Below you will find a translatable version of our latest newsletter. It has only simple formatting. For the fully formatted version please see our Newsletters page.
Friday, 30th May 2025
Dear Parents, Carers, & Students,
One of the most precious moments in a child’s faith journey is that of their First Holy Communion. We are blessed to be witnesses to this, this coming Saturday.
Praying for students to receive their First Eucharist is a beautiful way to offer support and spiritual guidance during this special time. We encourage all in our community to take the opportunity to pray the following prayer, either individually or collectively as a family. Not just for your own child/ren but for all children within our Parish.
Dear Lord, we thank You for the gift of the Holy Eucharist and for the special opportunity our students have to receive it for the first time.
We ask that You guide them in their preparation, filling their hearts with understanding and reverence.
May their celebration be a joyous and memorable occasion, deepening their faith and love for You.
We pray that the grace of the Eucharist will continue to nourish their faith and inspire them to live lives of service and love.
Amen.
The non-payment of school fees and levies for 2023 & 2024 has resulted in a deficit of $480,000.
Last year, and again this year, as Principal of St Catherine of Siena, I have sought to meet with families regarding the non-payment of school fees and levies. In most cases, a fee payment plan has been put in place to ensure that families are fulfilling the obligation they made to pay the school fees & levies, contribute their share to the education of their child/ren and continued improvement of school resources and facilities.
Both last year and again in February of this year, we published the school fee schedule and information as shown on the following page, to provide families with the information needed to attend to school fee & levy payment.
I am very concerned that having arranged to meet with many families regarding non-payment of school fees, that many are not attending their appointment or even returning phone calls to address this matter.
In 2024, Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools, outlined how non-payment of school fees is to be addressed given the burden that it is placing on school’s when trying to provide the best facilities possible at the lowest cost to all families.
To assist in better understanding the school’s debt recovery procedures, a question & answer sheet regarding Debt Recovery Procedures has been published at the back of this newsletter outlining to families the procedures the school is required to undertake to ensure that we are able to maintain the level of service, learning & teaching provided at St Catherine of Siena.
Sincerely,
Des Noack
Principal
2025 SCHEDULE OF FEES
| Family Fees (per family) | $1,590.00 | ||||||
| Student Levies
(per student) |
Prep |
Year 1 |
Year 2 |
Year 3 |
Year 4 |
Year 5 |
Year 6 |
| Curriculum, Booklists, Excursion/Incursion Levy | $510 | $510 | $510 | $510 | $510 | $510 | $510 |
| Tech Resource Program Levy | $50 | $100 | $100 | $100 | $100 | – | – |
| Swimming Program | $90 | $90 | $90 | – | – | $40 | $40 |
| Camp Program | – | – | – | $300 | $300 | $375 | $375 |
| Total | $650 | $700 | $700 | $910 | $910 | $925 | $925 |
Example: A family with Prep and Year 3 students – Total annual school fees cost $3,150
Annual School Fees
The annual school fees at St Catherine of Siena Primary School comprising of the family fees and the student levies include all stationery and books, swimming program, excursions, incursions, personal learning devices and administration costs.
Items not included in the school fees are:
- Compulsory school uniform and accessories
- Library charges – late fees and replacement costs
- School photos
Payment of fees
St Catherine of Siena Primary School offers a range of payment options to enable parents and guardians to meet their fee obligation, as follows:
- Pay in full before 10th March 2025 (unless a DDR service agreement or Centrepay deduction arrangement has been made)
- Over the phone (03) 9743 2166, Monday to Friday 8:30am – 4:00pm by credit card
- BPay – Biller Code and your reference number can be located at the bottom of your statement
- Internet banking using account number as a reference provided on the fees statement
- In person, at the Office by cash or EFTPOS (Amex/Diners not accepted)
Financial support for families
St Catherine of Siena Primary School understands that some families may experience financial difficulty and offers a range of support options, including:
Camp, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF)
Families holding a valid means-tested concession card or temporary foster parents are eligible to apply for the CSEF. This money can be used to help cover the costs of camps, excursions, incursions and/or swimming. CSEF applications are open from the first day of term one 2025. Parents or legal guardians are required to submit a new CSEF application form each year by the due date as outlined by the Department of Education.
