St Luke the Evangelist School Newsletter

Good afternoon Families,

Thank you for an incredible term of partnership, joy in learning and opportunities for growing our beautiful faith filled community. We have achieved so much with our children … celebrating First Eucharist being a highlight for our Year 4 children and their families. In addition to this our Middle school children have had the excitement of camp in the city. We have celebrated our very special Dads, grandfathers and special men and our lovely LSOs who do an amazing job every single day. Our children represented St Luke’s at the District Athletics Meet last Friday and WON the event! Congratulations to every child who participated and to those who will be going on to the Division Athletics competition early next term. More information will follow soon.

Since the P&F launched the 2026 Colour Run, we have been having a load of fun with the initiatives being set each week. Steph has been slimed, kids have won vouchers for a host of different activities and most recently Clinton Connane and one worried principal got slimed. It didn’t look pretty but it was just about as good as it gets in the fun stakes. We have a month left until our Colour Run actually happens… Thank you to Dani and the crew for all of your hard work behind the scenes and THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK UP FRONT. We have more sliming to happen and you won’t believe who will be up next. We have picked a name out of the Colour Run participants for our T4 Carpark and the winner is… The MITRI family.

Thank you to the many families who responded to the P&F survey over the past couple of weeks. Here are the results:

• Art incursions and resources, 

• Kitchen Garden

• Lockers for Years 3-6

• Upgrade netball rings with nets.

• School music band - instruments/ music teacher

• More new books for the library. 

• Redoing back garden/veggie patch and adding in a fairy garden

• Chess club, 3D printing, art club, visits from senior kids at surrounding catholic high schools to spend a 'day' supporting staff with art projects or activities at the school.

• funds that put smiles on kids faces-  a bike shelter to encourage good health by riding to school and not having a wet bike at the end of the day. 

• St Lukes could build stronger relationships with local sporting clubs which could provide more access to discounted sporting equipment, facilities and helpers. Footy - Blackburn FC, Basketball - Kangas, Soccer - BNFC, Netball - Rozellas, Cricket - Laburnam CC. 

• Resources and teacher training to support support the neurodivergent students

• Guest speakers, workshops from outside providers

Thank you so much to the many families who completed our 2025 MACSSIS survey. Your feedback is invaluable and helps us make St Luke’s the very best school it can be.Now, the winner of the gift voucher is the Soro family.

Please inform me if your child is not returning to St Luke’s next year. This does not apply to Year 6 children who are moving on to secondary schools. Parents are required to communicate this with the principal at: principal@slblackburnsth.catholic.edu.au 

The period when parents can make requests for classes next year is now open. Whilst every request will be considered, it may not always be possible to action the request. Our teachers and leadership team spend many hours trying to get the class combinations right. Late requests after step up day in the last week of school cannot be actioned, unfortunately. Parents have until the end of Week 3 next term to submit their request to me at principal@slblackburnsth.catholic.edu.au 

Have a really wonderful third term break. I hope families enjoy some time together, relaxing and enjoying our emerging Spring weather. Those wishes extend to the staff who make up our committed and dynamic team. They continue to amaze me with how hard they work.

As always, l will look forward to seeing you in Week 4 next term. Julie Inglese will be returning from her leave and l know l leave St Luke’s in great hands with her as Acting Principal.

Clare

A reminder that the questionnaire for the free service offered by the Department of Education's Victorian School Nursing Program is due during the school holidays.

Please access the program via the QR code on the information material provided to each family. 

If you do not wish to participate please still access the questionnaire via the QR code and answer No to participating. 

Do you have family or friends that have children starting school in 2026?

If you have not completed an application for 2026 enrolment, please visit our school website and complete the online application form.  The application will prompt you to attach any documents required for the application.

If you know of a family looking for a wonderful school, please promote our school and encourage them to attend an upcoming open morning or a personal tour.  All dates for open morning are available on our website via the quick tabs 'Book a Tour' or 'Enrol' on the homepage.

Please also encourage families looking for an alternate school for older year levels to consider St Lukes!

Please note:  To start primary school in 2026, children will need to turn 5 years old by 30 April 2026.  Schooling is compulsory for children who have turned 6 years old.

SMART WATCHES & MOBILE PHONES

If a child wears a smart watch to school, it must be de-activated so the child is not receiving or sending messages etc...

Mobile Phones are requested to be left at the office in the morning and collected at the end of the day. 

FOOD ALLERGIES:

Allergic reactions to food… can be harmful to our children. For that reason we ask parents to think carefully about what they are packing in their child’s lunch boxes. Occasionally, something might slip through and once aware, we take precautions to ensure the safety of every child. As stated in the Family Handbook 2025:

We are an EGG and NUT free school due to the allergies of children within our community.  We ask that parents respect this request and the potential harm this could do to children if brought to school.

Thank you for your care and attention to this.

CHILDREN ARRIVING AFTER THE BELL OR LEAVING EARLY:

As part of our wellbeing care of children at St Luke's, every class engages in a morning routine at 8.50 am.  This quiet, calm time allows children to gather together in a circle, to greet each other by name, to pray and/or enter into some Christian meditation and get ready for the day.  Please make sure you allow enough time to get your child to school BEFORE 8.50 am.

If children arrive after the gate and student entry doors are locked, parents/carers are required to walk their child/ren to the school office and sign them in on the VPass iPad.

If leaving early (before the end of the day), parents/carers are required to sign their child/ren out on the VPASS iPad.

BUY/SELL SECONDHAND UNIFORM:

Join the St Luke's Primary School Blackburn South Buy/Sell Uniform group on Facebook to buy/sell uniform with other parents. We are trying to remove any items of clothing that have the OLD LOGO WITH South Blackburn or Sth Blackburn on it. Please do not purchase these items. Thank you.