask parents and carers not to park in the parish carpark at any time. Your cooperation ensures we maintain a respectful partnership with the parish and avoid disruptions for those who need access during the day.

In addition, we remind families that using the side gate from our school into the parish carpark is a child safety concern. This gate is strictly for staff access only. Students and families should not exit through this area, as vehicles frequently move through the space and visibility is limited. Keeping this gate for staff use ensures a safer and more controlled environment for our children.

Thank you for your understanding and ongoing support in keeping our community safe.

What's On Next Week...

Staying in Touch

Together we work in partnership to support and nurture the children at St Joseph's.

If you have any concerns or worries about your child's wellbeing, learning, or friendships, please do not hesitate to have a chat with your child's teacher as your first point of contact, or a member of our school leadership team. For more serious concerns, I encourage you to reach out to me directly, either by making an appointment through the office or contacting me via my email. 

With blessings and warmest regards,

Annabelle Marinelli

Principal 

annabelle.marinelli@sjmalvern.catholic.edu.au