Dear Parents and Carers,

It’s hard to believe we’re already approaching the halfway point of the term! So much has happened already, and there are still many exciting events ahead. I want to thank everyone for their continued support as I settle into life at St. Paul’s. I know some families have asked about my future plans, and while I don’t have any updates to share at this stage, please be assured that I will communicate any news with you as soon as I am able to.

A huge thank you to our wonderful Parents & Friends (P&F) Committee for organising a beautiful Mother’s Day breakfast and stall. It was lovely to see the St. Paul’s community on full display again and the joy shared among families during the event. A special thank you to the dads who set up, cooked the BBQ and served food, your efforts were very much appreciated! We hope all our mums and special people had a lovely Mother’s Day and enjoyed the thoughtful gifts chosen by their children from the stall.

On Wednesday, our leadership team attended the School Improvement Network day alongside over 200 school leaders from the Southern region. The day allowed us to engage with the MACS Vision for Instruction and reflect on our school’s Annual Action Plan. We explored how clear, structured and intentional teaching practices, particularly through explicit instruction, can support improved student outcomes. Already, our teachers and students have been introduced to a range of explicit teaching approaches and engagement strategies in both English and Mathematics. Over the coming weeks, we will continue to build on this foundation by exploring and implementing further strategies to enhance student learning and outcomes across the school.

Teachers have begun the assessment process in preparation for the upcoming student reports. As part of this process, students will complete a combination of standardised tests and routine classroom assessments. These assessments will help provide teachers with a comprehensive picture of each student’s progress and achievement.

This year we are also working with updates to the Victorian Curriculum. Version 2.0 of the curriculum has been introduced in several learning areas, with the English and Mathematics curriculum now fully implemented under this updated framework. These changes aim to ensure a more contemporary and relevant learning experience for students. Please refer to the attached letter from Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) for further details about the curriculum changes.

With the colder weather that has now arrived, I remind families that students should be wearing their full Winter uniform.

Thank you again for your continued support.

Kind regards,

Jussahra Treagus

Support St Paul’s Through the School Building Fund

As we approach the end of the financial year, we invite our school community to consider making a tax-deductible contribution to the St Paul’s School Building Fund (SBF). Your support will go directly towards vital roof maintenance works on the main building. The SBF is endorsed by the Australian Taxation Office as a Deductible Gift Recipient, meaning all donations are fully tax-deductible and receipts will be provided for your tax return. Contributions, whether one-off or ongoing, will be held in a dedicated SBF account and used exclusively for this and future capital improvements. If you would like to contribute or have any questions please do not hesitate to contact the school.

Parking and road safety 2025

We ask parents to talk to your children about travelling to school safely and to ALWAYS stop at the crossings and walk their bike or scooter to the other side of the road to ensure the safety of all pedestrians and members of our community.

This is a reminder that under no circumstances are cars to be driving up and down the Church driveway for pick up or drop off.

As mentioned previously, this is a pedestrian thoroughfare and it is far too dangerous to have vehicles doing Uturns, parking and reversing in this area before and after school.

We trust you will understand how important this safety issue is to protect pedestrians and children on bikes and scooters.

There are many parking bays on Higgins Rd for parents to park and walk their children to and from school. Please be aware of the red parking zones near the crossing, which are not to be used for parking between 8 - 9:30am and 2:30 - 4pm on school days. 

Riddle Street parking outside the Tennis Courts is a drop off zone only. Parents are asked not to park and exit their vehicle; this is a “kiss-and-go” drop off point.

In the interests of keeping everyone safe, especially the students, and to keep traffic flowing, parents are asked to NOT make U-turns here. Whilst there may be road works and blockages in and around the school at the moment, we do ask that you please continue driving along Riddle Street, rather than trying to turn around. We thank you for your understanding with this, as we try to create a safe drop off and pick up zone for the students.  

 Mother's Day

Confirmation Underway!

Our Year 6 students have been preparing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. Over the past few weeks, they have been researching their chosen Saints and reflecting on the virtues they hope to live out in their own lives.

Last Wednesday evening, students and their families attended a special Confirmation Family Workshop. Together, they explored the meaning of Confirmation, the Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit and created meaningful artworks that will be proudly displayed around our school.

Over the weekend, students also took part in their Confirmation Presentation Mass at our parish church. This was a special opportunity to be formally presented to the parish community and share their commitment to their faith journey.

We are especially excited that this year’s Confirmation will be held at St Patrick’s Cathedral in the city. We thank our families, teachers and parish team for their support and ask our school community to keep our Year 6 students in their prayers during this important time.

Upcoming Dates to note

Monday 26 May - Whole School Assembly 3.00 pm

Thursday 5 June - School disco 

Friday 6 June - School Closure Day

Monday 9 June - King's Birthday Holiday

Friday 13 June - First Eucharist Reflection Day

Tuesday 1 July - Parent Teachers Interviews from 4pm

Wednesday 2 July - Parent Teachers Interviews from 2pm. Finish 1.30pm

Friday 4 July - last day of term - Finish 2.30pm

Thursday 24 July - Confirmation Reflection Day

Term 3 Dates: Monday 21 July - Friday 19 September

Term 4 Dates: Monday 6 October - Tuesday 16 December

Today, the Year 1 students were invited to a special event at the Bentleigh Library. The occasion marked the appointment of an ambassador to oversee the public libraries in the Glen Eira region. Minister Nick Staikos was present to officially award this significant role to well-known author Andrea Rowe.

Minister Staikos spoke passionately about the importance of libraries in our communities, highlighting how they are safe, inclusive spaces that foster a love of reading, learning, and connection. He explained that the new ambassador role would help strengthen community ties to public libraries and support their continued growth and relevance.

Andrea Rowe, the newly appointed ambassador, is best known for her book Jetty Jumping, which she read aloud to the students during the event. The children were captivated by her storytelling and thoroughly enjoyed the experience of hearing the book read by the author herself. Andrea also shared the inspiration behind Jetty Jumping and spoke about how her own childhood experiences influenced the story. The students were engaged and curious, asking thoughtful questions and reflecting on the themes of courage, friendship, and trying something new.

It was a memorable morning for our Year 1 students, who left feeling inspired and excited about the magic of books and the important role that libraries play in our lives.

Bentleigh District Cross Country 2025

On Tuesday, 6th May, St. Paul’s entered a team of 42 Runners in the B.D.S. Cross Country Championship. The children ran extremely well and St. Paul’s finished 4th overall and won the Adjusted Points Shield which is decided by a handicap system.  A fantastic result!

From the 42 runners we had 5 children who qualified to run in the Beachside Division Cross Country on Tuesday 27th May at Bald Hill Park. They are:

Malu Martin - 1st - 12/13yr Girls

Jess Zalcman - 7th - 11yr Girls

James Pye - 7th - 11yr Boys

Stella Densley - 2nd - 9/10yr Girls

Matilda Nunn - 6th - 9/10yr Girls

We wish them all the best at Beachside Division!

Danny Maher

Phys Ed / Sport Coordinator