Principal's News

Find Your Light! SHINE!

Cleo - for organising a Dance Lunchtime Club. Arranging for other Year 6 students to help her teach, creating a dance, and promoting her club. The enthusiasm she has shown has been next level! Over 20 students joined the very first Dance Club session!

Jacob - for organising some other Year 3 students to help him run the Down Ball Club on a Tuesday. Jacob has also made posters and flyers that he has been handing out to students to promote his club!

Maya (Year 1) - for participating and trying her best during Italian classes with Signorina Chiara.

Lil Cesarin for arranging a spectacular St Kevin’s feast day. The whole school had a wonderful day celebrating!

Kristy Mafodda Year 5/6 teacher for leading the organisation of such a wonderful excursion for their classes. All the students really enjoyed the day!

                          Mrs Tomazos for leading the school while Mrs Leone was away.

Dear Families,

School Review

Tuesday and Wednesday marked an important stage in our School Review process, with reviewer Paul Ledwidge spent time meeting with a range of focus groups and visiting classrooms across the school.

Throughout the two days, Paul met with students, staff, and families from our school community to gain valuable insights into our teaching and learning programs, school culture, and areas of strength and future growth. He also conducted classroom observations, providing an opportunity to see our learners engaged in a variety of learning experiences and to witness the positive relationships, strong student engagement, and high expectations that support learning across St Kevin’s.

We are grateful to everyone who contributed to the review process and shared their perspectives. Their input plays a vital role in helping us reflect on our current practices and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.

We look forward to welcoming Paul back in Term 3, when he will present his findings and key recommendations. These insights will help inform the development of our next four-year School Improvement Plan and guide the future direction of St Kevin’s Primary School.

 Marketing  

ATTENTION ALL!  

We are looking for some keen and enthusiastic volunteers who would be willing to donate a little of their time to assist with a school pamphlet drop around the local area.

We received fantastic feedback following past letterbox distribution, and as a result, we would love to run the initiative again this year to help promote St Kevin's and share the wonderful opportunities our school offers.

If you are able to assist, even for a short period of time, we would greatly appreciate your support. Please contact the school office if you are interested in helping.

Thank you for supporting our school community and helping us spread the word about 

St Kevin's!

If you are interested please email secretary at: 

stksecretary@sktemplestowelr.catholic.edu.au

OR ring the office on 9273-9999

It is a great way to catch up with your friends, staying fit and at the same time helping the school.

Nominate Your Best Teacher

What a great opportunity to recognise the amazing work our teachers do! 

At the heart of each MACS’ school are teachers who create vibrant centres of learning – nurturing their students to grow academically, socially, emotionally and spiritually.

The Australia's Best Teachers campaign recognises exceptional educators in our school communities. An expert judging panel will shortlist nominations for recognition as one of Australia’s Top 50 Best Teachers, to be announced in The Herald-Sun and nationally in NewsCorp publications in July.

Do you know a teacher who brings something extraordinary to their classroom and community?

Grants 

This term, I have been meeting regularly with Melissa Giannattasio, a Prep parent, to establish an ongoing process for identifying and applying for grants that may benefit St Kevin’s. We are currently exploring several funding opportunities and would greatly value any suggestions from our community regarding future grant proposals.

One opportunity we are currently considering is a Bendigo Bank Community Grant. To support this application, we are seeking assistance from families who are Bendigo Bank members. If this applies to you, we would appreciate you completing a short survey. The information collected will be used solely to support the grant application and will not be shared for any other purpose.   Please complete the short survey here:  link 

In addition, if you are associated with any organisations, community groups, businesses, or affiliations that offer grants, resources, or sponsorship opportunities for schools, please contact Melissa at melissa_giannattasio@yahoo.com.au

Thank you for your support as we continue to seek opportunities to enhance learning and facilities for our students.

Parish Contribution

A heartfelt thank you to the seven families who have already paid their 2026 Parish Contribution. Your generosity and support are greatly appreciated.

I encourage all families to consider contributing to our parish. Your contribution helps ensure that our parish community remains vibrant, welcoming, and sustainable for the future.

The Parish Contribution is $160 per family and can be paid by credit card or direct transfer to the parish. Please refer to the Parish Contribution Letter 202 for payment details.

Thank you for your ongoing support and generosity. Your contribution makes a valuable difference to our parish community.