School Saving Bonus
Families receiving the means-tested CSEF in 2024 are eligible for additional support through the School Saving Bonus. There is no application required for non-government school students to receive the School Saving Bonus. This additional support will be paid directly to the school and will be applied against the 2025 fees.
MACS Concessional Fee Exemption
Families may be eligible under one of the eligibility criteria. To be eligible for the concession, the family must enter into a DDR (direct debit request) service agreement, Centrepay deduction arrangement or pay the balance upfront. Any default in payment may result in the concession being withdrawn and full standard fees will be due. An application for the MACS Concessional Fee must be submitted each year.
Approved Payment Plan
(weekly, fortnightly, monthly or three term instalments).
The relevant form must be completed and returned to St Catherine of Siena Finance following the receipt of the fee statement.
Scheduled Automatic Payment
– set amount transferred from your nominated bank or credit card account
- Weekly – 32 payments
- Fortnightly – 16 payments
- Monthly – 8 payments
- Three term instalments – 14th February 2025, 14th May 2025 and 14th August 2025
Centrepay Deduction
– agree amount transferred from your fortnightly Centrelink benefits
Note: Scheduled Automatic Payments will be from February to September each year. The instalment amount will be calculated by St Catherine of Siena Finance, to clear the amount outstanding. All fees are due in the respective year they have been incurred. Should families require more time, we recommend families commence their payment plans the year before.
If you have a scheduled payment arrangement in place, it is imperative that you contact St Catherine of Siena Finance immediately that you are aware there will be insufficient funds in your nominated account to meet the next scheduled instalment.
Please also notify us of new bank account or credit card details including revised card expiry dates, 72 hours ahead of the scheduled payment. St Catherine of Siena Primary School retains the right to pass any bank fees incurred for voided payments onto the debtor. Families that fail to communicate with the school in respect of non-payment of fees may have their account referred to an external party for collection in accordance with the MACS Debtor Management and Recovery Procedures.
It is at the discretion of the Principal to deny enrolment to siblings of current student(s), where they have existing debt accumulated with no effective resolution or payment arrangements to recover the debt. This also applies to enrolment to student(s) where their family have been assessed to have previously outstanding debt to another MACS school.
All relevant forms are available on the school website. www.scmeltonwest.catholic.edu.au
Delivery of fee statements
All fee statements are mailed to parents and guardians per term. If your address has changed, please notify the school. If you have any questions about fees, please contact St Catherine of Siena Finance on (03) 9743 2166 or accounts@scmeltonwest.catholic.edu.au
Divorce or separation
St Catherine of Siena Primary School advises that if both parents have signed the enrolment form, a parent cannot remove themselves from the enrolment contact without the school or the other parent’s consent. This means that unless the school agrees and the appropriate paperwork have been completed, the legal liability for fees remains in accordance with the enrolment form.
Refunds
Attendance at camps, excursions and swimming is part of the school curriculum. If for any reason your child is not able to attend these events, no refund is available. In cases of extreme circumstances, please speak to the Principal, Mr Des Noack for support.
No remissions are granted for families who take their children out of school for extended holidays.
In the event of a student withdrawing from the school during the year, a fee rebate may be processed in accordance with the following:
- If withdrawal occurs during Term 1 – 25 % of the annual fee is payable
- If withdrawal occurs during Term 2 – 50% of the annual fee is payable
- If withdrawal occurs during Term 3 – 75% of the annual fee is payable
Before and After School Care Fees
St Catherine of Siena Primary School has a partnership with OSHClub who are contracted to operate and manage the Before and After School Care and Holiday Programs. Please refer to the OSHClub website www.oshclub.com.au at for further information.
In celebrating the cultural diversity of our school, Mrs Mandy May, together with some of our very eager and creative students, are seeking your assistance to put together a St Catherine Family Cookbook.
What we are seeking to include your favourite family recipe, a photo of it being served, and a little biography of your own story to put the recipe in context with your family’s cultural heritage.
We would really appreciate as many families participate as possible so that this cookbook is truly a masterpiece of culinary creativity and cultural expression.
