Dear Parents and Carers,

I trust all families have had a wonderful start to Term 3. Whilst it has been a chilly start to the term, I am enjoying the sun and lack of wind the last few days has brought to Melbourne.

The P&F and the school community have done a wonderful job fundraising for the school over the past year. We are very excited to announce that due to the fantastic fundraising efforts, we will be installing a new Junior School playground. The playground is due to begin in early September and will be ready for use before the end of Term 3. We thank each and every family for their continued support and can not wait to see the new playground in action. We also thank the Semester One SRC representatives for their input into the playground.

We congratulate our Prep students who will have been at school for 100 days this Friday. The growth we witness from their first day to their 100th is enormous. We look forward to seeing all the students (and Prep teachers) dress up on Friday. Thank you to Natalie Birthisel and Jess Walker for their organisation of this day.

I am often asked what the difference is between an acting principal and a principal. My answer is usually very short. There really isn’t a lot of difference. An acting principal has the same duties, responsibilities and decision-making authority as a principal. The only real difference is the title. "Acting" is used when the previous principal is still employed or during the interim period while the position is being advertised and filled. At this stage, I’m no wiser about what the future holds for me but please rest assured that the school is in good hands. We expect to have more news by the end of the term.

Jussahra Treagus

Upcoming Dates to note

Term 3 Dates: Monday 21 July - Friday 19 September

Tuesday 22 July onwards - STOMP dance continues

Friday 8 August - 100 days of Prep

Monday 11 August - Whole School Assembly 2.50pm

Friday 15 August - Second hand uniform shop open 8.30 - 9.15

Monday 18th - 21st August - Book Week Fair

Friday 22nd August - Book Week Parade 9am (parents welcome)

Monday 25 August - Whole School Assembly 2.50pm

Thursday 4 September - Father's Day Stall

Friday 5 September - Father's Day breakfast

Monday 8 September - Whole School Assembly 2.50pm

Friday 12 September - RU OK Day? celebration

Friday 19 September - last day of term, finish 2.30pm

Term 4 Dates: Monday 6 October - Tuesday 16 December

On Sunday 27th July, the Year 6 students from St Paul’s, St Peter’s and St Catherine’s came together to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation at the magnificent St Patrick’s Cathedral in the city.

It was a truly beautiful day filled with reverence, joy and the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit. The students were exceptionally well-prepared and participated with great reverence and maturity.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Year 6 teachers, Danielle, Oliver and Kassy for their dedication and thoughtful preparation of the students for this significant milestone in their faith journey.

We also gratefully acknowledge the many staff members who gave their time to attend and support the students on the day, assisting with various tasks and offering their encouragement.

It was a memorable and faith-filled occasion for all involved.

What a beautiful day we had celebrating Grandparents and Special Friends Day! It was heartwarming to see so many smiling faces as students welcomed their grandparents or special visitors into their classrooms in the morning. 

Following the classroom visits, we gathered as a school community for a reverent and uplifting Mass led by Father Jacob. We thank Mrs Wensley and the beautiful choir for the spectacular job they did in singing at Mass.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the parents and friends who volunteered their time to help make the day run smoothly. From setting up to serving and cleaning up, your support made the event possible.

A very special mention goes to Basti in Year 6, who played the piano so beautifully. It was a joy to see you share your talent with us all.

The morning tea was nothing short of incredible and many grandparents commented on how touched and grateful they were for the warm hospitality and thoughtfulness.

Grandparents and special friends play such an important role in the lives of our students. They offer wisdom, love, guidance and unwavering support. Days like this remind us how valuable these relationships are and how blessed we are to have them in our community.

Thank you once again to everyone who helped make this day one to remember.

From Monday 18th to Friday 22nd August (Week 5), we’ll be celebrating Book Week at St Paul's with a range of activities across the school. This year’s theme, "Book an Adventure", encourages students to explore new stories and enjoy rich, meaningful experiences with literature.

Throughout the week, students will take part in themed activities such as Book Trivia and The Masked Reader, where they’ll try to guess which teacher is behind the book. On Friday, students are invited to come dressed as a character from a book for our Book Week Parade, which will be held in the amphitheatre at 9:00am. Families are warmly invited to attend.

After the parade, students will take part in Junior & Senior multi-age activity rotations based on this year’s CBCA’s shortlisted books. 

We look forward to a week of fun, learning and shared experiences as Book Week brings our school community together. We’re especially keen to see the thought and creativity students put into their costumes for the Friday parade.