Payment options

Credit Card – Parish Contribution Letter 2026

Bank Transfer

Electronic transfer – bank account details: BSB: 083347 Account no: 565063471

Account name: St Kevin’s Parish Church. Reference: Your Family Name

Contributions are due by 26th June, 2026.

If you did not receive the Parish Contribution email or have any questions, please contact David Hii on 9850 5983 or templestowe@cam.org.au.

Lunch Time Clubs

PBL

STUDENT LEARNING/POLICE PROGRAM

Next week, we are fortunate to welcome a member of Victoria Police to speak with students in Years 3–6. During this visit, students will participate in age-appropriate discussions about bullying, including how to recognise concerning behaviours, what to do if they experience or witness bullying, and who they can speak to for support. The session will also cover cyberbullying, helping students understand how to behave safely and respectfully online.

To complement this learning, students in Years 3–6 are exploring a series of social and emotional learning lessons developed by the Daniel Morcombe Foundation. These lessons focus on personal safety, the impact of bullying behaviours, and the important role bystanders can play in seeking help and supporting others.

Students in Years 1–2 are focusing on understanding what it means to feel safe and also using resources from the Daniel Morcombe Foundation to support this learning. Through classroom discussions and activities, they are identifying their five trusted adults, learning who they can turn to when they do not feel safe and recognising the feelings and emotions that can signal when something is not right.

THE DANIEL MORCOMBE FOUNDATION

The Daniel Morcombe Foundation is a leading Australian child safety organisation dedicated to educating children and young people about personal safety. Through evidence-based programs and resources, the Foundation helps children develop the knowledge and skills needed to recognise unsafe situations, seek help and build confidence in making safe choices.

At St Kevins, and alongside schools across Australia, we use the Foundation's age appropriate educational resources to support learning around personal safety, respectful relationships, bullying prevention, online safety and help-seeking behaviours. The lessons encourage students to identify trusted adults, understand their rights to feel safe, and recognise how they can respond when they see or experience unsafe or inappropriate behaviours.

The Foundation also provides valuable support for families. Parents and carers can access a range of free resources, fact sheets, webinars and practical guides that help start important conversations at home about personal safety, cyber safety, consent and resilience. These resources empower families to work in partnership with schools to ensure children feel safe, supported and confident in seeking help when needed. Please visit the website for further information. 

These learning experiences support our ongoing commitment to fostering a safe, respectful and inclusive school community where all students feel supported and empowered to seek help when needed. As always, if you need anything to assist your child’s wellbeing please send me an email. 

Dominique Abbey

ICT User Agreements

Thank you to the families who have signed and returned their ICT Agreement forms.

ICT User Agreement Prep - Year 2 2026

ICT User Agreement Year 3-6 2026

Families who have not yet returned the required documentation will receive another copy of the ICT Agreement letter via their child. Please note that students are unable to upload samples of their work to Seesaw until the signed agreement has been returned to the school.

It has also been verified by MACS management that students are not to be on devices if they have not returned their ICT Agreement to school signed by parents or carers.  

We kindly ask that all outstanding forms be signed and returned as soon as possible.

Thank you for your cooperation and support.

Code of Conduct Reminder

Again thank you to families who have signed and returned documents to school.

Families will be reissued with St Kevin’s Code of Conduct letters if these have not been signed and returned to school.  

Please sign and return to school as soon as possible.  It is essential that we all work together to maintain an inclusive, respectful, and constructive environment for our community. 

Thank you to all members of our community who consistently demonstrate kindness, respect, and support for one another.

PREP 2027  Family Interviews

Thank you to the families who have accepted their enrolment offer at St Kevin’s Primary School.

The next step in the enrolment process is to attend a family interview with the Principal and Deputy Principal. We ask that the prospective student also attend, as they will participate in a short interview as part of the process.

These interviews provide an opportunity for us to get to know your family, learn more about your child, and answer any questions you may have as you begin your journey with the St Kevin’s community.

We look forward to meeting with both new and current families and welcoming you into our school community.

The interviews will take place on 

Monday 3rd August 9 - 1pm

Tuesday 4th 9 - 12pm 

Monday 10th August 9 - 1pm

Tuesday 11th of August 9 - 12pm

Wednesday  12th August 1pm - 5pm 

Thursday 13th of August. 1pm - 5pm 

Information about codes and details will be sent out next week.If you have not accepted your position please do so as soon as possible.  

