Principal's Update
Dear Families,
It has been wonderful to be back at school following my leave during the first two weeks of Term 4. Returning last week, it was great to see how settled our students and staff were and how positively everyone has embraced the final term of 2026. In some ways, I cannot believe how quickly the year has gone, while in others, I continue to be amazed by the learning, growth and development of our children.
Pilgrimage in the footsteps of St Paul: Whilst I was on leave, I was fortunate to participate in a pilgrimage across Greece and Turkey with fellow Principals from across Melbourne. The pilgrimage retraced significant sites associated with St Paul and his work in establishing and guiding the early Church during the first century.
Visiting ancient cities such as Thessalonica, Pergamon, Ephesus, Philippi, Corinth, Philadelphia, Tarsus and Miletus gave me a sense of the vast distances between cities in the ancient world and the challenges St Paul faced in spreading the Gospel and growing the early Christian community. It was striking to reflect on how the Holy Spirit guided Paul and the early Christians through the many difficulties they encountered. Their story continues to inspire us to consider what is possible when we place our trust in God and make decisions guided by faith and a genuine desire to do what is right.
Many of the ancient cities we visited were once thriving metropolises but are now largely ruins. Praying and reflecting in these places prompted me to think about the reality that nothing lasts forever. As I prayed for the St Margaret’s community, particularly during this time of change, I found comfort in this reflection. It reminded me of the importance of appreciating the people, relationships and experiences we have whilst we have them. It also brought to mind the many people in our local parish who played such an important role in establishing St Margaret’s Church during the early days of our Parish's formation. Their faith, commitment and dedication have left a lasting legacy for generations of families in our community.
I am incredibly grateful for the spiritual nourishment and perspective I gained from this pilgrimage. At the same time, after three weeks away, it was wonderful to return home to my family and to be back amongst our beautiful community here at St Margaret’s. Time away certainly has a way of reminding us just how much we have to be grateful for.
Year 4 Camp: It was wonderful to see our Year 4 students successfully participate in their camp at Portsea last week. Although the camp was only one night, I cannot recall seeing such a tired group of students and teachers as when the bus arrived back at St Margaret’s last Thursday! The students participated in some excellent activities, and the beautiful weather helped make the experience even more enjoyable. Most of the Year 4 students I spoke with identified the Giant Swing as their favourite activity. It was fantastic to see our children challenging themselves, stepping outside their comfort zones and embracing new experiences.
I am sure the confidence, independence and personal growth our students gained from camp will stand them in good stead for the remainder of the year and beyond. A huge thank you to our Year 4 teachers and all the staff who attended and supported our students throughout the camp. These experiences take considerable planning and commitment, and we are very fortunate to have staff who work so hard to provide such valuable opportunities for our children.
Closure of the Church: It has been an emotional time for our community as we celebrated our final whole-school Mass in St Margaret’s Church on Friday, followed by the final Parish Mass on Sunday. For as long as anyone can remember, our school community has gathered to celebrate Mass each Friday. This tradition has provided our students with regular opportunities to participate in the Eucharist and deepen their understanding of our Catholic faith. Our weekly Masses have always been joyful and reverent celebrations, and I have lost count of the times families, parishioners and staff have commented on how beautifully our children read, sing and participate. Their enthusiasm and reverence have been a source of great pride for our community. Our school will greatly miss gathering in the Church each week. Whilst we will continue to explore ways to maintain this important tradition into the future, I cannot help but feel that we are losing something significant from the identity and life of St Margaret’s. Our Church has been much more than a building. It has been a place of prayer, connection, celebration and community for generations of families.
Sunday’s final Mass and the gathering afterwards were also deeply moving occasions. It was wonderful to see so many families, children and staff come together to farewell our beautiful and humble Church. Although it was a sad occasion, it was also an opportunity to celebrate the remarkable contribution of the parishioners and community members who helped establish and sustain our parish over many decades.
Catholic schools exist to serve their local parish communities, and St Margaret’s would not be the school it is today without the faith, generosity and dedication of those who came before us. We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to everyone who has contributed to the life of our parish and school. As we farewell this important part of our history, may we continue to honour the legacy of those who built our community and carry their faith and commitment into the future. May God bless all members of our St Margaret’s community.
Looking forward to 2027: I cannot believe how quickly we are approaching the end of the school year. At this time, a significant amount of work takes place behind the scenes to prepare for the year ahead, particularly the careful process of creating classes for 2027. We take this responsibility incredibly seriously. When forming classes, we consider the social, emotional, academic and behavioural needs of our students, alongside friendships, learning needs and the overall balance of each class. Our goal is to ensure every child is placed in an environment that supports their learning, wellbeing and success in the new school year. This process involves many hours of discussion, collaboration and careful consideration by our staff, drawing on their collective knowledge of our children.
If you have a specific request regarding your child's class placement for 2027, please put this in writing to me by Friday 6 November email to principal@smmaribyrnong.catholic.edu.auWhilst we cannot guarantee that individual requests will be accommodated, all requests received by this date will be considered as part of the class formation process.
Looking ahead to 2027, there are significant challenges facing the education sector, particularly the financial pressures being experienced across Catholic education. I have included a letter from the Executive Director of Catholic Education, Dr Edward Simons, which outlines some of these challenges and the broader context in which Catholic schools are operating.
At St Margaret’s, we have worked hard to meet our financial obligations and make responsible decisions that protect the long-term sustainability of our school and the broader Catholic education system. These decisions require careful consideration of our resources and priorities, always with the best interests of our students at the centre. I am confident that the decisions we have made for next year will allow us to continue providing the high-quality education our community has come to expect. I will communicate any changes affecting the school in the coming weeks, once our staffing arrangements and budget commitments for 2027 have been finalised.
On a positive note, it was wonderful to see St Margaret’s recognised amongst the top-performing primary schools in Melbourne’s western suburbs. The Better Education Primary Schools Ranking placed St Margaret’s near the top of its rankings, taking into account academic results, facilities, enrolments and socioeconomic adjustments. This is encouraging recognition of the collective efforts of our students, families and staff. It is a credit to the commitment of our children, the support of our families and the dedication of our staff in creating a school where our students can thrive.
Thank you for your continued support of St Margaret’s, wishing everyone a wonderful fortnight ahead.
John