Principal News
Dear St Joseph's Parents, Carers and Families,
It has been another big week at St Joseph's and I'm sure we are all looking forward to an enjoyable and restful long weekend. I hope you all take some time to relax, recharge and enjoy some nice weather over this weekend.
We are thrilled to share that our School Review, held on Tuesday and Wednesday this week, was an outstanding success. It was incredibly uplifting to hear our reviewer affirm that St Joseph’s is a school of excellence — not only this year, but consistently across the entire four-year school improvement cycle.
We proudly acknowledge the legacy of Michelle Moore, whose leadership and vision have laid such strong foundations for high levels of learning in literacy and numeracy. I also wish to sincerely thank our learning leaders, along with all our teaching and learning support staff, for their unwavering dedication, expertise, and commitment to ensuring that every student continues to flourish.
There is so much to celebrate at St Joseph’s, and this recognition is a wonderful reflection of the shared passion, teamwork, and care that define our school community.
You can read more about our school review on this page.
Prayer
Heavenly Father,
We pray for our children who received the Sacrament of Confirmation.
Pour out your Holy Spirit upon them, that they may be filled with your love and strengthened in their faith.
Grant them the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
May they grow into the fullness of Christ and become witnesses of your love in the world.
Strengthen their relationship with You and guide them throughout their lives, so they may always feel Your presence.
In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray.
Amen.
Sacrament of Confirmation
Last night some of our senior students celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation, a truly special occasion in their journey of faith. This significant milestone marked their personal commitment to the Catholic faith, as they received the gifts of the Holy Spirit and took the next step in deepening their relationship with God.
The Sacrament was celebrated by Bishop Les Tomlinson and concelebrated with our Parish Priest Fr Gallacher in the beautiful at St Patrick’s Cathedral. This year’s celebration brought together students from the three schools in the Parish of Malvern - St Joseph’s, St Mary’s, and St Roch’s - joining as one community of faith to mark this important moment. Families from across our school community gathered to support the students and share in this sacred occasion.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to our Religious Education Leader, Donnella DeVisser, along with teachers Clare and Siobhan and the parish team, for their guidance and support throughout this special time. We also thank our parents, sponsors, and families for their ongoing encouragement, faith, and presence in helping to prepare the students for this meaningful sacrament.
We thank our school community for keeping the students from St Joseph’s in their prayers as they celebrated this important milestone in their faith journey.
World Teacher's Day- "Hats off to Teachers"
Our school joyfully celebrated World Teachers’ Day last Monday, with the theme “Hats Off to Teachers!” It was a wonderful opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated teachers who inspire, guide, and nurture our students each day. Students wore their favourite and most creative hats to school, symbolising a collective “hats off” to our incredible educators who make learning meaningful and enjoyable. The day was filled with appreciation and school spirit as we celebrated the hard work and passion of our teaching staff.
We thank our students for getting into the spirit of the day with their colourful hats and we also thank you families for their acknowledgement of our wonderful teachers!
Prayer for our Teachers
Loving God,
You came among us as a teacher, healer and saviour.
On this World Teacher’s Day, bless your teachers.
Help them become even more joyful disciples and profound echoes of your wisdom.
Bless our teachers with the gifts of Your truth, beauty and goodness.
Bless them with integrity, so that they bring Your words to life.
Bless them with courage and perseverance to walk the paths You have laid out.
We pray in the name of Jesus who knows all too well the challenges and joys of being a teacher.
Amen
School Review Success!
The School Review process provides a wonderful opportunity to reflect on our successes over the past four years and begin planning for the next four-year school improvement cycle.
The reviewer returned to St Joseph's this week, where he spent two full days at our school, visiting classrooms, meeting with our students, parents, staff and the leadership team, I thank each of the parents and carers who met with the reviewer to talk about the strengths and opportunities for our school. Here are some of the highlights and comments that were shared:
The reviewer presented some quite exceptional learning and perception data about our school, which ranks us in the top 5% of schools across Australia for consistently achieving academic excellence. This is truly remarkable, and I commend all our school leaders for their exceptional capacity to lead learning, as well as our teachers who continue to deliver excellence through explicit direct instruction in literacy and numeracy.
Please take some time to look at the data that was presented- it is quite exceptional!
We certainly have a lot to celebrate at St Joseph’s!
I look forward to sharing updates when we receive the reviewer’s report with the strengths and recommendations for our school later this year.
Callum Shines at the School Sport Australia Swimming Championships!
A huge congratulations to Callum, who proudly represented our school at the School Sport Australia Swimming Championships this week!
Callum made an incredible start to the competition on Sunday, placing 10th overall in the 200m freestyle - an impressive achievement that reflected his hard work and determination. He also played a key role in his medley relay team, helping them to finish 5th overall with a strong performance as the freestyle anchor.
He continued his success on Tuesday, finishing 10th overall in the 100m freestyle and achieving another personal best.
To round out the Championships, Callum placed 19th overall in the 50m freestyle, and his relay team finished 6th overall, rounding off an outstanding few days of racing and achievement.
It’s been a fantastic week for Callum, who has represented our school community with dedication, enthusiasm, and true sportsmanship.
Well done, Callum - what an incredible effort!
