From Our Principal

munity Leader Newsletter  ~ Term 2, Week 4, 2026

Principal's Message:

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

Today we gathered in our hall for a prayer reflection focussed on the Feast of the Ascension, annually recognised 40 days after Easter Sunday. The Ascension celebrates Jesus' ascension into Heaven 40 days following the Resurrection. For our staff and students, we focus on Jesus' call to us to continue his mission on Earth. As our school motto says, ' Christ Our Light', we are called to be a light in the world of faith-filled people, striving to live good lives and bring joy to our communities. This begins with how we are as individuals, in our families, in our school, in our broader community and in our world. We are called to be the very best person we can possibly be, irrespective of where we come from or which faith we are called to follow. 

Last week we celebrated World Labyrinth Day, with a return visit of former St Mel's teacher and St Mel's labyrinth founder, Luisa Cassise, to join Danae Napier lead each Pastoral Group in a refresher around the background, purpose and use of our labyrinth, which is available to our children during class and/or break times across the year. Our labyrinth is also available to our parents, carers and visitors to the school prior to the start of the school day and from 3:00pm each day when arriving early to collect students. Walking the labyrinth is a wonderfully reflective experience. 

Sacramental Journey:

The children of our parish journeying through our Confirmation / Eucharist parish-based (school supported) Sacramental program held their final 'Our Time Together' here at St Mel's PS last night supported by our parish Sacramental Team and staff from St Mel's Primary School and St Anne's College, Kialla.

Please continue to keep our parish's children currently engaged in their Sacramental journey in your thoughts and prayers as they continue to learn more of these Sacraments and journey ever closer to the celebration of Confirmation and Eucharist to occur on Pentecost Sunday (24 May) in Christ the King (St Mel's) church. This special celebration of the Eucharist will commence at 11:30am.

Catholic Education Week:

So lovely to bring families and prospective Foundation (Prep) students through our beautiful school during Catholic Education Week this year. The early and ever-growing interest in our school is most pleasing and I look forward to engaging with families in coming weeks for 1:1 Enrolment Interviews as we commence making preparations to welcome our new Foundation students in time for Orientation Visits in Term Four.  

Celebrating Our Mothers:        (And those who nurture us!)

Our Mothers' Day lead-up events were a great success again this year. Commencing with our Mothers' Day Stall on the Thursday and Mothers' Day Breakfast the following day, it was so lovely to see children and their special invitees enjoying a hearty breakfast prior to celebrations in families across our community on Sunday. We hope all our mums, nonnas, nannas, nanas, grandmas, grans and special people in our lives enjoyed their respective Mothers' Day on the Sunday. 

Magnify Sandhurst' 

Every Student - Every Teacher - Every School - Every Day!

In support of continually enhancing teacher knowledge, skill and application of strategies to continually improve student learning, development and growth we have recently introduced 'Group Rehearsal' as a regular and cyclical component of our Professional Learning meetings. Each round we focus on a teaching strategy and spend time rehearsing the strategy with a teaching peer, seeking feedback to support improvement. Paired with classroom 'Drop In' visits where leadership (and peers) observe teachers implementing teaching strategies in the classroom setting across the day and week, these are evidence-based teacher improvement processes which have a positive effect on student learning, development and growth over time. I am extremely pleased with the professional, positive and open manner in which our teachers have engaged with these new 'ways of being' to continually improve our practice.  

Approaching Student Free Day:

Our staff will be involved in the next MAGNIFY CESL Diocesan Staff Professional Learning Day on Friday 5 June (before the King's Birthday weekend). Our day will focus on Student Safeguarding and Wellbeing. A reminder that our St Mel's Uniting Outside School Care program will run as usual in support of working families requiring this service. Contact the service to book your child/ren in.

Celebrating Margaret!

Yesterday our long serving and wonderful Crossing Supervisor, Margaret Waters, was recognised by the City of Greater Shepparton Council for 15 years service to our schools, community and council as a Crossing Supervisor. Margaret operates the very busy Archer Street school crossing, one of the busiest school crossings in Greater Shepparton. We join with the broader community and City of Greater Shepparton in congratulations and gratitude for this outstanding community milestone. Congratulations Margaret and thank you for your many years of supporting our children safety cross the road each day!

Swimming Week:

A reminder of swimming next week. Our children from Foundation (Prep) to Six will travel to Aquamoves daily across the week to participate in the annual swimming program. As a mandated school activity and finacially supported by the Victorian Government, we are grateful for the financial support for this program, especially given the local aquatic we live in in Greater Shepparton. We are surrounded by rivers, lakes, dams, channels and drains. Learning to swim is a valuable life skill! Remember your bathers, towels, etc... next week!

Accepting 2027 Enrolment Applications: [Reminder!!]

Our Foundation enrolment period is underway with families already enrolling their children for next year. With interest in our school as a learning environment growing current school families with children to commence Foundation (Prep) next year are urged to complete the ONLINE APPLICATION FORM now!

