From the Principal

Dear St Michael’s School families,

Prayer

God of all Hope,

We pray that, as Pilgrims of Hope, 

we may walk together in faith, 

trusting that St Michael the Archangel 

will protect and guide us as we grow 

closer to God and each other.

St Michael, our Protector, Pray for us.

ST MICHAEL'S LIBRARY BORROWING

We ask please that you check everywhere around the house please to ensure that ALL St Michael's library books are returned to our library no later than Friday 28th November - NEXT WEEK. This will give us time to audit our selection of books and set it up in readiness for the 2026 school year. Each class has a small class library so that students can continue to borrow and read until the end of the school year. This is also an excellent time to make use of our wonderful local Ashburton Library which has a wide selection of children's books.

2026 CLASSES

After our consultative process here at St Michael's School, which has taken place over the last two terms, we have finalised our 2026 Class Structures. A great deal of planning and consideration has gone into these structures, specifically needs of students, skills of staff, numbers of students, support structures, intervention and extension opportunities and programs, friendship groups and gender balance within the levels. Many different structures were tabled and pros and cons considered for all of these. Last week we presented these structures to our School Advisory Council for review.

Our final decision was the following, which professionally we know is the best for the learning and social needs of our children at St Michael's School. 

2025 SCHOOL FEES

We remind families who still need to pay final amounts for school fees to please settle these with the school office as soon as possible.

2026 STAFFING

We continue to finalise staffing for 2026 and will make details available shortly. For 2026 we will welcome two new staff members, Miss Rebecca Taylor joins us from St James' School, Brighton and Miss Shae Jesson also joins us from Marymount Catholic Primary School, Brisbane.  We look forward to Shae and Rebecca joining the St Michael's team and wish them the very best in our community.

SWIM TO ST MICHAEL'S SCHOOL ON 2ND DECEMBER

As summer approaches and families prepare to spend more time around water, we are joining with the YMCA Ashburton Pool to raise our awareness about water safety.

This new national initiative: Swim to School Week, runs from 1–5 December. This fun, school-friendly campaign is designed to spark important conversations about water safety in the lead-up to the holidays.

On Tuesday 2nd December, we invite all students to take part in a themed dress-up day. Think bright, beach-themed accessories—like towels, goggles, snorkels, floaties, or life jackets. Along with the valuable resources that are provided to the school, this awareness raising approach can help us all talking about water safety. In the classroom we will share lots of practical tips about how we can stay safe in the water.

OPTIONAL EXTRA - If you would like, you can also support access to swimming lessons for all children with a gold coin donations to the YMCA’s Open Doors program - helping fund lessons for those who may otherwise miss out. Click on the link to read details and donate through the website OR we will have a box in the office if you wish to bring along a gold coin and we will deposit the money for you.

ST MICHAEL'S SCHOOL PILGRIMAGE TO ST PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL, MELBOURNE

On Friday 14th November, St Michael's students, their teachers, and a team of wonderfully supportive parent volunteers embarked on a pilgrimage to St Patrick's Cathedral in the heart of Melbourne. In the weeks leading up to this special day, students had explored the meaning and purpose of a pilgrimage—a sacred journey to a holy or significant place. They learned that people undertake pilgrimages to feel closer to God, to pray, to reflect quietly, and to deepen their understanding of their faith.

With this learning in mind, and inspired by the reflective spirit of the Jubilee Year, we laced up our walking shoes and set off. Our journey began with a walk to Ashburton Station, followed by a train trip into the city where students enjoyed travelling together and engaging with fellow commuters. We then continued on foot through the bustling streets until the towering spires of St Patrick’s Cathedral came into view, rising grandly over East Melbourne.

Upon arrival, we spent time wandering through the cathedral grounds, pausing to observe the statues, busts, and tranquil gardens that surround the church. Inside, students were captivated by the stunning stained-glass windows and sacred icons that adorn the cathedral’s interior. Our pilgrimage concluded with the celebration of Mass with Monsignor Stuart, Father Darien, and Deacon Malcolm. A special moment of joy and pride filled the cathedral as Father Darien and Deacon Malcolm—so well-known to our community—ascended the steps to the altar, bringing the experience to life in a meaningful way for our students.

