From Our Principal

Newsletter  ~ Term 3, Week 1, 2025

Principal's Message:

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

Our children and teachers have enjoyed an extremely smooth, positive and productive re-commencement of classes this week and have been congratulated on the wonderful start to our new term. Best wishes to all for the new term of school learning to follow.

Please find following our newsletter for this fortnight.

Fr. Ronaldo 'Ronald' Masilang - Our Parish Priest

As announced at the end of Term Two, we congratulate Fr Ronald on his 'Installation' as Parish Priest of our parish (St Mel's) along with the parishes of St Malachy's (Nagambie) and St Mary's (Mooroopna). We are fortunate to have both Fr Ronald and Fr Ruel living and working out of the St Mel's Parish House in Hamilton Street.

Our parish celebrated the Installation with a special Mass on the first Sunday of the school holidays, concelebrated by Bishop Shane Mackinlay and our local priests, followed by a parish shared lunch in the St Mel's Hall. It was a truly special celebration. Congratulations again to Fr Ronald. 

Magnify Sandhurst' 

Every Student - Every Teacher - Every School - Every Day!

Engaged Learners / Engaged Learning: 

This term our students will continue to embed the new low variance, knowledge rich curriculum approaches with fidelity and alignment across the school. Two new school-wide routines will be introduced, with children and staff quickly revising and applying the four school-wide routines introduced in Term Two. These SIX routines are an integral component of our whole school Framework for Positive Behaviour and Support:

• Cue to Start - to gain student attention before providing direction / instruction.
• Classroom Entry 
• Classroom Exit
• Classroom Exit (End of Day)
• Movement Routine (How we move within our Learning Suites) and,

• Voices - Silent Voice, Quiet Voice, Partner Voice, Group Voice, Class Voice

         (The different voices we use for certain activities).

Parent / Carer / Teacher / Student Interviews:

These important three-way interviews are conducted next Monday and Tuesday.  The ONLINE booking system to enable parents and carers to select interview times has been available since the end of Term Two for bookings. 

These interviews will be held after school on:

• Monday 28 July 3:30pm onwards
• Tuesday 29 July 3:30pm onwards

These are important opportunities for students, parents/carers and teachers to discuss student learning, development and growth. The Term Three interviews are a greater opportunity for student voice, where students can share their goals for the coming term.

Foundation (Prep) Enrolment Interviews:

Interviews for families seeking enrolment for Foundation (Prep) in 2026 have commenced this week. 

A reminder for parents/carers yet to enrol via our ONLINE ENROLMENT PORTAL 'Enquiry Tracker' so now to ensure you are in the 2026 Foundation Enrolment Interview List.

Please spread the word amongst other families and kinder parents so that families are registered for our available places for Foundation in 2026. We are also taking enrolment enquiries for higher grades via the Enquiry Tracker system.

Enrolment Enquiries & Applications ONLINE:

A reminder for parents and carers with students to commence Foundation in 2026 to go 'online' and complete the relevant Enrolment Application Form.

If you are aware of other members of the broader local community seeking enrolment please direct them to the ONLINE forms.

The NEW enrolment enquiry and application portal 'Enquiry Tracker' can be accessed via our St Mel's PS Website at: www.smshepparton.catholic.edu.au 

OR by clicking the following live link: https://www.smshepparton.catholic.edu.au/enrolment-application

We are continuing to accept enrolments for 2026.

School In Lock Down [Term Three Emergency Management Plan Drill]

On Tuesday our school and St Mel's Kindergarten combined again for our termly Emergency Management Plan (EMP) Drill. This drill was a practice of our procedures to Lock Down the school, in the event this is needed in response to a specific incident. I am pleased to share our children and the Staff Teams of both the school and kinder responded as per the procedures we have planned. Future drills will involve responding to evacuation signals, Lock Down during playtime and evacuating to an off-site location. The termly drills provide students and staff with an opportunity to rehearse what we will need to do in the event of an actual emergency. Parents and carers are reminded that in the event of an emergency signal and verbal instructions to follow the direction of staff if you are on site.

St Mel's PS Outside School Hours Care - New Provider: [Repeat]

As emailed to families this week, from the commencement of Term Three the St Mel's PS Outside School Hours Care service is now managed and operated by Uniting Vic / Tas. This is an exciting development for our school community with potential for the service to expand and offer a school holiday program from Term Three onwards. 

Please see the following attachment detailing booking students in from the start of next term and contact details for Uniting Vic / Tas:

Staffing Update:

Robyn Banfield is back after her period of Long Service Leave. Robyn has recommenced in our Visual Arts program from the start of this term.

I am pleased to announce the appointment of two new teachers to offer our Physical Education program, along with Chris Munari (who is continuing his role to offer our PE Program to Year 3/4 students on Thursday.)

Lily Beer, who has been supporting our school with Classroom Relief Teaching this term, will offer our PE program to Year 1/2 students on Tuesdays.

Natalie Bibby (nee Witchen), who is on Maternity Leave, will offer our PE program to students in Foundation and Year 5/6 each Wednesday.

Annual ORIMA School Survey:

The annual survey period will commence Monday 18 August and conclude Monday 15 September. Students in Year 5/6, Staff and a sample of families will be involved in the survey period. The surveys provide useful information in support of forward and strategic planning for ongoing school improvement. Information to follow.

School Dates:

Please check the Upcoming Dates & Events section of the newsletter regularly.

Next Student Free Day: Wednesday 13 August

There will be no school for students on this day. 

Our Staff Team will join Catholic Education Sandhurst staff across our diocese for an online Staff Spirituality Day. The staff teams of St Anne's College (Kialla) and St Joseph's PS (Nagambie) will join our staff for this day.

Thank you for your ongoing support of your child/ren and our Staff Team.

Best wishes for our new term of learning through Christ our light.

Stephen 'Steve' Hicks

Principal

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