Morning Drop-Off and Duty of Care

At St Matthew’s, the safety and well-being of our students are our highest priority. We appreciate the trust parents and carers place in us every day.

We would like to remind families that staff supervision begins at 8:30am, when the school gates open. It is only after the students enter the school grounds, they are under the school’s duty of care. 

To support student safety, we ask families to remind their children to:

• Upon arrival, enter the school grounds immediately, and do not linger near the gates.
• Once they arrive, they should remain inside the school grounds, even if they see a friend, pet, or their ball outside the gate (and in this instance, they need to see one of the teachers on playground duty).
• Be mindful of traffic and road safety when arriving and leaving school.

We appreciate your support in ensuring a safe start to the school day for all students. 

Thank You – Swimming Carnival Success!

I would like to thank Dillon Payne and Daniel Hunt for their fantastic coordination of our Swimming Carnival at Stromlo Leisure Centre. Their hard work and organisation ensured a smooth and enjoyable event for all!

We are also incredibly grateful to our wonderful parent volunteers  Dan Marks, Greg Watman, Jaimi Pigram, Nat Munoz, Francine Larobina, Quyen Pindral, Susan Sturgeon, Jo Canty and Cheryl Toussaint who gave their time to support the event. Their help was invaluable in making the day a success!

A big congratulations to all our students for their fantastic behaviour, enthusiastic participation, and outstanding sportsmanship. It was wonderful to see everyone giving their best effort and cheering on their peers.

Introducing InitiaLit – Our New Literacy Program

At St Matthew’s, we are continually committed to providing a strong foundation in literacy for all students. This year, we are excited to introduce InitiaLit, a research-based literacy program designed to support early reading, writing, and spelling development.

What is InitiaLit?
InitiaLit is a structured synthetic phonics program that provides a systematic and explicit approach to teaching reading and spelling. It is designed for Kindergarten to Year 2 and aligns with the latest research on how children best learn to read.

How Does InitiaLit Work?

• Phonemic Awareness & Phonics – Students learn to recognise and manipulate sounds in words, which is essential for reading and spelling.
• Letter-Sound Knowledge – The program teaches children to connect letters with their sounds, allowing them to decode words effectively.
• Reading & Comprehension – InitiaLit incorporates engaging stories and structured lessons to build vocabulary and comprehension skills.
• Writing & Spelling – Students develop spelling and writing skills through structured, explicit teaching.

Why InitiaLit?
InitiaLit provides an engaging and structured approach to early literacy, ensuring that all students build a strong foundation in reading and writing. Its evidence-based methods are designed to give children confidence and success in literacy from the start. Additionally, it ties in seamlessly with our Tier 2 MiniLit intervention program, which provides extra support for students who need additional help with reading skills. By implementing InitiaLit alongside MiniLit, we endeavour to provide the instruction and support all students need to thrive in literacy. 

St Matthew’s Homework Statement of Practice

Research shows mixed results regarding homework's impact on student achievement. While some studies suggest a minor positive effect, we believe homework can be beneficial when it is achievable, independent, and aligned with classroom learning. It also helps students develop time management and responsibility.

Our Approach to Homework:
At St Matthew’s, we value the connection between home and school. Our homework approach aims to:

• Strengthen literacy and numeracy skills.
• Develop responsibility, time management, and organisation.
• Provide opportunities to consolidate classroom learning.

We also recognise the importance of family time and community activities. Parents are encouraged to supervise homework and communicate any concerns with teachers.

Core Homework Activities:
All students are expected to read every night and complete revision tasks. Recommended homework times vary by year level and focus on essential skills such as reading, sight words, and numeracy practice.

Home Reading Program
Our home reading program will commence over the next few weeks, and we appreciate your support with this. Research shows that reading for just 20 minutes a day exposes children to approximately 1.8 million words per year, significantly improving their vocabulary, comprehension, and overall academic success.

School Fees – Term 1

School fee invoices will be distributed in Week 3 or Week 4. Families can make payments in regular BPay instalments throughout the year or in bulk.

Your school fees and the School Buildings Levy support the delivery of high-quality education, the funding of all staff, and the maintenance and improvement of school facilities. 

It is a policy of the Archdiocese that no student should be refused enrolment, excluded, or disadvantaged because their family is unable to afford fees. If you have any concerns that the 2025 fees may cause hardship for you and your family, I encourage you to contact me for a confidential discussion on the assistance available to support your child. 

If you require assistance with payment arrangements, don't hesitate to get in touch with our Finance Manager, Chris.

Birthday Thanks!

I typically like to let my birthdays slip by without a fuss, but last week, I celebrated a milestone birthday at St. Matthew's, and the staff and students made sure it was a day to remember. The warm wishes, birthday songs, and kind gestures from students, staff, parents, and carers made my day extremely special.

Thank you all for your thoughtfulness and kindness. It reminded me once again of what an incredible school community we have. I feel so blessed to be a part of it.