

Our School
St Jude's Parish Primary School
St. Jude’s Parish Primary School is located at 30 Warrandyte Road Langwarrin. St. Jude’s provides a well rounded education where spiritual, social & emotional and academic learning is based on Christian values. We have a strong focus on sustainability and teach each child that they are stewards of the land and their choices make a difference to the world that we all share.
Our school motto Mercy, Peace, Love
Alongside our motto we have three schoolwide expectations which are closely linked to our Christian values. These expectations are for every member of our school community.
At St. Jude’s everyone has the right to be treated with respect.
At St. Jude’s everyone has the right to feel safe.
At St. Jude’s everyone has the right to learn.
The school is divided into three learning areas for junior, middle & senior classes. Each area has space where students can participate in flexible groupings and cross year level activities. In addition to the classrooms there is a hall, gymnasium, library, music room, art room, community cafe, kitchen, canteen, student wellbeing centre, and administration block.
The school grounds are vast and include a football oval, basketball, netball and soccer courts, two adventure playground areas, a vegetable garden, chicken coop and shaded areas.Students can also access play materials from the play pod and the pop-up-play stations.
We offer the following specialist programs:
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Physical Education
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Visual Arts
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Performing Arts
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Library
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Italian
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STEM
We have a dedicated teaching and non-teaching staff who are committed to teaching the whole child and meeting each individual where they are on their learning journey be it spiritual, academic and social & emotional.

Our Vision
We at St Jude's value a positive community
that is inclusive and respectful of relationships, appreciative of diversity.
We aim to create a learning community
that actively promotes knowledge and skills for a twenty-first century society.
We will provide an engaging and differentiated curriculum, growing the whole person through
a climate of shared culture, and a safe and nurturing environment.
"A Positive Attitude is a little thing that makes a BIG difference."

Our Mission
At St. Jude’s Langwarrin our mission encompasses the five spheres of schooling:
Education in Faith
We, at St. Jude’s, aspire to develop, deepen and celebrate the core of our Catholic faith, primarily through the Eucharist and the Liturgy of the Word. As a faith community we also aim to develop a personal relationship with God through prayer, the Sacraments, the recognition of religious symbols and professional development in Religious Education.
Student Wellbeing
We recognise the individuality of each child within an inclusive environment. We ensure that students develop as people who are taking increasing responsibility for their own spiritual and physical wellbeing. This will foster learning, relationships with others and their role within the local, national and global community. We aim to provide a structure whereby children build positive relationships through promotion of social justice and Gospel values, team play and by being able to make appropriate choices.
School Community
We aspire to become a strong Catholic school community in partnership with the parents and parish. It is our aim to make the school accessible to all children baptised in the Catholic faith and to those who wish to avail themselves of a Catholic education.
Social justice is fostered in children through the explicit teaching of the values of Jesus and the Catholic Church. We reach out to the wider community to create a sense of awareness and responsibility amongst the students, parents and staff.
Learning and Teaching
We aim to provide an environment where we develop the whole child, socially, morally, spiritually, psychologically, physically and academically. We provide opportunities for the child to develop their faith with Jesus as their model and guide. Children are provided with a safe, stimulating and supportive environment where every child feels secure, valued and praised and has a right to succeed. We offer a diverse curriculum in accordance with the standards set by the Victorian Curriculum, to cater for the individual differences of each child. Implementation of policies and programs are accomplished through the joint partnership of teachers and parents. Assessment, using a variety of formal and informal data, plays a vital role within this process. It is used to assist children to be reflective about their learning and enables teachers, in conjunction with parents, to guide and enhance future learning.
Leadership and Management
At St. Jude’s, leadership and management involves forging strong links between school and parish leadership teams. Effective communication strategies exist between the Principal and the Parish Priest and regular consultation is sought from the Leadership Team, the Consultative Committee and the Parish Education Board. Leaders value the process of self-development in their managerial style and abilities and foster leadership qualities in all staff. School Leaders are a formal means of instilling leadership in senior students, however all students are supported in developing leadership skills and goal setting. Leaders nurture positive teamwork amongst staff and encourage colleagues to participate in professional learning.
Meet the Team
Why, Hello There!
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Marita O'Sullivan
School Principal

Darren Perry
Deputy Principal, Teaching & Learning Leader

Braden Hamond
STEM Teacher &
Numeracy Leader

Stefanie Nicosia Classroom Teacher
Shannon White
Classroom Teacher

Eliza Tatham
Classroom Teacher

Annabelle Hames
Classroom Teacher

Bridget Ardley
Classroom Teacher

Daniela Colavecchio
Italian Teacher

Kodie Hemingway
Education Support Officer

Andrea Wanke Education Support Officer & Student Wellbeing & ICT

Sharon Mitchell
Education Support Officer

Donna Rowland Education Support Officer & Learning Diversity Coordinator





Robyn McAlister
OHS
Co-ordinator

Father Martin Adichilamackal
Parish Priest

Karen Noone
Administration Officer
Caroline Hume
Literacy Leader
Dimity Hemingway Hub Teacher & Learning Diversity Leader

Janelle Hodgson
Classroom Teacher

Lynae McGuigan
Classroom Teacher

Karlie Katsambis
Classroom Teacher

Janet Edwards
Education Support Officer
Milan Greco
Student Wellbeing Leader & Physical Education Teacher

Jessica Bortoli
Classroom Teacher

Steven Robinson
Classroom Teacher

Kiana Wickham
Classroom Teacher

Emily Toigo
Classroom Teacher
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Hannah Walker
Classroom Teacher

Lauren Considine
Classroom Teacher
Religious Education
Leader

Angela Kostopoulos
Music Teacher

Martine Taylor Library Teacher


Ashlee Prib
Drama Teacher


Burnetta Greelish Bursar
Teagan Hemingway
Education Support Officer
Helen Pepi
Education Support Officer

