Principal's Message

Dear Parents,

Our school theme this year is Watch Us Thrive in 2025! This means we are cultivating a school community where every individual feels valued and inspired to do their best. By embracing challenges and celebrating successes, we are creating an environment where everyone can grow, achieve, and reach their full potential. This spirit of growth and connection has been evident throughout the term. As we wrap up another busy and rewarding term, we want to take a moment to reflect on everything we’ve achieved together. It has been a term full of learning, growth, and shared experiences and we couldn’t have done it without the support of our school community.

This term, we’ve navigated many milestones. We’ve said goodbye to Dan, embraced interschool sports, attended 5/6 school camp, and participated in Masses and Holy Week liturgies. Our children have taken on challenges like swimming and NAPLAN with resilience, and we’ve worked together through medical management meetings and ‘get to know you’ meetings, all while continuing to build a school environment where every child can thrive.

Thank you to each and every one of you for your positivity, dedication, and unwavering support during this time of transition. Your commitment to your children, our school, and one another is what makes this community so special.

Now, as the holidays begin, we encourage our students to take this time to rest and recharge. The coming weeks offer a chance to slow down, spend quality time with loved ones, and enjoy activities that bring your family joy, whether that’s reading a book, exploring the outdoors, or simply being together.

For my family, we will be recharging our batteries over the Easter holidays by going camping. Our favourite way to spend time together is sitting by the fire toasting marshmallows, playing cards, and paddle boarding on the Murray River.

At the end of the school holidays, we will celebrate Easter, a time of renewal, hope, and reflection. This is a special time for our children and our school community as we embrace the values of kindness, love, and faith that Easter represents.

Easter is a joyful celebration, not just because of the Easter eggs and holiday traditions, but also because of its deeper meaning for many families. It is a time to reflect on themes of renewal, hope, and love. Just as spring brings fresh beginnings in nature, Easter reminds us that we, too, can embrace new beginnings in our lives, strengthening our connections with one another and finding joy in the season.

At school, we have been guiding our children through the Lenten season with moments of prayer, reflection, and acts of kindness. Through class discussions, special activities, and liturgical celebrations, we encourage them to understand the importance of compassion and kindness. These values help them grow into thoughtful and caring individuals who contribute positively to our community.

Congratulations to our amazing super swimmers - Natalie, Charlotte, Freya, Immanuel and Erika for their outstanding efforts at the regional carnival! They represented our school with pride, not only through their fantastic performances in the pool but also through their sportsmanship and team spirit. A huge thank you to their parents for making the trip to Geelong and to Nick for his invaluable support. Well done, team!

Next term in Week 3, Shaun will be departing SMDP to travel and work overseas for the rest of the year. We wish him all the best on this exciting journey and look forward to welcoming him back in 2026! 

In great news, we are delighted to welcome Lynette Soto back to SMDP as our Digital Technologies specialist. Those who have been part of our community for a while may remember Lynette from her time here as a PE teacher until 2020. We’re excited to have her return and can’t wait to see the passion and expertise she will bring to the role!

May this Easter bring  joy and peace to you and your families.

Elise Coghlan

Acting Principal | Learning and Teaching Leader

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.