Principal News

Dear St Joseph's Parents, Carers and Families,

I draw your attention to the Parish News page in this week's newsletter. On Friday last week, there was a statement from Archbishop Peter A Comensoli regarding some exciting changes in our Parish - this is welcomed and wonderful news for our school community. Please take some time to read more information about the establishment of the Melbourne Oratory Project, which involves our Parish Priest, Fr. Gallacher.  There is a letter from the Archbishop and from Fr Gallacher to the Malvern Family of Parishes.

You can also read more about the Melbourne Oratory Project on the Parish website: https://www.mmegi.org.au/oratory

Prayer

In light of the recent news about the establishment of the Melbourne Oratory Project, we pray for the leaders of the Catholic Church in Melbourne and in our Parish of Malvern...

Prayer for our Church Leaders

Heavenly Father, 

We come before You with grateful hearts, lifting up our Church leaders in Melbourne. Grant Archbishop Peter A Comensoli, Fr Gallacher, seminarians Patrick Harris and Anthony Wright and other church leaders, the wisdom and discernment to make decisions according to Your will. 

Fill them with Your Holy Spirit, that they may lead with integrity, compassion, and humility. 

Renew their strength daily as they shepherd our Praish and school community. 

May they be faithful witnesses of the Gospel, leading us closer to You. 

Inspire their hearts to seek unity and inspire our parish community to be witnesses of Your love and to grow in faith. 

We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Amen. 

Congratulations to the Tuohey Family

This week, we congratulate the Tuohey family on the safe arrival of new baby Patrick.  We send our best to Felicity and Michael - and what a precious picture of big sister Grace proudly holding her new baby brother.

Welcome to New Students and Families

Over the last couple of weeks, we have warmly welcomed new families to our St Joseph's school community. Last week, Sam joined 1MD, and this week Giorgio commenced in Year 3D. They both have younger siblings, Charlie and Lara, who will also join us in Prep next year. We are very excited to have these families and children as part of our St Joseph's family.

End of Year Principal Mass at St Patrick's Cathedral

This week, I had the honour of joining over 300 principals from the Archdiocese of Melbourne at the end of year mass for all principals across Melbourne. Archbishop Peter Comensoli celebrated the Mass, and Fr. Gallacher was also there by his side to concelebrate with him. It was a beautiful evening of reflection and gratitude. Michelle Moore was also remembered in prayer at the Mass and acknowledged for her dedication, service to Catholic education at the dinner that followed. It was also a pleasure to spend time with Angie Mastoras, Principal at St Roch's, and Fr. Gallacher, who is the Parish Priest of both our schools.

St Joseph's Colour Run- Thank You, Callum!

Today, our senior students, led by our school captain Callum, held the most fun and fabulous Colour Run for our school community. This is something that our school captain, Callum, has been looking forward to all year. This initiative was a fundraiser for the Opening Doors Foundation, as part of being a FIRE Carrier School. We thank Callum for leading this initiative, and we thank the other Year 6 leaders and Ms Siobhan O'Dwyer, Ms Kirsten Daws and Ms Clare Smith for their support with this.

Please see further information about his exciting event on the Colour Run page in this week's newsletter.

Transition Program for our Year 4, 5 and 6 students 

As our Year 4, 5, and 6 students look ahead to their senior years at St Joseph’s, we are committed to supporting them in stepping into these important roles as the emerging leaders of our community. Through a carefully and thoughtfully designed transition program, they will take part in team-building experiences, connect with their Prep buddies, and begin exploring what it means to lead with our school values - strength and kindliness. These experiences will nurture strong relationships, deepen their understanding of our school values, and help them recognise the positive impact they can have on our community. We’re excited to walk alongside them as they prepare to take on the exciting opportunities that await them in their senior years at St Joseph's.