A magnificent day was enjoyed by all, topped off with lunch and a play in the nearby Fitzroy Gardens. Thank you to the many parent helpers who were present with us. We could not have make this trek without you!

ENHANCEMENT SESSION

Thank you again to the many parents who attended the Twilight Enhancement session last Friday evening. With so many helpers, we were able to spread the soft fall under the Biggie playground super quickly and get so many other jobs done too. It was great to have so many stay and enjoy a chat and a sausage after the hard work!!

SCHOLASTIC BOOK ORDERS

The final Scholastic Book Catalogue is out now.  Orders close on Wednesday 26th November at 5pm.  There are some fantastic items in this catalogue - including the long awaited new Dog Man - which would make fabulous Christmas presents.

Books ordered are expected to be delivered to the school in the week commencing 8th December.  You are able to mark your order as a "gift" and then it will be left for you in the photocopying room in the school office to collect at your convenience.  All other orders will be distributed through the office basket.

All orders will contribute toward reward dollars for purchasing new books for the library and teaching aids for classrooms.  Thank you so much for your on-going support.

Therese M (Seb 5/6B and Luke 3/4R)

GRADUATION SAVE THE DATE

All Grade 6 parents should make sure that they have Tuesday 16th December marked in their family calendar - the Great Class of 25 Graduation Mass and Dinner.

Each graduate will be allowed to purchase up to 4 tickets for family members to attend and the link for ticket sales will be sent out shortly. Dress Code: Smart Casual (not fancy dress)

THANK YOU MORNING TEA

On Thursday 11th December, we invite families to come to the hub and share morning tea together with the community. For any way that you have supported our school this year - cooking a BBQ, helping PMP, supporting teachers in the class, helping with sports, assisting a cooking session and is SO MANY other ways - we wish to express our gratitude to you and invite you for a coffee, a chat and a small bite!! We are truly grateful for all that our parents do to assist in the community each day of the school year. See you in the hub from 9am. Coffee Cart will be available.

Immediately afterwards, you may wish to attend the whole school, End of School Mass where our new school leaders for 2026 will be announced and our current Year 6s will be thanked for their service at 10am, 

CHANGE TO OPEROO PLATFORM

As expressed in last week's newsletter and via email to ALL families this week, the Operoo Management and Communication System will be closing down early next year and all data will not longer be available through Operoo.

At St Michael’s, we are fortunate to already have familiarity with NForma, which we currently use for student reports, interview bookings and medical notifications. Parents will already have a login and password for NForma from when you accessed your child’s school report in June this year.

As part of this transition, we ask all families to log in to NForma by Wednesday 3rd December 2025 to review and update their child’s medical information. Emergency Management plans which are up to date will not need to be updated until the beginning of next year. Please have these ready for the start of 2026.

Ensuring that this information is accurate and up to date is essential for your child’s safety and wellbeing, and this is an ideal time to check that all details are correct.

Thank you for taking the time to complete this important update.

Guides to access NForma are attached.

ST MICHAEL'S CAROLS TIME AND LOCATION

We warmly invite all families to join us for our Annual Christmas Carols Celebration on Thursday, 4th December, from 5.00–6.15pm (approx.). This year, we are delighted to host the event in St Michael’s Church — a beautiful and fitting setting, with excellent acoustics, to reflect on the true meaning and reverence of the Christmas season.

Students are encouraged to dress in costumes that complement their class songs, and families are welcome to sing along with their favourite carols as we prepare our hearts for this special time in the liturgical calendar.

Following the carols, sausages will be available for purchase at the front of the church. We look forward to sharing this joyful evening together as a community and celebrating the wonderful year we’ve had.

ADVANCED PSYCHOLOGY BLOG

St Michael's School has partnered with Advanced Psychology with a psychologist working onsite weekly. This link takes you to a blog with podcasts / webinars that deal with a variety of topics which might be of interest to parents and teachers. 

https://www.advancedpsychology.net/blogs