Newsletter Term 2, Week 2 2025
Wednesday 7th May- Mother’s Day Stall
Friday 9th May- Mother’s Day Breakfast 8am
Dear Parents, Carers and Friends,
Welcome back to Term 2! I hope the holidays gave you some time to recharge, rest, and spend special moments with your families. especially over Easter. It’s lovely to see everyone back with fresh energy for the term ahead.
Farewell to Pope Francis (1936–2025)
The world farewelled Pope Francis, who passed away peacefully on Easter Monday at the age of 88. His funeral at St Peter’s Basilica drew hundreds of thousands of people from all corners of the globe – a real sign of how deeply he touched lives.
Pope Francis was the first Pope from the Americas and the first Jesuit to lead our Church. Throughout his time as Pope, he reminded us of the power of compassion, kindness, care for creation, and love for those on the margins of our communities.
He taught us that real leadership is humble and brave. His message of mercy, peace, and welcome changed the lives of millions.
True to his humble nature, Pope Francis chose to be buried at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, close to the people he loved.
This week the staff and students continued to pray for Pope Francis, to give thanks for his life, and to ask the Holy Spirit to guide the Church as we await a new Pope.
School Review in 2025: Looking Ahead
Thank you to all families for supporting our student free day last Monday. All staff contributed to a significant agenda to begin our 2025 school review evidence gathering and documentation. Every four to five years, Catholic schools take part in a School Review as part of our ongoing journey of growth and renewal. This term, we will begin the detailed process to undertake our four-yearly review — an important opportunity to meet registration and compliance requirements, while also pausing to reflect, celebrate our achievements, and plan with an evidence-informed, shared vision. It’s a wonderful chance to recognise how far we’ve come and to identify new ways to keep strengthening our school for the future.
This year, it’s our turn. Staff will be working closely with external reviewers to reflect on our learning programs, child safety, community partnerships and future planning. We are all looking forward to the opportunity to show what makes St Margaret Mary’s such a special place — and to keep growing stronger together.
We’ll share more about this process with families as we move through the term.
Thank You Leadership team and St. Margaret Mary’s Staff
I would like to sincerely thank Mr Simon Devlin and Mr Paul Smith, our Co-Deputy Principals, for the outstanding leadership they provided while I was on Long Service and Professional Development Leave. I am truly grateful for the support they offered to our students, staff, and families during this time. To our wonderful staff — thank you, as always, for the energy, expertise and commitment you bring to your work. Our students are flourishing because of your skill, passion and dedication.
Coming up:
Mother’s Day Breakfast: Friday 9 May, 8:00am in the hall. We’d love to see you there to celebrate the special women in our lives.
Year 5 and 6 Camp to Phillip Island
Last week, our Year 5 and 6 students had an amazing three days away at Phillip Island!
They tackled team challenges, braved the giant swing, spent time exploring the coast, and created memories they’ll carry forever. A huge thank you to Ms Parnell, Ms P, Ms Turner, Mr Devlin for making the camp possible. It’s significant to be away from your families and out of your own routines, and we are so grateful for the way you made it such a wonderful, safe experience for our kids.
Parish – School Connection - Thank You Parents
A heartfelt thank you to the parents who assisted at last weekend’s Mass, serving tea, coffee, and treats during our informal gathering afterward. Your presence and support contribute to the strong bonds between our school and parish communities. These moments provide our children with real-life examples of the importance of connection, hospitality, and community involvement. We look forward to offering more opportunities like this in the future and warmly welcome anyone interested in participating.
Figure 1 Sagrada Familia Cathedral by Gaudi, Barcelona
During my recent travels through Europe, I had the privilege of attending Mass and praying for our school and parish community at both Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and Gaudí’s Basílica de la Sagrada Família in Barcelona (mass here is held in the original Chapel underneath the grand cathedral). In each church, I was drawn to depictions of St Joseph (which I share with you here) quietly guiding and caring for Jesus—reminding me of the patient, steady love we’re all called to show as parents, educators, and friends. St Joseph’s humble strength, quiet service and courageous trust in God, are a powerful reminder of the importance of strong reciprocal connections between our parish and school, where we work together in faith to support and nurture every child, family, parishioner, religious members.
Figure 2 Chapelle of St. Joseph Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris
Let’s walk through this term with hope in our hearts — for our children, our school, and our world. Our children are listening, seeing, absorbing how we as adults navigate life, relationships, challenges, conflict and celebrations.
As we start the term together, I’m reminded of Pope Francis’ words:
"The future does have a name… and its name is Hope."
