From Our Principal

 Newsletter  ~ Term 4, Week 10, 2025

Principal's Message:

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

This week we gathered in celebration of student learning, to celebrate and give thanks for our 2025 year of school learning, in addition to celebrating the primary school learning journey of our Year 6 Graduates. On Thursday night in Christ the King Church, Fr Ronald, parish priest, led our 2025 Graduation Mass and ceremony, with a gathering of parents, carers, families, staff and our graduating class of 2025. We wish the Year 6 students all the very best for their secondary studies next year and look forward to following their future endeavours.

On Friday morning we gathered as a school community, with parents, carers, families and parishioners to celebrate our 2025 year of school learning. Fr Addin, one of our Rogationist priests, celebrated our Mass and engaged our children in exploring the themes of the day's readings and Gospel. Our school motto, 'Christ Our Light', was referred to multiple times through the Mass in the readings of the day and songs chosen for this special celebration of the Eucharist. I was so very proud of our children and their respectful participation in the Mass. So wonderful to hear our students respond and sing throughout the celebration.

With only a few days of the 2025 school year remaining I wish all our sudents, parents, carers, staff and the broader parish and local community members a wonderful break from school, a very Merry Christmas and best wishes for the new year of learning to follow in 2026.

Important End of Year Dates:

As we enter our last few weeks of the term, please be aware of the following dates:

     + Monday 15th. December - Aquamoves Whole School Fun Day 

     + Tuesday 16th. December - Final Assembly for 2025 @ 9:10am (Hall) 

                                                          - Students Dismissed for Holidays @ 3:20pm

Important 2026 Dates:

A reminder ALL students commence school learning from 8:55am on Friday 30 January 2026. The gates will be open from 8:30am and a cuppa for parents and carers available in the hall. Please refer to the Upcoming Dates & Events page in this newsletter for other dates of significance.

Magnify Sandhurst' 

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

2025 has been a most significant year in the history of our diocese, Catholic Education system and school as we have implemented the MAGNIFY low varience, high knowledge curriculum elements. I am grateful for the ongoing efforts of our committed Staff Team to ensuring our children receive a quality education at St Mel's PS and achieve outstanding learner growth.

We look forward to 2026 as we continue to implement MAGNIFY with fidelity and alignment across our school. At the beginning of the school year our Staff Team will commence with a focus on revisiting the Guiding Lights underpinning MAGNIFY and a reimagining of our Catholic Education Sandhurst Ltd culture linked to the St Mel's PS charism, history, traditions, identity and future.

Student Progress Reports - Released Online:

The Semester Two Student Progress Reports have been released electronically via SIMONeverywhere ONLINE portal yesterday. A reminder, to access SIMONeverywhere, please use an internet browser to open the SIMONeverywhere portal via a computer, iPad, tablet or other device.

PROCESS:

1. Log in to your PAM account via a web browser 

2. Select your child under the 'Students' section 

3. Select: Assessment Reports 

4. Select: Semester 2, 2025 - End of Semester Report

As previously indicated, The SIMONeverywhere portal is not available via mobile phone at this time. Please take time to sit with your child to discuss their learning, development and growth in light of these important documents.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we have navigated the issues with SIMONeverywhere (Parent Access Module) this year. Issues with this platform have been experienced across hundreds of schools using this platform, including ours. We are looking forward to the phone app returning in the future.

SIMONeverywhere (PAM) - Update Your Email & Phone Number:

Parents and carers are advised to ensure your current email address and mobile phone numbers are accurate on the SIMONeverywhere portal. This is our main way of communicating with parents and carers ie school emails, text messages, etc... 

2026 Pastoral Groups:

The following Pastoral Groups and teacher allocations are currently in place for 2026:

• Foundation JB      Julia Barnes
• Foundation RH    Rachael Howard
• Year One RA          Renae Almond
• Year Two CW        Charlotte Wilson
• Year Three CW     Cyndilee Watson
• Year Four DN         Teacher yet to be appointed**
• Year Five AM           Annalei Moon*
• Year Six LC              Lauren Calder

* Annalei Moon enters her third year of teaching in 2026 and comes to us from All Saints College, Shepparton's newest school. Annalei has been teaching Year 2 and Performing Arts at All Saints College. She was educated at Sacred Heart Tatura and St Augustine's College in Kyabram. 

We are delighted Annalei is joining the St Mel's PS Staff Team for next year.

Annalei joined us for the day today to spend time with her new Pastoral Group for 2026.

** Our first round recruitment process did not result in an appointment and this position will be re-advertised to attract suitable applicants over the holiday break.

As previously requested, please prompt any of your connections / colleagues / friends / family in relation to this opportunity to join our Staff Team.

I am very pleased with the current arrangements for the next school year and look forward to announcing further appointments as they are confirmed for 2026.