Anita Kilpatrick
Education Support Officer

Kathryn Betros
Education Support Officer

Marlene Neville
Education Support Officer

Audra Pickard
Education
Support Officer

Lyndall Wilde
Education Support Officer

Maisie
Wellbeing Dog


Sue Tobin
Support Teacher

Kristy Hayes
Art Teacher

St Jude's Primary School
Newsletters

TERM 3 2023

TERM 4 2023
Our History
We Are Proud of Our Beginnings
St Jude’s School, Langwarrin grew from the natural development of St John’s Parish, East Frankston. St Jude’s School is in a natural bush setting on Warrandyte Road. It is the only Catholic Primary School in Langwarrin.
It all began about 1975, when the FCJ Sisters, desirous of undertaking a new mission, sought the permission of the then Archbishop of Melbourne, Frank Little and Fr Walsh of Frankston East to establish a frontier group at Langwarrin. Their task was to establish a primary school and to help build a vigorous parish community.
The Sisters of this Frontier Group were Sr. Margaret Mary Kennedy, Regional Superior and Superior of the Langwarrin FCJ Community and Sisters Ita Joyce, Antonia Ginnivan, Rosemary Crowe and Helen Buckley. Sisters Ita and Antonia were engaged in Parish visiting and pastoral work whilst Sisters Rosemary and Helen were involved in the school. Sr. Rosemary was the first principal of St Jude’s School.
The school opened on 7th February 1978 in the newly completed Parish centre, a large square building, the main part of which was an assembly hall used for Mass on Sundays. Four classes, totaling 104 children, occupied the four corners of the hall and were only partially screened off from one another by bookshelves and cupboards. There were five members of staff. They were: Sr. Helen Buckley, Sr. Rosemary Crowe, Mrs Loretta Heys, Mrs Tricia Henry and Miss Marion Burke.
In 1981 the school’s enrolment reached 200, with 7 full time teachers and 3 part time teachers. This also required two more portables to be placed at the school, bringing the total to four..
The year 1982 saw a review of St Jude’s School conducted by four members of the Catholic Education Office. The results were a eulogy of praise for the dedicated work of the staff and the educational standard achieved. On November 28th 1982, by official decree of the Archbishop of Melbourne, St. Jude’s was separated from St. John’s and established as an independent parish unit. Fr Lee, as he was always known, was the first pastor of St. Jude’s Parish. The year 1982 saw another huge change with the departure of the FCJ Sisters. The early 1980’s was a time of rapid growth in the area. As enrolments continued to increase plans were drawn up for the building of a six classroom block in 1985. The building was completed and was officially opened and blessed on 19th June 1986.
Around this era was the establishment of the school campus at Pearcedale. This campus was to provide schooling for the children of Pearcedale and surrounding areas. The hall was used a Mass centre on Sundays for a number of years. St. Jude’s Langwarrin staffed the campus and specialist teachers would travel to Pearcedale to deliver programs each week. The campus was closed at the end of the 1995 school year when the new Catholic Primary school in Somerville was opened.
In 1994 work was commenced in developing the back section of the school grounds. Basketball courts and a teacher car park were constructed. In this period extensive landfill was brought in to establish the back oval of the school through the assistance of Aidan Graham. In the period from 1995 onwards the grounds have undergone a dramatic change with the removal of dangerous gum trees and extensive landscaping of the school grounds has been undertaken involving asphalt pathways and the establishment of an extensive array of garden beds creating an ideal school setting.
In June of 1996, the school moved into the newly refurbished original parish centre. This building now contains the school administration office, staff room and also provides an excellent hall and canteen facility. In 2001 through the assistance and generosity of Aidan Graham, we were able to develop the top oval into an excellent sporting facility and landscape the surrounds. We also developed a Wetlands area to provide an outdoor education facility for children to be involved in, replanting the area with indigenous plants and establishing a wildlife corridor.
In 2006 a modular building comprising of 4 classrooms and a multi-purpose area was constructed on the site in June. A three metre wide bull-nosed verandah was constructed around the building and the classes commenced in the new building in August 2006.
In 2006, Frankston City Council called for schools in the area to apply for sponsorship through the Frankston City Council and the Victorian Westernport Greenhouse Alliance to become a 5 star Sustainable School. St Jude’s School was able to achieve our 5 star rating in 6 months becoming the first 5 star Sustainable School in the Melbourne Archdiocese in mid 2007. Sustainability, care of all people and all things in creation, be it natural or human resources, plays a significant part in the vision and growth of St Jude’s School. Over this period of time the school has actively undertaken a significant number of projects through parent working bees to enhance the school grounds and involvement with the local council, outside agencies and community groups. This has enabled the school community to appreciate and value the environment that we live and learn in.
In 2007 the school received a Commonwealth Community Water Grant which was used to install three water tanks that harvested rainwater from the school’s modular building roof which is then used to flush toilets throughout the school and water the schools garden beds. Achieving a 5 star status has not stopped St Jude’s School’s ambition to become a sustainable school. There are still many more practices to review, projects to undertake and integrated units of study involving environmental education that will further develop environmental leadership of the children in our care. The school is one of twenty schools throughout Australia that has signed up to be a Carbon Trading School through CERES (Centre for Education and Research in Environmental Strategies) Other benefits to the school since achieving a 5 star recognition has been a sense of increased community pride, students’ growing awareness and commitment to sustainable practices and the opportunity to publicise and promote the school in the wider community and media. In 2008 as part of our sustainable practices we have developed a vegetable garden site to teach the children to grow vegetables and to utilise them in our healthy eating program.