Galilee School News

Dear Families,

What a busy time it has been! So much to reflect on and so much still to come in 2026!

School Review

Last week, Galilee welcomed Chris Bence to spend two days with us as part of our four-year School Review process. Throughout his visit, Chris spent time in classrooms and engaged in conversations with students, families, staff and school leaders to gain valuable insights into life at Galilee.

The review provides an opportunity to celebrate the many positive aspects of our school community while also identifying areas for future development. As part of the Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) review cycle, the process considers five key areas: Education in Faith, Learning and Teaching, Leadership and Management, Student Engagement, and School Community.

We are grateful to everyone who took the time to share their experiences, insights and perspectives throughout the review. Their contributions play an important role in highlighting what makes Galilee a special place to learn and grow.

The findings and recommendations from the review will help guide our school improvement priorities and strategic planning for the next four years, ensuring we continue to provide a welcoming, inclusive and high-quality learning environment for all students.

Sporting Events and Achievements

Dendy Basketball

Our Year 6 AllStar Boys/mixed team made it through to Beachside Basketball and won! Next Friday, they will be competing in the Southern Metro Region next Friday. 

Hooptime Basketball

Students had a fantastic time at Hoop Time, playing competetive games and supporting each other. Thank you to all of them for representing themselves and Galilee. We are so proud of you!

Dendy Cricket

Our Year 3/4 students took part in Dendy Cricket on Friday 23 October. They had a fantastic day. We had teachers from other schools comment on the manners and respect shown by our students. We are so grateful to all of the Year 3/4 students who took part. 

Junior Athletics

This event is proudly led by our Year 6 student leaders, who have been told how to organise, run and judge each activity. They manage setup, scoring and the smooth running of the day for our younger students.

Families are warmly invited to cheer from the sidelines. We ask that you support our Year 6 leaders by allowing them to take charge, and please refrain from overruling or questioning their decisions. Your positive encouragement helps them grow in confidence and leadership.

Ribbons are awarded to students who place first, second or third in an event. Not every student will receive a ribbon, which can sometimes be disappointing. We encourage you to talk with your child beforehand about the purpose of the day: to have fun, try their best and enjoy being part of their team. Every participating student earns a point for their house.

Thank you for your support in helping make Junior Athletics Day a positive and enjoyable experience for all students!

Year 5 and 6 STEM 

We are incredibly proud to see our Year 5 and 6 students at Galilee receiving recognition for their outstanding achievements in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).

Last week, our local State Member, Nina Taylor, visited to present three awards to our Year 5 students in recognition of their fantastic work in STEM. It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate their creativity, curiosity and commitment to learning.

The excitement continued when we spotted our local Federal Member, Josh Burns, sharing our Year 6 students’ STEM projects on his Instagram page and speaking about their work in Parliament! What an exciting achievement for our students to have their ideas and projects recognised beyond the classroom.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Dd0z5AtAVou/?img_index=1&cplk=Ym83dWdzaHpydzh0

We are thrilled to see our students’ hard work, innovative thinking and passion for STEM being celebrated in our wider community. These achievements highlight the wonderful learning taking place at Galilee and the exciting possibilities that come when students are encouraged to explore, experiment and think creatively.

Congratulations to all our Year 5 and 6 students involved. We are so proud of you and look forward to seeing where your STEM learning takes you next!

Sunrise are going to be at Galilee

We are excited to announce that Channel Seven's Sunrise breakfast show will be visiting Galilee on Monday 23 November!

Sunrise weather presenter Sam Mac will be joining us for a series of live weather crosses throughout the morning, showcasing our wonderful school community and some of the fantastic extracurricular programs and opportunities available to our students.

This is an exciting opportunity to celebrate everything that makes Galilee such a special place to learn, grow and belong, while sharing a glimpse of our vibrant school community with viewers across Australia.

We warmly invite all students, families and members of our Galilee community to join us from 6:00 am for what promises to be a fun and memorable morning! We look forward to seeing our Galilee community come together for this very special event!

