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, 9th May 2025
Dear Parents, Carers, & Students,
This past Wednesday, we gathered as a school to celebrate, honour and bless our Mums through the celebration of Eucharist, class visits and morning tea. The photos of our mums published in this week’s newsletter, although only a snippet of the photos taken, highlight the reciprocal love and joy between mother and child.
The staff wish to thank the many parents who had taken the opportunity to express their thanks and affirm the efforts taken this year to ensure that this day is as special as possible.
Wishing all our Mums a wonderful Mother’s Day.
Mr Des Noack
Principal
God, this coming Sunday, we celebrate mothers, but the truth is, we ought to celebrate them every day. Their love manifests in small, subtle ways each day–in the mundane that sometimes we can take for granted. We thank you for their sacrificial love and ask you to uplift them today. Thank you for the gift they are in our lives. We ask that when our mothers are tired, Lord, give them strength. When they feel alone, give them comfort. When they feel overwhelmed with the challenges of parenting, help them to know peace. In their darkest moments, be their Light. At times in our lives, our mothers are everything to us, meeting our every need. We ask You to provide them today with whatever gift they need. In gratitude, we pray. Amen.
House Names That Reflect Our Catholic Identity & Mission
Our current House names are:
McKillop – Blue
Freeman – Green
Roberts – Red
Hollows – Gold
Throughout the year, the Year 6 School and Sports Captains have been working hard to discuss, research and decide potential candidates for a change of the House Names of St Catherine of Siena Primary School. This action came about when reflecting upon how our House names reflect and showcase Catholic Identity & Mission. St Mary McKillop, through her life, demonstrated her faith through her actions. Public figures such as Cathy Freeman and Fred Hollows, also demonstrate wonderful human qualities, but more so through civic values rather than those that are explicitly professed and lived through faith.
Through their research and discussions, the students have identified the names of nine saints as potential names for our Houses. Our aim is to ensure that when a student is asked what House they belong to, they not only name a colour but also the name of the saint and can articulate the qualities of that saint.
The saints being put forward as potential candidates for Houses are:St Mary McKillop
St Joan of Arc
St Anne
St Jude
St Patrick
St Mary Magdalene
St Mother Teresa of Calcutta
St Bernadette
St Francis of Assisi
The next step in this process is to allow our students, staff and community to vote for who they believe should represent our houses. This process is identified below.
Process
Week 5 – Students, Staff and community are to be sent a Google Form to fill out to choose which Saint would best represent the Houses of St Catherine of Siena. A Google slideshow with a description of each saint will accompany this Google form.
Week 6 – Responses to be collected and collated.
Week 7 – Discussions with executive leadership, and potentially student leaders, to decide which Saint would be the representative for each House.
Week 9 – Presented to the school during Assembly
It has been great to see the student leaders actively research and spend time finding the different values that each saint has that would create the characteristics of each house.
We look forward to announcing the new names of the Houses later this term
Mrs Angela Giordimaina and Mr Matt Galea
Year 6 Excursion to the Melbourne Immigration Museum – Many Stories Program
Our Year 6 students had the wonderful opportunity to take part in the Many Stories program at the Melbourne Immigration Museum. This curriculum-aligned program allowed students to explore Australia’s rich immigration history through real-life stories, museum artefacts, and guided learning activities.
The day began with a staff-led education session where students worked in small groups to examine historical objects, documents, and artefacts. These items helped students uncover the stories of immigrants who came to Australia from the 1800s to the 2000s. They shared their findings with their peers and reflected on the role these individuals played in shaping Australia’s multicultural society.
As part of the experience, students learned about the different reasons people have migrated to Australia, the challenges they faced, and how immigration has contributed to the nation’s development. They also explored how museum objects can help uncover stories from the past, and were encouraged to think critically and compassionately about what it means to leave one’s home country and start a new life elsewhere.
Following the classroom session, students explored the museum galleries with a specially designed booklet that helped guide their learning. They recorded key information, answered questions, and learned more about individual immigration stories, immigration procedures in Victoria, and First Peoples’ culture and history.
A highlight of the day was the walk to Sandridge Bridge, an important Melbourne landmark with a strong link to immigration. Originally a railway bridge used by immigrants arriving at Station Pier in Port Melbourne, Sandridge Bridge has now been transformed into a public art space. It features ten large sculptures known as The Travellers, which represent different migrant groups who have journeyed to Australia. Along the bridge are also glass panels inscribed with the names and stories of thousands of immigrants. This powerful display helped students make real-world connections to the stories they explored at the museum.
The excursion was an engaging and thought-provoking experience that brought history to life for our Year 6s. Each student returned to school with a deeper understanding of Australia’s immigration story and a new appreciation for the diverse backgrounds that make up our community today.
A Recount On Our Grade 6 Excursion to the Melbourne Immigration Museum
On Friday the 1st of May, the Grade 6s went to the Immigration Museum for an excursion.
When we got off the bus, we went to the side of the museum to eat our snacks. Then one group went to do a different activity, and my group went into the museum.
The first thing we did was an activity with Krissy. It was really fun and interesting because we got to answer questions about a migrant’s life and look at different items from their past. The box on my table had an apron in it.
After that activity, we went to the main building for three more activities. My favourite one was when we wrote down facts about different stories that were written on a wall. The story I worked on was about a Ukrainian woman, and we actually met the person who donated the items to the museum! She told us lots of facts about the things in the glass case, but then we had to go outside for lunch.
After lunch, we walked to the bridge called The Sandridge Bridge. It has 10 statues, and we read some information about them. After that, we walked back to the bus and returned to school.