🌭 Election Sausage Sizzle – Thank You! 🌭
All volunteer spots for our Election Day BBQ on Saturday, May 3 have now been filled. A huge thank you to everyone who signed up – your support is greatly appreciated!
Thanks again,
Simon Devlin
Mothers Day Stall
The annual Mother's Day stall will be held at school on Wednesday May 7. All students will have an opportunity to come to the stall to buy something lovely for their special person. Items will be priced between $1-5 dollars and all are brand new. We encourage students to bring no more than $20 to buy some amazing gifts. In the lead up, the class teachers will be giving the students some information on the items available for purchase.
We are in need of some adult helpers on the day, to set up and assist students with their purchases. If you are able to help, please contact Larissa Cairns (Gilbert and Ruby's mum) larissasings@yahoo.com.au
Mother’s Day Breakfast
We welcome all our mums to the Mother’s Day Breakfast on Friday the 9th. Gates open from 8am. Come along to some wonderful crafts, light snacks and our choir singing some beautiful songs.
We can’t wait to see you there.
Junior Family Prayer Evening – Prep, Year 1 & 2 Families
We warmly invite our Prep, Year 1 and Year 2 students and their families to a very special Junior Family Prayer Evening on Wednesday 21st May at 6.00pm in the St Margaret Mary’s School Hall.
This beautiful evening of faith and connection is designed to bring families together through prayer, reflection and hands-on activities that will uplift and inspire. It’s a chance to deepen your family’s spiritual journey and create meaningful memories together.
We look forward to sharing this special time with you.
(See below for more details!)
Follow our socials for the latest learning posts from the classroom
St Margaret Mary’s students are independent life-long learners inspired by Gospel values and empowered with a sense of purpose and responsibility. They confidently engage with others and are equipped with skills to adapt to an ever changing world.
Each week, students who embody our values, apply the school mindsets to learning, work hard to improve or persevere to deliver on learning objectives are awarded a class award. Awards will be handed out at our next assembly in week 3 of term 2. The students who earned an award in the past week are:
Week 2
ANZAC Day Poppies
Under the guidance of our talented Art teacher Emma McGuirk, students have explored the pastel medium to create stunning representations of poppies in recognition of ANZAC Day. Inspired by the poignant war poem In Flanders Fields, these artworks are a visual expression of remembrance, honouring the courage and sacrifice of those who served. The vibrant colours and unique interpretations show the students’ thoughtful engagement and creativity.
Seniors Camp
Our Grade 5/6 camp to Phillip Island was awesome! From the second we hopped on the bus, everyone was buzzing with excitement. When we arrived, we jumped straight into activities like Pedal Cars, the Giant Swing, and the Flying Fox. Lots of us faced our fears and had a blast.
That night we went to the Penguin Parade and saw the cutest little penguins waddling up the beach at sunset. We even spotted some wallabies hiding in the bushes! Later, we had a fun quiz night and learnt some hilarious facts about our teachers.
Day 2 was packed with more activities like Archery, the Circotron, Abseiling, and the Mechanical Climbing Wall. In the afternoon, we hit the beach for games and exploring the rock pools. After a full day, we chilled out with a movie night under the stars.
On Day 3, we packed up but squeezed in one last adventure with a stop at San Remo, where we watched pelicans being fed and even saw a stingray!
Camp wasn’t just about fun—it was about challenging ourselves, working together, and making great memories. A massive thanks to our teachers for making it all happen. We’ll be talking about this camp for ages!
Bebras Maths Challenge
This week, a group of students from Grades 3–6 took part in the Bebras Challenge—an international event that promotes problem-solving and logical thinking. “Bebras” means beaver in Lithuanian, symbolising a strong work ethic and collaborative spirit—qualities our students demonstrated in spades!
With over 2.9 million students from 60 countries participating globally, the Bebras Challenge offered our students fun yet demanding tasks designed to develop their computational thinking skills.
Here’s what some of our students had to say:
“I worked with CC and found it challenging.” – Maddie, Grade 5
“It was difficult and confusing. It took us 5–10 minutes to work out where to start for one of the questions.” – James, Grade 3
“It was good because it challenged us in different ways. We had to use all our abilities to push us further.” – Finn, Grade 6
Well done to all our budding problem solvers!