Last term, in the Week 10 Newsletter, we informed parents of the school’s intent to implement a whole school strategic intervention plan using student data collected from the start of the year. Designed to support reading, spelling and elements of writing, the intervention has already begun to show positive results.
We are excited to share some encouraging news about the learning our students in Years’ 1 to 6 are experiencing by engaging in this program. All are making great progress since the introduction of MultiLit’s academic intervention programs of Reading Tutor Program, MiniLit and MacqLit earlier this semester.
Many students have made measurable growth in reading using standardised assessment since commencing the program, often by 10 – 20 growth points. Although we need to also acknowledge the overall development of teaching and learning practices across the school also attributing, it is obvious that struggling readers engaged in the MultiLit intervention have made additional growth which is assisting them to engage in the normal classroom learning program.
In the coming semester, the aim is to further develop professional capacity across the school to deliver structured intervention across mathematics and oral language. We are truly delighted by what the data is showing us and the validation being received from parents of these children who are noticing a marked difference in ability and engagement.
We thank the students for their positive engagement and commitment but also acknowledge the work the intervention team have put in to ensure the school has the relevant resources, trained educators along with implementing a program that takes into consideration the needs of individuals, timetables and families.
We’re incredibly proud of our students’ hard work and the dedication of our teaching and learning support staff. Continued intervention & monitoring of student progress will help us ensure that every student receives the support they need to succeed.
Next Wednesday evening, June 4th, the school will be providing Human Development Sessions for families and students in Years 3-6 called TRICKY TALKS. The sessions will be hosted in the school hall.
All students must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
Parents attending Session 1 are most welcome to stay for Session 2.
Tricky Talks guides students, together with their parents / carers, to kickstart open, honest communication about the years ahead.
Today’s life is complex and if you’re a young person trying to navigate life during a time of significant physical and emotional change, it is important nothing is left to chance.
With support from professionals, this evening will help build the knowledge and skills needed to be responsible, safe and respectful young humans through an engaging and interactive program.
The evening will encourage parents/guardians and students to discuss a number of important topics to develop a shared understanding of the future period of development together.
The education provided on this night is curriculum aligned and evidence-based, focusing on the whole person. It is a vital opportunity for parents/guardians to be supported in learning about and students to engage in, conversation about puberty and reproduction.
Please RSVP via the Operoo form that was sent out last Tuesday to all Grade 3 to Grade 6 families.
Students Leaving Class During Teaching Time
Our focus, as a school, is to have high expectations in learning & teaching, social engagement and child safety for all students.
To achieve this, the school has policies and literally hundreds of school operational practices that encompass procedures and protocols used to run the school efficiently, effectively and safely. These policies, practices and procedures cover a wide range of areas, including student attendance, teaching and learning, health and safety, and school governance.
The school takes the safety of your children very seriously and classroom teachers have direct responsibility for this. They are required to always know the whereabouts of all students in their care at all times and can only let students out of their immediate supervision if a system is in place to manage it safely. One such procedure relates to students leaving the classroom during learning time to attend either the restroom (toilet) or collect the classroom office tub.
Although students are strongly encouraged to attend restrooms during recess and lunchtime, there do occur instances when they need to go.
To use the restroom during class, students follow a specific procedure involving asking for permission and being accompanied to the location of the restroom by another student who is selected by the teacher. The choice of student to accompany another student is done on the basis of their known behaviour, ensuring that both students act responsibly and respectfully when leaving the classroom. An additional overlay, to minimise any further child safety or behaviour concerns, is for a male student to be accompanied to the location by a female student and vice versa. Please note that no boy or girl enters the opposite gender’s toilets. The practice is for the other child to wait outside and return to class.
The practice of a male and female student accompanying each other to facilities, such as the restroom amenities and the administration office, is a practice that has been well established at St Catherine of Siena. It continues to be the practice given the positive child safety and behaviour outcomes that it achieves. Something that many schools, such as St Dominics also apply. In its application, compared to other practices, has been shown to create a greater sense of calmness, improved respectful behaviour and minimizes time wasted getting to and from the classroom. Those who work in education are also very aware of the unsafe behaviours that can and have occurred when students gather in toilet areas resulting in damage to property or toilet talk that creates upset and anxiety. This goes for both males and females.
