From the Principal

REMINDERS

Student Free Day Friday 13th November

(Staff Professional Learning - Wellbeing and Neuroscience)

Dear Parents and Carers,

After the excitement and energy of the school production in our first week back, our learning community is back into the rhythm of learning and fun.

Please take some time to read our recap here.

Also, the Makka Awards have returned for Term 4, click here to see if your child is a recipient!

Term 4 Year Level Letter

By now, you should have received a notification through nForma regarding your child's level term newsletter. This contains all the specific information about curriculum, experiences and activities coming up in Term 4. Please reach out to the school office if did not receive the message.

Parents' Association School Disco

A big thank you to our wonderful St Simon's Parents' Association for hosting the student disco last Friday. Over two sessions, over 200 students participated in an evening of glowsticks, dance, music, and flashing lights in our school hall. Thank you to the many parent volunteers who came together to set up, organise and supervise the children during the event. Click here for more information

Get Involved with St Simon’s Parents’ Association!

SAVE THE DATE: Annual General Meeting Wednesday 18th November - Click to find out more

A strong school community grows when families come together! Joining St Simon’s Parents’ Association is a wonderful way to meet other families, build friendships and make a positive difference to our school.

By volunteering, you can support fundraising initiatives, share your skills and ideas, and help create wonderful opportunities for our students. Just as importantly, you model to your children the value of community service, generosity and working together for the common good.

Every contribution, big or small, makes a difference! Whether you can help occasionally or throughout the year, we warmly invite you to get involved.

Interested? Please contact the school office to find out more or CLICK HERE. Together, we can make St Simon’s an even stronger community!

Classlists for 2027 - Parent requests closing Monday 26th October

Over the coming weeks, we will begin organising student class placements for 2027. Our staff invests a significant amount of time, care, and thought into this lengthy process to ensure the best outcomes for every child.

In the next two weeks, students will be asked to write the names of 5 students who help them learn in the classroom. We will feed these preferences into the class list process over the coming weeks.

If you have a specific request regarding your child’s social or emotional development, please email me directly at principal@ssrowville.catholic.edu.au no later than Monday, 26 October. To be considered, your email must include the valid reasons behind the request. Late requests cannot be considered.

Please note that these requests are strictly for well-being needs, not for selecting specific teachers. Furthermore, because students are typically divided into just two classes (four classes for 5\6), requesting a separation from certain peers may inadvertently separate your child from other supportive friends who end up in the opposite room.

My advice is to trust our judgement, because we know and observe the students for many hours in many settings each week of the year.

Supporting the St Simon's Fete - lots of ways

Being present on the Fete Day
Volunteer for one of the school-hosted stalls - BBQ or Show bags.
Sell some raffle tickets to family and friends or at your workplace.
Donate to your child's Classroom Spinning Wheel Hamper collection.

Fete fundraising supports the parish and school directly. As a school, we receive 15% of the profits, which bolsters the Parents' Association funds for projects around the school that benefit all the students.

Getting involved in the St Simon’s Fete is one of the most rewarding ways to connect with our vibrant school community, and we welcome help of all kinds. There are many ways to assist, including managing a stall, assisting with setup and pack-down, or lending a hand for just an hour or two. Volunteering not only lightens the load and ensures the day runs smoothly, but it also gives you a fantastic opportunity to meet other parents, forge lasting friendships, and strengthen our school spirit. Most importantly, when our children see parents and carers giving their time and energy to support the community, it sets a powerful, positive example of generosity, teamwork, and service.

However you choose to contribute, your involvement makes a meaningful difference, and we would love to have you on board!

Child Safety - MACS Care

In this newsletter, as part of our continual commitment to Child Safety awareness, we spotlight Child Safe Standard 9 - “Physical and online environments promote safety and wellbeing while minimising the opportunity for children and young people to be harmed.”

Click here to find out more. (and scroll down)

Newsletter Side Sections and Pages

Please take time to browse through the sections and pages of the newsletter. You find more details and information about events and posts you see through Social channels.

Connect with Us on Social Media 📱

Want to see all the latest activities, student achievements, and exciting experiences happening around our school in real time?

Be sure to check out and follow our official school social channels! It’s a wonderful way to stay connected with the vibrant St. Simon the Apostle Primary School community and get a firsthand look at what our students are learning and creating each day.

Facebook: Follow us for community updates, photo galleries, and event reminders.
Instagram: Check out our latest stories, highlights, and snapshots of daily school life.

Search for St. Simon the Apostle Primary School on both platforms, hit follow, and join our growing online community!

School Closure Days Term 4 - 2026

Throughout the year, the school schedules several school closure days for staff to engage in professional learning and compliance activities. There are also days scheduled for time-in-lieu (TIL) activities that staff attend and run outside the normal hours of the school day. These days are used to acquit these hours.

When a school closure day is scheduled, Beyond Edu Care will operate a program of care for the day so that families can have their children looked after on the school site.

Term 4

Monday 2nd November - Student Free Day (Time in lieu)

Friday 13th November - Student Free Day (Staff PL - Student Wellbeing)

Tuesday 15th December - Last day of School for students

St Simon’s Staff and Contact Details

A complete staff list for 2026 is available through the newsletter each week by going to Staff Contacts and General Information section