Italian News

Ciao a tutti,

I hope everyone is having an amazing week 8! I would love to congratulate our language ambassadors from the past few weeks! They have been outstanding with their use of Italian in the classroom! A big grazie to the following students: 

Prep MM: Beau W, Arleia C & Gracie P

Grade 1R: Ario B & Blake C

Grade 2GS: Manaia C, Frankie A & Olivia Y

Grade 3CA: Phoebe L, Abigail B & Luca P

Grade 3/4G: Azalia S, Rafi N & Ellie Y

Grade 5/6B: John-Paul C, Seb S & Irene Y

Grade 5/6MM: James Q, Lacey C & Emily C

For Weeks 8 & 9 Our Prep students will continue extending their sentences with 'Posso avere?' colours, while filming their end of cycle assessment for Seesaw. 

Posso avere...? (Can I have...?): 

Il libro - The book

La matita - The pencil

La carta - The paper

La colla - The glue stick

Le forbice - The scissors

Bianco - White

Nero - Black

Rosso - Red

Giallo - Yellow

Rosa - Pink

Viola - Purple

Marone - Brown

Grades 1, 2, 5, & 6 students will be practicing how to build sentences with 'Come stai?'. 

Come stai? (How are you?): 

Che succede? - What's going on?

Mi fa male.. - My ... hurts

Perché mi fa male.. - Because ... hurts

La testa - the head

La gola - the throat

Il ginocchio - the knee

Il piede - the foot

Lo stomaco - the stomach

L'orecchio - the ear

Sono caduto - I fell (masc)

Sono caduta - I fell (fem)

Sono malato - I feel sick (masc)

Sono malata - I feel sick (fem)

Our Grade 3/4 students will continue working on their Ho Fame Italian booklets for their Italian literacy program. In class, we’ve been reading together and completing activities that help build their understanding, vocabulary, and confidence in Italian.

(Here is the link to the booklet/audiobook if you wish to read/listen to it at home.) 

Ho Fame book

Ho Fame audiobook

In the last few weeks of term 2, students will also have some fun with the Pinocchio story!

Have a great week!

Grazie, Chiara

COMMUNITY NEWS

Our whole St Kevin’s school community is invited to participate in TINNIES FOR VINNIES for St Vincent de Paul.  We will be collecting non perishable food items from Wednesday 10th June through to the last day of Term 2,  Thursday 25th June. 

All cans of food will then be donated to St Vincent de Paul where they will assist nearby Soup Vans services. Your efforts will go towards helping those who are experiencing food insecurity.

ALL STUDENTS ARE INVITED TO WEAR PJ’S / OODIES ON TUESDAY 23th JUNE (in lieu of their tinnie!)

SAD NEWS

It is with a heavy heart that we share the sad news of the passing of Caterina, the beloved mother of Cathy Pondeljak. Caterina passed away on Monday night, and our thoughts and prayers are with Cathy and her family during this difficult time.

We ask that you join us in extending compassion and support to Cathy and her family. Your thoughts, prayers and words of comfort are deeply appreciated.

Calendar dates will be in the Principal section from now on and in Google Calendar.

Monday 22nd June - Reports for Semester 1 published on Compass Portal 4pm

Monday 22nd June - Whole School Assembly 2:30pm

Tuesday 23rd June -  Debating Competition for Year 6 Delegates 

Wednesday 24th June - Goal Setting  Parent /Teacher /Student Conversations early finish at 12pm

Thursday 25th June -  Last day of Term 2 for students finish 3:30pm

Friday 26th June - End of Term 2 for Staff

Tuesday 14th July - Whole School Assembly 2:30pm

Friday 24th July - Grandparent's and Special Person's Day Mass 12pm-1pm

Thursday 30th July - Eucharist Child/Parent Workshop and commitment mass 6:30pm

Friday 28th of August - Faith Formation Day No school for students

We just wanted to share some exciting news from Audrey and Abigail’s taekwondo competition over the weekend.

Both girls performed exceptionally well, and we are incredibly proud of them!

Abigail showed great confidence, determination, skill and fought brilliantly winning her division to take home the Gold Medal.

Audrey competed in a higher division for age, belt level, and weight. She showed amazing skill and determination, winning her first fight convincingly and progressing to the finals, where she earned a Silver Medal.

They both represented themselves wonderfully, and we couldn’t be prouder of their efforts and achievements.