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Prayer
Prayer
Learning Area News
Learning Area News
Principal News
Principal News
Monday 24 November
Dear families,
It’s hard to believe we’ve arrived at this point in the year, with Christmas just a month away. As we approach December, our hearts and minds turn to the beginning of Advent, a time of reflection and preparation in the Catholic Church. This Sunday, we will light the first candle on the Advent wreath, marking the start of this sacred season. For Catholics, the first candle symbolises hope—a reminder of the hope brought to the world through the coming of Christ. As we journey through these weeks of Advent, may we take time to pause, reflect, and prepare our hearts for the joy of Christmas.
The Power of Reading
Reading complex books whether it is reading aloud with someone, independently, or sharing a story together as a family, has an enormous impact on a child’s vocabulary, communication skills and writing development. We encourage families to visit our Learning and Teaching green tab (above), where we have shared a selection of rich texts you might enjoy together at home or use to gently spark your child’s interest in reading. These titles also make wonderful Christmas stocking fillers.
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” – Dr. Seuss
🎄 Christmas Picnic – Let’s Celebrate Together! 🎅
Thursday 4 December from 5:30pm-7:30pm
With our 2025 school production now behind us, it’s time to celebrate as a FAMILY community- children, staff and parents together in one space! Join us for our Christmas Picnic, a joyful evening filled with live Christmas music, great food, and plenty of festive fun.
We’ll have Food Passion serving up coffee, the canteen open with gelati and super doopers, and of course a special visit from Santa! Don’t miss the raffle.
Please clear your schedules, bring your whole family, or team up with another family and come along dressed in your favourite Christmas clothes, jumpers, or festive accessories. Let’s spread the cheer and celebrate our wonderful community together — we can’t wait to see you there!
St Derby Café Mega Raffle – Supporting Our School Community!
We’re thrilled to announce our annual St Derby Café Raffle and this year, the prizes are better than ever!
🏆 1st Prize: $3,000 off school fees
🥈 2nd Prize: $2,000 off school fees
🥉 3rd Prize: $1,000 off school fees
A huge thank you to Danny and Paula for their incredible and ongoing support of our school and families.
🎟️ How to enter:
Purchase raffle tickets directly through the school – each $10 raised will go towards the installation of a school lift (elevator) planned for 2026-2027
Or, spend $30 or more at St Derby Café to receive a raffle ticket.
Let’s get behind this great cause and make our dream of improved accessibility a reality!
What's coming up this fortnight...
Tue 25 Nov: Year 4 Incursion - Coastal Nectar
Wed 26 Nov: Prep Excursion - Animal Land Diggers Rest
Wed 26 Nov: SAC Meeting - 7pm - members only
Thur 27 Nov: Assembly 2:50pm parents welcome
Fri 28 Nov: Staff Professional Learning- School Closure for students
Mon 1 Dec: Year 4 Camp
Tue 2 Dec: Year 4 Camp
Wed 3 Dec: Year 4 Camp Recovery - no school for Year 4 students
Wed 3 Dec: St Aloysius College Orientation Day
Wed 3 Dec: St Derby School Raffle Closes
Thur 4 Dec: Father James Year 6 class visit - 11:40am
Thur 4 Dec: Christmas Picnic - 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Fri 5 Dec: PEGS Orientation Day
Fri 5 Dec: Penola Orientation Day
Fri 5 Dec: Library Closure - all books returned by today
Fri 5 Dec: Zooper Dooper Friday - 3:30 - 3:50pm
Have a great week.
Delfina Pieri
Principal
Important Dates and Events
Important Dates and Events
Term 4
Monday 6 October- Tuesday 16 December- 1pm dismissal for students
2025 School Closures
Friday 28 November: Professional Learning Day- No school for students
2026 Sacrament Dates
We are currently awaiting final approval from the Parish Office for the Sacrament of Eucharist and Reconciliation. We anticipate these dates will be confirmed later this week, and a Compass alert will be sent once they are finalised.
