Dear Parents and Carers,

It’s been a short but very busy term, filled with plenty of activity. Many students and families I spoke with this morning are looking forward to a well-deserved break. Whether you're holidaying near or far, I hope your time away is restful, filled with special moments with family and friends and that you return refreshed and reenergised for Term 4.

Planning has commenced for the 2026 school year and as part of that process we need to ascertain if any students will not be returning to St Paul’s in 2026. If your child is not returning to St Paul’s in 2026 could you please send me an email (jtreagus@spbentleigh.catholic.edu.au) by the end of Week 1 Term 4.

We congratulate Mrs Steph Allen and her husband Josh as they are expecting their first child in January. Steph will finish the year and will commence her maternity leave in 2026. Year 1A were very excited to hear the news this morning and we look forward to sharing this journey with Steph.

Thank you to the 39 families who have completed the MACSISS Survey. Ideally it would be great to get more families to complete it so we can analyse the data more effectively. It takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. The links were sent out on 8th September. If you need it resent, please contact the office.

This Friday, students are invited to wear their favourite footy team colours to celebrate Footy Colours Day. While it’s always a fun way to wrap up the term, it’s also part of a national fundraising campaign supporting the Fight Cancer Foundation, which helps children living with cancer continue their education during treatment. This year, in recognition of the cause and with one of our school dads serving as an ambassador, the P&F Association is proud to donate $500 on behalf of the school. Thank you for helping us make a difference, both in our community and beyond. We will begin Footy Day on Friday with a whole school parade at 9:15am followed by some football based activities. A very big thank you to Catherine Wensley for organising a special day for the students too. 

Our school concert rehearsals are going well. We had our first whole school rehearsal last Thursday where we ran the show from beginning to end with leads and classes together. It was wonderful for the leads to have an audience. Concert tickets will go on sale in Week 1 of Term 4 and the programme will go on sale this week. This year we have put together a program for our school concert. It will be professionally printed, 24 full colour pages commemorating this year’s spectacular school concert "From Page to Stage". It is packed with stunning photos, cast features, class items and exclusive behind the scenes content. Pre-purchase is essential. Programs will be ordered based on pre purchasing sales and only a limited number of programs will be available on the night if they have not sold out beforehand. 

As parents, guiding our children through the complexities of the online world can be a real challenge. With constantly changing platforms and a wide range of opinions about what’s appropriate, it’s easy to feel one step behind, despite being fairly tech savvy ourselves. The reality is, our children are often five steps ahead. As we head into the school holidays, it’s a great time to review and refresh the boundaries we set around technology use at home. Two key strategies can make a big difference:

1. Keep devices in shared spaces – Encourage the use of phones, tablets and computers in open areas of the house rather than in bedrooms. This makes it easier to stay connected with what your child is viewing and engaging with online.
   
   
2. Set clear time limits – Agree on healthy screen time boundaries to ensure a balanced mix of online and offline activities over the break.
   
   

Creating a safe and supportive digital environment at home helps our children develop healthy online habits that will serve them well into the future.

Some further information is available in the links below.

Social media age restrictions

eSafety Commissioner: Social Media Changes

Have a lovely break and I look forward to seeing everyone back in Term 4.

Jussahra Treagus

Term 3 Dates: Monday 21 July - Friday 19 September

Friday 19th September - Last day of term, finish 2.30pm

Term 4 Dates: Monday 6 October - Tuesday 16 December

We are thrilled to announce the completion of our new junior playground! Our students are absolutely loving the space and it has already become a hub of laughter, fun and friendship during recess and lunchtime.

A huge thank you to our Parents and Friends Association (P&F) for their incredible fundraising efforts, which made this project possible. Your support not only brings joy to our students but also enhances the school environment for everyone.

Seeing the children explore, climb and play together reminds us of how important these spaces are for their wellbeing, social skills and overall happiness at school. The playground is more than just equipment, it’s a place where friendships grow and memories are made.

We are so grateful to everyone involved in bringing this project to life and can’t wait to see the children enjoy it for years to come!

Last Thursday our school came together to celebrate R U OK? Day with some wonderful lunchtime activities organised by our SRC. The aim was to encourage our children to check in with each other, spread kindness and remember that a simple conversation can make a big difference in someone’s day.

Near the amphitheatre, students took part in a variety of activities to celebrate R U OK? Day. They wrote uplifting messages on a Sticky Note Bench to brighten the school community, created heartfelt notes at a Letter-Writing Station to say thank you or check in with friends and teachers, and enjoyed calming word searches and colouring-in activities to reflect and relax. The day finished with a lively Dance Party where everyone was invited to share their best moves and spread positive vibes. The Tuckshop also got involved providing yellow foods which was very exciting!

It was wonderful to see our students engaging with the true spirit of R U OK? Day, fostering connection, kindness and support for one another.

We thank the SRC for their leadership and all families for supporting this important message at home. Together, we can help our children build a caring and resilient community.

Remember, a little kindness goes a long way.

What a wonderful way to celebrate our dads and special father figures! The annual Father’s Day Breakfast was a huge success, with the hall buzzing with excitement, laughter and the delicious smell of breakfast treats. And of course, the Father’s Day Raffle was a hit once again, adding a little extra fun and excitement to the day! It was fantastic to see so many families coming together to share a meal and enjoy the morning together.

A special highlight this year was the performance by our school choir, a new initiative that added a heartwarming touch to the event. Their beautiful singing brought smiles to many faces and made the morning even more memorable. A big thank you to Mrs. Wensley for leading the choir and making this lovely addition possible!

The Father’s Day Stall was another highlight, with students choosing thoughtful gifts to show their appreciation. 

A huge thank you to our amazing Parents and Friends (P&F) Committee for all their hard work in organising such a memorable event. From setting up the breakfast to running the stall and raffle, your efforts are truly appreciated by the entire school community.

We are proud to share that our school community is doing an incredible job supporting the St Vincent de Paul Rough Sleeper Packs initiative. Thanks to your generosity, we have been able to collect a fantastic range of essential items that will bring comfort and dignity to those in need.

This term, our passionate Year 6 Social Justice Team will begin assembling the packs, ensuring each one is thoughtfully prepared with care and compassion. These students are showing outstanding leadership and a true commitment to living out our school values by taking action to support the most vulnerable members of our community.

A big thank you to everyone who has contributed so far whether it’s donating items, spreading the word or offering encouragement, your support is making a real difference. Let’s continue to work together to show love in action.

Together, we are living our faith and helping bring hope to those who need it most.

On Thursday 11 September, a group of 10 enthusiastic girls proudly represented our school at the School Sustainability Festival held at St Kilda Town Hall. The event brought together student leaders from across Victoria to celebrate and share environmental initiatives. Our students—Violet, Emma, Kiara, Pia, Matilda, Sofia, Malu, Olivia, Alana and Loretta—took part in a range of inspiring workshops and presentations, and proudly introduced a new initiative called Card to Charm, which involves recycling old cards into bookmarks for use in our school. It was a wonderful day that empowered our students to take meaningful action and reminded us all of the importance of caring for our environment both at school and in the wider community. If anyone would like to donate their old greeting or gift cards to support the project, please send them in to the school office.

Book your child via Xplor Home App – the same way you book OSHC.

If your child is new to OSHC with MACSEYE, please use the link below:

https://prodadmin.myxplor.com/enrollment_v2/centre/UYzTUOQ2WhGB34CeQ9uR3Q