Below our 2026 senior students are writing letters to their Prep buddies and sending them a bookmark with a picture of them and their buddy, the school prayer and our school values:

We also recognise that some of our students will be transitioning to new schools next year, and while we will miss them dearly, we are excited for the adventures and growth that await them. To support their journey, these students will participate in an equally dedicated transition program designed to celebrate their time at St Joseph’s while helping them feel prepared and confident for their new school environments. Through meaningful reflection and activities that honour their contributions to our community, we aim to ensure their final weeks with us are joyful, memorable, and filled with pride. We take pride in supporting them as they begin the next chapter of their learning in 2026.

Students pictured below reflecting on their time at St Joseph's, as well as looking forward to the values of their new schools and how they will contribute to those values as they move into 2026:

2026 Prep Info Night and Orientation Session

This week, our new Prep parents and carers joined us for an information evening where they had the opportunity to meet other new families and listen to our wonderful team (Staff and Kate Tehan) at St Joseph's present on what school life will be like next year for their children. We look forward to welcoming all of the families into our community next year.

We were so excited to welcome our 2026 Prep students to St Joseph's once again for their final session of their Orientation program on Thursday. There was an extra buzz in the Prep rooms as they met their senior buddies for the very first time. Our senior students were equally excited! We are so proud of our senior students who were so gentle and kind with their buddies, demonstrating our St Joseph's spirit and values. Our 2026 Year 5 and 6 students are going to make great buddies and leaders next year!

School Tours and Prep 2027 Enrolments

Enrolments for new and current families for 2027 are now open. We require all current families to ensure they submit a sibling application for 2027 to ensure a placement in our Prep intake for 2027. The enrolment application form can be found on our website. Please contact the school office if you have any queries. Prospective families are also welcome to contact the office to join one of our school tours for 2027.

St Joseph's Parents & Friends AGM 

Thank you to our 2025 St Joseph's Parent and Friends! On Tuesday evening, we held a very successful St Joseph’s Parents & Friends AGM with a wonderful turnout and a chance to celebrate the achievements of the past year. Thank you to everyone who attended and to all who have contributed to the P&F’s efforts throughout the year - your commitment, enthusiasm, and support have made a real difference in our school community.

It was a pleasure to present the 2025 Parents and Friends Association Report and acknowledge the tremendous contribution the P&F has made. Through the collective efforts of our volunteers, families, and wider community, the P&F now has a very healthy $106,000 in the P&F account. This outstanding result reflects the generosity, hard work, and community spirit that truly define St Joseph’s. 

Funds raised across the year have contributed to our security gate, the new school website, and the refurb of our senior space- with new furniture, carpet and paint! This year’s events not only raised valuable funds but also strengthened our sense of belonging.

So many of you led events, and some led multiple events across the year. Others helped in many ways - donating time, or working quietly behind the scenes, and for everything, we are truly grateful. These efforts created opportunities for connection and joy, fostering the warm and caring environment we value deeply, well beyond the financial contribution.

Throughout 2025, highlights included the Welcome BBQ, Easter Raffle, Trivia Night, Brick Fundraiser, and Working Bees, as well as initiatives such as Joe Cares, Mother’s and Father’s Day celebrations, Grandparents Day, and Bunnings and Election Day BBQs. The P&F also contributed to Production Night through the bar and costume-making, ran the Sustainable Uniform Shop, supported Open Days, organised the Hot Cross Buns fundraiser, and assisted with Michelle Moore’s funeral. Other community favourites included the Footy Day Lunch, Italian Day, and, looking ahead, the upcoming Christmas BBQ. Each of these events has strengthened our sense of connection, participation, and school spirit while making a meaningful contribution to our community.

We extend heartfelt gratitude to our outgoing P&F Executive Team. A special thank you to Co-Presidents Laura Kay and Talia Hassett, and outgoing Secretary Jane Pausewang, for your leadership, commitment, and tireless effort. Your inclusive, well-organised approach brought people together and enriched our community in ways that go far beyond fundraising totals. This was evident in the significant turnout of parents, carers and families from across the school at each of the events. On behalf of the entire school, thank you for your service, your time, and your unwavering dedication.