Confirmation- Friday 27 March at 5:30pm
Term Four
Week 10
Mon 8 Dec: 2026 Prep Assessment Bookings Open
Mon 8 Dec: St Columba's Orientation Day
Mon 8 Dec: Ave Maria Orientation Day
Tue 9 Dec: Simonds College Orientation Day
Tue 9 Dec: Parade Orientation Day
Tue 9 Dec: OLMC Orientation Day
Tue 9 Dec: Strathmore Secondary College Orientation Day
Tue 9 Dec: Essendon Keilor Secondary College Orientation Day
Tue 9 Dec: Salesian College Orientation Day
Wed 10 Dec: Volunteer's Afternoon Tea - 2:50pm - 3:20pm
Wed 10 Dec: SAC Dinner - 6:30pm members only
Thur 11 Dec: 2026 Prep Assessment Bookings Close
Thur 11 Dec: Year 6 Pre-Graduation Nibbles & Refreshments - 5pm - 6pm
Thur 11 Dec: Year 6 Graduation Mass and Ceremony - 6:30pm
Fri 12 Dec: Year 6 Big Day Out - Funfields
Fri 12 Dec: Assembly - 2:50pm parents welcome
Fri 12 Dec: Zooper Dooper Friday - 3:30 - 3:50pm
Week 11
Mon 15 Dec: Moving Up Day
Tue 16 Dec: End of Year Mass - Whole School - 10 am parents welcome
Tue 16 Dec: End of Year - 1pm Dismissal
Parish News
Parish News
Student Administration News
Student Administration News
Second Hand Uniform Store Will Open This Week!
Our Second Hand Uniform store will open this week (26 & 27 November).
The store runs every fortnight of term (week - 2, 4, 6, 8) at the following times:
Wednesday morning: 8.35am – 9.00am
Thursday afternoon: 3:20pm – 3.45pm
All items cost $10 each. Cash payments only at this stage.
DONATIONS:
If you have any good quality school uniform items that your child/children have outgrown and you would like to donate to our Second Hand Uniform Store, please drop them off at our school office.
LIBRARY WILL CLOSE FRIDAY 5 DECEMBER - Week 9
Please note that our school library will close for the year on Friday 5 December for end of year processing. We kindly ask that all students return any borrowed library books by this date to ensure our collection is processed and ready for the new year. Thank you for your co-operation.
Sun Smart - School Hat Required
Our Sun Smart policy is now in place for all students.
All students require a school hat for outdoor activities. This includes lunch breaks, sports lessons and any activity outside the classroom. If your child doesn't have a school hat, please send another sun smart option until a school hat can be arranged.
Please make your child's hat is clearly labelled with their name.
Thank you for your help.
Lost Property
To help reduce classroom interruptions and ensure students make the most of their learning and play time, lost property is only available for collection:
Before school (8:35am - 8:45am)
End of the school (3:30pm - 3:45pm)
We kindly ask parents and students to check for any missing items during these times.
Thank you for your support in helping us keep our school organised!
Extended Leave Form
If you are planning a family holiday or scheduled extended leave from school, please download the Extended Leave Form, complete and return to our school office.
Click here to access the form.
Paper copies are also available for collection from our school office.
Thank you for your assistance.
Thank you to all our parents that have been able to complete the following permissions. If you missed this, please take a moment to read and complete the following permissions for your child via Google Form:
⭐️ ICT: Chromebook, Photography & Seesaw - this permission covers a few important areas. (Parents of students in Years 3–6, please review the Chromebook Agreement with your child to ensure a shared understanding of responsible use).
⭐️ Sunscreen Application Consent
If you are unable to access Google Forms, please contact our school office for assistance.
Thank you for your cooperation!
