Thank You – Parents and Carers Breakfast

A big thank you to all our wonderful parents, carers, dads, grandpas and special friends who joined us for our Donuts with Dad, Muffins with Mum (or vice versa) breakfast on Friday, 5 September. It was so lovely to see such a fantastic turnout and to share the morning together as a community.

A special thanks also to Mrs Marzano for preparing the students for their beautiful performance. As always, their singing was delightful!  

Events like these remind us what a special community we have at St Matthew’s.

St Matthew’s Promotion Video

We are excited to share our brand-new St Matthew’s promotion video! 
You can view it here: St Matthew’s Promotion Video

Please feel free to share it with family, friends, and anyone who may be considering St Matthew’s for their child. We still have vacancies in our Kindergarten and Year One classes for 2025, as well as Kindergarten enrolments open for 2026.

First Eucharist

This weekend, we keep in our prayers all of our students who will be making the Sacrament of First Eucharist. We wish them every blessing as they take this important step in their faith journey.

We warmly invite families to join us in celebrating this special occasion at Mass on Saturday evening at 6.00pm or Sunday morning at 8.30am.

Thank you to Monsignor John, Miss Murdock, Miss Levi, Mr Payne, and especially to the families for the guidance, preparation, and support given to the children as they prepared for this Sacrament.

Toys and Key Chains at School

We know how much children love their toys and personal treasures, but we kindly ask that these remain at home where they are safe and sound. At school, we provide plenty of resources for students to learn and play, and it’s easy for toys brought from home to get lost or broken – something we know can be very upsetting.

We also ask that students keep bag decorations and key chains to a maximum of two. Too many can make bags tricky to store and weigh them down.

Thank you for your support!

Conference Highlights 

In Weeks 5 and 6, I had the privilege of attending the Australian Catholic Education Commission (ACEC) and Australian Primary Principals Association (APPA) Conferences, which brought together principals and leaders from across Australia to hear from inspiring speakers and share in professional learning. The conferences were both thought-provoking and, at times, deeply moving (yes, there were tears!), with themes of resilience, teamwork, and human connection woven throughout.  I’d like to share the sessions that particularly stood out for me.

1. Building Stronger Family Partnerships

Dr. Steve Constantino reminded us that real family engagement goes beyond attending events—it’s about building meaningful, two-way relationships. He encouraged schools to reflect on how we communicate with families and to focus on trust, openness, and shared purpose. His message was clear: when schools and families work together, everyone benefits.

2. Supporting Teacher Growth

Dylan William spoke about how teachers grow best through ongoing, practical learning. He introduced a model in which small groups of teachers meet regularly to share ideas, try new strategies, and support one another. This type of collaboration enables teachers to enhance their teaching practices, ultimately benefiting their students.

3. Balancing Technology and Human Connection

Simon Breakspear explored the role of AI in education. While technology can help with tasks like planning and summarising, he stressed the importance of keeping learning human. Schools should remain places where students think deeply, connect with others, and experience real-world learning through arts, literature and performances.

4. The Power of Teamwork

Libby Trickett, OAM, Olympic gold medallist and former world-record-holding swimmer, reflected on her career, particularly her experiences at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. What initially seemed like a disappointing Games for her turned around in her final event, the 4×100-metre medley relay. In a fiercely contested race, the Australian team surged ahead to claim gold and set a new world record.

Libby spoke powerfully about the importance of teamwork—how we achieve more together, and how we need to pick one another up when times are tough. This message is particularly relevant today, given it's RU OK? Day. She also shared her honest thoughts about life beyond sport, raising five children, and living with neurodiversity.

5. Building Human Connections

Gill Hicks, survivor of the 2005 London Underground bombings, shared with us her experience of being in the same train carriage as the bomber. She experienced horrific injuries, including losing both her legs in the explosion. She shared her journey, including retracing the memorial route from King’s Cross to Tavistock Square with faith leaders to honour the victims. Gill now dedicates her life to peace advocacy and building human connections. She works in the field of anti-terrorism, and her story was a remarkable testimony to resilience, hope, and the brilliance of humanity.

Both Libby and Gill reminded us that life is about connection—supporting one another, standing together, and never underestimating the strength that comes from community.

Thank you!

Finally, I would like to thank the staff who filled my shoes while I was away: Petra Cole, who stepped into the Acting Principal role; Sophie Murdock and Darren Roberts, who took on additional jobs along with many of our other staff. I am deeply grateful for their leadership and to all staff for ensuring things continued so smoothly at St Matthew’s during my absence.

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