Deputy Principals Mrs Diakrousis & Mr Speranza
Dear Families,
We are all looking forward to celebrating St Patrick's feast day on Tuesday 17th March and our annual Festival on Friday 20th March. Please check the Principal page for all details.
A reminder also that next week we have our School Photos!
Our students in Year 3 and Year 5 successfully sat the NAPLAN Writing assessment yesterday and the Reading assessment today. The testing schedule will continue into next week.
Please note that families will soon receive an invite to their child's class and year level Learning Expo, which will highlight learning and achievement from our school's Term 1 Inquiry topic. If you are available, we hope to see you there.
Warm regards,
Joelle Diakrousis, Deputy Principal / Learning Diversity Leader
Anthony Speranza, Deputy Principal / Learning & Teaching Leader
Term 1 Learning Expo
Families are warmly invited to their child's class and year level's Learning Expo, related to this term's Inquiry topic. The times for each to take place will be:
Thursday 26th March 2:50pm - Year 1
Tuesday 31st March 2:30pm - Year 2
Wednesday 1st April 2:50pm - Year 3
Wednesday 1st April 2:50pm - Year 4
Wednesday 1st April 2:50pm - Year 5
Wednesday 1st April 2:50pm - Year 6
Wednesday 1st April 3:00pm - Prep
Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, Slide
A helpful reminder for all of us is the Cancer Council’s “Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, and Slide” slogan. This easy-to-remember message encourages children to Slip on a shirt, Slop on sunscreen, Slap on a hat, Seek shade, and Slide on sunglasses whenever they’re outside. Practicing these sun safety steps helps build lifelong habits that protect skin health.
Further advice is also attached below:
Please ensure your child has their school hat in their bag every day, as our "No Hat, No Play" policy remains in effect. Please encourage your child to apply sunscreen before coming to school and to reapply during the day.
NAPLAN Assessment
Students in Year 3 and Year 5 will be completing the NAPLAN assessments between Wednesday March 11th and Friday 20th March. The 4 assessments will be scheduled throughout this testing window, and the school can arrange for students to complete missed assessments if absent on particular days.
For further information about NAPLAN, please see the guide below or the website: https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/for-parents-carers
Child Safety Awareness for March - Child Safety Standard 2
Please see the Child Safety page for further information
School Photos 18th March 2026
School Photo Day is scheduled for Wednesday 18th March. Orders are to be completed via the MSP Online login page prior to the day.
Random Acts of Kindness
We are delighted to celebrate the following students for their exceptional kindness and compassion. Whether through a small gesture or an intentional act of support, you have made our school a more inclusive and welcoming place. Thank you for living our values and serving as such inspiring role models for your peers. Keep up the wonderful work!"
St Patrick's Star Athletes
A few of our amazing students who are members of the Mentone Lifesaving Club and participated at the 2026 Victorian Surf Lifesaving Championships in Warrnambool:
Ruby H. (Yr 4), Poppi G. (Yr 4), Gabriel D. (Yr 5), Alex F. (Yr 5), Evie A. (Yr5)
These students performed really well over 3 days of competition in tough conditions.
Gabriel D.
Gold in Beach Sprints
Silver in Beach Flags
Ruby H.
Bronze in Board Relay
4th in Swim Team
Alex F.
5th in Wade Relay and 6th in Surf Team
Seasons for Growth 2026
A notice has been shared on NFORMA inviting families to express their interest in their child participating in the Seasons for Growth program this year.
At times in life, children experience change or loss that can feel confusing, overwhelming, or difficult to manage on their own. To support students during these times, we will once again be offering the Seasons for Growth program at school this year.
What is Seasons for Growth?
Seasons for Growth is a small-group program designed to support children who have experienced significant change or loss, such as the death of a loved one, family separation, friendship changes, moving house, or other important life transitions.
The program:
- Helps children understand that change and loss are a normal part of life
- Provides a safe space to share experiences (if they choose)
- Builds emotional literacy and coping skills
Encourages resilience and connectedness
Sessions will be facilitated by Mrs Diakrousis and will run in small groups during school hours. The program will commence in Week 6.
Students who participated last year are welcome to continue the program and will build on their previous learning. New students will begin the program from the first session, which introduces the core concepts and foundations of the program.
Please contact Joelle Diakrousis for further details