Dear Families,

VALE Toni Williams 20/1/1974- 1/3/2024

It is with deep sadness that we inform you of the passing of our beloved colleague, Toni. After bravely battling illness, Toni passed away suddenly on Friday, 1st March, surrounded by her family. Toni was a cherished member of our community, joining St Michael's in June 2011 as a Learning Support Officer.

Throughout her time with us, Toni touched the lives of many, working tirelessly across all year levels but predominantly with our Year 3-6 children. She possessed a remarkable ability to connect with her students, always seeing the good in each of them, even the cheeky ones. Toni's dedication, kindness, and unwavering positivity will be deeply missed by her colleagues and the countless lives she impacted.

Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences go out to Toni's mother, three sisters, nieces, nephews, and all who loved her dearly. May she rest in peace, knowing she leaves behind a legacy of love and compassion.

Nathan

We are thrilled to share the incredible accomplishment of our very own Nathan, Year 5/6 teacher, who recently participated in the Oxfam 100km Trailwalk for a noble cause. Alongside his friends, Nathan completed the challenging 100km journey over 48 hours, all in support of achieving a just, sustainable future without poverty.

Not only did Nathan and his team conquer the trail, but they also surpassed their fundraising goal, raising well over $10,000! Despite facing blisters and sore feet, Nathan's determination and dedication shone brightly throughout the entire journey.

His remarkable achievement serves as a powerful reminder of the impact we can make when we come together to serve others. Please join us in congratulating Nathan on his extraordinary accomplishment. We are immensely proud to have him as part of our community.

Closure Day

The closure day planned for Tuesday 12th March has been rescheduled until later this year. Unfortunately, the consultant we had organised to work with on this day had to withdraw from the day. We will advise families as soon as possible as to the new date for this Professional Learning Day for our staff.

I apologise for any inconvenience caused to families.

School Advisory Council

Our School Advisory Council Annual General Meeting has been re-scheduled to Tuesday 19th March. All are welcome to attend to hear about our accomplishments in 2023 and plans for our school in 2024.

Family Welcome BBQ

What a wonderful evening we shared last week at our Family Welcome Picnic. It was so lovely to see families enjoying each other's company and having fun together. Many thanks to those who volunteered to cook and sell the sausages, drinks and zooper doopers.

Many thanks to our OSHC company THEIR CARE who generously donated the BBQ food so that the money we made can all go to our fundraising account. We look forward to many more family events shared together.

NAPLAN

Children in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 will participate in the NAPLAN assessment program beginning on Wednesday 13th March. The children will undergo 4 assessment tasks, Reading, Writing, Language conventions (Grammar & Punctuation, Spelling), and Mathematics. All of these tasks are done online, except for Year 3 Writing which is done using paper and pen. Over the past week, the children have been engaged in tasks in their normal learning cycle to prepare them for NAPLAN but at St Michael's we do not teach to the test. The students' results will not be received by the school or families until later this year.

It is important children have a good night's sleep before these assessment tasks but it is also important that the children remain calm and see this period as a normal part of their learning program. We wish them all well and know that they will do their very best.

Open Day

Tuesday, March 19 is our School Open Day. On this day we open our school for new families to see each class in action and to hear what we value when educating children. If you know any families looking for a school in which to enrol their children please inform them about this day.

The best form of advertising or marketing is for parents to talk about the things they value about their own child's school.

We may not be the biggest school in the area but one thing we can promise is that St Michael's is a school where your child is known!

Prep Enrolment 2025

Prep enrolments for 2025 are now open. Current families who wish to enrol a child for Prep 2025 are asked to do so using the enrolment form via the online portal on our school website.

International Women's Day - March 8.

Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that's diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women's equality. Collectively we can all #InspireInclusion.

Celebrate women's achievements. Raise awareness about discrimination. Take action to drive gender parity.

We have a community full of amazing women, take some time today to celebrate them and all they do for you, for us, for our community!

E-bike Incentive

St Michael's Primary School has partnered with the City of Melbourne in an e-bike incentive scheme, offering families 50% off the cost of e-bike subscriptions for their day-to-day journeys. Registrations open until 31 March, don’t miss out!

For more information, visit https://letsride.melbourne.vic.gov.au/childcare-ebike-incentive

Denise Hussey

(Principal)

'The most simple thing I can do is to be good today but better tomorrow'

Catherine McAuley - Mercy Sisters Foundress

All students attending St Michael's Primary School have the right to feel safe. The care, safety and wellbeing of children and young people is a fundamental responsibility of all within our school.

Prayer