Individual family tours are also available by contacting our School Administration Office: 5821 3163

A reminder to current families with young ones to commence school in 2027 to complete online applications now to secure your child's place in our Foundation Learning Community for next year!

Enrolment Interviews in support of our enrolment process will commence in coming weeks.

Spread the word!

Year 5 & Year 6 Discovery Day (St Anne's College):

Our Senior Learning Community participated in a Discovery Day at our sister school, St Anne's College, today to experience secondary school and tour the campus. Students selected from three elective classes: Physical Education, Art and Cooking. After a welcome from Kate McGrath, Deputy Principal and Year 7 to 9 Community Leader, Rohan Lelliott our students headed off to various areas of the campus for their electives. The staff of the college complemented our senior students on their engagement, manners and positive behaviour.

Senior Learning Community Cross Country:

Recently our Year 5 and Year 6 students, teachers and Learning Support staff travelled to Princess Park for the annual Cross Country event. Our children enjoyed participating in this year's event and again, have been commended for their positive engagement and behaviour across the day. Well done to all students who attended!

Staffing Update:

• With a continued run of staff illness we are ever grateful for the support of our list of quality Classroom Relief Teachers who provide short and longer term support to ensure we are able to continue our learning programs with few disruptions. The availability of these valued staff has avoided splitting Pastoral Groups across the school.

   

School Lunches, Lunch Boxes, Rubbish Free, Lollies & Eat What You Bring:   [REMINDER]

St Mel's Primary School has a long history or being involved in the 'Rubbish Free Lunch' approach, which in recent times has lost its focus and has been on our School Improvement Agenda. Thank you to our parents and carers who have continued to support this approach.

From the start of Term Two this year, parents and carers are requested to support (and/or continue to support) our renewed emphasis on healthy, portioned and rubbish free lunches.

This approach promotes healthy eating habits in children, is mindful of students with dietary allergies, reduced rubbish to landfill and reinforces waste-wise approaches in support of sustainable approaches to support our environment.

We are ramping up our approach to REDUCE - RE USE and RECYCLE from Term Two on!

How.....?

• Provide healthy lunches and snacks in re-usable lunch box & snack containers
• Purchase BULK snacks and send smaller portions to school in re-usable lunch box & snack containers
• Remove packaging at home and dispose of thoughtfully - foods to school in re-usable lunch box & snack containers
• Refrain from sending lollies to school - keep these for 'sometimes treats' at home

• Remind your children to bring any wrappers / plastics and/or gladwrap home

  (From Term Two on this will be the school-wide expectation!)

• Remind children not to share their food with other students
• Lollies and chewing gum is not to be brought from home

Follow this link for more information in regard Healthy School Lunches.

Fruit Break: [REMINDER]

A review of our current Fruit Break Process is underway. Fruit break was originally introduced to provide children with a mid morning snack of fruit / veg during the peak two hour morning block to provide a burst of nutriants to support engagement.

The idea is that children have a small nutritious snack whilst they continue to engage in the learning activity / session.

In support of Fruit Break, we ask our parents and carers to ensure their children are provided with SMALL nutritious a fruit and/or veg snack, preferably in a small container, that can be quicky retrieved, consumed and put away during the fruit break time.

We are aiming to increase time on task and decrease lost learning time by ensuring Fruit Break is not a break from instruction, learning and/or engagement.

St Mel's Uniting Outside School Hours Care - Vacation, Student Free Days and Before School Care: 

• 2026 School Vacation Program - Operating over the school holiday breaks!

• Before School Care - has ceased due to LOW numbers. 

     We will continue to be open to recommencing this service if minimum numbers are met in future.

• Outside School Hours Care - has recommenced

• Student Free Days - across the year!

   

NOTE: Registering your child/children in St Mel's Uniting Outside School Hours Care can take up to a week to process, given the documentation required.

Parents and carers are recommended to register NOW if there is a possibility of using this service at any time this year. Once registered, children are booked in via the registration app.

Parents and carers seeking more information or wishing to register children for Vacation Care are directed to contact Uniting Vic Tas directly by:

             Phone: 1800 183 103

             Email: earlylearning@unitingvictas.org.au

St Mel's Uniting Outside School Hours Care - OSHC Staff Professional Learning Day:

To ensure our staff remains at the forefront of early childhood education practices and to continuously improve our services, we have scheduled our annual professional development day for our statewide team. 

Please be advised...

...that all OSHC services will be closed for the day on Friday 31st July 2026.

We understand that a closure may cause some inconvenience, and we apologies for any disruption this may cause to your routine. However, we firmly believe that investing in our team’s professional growth directly benefits your children's development and learning experiences. 

If you have any questions of concerns, please feel free to reach out to your service Director. 

Thank you for your continued support. 

Early Learning Team - Uniting VIC TAS

School Dates:

Please check the Upcoming Dates & Events section of the newsletter regularly.

Did you know? ~