Specialist Subjects & Other Roles:

We will continue to offer Visual Arts, Physical Education and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) as Specialist Subjects in 2026.

As per our three year Arts cycle, next year will see a return of the St Mel's PS Art Exhibition, curated by Visual Arts Teacher Robyn Banfield and supported by our staff team. Students will be preparing art works across the year to feature in the Art Exhibition later in the year.

Lily Beer (Tues/Wed) and Chris Munari (Thurs) will continue teaching Physical Education and Laura Mammone will teach STEM for the second year. Our search for a Languages teacher will continue in the hope of attracting a suitable candidate. Catherine Whitfield will continue to support teachers and students as a specialist teacher English as an Additional Language, given the multi-cultural nature of our community. We are still confirming a number of other key roles for 2026. Stay tuned!

Staffing Update:

• Danae Napier, Deputy Principal: Catholic Identity, Learning & Teaching.

  I am pleased to announce Danae has been re-appointed to the Deputy Principal role at St Mel's PS for a further term of 6 years. As previously explained, given Danae's previous contracted term had come to a close at a time our school advertised for a Full Time Ongoing teaching role, system policy directs schools to advertise these leadership roles externally. The appointment panel were significantly impressed with Danae's high quality application, interview and commitment to continue as a senior leader at St Mel's PS. I am extremely pleased Danae has been successful in her application and look forward to her continuing as a member of our Executive Leadership Team.  

• Di Walker, Leader: Learner Diversity, Pastoral Wellbeing and Mental Health, is currently on leave following a recent car accident. Di sustained injuries in the accident and is recovering well at home. We have been in ongoing contact with Di, who is grateful for the support of our school community at this time and look forward to Di's return to school in the new year.
• Wendy Baldwin will retire from St Mel's after teaching and leading the St Mel's PS community since 2001. Across her many years here at St Mel's PS Wendy has taught across the school and held many leadership roles including Acting Deputy Principal, Deputy Principal, Temporary Acting Principal and Acting Principal. We all know of Wendy's many talents, especially with technology (thank goodness!) NOTE: Wendy will continue on supporting our community whenever she is available following her retirement! (Of which I was very pleased to hear!)
• Natalie Bibby (Witchen) is continuing her Parental Leave, and will not continue in the Physical Education role in 2026. Natalie is keen to experience teaching opportunities in a range of other local school settings and will support us with Classroom Relief Teaching where possible.
• Cara Sofi will take leave for the 2026 school year. 
• Nanette Micallef, as previously announced, has accepted a teaching position at St Marianne Cope Catholic Primary School, Melton, from the start of 2026.
• Lilli Keck, Learning Support Officer, has taken on a Learning Support Officer position at St Brendan's PS from start of 2026.
• Helen Ciancio, who was planning to re-join our Staff Team in 2026, has decided to continue her Parental Leave.
• Liam Prior, Learning Support Officer, will head to Geelong to commence his teaching training in 2026.

School Holiday Maintenance:

During the school holidays the following maintenance and school improvements will be undertaken:

• Ga Ga Pit Installation - Our much awaited Ga Ga Pit is scheduled to be installed in the yard. We are currently awaiting delivery of the materials for this exciting project due any day soon.
• Painting - Annual touch up painting of high traffic areas e.g., doors, door frames, entrances, walls, etc... will be completed.
• Steam cleaning of carpets.
• Lawns, edges, weed spraying, pruning, etc...
• Fire systems inspected
• Window cleaning
• General maintenance 

Works will be undertaken by Programmed Services, Colour My Castle, FWSR and our ever busy Dean Simpson (Cleaner, Gardener & Maintenance Officer).

SIMON Everywhere PAM (Update):

Please note: SIMON Everywhere and PAM remain temporarily unavailable via mobile devices. As per the recent email to families,  the web-based version is operational.

We are sending emails via SIMON and will continue to share updates and reminders through this platform while system issues are being resolved. 

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

School Arrival Time:

A reminder the entrance gates open from 8:30am each morning.

End of Day pick up should be completed as early as possible after 3:20pm (and by 3:40pm).

Parents / carers seeking to access to the St Mel's Uniting Outside School Hours Care in support of early drop off or late pick pick up, please refer to the information contained in the newsletter. Thank you for the ongoing support with these times.

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

• 2025 & 2026 School Vacation Program - commences this Wednesday 17 December

• Before School Care - recommences Friday 30 January 2026
• Outside School Hours Care - recommences Friday 30 January 2026
• Student Free Days across the year!

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

School Dates:

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

May all our children, parents, carers, families, staff members, parishioners and the broader community have a very Merry Christmas and blessings for the New Year to follow.

Thank you for your ongoing support of our students and our school community.

Stephen 'Steve' Hicks

Principal

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