Principal Update

All families should have received notice of the principal arrangements for the school for 2026. Information was emailed to all families informing that Peter Teggelove, current principal of St. Joseph’s Quarry Hill, will be standing in as principal for the 2026 school year. Peter comes with a wealth of principal experience and a wonderful reputation and will be an incredible asset to the school in this role. The whole school community has made me feel so welcome over these past few weeks, and I know you will do the same for Peter when he begins next year.

It would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank Kimberley for her tireless work at St. Kilian’s School over the past 20 years and wish her well in the next phase of her professional life.

Miggy’s Long Service Leave

Miggy will be taking Long Service Leave during Weeks 9 and 10 as he heads overseas to compete in the South-East Asian Games, proudly representing the Philippines Men’s National Cricket Team. The South-East Asian Games is a major international multi-sport event, and competing at this level is an incredible honour. Miggy will be playing in the Men’s T20 Cricket competition against teams from across the region, showcasing his skills on the international stage. We wish him all the very best as he represents his family, community, and culture - and look forward to cheering him on from Bendigo!

Building Update

We are fortunate to share two significant building updates that will transform our school environment in 2026 and beyond.

Admin Hub – McAuley Building Renovation

The McAuley Building will undergo a major renovation next year to create a modern and functional Admin Hub for our school.

The plans include:

Refurbishment of two classrooms
New offices and meeting spaces
A redesigned staff room
A new Outside School Hours Care space

The tenders for this renovation were opened on Monday, and I am really happy to be able to disclose that we have had a very competitive tendering process, which will allow the school to progress as planned with this project. Details of the successful tendering company will be released as soon as it is known.

White House & Sinkhole Site

We are also pleased to confirm progress regarding the White House and surrounding grounds. On 12 December, the tenders for this project will be opened, which includes the demolition of the White House, the old playground, and the old toilet block. A brand-new modular playground has already been approved for this area, with the ability to expand the space in the future.

It is hoped that works on the admin hub and the White House will be able to commence early in the new year.

End of Year Mass

Thursday 11 December, 6.00–7.30pm Our school community is warmly invited to join us for our End of Year Mass, celebrated by Fr Junray. This special liturgy is an opportunity to give thanks for the year, pray as a community, and celebrate our Grade 6 students as they graduate and prepare for the next stage of their schooling.

After Mass, families are invited to stay for a sausage sizzle and BBQ picnic on the church grounds - a lovely way to finish the evening together.

We look forward to celebrating with you.

Staff 2026

On Tuesday, all students had the opportunity to spend some time with their new classmates and teacher for 2026. This is an exciting, and for some students, a little daunting experience as they come to terms with the inevitable change that happens from year to year. It is important that we support students to navigate these experiences and to understand that whilst everything may not be 100% how they wish it to be, that they will be able to adjust and even come to appreciate the positive things that emerge from these types of situations.

Staffing in 2026 looks like this:

Prep – Hayley Edwards, supported by Daisy Antonowicz and Mel Gibson (LSO support Jess Kelson)
Year 1 – Amanda Patton / Kyrah Wiegard, Gemma Flanagan (LSO support Jess Kelson)
Year 2 – Emma Macnee (LSO support Jess Kelson)
Year 3/4 - Jack Sampson, Jocey Williams, Darcey Lloyd (LSO support Erin Bourke)
Year 5 – Loretta Thompson, James Whiteacre (LSO support Tara McMahon)
Year 6 – Rachael McLean, Steve Hammer (LSO support Tara McMahon)
Learner Diversity – Carolyn Maher (also learning support in Year 3/4)
Learning Leader – Allira Holmes
Intervention – Carmel House (also teaching Science for one day per week)
Wellbeing – Daisy Antonowicz and Miggy Podosky
Music – Sharon Bourke
Physical Education – Alana Vaughan
Science – Melissa Gibson, Kyrah Wiegard, Carmel House
Learning Support / Languages - Gadis Ginting
Tuckshop and Uniform – Jacinta Martin
Art – Sharnee Landinguin
Admin – Lara Knight
Finance – Vicki Whiting
Deputy Principal – Miggy Podosky
Principal – Peter Teggelove

Thank You Bruce

Bruce Kiley has informed us of his intention to retire at the end of this year. Bruce has been attending to grounds and maintenance tasks for the past five years. We wish Bruce well as he enters this next exciting phase of life and thank him for his contribution to our school community.

Parents and Friends 2026

Please note that the Parents and Friends will be having their first meeting in 2026 on Tuesday, February 3rd at 6.00pm in the library here at school. I had the pleasure of sitting with this committee last night and I was so impressed by their energy and desire to provide worthwhile events that bring the community together and raise some funds along the way. I encourage more members of our community to consider being part of this group.

Upcoming Dates

Week 10

11 December: Graduation / End of Year Mass 6.00pm
12 December: Grade 6 Big Day Out
12 December: Prep–2 Jets Gym Session

Week 11

15 December: Students’ Last Day – 3.15 finish

God Bless

Craig Simpson

Principal

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