Principal's Report
Dear members of the St Cecilia’s School community,
Planning for 2025 – Class and Staffing Arrangements Finalised
As we prepare to close out another wonderful year at St. Cecilia’s, we are excited to share that, after a great deal of thoughtful conversation and careful consideration, we have finalised arrangements for next year’s classes, both for students and staffing.
Our dedicated staff have worked tirelessly to ensure that these decisions reflect the best interests of every student. Our incredible staff's willingness to support the school community in whatever capacity is needed speaks volumes about their commitment to providing a nurturing and thriving environment for your children.
We are also thrilled to report that our enrolment numbers remain healthy and strong, a testament to the positive culture we share and the wonderful word-of-mouth reputation our community has fostered. This vibrant growth reinforces St. Cecilia’s as a school of choice and a place where students thrive academically, socially, and spiritually.
In any given year, changes are an inevitable part of school life. This can include staffing adjustments, shifts in friendship groups, and even the physical placement of classrooms. These changes are always approached with the utmost care and with our students' wellbeing as the top priority. Factors such as class sizes, learning needs, and the social and academic balance within each group play a significant role in shaping these decisions.
We ask our families to place their trust in the decisions surrounding class groupings and staffing. The thoughtful partnerships we share and the trust we build with one another are the foundation for stronger outcomes for every child at St. Cecilia’s.
With the large amount of classroom movement required for 2025, we will hold our Moving Day on Tuesday, December 10th. Shortly, we will reach out to ask for any available parents who may be able to assist with the transition on this day. Your support would be greatly appreciated as we work together to prepare for the new school year.
We are pleased to attach the physical placement of classrooms below for your reference. All class groupings and teacher allocations will be announced to students on Thursday, December 10th, during our annual Meet Your Teacher session after lunch.
We remind families that, once these groupings are shared, we will not be able to accommodate changes. The balance of each class is highly interconnected, and even one adjustment can have a significant impact on the wider group.
Thank you for your continued support and understanding. We also extend our deepest gratitude to our excellent staff for the countless hours they have dedicated to ensuring a smooth and positive start to 2025.
Class placement for next year (2025):
Foundation: (2 classes) - same classrooms as this year
Year One: (2 classes) - upstairs classrooms currently occupied by Grade 4's
Year Two: (2 classes) - upstairs classrooms currently occupied by Grade 5/6's
Year Three: (2 classes) - upstairs, same classrooms as this year
Year Four: (2 classes) - portable classrooms currently occupied by Grade 1's
Year Five/Six: (2 classes) - brick building currently occupied by Grade 2's
Staffing News for 2025
As we approach the end of the year, it is time to share some significant staffing updates for 2025. These changes involve two much-loved members of our community who will be moving on, and two wonderful additions to our team.
Farewell to Katherine Aldcroft
It is with mixed emotions that we announce Katherine Aldcroft, our talented PE teacher, will be leaving St. Cecilia’s at the end of this year. Katherine has accepted a full-time position at Xavier College as a Careers Placement Officer.
Katherine joined St. Cecilia’s first as a parent and, more recently, as our PE teacher since 2023. In her time with us, she has been the embodiment of professionalism, generosity, and enthusiasm. Katherine’s hard work and dedication have enriched our PE program, and her contributions to both the school and the broader community have been invaluable. Whether organising sports days or inspiring a love of physical activity in our students, Katherine has truly made her mark.
While she will be greatly missed, Katherine will always be a cherished part of the St. Cecilia’s community. We wish her every success in this exciting new chapter of her career.
Welcome Back, Miss Hollie French
In 2025, we are delighted to welcome back Miss Hollie French to St. Cecilia’s in a dual role. Many of you will remember Hollie as a much-loved classroom teacher who previously brought energy and warmth to our school.
Hollie will take on two days of teaching PE, building on the strong foundation set by Katherine, and will also support both the Foundation and Year 5/6 classes with two days of classroom teaching. Hollie and Katherine have worked closely to ensure a smooth handover, and we are excited to see Hollie continue to strengthen our PE program while contributing her expertise in the classroom.
Farewell to Mrs. Irene Poulton
We also bid a fond farewell to Mrs. Irene Poulton, who will be retiring at the end of this year. Irene has been an exceptional educator at St. Cecilia’s since 2020, working as an Intervention Educator and making a profound impact on our students and staff.