Crocs and Socks

Last week, Galilee students participated in Crocs and Socks Day, a wonderful student-led initiative aimed at raising awareness of those experiencing hardship and homelessness in our community. Students wore their funkiest socks and Crocs to school, bringing colour and fun to the day while highlighting an important social issue.

Families were also encouraged to participate in a Sleep-Out at Home, pitching a tent for the night as an opportunity to reflect on the importance of having a safe and secure place to sleep and the challenges faced by those experiencing homelessness.

These initiatives were fantastic examples of student voice and leadership in action, encouraging our students to demonstrate compassion and social responsibility while making a positive difference in their community. Thank you to the students who organised and promoted these meaningful initiatives, Marcus Page and to all the families who participated. Families wishing to offer further support are encouraged to connect with their local St Vincent de Paul Society.

Visitor and Volunteer Induction Process

At Galilee, the safety and wellbeing of all children is our highest priority. As part of our ongoing commitment to the Victorian Child Safe Standards and Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) policies, we have introduced an updated Visitor and Volunteer Induction Program. This process ensures that all visitors and volunteers understand their responsibilities in maintaining a safe, respectful and supportive environment for our students.

The induction process includes:

• Online Induction Presentation: An overview of our child safety expectations, responsibilities and relevant school policies and procedures.
• Policy and Code of Conduct Acknowledgement: Confirmation that volunteers have read, understood and agree to comply with the school's Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy and relevant Codes of Conduct.
• Volunteer Application Form: Collection of relevant information, including two referees who can comment on the applicant's suitability to work with children.
• Working with Children Check (WWCC) or VIT Registration: Verification of current and valid registration, as applicable.
• Referee Checks: Completion of appropriate screening checks before volunteers commence their duties.

Families wishing to assist with school activities, including excursions, sporting events and swimming programs, are required to complete the induction and application process before volunteering. We appreciate the time and commitment of our parent and carer volunteers. Your involvement enriches our school community, and these processes help ensure that Galilee remains a safe and welcoming environment for all children.

Volunteer Induction Program (Volunteer application at is the end of the induction)

Please note: The process of contacting and verifying referees can take time, particularly when processing a large number of volunteer applications. We kindly ask for your patience and understanding as we work through these checks. All required screening and verification processes must be completed before volunteers can commence their duties.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership in keeping our students safe.

Re-development of our new Master Plan

On Tuesday 20th October we welcomed representatives from CHC, an architecture firm, who ran focus groups. They are re-developing our Master Plan that we will use to submit a grant application for a building project to create a new Prep area within the school. CHC met with groups of students and with staff to gather data about what they like about the school and what could be better. It was lovely to hear the student thoughts on what they like. So many chose the hub and mini-hubs, as well as the roof top and their classrooms. CHC will create a Master  Plan based on what the students and staff have said, which will form part of a grant application to the State Government.  

Swimming

Our Year 4–6 students participated in their swimming lessons from 26–30 October as part of our 2026 Swimming Program. Students in Prep to Year 2 will participate from 9–13 November.

Swimming is an important part of our Physical Education curriculum. Throughout the program, students developed their understanding of water safety, strengthened their swimming skills and techniques and built confidence in and around the water. The program also provided valuable opportunities for students to develop personal responsibility, independence and organisational skills, as they managed their belongings, prepared for lessons, followed routines and took responsibility for themselves in a different learning environment.

A special thank you to our Year 4, 5 and 6 teachers, Brian Kelly, Shane Gethings, Dan Booth, Olivia Leonardi, Paddy Edwards and Harvey Bidmade for their support throughout the Swimming Program.

We would also like to extend our sincere appreciation to Charlotte Drake for the considerable time and effort she has dedicated to planning and coordinating the program.

Seeds and Sprouts

Our Seeds and Sprouts programs have provided wonderful opportunities for our youngest learners to become familiar with Galilee and develop confidence in a supportive and welcoming school environment.

