Our School

St Bernadette's Primary School Ivanhoe

Our founders, the order of Sisters of St Joseph of the Apparition, was started by St Emilie de Vialar in 1832 in Gaillac, France. The order was Introduced to Australia in the Diocese of Perth from Marseilles, France, by Bishop Joseph Serra OSB in 1855. Their first community was established in Fremantle.

In 1952 the sisters travelled to Melbourne and opened St Bernadette’s Primary School Ivanhoe. Establishing a much loved learning community for Ivanhoe.

Positioned in a quiet, leafy residential area, St Bernadette’s offers a warm, vibrant learning environment conducive to flourishing and achieving success for each of our students.

St Bernadette’s is a fabulous, well respected school that has been serving the local community for over 70 years! We are excited to provide many more years of educational excellence to come.

Our Vision

Guided by faith and the courage of St Bernadette, we aspire to be an inclusive learning community of love, respect, opportunity and joy.

Mission

We bring a spirit of joy to our community by honouring the whole person, developing courage through opportunities to take risks, fostering love through inclusivity and faith and engendering respect through knowing and understanding.

Our Values

Honesty

We uphold truthfulness and integrity in all our interactions

Respect

We value the sacredness and dignity of each person, honouring diversity and treating everyone with fairness

Compassion

We seek to understand the needs of others and are willing to help them

Self-Control

We exercise restraint in our words and actions promoting harmony and growth

Giving

We generously share our time, talents and resources

Perseverance

We are resilient and persist through challenging situations

Responsibility

We take ownership of our actions and honour our commitments

Love

We live our school motto of ‘Love one Another’ by treating others the way we’d like to be treated

Meet the St Bernadette's Team

It’s no real secret that the quality of a school is largely influenced by the quality of the teachers and teachers that truly care. We are so fortunate to have a rich diversity of talent, experience, enthusiasm and energy and our teachers truly care. They create a supportive atmosphere where students can thrive and achieve their best.

Vivienne Armarego

Principal

Kyla Grant

Deputy Principal, Re Leader Learning & Teaching

Hannah Lucas

Deputy Principal, Learning Diversity/Wellbeing

Meg Nelligan

Prep

Rachel Coldebella

Gr1/2

Emma Potter

Gr 1/2

Lorraine Wassouf

Gr 3/4

Catherine Haddad

Gr 3/4

Emma Bessant

Gr 3/4

Danielle Gray

Gr 5/6 & Literacy Leader

Will Thomas

Gr 5/6

Franka Zigic

Gr 5/6

Lisa Geary

Science/Technology, Maths Leader and E-Learning Leader

Mary Mee

Visual Art

Ineke Waller

Performing Arts

Joanna Liu

Mandarin

Tim Carney

5/6 Sport

Mel Parisi

Senior Literacy Support

Ann Aleksandrov

Junior Literacy Support

Angela Pope

Maths Support

Maree Trentin

Garden Specialist/Library Technician

Trish Brajkovic

Learning Support Officer

Enza Pascuzzi

Learning Support Officer

Roberta Mantineo

Learning Support Officer

Franca Biasizzo

Learning Support Officer

Anna Di Vitto

Learning Support Officer

Anna Ganino-Hagen

Learning Support Officer

Anna Nutbean

Administration

Student Wellbeing

‘Love One Another’

At St. Bernadette’s, our motto “Love One Another” guides everything we do. It inspires our community to show care and concern for every person we encounter. Each member of our school community is supported in their spiritual, personal, emotional, and academic growth, encouraged to foster an environment that reflects our faith and its values. We nurture wellbeing throughout our community, providing:

An education that embraces the physical, emotional, intellectual, moral, and spiritual dimensions of each child.
Opportunities for our staff to promote engagement and wellbeing, ensuring every student can thrive and enjoy their educational journey.
Social skills development to enhance intellectual capabilities and problem-solving abilities through effective social interactions.
Support for students in developing crucial social competencies like managing emotions, setting goals, considering others' rights, and fostering perseverance.
We teach and live our school values of Love, Honesty, Respect, Compassion, Self-Control, Giving, Perseverance and Responsibility.

At St. Bernadette’s, we are committed to fostering a nurturing environment where every child can flourish academically, socially, and spiritually.

Strategies to support student wellbeing

Positive relationships community wide
Restorative Practices for conflict resolution
The Resilience Project
Values Education
Circle Time
Whole school approach to Social and Emotional learning (SEL)
GEM (Gratitude, Empathy, Mindfulness) awards given at assembly
Fire Carriers
Diversity day
Buddy program
Student Action Teams
Social Justice focus
Community partnerships

Child Safety

If you have any questions regarding the Child Safety policies and procedures, please contact Vivienne Armarego or Hannah Lucas via email at principal@sbivanhoe.catholic.edu.au or hannah.lucas@sbivanhoe.catholic.edu.au.

Child Safety

At St. Bernadette’s, the safety and wellbeing of every child and young person is paramount. We maintain a zero-tolerance stance against child abuse and are dedicated to fostering a secure environment where children and young people feel valued and protected. We prioritise listening to their voices and involving them in decisions that impact their lives. Every member of our school community understands and upholds their role in safeguarding the wellbeing and safety of all children under our care.