Irene’s remarkable career in Catholic Education began in 1974, with her journey taking her to St. Bridget’s Balwyn North, St. Scholastica’s Bennettswood, St. Peter’s Clayton, St. Joseph’s Malvern, and St. Mary’s Malvern East before joining us at St. Cecilia’s.
Irene’s experience, wisdom, and openness to learning have set her apart. It is truly rare to find an educator so experienced, so open to new learning, so impactful on the students in her care, constantly sharing her gentle wisdom with the staff who work alongside her. Her mentorship, professionalism, wicked sense of humour and limitless dedication to Catholic Education—and to St. Cecilia’s—will not be forgotten. Irene’s contributions have enriched the lives of countless students and colleagues, and her legacy will remain a treasured part of our community.
Thank you Irene. You will be truly missed! But I'm sure we'll be seeing you around from time to time....
Welcome, Miss Laura Adcock
In 2025, we welcome Miss Laura Adcock, an experienced educator who has worked with us intermittently in recent years. Laura will join our team as an Intervention Educator and will also support our Digital Technologies program. We look forward to introducing Laura more formally in the new year and seeing her talents enrich our school community.
A Heartfelt Thank You
We extend our deepest gratitude to Katherine and Irene for their remarkable contributions to St. Cecilia’s. They have left an indelible mark on our school, and their presence will be greatly missed. Over the coming weeks, we will have the opportunity to farewell both Katherine and Irene more formally during our end-of-year assembly. We look forward to celebrating their contributions with the whole school community.
As they embark on new journeys, we send them with our prayers and best wishes.
🎄 Carols on the Court – A Family Christmas Twilight Event! 🎶
Wednesday, 11th December 2024 | 5:30–7:00 PM
Get ready to kick off the festive season with a heartwarming evening of music, fun, and typical St. Cecilia's community spirit at Carols on the Court! Join us on Wednesday, 11th December from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM for an enchanting twilight celebration that’s fun for all!
🎶 What to Expect:
- Live Christmas Carols: Sing along with your favourite carols performed by all Grade Levels with some special guests
- Family Fun: A wonderful event for all ages, with BYO picnic and a visit from Santa himself
- A Magical Atmosphere: This is the perfect way to soak in the Christmas spirit with our school community
Mark your calendars, bring your family,
and let’s make this Christmas season one to remember!
See you there! ✨
Event Details:
🗓 Date: Wednesday, 11th December 2024
⏰ Time: 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
📍 Location: Top Playground at St. Cecilia's (The MCG)
🎅 Free entry!
Stay tuned for more event details and special announcements!
2025 School Fees
I am writing to provide you details of changes in tuition fees for the 2025 academic year.
Any decision to adjust tuition fees is never made lightly, nor without careful and thorough consideration of our students’ needs and our school’s capacity to provide an education experience that supports every student to flourish. We are also cognisant of the financial pressures that many families have experienced this year.
St. Cecilia’s, too, is facing increasing costs in multiple areas of school operations, including WorkCover premiums, Child Safety compliance, risk management, teacher resources and professional learning, and higher central system costs.
Our tuition fees at St. Cecilia’s are also influenced by the Commonwealth Department of Education’s calculation of our community’s ability to financially contribute to the operating costs of our school, known as the Capacity to Contribute, or CTC, which is reviewed annually.
School funding is complex, so I have included with this letter a simple school funding “explainer” which I hope will support your understanding of how the government funds Catholic (and other non-government) schools and how tuition fees support our school.
To ensure that we can continue to deliver a personalised, high-quality education that is responsive to the diverse interests and academic, social and emotional needs of our students, it is necessary to adjust our fees in 2025.
As a result, St Cecilia’s annual tuition fee for 2025 will be as follows:
1 child $3,244.00 $811 per term
2 children+ $4,922.00 $1230.50 per term
Capital Levy $300.00
Per family per annum payable in Term 1
Curriculum Levy - Per child per annum payable in Term 1
Prep to Year 2 - $893 per child
Year 3 - $1129 per child
Year 4 - $1369 per child
Year 5 & Year 6 - $1429 per child
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the fee increase, or wish to discuss your individual circumstances, please do not hesitate to contact me. We remain committed to keeping tuition fees as low and affordable as possible, and to working closely with our community to make this transition as smooth as possible.
Thank you for your understanding. I am grateful for your ongoing support and trust in our school.
Have a great weekend with your families everyone!
Marty McKenna
Principal
St Cecilia’s Primary School