From the Acting Principal

A warm welcome to all members of our community to the 2026 school year. 

A special welcome to those students and families who are joining us for the first time. This year we welcome the following new students and their families to the St Mark’s community: Ambrose (LA4); Nakayla; (LA9); Aria (LA9). I trust that your time at St Mark’s is both fruitful and rewarding. We are also very pleased to welcome back Aarohi after a time interstate.

We look forward to continuing our partnership with the families of St Mark’s in order to provide wonderful learning opportunities for all.

Our 29 new preps commenced last Thursday and are to be commended on the way that they have settled in so confidently to their new environment. It is a credit to their families and the staff at the Kindergartens they attended. The St Mark’s staff members, who implemented such a thorough Steps 2 Prep and Orientation Program in Term 4 2025, for both students and families, are to be commended for their support of all. We look forward to a long association with our new preps and their families.

It was a joy to welcome back our Gr1-6 students last Friday when they returned from the summer break. I wish all students a fantastic year packed full of fun and learning opportunities. 

A special welcome to the following new staff members who have joined us this year. Charlotte O’Hegarty (LA4 Teacher); Stefanie Marin (LA9 Teacher); Penny Camiot (LA9 Teacher); Carol Robinson (LSO) and Rachael Boucher (LSO). I am also pleased to announce that Gabrielle Vandenberg has returned from Parental Leave and will teach Performing Arts each Monday and Tuesday. We also welcome our new Catholic Care Counsellor, Alyssa Melia. Alyssa will be onsite each Friday to provide counselling and psychological support to our students and community. If you feel your child would benefit from counselling, please discuss with your child’s class teacher.

Thank you to our staff members for all they have done behind the scenes over the recent holidays to ensure a safe, productive and smooth start to the year. Information gathered at the Assessment Sessions on Wednesday and Thursday last week, and the Getting To Know You Meetings this week will ensure that learning programs address student need right from day one. Those students who were unable to attend their Assessment Sessions will be assessed during class time.

Happy New Year to our families who celebrate Lunar New Year. May your days ahead be filled with good luck, great health and boundless happiness. May the year ahead bring peace and endlessblessings to your life.

Getting To Know You Meetings - Research shows that building partnerships and strong relationships between families and schools is important to the learning and achievements of children. The more the class teacher knows about your child, the better the teacher is able to personalise learning and make learning engaging for your child. Our Getting To Know You parent meetings provide an excellent opportunity for parents to chat with your child’s teacher about your child and I thank you all for taking up this opportunity. I also thank our dedicated staff for putting in two consecutive long days this week to enable this relationship building to take place.

Many thanks to the Rivera-Tabacco, Ozmen, Abela and Barbaro families who cared for our chicken Coco over the summer holidays. We greatly appreciate your generosity in ensuring our beloved chicken was well cared for in her final days. Sadly, our beloved Coco passed away last week. Coco was a special member of our community for over 6 years. She will be missed.

Beginning of School Year Mass – Our Beginning of School Year Mass will be held this Friday February 6th at 9.00am in St Mark’s Church. All welcome! As a special treat to celebrate the beginning of the school year, all students will be given a Zooper Dooper at Lunchtime on Friday when they have their Buddy Lunch. Please contact the Office if you do not want your child to receive a Zooper Dooper and you would like to provide an alternative treat.

Kidsmatter Welcome Picnic In the Park - Another way to build partnerships is attendance at social functions where families and school staff are able to interact in a less formal way. Our Kidsmatter Welcome Picnic In the Park is a fantastic way to do this. This event will be on Thursday 12th February, 6:00–7.30 pm at Parker Reserve. Please note, this is a BYO food, drink, chairs and picnic rug event. This is a wonderful way to welcome and meet new families and to reconnect with existing St Mark’s families. All welcome! 

In line with our Child Safe Practices, this is a no alcohol event. 

**If the forecast is for 35 degrees or higher and the event needs to be cancelled, a message will be sent outon Seesaw and Audiri on the day.

Child Safety (Food Allergies) – We have a number of students at St Mark’s with food allergies and we ask families to please refrain from sending food in lunches that may potentially place others at risk. Foods include, but are not limited to tuna, eggs and nuts. At the upcoming Learning Information Sessions, class teachers will advise families of the types of food that students in each LA are allergic to. We ask that you please refrain from sending such foods. If a child does bring food that others in their class are allergic to, the child will eat the food inthe Office area and will wash their face and hands thoroughly before returning to class.

Before & After School Care – I am pleased to advise that Youth Leadership Victoria will continue to provide OSHC at St Mark’s in 2026. We thank Jen and the Carers for the wonderful Holiday Program over the summer break. I encourage all families to register your children in the program so that you can access the service as the need arises. Registration is free and can be done online at - https://ylv.com.au

St Mark’s Enrolment Tours for 2027 Prep Students – This year we will once again be offering personalised School Tours in February, March and April for families wishing to enrol their children at St Mark’s for Prep 2027. Please tell your family, friends and neighbours to contact the Office on 8335 4100 to arrange an Enrolment Tour. It’s very important that current St Mark’s families advise the office immediately if you have a child starting Prep in 2027 so that the school can determine how many places are available for new families wishing to enrol their child at St Mark’s next year. Enrolment Applications for Prep 2027 close on April 30th, 2026.