Carol Leone/Katherine Darmanin
Office Administration
Extend News - Before and After School Care
Extend News - Before and After School Care
Parents & Friends News
Parents & Friends News
Subway Lunch
The P&F Committee sends a massive THANK YOU for supporting Monday’s Subway Lunch Day!
A big shout-out to our fantastic volunteers who made the day run so smoothly:
Elisa: For coordinating the event.
Danica, Annalise, and Clare: For volunteering to organise and distribute the lunches on Monday.
Your time and effort are truly appreciated. These events help us raise vital funds for the school while providing a fun lunch for the kids!
Friday Afternoon Fun
The P&F Committee will be selling Zooper Doopers for $1 each at the school bell each Friday afternoon until the end of Term 4. So start collecting gold coins and don’t forget to bring them on Fridays! If you can spare 30-45mins on one or more Fridays, please volunteer via the link below.
Volunteer here - volunteersignup.org/CE9T7
Canteen News
Canteen News
Classroom Cuisine have added a Mexican Inspired Salad with Corn Chips and Tortellini Pasta Salad to our main course selection.
Also, the Simple Salad Roll is back due to popular demand! The subsequent courses now include a Raspberry Jelly Cup and a Bag of Grapes, to take advantage of the seasonal produce.
Term 4 Canteen Volunteer Roster - Now Open!
Hello everyone
Volunteer opportunities for "Term 4 2025 Canteen Volunteer Roster" are now open.
WE HAVE SOME OPEN SPOTS FOR THIS THURSDAY.
Please click on the following web link (or copy it into your web browser if clicking doesn't work) to go to the signup sheet:
To sign up, just follow the instructions on the page. It only takes a few seconds to do.
Thank you for volunteering!
Student Awards
Student Awards
Awards will be printed in Monday's newsletter. Please be on the look out for your child's name.
Two children from each class will receive awards for displaying the below dispositions in their learning. They will receive their certificates at our fortnightly assembly on Fridays that take place on even weeks Week 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 at 2:50pm in our school hall. PLEASE NOTE: THURSDAY 27 NOVEMBEER this week.
Parents are welcome to attend our fortnightly assemblies.
Risk Taking Russ Resilient Ruth Self Motivated Sally Reflective Rita Persistent Pete Curious Carter Collaborative Cody
Year Prep
YEAR PM
Olive B for being a curious learner as demonstrated by her confidence to check her learning with the teacher when she is unsure.
Liana C for being a resilient learner as demonstrated by her increased confidence in the classroom, Well Done Liana!
YEAR PV
Benjamin C for being a curious learner, as demonstrated by his eagerness to check on the growth of his Grass Head Harry each morning.
Riccardo D for being a risk taking learner as demonstrated by his increasing confidence to share his ideas and knowledge during classroom discussions.
YEAR PW
Oliver G for being a risk taking learner as demonstrated by his enthusiasm to challenge himself across all learning areas.
Shuvaan K for being a collaborative learner as demonstrated by his confidence to ask relevant and interesting questions during Show and Tell.
Year One
YEAR 1B
Sage H for being a risk taking learner as demonstrated by the way she challenged herself to make ten in different ways.
Electra K for being a resilient learner as demonstrated by the way she acknowledges the positive actions of her friends.
YEAR 1H
Adam B for being a risk taking learner as demonstrated by the way he challenged himself to solve multiplication problems.
Luca B for being a curious learner as demonstrated by being attentive during class discussions and asking relevant questions to deepen his understanding.
Year Two
YEAR 2A
Oscar H for being a persistent learner as demonstrated by the way he is able to stay on task and always is ready for learning.
Lara N for being a reflective learner as demonstrated by her willingness to learn new things and give everything a go.
YEAR 2G
Norah H for being a risk taking learner as demonstrated by the way she has been contributing to class discussion more over the last term.
Dirk T for being a resilient learner as demonstrated by the way he has come out of his comfort zone, regulated his emotions and developed new friendships.
YEAR 2R
Ellie for being a collaborative learner as demonstrated by the way she listens thoughtfully to others and shares stories with her peers to express her perspective.