Our Sprouts Program is an extended school transition and readiness program designed for children commencing Prep in 2027. Through engaging, play-based learning experiences, students have been developing important social, emotional and early literacy and numeracy skills. The program supports children in building friendships, developing independence, becoming familiar with school routines and expectations, supporting them to feel confident about starting school.

Our Seeds Program welcomes three-year-old children from our local community, providing an opportunity to experience school life through fun, interactive and age-appropriate activities. Sessions focus on developing communication, social skills, creativity, curiosity and early learning foundations through play, exploration, stories, music and hands-on experiences.

Both programs have provided valuable opportunities for children to develop a sense of belonging, build positive relationships with staff and peers, and grow in confidence as learners. 

Congratulations to all our Seeds and Sprouts children who will graduate on Thursday 12 November! We are incredibly proud of their growth, enthusiasm and achievements throughout the programs. We look forward to welcoming our Sprouts as Prep students in 2027 and continuing our connection with our Seeds families as they begin their educational journey. A special thank you to Becky Kavanagh for her dedication and hard work in coordinating these wonderful programs. Her care and commitment have helped create an engaging experience for our youngest learners and their families.

Zoo Snooze

Our Year 3B students enjoyed a wonderful experience at Zoo Snooze, spending the night sleeping in tents and exploring the fascinating world of animals. Students had a fantastic time learning about wildlife, sharing new experiences and creating special memories with their classmates.

A big thank you to Caleb, Marcus and Catherine for their time, care and effort in making this experience possible. We greatly appreciate their commitment to providing students with such a memorable and exciting learning opportunity!

Student Free School Closure Day

Please note, Monday 2nd November is a student free school closure day. GOSH, our out of hours program will be running on this day. Please book your child into this service using the ThierCare website.

Tuesday 3rd November is a Public Holiday and both Galilee and GOSH will be closed.

Miss Evans Is Getting Married!

Today, we celebrated the very exciting news that Miss Evans is getting married! Holly will be on leave for the next week and a half as she prepares for this special occasion.

We wish Holly and Mark every blessing as they begin this exciting new chapter together. We are absolutely thrilled for them both and hope their wedding day is filled with love, joy and happiness, marking the perfect beginning to their married life together.

Here is what is coming up

Term 4, Week 5 

Monday 2nd November 

• Student Free School Closure Day (GOSH will be open on this day)

   

Tuesday 3rd November 

• Melbourne Cup Public Holiday

   

Wednesday 4th November 

Thursday  5th November 

• Seeds and Sprouts Program running today

Friday 6th November 

• Running Club at 8am (all welcome)
• Prep-Year 2 Athletics Day
• Year 5&6 Regional Basketball Competition for select students
• Year 5 Speak with Power Program
• No Assembly

Term 4, Week 6

Monday 9th November 

• Running Club at 8am (all welcome)
• Prep-Year 3 Swimming lessons at MSAC
• Year 6 Urban Experience Week
• Glee Club After school for students who have signed up 

Tuesday 10th November 

• Prep-Year 3 Swimming lessons at MSAC
• Year 6 Urban Experience Week
• Year 3 and 4 Hoop Time for select students

• Chess Club after school for students who have signed up

   

Wednesday 11th November 

• Prep-Year 3 Swimming lessons at MSAC

• Year 6 Urban Experience Week

   

Thursday  12th November 

• Prep-Year 3 Swimming lessons at MSAC
• Year 6 Urban Experience Week

• Final Seeds and Sprouts session

   

Friday 13th November 

• Running Club at 8am (all welcome)
• Prep-Year 3 Swimming lessons at MSAC
• Year 6 Urban Experience Week

May God continue to bless our Galilee community. Keep looking out for one another; grateful for what we have, supporting each other along the way.

Wishing everyone a great week ahead. God bless. 🙏

-Amy Burns (Principal), Richard Harding (Deputy Principal) and Holly Evans (Deputy Principal)