Good afternoon, families,

I hope this message finds you rested, recharged, and ready for the year ahead. Whether you spent your summer travelling, relaxing at home, or pursuing new hobbies, I hope it was filled with joyful moments. I was fortunate enough to fly to Western Australia and drive from Perth to Albany and through to Kalbarri. How lucky are we to live in Australia! The weather was perfect, the beaches were beautiful and pristine, and the landscape was so varied.

As we open our doors for the 2026 school year, there is a palpable sense of excitement throughout the school. I am thrilled to welcome our returning students back and to extend a special greeting to the new families joining our community. It was so lovely to catch up with many new faces yesterday morning.

This year, our focus is:‘Christ beside me; Christ before me; Christ behind me; Christ within me.’We are committed to fostering an environment where every student feels safe, valued, and inspired to learn.

We warmly welcome Father Michael, the new parish priest of St Mary of the Cross Parish (Mordialloc and Aspendale). Father Michael will be visiting all classrooms over the next three weeks.

We also welcome our new staff members:

Miss Maddison Van Dooren – Year 1
Mrs Jenna Morecroft – Year 2
Mr Blake Sellers – Year 3
Mr Brendan Ellul – Year 4
Ms Julia Cherbin – Year 5

I am sure you will make them all feel very welcome as they settle into the St Louis school community.

Mrs Tanya Stefanec will be the Acting Principal every Wednesday throughout the year.

Thank you to Daphne for organising the Prep Welcome Morning Tea. It was wonderful to see so many existing and new families mixing and connecting.

P&F Meeting – Tuesday 17 February, 7:00pm (Wine and Cheese Night)

Everyone is invited to attend and support the events we will be holding throughout the year. These functions are a mix of fundraising and social gatherings, and we would love your support to make them successful.

The meeting will be held in the staffroom. Please enter through the front doors of the school.

Family Picnic – Friday 6 February, 3:30pm to 5:00pm

We will be holding our annual Family Picnic on the school oval. All families are invited to attend. You are welcome to bring your own picnic, and sausages and pizza slices will also be available for purchase. The garden will be open, and games will be set up on the oval.

Come along and meet some new families!

Swimming Training (Years 3–6) – 7:00am to 8:00am

Thursday 5 February – Toby Haenan, Chelsea Heights

Tuesday 10 February – Mentone Aquatic Centre (selected squad only)

Thursday 12 February – Toby Haenan, Chelsea Heights

Tuesday 17 February – Mentone Aquatic Centre (selected squad only)

Thursday 19 February – Toby Haenan, Chelsea Heights

Tuesday 24 February – Mentone Aquatic Centre (selected squad only)

Thursday 26 February – Toby Haenan, Chelsea Heights

Let’s make this a fantastic year of growth and discovery together.

Kind regards,

Carmel Stutterd

St Louis Newsletter

Through Christ, Dare to Love, Dare to Learn, Dare to Lead

Term 1 Week 1 2026 · 31 Jan 2026

In this issue