Around the Rooms
Foundation
We’ve had an amazing start to Term 2 in the Prep classroom! In our first week back, we learnt about ANZAC Day and the importance of remembering the brave men and women who served our country. To help us reflect and commemorate, we even enjoyed some delicious ANZAC biscuits together. In phonics, we’ve been learning new sounds such as f and r, and we’re already using the sounds we know to write simple sentences—making sure to include capital letters, finger spaces, and full stops. In Maths, we’ve been exploring positional language and having lots of fun playing games to help us learn words like next to, under, and in front of. We’ve also introduced Show and Tell into our classroom, which has quickly become a favourite. It’s a fantastic way to build confidence and develop speaking and listening skills. In Religion, we’ve been learning about the story of the Good Samaritan and discussing how we can be a good friend to everyone. What a wonderful and busy start to the term!
Year 1
We are off to a flying start in 1 Green and everyone has settled in really well. In Maths we have been revisiting and demonstrating our understanding of number bonds from the previous term. In Literacy, we have been introduced to three new digraphs: /oa/, /ee/, and /ea/. During Faith Life, we have been exploring the concept of ‘Community’ and analysing images to identify connections with God. In SEL, our focus has been on understanding the importance of rules and why they help us. We are looking forward to the learning opportunities the rest of the term will bring!
Year 2
It’s been wonderful to welcome our Grade 2 students back to school after a restful break—everyone has returned refreshed and ready to learn! We started the term by learning about ANZAC Day, exploring the significance of this important occasion and discussing meaningful ways to commemorate it. As part of our reflections, students created their own ANZAC badges.
In Maths, we’ve jumped straight into revising Place Value. Students have engaged in hands-on activities to represent numbers and have been introduced to the Gattegno chart to help them understand and work with four-digit numbers. It's been a busy and productive start to the term—we’re excited for all the learning ahead!
Year 3 and 4
In Literacy, we have begun reading Off We Go Around Australia by Roland Harvey. It is a beautifully illustrated book that explores factual recount writing through characters who send postcards to their grandma, sharing their adventures and interesting facts about each place they visit.
In Maths, we’ve been learning about fractions and how to represent them using diagrams, collections, real life situations, number lines and fraction notation.
In Faith Life Inquiry, we’ve been exploring the hierarchy of the Catholic Church. This has become especially meaningful following the recent passing of Pope Francis, as we discuss the roles of church leaders and the upcoming papal conclave.
5/6
Student Wellbeing/Mental Health in Primary Schools News
National Walk Safely to School Day – Friday, 16 May
The focus of this day is to:
promote better health and physical activity
contribute to cleaner air around the school
reduce car dependency
improve knowledge of road safety rules (learn by doing)
encourage and increase the use of public transport
Physical activity before school can help regulate students and prepare the body and mind for learning. Students will receive a tattoo from the Walk to School Safely Organisation at the end of the school day to help promote this community event.
How you can participate and support this initiative:
Walk with your child to school or arrange a "walking group" with other families. This is a great way to build relationships and friendships
Discuss road safety rules such as using crossings and being aware of traffic and practice using the crossing in Hudson’s Road
Leave home with enough time for a relaxed walk.
Linking Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) to Building Respectful and Responsible Citizens (in a practical way)
In Term 2, our SEL program will continue to strengthen students’ understanding of themselves and others, while supporting our Behaviour Curriculum and connecting directly to the Civics and Citizenship learning area. This is grounded in the Victorian Curriculum's Personal and Social Capability, which helps students develop self-awareness, social awareness, and the skills to interact respectfully and responsibly
Students will explore why communities, including schools, need rules, and how shared values help groups work together towards common goals. They’ll reflect on their roles, rights, and responsibilities as members of the SMM community and make explicit connections between our school rules and the behaviours expected of them daily.
This learning will link well to National Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week. At this time, we will focus on the skill of apologising as a way to repair relationships and learn how listening, empathy, and reflection are important in the process of reconciliation — both in our classroom relationships and in our broader community.
This integrated approach supports the Civics and Citizenship curriculum and reflects our Gospel values of forgiveness, compassion, justice, care, acceptance, and inclusion. Students are learning that each person has the right to feel safe, valued, and heard.
How you can work in partnership:
Ask your child’s teacher for a copy of the school rules and talk to your child about what these behaviours look like at home and school and how they help us get along
Praise your child when they show respect, responsibility, and kindness.
Use our school values of Respect, Integrity, Compassion and Excellence (RICE) as a shared language at home
Quiet Area activities
Activity areas are set up each break time (weather permitting). If your child would like to connect with others by ‘chatting and colouring’ please send a colouring book to school, clearly labelled with your child’s name
Sunsmart Reminder
As we move into the cooler months, hats are not required unless UV levels remain at 3 or above, in line with SunSmart guidelines. This ensures students are protected when necessary while also receiving safe sun exposure in lower UV months. Ultra Violet radiation cannot be seen or felt, can be reflected off surfaces e.g. snow and can pass through light clouds. It varies in intensity across the day and the year (highest from mid-August to the end of April in Victoria)
How you can work in partnership and take protective action for your children:
Access the free SunSmart App
Label your child’s hat and ensure it’s brought to school once UV levels begin to rise again in mid-August
WASH YOUR HANDS and Be a Soapy Hero!
