Hello to Students, Parents, Staff and Friends of St Matthew’s,
What a term it has been, only nine weeks long but with two short weeks included and we have achieved so much. Although it has been a short term, it has been an extremely busy one.
One of the greatest challenges we have had has been the sicknesses of both staff and students in this term. We need to congratulate the leadership team, fulltime and part time staff, who often had to forgo their normal roles and other duties so that they could jump into a grade to teach and supervise as finding Emergency teachers was absolutely impossible. Some neighbouring primary and secondary schools closed temporarily or reverted back to Distance Learning for a day or two. We have been able to stay open and conduct business as usual, thank God. We thank our students, who have been so good, patient and understanding when these sudden changes happened, sometimes on the spot.
Today and tomorrow all families who come into the school will be able to see the culmination of the work completed in every grade by the SCIENCE EXPO displays, from the Grade 6 creation of actual flying planes, to the grade ones and their creation of musical instruments. Don’t forget to check them out during Parent Teacher interviews.
It has been an amazing Term 2, beginning on the very first day with a beautiful Anzac service led by Mr Kavanagh’s Grade 4 students followed by a very successful Mother’s Day Stall, Playgroup got up and running again (Mon & Thurs 9-11am), Year 4 Eucharist day, First Holy Communions, Year 5 & 6 Interschool Sport and Interschool Cross Country.
Then there were the many incursions and excursions: Werribee Zoo, Phizzics, Moorabbin Air Museum, Mini Beasts (Butterflies and Stick Insects), PrimeSCI, Positive Schools Dance, the State Library, (courtesy of the Ardoch Foundation) and Scienceworks.
In amongst all of this we also had Family Week (don’t forget to check out the family tree outside the Grade 3 classrooms) see picture below. There was also two weeks of NAPLAN and a Wellbeing Closure day where the staff learnt how to have a better work-life balance, to reduce their time on emails, how to try and recover after the last two years of lock downs, distance learning and the stressors of teaching.
YEAR PREP – 6 ENROLMENTS ARE CLOSING THIS FRIDAY 24TH JUNE
Thank you to those families who have come in and taken an enrolment package and also thank you to those families who have already returned their completed enrolment forms. This already helps us enormously in planning for 2023.
PREP ACCEPTED STUDENTS FOR 2023 INTERVIEWS
In this last week of this term and the first week of Term 3 we are interviewing those families that have accepted our offer of a place in Prep for 2023.
SCHOOL UNIFORM
It has come to my and the staff’s attention that a number of students have been wearing incorrect uniform as the term has worn on.
· Black School shoes (no runners) should be worn every day except PE / Sport days.
· School beanies are the only beanies to be worn to school as they school uniform.
· Long sleeved white school shirts should be tucked into skirts and pants at all times.
· Our Winter Jackets are optional, but very warm and water proof.
Parents we have a lovely uniform, which looks great when all in place, so we ask for your assistance with this please.
As we all feel very much exhausted heading into the term holidays, Parents please make sure that you also enjoy a relaxing and enjoyable two weeks with your family and friends.
I look forward to seeing all your smiling faces back at school at 8:40am on Monday11th July. Stay warm, safe and well.
Yours Sincerely,
Bob Brown - Principal