Principal's News
Dear Parents, Carers, and Families,
Whilst I have certainly enjoyed some time overseas and some very nice warm weather, I have truly missed the joy of being at school with our children, families and staff. It has been so lovely to return after the break and once again hear the laughter of the children and see their smiling faces as they arrive each day, ready to learn, grow, and enjoy their time with their teachers and friends. There is something very special about the energy and warmth of our school community, and it has been wonderful to reconnect with everyone. It continues to both a privilege and a joy to lead and serve our school community.
I would also like to sincerely thank Dean Butler for his outstanding leadership during my absence, and extend my gratitude to all of our school leaders and staff for their dedication and care in ensuring that everything continued so smoothly. Their commitment to our students and our community is deeply appreciated.
Sacrament of Eucharist Commitment Mass
Last Sunday, our Year 4 children who are preparing to receive the Sacrament of Eucharist attended the Parish Mass at St Joseph’s Church with their families for the Commitment Mass. It was so lovely to see so many families gathered together in faith as the children took this important step in their sacramental journey. The Commitment Mass provided a special opportunity for the children and their families to publicly acknowledge and commit to their preparation for the Sacrament of Eucharist within our parish community.
We thank Father Gallacher our staff Donella DeVissre David Proswea dn Dean Butker and our parish community for supporting our students throughout this important time of faith development. We also thank our families for their ongoing support and commitment as they guide their children through this meaningful milestone. We keep all of our Year 4 students in our thoughts and prayers as they continue their preparation for the Sacrament of Eucharist in the coming weeks.
National Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week
National Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn and reflect on our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can work towards building positive relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians and contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.
The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2026 is 'All In', a call for all Australians to commit wholeheartedly to reconciliation every single day. This week, students took part in morning prayer and classroom reflections to acknowledge National Sorry Day, reflecting on the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the importance of healing, reconciliation, and walking together with respect and understanding.
Reconciliation Week Liturgy
This morning in the school hall, our Year 5 and 6 students led our Reconciliation Liturgy for our school community. Through prayer, song and reflection, we were reminded of our Catholic call to walk together with compassion, respect, and understanding, honouring the dignity of all people as children of God.
Thank you to the many families who joined us for this special liturgy and to our Year 5 and 6 students and staff for leading such a meaningful and reflective celebration.
Prayer - National Sorry Day & Reconciliation Week
Loving Creator,
On this National Sorry Day 2026, we pause to acknowledge the pain and injustice inflicted upon Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples -the traditional custodians of this land. We say sorry for the profound suffering caused by the separation of children from their families, the loss of culture, and the ongoing trauma of dispossession.
Lord of Justice,
As we come to the end of Reconciliation Week, we accept the call to be "All In." We acknowledge that reconciliation requires the commitment of every Australian. Transform our remorse into meaningful action, and our words of apology into lasting change.
God of Healing,
We pray for healing for the Stolen Generations, their descendants, and all families still suffering. Give us the courage to speak the truth, the grace to listen with humility, and the determination to walk together -united in respect and dignity.
In your mercy, we pray.
Amen.
Skipping Fun at St Joseph's
Friday mornings at St Joseph’s are also filled with fun, energy, and smiles thanks to our skipping club before school. It has been wonderful to see so many students enthusiastically joining in, encouraging one another, and starting the day in such a positive and active way. The laughter, teamwork, and excitement have created a fantastic atmosphere to finish the week on a high. A very big thank you to Ms Freeman for bringing so much enthusiasm and joy to these mornings - your energy and encouragement have made them such a special part of our Friday mornings!
Netball Clinics
Over the past two weeks, students across the school have thoroughly enjoyed participating in netball clinics run by the fantastic coaches from Prahran Netball Club. The sessions provided students with the opportunity to develop their passing, catching, footwork and shooting skills through a range of fun and engaging activities. It was wonderful to see so much enthusiasm, teamwork and enjoyment on display, with many students eagerly looking forward to each session. A big thank you to Prahran Netball Club for sharing their expertise and passion for netball with our students. We also thank our amazing sport teacher Ms Zoe D'Intini for organising such rich experiences for our students.
Beachside Cross Country Competition
We extend a huge congratulations to the students who participated in the Beachside Cross Country Competition this week.
