Principal's Message

Dear Parents/Carers,

What a great start to Term 4 we have already had!  With the weather certainly on the improve, and a number of school events taking place, it is all systems go at School of the Good Shepherd. It is also wonderful to see the students entering school each day, ready for learning and committed to putting in their best effort.  

Throughout this term, we remain committed to strengthening teaching and learning through Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI), which involves teachers clearly explaining new concepts, modelling skills and providing students with guided opportunities to practise before applying their learning independently. This approach helps ensure that learning is purposeful, structured and accessible to all students. We look forward to seeing our students continue to build their knowledge, develop confidence and challenge themselves as curious and engaged learners throughout the term.

School disco success

Thank you to all involved in the success of the School Disco last Friday evening.  It was wonderful to see the students enjoying each other's company and spending time letting their hair down! A huge thank you to the Parent's Association, and in particular Connie Di Maio, Danni Dido and Julia Hanlon for your organisation and support throughout the event.  I would also like to acknowledge the many parent volunteers that supported the event by supervising during the event and helping to pack up at the end.  This is always very much appreciated.  These types of events are only possible with the support of our families.  

St. Francis day and farewell to Fr. Samuel

Over the past two Fridays, our school community has come together in prayer and celebration to give thanks to God for the wonderful gift of creation and to acknowledge the many blessings of the world around us. We were also given the opportunity to farewell our departing Assistant Priest, Fr Samuel, and express our heartfelt gratitude for his presence, guidance and support of our school and parish community. We thank Fr Samuel for the time he has shared with us and for the faith, kindness and encouragement he has offered to our students and families. We keep him in our prayers as he begins the next chapter of his journey, asking God to continue to guide and bless him in his ministry.  

Welcome Fr. Jean-Sebastian

We have also been very blessed to welcome our new Assistant Priest, Fr. Jean-Sebastian, who arrived in our parish community last week. Following the Year 3 Mass, Fr. Jean-Sebastian spent time with our Year 3 students, discussing the Scripture readings of the day and introducing himself to the children. We are grateful for this opportunity for our students to connect with Fr. Jean-Sebastian and deepen their understanding of our Catholic faith. Please join me in warmly welcoming Fr. Jean-Sebastian to our parish and school community. We look forward to building a strong and meaningful partnership with him in the months and years ahead.

2027 Specialist program

Following careful thought, consultation and consideration, we have made the decision to review our Specialist program for 2027 to include weekly Performing Arts lessons, throughout the school year. This will provide students with regular opportunities to develop their creativity, confidence, self-expression and collaboration skills through music, movement, drama and performance. 

Performing Arts also encourages students to take positive risks, work together and celebrate their individual talents as part of a team.  This change will allow us to build towards hosting a whole-school concert in the future, providing a wonderful opportunity for our students to showcase their learning, celebrate their achievements and share their talents with our school community.  Performing Arts will take place alongside Visual Arts, LOTE: Italian and Physical Education. 

As STEM is an important part of our school curriculum, teachers will focus on integrating STEM learning opportunities across other curriculum areas, allowing students to develop their critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving and collaboration skills in meaningful and engaging ways.  

Parents' Association online meeting

This coming Monday 26th October, we look forward to our first online Parents' Association meeting.  Please see the details below to join the Parents' Association meeting.  All parents/carers are welcome to join the meeting.  Please use this link to join the meeting: meet.google.com/sar-jhwr-nco

2027 classes

As we begin the process of organising classes for the 2027 school year, we understand that parents and carers may have thoughts or questions about their child’s class placement. We appreciate that you want the very best for your child and recognise how important positive relationships and a supportive learning environment are to their happiness and success at school.

Class formation is a careful and considered process undertaken by our teachers and Leadership Team. We take into account a range of factors, including students’ learning needs, friendships, social and emotional wellbeing, and the overall balance of each class. Our aim is to create positive and inclusive learning environments where every child feels a sense of belonging and is supported to grow and thrive.

With this in mind, we kindly ask families to trust our professional judgement and refrain from requesting specific teachers or class placements for their children. While we value open communication and welcome conversations about any concerns relating to your child’s learning or wellbeing, we are unable to accommodate requests for particular classes or teachers. Thank you for your understanding, ongoing partnership and trust as we work together to ensure a positive start to the new school year for all our students.

Kind regards,

Laura Petrie