Year 4 and 5 Transition to Senior School at St Joseph's
There’s a real buzz among our Year 4 and 5 students as conversations turn to their upcoming senior years. Next week, our senior students will learn more about the five-week transition program designed to prepare them for school life in the senior grades.
The program includes team-building activities, a dedicated transition day for those moving into Year 5/6, opportunities to write letters and spend time with their Prep buddies, and time to refine their writing skills as they prepare their leadership speeches for 2026.
While we will be sad to farewell some students moving to new schools, we are delighted they will enjoy their own transition experiences. Likewise, we are excited to support the students continuing into St Joseph’s senior school. The program will conclude with a day of celebration, connection, and team building for the St Joseph’s senior students. We look forward to sharing more details next week!
🇮🇹 Italian Day Celebration – Friday 14th November
We’re thrilled to announce our upcoming Italian Day on Friday, 14th November! This special day is a celebration of Italian language, culture, and community, and promises to be a wonderful experience for all our students.
Students are encouraged to dress in Italian-themed costumes or colours (red, green, and white) to help create a festive atmosphere. They might choose to dress as a famous Italian figure like Marco Polo or a much-loved character such as Pinocchio, a pizza chef, soccer player etc
The day will begin with an Italian Assembly, where classes will present songs, poems, and performances celebrating all things Italian.
Following assembly the students will rotate through a series of fun cultural activities, including bocce, marionette (Pinocchio) making and tombola (Italian Bingo).
There will be an Italian food tasting table featuring delicious treats such as arancini, pizza, cheeses, cakes, and biscuits. Parents are warmly invited to contribute - please see the message sent out on DOJO for details. The canteen menu on this day will also be Italian-themed for the day!
We’ll finish the day with a friendly teachers vs. students soccer match - a nod to Italy’s national sport! To make it even more enjoyable, a Gelato Truck will be on-site serving gelato while the game is in progress.
It’s sure to be a fun-filled, flavourful, and festive day as we celebrate the joy of Italian culture together. We thank Signora Bennett for organising such a wonderful day four school community!
Viva l’Italia!
Information Session regarding 2026 Structures and Timetables
On Wednesday, 5th November at 6:00pm, we will hold another information session for all parents and carers across the school to discuss some minor adjustments to our 2026 structures and timetables. While these changes are not major, they have been made in response to the Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA) and teachers’ entitlements regarding face-to-face teaching time. Theses changes have been made through extensive consultation with our School Leadership Team, Consultative Committee and School Advisory Council. We look forward to sharing these updates with you next week.
2026 Orientation Session
We are excited to welcome our 2026 Prep families and students and students to St Joseph's once again for their final session of their Orientation program on Thursday 20th November. Our Pre-Prep program has helped to ease the transition from a small kinder setting to a larger school setting. For our 2026 Prep parents and carers, we look forward to welcoming you for our Parent Information Evening on Tuesday 18th November at 6pm. This information evening is a wonderful opportunity to meet new families, teachers and other school staff who will work with your child next year.
We continue to welcome our 2026 families each week for our Pre Prep Program. It is truly wonderful to see new friendships being established and the children becoming more familiar with our school environment.
Parents & Friends 'Expressions of Interest' for 2026
As we approach the end of the year, we are seeking expressions of interest for the following roles:
- P&F President or Co-Presidents
- Secretary
Please forward your email directly to me if this is something that interests you.
Save the Date - Christmas Picnic Supported by our P&F
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!
Staffing for 2026
We are very close to finalising our staffing for 2026 and are excited about the year ahead. As part of this process, we carefully consider many factors to ensure we have the best teachers and support staff to meet the needs of students at every stage of their learning.
At St Joseph’s, we take great pride in the quality, dedication, and professionalism of our staff. Our 2026 team represents a wonderful blend of experience, enthusiasm, and expertise - educators who are deeply committed to nurturing every child’s growth, wellbeing, and love of learning.
We are confident that this outstanding group of teachers and support staff will continue to create a warm, inclusive, and inspiring environment where every student is encouraged to flourish, both as a learner and as a young person. We look forward to sharing the full 2026 team with the school community next week.
School Closure Day- A Day of Professional Learning for our Staff
Today, our entire staff participated in a professional learning day focused on deepening our understanding of reading comprehension, led by our expert literacy leader Amanda Jackson. Mr Butler led our staff in exploring MACS’ Vision for Instruction and Vision for Engagement, and I worked with staff in analysing school data. This important work ensures that we continue to ground our teaching in the latest research and best practice, maintaining a strong focus on both learning and wellbeing as we begin our planning for 2026.
School Closed Monday and Tuesday Next Week
The school will be closed on Monday and Tuesday next week:
| Monday 3rd November | School Closure Day - Report Writing TIL |
| Tuesday 4th November | Melbourne Cup Public Holiday |
What's On Next Week
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 my email.
Wishing Everyone a Safe and Restful Long Weekend
As we approach the long weekend, I would like to wish all our students, families, and staff a happy, enjoyable, and restful break. This is a wonderful opportunity to take some time to relax, recharge, and spend quality time with family and friends.
If you are travelling over the weekend, please do so safely and take care on the roads. We look forward to welcoming everyone back next week, refreshed and ready for the busy weeks ahead as we move towards the end of term and our school year.
Enjoy the long weekend!
With blessings and warmest regards,
Annabelle Marinelli
Principal