Congratulations to:
12/13 Boys - Spencer M -L
11 Girls - Pip D, Chelsea R
11 Boys - Wolf D, Will B, Fabien C
9/10 Girls - Frederica C
9/10 Boys - Finn P
We are so proud of the efforts of our students and the determination, resilience, and sportsmanship they demonstrated throughout the event. Representing our school at this level is a wonderful achievement, and each student should feel incredibly proud of their participation and commitment. It was fantastic to see our students challenge themselves, encourage one another, and display such positive attitudes on the day. Thank you also to our families and staff especially Mr Prowse for your ongoing support and encouragement of our young athletes.
Prep Fire Fighter Truck Visit
Tuesday was an exciting day for our Prep students as we welcomed back the firefighters for their much-anticipated second visit - complete with the fire truck! The children were thrilled to explore the truck up close, learn more about the important work firefighters do, and even have a turn using the hose.
The excitement reached another level when the firefighters were suddenly called away to attend a real emergency during the visit. It certainly made the experience feel very real and gave students a glimpse into the important role our emergency services play in the community each day.
A big thank you to our local firefighters for taking the time to visit and share such a memorable experience with our students.
2027 Enrolments at St Joseph's
We have now completed our official Open Days for the year, and I sincerely thank our school leaders Dean, Amanda and Marta for leading our tours, along with our school captains Cooper and Xavier, joined by our sensational senior students Navy and Pip, and parent helpers Kate, Jess G, Evelyn, and Ms Freeman in the office, for your support in warmly welcoming prospective families to our school this week.
Additionally, I thank our class teachers and our amazing students for your outstanding demonstration of learning excellence across our school. It is always so lovely to hear the positive feedback from families and how impressed they are by the calm classroom environments, the strong relationships evident between staff and students, and the high levels of engagement in learning. Our Open Days truly showcased the warmth, vibrancy, and sense of community that make our school such a special place to learn and belong.
If you know of any families who are still interested in securing a place for 2027 at St Joseph’s, we encourage them to get in touch with Isabelle in the office and complete the enrolment process via our school website as soon as possible.
The majority of Prep interviews for 2027 have now taken place, with enrolments in the final stages of being confirmed for next year. We look forward to welcoming our new Prep families into the St Joseph’s community. And it s always so lovely to spend time with siblings of our current students. This week I met Patrick Healy (Zach's younger brother) and Eli Nguyen (Willow's younger brother) - they were both so clever in showing me how ready they are for school next year!
Our Junior Transition Leader Ms Niki Liolios will be communicating with all new 2027 Prep families shortly to keep you updated with our formal Orientation dates as well as our Pre-Prep program which will commence in Term 3. We look forward to these new families being part of our St Joseph's school community.
Junior Joey's Playgroup- Monday 8:30am-10am
It was a full house once again on Monday as we welcomed families for our Junior Joey’s Playgroup. Our wonderful Junior Transition Leader, Ms Niki Liolios, has been busily preparing and setting up exciting new experiences for our youngest friends to explore and enjoy.
Our playgroup mornings are always filled with joyful play, laughter, and meaningful connection, creating a truly special sense of community. They offer a lovely opportunity for families and young children to come together in a warm and welcoming environment, and we feel very grateful to share this time with our community.
Parents and Friends Meeting - Wed 3rd June 7pm
Next week we look forward to our next Parents and Friends Meeting on Wednesday 3rd June at 7pm in our school staffroom. It would be great to see some new faces as we plan for our school disco and upcoming art show. All members of our community are very welcome and all voices and ideas are valued. Please see more information about our school disco on the P&F page in this week's newsletter.
School Assembly
STAR Awards at Assembly
It is always so nice to see so many of our students being the recipients of our STAR Awards! Congratulations to you all for displaying the values of S- Stay Safe, T- Try Your Best, A- Act Responsibly and R- Respect Yourself and Others.
Birthday Awards
We also wish all of our birthday children a very happy birthday! Celebrating birthdays together is always such a joyful part of our week, and it is especially lovely hearing our students sing “Tanti Auguri” to the birthday children at our school assembly. These special moments help create such a warm sense of community and belonging across our school. We hope all of our birthday children have had a wonderful celebration with family and friends.
Who Am I?
