Dear Families,

We are almost half way through the term and I hope this newsletter finds you in good health and spirits.

We are thrilled to share the wonderful news that Vanessa Cutajar, a beloved member of our school community, welcomed her daughter, Audrey Sarah Cutajar, into the world on the 19th of October. Both Vanessa and her family are doing well. We send them our heartfelt congratulations and best wishes on this joyous occasion. Belinda Finocchiaro has also welcomed her daughter, Stella Gioia Finocchiaro into the world on October 24. Belinda and her family are well and we wish them all the very best at this special time. 

The 2024 school year is just around the corner, and we will be excited to welcome our students back. Classes for all students will commence on Tuesday, January 30, 2024. Please mark this date on your calendars. If, for any reason, your child will not be returning to STM in 2024, we kindly request that you email us at dhurn@stmhadfield.catholic.edu.au as soon as possible. This will help us with our planning and preparations for the upcoming school year.

We are currently facing a rise in COVID-19 positive cases here at STM. We appreciate the vigilance and responsibility shown by the families who have informed us of these cases. This information is crucial for our ability to maintain a safe school environment. We kindly ask that if your child is feeling unwell or displaying flu-like symptoms, regardless of COVID-19 test results, that you keep your child at home. This measure is especially important because we have immunocompromised students and family members within our school community. Your understanding and cooperation are greatly appreciated in ensuring everyone's safety and wellbeing.

Preparation time before school for teachers is scheduled between 8:30am and 8:50am, this time is crucial for teachers for several reasons but for the most part it is for the benefit of our children. By honouring a teacher's preparation time and following the appropriate communication channels, you contribute to a positive and productive educational environment for your child. If you wish to speak to your child's teacher it is important that you make an appointment. 

To make an appointment with your child's teacher:

• Contact the school or teacher through the appropriate channels. This may involve sending an email or calling the school office.

• Be clear about your purpose for the meeting and the topics you'd like to discuss. This will help the teacher prepare for the conversation.

• Respect the teacher's availability and schedule the appointment at a time that is convenient for both parties.

Thank you for your cooperation regarding this as we want the best for our children here at STM. 

We have raised $32,575! We want to extend our gratitude to everyone who contributed to the success of the recent Colour Run event. Special thanks go to Katia Sayssauk and Alisha Cail for their dedicated time and effort. The proceeds raised from this event will be used to acquire valuable educational resources for our students. Your support and participation in events like these make a significant difference in our school community.

It is coming to that time of year when teachers are working on 2024 Class lists.  Here at STM, we take great care and consideration when forming class lists and our primary focus is to ensure that each student's wellbeing and educational needs are at the forefront of our decision-making process. We understand that the placement of students in classes is a matter of great importance to both parents and students, and we want to assure you that we approach this task with the utmost dedication to fostering a positive and productive learning environment.

Our dedicated staff work collaboratively to create class lists that consider a variety of factors, including:

• Academic Needs: We strive to balance classes to provide an equitable distribution of abilities, enabling each student to learn at their optimal level and receive the appropriate support or challenges as needed.

• Social Dynamics: We take into account the social dynamics among students to create classrooms that encourage positive relationships and a sense of belonging.

• Teacher Expertise: We align students with teachers who possess the expertise to meet their specific educational needs and learning styles.

• Considerations: We do carefully consider any requests that have been put forward to us from families. These need to be communicated each year to me via email at dhurn@stmhadfield.catholic.edu.au Please understand that while we make every effort to accommodate individual requests and considerations, we cannot always meet every specific request due to the complexities of creating balanced class lists. However, please rest assured that we do our best to create an inclusive and supportive environment for every student.

We thank you for your trust and partnership in providing the best educational experience for your child. Together, we can ensure a positive and nurturing environment for all our students.

A letter regarding school fees and levies for the upcoming academic year will be sent out to your email addresses in the coming days. We understand that transparency and clear communication are vital when it comes to financial matters, and we are committed to ensuring that you have all the information you need to plan for the year ahead. This letter will also include instructions on how to make payments, as well as contact information should you have any questions or require assistance. We value your partnership in your child's education, and we aim to make the process of handling fees and levies as straightforward as possible.

As you may recall, late last year, we announced that our school had submitted an application for a Capital Fund Grant to enhance our facilities and buildings. We are thrilled to share that our application was successful, and we have been granted an incredible $2 million!

This substantial grant is a significant step toward improving our school's infrastructure, with a particular focus on the Junior Building. The refurbishment of this building is set to commence in late Term 1 of 2024. We are excited about the positive changes this will bring to our school environment, enhancing the learning experience for our students.

While this is excellent news, it's important to note that during the refurbishment process, some classes will need to be temporarily relocated to other areas within the school. Please rest assured that careful planning and coordination are underway in collaboration with Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools to minimize any disruption to our students and teachers.

We are committed to keeping our school community informed and engaged throughout this exciting transformation. Regular updates on the refurbishment progress, scheduling, and any necessary adjustments will be provided as they become available.

