Principal's News

Dear Families,

I hope you all enjoyed a lovely long weekend and had a chance to do something relaxing or rejuvenating with your families. On Wednesday this week the foundation children and their families enjoyed a lovely evening at school in their PJs for the Preps in Pyjamas Prayer Night. Thanks to our foundation staff and Mr Davies for organisng a wonderful night and to all the families who were able to come along to the event. 

We had a wonderful week away on our city camp last week with the 5/6 students and certainly got our steps up as we walked all over the city.

Upcoming School Closure Days:

 On Monday 15th June there is no school for students due to all staff undertaking a professional learning day with Dr Nathaniel Swain, to further enhance our work, implementing Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools Vision for Instruction and Vision for Engagement at St Mark's. Team Kids will run a program on Monday 15th June for those families who require care for their children.  

Congratulations:

On Saturday 6 June, the school Aerobics Team competed at the FISAF Aerobics competition at MSAC and achieved an outstanding result. The team finished in 4th place, just 0.3 marks away from 3rd place in a very competitive field of 11 schools! 

The girls performed exceptionally well and should be incredibly proud of their hard work, dedication and teamwork. Their performance has also placed them in consideration for a wild card entry to the National Championships, with further information expected in early July.

The season is not over yet, with one more competition in August, and the team is excited to continue building on this fantastic result.

A huge thank you to all of our families, friends and extended cheer squad who came along to support the team. Your encouragement makes a real difference. Special thanks also to Ms Grace Amerena for her ongoing support, commitment and enthusiasm throughout the season.

Congratulations to our amazing team the St Marks community is very proud of you!

Student Wellbeing Support Programs:

Please see the below message about some upcoming student support programs available to interested families through Playroom Therapy.

 NEW: Minecraft Therapy Groups For young people aged 9–17

We're thrilled to announce the launch of our Minecraft Groups — small, therapist-led sessions that use Minecraft as a medium for therapeutic play. Through building, collaborating, and exploring together in-game, young people develop real-world skills including communication, teamwork, emotional regulation, and confidence. We know that for many pre-teens and teens, traditional talk-based support can feel uncomfortable or hard to access. Meeting them in a space they already enjoy — and understand — can make all the difference. We're offering two formats:

• Term Groups — regular weekly sessions across the school term, building genuine connection and consistency over time.

• Intensive Holiday Groups — concentrated sessions run during school holidays.

Groups are kept intentionally small to ensure every young person feels seen and supported. The flyer is here - Minecraft groups.pdf — we'd love for you to share it with anyone you think might benefit! Expressions of interest are now open. Please get in touch to find out more or to register your interest.

Group Play Therapy 

Holiday Intensive - All ages — Balwyn North Clinic

Our popular Group Play Therapy Holiday Program is also returning these July holidays! This small-group program offers children a fun and supportive space to strengthen emotional wellbeing, social skills, and confidence through play. 

Program Details:

Dates: Monday 29 June – Friday 3 July 2026

Duration: 1 hour per day for 5 days

Location: Balwyn North Clinic

Cost: $850 per child (5 × 1-hour sessions)

Group Size: Up to 6 children with 3 therapists (1 therapist per 2 children)

Using an integrative, play-based approach, our therapists create a nurturing environment where each child's individual needs are supported through child-led play and meaningful peer interactions. The program encourages self-expression, emotional growth, and connection in a safe and engaging setting. Spaces are limited for both programs! If you'd like to reserve a place or find out more about either group, simply reply to this email or give us a call — we'd love to hear from you.

Warmly,

Amy Silverwood

Practice contact number: 0478 389 793

Practice email: hello@playroomtherapy.com.au

Locations: 101 Doncaster Road, Balwyn North / 91 Waverley Road, Malvern East

Website: www.playroomtherapy.com.au

Playroom Therapy acknowledges the traditional owners of the land and their Elders in each of the communities where we work and play.

School Advisory Council

We are still looking for some new members for our School Advisory Council for 2026. The group will meet 5 more times this year on a Tuesday evening at 7.30 p.m. The role of the School Advisory Council, in keeping with the objectives of the MACS Constitution, is to provide a crucial point of connection between the wider school community, the parish and our school leaders. If you are interested in joining the group please contact Frances on 9262 2000 or email: principal@smdingley.catholic.edu.au 

Our next meeting will take place on Tuesday 23rd June at 7.30 p.m. in the staffroom.