From Our Principal

Newsletter  ~ Term 3, Week 2 , 2024

Principal's Message:

Dear Parents, Carers, Families and Friends of St Mel’s Primary School,

The end of our second week of Term Three and it seems we are well and truly back to familiar school routines, with a renewed focus on learning, achievement and growth following our recent two week holiday break. 

Parent / Carer / Teacher & Student Conversations have provided an opportunity for reflection on the learning journey to date, School Progress Reports recently made available and goal setting for future learning and growth. Parents and carers are encouraged to remain in contact with teachers in support of student learning and engagement at school as we support our young learners work towards their goals, work through challenges and celebrate successes. 

Maintaining regular home-based learning activities e.g., reading every night, practicing basic numeracy skills and working on spelling skills, along with engaging in regular dialogue around family life, contributes to the daily learning focussed on at school.

2024 St. Mel's Production - 'The Hit List' - Wednesday 14 August @ 7pm

We are now fully into rehearsal mode in preparation for the school production. I have had a number of opportunities to observe the children being taken through their performance items, including our Year 6 cast who have auditioned for their prominent parts in the production. I congratulate the children on their enthusiastic preparation and thank parents and carers for your support with costumes, rehearsal times and generally encouraging your child/dren's participation. Robyn Banfield, our Arts Teacher (and Director) has put  enormous time and energy into preparing the children for what will be a wonderful performance, supported by partner specialist teachers Demi Wood, Kim Bristow, Chris Munari, Nadia Mori, Natalie Witchen (and the broader staff team). 

Our move to a 'ONE NIGHT ONLY' format in a larger, purpose built theatre is adding to the excitement and the experience for our young performers. Ensure your family has booked its allocation of tickets. Only a few days left for the initial ticket release before remaining tickets will be offered to first come first in!

Our Year 5/6 students have also been rehearsing for the biennial diocesan Sandhurst Arts on Show which will be held in the St. Mel's Primary School Hall in the last week of term. Sandhurst Arts on Show is a festival of music, singing, movement and voice involving rolling performances occurring in selected venues across the diocese involving thousands of students. Instructors from the Australian School of Performing Arts (ASPA) visit participating schools preparing individual and mass items showcased in the performance.

Our Year 5/6 students perform on Wednesday 28 September along with over 100 students from local Catholic primary schools, with another 200 students performing the following day. We look forward to hosting children, teachers and diocesan staff here later this term.

Our Year 5/6 students enjoyed attending the Notre Dame College production of 'The Drowsy Chaperone' on Wednesday of this week at Westside Performing Arts Centre, Mooroopna. I was pleased to complement our chidlren and accompanying staff on their positive behaviour attending the performance as members of the live audience. Well done children (& staff members).

Enrolment Interviews will commence next week for places at St Mel's for the 2025 academic year. Families already registered with our School Administration Office are being booked in for these important opportunities for me to meet with parents, carers and children seeking enrolment in our lovely school.

A reminder to prompt parents/carers you may know who have indicated their intention to seek enrolment here to call our School Administration Office, and /or return First Stage Enrolment documentation as soon as possible. 

This coming Thursday (1st August) and Friday (2nd August) our school has the wonderful opportunity to welcome a contingent of Japanese students, with their support staff, to our school for two days. The students will join our Japanese Language classes on the Thursday and experience school life in a number of our Pastoral Groups on the Friday. After recess on both days the children will tour the local Shepparton area. The Greater Shepparton Visitor Centre put us in contact with the group visiting our region from the Friends English School, a franchised English learning centre for all ages in Japan. The school is situated in Morioka, the capital city of Iwate Prefecture located in the Tohoku region of northern Japan.   

Our Specialist Languages teacher, Demi Wood, has coordinated our school's involvement with the group during their two days at St Mel's Primary School. 

Kiss & Go!

Thank you for your careful and patient cooperation with our nightly 'Kiss & Go' pick up procedure on Hamilton Street. With a 'road-locked' school site, limited parking and so many children being picked up in cars it is important to maintain a safe, calm and smooth flow of traffic at the end of the day.

We also ask that children are picked up as close to 3:20pm as possible in support of our after school staff meetings and planning commitments. 

Help Us Win A Ga Ga Pit - Click Here

What is a Ga Ga Pit you ask?

It is a great outdoor activity for children (and adults), a form of dodge ball, and would look fantastic in our school yard!

Click on the link and enter our school in the competition to win a $6500 Ga Ga Pit Prize.

Competition closes on Wednesday 31 July 2024 

Attendance - Term Three:

If your child's attendance was under 90% for Term One and Two set a goal to increase their attendance by 2% to 3% across Term Three.

Attendance Matters!

Kind regards and best wishes for the new term ahead,

Stephen 'Steve' Hicks

Principal

Did you know? ~