Head of Junior School
Mrs Jo Messer

Head of Junior School
Mrs Jo Messer
A Little Bit of Kindness Goes a Long Way
At SVC, Kindness is one of our Virgilian Way Values, and something we continually encourage and nurture in our students. In the busyness of school life, it’s easy to overlook just how powerful small acts of kindness can be.
A friendly smile, including someone in a game, offering help, or simply using kind words — these everyday actions can make a significant difference to someone’s day. Kindness helps build a positive and inclusive school environment where everyone feels valued, safe, and connected.
In the office we have a box labelled, Random Acts of Kindness. We are encouraging students to notice such acts and writing these on the cards provided so we can celebrate them in our next assembly. Mrs Burrows and I simultaneously noted a Prep student who had both shoelaces untied as he was heading down to the bus after school. Without asking anyone, two Year 6 students jumped and each tied a shoelace — a random act of kindness!
We encourage all students to be mindful of how they treat others and to look for opportunities to show kindness each day. As a community, when we lead with kindness, we strengthen our relationships and create a culture we can all be proud of. As the saying goes, a little bit of kindness truly does go a long way.
Uniform Reminders
As a mum myself — although my eldest has just turned 26 — I understand the morning rush of getting out the door. I can certainly relate to those moments when you’re already in the car and realise something has been forgotten, along with the stress that follows!
I raise this because we have a number of students not wearing their cap, belt, wrong socks, to and from school. Of course, we understand that this can happen in the rush. A simple strategy, such as placing the cap on the school bag the night before and checking uniform items might help.
Like any organisation, our uniform is an important part of the SVC identity, and we appreciate your support in helping students wear it with pride.
Help Us Keep Access Clear and Safe
Please be mindful not to park over the driveway entrance to the Junior School or within the Cathedral car park entrances. Over the past week, we have had several instances of cars being parked in these areas, obstructing access and creating safety concerns.
We appreciate your cooperation in helping keep our community safe and ensuring smooth access for all families.
Thank you!
A big thank you to all our parents and carers who attended the Parent–Teacher Meetings on 10–11 March. Your time, support, and partnership in your child’s learning are truly valued, and we appreciate the opportunity to connect and work together to support every boy’s growth and success.
NAPLAN 2026 is almost complete for our Years 3 and 5 students
A sincere thank you to our parents and students for your support throughout the week—ensuring iPads were fully charged and headphones were ready each day. Your preparation helped our boys feel confident, calm, and set up for success. We appreciate your partnership in making this a smooth and positive experience for all.
$3 Milkshake Day!
Our Mini Vinnies crew are serving up delicious $3 milkshakes this Friday, all in support of Project Compassion.
This term, we’re aiming high—hoping to raise $6,000 after reaching an amazing $5,000 in Term 1 last year! These funds will go towards a much-needed water tank for Sicilia’s School in Tanzania, while also giving our boys a meaningful opportunity to learn about servant leadership and the importance of helping others. Come along, grab a tasty milkshake, and support a great cause!
Meet our New P and F!
This week we held our annual P&F AGM. I would like to sincerely thank our outgoing Junior Campus P&F committee members for their incredible support over the past few years — whether it was cooking BBQs, selling donuts, or helping in countless other ways. We’re also pleased that many will continue their involvement on the Senior P&F committee.
I would also like to thank and congratulate the following parents who have generously volunteered their time to serve on the Junior School P&F for 2026:
President: Mr Ricky Umgeher
Vice President: Mrs Bridget Bugg
Secretary: Mrs Kirsten Free
Treasurer: Mrs Kaylie Bowman
Committee Members: Mrs Amy Washington, Mrs Karina Huntley and Mrs Michelle Spotswood
It’s not too late to join! If you would like to join this lovely group of people, our first meeting will be to discuss and organise Mother’s Day Gift Stall and Breakfast (May 11). The meeting will be held on Tuesday March 31 at 5pm in the Junior Library.
We look forward to working together to support our school community.
Reconciliation
Congratulations to Jacob and Alex Hill and Elijah Whitfield who proudly made their Sacrament of Reconciliation at St Mary’s Cathedral last week. They will now start undertaking religious instruction for their next sacrament, Confirmation.


Easter Raffle
The Junior School P&F Committee has a giant chocolate hamper for the winner of the Easter Raffle.
There is also a huge jar of chocolate eggs for the lucky boy who guesses the correct number of eggs inside. There is an additional $100 Coles gift voucher to be won.
Tickets are on sale from $2 each, available from the Junior School Office or through QKR!.

