From the Principal

REMINDERS

St Simon's Beanie

We are excited to introduce a St Simon's Beanie to our school uniform accessory catalogue just in time for Winter.

Beanies are now available to purchase for $27.60 through Spartans Schoolworld, please click here.

Dear Parents and Carers,

A warm welcome back to the school term, and I hope that the school holiday break, though a distant memory for many, gave you some time as a family to change routine and rest after a very full and busy Term 2.

Term 3 is off to a flying start! From Prep 2027 enrolment interviews and senior sports to NAIDOC Week celebrations and the Year 4 trip to Mazenod and Avila's production of Beauty and the Beast, there’s already so much happening across our community

Grandparents' Day - Wednesday 29th July

This Sunday is the joint feast day of Saints Anne and Joachim, who are honoured as the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the earthly grandparents of Jesus Christ.

We are looking forward to welcoming the Grandparents of our St Simon's Community to next Wednesday, 29th July, to celebrate the importance of grandparents in the lives of the children. Click here for more information

Staffing

Mrs Rachael Lo Ricco will be leaving St Simon’s, with her last teaching day to be Thursday 30th July. Rachael has accepted a leadership role at St Jude’s Primary School, which begins mid-Term 3. I thank Rachael for her contributions to learning and teaching at St Simon’s and for the support she has given to students and their families in 5\6 Red.

Miss Lizzie Beekman has been appointed the new classroom teacher of 5\6 Red, effective from Monday 3rd August. Lizzie is known to the St Simon’s School Community as a Learning Support Officer in classrooms from Prep to Year 6 and, as a recent graduate, she is well placed to connect with the students of 5\6 Red for the remainder of the year.

Sporting Achievement

Congratulations to one of our Year Six students, Samia Dell Aquila, on being selected to represent Victoria in basketball as part of the School Sports Australia Games in Sydney later this year.

Samia was selected from many students trying out, and her inclusion in the final team is testament to her skill and dedication to the sport. Well done!

Child Safety - MACS Care

In this newsletter, as part of our continual commitment to Child Safety awareness, we spotlight Child Safe Standard 5 - Equity is upheld, and diverse needs respected in policy and practice and Child Safe Standard 6 - People working with children and young people are suitable and supported to reflect child safety and wellbeing values in practice.

Click here to find out more.

St Simon's Fete - Partnership and Promotional opportunities for local and small businesses

This wonderful event is a highlight of our calendar, bringing together families, friends, and the wider community for a day of fun and celebration. To make this year’s fete our best one yet, we are inviting members of our school community and local businesses to partner with us.

We have a variety of fantastic promotional and sponsorship opportunities available, offering an excellent platform to showcase your business while supporting our community.

If you would like to explore sponsorship options or find out how you can get involved, please contact the Parish Office or reach out directly to Fete Committee member, Bill Leane 0411 289 319.

LAST CHANCE - Code Camp - After School Coding Opportunities

After-School Code Camp allows kids to hone their coding skills and keep practising through weekly sessions over the term. Each week, students will choose the features they want to build and advance their problem-solving skills to build these features using code. They will take ownership over their projects and collaborate with their peers to make awesome apps.

Program: Little Coders
Years/Grades: Years P-2
Day(s): Thursdays
Times: 3:30pm - 4:45pm
Start Date: Thursday 23rd July, 2026
Devices: Code Camp providing devices

Program: Minecraft Engineers
Years/Grades: Years 3-6
Day(s): Thursdays
Times: 3:30pm - 4:45pm
Start Date: Thursday 23rd July, 2026
Devices: Code Camp providing devices

Here is your booking link to enrolments. Discount Code SCHOOL15 for parents to save $15 each booking.

Newsletter Side Sections and Pages

Please take time to browse through the sections and pages of the newsletter. You find more details and information about events and posts you see through Social channels.

Connect with Us on Social Media 📱

Want to see all the latest activities, student achievements, and exciting experiences happening around our school in real time?

Be sure to check out and follow our official school social channels! It’s a wonderful way to stay connected with the vibrant St. Simon the Apostle Primary School community and get a firsthand look at what our students are learning and creating each day.

Facebook: Follow us for community updates, photo galleries, and event reminders.
Instagram: Check out our latest stories, highlights, and snapshots of daily school life.

Search for St. Simon the Apostle Primary School on both platforms, hit follow, and join our growing online community!

School Closure Days Term 3 and 4 - 2026

Throughout the year, the school schedules several school closure days for staff to engage in professional learning and compliance activities. There are also days scheduled for time-in-lieu (TIL) activities that staff attend and run outside the normal hours of the school day. These days are used to acquitt these hours.

When a school closure day is scheduled, Beyond Edu Care will operate a program of care for the day so that families can have their children looked after on the school site.

Term 3

Student Free Day Friday 18th September (First Aid CPR, Compliance)

Term 4

Thursday 8th October - Student Free Day (Time in lieu, School Production student rest day)

Monday 2nd November - Student Free Day (Time in lieu)

Tuesday 15th December - Last day of School for students

nForma

ARE YOU CONNECTED TO OUR SCHOOL VIA THE NFORMA APP?

NEED TO KNOW MORE? CLICK HERE

In preparation for camps and excursions, please ensure that all Medical and Health information in nForma for your children is up to date.

St Simon’s Staff and Contact Details

A complete staff list for 2026 is available through the newsletter each week by going to Staff Contacts and General Information section