To every volunteer, staff member, family, and student who contributed in any way, we thank you! The successes of 2025 truly belong to all of us.

I warmly welcome our new P&F Executive and am truly grateful to have people across our school who generously give their time to support our community. To our new President Stef Brunetti (Valentina and Olympia's Mum), Co-Deputy Presidents Angela Lam (Harvey's Mum) and Jess Groenheide (Holly's Mum), Secretary Hayley Lister (Jack's Mum) and Treasurer Angela Nicolai (Elliot's Mum). I am truly grateful for your generous spirit in offering to take up these key roles on the P&F, and I look forward to working closely with this wonderful team next year.

Finally, I sincerely thank our staff - Amanda Jackson and Lynnette Stone for their ongoing support as staff representatives on the P&F, and Isabelle Freeman for all the finance work behind the scenes.

Thank you all for being part of the successes of 2025, and we look forward to 2026 as we begin to plan for another exciting year!

P& F Working Bee - Small in Numbers, Big on Effort!

A huge thank you to the wonderful parents and friends from Year 2 and Year 4 Families who came along to help at the Working Bee last Saturday. Although it was a small group, the results were fantastic! 

The small team worked hard to freshen up our school grounds; they repaired the cubby houses and the storage boxes, weeded and cleaned the gardens, painted handrails - just to name a few of the jobs. We are so appreciative of them giving up time on their weekend to make sure our students, families and staff have a clean and welcoming environment.

We are so grateful to the following families for giving their time and energy:

James Yelland, Liv and Gerard Healy, Sean Ross, Nick Alston, Tatyana S., Amy and Chris Buick, Jess G ( Prep mum) and Jess Purcell (mum of Jimmy and Violet) for her continued support in organising our working bees across the year!

Thank you again for helping keep St Joseph’s looking its best! We are so grateful for your time and help in making our school shine a little brighter! Your efforts truly make a difference, and we appreciate your continued support of our school community.

P&F Uniform Shop

On behalf of our school community, I would like to thank Angela, Bryony and Simone for all their work in providing such a wonderful Sustainable Uniform Shop for our school throughout the year.  This week, once again, they were at school bright and early in the drizzle and cold weather, setting up for their final uniform sale for 2026. We extend a huge congratulations to them once again on such a successful morning, raising $906.88 for our school! It was great to see so many families, especially our new Prep families, coming through and supporting the school community. We sincerely thank them for all their effort and behind-the-scenes work that makes this so wonderful for our community!

Save the Date - Christmas Picnic 

Save the date for our final P&F event for the year - The School Christmas Picnic - Tuesday 9th December, proudly supported by our P&F!

Student Voice - Selection of Colours for New Softfall

Over the last few weeks, our SRC students and staff have been involved in choosing colours for the new soft fall that will be laid over the holidays under the senior playground. We are very excited that this area will have the surface flattened (as a result of the bulging tree roots), and brand new softfall will be laid. The students and staff have decided on two colour choices (see below) as they were keen on a 'sea' and 'land' look-  this will give the whole area a fantastic new look. This will be very exciting (and a much safer surface) for our students and adults, who walk or run across this area! This work will commence over the school holidays.

Building Works to Commence over the Holidays

Over the Summer holidays and into next year, there will be some much needed building works that will commence. This money comes from the $400000 supplementary capital fund that we were extremely fortunate to receive from MACS earlier this year.  After having the MACS Infrastructure assess the essential works, some of the exciting works include:

• Roof works over the main school building
• Internal make good after the roof works 
• Structural floor works in the Music Room & PE office
• Drainage & Softfall 
• Internal refurb of the bathrooms TBA in 2026

We look forward to this work commencing and having a safe and exciting learning environment for our children.

Furniture for our Senior Space!