As colder weather approaches, proper handwashing remains one of the most effective ways to reduce the spread of germs. Illnesses such as gastroenteritis and influenza can severely impact student attendance, learning and the welfare of the school community. Establishing good hand hygiene practices is key to preventing the spread of illness.
How you can work in partnership:
Remind your child to wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet.
Model good hygiene at home, including sneezing or coughing into elbows.
Pack tissues and remind children not to share food or drink bottles.
Monitoring Student Wellbeing and Mental Health
As part of our commitment to whole-child development, we encourage families to use the Student Wellbeing Continuum developed by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute. This tool helps parents understand what typical emotional and social development looks like, identify early signs of concern, and take practical steps to support their child.
How you can work in partnership to support your child’s mental health
This link Children's Wellbeing Continuum - Mental Health in Primary School (MHiPS) includes an animation video to help explain how the Continuum can be used to support children's social and emotional well-being
If you notice changes in mood, behaviour, or engagement, or you feel your child is not coping, reach out to your GP, your child’s teacher or our wellbeing staff for support
Kids Helpline - Counselling Service for Young People Aged 5 to 25
What it is: Kids Helpline is a national service accessible by phone (1800 55 1800) and online (web chat, email). Free: The service is free to call, even from a mobile phone.
What it offers:
Counselling: Trained counsellors provide support and guidance on various issues.
Confidentiality: All interactions are private and confidential.
Accessibility: Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, from anywhere in Australia.
Thank you for partnering with us to support our students' mental health and well-being!
Kath Novak
Student Wellbeing / MHiPS
Confirmation at St Patrick’s Cathedral
Our Year 6 students are deep in preparation for their Confirmation, which will be celebrated on Friday 9th May at 6.30 pm. This is a significant milestone in their faith journey, and the students have been working with great focus and enthusiasm.
On Monday 29th April, we were fortunate to welcome Bishop Martin to our school. His visit was a special opportunity for the students to ask questions and reflect on the meaning of the Sacrament.
We will continue this important journey with a Confirmation Reflection Day on Tuesday 7th May, helping students to prepare spiritually and meaningfully for the celebration.
A reminder to parents: If you haven’t already done so, please complete your child’s Confirmation Sponsor and Saint Name form here: https://forms.gle/iNLswd1p7FcNodAg8
Election Day Stall – Can You Help?
We’re getting ready for our Election Day Sausage Sizzle & Cake Stall on Saturday 3rd May, and we’d love your support!
If you enjoy baking, please consider donating a homemade cake, slice, or cupcakes. These can be dropped off at the school office on Friday 2nd May (labelled and covered, no refrigeration available) or brought straight to the stall on Saturday morning.
Not a baker? Donations of chopped onions (bagged), tomato sauce, or paper napkins are also very welcome.
Every contribution helps raise valuable funds for our school. Thank you for your ongoing support!
— Fundraising Support Group (FSG)
Mother’s Day Stall
Mother’s Day Breakfast
🏉Footy Tipping🏉
The tipping leaderboard has tightened dramatically as we approach Round 8! Matt Cram and Zamo54 are locked in a battle for top spot, each sitting on 48 points, but it’s Zamo54 who has surged thanks to the use of his Joker and a monster 16-point round last week.
Just one point back are Grechster and NicJBell, both looking dangerous and within striking distance. Team Walsh and Collingwood Cal round out the top six, while a determined midfield pack — including Hawkspursjnr, Disi, and devdoggies — are poised to pounce.
With nine games on offer in Round 8, including key clashes like Bulldogs vs. Port Adelaide, West Coast vs. Melbourne, and the always fiery Brisbane vs. Gold Coast showdown, there’s plenty of opportunity for bold tippers to make their move.
https://www.footytips.com.au/comps/2025_SMM_Footy_Tipping?p=stmm3015
$25 to be paid by round 4. Payments made via school FSG bank account, are asked to use your footy tipping alias as a reference. Account SMM FSG BSB: 083 347 Acc: 365426557 You can also send in $25 in an envelope to the office, labeled with your alias and titled "2025 footy tipping".
