St. Michael's Primary School ~ Term 3, Week 6

IMPORTANT DATES

Principal's Message

Dear Parents, Carers, and School Community,

As Term 3 progresses, I’m thrilled to share some wonderful moments and important updates from across our school.

Book Week 2025 was a vibrant celebration of storytelling and imagination. Our students enjoyed trips to the local library and the Foundation students were captivated by a live performance that brought a beloved story to life. It was heartwarming to see the joy and engagement as students connected with literature in such meaningful ways.

Alongside these celebrations, I’m proud to announce a significant milestone in our school’s journey. With thoughtful input from our entire staff team, we have refreshed our school identity, including a new vision statement, educational philosophy, and graduate outcomes. These documents reflect our shared vision and values, and they will guide our work in supporting every student to thrive.

I've attached these updated documents to this newsletter for your viewing. They represent our commitment to nurturing learners who are confident, compassionate, and well-prepared for the future.

We have recently updated our Behaviour Flow Chart to include a new "reset" option prior to suspension. This addition is designed to better align with our School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) framework, reinforcing our commitment to restorative practices and proactive behaviour management. The update flow chart is attached to this newsletter. 

Thank you for your continued support and partnership. Together, we are shaping a school community that is inclusive, inspiring, and future-focused.

Warm regards,

Marsha Ardern
Principal

REMINDER - Volunteers Update

We’ve made some changes to our volunteer process to align with best practices in Child Safeguarding. All volunteers are now required to complete an online form, available on our website. If you need assistance accessing it, please contact the school office.

St. Michael’s Primary School is committed to child safety and the inclusion of all children.

Parallel Wilds - Creative Writing @ Book Week

For two days of Book Week, St Michael's was joined by Parallel Wilds; a UK Award Winning 3D Creative Youth Platform. 

The program involved a two day workshop to focus on the future of wilderness and the regenerative power of the natural world. Using a model developed by Parallel Wilds and the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, students researched and developed a creative virtual story through the eyes of a native species.  The St Michael's project is set on the shoreline of Lake Hume, where the students enjoyed an excursion with Parallel Wilds on day 1 of the workshop. 

Parallel Wilds has developed over 35 projects in the region, since its inception at Outdoor School Bogong in 2021. It has had two residencies with Creative Victoria and Regional Arts Victoria in Ovens Valley in 2023. 

The final projects will be on display thanks to Mitta 2 Murray (M2M) Landcare and Towong shire in late October. These will be on display at the Tallangatta Library and online to schools. The stories will be viewed via virtual reality headsets. 

We would like to thank the Mitta to Murray (M2M) Landcare and Border Trust as Trustee for The Towong Community Bushfire Disaster Relief Fund for their contributions, funding and organisation of these activities. 

Fundraiser - WILD Juice 

Thank you to families and friends for your purchases of WILD Juices.    

With your generosity, we have raised $403 for our school.   THANK YOU VERY MUCH! 

Father's and Special Person's Day Events - Friday 5th September 

Please RSVP via the link below for the Breakfast

Lunch Orders - Price Update

Please note price changes for the Lunch Order menu for The Tallangatta Bakery. 

A copy of the Yellow Picket Fence menu is also attached. 

Confirmation Program at St Michael's

Wodonga Catholic Parish in conjunction with St. Michael's Parish will conduct Confirmation and First Eucharist Program for 2025.

Please let Mrs Moffat (Religious Education Leader) - know if your son and or daughter would like to participate in the Sacrament of Confirmation/ Eucharist (First Holy Communion). 

This is a 6 week program held each Wednesday at 3:30 until 4:15 in the St Michael's Library. 

If participating, families will be asked to join in one of the following dates:
Commitment Mass:
- Saturday September 6^th - Wodonga Sacred Heart at 5:00 pm Mass 
- Sunday 7^th September- Sacred Heart in Wodonga at 8:30 am Mass OR 10:30 am Mass.   
- Sunday 14^th September at St Michael's, Tallangatta 11:00am Mass. 

The 6 Weekly sessions will run on Wednesdays from 3:30 to 4:15 at St Michael's School Library with Mrs Moffat. 
Dates are:  10^th and 17^th September, 15th, 22nd, 29^th October and 5^th November.

Confirmation & Eucharist Sacrament Mass options are: 
- Saturday 8th November at Sacred Heart, Wodonga, 5:00 pm 
- Sunday 9th November at Sacred Heart, Wodonga 8:30 am OR 10:30 am.
- Sunday 9^th November at St Michael's, Tallangatta at 11:00 am.

Any questions please email Mez Moffat at mmoffat@smtallangatta.catholic.edu.au Or call the St. Michael's School Office on (02) 60 712386 

Thank you. 

Mrs Mez Moffat 

Sport - Mrs Elisabeth Ryan

NERSSA Athelics Carnival 

On a beautiful sunny day, our whole school travelled to the Les O’Brien Athletics Precinct to take part in the F–6 NERSSA Athletics Day.