This grant and the forthcoming refurbishment are a testament to the dedication and hard work of our school community, and we want to express our gratitude to all who have contributed to making this project a reality.

Warm regards,
David Hurn
Principal 

Click this link to subscribe directly to our STM Public Events Google Calendar for web or Android users. Click this link to subscribe if you are an iPhone user. 

OCTOBER

• Friday 27th - World Teacher's Day celebrated in Australia

NOVEMBER

• Friday 3rd - Curriculum Day - Student Free Day

• Monday 6th - Report Writing day - Student Free Day

• Tuesday 7th - Public Holiday - Melbourne Cup Day

• Tuesday 14th - 2025 Prep Orientation Day 9.15-11.00am

• Tuesday 21st - 2025 Prep Orientation Day 9.15-11.00am

DECEMBER

• Tuesday 5th - Volunteers Day

• Thursday 7th - Carols Evening 5.30-7.30pm

• Wednesday 13th - End of term Mass at 10.00am - all families welcome to attend

• Thursday 14th - Year 6 Graduation

• Friday 15th - Last Day Term 4 12.00pm finish; gold coin donation charity TBC; canteen closed

**'Public Events' are listed on our website under 'News and Events', the link being; https://www.stmhadfield.catholic.edu.au/news-events

On the bottom right hand side there is a blue box with a + symbol. If you have a google account, you can link the 'Public Events' calendar to your own personal Google calendar and keep up to date with the most current events and times.

Please don't hesitate to contact the office if you have any questions.

JANUARY

• Monday  29th - Staff return to school 

• Tuesday 30th - All students, including Preps, return to school

• Wednesday 31st - Preps have Wednesdays off in January and February

FEBRUARY

• Wednesday 07th - Preps have Wednesdays off in February

• Wednesday 14th - Preps have Wednesdays off in February

• Wednesday 21st - Preps have Wednesdays off in February

• Wednesday 28th - Preps have Wednesdays off in February

MARCH

• Tuesday 05th - School Photos

• Monday 11th - Labour Day Public Holiday

• Tuesday 12th - 2025 Enrolment Tours at 9.30am

• Tuesday 19th - 2025 Enrolment Tours at 9.30am & 6.30pm

• Friday 22nd - 2025 Prep enrolments due

• Thursday 28th - Last day term 1 2024 - 12.00pm finish

• Friday 29th - Good Friday

**'Public Events' are listed on our website under 'News and Events', the link being; https://www.stmhadfield.catholic.edu.au/news-events

On the bottom right hand side there is a blue box with a + symbol. If you have a google account, you can link the 'Public Events' calendar to your own personal Google calendar and keep up to date with the most current events and times.

Please don't hesitate to contact the office if you have any questions.

Author’s Corner

This week we celebrate writing pieces from our Year 5s. They recently completed a Poetry unit where they investigated many poetic devices including repetition and  onomatopoeia. They followed the List Poem structure.

The Lego Hunt

I got home and ran to the lounge room, 

I went directly to the chairs,

My first thought was what should I create, 

My head was stumbled on what to build, 

All I could think about was lego.

I remembered I had a half built lego set in my room, 

I started sprinting to my room, 

Where I found the lego and sprinted back to the living room,

And then I started building!

Lego goes click!

Lego goes click!

Lego goes click!

My head got stumbled again, 

My lego is nearly done, 

But there was one piece missing from the lego set, 

I started getting drastic and started throwing cushions on the ground.

Bang!

Crash!

Bang!

Crash!

I began crying, the one place I didn’t look was inside the box. 

I tipped the box and found the last piece, 

I stuck it to the lego, 

And ran to go eat.

After that I begged my mum to make me stay and play,

But she said ‘Tomorrow… okay?’

So I went to bed to begin the next day ahead.

Florentina (year 5)

They also studied the emotional picture book Girl on Wire. Here, they investigated grammar in context and word choice. They were given an extract  from the book, and were asked to innovate from this. Here are two examples where they changed the vocabulary while carefully maintaining the meaning of the story. 

Disturbing clouds surge and the wire lightly waves around as the girl lifts her foot. She blocks her nose, takes a deep breath and creeps towards the end of the wire. Her dress blowing in the wind, around her legs. 

Matteo T (year 5)

Blizzard clouds wave and the thread lightly clouts as the girl lifts her foot. She clenches her breath and shuffles straight, her dress stirring over her legs.

Marcus (year 5)

Julie Hanna,
Literacy Leader

HOPE IN A SUITCASE 

We are deeply grateful to the exceptional Grade 6 students  and teachers who have shown incredible dedication and compassion in their efforts to support the non-profit organization, 'Hope in a Suitcase.' With unwavering commitment, the Grade 6 students embarked on a mission to make a difference in the lives of these vulnerable children. They demonstrated initiative by independently raising funds to create suitcases filled with love, hope, and essential items for those in foster care.

The photos we have captured tell a heartwarming story of their determination and selflessness. These images reflect the extent to which these students have worked tirelessly, pouring their energy, time, and resources into assembling these vital care packages.Thank you for being the change we wish to see in the world.