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Dear Families,
We welcome everyone back for Term Three and hope that you had an enjoyable time over the school holidays. It has been wonderful to see so many smiling faces coming into school this morning, despite the cold and drizzly weather.
We have a busy term ahead with many things to look forward to: our beginning of term Mass this Thursday at 10am, Grandparents Day on the morning of 25th July, the celebration of the Sacrament of First Eucharist for students in Year 4, our biannual Art Show in Week 8, just to name a few.
We hope everyone settles into the term ready to support each other to learn and grow together.
Tribute to Shane Foster
It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Shane Foster, father to Max and Ingrid in Year 6 and loving husband to Mariah. Shane was diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease in 2023 and had been bravely fighting the ‘beast’.
Even as it became difficult for Shane to get around, he was still there for Max and Ingrid at all the important events in their lives.
Since being diagnosed, Shane has raised awareness for MND and this year participated in the Great MND relay, with many friends and family members participating. Max and Ingrid have also led the charge by raising awareness here at school with bake sales.
This past Friday was Shane’s funeral service at the Sandringham Yacht Club. It was a beautiful service for Shane with some of his favourite music from ACDC and, of course, the Collingwood theme song. People who spoke about Shane reflected on what a wonderful person he was: a dedicated husband and father, a cutting edge paramedic who had an extraordinary career and had such an influence on his profession. Mariah spoke about their time together and the love they had for each other as a family.
It was so touching to see staff and families from St Paul's attend either in person or online. He would have been so grateful for the support.
Shane was bid a grand farewell with a guard of honour from the ambulance service, helicopters flying overhead as a mark of respect, and bagpipes ushering him to his final resting place.
Mariah would like to thank the community of St Paul's for their support throughout this difficult time. But more than anything, the family wanted to celebrate his extraordinary life.
Many of our families have known Shane and Mariah for many years. As a school community, we will be there to support them in any way we can.
Shane was a proud man and a proud father.
May he rest in eternal peace.
May we remember him for his kind heart and his strong sense of compassion.
Welcome
This term we welcome the Al-Dabbagh family to St Paul's. Nathaniel is starting in 5K and Milana in 1A. We are so excited to have you and look forward to getting to know you.
Year 5 and 6 Expo
We are thrilled to share the highlights of the Year 5 and 6 Expo, which took place during the last week of Term Two. This special event was inspired by our ‘Who's Your Mob?’ project, where students delved into their family histories and explored how their ancestors came to Australia.
It was truly heartwarming to see so many families, including many grandparents, attending the expo and supporting their children. The enthusiasm and pride displayed by our students were evident as they showcased their migration stories and cultural heritage.
The students collaborated diligently within their groups to bring their projects to life. Their hard work was noticeable in the impressive displays and presentations. Some students went above and beyond by dressing up in traditional costumes, cooking and sharing delicious foods from their cultures and even incorporating music and sports into their presentations. Their efforts made the expo a vibrant and engaging celebration of our diverse backgrounds.
This unit was a wonderful culmination of our wellbeing program, where we have been learning about Friendology and celebrating our unique differences. It was a perfect opportunity to embrace who we are and be proud of our individuality.
The buzz and excitement of the expo reflected the spirit of community and pride that defines our school. Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to making this event a memorable experience for our students.
We look forward to more opportunities to celebrate our students' achievements and learn from each other in the future!
Wacky Hair Day
What a great day it was on the last day of term with some crazy hair styles and lots of purple around the school. As a community we have raised $600 for the Epilepsy Foundation - well done everyone!
New Senior Playground
The new senior adventure playground is now scheduled to be installed next week! Adventure Plus, the company that has designed the equipment, has been able to move us up in their schedule, much earlier than the anticipated date in late August. They will be organising the removal of the old playground and have the new playground installed by Friday 26 July. We anticipate the new playground to be ready on Monday 29 July. Mr Maher will be speaking with the children about safety before the playground is christened for its first play.
Thank you once again to all families for your unwavering support and commitment to raising funds for this. We look forward to seeing the smiles on our students faces as they enjoy the new senior space for years to come.
Upcoming Events
Thursday 18 July - Beginning of Term Mass 10am
Friday 19 July - Books and clothes donations for the Winter Market
Monday 22 July - Whole School Assembly 3.00pm
Thursday 25 July - Grandparents and Special Friends Morning
Friday 26 July - Toys and small trash & treasure donations for the Winter Market
Saturday 27 July - Large trash & treasure donations for the Winter Market
Sunday 28 July - Winter Market
Wednesday 31 July and Thursday 1 August - Parent Teacher interviews
2024 School Closure Days
Monday 9 September - School Closure Day
Monday 4 November - School Closure Day
Tuesday 5 November - Melbourne Cup Public Holiday
Friday 29 November - School Closure Day
Kind regards,
Freda
Upcoming First Eucharist Celebrations
We are excited to announce the upcoming First Eucharist celebrations on Saturday 27th July, Sunday 28th July, and Saturday 10th August. In preparation, our students will participate in a Reflection Day this Friday 19th July, which will help them deepen their understanding of this important sacrament. Please keep these Year 4 students in your prayers as they take this significant step in their faith journey.
Don’t forget Grandparents Day is next week, Thursday 25 July. This is such a special day for the students and their special friend / grandparents and we can't wait to welcome everyone.
* Parents please remember to bring a plate of food on the day to the hall *
9am: Grandparents join classroom activities
10am: Grandparents Mass
10.50am: Grandparents morning tea in the hall.
Please ensure that you email your photo for Grandparents Day to Margy D'Rozario (mdrozario@spbentleigh.catholic.edu.au) by this Friday 19 July to ensure that it is included in the slideshow for the Mass.
Today, you will have received an email with details about the 2024 MACSSIS Survey. This important survey is a low-impact, high-return tool designed to collect data that informs Catholic school improvement. MACSSIS gathers perception data, giving us valuable insights into what different members of our school community think and feel about their learning environment. We are then able to analyse and interpret this data, to direct the future planning and improvement of our school.
As a token of our appreciation, those who complete the survey will be entered into a draw to win one of two chances to have $100 taken off their school fees. Your feedback is crucial in helping us create a better learning environment for everyone. We really appreciate parents taking the time to complete this survey when it opens on the 2nd of September. Further information will be provided over the coming weeks.