Each week one child is chosen from a 'Wheel of Names' in my office as the nominated person for the 'Who Am I?' This week, Teddy in Prep spun the wheel for this week's who am I after guessing our last student.
This week I had the pleasure of introducing Louis S in Year 2! We found out lots of interesting things about Louis especially that he has a very sophisticated taste as he like Vol-au-vents as his favourite food.
Congratulations to Xavier and Willow for listening so carefully and working out all the clues to work out this week's 'Who Am I?'
Xavier D and Willow will now spin the 'Who Am I Wheel' to choose next week's 'Who Am I' which will be shared at our school assembly next Friday.
Baby Congratulations to Ms Siobhan O'Dwyer!
Our very own Ms Siobhan O'Dwyer, together with husband Jarrod and proud big brother Louis, were delighted to welcome Arthur George Sandells into the world on Friday 22nd May.
Baby Artie is a healthy boy who has already been enjoying plenty of cuddles and love from everyone, especially his adoring big brother. Siobhan is recovering well and enjoying this very special time with her growing family.
We warmly congratulate Siobhan, Jarrod, Louis, and baby Artie on this beautiful new time in their lives. We wish them an abundance of love, happiness, and precious moments together as they settle into life as a family of four.
All the best to Ms Luisa La Rosa!
Today we had a very special visit from our much-loved Prep and Italian teacher, Ms La Rosa. Ms La Rosa commenced her parental leave a little earlier than expected, so it was incredibly lovely to welcome her back to school today to spend some time with the many students she has taught and cared for across our school community.
It was also so heartwarming to see many of our parents have the opportunity to reconnect with Ms La Rosa and warmly express their appreciation for the care, warmth, dedication, and support she has shown their children over the years. The genuine affection from students, families, and staff today was a wonderful reflection of the positive impact she has had on our school community.
We were very pleased to give Ms La Rosa a special farewell (for now!) at our school assembly, and she also enjoyed some precious time with her Prep class and other students she has taught across the school.
Ms La Rosa, we warmly wish you and your partner Andrew all the very best as you prepare to welcome your beautiful baby. May this next chapter be filled with love, joy, and many precious moments together as a family. We look forward to meeting your little one and welcoming you back to St Joseph’s in the future.
Principal Morning at De La Salle College
This week, Dean and I were warmly welcomed to a Regional Principals’ Morning at De La Salle College, joining fellow principals and deputies from schools across our local area. It was a wonderful opportunity to connect with colleagues, share insights, and strengthen the partnerships that support the education of our students and families. We were also privileged to hear from the College’s impressive new Principal, Michael Ilott, and to tour the outstanding new facilities at the Kinnoull Campus.
We had the pleasure of reconnecting with several former St Joseph’s students who are now thriving in Year 7 at De La Salle. While we certainly miss having them at St Joseph’s, we are incredibly proud of the way they have embraced secondary school life and settled so confidently into their new environment.
Our visit also highlighted the many opportunities to further strengthen the partnership between our two school communities. With so many of our boys continuing their educational journey at De La Salle, there is great potential to build even stronger connections that support students and families across both schools. We look forward to strengthening our partnership with De La Salle who have kindly and generously offered use of their facilities as well as having their senior students support in out community. We are excited about our partenership and working together to foster a sense of belonging, continuity, and shared community for our students and their families.
We are deeply grateful to De La Salle College for the care, support, and encouragement they provide to our boys during this important transition. Their commitment to student wellbeing, learning, and personal growth is evident, and it is reassuring to see our former students flourishing in such a nurturing and inspiring community.
School Closure Days Term 2
Please note the following school closure days in your calendar...
Monday 8 June- School Closure - King's Birthday Public Holiday
Tuesday 9 June - School Closure Day - Staff Professional Learning and Faith Formation with Malvern Parish Schools (St Joseph's, St Mary's and St Roch's)
What's on Next Week
Staying Connected...
At any time, if you have any questions or concerns about the wellbeing, care or learning of your child, please do not hesitate to reach out to your child's class teacher, one of the school leaders, or Dean Butler, Deputy Principal or myself, Annabelle Marinelli, Principal.
Have a lovely weekend with your beautiful families.
With warmest regards,
Annabelle Marinelli
Principal