George H for being a collaborative learner as demonstrated by the way he shares his learning with others, particularly when teaching his classmates about technology.
Year Three
YEAR 3L
Sienna C for being a persistent learner as demonstrated by her focused effort, perseverance through challenges, and pride in completing her work to a high standard.
Belle C for being a reflective learner as demonstrated by her thoughtful consideration of feedback, awareness of her learning journey and commitment to continually improving her work.
YEAR 3P
Jordan E for being a curious learner, as demonstrated by his enthusiasm for exploring new ideas and his interest in asking questions that extend his understanding.
Sam M for being a collaborative learner, as demonstrated by his thoughtful contributions during group activities and his ability to listen respectfully and support his peers.
Year Four
YEAR 4D
Etta for being a collaborative learner as demonstrated by the way she made contributions and supported and included others in group work tasks.
Billy for being a collaborative learner as demonstrated by the way he worked as part of a group to share ideas and listen to each other when completing his Religion Poster.
YEAR 4G
Mia H for being a self motivated learner as demonstrated by her effort to remove distractions and ensure she is fully prepared and focused before beginning her learning.
Rafferty C for being a reflective learner as demonstrated by the way he analysed his work and sought feedback on how to make improvements.
Year Five
YEAR 5JL
Ava F for being a collaborative learner as demonstrated in RE lesson. Your thought provoking questions encouraged a whole class discussion through wonderings and evaluations of The Church and our world.
Julian S for being a risk taking learner as demonstrated in Mathematics. You explored and tested other challenging examples to support your theory of solving percentages of a given number.
YEAR 5M
Dante M for being a self motivated learner as demonstrated by the way he has been actively engaging in his learning and joining in sharing his thinking during whole class discussions.
Vivaan R for being a collaborative learner as demonstrated by the way he has taken on feedback to participate in sharing his knowledge and ideas.
Year Six
YEAR 6F
Liana L for being a persistent learner as demonstrated by how she maintains her focus on set tasks through to completion.
Lara U for being a risk taking learner as demonstrated by her approach to classroom discussions and the deeper thinking questions she asks particularly in our Religion lessons.
YEAR 6N
Tayla W for being a resilient learner as demonstrated by way she approaches challenges with a positive, can do mindset.
Alex C for being a reflective learner, demonstrated by his ability to apply his understanding of sustainability when considering how to best take action in his own life.
School Noticeboard- Special Acknowledgements
School Noticeboard- Special Acknowledgements
Our School Community Notice Board acknowledges special Staff or School Family News. It allows us to be connected through prayer while we are apart and it is something I would really like to continue when we are back together again. If you have a particular event happening in your life e.g. birth or death and would like us to acknowledge this event please email me. We as a school community would love to offer prayers and thoughts to you during times of great joy or sadness.
principal@sopascoevale.catholic.edu.au
Congratulations Laura & Jake!
Our whole school community sends its heartfelt congratulations to our beautiful LSO, Laura who celebrated her marriage to Jake on Saturday, 25 October.
We wish the happy couple a lifetime filled with love, laughter and wonderful adventures together. May this new chapter be full of joy and cherished memories. God bless.
Congratulations Diana & Jordan!
Our whole school community sends its heartfelt congratulations to our beautiful LSO, Diana who celebrated her marriage to Jordan on Sunday, 26 October.
We wish the happy couple a lifetime filled with love, laughter and wonderful adventures together. May this new chapter be full of joy and cherished memories. God bless.
Our school community extends its heartfelt condolences to the Hansen family on the passing of Maree Hansen - mother to Warren, mother-in-law to Monica, and beloved grandmother to Sage (1B) on 11 November 2025.
We hold the family in our thoughts during this difficult time and offer our support, prayers and deepest sympathy. May you find comfort in cherished memories and the love of those around you. God bless.
Community News and Events
Community News and Events
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