NERSSA (North East Rural Small Schools Association) brings together 10 schools from the Indigo and Tallangatta regions, with around 200 students competing and celebrating sport together.

Our Year 3–6 students participated in track events including the 100m, 200m, and 800m races, as well as field events such as discus, shot put, high jump, long jump, and triple jump.

Meanwhile, our Foundation–Year 2 students took part in the 100m sprint followed by a range of fun, skill-based activities.

We are extremely proud of all our students, who represented our school with pride and embodied our three school values of Courage, Community, and Compassion. They showed courage by trying new events, community by cheering on their fellow competitors and displaying great sportsmanship, and compassion by supporting others when events became challenging.

The day was a wonderful success, filled with smiles, achievements, and plenty of fun. A special thank you to our families who came along to support and be part of the day.

Wellbeing & Mental Health

Following from the Grade 6 Mental Health Skateboard Program, completed in May this year with Al's Skate Co., the crew are running a  Skateboard Series from 30 August.   ALL AGES ARE WELCOME.

Foundation - Mrs Elisabeth Ryan

Foundation News
What a wonderful and busy term it has been in Foundation, with so many exciting activities already! We have celebrated 100 Days of School, enjoyed the fun and colour of our Book Week Parade, and taken part in the F–6 Athletics Carnival.

It was fantastic to see all our students giving their best effort and having fun at the Athletics in Albury. There was much excitement as some of the students went on their first bus ride to Athletics.

We are now looking forward to our upcoming visit with the Bolga Court residents at the library, Father's Day Liturgy and breakfast, tree planting day, and of course, our School Concert, which the students have been practising so hard for.

Literacy
In Literacy, we have been busy learning new sounds, letters and tricky words. Our current focus is on consonant digraphs wh and th. In writing, students are working on building their writing stamina and using picture prompts to inspire their creative stories.

Mathematics
Maths has been very hands-on this term with a focus on measurement. The balance scales were a highlight, as students explored and compared objects around the classroom to see which were heavier, lighter, or equal in weight.

Sport
Through Sporting Schools, our students have been lucky to take part in volleyball sessions each week, where they have loved learning new skills and having a go. We also prepared for the Athletics Carnival with games designed to build running, jumping, and throwing skills.

Religion
Our Religion unit, Finding God in All Things, has been a beautiful opportunity to reflect on the importance of friendship and kindness.

Mrs Ryan

Wodonga Catholic Parish News

Hello everyone,

yes, once again it is that time of the week attached is the Parish News.

With all this rain it won't be long before all our seedlings are popping up, hopefully you all got to prune during the colder months and are ready for spring cleaning inside and out!

We have a jammed packed bulletin for this weekend.

Page 2) During the 5pm Mass on Saturday, our newly trained Eucharistic Ministers will be commissioned.

We welcome and congratulate the RCIC candidate who are being baptised during the 8:30am Mass this Sunday. We also welcome candidates and their families as they prepare for the Sacraments of Confirmation and First Eucharist.

Page 4) Peace with Creation.  From Monday September 1st to Saturday October 4th we celebrate "Season of Creation", this year is the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis' Encyclical "Laudato si".

Page 5) An invitation to the National Police Remembrance Day service is Along with other invitations to community event. (FYI Fr Andrew is the Police Chaplain for this area).

Page 6) Caritas Australia has an urgent pledge they are requesting signatures, however, it closes on the 31st this Sunday. Please read the information ASAP.

Page 7) Future dates

Page 8) Safeguarding info and reminders.

I do hope you enjoy the read; remember to share your smile with a stranger or a friend...

Kind regards

Sonni 🌻

Try not to let the rain camouflage the beautiful colours in your world.  

What's On

Rosewood Music Camp - Strathbogie Rangers, Victoria

Border Triathlon Squad

The Border Triathlon Squad are excited to offer to you our 2025 Duathlon Series.

Our events are fun, family-friendly community events designed to encourage kids of all ages and abilities to get active, try something new, and enjoy the outdoors.

We’re especially passionate about offering a welcoming option for those who may not be interested in team sports.

It’s a great opportunity for students to build confidence, fitness, and friendships in a supportive environment.
The events are short, safe, and achievable—even for beginners! Below is a flyer for your consideration.

Thank you so much for your time and support in helping us promote healthy, inclusive sporting opportunities for local kids.

Warm regards,
Jeremy Kent
Border Triathlon Squad        0427 314 207 

Dental Services - Wodonga 

Hello St Michael's School Community,

My name is Alyssa Wood, and I’m the Practice Manager of Central Dental Group in Wodonga. We’re committed to supporting families in our community with high-quality, compassionate dental care, especially when it comes to children’s oral health.

We’d love share the awareness about the importance of regular dental check-ups and to inform families about the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS), which covers up to $1,132 over two calendar years for eligible children.

Our experienced Oral Health Therapist team works closely with young patients and their families to create a relaxed and positive dental experience, whether it’s their first visit or part of ongoing care.

Thank you for your time, and for the wonderful work you do in our community.

Warm regards,

Alyssa Wood