Here is a little sneak peek of the new furniture that was delivered for our senior learning space. We look forward to sharing photos of this exciting new environment once the furniture has been completely set up in the senior space. We sincerely thank the P&F who have led events across the year and, with the support of our community, contributed substantial funds to this project, which directly benefits our children. With new carpet, a fresh coat of paint on the walls, and brand-new furniture, this refreshed space is becoming a vibrant, welcoming, and purposeful area where our senior students can learn, collaborate, and thrive. 

New Line Markings at St Joseph's!

Over the weekend, we had some new line markings across the play areas. This helps to make our school a little brighter and more enjoyable for the children! 

Thank you - Acland Property Services

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Dulan Hapuarachchi (Father of Nicky in Year 2) and his team from Acland Property Services for generously volunteering their time and expertise at St Joseph’s this week. Through their Acland Community Build Program, Dulan and his team have completed a number of valuable works across our school, including repairing the cubbies, fixing sections of our front fence, installing new locks on toilet doors, and assisting with other maintenance tasks that help keep our learning spaces safe and welcoming.

We are deeply grateful for this level of support, which not only enhances our facilities but also strengthens the partnership between our school and our families. We look forward to welcoming Dulan and his team back over the coming weeks as they continue to contribute their skilled labour to our community. Thank you, Dulan, for offering your services to St Joseph’s and for helping us build a stronger, well-cared-for environment for our students. We are so grateful.

Upcoming School Closure Day- Monday 1st December

Please note that Monday, 1st December, will be a school closure day. On this day, our staff will be engaged in important professional planning and preparation for the beginning of the 2026 school year.

This dedicated time allows teachers and staff to collaborate, reflect on the year’s achievements, and ensure that our programs, learning environments, and resources are ready to provide the very best start for our students in 2026.

We appreciate your support and understanding as we take this valuable time to plan and prepare for another exciting year of learning and growth at St Joseph’s.

Safety Reminder

To ensure the safety of all students and families, we kindly remind parents to follow road rules when driving near the school. Please avoid double parking and performing U-turns, as these actions create safety risks and reduce visibility for children and crossing supervisors. We also ask families to observe the signed time limits in parking zones to help keep traffic flowing safely and fairly for all. Additionally, please use the school crossing at all times when needing to cross the road, and when driving, please approach the school crossing slowly and with care. Richie is wonderful at looking after our children, ensuring they arrive at school safely and leave safely. Thank you for supporting a safe and respectful environment for our school community.

A Reminder about the Parish Car Park 

This is another reminder about using the Parish car park before and after school.

A few weeks ago, at our school assembly, Fr. Gallacher reminded all families that the parish carpark is strictly for parish use. While the parish generously allocates a small number of spaces for our school staff, the remaining bays are reserved for parish staff and affiliated organisations who pay for and rely on these designated spots.

We kindly ask parents and carers not to park in the parish carpark at any time. Your cooperation ensures we maintain a respectful partnership with the parish and avoid disruptions for those who need access during the day.

In addition, we remind families that using the side gate from our school into the parish carpark is a child safety concern. This gate is strictly for staff access only. Students and families should not exit through this area, as vehicles frequently move through the space and visibility is limited. Keeping this gate for staff use ensures a safer and more controlled environment for our children.

Thank you for your understanding and ongoing support in keeping our community safe.

What's On Next Week...

Principal and Deputy Principal for a Day

Next week, on Friday, we look forward to having Archie (Year 3) as 'Principal for the Day' and Frankie (Year 2) as 'Deputy Principal for the Day'. Both students received this as one of the prizes from this year's Trivia Night. We are very excited for both students to enjoy this exciting responsibility of joining Mr Butler and me in running the school for the day! 

Staying in Touch

Together, we work in partnership to support and nurture the children at St Joseph's.

If you have any concerns or worries about your child's wellbeing, learning, or friendships, please do not hesitate to have a chat with your child's teacher as your first point of contact, or a member of our school leadership team. For more serious concerns, I encourage you to reach out to me directly, either by making an appointment through the office or contacting me via email. 

With blessings and warmest regards,

Annabelle Marinelli

Principal 

annabelle.marinelli@sjmalvern.catholic.edu.au