Dear families,

Today we celebrated our parish, Mary Help of Christians' feast day with Mass, Kaboom Sports hosting an action-packed Olympics and a special lunch supplied by Salt and Pepa. Students will no doubt sleep well tonight!

Later this year, the Catholic community in Altona North, in particular, will be celebrating the 40th anniversary of Pope John Paul’s visit to Australia. This visit was very close to our own Fr Michael’s heart as he was assistant priest at St Leo’s when the school was selected as part of the visit. Last week, Fr Michael shared an article about the visit in the church bulletin. It is worth a read. You can access it here.

Each year, as part of our compliance, all schools are asked to prepare a review of the year’s achievements. This document is known as the Annual Report to the School Community. Our Annual Report for the 2025 school year is available for viewing on our website.

Throughout your child's schooling, there will inevitably be times when they struggle with friendships or experience conflict with others. As a parent, I understand how distressing this can be. 

When these situations arise, please do not approach another student directly, no matter how frustrated or upset you may feel. While it may seem natural for parents who know each other well to speak directly when their children's friendship hits a rough patch, even this is best left to the school. What feels like a helpful conversation can quickly become complicated, and we are best placed to handle these matters fairly and consistently. 

Please bring your concerns directly to your child's class teacher in the first instance. They will assess the situation and involve school leadership where necessary. 

Please be aware that approaching another child constitutes a direct breach of the Parent and Guardian Code of Conduct and may result in your child's unenrolment. No parent would want their own child approached by another adult and we ask that you extend the same consideration to others.

Our school disco takes place next Friday evening. I thank the P&F members, parent volunteers and staff members who will help with organising and supervising the event. Classes have nominated their song selections and are ready to party!  

Have a wonderful weekend,

Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

Kind  Safe  Responsible

Kind  Safe  Responsible

Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

There will be two online sessions:

• Tuesday 19 May, 6.30pm – 7.00pm
• Wednesday 10 June, 6.30pm – 7.00pm

The sessions will also be recorded and shared with you, so families unable to attend can access the information.

Please note these sessions are open to all schools transitioning to MACSEYE in Term 3.

For more infromation click here 

Kind  Safe  Responsible

At our school, keeping children safe is a shared responsibility. Child Safe Standards 5 & 6 focus on Equity & Respect for Diversity, and Suitable Staff & Volunteers available.

Child Safe Standards 5 & 6: Creating a Safe, Inclusive and Supportive School for Every Child

At our school, the safety and wellbeing of every child is at the heart of everything we do. Child Safe Standards 5 and 6 help ensure that all children feel safe, respected and supported, and that the adults who work with them are committed to maintaining a child-safe environment.

Child Safe Standard 5: Equity and Respect for Diversity

Child Safe Standard 5 focuses on ensuring that every child feels included and valued, regardless of their background, identity, culture, ability, gender, or life experiences. We recognise that children experience safety in different ways and may require different supports to fully participate and thrive at school.

This means creating learning environments, policies and practices that are inclusive, accessible and responsive to the diverse needs of our students and families. By listening to children and their families, removing barriers to participation and celebrating diversity, we help create a school culture where every child feels a sense of belonging and safety.

How families can support this at home:

• Encourage respectful conversations about diversity and inclusion.
• Celebrate your family's culture and learn about the cultures and experiences of others.
• Help children understand that everyone has different strengths, needs and perspectives.
• Model kindness, empathy and respect in everyday interactions.
• Encourage children to speak up if they see someone being excluded or treated unfairly.

Child Safe Standard 6: Suitable Staff and Volunteers

Child Safe Standard 6 focuses on ensuring that the adults who work and volunteer in our school are suitable, well-prepared and supported to keep children safe.

We prioritise child safety throughout our recruitment processes, including referee checks, background screening and Working with Children Checks where required. All staff and volunteers receive induction and ongoing training to ensure they understand their responsibilities for child safety, including reporting concerns, information sharing and maintaining appropriate records.

Child safety remains a focus throughout employment, with ongoing supervision, professional learning and support to ensure staff and volunteers continue to uphold the highest standards of care and wellbeing for our students.

How families can support this at home:

• Talk regularly with your child about safe and trusted adults in their lives.
• Encourage your child to share any worries, concerns or uncomfortable experiences.
• Remind children that they have the right to feel safe, respected and listened to.
• Support your child to seek help from a trusted adult if something does not feel right.
• Familiarise yourself with the school's child safety policies and procedures.

Together, these standards help us build a school community where every child feels safe, respected and supported to learn, grow and succeed. By working in partnership, schools and families can create consistent messages about safety, respect and inclusion for all children.

For families who would like to learn more about Child Safe Standards 5 and 6, we have included an information sheet with this newsletter.

https://www.smaltona.catholic.edu.au/source/MACS-Care-CSS-5-Parent-Carer-Newsletter-Final-PDF-May-2026%20(2).pdf

 https://www.smaltona.catholic.edu.au/source/MACS-Care-CSS-6-Parent-Carer-Newsletter-Final-PDF-May-2026%20(1).pdf    
  

Together, we all play a part in keeping children safe.

Kind  Safe  Responsible

Our senior student leaders will be selling icy poles & bags of chips for $1 each lunchtime from Monday to Friday. 

All proceeds will go towards supporting the development of our exciting new Ninja Playground.

Thank you for your support in helping us make this fundraiser a success and for giving our students a tasty winter snack this term.

Kind  Safe  Responsible

Attached is the Open Day flyer, which includes a QR code for registration, or you may use the following link: https://www.msj.vic.edu.au/visit-us/open-day-registration

Attached is the Open Morning flyer, which also contains a QR code for registration, or you may use this link: https://www.msj.vic.edu.au/visit-us/open-morning-registration

Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

Dad’s Drinks 

Our next Dad’s Drinks is on Friday 12 June at Mog Brew 22/36 Aberdeen Road Altona 

7pm ‘til late.

More than 20 dads came along to the last catch-up, and we’d love to see even more join us this time. These socials run once a quarter and are a relaxed way to meet other school dads over a drink.

Come for one or stay for a few — just turn up on the night. No RSVP or organising needed.

Kind  Safe  Responsible