It is the school operational practices such as these, developed over years of observation, trial and error and review, that has allowed us to maintain high expectations in learning & teaching, social engagement and child safety for all students.
Cross Country Events
Over the last couple of weeks, our Grade 4, 5 and 6 students participated in cross country events at Masons Lanes in Bacchus Marsh. Our students dealt with hills and a dirt track and put in an amazing effort, with every one of our students finishing the race distance. We would like to acknowledge the following students for their efforts at our District Event on the 8th May.
Grade 42KMHarrison Roman Jayden Ava Violet Hanoor |
Grade 53KMShahana Lewis Nathan
|
Grade 63KMSebastion Mia M Mia K Alana
|
We especially would like to congratulate the following students who have now progressed to the Divisional Round Cross Country:
2KM – Harnoor & Violet.
3KM – Jobe, Alison, Gok, Liam & Agure.
Violet & Hanoor from Grade 4 finished within the top 12 of the 2KM division event and now progress to the Regional Cross Country event.
We are so proud of all the students that participated in these cross country events
Understanding What Sorry Day Is About
National Sorry Day is a very significant day for Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, and particularly for Stolen Generations survivors.
The idea of holding a ‘Sorry Day’ was first mentioned as one of the 54 recommendations of the Bringing them home Report, which was tabled in Parliament on 26 May 1997. This report was the result of a two year National Inquiry into the forcible removal and of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, communities and cultural identity. This removal and separation was carried out under Federal, State and Territory laws and policies from the 1800s to the 1970s. The children who were removed are recognised today as the Stolen Generations.
Many of the Stolen Generations alive today are parents and grandparents. Almost every Aboriginal family (and some Torres Strait Islander families) today can identify the loss of family members due to the forcible removal policies. The children who were removed and separated from their families grew up without an understanding of traditional knowledge and culture and without a sense of connection to the land and country where they were born. Many of our own school families can empathise with this experience having been forced from their countries due to war and civil conflict, raising children in a new land whilst trying to preserve the customs and traditions of their ancestral heritage.
This disconnection from their families, ancestors, communities and culture has had a lasting and negative effect on the wellbeing and identity of Stolen Generations survivors and has had an intergenerational impact on their children and families.
On 26 May 1998 the first Sorry Day was held in Sydney. It is now commemorated across Australia.
More about the word ‘sorry’
The word ‘sorry’ is used to express sorrow at the loss of a loved one by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, usually when that person passes away. The term ‘Sorry Business’ is used to describe the process of laying a loved one to rest.
It is important to understand that when using the word ‘sorry’ in the context of the Stolen Generations, the word represents the grief and loss experienced by the parents, families and communities of the children who were forcibly removed. Stolen Generations survivors themselves use the word ‘sorry’ when speaking of their loss because of their separation from their family, community, country and culture.
For Australians across the country, we use the word ‘sorry’ to show understanding and empathy toward someone who has lost someone special. For example, ‘I’m sorry for your loss’. When we commemorate National Sorry Day, we do so by showing respect and remembrance in a similar way as when we meet on other days of historical significance that mark milestones in our countries history that caused loss and grief. On National Sorry Day, we commemorate the Stolen Generations, their families and communities, celebrating their strength and survival and sharing in the process of healing and reconciliation.
The story of the Stolen Generations is a significant and important aspect of Australia’s history. By teaching our children about this past through sensitive, age appropriate and encouraging learning activities, we widen their scope of understanding their country’s history and make a genuine and long-lasting contribution toward the broader understanding of our countries history and the betterment of its future.
