From Our Principal

Newsletter  ~ Term 1, Week  8, 2024

Principal's Message:

Dear Parents, Carers, Families and Friends of St Mel’s Primary School,

As we approach the end of Term One, I reflect back over the first eight weeks of the school year with gratitude for the efforts of so many individuals within our community contributing to creating and maintaining our school as a wonderful learning environment for the children in our care.

Thank you to our children for embracing the many learning opportunities offered here on a daily base to further develop knowledge, understanding and skills across a range of learning areas, interests and ongoing development as a person.

We also honour the contributions of  parents, carers, grandparents and family members in support of student learning. Hearing reading at home, reviewing basic skills (e.g., counting, spelling, etc...), showing interest in the children's day at school, attending Learning Expos, volunteering for roles at school or weekend sport, etc... Thank you for your commitment to your children and support of their school.

Many thanks to the members of the Staff Team for their commitment to the children's learning, dedication to their individual roles, passion for Catholic education and collaborative team work with staff colleagues. The current teacher shortage continues to add organisational challenges, which we continue to work through on a daily basis. I have particularly appreciated the patience and flexibility of our staff team as we have supported one another across the first term of the year.

As a new staff member to the school, the past eight weeks has been a huge learning curve as I have become more familiar with school operations, routines and processes, along with learning names, making connections and gaining a deeper understanding of the school community as a whole. The learning will continue into Term Two!

Harmony Day this week celebrated by our 'out of uniform - come in your cultural dress or the orange of Harmony Day' was a wonderful day. So encouraging and heart warming to see the children come so proudly and joyfully dressed in cultural clothing. Our school community is blessed to be graced with so many cultural backgrounds, with so much rich tradition, story, history, heritage and cuisine to share. Our children are so very proud of who they are, where their families come from and so very generous and open to share!

As our children and families participate in the Parish-based Sacramental Program in preparation for the Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist, we are reminded of our own rites of passage, of journey, of preparation and faith. The Lenten season has provided our Catholic and Christian families opportunity to pray, to alms give and to fast as we prepare ourselves to celebrate the Holy Week and the Easter mystery next week. Our muslim families are now well into the season of Ramadan, similarly praying, fasting, reflection and community gathering. Members of our Indian community will soon celebrate the Festival of Colours. We are surrounded by people gathering together in communities, within communities, building community and striving to be the very best they can be.

On Thursday of this week members of our school community who were able to attend the Year 3/4 & Year 5/6 Art Expo, joined with our children and Staff Team to celebrate the artistic creations of these learners. There was certainly a wonderful buzz in the Year 5/6 Learning Suite this afternoon as our middle and senior students proudly displayed their creative works of art (& footwear!). 

With Palm Sunday this Sunday, we commence our focus on Holy Week and our four day focus on the events of the first Easter over two thousand years ago. As a school we will gather in the St Mel's Hall across the week to reflect on the significant moments of Holy Week up until the events of Good Friday. We look forward to being joined by parents, carers and parishioners as we recall & retell these important moments in the life of Christ. At the beginning of Term Two we will celebrate the joy and mystery of the Resurrection.

I wish each and everyone of our school community a peaceful and reflective Holy Week and last week of Term One next week. Thank you for your ongoing support of our school community, our Staff Team and importantly, the children in our care.     

Attendance at School Matters!

Kind regards,

Stephen 'Steve' Hicks

Principal