Year 3 Families - Parent information night TONIGHT - Preparation for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Wednesday 4th March - Parent / Teacher Snapshot Conversations; school closes 1pm

Dear St Michael’s School families,

Prayer

Loving God,

As we journey through this second week of Lent,

help us to open our hearts to Your presence.

Teach us to listen with kindness, to act with fairness,

and to notice those who need our care.

May our Lenten promises guide us

to make choices that bring hope, peace, and joy to others.

Strengthen us to follow the example of Jesus in all we do,

and bless our school community with compassion and courage.

Amen.

SCHOOL ENHANCEMENT SESSION - ALL HANDS NEEDED FOR THIS ONE

On Saturday 14th March we will hold our first School Enhancement Session for 2026, between 9-11am. I am calling for ALL HANDS ON DECK for this one. It's the weekend before our special 80th anniversary celebration day (22nd March) and there is much to be done:

Cleaning (bring chux / rags / brooms)
Windows (bring Window squeegees / buckets)
Steps (bring high pressure cleaner if you have one)
Garden areas (shovels / brooms)

As always, please join us after the enhancement session for a BBQ, a cool drink and a chat to meet other parents.

A "Form" will be made available on nForma shortly for your response. Looking forward to seeing you there.

P.F.A. SURVEY

Thank you so much to the many families who have completed the PFA survey. We are so eager to hear your feedback. If you haven't already completed the survey, please click here to access. It will only take you a few minutes but every comment will help to make our school better!

Also, please take a few minutes to check out who is on the PFA in 2026. See their photo and their roles on the St Michael's PFA News page.

80th ANNIVERSARY MEMORABILIA

Did you or your parents / other family members attend St Michael's Primary School? We are seeking memorabilia, especially photos to include in our display on March 22nd. If you have something to share, please contact either John Whitehouse on 0411 091 338 (Sarah, Gr 6) or Therese Molnar on 0417 014 772 / therese.molnar@gmail.com (Luke, Gr 4) or Annie Herbison. All items will be treated with great care and returned in the same condition.

GLEN IRIS DISTRICT SWIMMING CARNIVAL

Twenty of our students proudly represented the school at the Glen Iris District Swimming Carnival, showing great resilience, teamwork and sportsmanship throughout a challenging day. The carnival was held under a forecast of heavy rain and possible thunderstorms. While the weather certainly kept everyone on alert, the biggest challenge on the day came from a faulty timing system, which delayed the program by more than 40 minutes. Later in the afternoon, thunderstorms caused further interruptions, with only four events remaining. Thanks to the patience and cooperation of students, staff and organisers, the carnival was able to resume, and the final four relay events were completed before the day concluded.

We are pleased to congratulate the following students who have progressed to the Divisional Stage:

Edward Betros – Freestyle and Breaststroke
Jordan Petrovski – Backstroke

The Divisional Carnival will be held as part of the Boroondara Primary Division Swimming on Wednesday 4 March 2026 at Boroondara Sports Complex.

Families are reminded to arrive at least 30 minutes before their scheduled event time to allow for marshalling. Athletes do not need to check in upon arrival. Races will not be held for late arrivals, so please arrive early to avoid disappointment.

We commend all students who participated for their positive attitudes and perseverance in difficult conditions, and we wish our qualifying swimmers the very best of luck at the Divisional Carnival.

UPGRADE OF A LOCAL ZEBRA CROSSING

Location - Welfare Parade, near Fakenham Road, Ashburton

Boroondara Council has informed St Michael's School and local residents that from Tuesday 10th March, works will happen on Welfare Parade to upgrade the children's zebra crossing and may take up to three weeks to complete. This is a note for families who travel down Welfare Parade to get to school; works will be carried out between 7am and 5pm so may affect your travel time and alternative routes may need to be considered.

ASSEMBLY SWAP, TERM 2

We wish to make parents aware of a swap in Assemblies for Term 2.

Friday 1st May - Three/Four C presentation (was originally Five/Six R)

Friday 15th May - Five/Six R presentation (was originally Three/Four C)

Please note this change in your family calendar now.

BOROONDARA PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION

This was advertised in our newsletter a few weeks back. This competition is closing on 9th March. If you were interested in entering, see the details here and best of luck to all entrants!

PARENT / TEACHER SNAPSHOT CONVERSATIONS

Please make your bookings on nForma.

A reminder to please complete the following form and send it to your child's teacher before the meeting OR bring it with you to discuss. Paper copies of these can be found through the office or your child's classroom.

ST MICHAEL'S VEGGIE GARDEN

Thank you to One/Two B who planted some sweet smelling basil this week and some more flowering plants to liven up our garden. Almost all our garden beds and tubs are full now!

CAMP, SPORTS AND EXCURSION FUND (CSEF)

The Camp, Sports and Excursion Fund (CSEF) is provided by the Victorian Government to assist eligible families to cover the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities. If you hold a valid means-tested concession card or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible for CSEF. CSEF application forms are available from the school office.

MACS CONCESSIONAL FEE POLICY

Families are strongly encouraged to apply for concessional school fees if they meet the following eligibility criteria:

● Any family of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander heritage

● Any family holding an HCC and eligible for CSEF

● Any family experiencing severe financial hardship

● Any family holding a DVA Gold Card

● Any family identified as refugees and holding an ImmiCard

To apply, please contact the school office for an application form.

ADVANCED PSYCHOLOGY BLOG

St Michael's School has partnered with Advanced Psychology with a psychologist working onsite weekly. This link takes you to a blog with podcasts / webinars that deal with a variety of topics which might be of interest to parents and teachers.

https://www.advancedpsychology.net/blogs

We acknowledge the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we learn, play, pray, work and gather.

We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and we honour the ongoing cultural, spiritual and educational contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

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