Week 7
Monday 02/06
- Saints Marcellinus and Peter
Tuesday 03/06
- Saint Charles Lwanga and companions
Wednesday 04/06
- YEAR 2 ATTENDING PARISH MASS @ 9:15am
- Whole School Assembly 2.15pm
- Interrelate Human Development Family Night – Tricky Talks 6:30 – 8:00pm
Thursday 05/06
- Saint Boniface
- MPSSA Year 5/6 Soccer Tournament
- Inform and Empower Parent session 7:00pm
Friday 06/06
- SCHOOL CLOSURE DAY
- Saint Norbert
- Saint Marcellin Champagnat
Sunday 08/06
- Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
- PENTECOST SUNDAY-RED
Week 8
Monday 09/06
- King’s Birthday – SCHOOL CLOSURE DAY
- Mary, Mother of the Church
Tuesday 10/06
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
Wednesday 11/06
- Saint Barnabas
- YEAR 1 ATTENDING PARISH MASS @ 9:15am
- Whole School Assembly 2:15pm
Thursday 12/06
- LSO Meeting 2:15pm – 3pm
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
Friday 13/6
- Saint Anthony of Padua Feast Day
- ONWZ Principal Network
- Instalment 2 – Family Fee Payment Due
Sunday 15/06
- SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY-WHITE
Week 9
Monday 16/06
Tuesday 17/06
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
Wednesday 18/06
- YEAR 6 and Prep ATTENDING PARISH MASS @ 9:15am
- Year 5 Talent Show 11:30am – 1:30pm
- Whole School Assembly 2.15pm
Thursday 19/06
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
Friday 20/06
- Saturday 21/06
- Saint Aloysius Gonzaga
Sunday 22/06
- SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST HOLY BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST (Corpus Christi) – WHITE
Week 10
Monday 23/06
- Saint Paulinus of Nola
Tuesday 24/06
- THE NATIVITY OF SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST
Wednesday 25/06
- Saint Romuald
- 2026 Prep Enrolments Close
- Whole school mass for the Feast of the Sacred Heart @ 9:15am
- Whole School Assembly 2.15pm
Thursday 26/06
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
Friday 27/06
- Saint Cyril of Alexandria
- Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Semester 1 Student Reports Sent Home
Saturday 28/06
- The Most Immaculate Heart of Mary
Sunday 29/06
- Saints Peter And Paul – RED
Week 11
Monday 30/06
- The First Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church
Tuesday 01/07
- Parent Teacher Learning Conversations 3.45pm to 7.15pm
Wednesday 02/07
- YEAR 5 ATTENDING PARISH MASS @ 9:15am
- Parent helper afternoon tea
- Whole School Assembly 2:15pm
Thursday 03/07
- Saint Thomas
- Parent Teacher Learning Conversations 3.45pm to 7.15pm
Friday 04/07
- Saint Elizabeth of Portugal
- Last Day of Term 2
- Dismissal Time 3.15pm
Week 1
Monday 21/07
- School Closure – Staff Catholic Identity PD
- Saint Lawrence of Brindisi
Tuesday 22/07
- Students Return To School
- Saint Mary Magdalene
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
Wednesday 23/07
- Saint Bridget
- YEAR 6 and Prep ATTENDING PARISH MASS @ 9:15am
- Whole School Assembly 2.15pm
Thursday 24/07
- Saint Sharbel Mahkluf
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
Friday 25/07
- Saint James
Saturday 26/07
- Saints Joachim and Anne
Sunday 27/07
- World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly
- 17th Sunday In Ordinary Time-GREEN
Week 2
Monday 28/07
- Emergency Displan Practice
- Parent Support Group Meetings
Tuesday 29/07
- Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
- Parent Support Group Meetings
Wednesday 30/07
- Saint Peter Chrysologus
- Parent Support Group Meetings
- Grandparents Day Mass (Whole School) & Celebration
- Whole School Assembly 2.15pm
Thursday 31/07
- Saint Ignatius Loyola
- Incursion Professor Bunsen – Year 3
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
- Parent Support Group Meetings
Friday 01/08
- Saint Alphonsus Liguori
- Parent Support Group Meetings
- Year 6 excursion to Scienceworks
Saturday 02/08
- Saint Eusebius of Vercelli
- Saint Peter Julian Eymard
Sunday 03/08
- 18th Sunday In Ordinary Time-GREEN
Week 3
Monday 04/08
- Saint John Vianney
- Parent Support Group Meetings
Tuesday 05/08
- The Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
- Confirmation Family Night @ 6:30pm
- Parent Advisory Committee 7:00pm