New Mathematics Curriculum and Reporting
At the close of 2023, the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) unveiled its updated Mathematics curriculum, known as Mathematics Curriculum 2.0. This revision by the Victorian Government aims to elevate Australian educational standards to better align with global benchmarks.
By 2025, all Victorian government schools must adopt Mathematics Curriculum 2.0.
At St Margaret Marys Primary School, we began implementing this updated curriculum for teaching in Semester 1 2024, and will be reporting starting from Semester 1, 2025.
During the transition, we have observed that some students' achievement levels in Numeracy assessments under Victorian Curriculum 2.0 are occasionally lower compared to those under version 1.0. Consequently, your child may achieve a lower level this year in comparison to their previous progression points.
In regards to school reports, previously, teachers reported on three strands of the mathematics achievement standard (Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry, and Statistics and Probability), resulting in three progression points.
Under Mathematics Curriculum 2.0, there are now six strands (Number, Pattern and Algebra, Measurement, Space, Statistics and Probability), and teachers will assess against the entire achievement standard, providing a single aggregated progression point.
Due to these changes in reporting standards, the first report you receive under Mathematics 2.0 will only indicate achievement without showing progress. Subsequent reports will display progress against the unified achievement standard.
We want to assure you that any apparent decrease in your child's mathematics attainment level in 2025 is likely due to these revised curriculum targets, not a regression in their learning or capabilities.
These adjustments emphasise the Victorian Government's heightened expectations for mathematics education. The new curriculum is more rigorous across multiple domains. Lower reported levels do not reflect the efforts of our teachers or students but rather highlight the differences between the two curriculum versions.
Rest assured, your child's actual attainment has not diminished; the benchmarks have evolved. At St Margaret Marys, as teachers adapt their instruction and planning to meet these new standards, we anticipate a period of adjustment. During this transitional phase, our focus will always remain on fostering learning growth.
If you have any questions regarding the curriculum changes or your child's report, please feel free to discuss them with your classroom teacher or with me directly.
Anne Ablinger
Mathematics Leader
AUSKICK
Camp Australia
What’s coming up in Term 2!
Emmanuel College Latest News – 4 March 2025
Dear Families,
Vale Pope Francis
As a Catholic community, it is with great sadness that we acknowledge the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis over Easter.
Pope Francis was the beacon of the Catholic community for 12 years. He led with dignity and compassion and worked tirelessly to connect with people of all generations.
He will be remembered as a Pope for the people and we thank him for his love of all people and his commitment to making the Church a place for everyone.
"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." — John 15:12-13
We are pleased to invite you to visit the College and experience our vibrant community firsthand.
Join one of our upcoming College events for a student-led campus tour and the opportunity to meet our College Principal. Details are on the attached flyer and below:
St Paul’s Campus
Thursday 1 May – 9:15am to 10:30am – Meet the Principal and College Tour
Monday 23 June – 9:15am to 10:30am – College Tour
Notre Dame Campus
Thursday 8 May – 9:15am to 10:30am – Meet the Principal and College Tour
Tuesday 17 June – 9:15am to 10:30am – College Tour
👉 To learn more and register, please visit: Meet the Principal and Tour registration
Year 7 Enrolments for 2027 – Closing Friday 15 August 2025
Do you have a child currently in Year 5? Applications for Year 7 in 2027 are now open and will close on Friday, 15 August 2025. Please note even if you have another child already attending, or enrolled for 2026, a separate application is required for your child for 2027.
Apply now via our online Application Form
If you have any questions about enrolments, please contact Ms Donna Grech, College Registrar on (03) 8325 5100 or email enrolments@ecmelb.catholic.edu.au
We look forward to welcoming you to one of our upcoming events.
Yours sincerely
Jenny Hendricks
Community Engagement Officer
Mount St. Joseph
You're Invited! Experience Our College at Open Day
We are delighted to invite you and your family to our Open Day at Mount St. Joseph Girls' College – a wonderful opportunity to experience firsthand the vibrant learning environment, strong community spirit, and outstanding opportunities that await your child.
Date: Sunday 18 May
Time: 10:00am – 2:00pm
During your visit, you will have the chance to:
Take a guided tour of our facilities
Meet our dedicated teachers and student leaders
Learn about our academic programs, co-curricular activities, and faith-based values
Discover how we nurture students to become confident, compassionate and capable young people
Please register your intention to attend.
We look forward to welcoming you to Mount St. Joseph Girls' College and sharing what makes our community so special!
Kate Dishon
Principal
Mount St. Joseph Girls' College
133 Maidstone Street Altona
Ph 8398 2000
www.msj.vic.edu.au
