Good afternoon families.

I hope your holidays were relaxing and you managed to stay warm but also enjoy our wonderful winter weather. I certainly enjoyed looking after 7 grandchildren on the two Tuesdays in the holidays. I am very blessed that I have 600 children in my life each term and 10 grandchildren to look after in the holidays!

This term promises to be a busy but rewarding term for both students and staff.

Confirmation for our Year 6 students on Sunday 3 August

100 days of prep on Monday 4 August.

Backflip Against Bullying incursion Wednesday 6 August

Science week Monday 11 August and parents will be are invited into the classroom during that week.

Book week on Monday 18 August

Book Week parade Wednesday 20 August

Wellbeing market Friday 29 Augus 3-5 pm

Father's Day stall Tuesday 2 September

School Closure Day Wednesday 3 September

Father's Day breakfast Friday 5 September

Farewell to Mrs Barron

Yesterday we held a farewell assembly for Mrs Barron. It was a lovely celebration for Michelle and made us all realise how much she has done for the St Louis' school community over the pass 9 years.

When I arrived as Principal at St. Louis in 2020, Michelle was in her role as Deputy Principal. From that moment, she became my right hand, my trusted sounding board, and someone I could always rely on. Whether it was navigating the daily challenges of school life or sharing a laugh on the long and demanding days, Michelle has been a constant source of support and camaraderie.

Over the passed 5 years, Michelle has taught me so much—about the importance of thorough research before making changes, about the value of clear processes and procedures, and about communicating with staff and families in a detailed, thoughtful manner. Her dedication, professionalism, and wisdom have left an indelible mark on our school community.

We wish Michelle every success at Sacred Heart Oakleigh

I have included in this newsletter I have include part of Michelle's speech at the assembly.

To capture the spirit of our time together, I offer an A-Z reflection of what has made St Louis so remarkable.

A- Assemblies where we celebrated learning, student leadership, and each other

B- Book parades that brought characters to life and sparked joy in every reader.

C- Chromebooks, Coding and Creative classrooms full of curiosity and STEM exploration.

D- Daring to Love, Daring to Learn and Daring to Lead the very heart of who we are.

E- The Environment we nurture through sustainability and stewardship

F- Families who partner with us in growing strong, kind and capable learners

G- The Garden, our living classroom and the legendary guinea pig race that stole hearts

H- The HIVE, a hub of wellbeing and support, holding us together through all seasons

I - The Ins and Outs of daily school life ( and teacher replacements) part of the busyness of every morning

J- Jesus whose footsteps we follow with compassion and courage

K- The Kindness seen in every smile at the gate and every act of inclusion

L - Liturgies where our faith came alive and community grew stronger

M- Maths olympiad moments of challenge, achievement and brain- bending fun

N- Numbers , patterns and the power of mathematics to unlock the world.

O - Opportunities for every student to thrive , try, fail and try again.

P - The People who make up the very fabric of the community for the relationships, the shared goals and the spirit of collaboration that make this school so special.

Q - Quotes, like Michael Jordan's. "I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed."

R- Recognising our indigenous community- the First Peoples of this land- with respect, truthand action.

S- Sporting successes, schedules and the shared strength of our mission

T- Traffic duty and morning greetings, a daily joy and privilege

U- Unforgettable unity of staff, students and families working together

V- The Vision and values we lived by every day

W- Walking together in mission, in purpose and in Christ's love

X - eXploration of learning, identity and new ideas

Y - You: every student, staff member and family who made this place so extraordinary

Z - the Zest for life, learning and leadership that defines St Louis' de Montfort.

Sporting News

Congratulations to Zane (Yr 6) who competed in the State Cross Country last Thursday. He was placed 20th.

Well done to our Yr 6 AFL boys team who competed yesterday in the Team 9 Regional competition.

Good luck to our Yr 6 AFL girls team who will be competing on Monday in the Team 9 Regional competition.

Good luck to our Yr 6 T-Ball team who will be competing in the Regional competition on Friday.

PFA meeting

Our next PFA meeting will be on Thursday 31 July in the staffroom at 9 am.

We are hoping to boost out numbers of parents who can attend these meetings. All are welcome. Come along and join us for a coffee/tea and a chat.

Enjoy your weekend

Carmel Stutterd

Principal

Kids on Key Talent Quest