- Parent Support Group Meetings
Wednesday 06/08
- The Transfiguration Of The Lord
- YEAR 5 ATTENDING PARISH MASS @ 9:15am
- Parent Support Group Meetings
- Whole School Assembly 2.15pm
Thursday 07/08
- Saints Sixtus II and companions
- Saint Cajetan
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
- Yr 4 Camp – Lady Northcote
- Parent Support Group Meetings
Friday 08/08
- Saint Mary Of The Cross
- Saint Dominic
- 100 Days Of Learning for Preps
- Morning Tea for Prep Parents 9am
- 100 Days of Learning Assembly 2:30pm – Prep & Year 6
- Yr 4 Camp – Lady Northcote
- Parent Support Group Meetings
Saturday 09/08
- Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross
- Confirmation Presentation and Commitment Mass @ 6pm
Sunday 10/08
- Saint Lawrence
- 19th Sunday In Ordinary Time-GREEN
Week 4
Monday 11/08
- Saint Clare
- Team Leaders Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
Tuesday 12/08
- Saint Jane Frances de Chantal
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
Wednesday 13/08
- Saints Pontian and Hippolytus
- Saint Cajetan
- Whole School Mass – St Mary of the Cross Mackillop 9.30am
- Whole School Assembly 2.15pm
Thursday 014/08
- Saint Maximilian Kolbe
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
Friday 15/08
- The Assumption Of The Blessed Virgin Mary
- Wear Purple for Bullying No Way
Saturday 16/08
- Saint Stephen of Hungary
- Sacrament of Confirmation @11am and 2pm
Sunday 17/08
- 20th Sunday In Ordinary Time-GREEN
Week 5 – Book Week
Monday 18/08
Tuesday 19/08
- Saint John Eudes
- Book Week Parade
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
- Wednesday 20/08
- Saint Bernard
- Whole School Mass – Feast of the Assumption
- Whole School Assembly 2.15pm
Thursday 21/08
- Saint Pius X
- LSO Meeting 2:!5pm – 3:15pm
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
Friday 22/08
- The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Saturday 23/08
- Saint Rose of Lima
Sunday 24/08
- Saint Bartholomew
- 21st Sunday In Ordinary Time-GREEN
Week 6
Monday 25/08
- Saint Joseph Calasanz and Saint Louis
Tuesday 26/08
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
Wednesday 27/08
- Saint Monica
- YEAR 3 and 4 ATTENDING PARISH MASS @ 9:15am
- Whole School Assembly 2.15pm
Thursday 28/08
- Saint Augustine
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
Friday 29/08
- The Passion of Saint John the Baptist
- Year 6 Mad about Science incursion
Sunday 31/08
- Social Justice Sunday
- 22nd Sunday In Ordinary Time -GREEN
- MACSIS Open for Input this week – Students, Families, Staff
Week 7
Monday 01/09
Tuesday 02/09
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
Wednesday 03/09
- Saint Gregory the Great
- Father’s Day Breakfast & Mass (Whole School) 9.15am
- Whole School Assembly 2.30pm
Thursday 04/09
- Father’s Day Stall
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
Friday 05/09
- ONWZ Principals Network
Sunday 07/09
- 23rd Sunday In Ordinary Time-GREEN
- Father’s Day
Week 8
Monday 08/09
- Shelter Building incursion – Year 4
- Team Leaders Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
Tuesday 09/09
- Saint Peter Claver
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
Wednesday 10/09
- YEAR 1 and 2 ATTENDING PARISH MASS @ 9:15am
- Whole School Assembly 2.30pm
- 2025 Year 6 School Matinee Production (Middle Block)
- 2025 Year 6 School Production 6.30pm
Thursday 11/09
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
- 2025 Year 6 School Production 6.30pm
Friday 12/09
- The Most Holy Name of Mary
- Instalment 3 – Family Fee Payment Due
Saturday 13/09
- Saint John Chrysostom
Sunday 14/09
- The Exaltation of the Holy Cross-RED
- MACSIS Open for Input this week – Students, Families, Staff
Week 9
Monday 15/09
- Our Lady of Sorrows
Tuesday 16/09
- Saints Cornelius and Cyprian
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
Wednesday 17/09
- Saint Hildegard of Bingen and Saint Robert Bellarmine
- Whole School Assembly 2.15pm
Thursday 18/09s
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
Friday 19/09
- Saint Januarius
- End of Term 3
Prep A
Daniel P – For your awesome knowledge of our heart words that we have been focusing on in class. Great job!
