Dear Parents,

Grandparents Day

Last Thursday we celebrated an incredible morning with grandparents and special friends.  My heartfelt thanks to Julie Ko and her amazing team of helpers for making this event truly special and meaningful.   It did not go unnoticed how much preparation was involved in allowing our students to create such wonderful memories and we really appreciate everyone's time and effort.

Seeing so many people filled the morning with warmth, love, and a sense of community that we cherish deeply. 

Thank you to all who attended and for being a part of this memorable occasion.

** if you are missing a platter please come to the office to claim yours **

Winter Market

On behalf of the St Paul's community, I wanted to extend our deepest gratitude to Toni Anderson and all the parent helpers for their incredible support in promoting and running the Winter Market - we are truly grateful for your dedication and efforts.  As always a massive thanks to Danny Maher who worked tirelessly over the entire weekend.  It was so lovely to see so many students and families enjoying the market and braving the cold temperatures.

Co-ordinators

Cake Stall - Kristina Rafferty

Books - Tanya Sawtell and Melanie Hoffman

Clothes - Alice Woloshenko and Marisa Manakis

Trash and Treasure - Elisa Nicolo

Sausage sizzle - Mary Van Dyk

Upcoming Events 

Tuesday 30 July and Wednesday 31 July - Parent Teacher interviews FINISH TIME 2.30PM

Friday 2 August 100 Days of Prep

Friday 2 August Wear a touch of green and gold Year 1 - 6

Friday 2 August Uniform shop open 8.30 - 9.00am

Monday 5 August Whole School Assembly 3pm

Monday 19 August Whole School Assembly 3pm

Monday 2 September Whole School Assembly 3pm

Monday 9 September - School Closure Day

Monday 16 Septmeber Whole School Assembly 3pm

2024 School Closure Days

Monday 4 November - School Closure Day

Tuesday 5 November - Melbourne Cup Public Holiday

Friday 29 November - School Closure Day

Wishing everyone a lovely week ahead.

Kind regards,

Freda

The First Eucharist masses held over the weekend went exceptionally well, with two beautiful ceremonies marking this significant milestone for the children. The young participants were thoroughly prepared by their dedicated teachers, Mrs. Cathy Lawrence, Mrs. Liz Heath, and Ms. Carlene Whitten, with invaluable support from Marg Mitchell. This sacrament, the second in the series of initiation following baptism, was a joyous and spiritually enriching experience for all involved, reflecting the hard work and commitment of the educators and the children's earnestness in embracing their faith journey. 

“I was grateful to have time with my family and to receive the host. It felt very special to be up around the altar during Mass” - Orlando Fucile 4W

“I liked having my family over afterwards because it was nice to have them supporting me. I am also grateful that I could receive the body of Jesus.” - Ella Baker 4W

“I was thankful that I got to go to another level of the Catholic community by receiving the body of Christ.” - Hayden Challis 4LH

“I was grateful for having the host and my family cheering and supporting me.” - Lillian Leondaris 4LH

This year St Paul’s is participating in the Bullying No Way: National week of action, 12 to 16 August 2024.

Bullying No Way Week is a commitment being made by thousands of schools and supporters across the country. It provides an opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to bullying prevention. It gives us an opportunity to connect with students, staff and school communities to implement workable solutions to prevent bullying. 

The new hero colour for the campaign is purple – symbolising peace, strength and empowerment to take a stand against bullying behaviour.

The theme for this year's campaign is Everyone Belongs. This theme highlights the importance of creating a sense of belonging and inclusion for students. We recognise bullying often thrives in environments where individuals feel marginalised or excluded, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure that every student feels valued and respected.

“Positive school climates that value diversity and inclusion can foster a sense of belonging and provide a protective factor against negative peer relationships and reduce bullying.” (Australian Education Research Organisation 2023).

For more information about Bullying No Way Week and bullying prevention, visit the Bullying No Way website.

During week five, we will be engaging students in meaningful discussions and activities aimed at promoting empathy, understanding, and respect for diversity. We encourage parents and carers to take this opportunity to have open and honest conversations with their children about the impact of bullying and what they can do if they need support. You can visit the Bullying No Way website for tips around how to have this discussion.

You can access the school’s bullying prevention policy to learn more about our process for preventing and responding to bullying.

If you have concerns that your child is being bullied, please contact the classroom teacher in the first instance. If you believe the behaviour constitutes a crime, or is a serious incident of cyberbullying, please refer to the Bullying No Way website for information on how to report to other authorities and access wellbeing help.

St. Paul’s Primary School would like to acknowledge and congratulate Loretta Wise (5K) for reaching her goal of raising $138 for Sacred Heart Mission by recycling plastic bottles and aluminium cans through the Victorian Container Deposit Scheme (VCDS). Loretta’s generous donation will assist in supporting those experiencing homelessness by providing hot meals, crisis accommodation and support services. This act of kindness is a profound reflection of faith in action, demonstrating how individual efforts can contribute to the greater good and embody the values of compassion and community support.

Below is a photograph of Loretta meeting Narelle Whiteley, the Community Fundraising Officer for Sacred Heart Mission, who was delighted to accept Loretta’s donation. Congratulations Loretta!

Please find attached our newsletter containing what we’ve been up to the last two weeks, as well as what’s coming up this week, including our menu.

With the Government Child Care Subsidy (CCS), parents can significantly reduce the cost of our program. For example, the full price for the "Holiday HQ" program is $70.00 per day, but after applying the CCS, the cost drops to just $7.00 per day. Similarly, for "Rise then Shine" and "Stay and Play" programs, which offer different booking options such as Adventure Packs and Early Bird Adventures, the fees after subsidy are only a fraction of the full price. The subsidized fees range from as low as $7.16 to $15.96.

Visit our website for more information: https://www.oshclub.com.au/find-us/st-paul-s-school-bentleigh/

Each year, we take the time to listen to our students, families, and staff to understand how our learning community is progressing. This feedback is crucial for our growth as effective school communities, supported by evidence-based research and best practices. One significant and formal method for gathering this data is through MACSSIS, the Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools – School Improvement Surveys. These surveys, developed specifically for Catholic schools in Melbourne by the Learning Services team at MACS in collaboration with Learning First researchers, provide invaluable insights.

Students, families, and staff are once again invited to participate in MACSSIS through our secure, purpose-built online platform. School leaders will use this platform to access summary reports that visualize the results of the surveys.

The MACSSIS survey platform is managed by ORIMA Research Pty Ltd, an independent supplier that ensures high security and privacy standards for handling student and school data. Participating schools are updating their privacy policies to ensure our school communities are fully informed and protected.

Our students will have supervised sessions where teachers can assist and answer any questions. Families and staff can complete the survey anytime during the three-week window from Monday, 2nd September to Friday, 20th September, via an emailed link and password.

Your feedback is vital to understanding our school's performance. MACSSIS is a key data source for guiding our continuous improvement efforts. Participation is completely voluntary and not a test; it is an inclusive way to support our ongoing work. While everyone has the right to opt out or withdraw from the survey, we highly value parent voice. Please notify the school if your child does not wish to participate.

Remember also that Families who do participate will go in the running to win one of two $100 school fee discounts on offer.