Dear Parents, Carers and Guardians, 

It’s Spring time! 

With only three weeks left until the end of term, there is so much happening at school. I look forward to seeing our students perform at the Eisteddfod this week and a reminder to those parents who wish to attend, that you must purchase tickets to the performances. 

Information about tickets is on the Latrobe City website here: https://www.lve.org.au/tickets.php/  which provides links to the venue's booking site. When you enter the website select “Choral and Vocal Tickets” , then select “Choral GPAC - Main Theatre” on the right hand side. 

I’d like to take the opportunity to thank our Parents and Friends group for their continued support and organisation of the Father’s Day stall on Friday. Wishing all dads and special people a lovely Sunday. 

Building works update: 

You may notice that two shipping containers will arrive in the school yard over the next couple of days. One of these containers will be used to store our PE equipment, and the other will be used for long term storage of library items and other classroom furniture for the duration of the building project. 

The following classes will be relocating to prepare for stage one: 

• 5/6EF will be relocating to the school hall 
• Art and STEM classes will be relocating to the portables 
• 3/4AB will be relocating to the old library space 

We will have removalists onsite this weekend to complete the bulk of the moving, however some teachers, including myself will be assisting with the co-ordination of the move during the school week. Please be patient with us as we navigate this exciting time. 

Whole school gatherings such as assemblies will be placed on hold temporarily. 

Class requests for 2026 

This is the time of year when we begin the process of planning our class lists for the 2026 school year. Whilst this is an onerous and time-consuming task, we are blessed to have such a knowledgeable staff who are aware of each student’s individual needs and work collaboratively to make professional judgements in relation to class planning and student placement.

When deciding our individual class structures, a number of factors are taken into account, which include:

• Student’s social, emotional, academic and physical development
• Student’s cognitive development
• Student relationships
• Family dynamics, eg sibling placement
• Teacher knowledge, skill and expertise
• Enrolment numbers at the various levels
• Practical resources, such as space

If your child has a particular social or emotional  need or there is important information that we should be aware of when considering class placement for the 2026 school year, we ask that parents put this information in writing and submit it via email to principal@stmtraralgon.catholic.edu.au

It is important that your child’s personal needs request be submitted each year as individual circumstances change. We will not be referring to requests made for years previous.  All requests are specifically about your child’s social and emotional needs.  It is not an opportunity to provide requests for particular class structures or teachers. Requests for teachers will not be taken. 

A huge amount of time and effort goes into creating class lists by classroom teachers and the wider leadership group. We ask that parents trust the decisions made by teachers and please recognise that we also have a view on what works well for your child socially, emotionally and academically. Once class lists have been finalised, and reports sent out, changes are not made to grades, as this sets a precedent that cannot be maintained by the school. 

All requests must be received by the close of business on Friday 19th September; no further requests will be taken after this date. 

In recognition of Father’s Day this weekend, I’ll leave you with a little “Dad joke”. Why was the math book so sad? …. Because it was full of problems. 

Kind regards 

Lia DiCorleto

Principal

Luke 14: 25 - 33

In 1st Century culture, family was foremost above everything else; it was the very fibre that held society together. Jesus is saying that discipleship must be put above even that which is most important and most intrinsic to life in this world. That is why he goes on to tell the two stories about the need to count the cost before undertaking an important venture. He makes clear to his listeners that discipleship is more important than anything else and that there are huge costs associated with taking it on. A believer has to literally ‘count the cost’ of what it will mean to place discipleship above family, friendships, career, politics and even life itself. Jesus makes no apologies for the fact that what he is asking is incredibly demanding.

Our ‘possessions’ are all those things – material, emotional, and psychological – that we cling to and that we think give us our identity and status. In this gospel Jesus called for a radical reinterpretation of status and position. He tells his listeners that they cannot truly be disciples if they continue to cling to those things that are considered important in this world. They have to surrender the things that bind them to this world’s ideas of status and position before they can fully embrace the kingdom view of the world. As Jesus said, you have to really count the cost!

I treat my peers, teachers and learning environment with respect.

I show appreciation for the efforts of others.

I speak kindly to others.

I show justice and fairness to all.

I listen carefully to others.

Each year at St Michael’s we support Catholic Mission through the Socktober Project. During this time the students learn about the focus country, discussing and exploring how people live and the needs of the communities. 

The 2025 country of focus is Zambia. Zambia, a country of rich culture, stunning landscapes, and vibrant communities, lies in the heart of southern Africa. From the majestic Victoria Falls to the wildlife-filled plains and warm-hearted people, Zambia is a land of beauty and resilience. Despite its natural wealth and strong spirit, many families face daily challenges, especially in rural areas. Today, one of the most urgent issues is the severe hunger crisis that threatens the wellbeing of millions. 

The Mini Vinnies mission team lead the students at St Michael’s as we became the hands and feet of Jesus in our school, raising awareness and working to make a difference in the lives of those in Zambia. Our first fundraising event for Socktober is a Colouring Competition and Guess the lollies in the jar. For 50c the students are able to enter the colouring competition, choosing an entry to colour. The students might also like to guess the number of lollies in the jar for 50c a guess. The  Mini Vinnies will visit the classrooms each day until the end of the term. Winners will be announced at the beginning of term 4.

We offer hot lunches weekly on a Monday with Munch Lunch. They are a local company that offer a variety of lunch items. 

Ordering is simple, download the Spriggy Schools app via your App Store or Google Play store, select St Michael's School,  add your children and their class to the app and place your order!  Lunches will then be delivered to school. Orders need to be placed by 9:00am on the day. You can pre order lunches 2 weeks in advance.

Contact: Munch Lunch 0459 220 445 or hello.munch.lunch@gmail.com