Tori T – For showing amazing tracking during Fluency and having a go at reading the passage on your own.
Prep B
Elizabeth H – For consistently allowing teachers to teach and learners to learn. You set a fantastic example for your peers.
Jeremy N – For being a knowledgeable learner and consistently applying your understanding of letter sounds to your writing.
Prep C
Achol-Malaika M – For being ready to learn each morning and actively participating in our Heggerty sessions. Well done!
Charlee-Rose P – For participating in learning by actively tracking and reading during Fluency. Well done!
Year 1A
Akoi M – For being consistent in your work and always putting 100% effort into everything you do.
You show dedication, focus, and a love of learning every day
Selena T – For always trying your best, showing a positive attitude, and putting great effort into everything you do. You are a curious, hardworking learner. Keep up the great work.
Year 1B
Evelyn S – For demonstrating great focus and dedication to learning by staying engaged during class time. Great work!
Dante A – For having a go at everything you do with a positive and ready to learn attitude. Keep it up!
Year 1C
Ayor A – For demonstrating respectful listening skills when participating in our Grade 1 excursion to the Royal Botanic Gardens.
Levi A – For demonstrating respectful listening skills when participating in our Grade 1 excursion to the Royal Botanic Gardens.
Year 2A
Romeo W – For being a joyful, kind, friendly and positive class member every day. Keep smiling and shining!
Blessing B – For the excellent effort you put into all your learning and for always allowing teachers to teach and learners to learn. You are amazing!
Year 2B
Chloe M – For always including others and being a kind, caring friend to everyone in 2B. Your thoughtfulness helps make 2B a happy place!
Elijah J – For working hard each week on your fluency passage, tracking your reading, and becoming a more confident, fluent reader.
Year 2C
Davina A- For showing fantastic improvement in spelling. You should be proud of all your focus and hard work in your school work. Keep reaching for the stars
Jason P – For making great progress in your numeracy this term! Your effort, perseverance, and positive attitude towards learning place value, addition and subtraction have truly shined.
Year 3A
Logan E – For your amazing growth in reading skills, as shown in your PAT-R test results! Keep up the fantastic work.
Georgia H – For displaying a readiness to learn and trying your best to complete set tasks with a growth mindset.
Year 3B
Ivana F – For your readiness to learn. Your focus and effort is to be commended. It is great how keen you are to learn new concepts and skills.
Zayden M – For your active participation in our daily reviews for spelling and mathematics. It is great to see such fantastic engagement in your learning.
Year 3C
Aaron D – For showing a great improvement in your addition results from Term 1 in the Westwood testing. Well done!
Mathias K – For always showing interest in your learning, particularly by asking questions during class discussions.
Year 4A
Gurnaaz K – For showing responsibility for your learning and completing tasks efficiently this week. Amazing effort!
Harnoor L – For always trying your best and being willing to take responsible risks in your learning. Fantastic!
Year 4B
Agot A – For great organisation and following class expectations, always being ready to learn.
Tayla F – For regularly seeking feedback to refine your learning and work efforts.
Year 4C
Zoey B – For coming to school each day with a positive attitude and a readiness to learn. Your enthusiasm is amazing!
Apual M – For your amazing progress in your multiplication goals. Keep up the great effort, you are amazing!
Year 5A
Kara T – For your effort and continued engagement in your learning. You have shown exceptional readiness to learn. Keep it up!
Mariam B – For consistently being ready to learn and following our expectations. Well done!
Year 5B
Will P – For showing awesome progress in every part of Westwood Testing. Keep up the great work!
Gok T – For not giving up, even when writing a persuasive piece felt tough. We are proud of your effort.
Year 5C
Jayden L – For making a concentrated effort to follow the PBL rules of showing respect and allowing teachers to teach and learners
Antonio P – For your efforts in your Maths Fractions and 3D Objects Assessments. Keep it up!
Year 6A
Ira G – For consistently following our school PBL values and beginning and completing all tasks with excellence and dedication. Super Star!
Nandana D – For returning to school with a positive attitude and approaching all tasks with responsibility and determination. Well Done!