2026 Student Leadership @ St Mark’s - 2026 Student Leaders will be announced at Assembly on Friday February 27th at 9.00am. At this Assembly they will take their pledge of leadership and be presented with their Leadership Badges.

2026 ST MARK'S SCHOOL STAFF 

Principal - Peter Wilson

Deputy Principal, Learning & Teaching Leader (Literacy), Mental Health in Schools Program, I.T, Student Wellbeing and Learning Diversity 3-6 - Claire White

Religious Education Leader (Tues) - Dot Mash

Maths Leader & Maths Intervention Teacher (Mon-Thurs) - Kate Ballantyne

Learning Diversity P-2 & Inquiry Learning Leader (Mon-Tues) - Madeleine Wright

P-2 Literacy Support Teacher (Mon-Thurs) - Kate Ballantyne

3-6 Literacy Support Teacher (Weds-Thurs) - Dot Mash

LA1 Teachers (Prep) Erin Buhagiar (Mon-Tues) & Madeleine Wright (Weds-Fri)

LA2 Teacher (Prep) - Chloe Miller

LA3 Teacher (1/2) - Christina Kelly

LA4 Teachers (1/2) - Britt Densmore (Mon-Tues) & Charlotte O'Hegarty (Weds-Fri)

LA5 Teacher (1/2) - Stephanie Pantazopoulos

LA9 Teacher (3/4) - Stefanie Marin (Mon-Weds) & Penny Camiot (Thurs-Fri)

LA10 Teacher (3/4) - Emma Crotty

LA7 Teachers (5/6) - Daniela Lazzaro (Mon&Fri) & Maria Barbanera (Tues-Thurs)

LA8 Teacher (5/6) - Kyla Lancaster

LOTE Italian Teacher - Antonella Catalano (Mon-Tues) 

Performing Arts Teacher - Gabrielle Vandenberg (Mon-Tues) 

Physical Education Teacher - Daniela Lazzaro (Weds-Thurs)

Visual Arts Teacher - Erin Buhagiar (Weds-Thurs)

Office Manager - Lisa Pevitt (Mon-Thurs); Office Admin & Finance Officer - Angela Toomey (Tues)

Learning Support Officers - Erin Meggs; Ruby Hoare; Sarah Cumper; Angela Azzato (Office Admin & Library Technician); Carol Skouris; Sophie Lorenti; Susan Clark; Bushra Giliani (+ Playgroup Co-ordinator), Carol Robinson and Rachael Boucher

Canteen Manager, First Aid Officer & Library Admin - Vicki Smith

School Psychologist - Alyssa Melia (Catholic Care) (Fri)

COMMUNICATION AT ST MARK'S

The beginning of the new school year brings with it many opportunities for families to meet with teachers and other families. This year we will hold the following events in order to ensure we have all possible information we need to meet the Spiritual, Academic, Social and Emotional needs of all:

Getting To Know You Meetings – Tuesday February 3rd and Wednesday February 4th.

Learning Information Sessions – These group sessions will provide the opportunity for families to come along and hear from the classroom teachers about all relevant learning information for the 2025 school year. 

Assemblies - Please join us for assembly in the Hall each Friday morning beginning at 9am. Our first assembly for 2026 will be on Friday February 13th. Please note, Term 1, 2 & 4 Assemblies will be held on Friday mornings at 9.00am, while Term 3 Assemblies will commence at 2.50pm.

Newsletters - our iNewsletter is our major means of communication with parents, so please ensure that you take the time to read it. The newsletter is published every second Wednesday. A link to the online newsletter is uploaded onto the school’s website and sent out on Seesaw and the Audiri App.  For environmental reasons, we distribute the newsletter electronically, rather than paper format. 

Please email Lisa or Ange in the office (admin@smfawkner.catholic.edu.au) with your email address and they will add you as a direct subscriber.

SM Fawkner Audiri App - we expect all members of our school community to download the St Mark’s Audiri App. The App is a great way for us to disseminate information to parents in a speedy, safe and effective way.  It is available in both Apple and Android. Search for “SM Fawkner” in the App Store. The LogIn Name and Password is available from the Office.

Student Free Day, Friday February 20th, 2026

On Friday February 20th, 2026 there will be a Student Free Day as staff meet together to update their compliance requirements to ensure the safety of all children. Staff will be updating CPR & Anaphylaxis Management, Child Safety, OHS, Mandatory Reporting, etc. 

Aftercare will be available on the day, if our minimum number of bookings is achieved. Bookings with Youth Leadership Victoria are essential – https://ylv.com.au/

Congratulations to staff member Stephanie Nightingale, her husband Andrew and their children Viviana and Rubin on the recent birth of their baby Patrick Jules. 

Congratulations to the Martin family - parents Stevie and Aden on the safe arrival of Hudson - a baby brother for Archie (LA5).

Congratulations to the Chamma family - parents Monir and Joanna on the safe arrival of Andriana - a little sister for Aiden (LA4).

Congratulations to the Shyam Sunder family - parents Shyam and Kavita on the safe arrival of Atharva - a baby brother for Swara (LA3).

We wish them and their families a life time of health, love and happiness together.

Miss Claire - Acting Principal and Learning & Teaching/Literacy Leader

claire.white@smfawkner.catholic.edu.au

‘The St Mark’s Catholic Primary School, Fawkner Community promotes the safety, wellbeing and inclusion of all children.’

St Mark’s Catholic Primary School respectfully acknowledges the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation, who are the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we live, learn, work and play. We pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.