Principal's Message

MACS Flourishing Learners: Vision for Engagement

At SMDP, we are committed to ensuring every child flourishes in their learning and life. The recently released MACS Flourishing Learners Position Statement: Vision for Engagement highlights the vital role of schools, parishes and families working together to nurture, support and inspire young people. This shared vision guides how MACS schools, including SMDP, create environments where every student is supported, engaged and empowered to thrive.

Vision for Engagement

The Vision for Engagement states that all students are to be actively engaged in their learning, equipping them to thrive and make meaningful contributions to the world. To achieve this, all MACS schools are ensuring six key engagement practices are in place to create inclusive, equitable and high-quality learning environments. 

The Six Engagement Practices in the Vision for Engagement 

Teaching respectful behaviour

At SMDP, we explicitly teach respectful behaviour through our Respectful Relationships program and our Behaviour Curriculum. Fostering positive relationships is at the heart of who we are. With clear routines, high expectations and positive reinforcement, students are supported to grow into kind, responsible and respectful learners.

Fostering belonging

Belonging is the experience of being accepted, respected and connected. In 2024, our MACSSIS data showed that 89% of students and families felt they belonged at SMDP, exceeding the MACS school mean. We are proud of this result and continue to build a culture where every student and family feels valued. We celebrate the diversity of our community's linguistic, cultural and religious backgrounds and see this as a strength that enriches our school.

Focusing on attendance

Consistent attendance is vital for student success. We take a strong stance on attendance, celebrating students who achieve excellent attendance, while also working in partnership with families who may be facing challenges. Together, we aim to ensure every child has the opportunity to learn and grow each day at school as we know how important attendance is. When students miss a day, they miss important learning and growth.

Promoting mental health and wellbeing

SMDP is committed to fostering nurturing environments where students feel safe, supported and empowered to thrive. We use proactive strategies to support wellbeing, including having a dedicated Wellbeing and Child Safety team. These supports ensure that students and families can access help if they experience mental health concerns.

Enabling motivation

Our students are highly motivated learners who strive to achieve their best. Motivation is also one of our learning powers and it is the award most frequently received by students at our Monday morning assemblies. At SMDP, we have built a culture where mistakes are seen as opportunities to learn, encouraging students to take risks, be curious and persist through challenges.

Targeting individual needs

We recognise that every child is unique. By understanding where each student is on their learning journey, we use data-informed intervention and extension programs to provide personalised support. This ensures that individual academic, social and emotional needs are met so every learner has the chance to flourish.

Engagement in Our Classrooms

To help students understand their own learning, we use an engagement continuum in our classrooms. You may have heard your child talking about the words disrupting, avoiding, withdrawing, participating, investing, or driving their learning. The first three words describe times when students are disengaged from the planned learning, while the last three show when they are actively engaged. This shared language helps students reflect on where they are and what steps they can take to move forward in their learning.

Looking Ahead

SMDP will continue to monitor how we are addressing the six engagement practices and how we can best meet the diverse needs of every learner. It is important to remember, as Fredricks, Blumenfeld & Paris (2004) remind us, that “engagement is different for each student. It will not look the same for all students or be replicated in each classroom the same way.”

Together, as a community of school, parish and families, we are committed to ensuring that every student feels supported, engaged and empowered to grow and achieve their full potential. 

Celebrating LSO Appreciation Week

This week, we celebrated LSO Appreciation Week,  a chance to recognise and thank the incredible Learning Support Officers (LSOs) who play such an important role in our school.

Our LSOs are people with big hearts who bring passion and wisdom into everything they do. They work as a team, each playing a vital part in creating a positive start for every child, every day. As role models, they inspire students to try their best and guide them on their learning journeys.

They know learning is more than just preparing for a test,  it’s about building lifelong learners with curiosity, drive, and interest. Whether it’s in the classroom, in small groups, or through one-to-one support, our LSOs make a difference by caring, educating, and encouraging students to achieve their best.

There is no job too big or too small for our LSOs. Their hard work and dedication help our school thrive, and we are truly grateful for all that they do.

This week was a wonderful reminder to pause and say a big, heartfelt: THANK YOU to Kerrie, Fenina, Chris, Carolen, Rebecca, Tahlia and Olivia, our LSOs – the angels of our school!

MACSISS Survey

Yesterday you would have received an email from macssis@orima.com to complete our yearly MACSISS survey. This survey only takes 20 minutes and the information it provides us is invaluable. We would really appreciate it if you could take the time to give us your feedback to identify the strengths and areas for improvement in our school. 

Once you have completed the survey please send me an email and you will go in the draw to win our first prize - $400 deducted from your school fees or our 2nd prize a $100 Coles Myer voucher. 

Exciting Family News!

We are delighted to share some wonderful news with our community. Congratulations to Tessa, her husband Barney and their son Morris, who are excitedly expecting a new baby brother or sister in January!

We are so thrilled for their growing family and can’t wait to welcome the newest little one to our community. Wishing them all the joy and love as they prepare for this very special arrival.

Elise Coghlan

Acting Principal

St Martin de Porres Primary School is committed to creating an environment where the safety, well-being, and participation of all children within our care is paramount. 

2025 - School Closure Days

Listed below are our school closure days for 2025. These are student-free days. Staff use these days to develop their learning further and keep informed with current practices and procedures. 

NOTE: These dates may be subject to change that may be outside of our control.