Year 6B
Majok M – For showing awesome leadership during AFL interschool sports, encouraging your teammates and helping the team stay focused and positive throughout the day.
Alivia S – For growing in confidence each day, bravely seeking help when needed and always giving your personal best with a positive attitude – keep it up!
Year 6C
Mussie G – For outstanding participation in interschool sports and your unwavering team spirit. Great Job!
Alana A – For being an exceptional interschool sports captain—leading with confidence, encouraging your team, and showing true sportsmanship.
This Weekend’s Gospel
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 24:46-53
While blessing them, he was taken to heaven.
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You see how it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that, in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses to this.
‘And now I am sending down to you what the Father has promised. Stay in the city then, until you are clothed with the power from on high.’ Then he took them out as far as the outskirts of Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. Now as he blessed them, he withdrew from them and was carried up to heaven. They worshipped him and then went back to Jerusalem full of joy; and they were continually in the Temple praising God.
Gospel Reflection – The Ascension
A teacher told me recently that when she asked her grade fours to draw a picture of the Ascension, not unsurprisingly most of them did a fairly conventional portrait of Jesus rising up on a cloud. One of her students, David, who is a particularly gifted artist, had Jesus blasting off into the sky. Down the side of Jesus’ pure white garment was the word NASA and David provided all the sound effects for how he imagined the scene of the first Ascension. He concluded, without a hint of irony, that, ‘the Ascension must have been a real blast!’
None of us can blame David for marrying our modern culture with an ancient story. In fact if some of us are honest, David’s ‘space shuttle Jesus’ is not far from what we think as well.
The Ascension stories, however, are not primarily interested in how or when Jesus got back to heaven. John and Paul never mention it at all. Mark and Matthew have it happening on the same day as the Resurrection and Luke has it occurring 40 days after Easter on the same day as Pentecost. The one thing, on which all the New Testament writers agree, is where in heaven Jesus went and where he is presently – at God’s right hand.
Even to this day, being on someone’s right is a place of honour. In the Old Testament being on the right hand of David, Samuel or Elijah was to be the anointed and favoured one, the true son or daughter. In telling us, then, that Jesus is now at God’s right hand, the Gospels use a formal phrase to announce that God affirms everything Jesus said and did on earth and that he is the way for us to follow.
That can be all well and good, but Jesus goes one step further and that’s why this feast is so important. Jesus taught us that where he is, so shall we be, that he was going to prepare a place for us and that, in and through him, we will have life and have it to the full.
The feast of the Ascension is the day, each year, where we remember and we celebrate that, just as Jesus was welcomed to God’s right hand, so, too, shall we be welcomed to the right hand of Jesus. This is his promise, this is our faith and this is the hope we are called to proclaim to the world. And let’s be clear about the invitation. There is nothing we have ever done, are doing, or will do, that will get our name removed from the invitation list to the feast of Christ’s kingdom. The challenge is accepting that we have a standing invitation and living lives worthy of the love that places our name on the list. The feast of the Ascension announces that Jesus will faithfully accompany us no matter how far we lose our way and that by our fidelity to Christ we accept or reject the standing offer.
And because the Ascension is an Easter feast it develops even further that there is nowhere, bar evil, where God does not dwell. Because of the Resurrection and Ascension we can find God everywhere we want to: in our homes, our work, our suffering, our old age, our emotional, sexual or financial turmoil – and even in our death.
Even though the writers of the New Testament are not too clear on the details of how the Ascension happened, what we initially see in this wonderful feast is not what we get. Thanks be to God, it’s so much more.
© Richard Leonard SJ
Richard Leonard SJ is the Director of the Australian Catholic Office for Film and Broadcasting, is a member of the Australian Catholic Media Council and a film critic for all the major Australian Catholic newspapers. He completed a PhD in cinema studies at the University of Melbourne. He lectures in cinema and theology at the Jesuit College of Spirituality and has been a visiting lecturer in Australian cinema at the University of Melbourne, a visiting scholar within the School of Theatre, Film and Television at UCLA and is visiting professor at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He is an Honorary Fellow of the Australian Catholic University, has lectured widely and is the author of numerous books.
Stay Tuned For The Grade 1 Excursion Feature In Next Week’s Newsletter