From visiting the Immigration Museum, I learned how hard it can be for people to move to a new country. I found out that many migrants had to leave their homes because of war or danger, and they brought special items with them to remember their past. I also learned that everyone has a different story, and it’s important to listen to them and show respect.
By Marita M
6B
Week 4
ONLINE CYBERSAFETY SESSION FOR YEAR 1-6 THIS WEEK
Monday 12/05
- Saints Nereus and Achilleus Saint Pancras
- Yr 4 Excursion – Melbourne Museum
- Yr 2 Incursion – Metro Trains Awareness
Tuesday 13/05
- Our Lady of Fatima
- Shon Productions onsite – Filming Day 2
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
Wednesday 14/05
- Saint Matthia
- YEAR 5 ATTENDING PARISH MASS @ 9:15am
- Whole School Assembly 2.15pm
Thursday 15/05
- International Day of Families
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
Friday 16/05
- MPSSA Winter Sports – Round 1
Saturday 17/05
Sunday 18/05
- Saint John I
- 5th Sunday of Easter – White
Week 5
ONLINE CYBERSAFETY SESSION FOR PREP THIS WEEK
Monday 19/05
- Emergency DISPLAN Practice
Tuesday 20/05
- Mary, Mother of the Church
- Saint Bernadine of Siena
- Yr 2 Incursion Transport Rail Awareness & Safety
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
- Parent Advisory Committee 7:00pm
Wednesday 21/05
- Saints Christopher Magallenes and companions
- MPSSA Yr 5/6 Girls AFL
- Staff Flu Vaccination Program
- Whole School Assembly 2.15pm
- YEAR 4 ATTENDING PARISH MASS @ 9:15am
Thursday 22/05
- Saint Rita of Cascia
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
Friday 23/05
- MPSSA Winter Sports – Round 2
Saturday 24/05
- Our Lady, Help of Christians
- First Eucharist Presentation and Commitment Mass @6pm
Sunday 25/05
- Saint Gregory VII
- Saint Mary Magdalene de Pazzi
- Saint Bede
- 6th Sunday of Easter-WHITE
Week 6
National Reconciliation Week
Monday 26/05
- Saint Philip Neri
- National Sorry Day
Tuesday 27/05
- Saint Augustine of Canterbury
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
Wednesday 28/05
- YEAR 3 ATTENDING PARISH MASS @ 9:15am
- Whole School Assembly 2.15pm
Thursday 29/05
- Saint Paul VI
- LSO Meeting 2:15 – 3pm
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
Friday 30/05
- MPSSA Lightning Prem
Saturday 31/05
- The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- First Eucharist for SCS and SD @11am (SD Choir) and 1pm (SCS Choir)
- Sunday 01/06
- The Ascension of the Lord-WHITE
- Jesus commissions the eleven, ascends to heaven-Luke 24: 46–53
Week 7
Monday 02/06
- Saints Marcellinus and Peter
Tuesday 03/06
- Saint Charles Lwanga and companions
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
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
- LSO Meeting 2:15 – 3pm
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
- Inform and Empower Parent session
Friday 06/06
- School Closure Day
- Saint Norbert
- Saint Marcellin Champagnat
Saturday 07/06
Sunday 08/06
- Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
- PENTECOST SUNDAY-RED
Week 8
Monday 09/06
- King’s Birthday – Public Holiday
- 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
- Feast of Corpus Christi
- Saint Romuald
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
Friday 20/06
Saturday 21/06
- Saint Aloysius Gonzaga
Sunday 22/06
- Saints John Fisher and Thomas More
- 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
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
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
This Weekend’s Gospel
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (10:27-30)
I give my sheep eternal life.
Jesus said:
‘The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me.
I give them eternal life; they will never be lost and no one will ever steal them from me.
The Father who gave them to me is greater than anyone, and no one can steal from the Father.
The Father and I are one.’
Gospel Reflection
Shepherds in the first century did not have a particularly good reputation. Whilst the task itself was a responsible one, it was usually undertaken by hired help – usually young men or even boys. Being hired help, they had little allegiance to the flock and were generally regarded as basically untrustworthy and often accused of illicitly selling off the sheep’s milk and even the occasional lamb.
They lived for months at a time out in the hills with the sheep; often risking their lives in defence of their flock, yet still regarded with suspicion. Shepherds were held in such low regard that they could not appear in court as a witness. Yet, despite this grim picture of shepherds, Jesus described himself as the Good Shepherd. With that one word, he acknowledged the reputation of shepherds but utterly dismissed it by describing himself as a shepherd – but a good shepherd. He chose to describe himself as the worst of all occupations but raised the status to unimpeachable heights.
In describing himself as the good shepherd, Jesus joined a distinguished list of biblical shepherds: Abraham, his son Isaac, and grandson Jacob were all shepherds; Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, when God appeared to him in the burning bush and revealed God’s name; and the great King, David, began life as a humble shepherd-boy. So, despite the poor reputation of shepherds in Jewish society, some of the greatest leaders of the Jews began life as shepherds.
Today’s gospel passage follows the famous ‘good shepherd’ passage in the gospel of John and continues on the image. The passage portrays Jesus as ‘claiming’ his flock; guaranteeing them not only safety but also eternal life. This oath of loyalty and commitment is all the stronger and more remarkable in light of Jesus’ rehabilitation of the status of shepherds.
Scriptural context – The Father and I are one
The final sentence of today’s passage has Jesus declaring, ‘The Father and I are one.’ It seems a fitting way to finish the gospel reading for liturgical use in the Easter season. However, the passage in John’s gospel continues on. Immediately upon hearing these words, the listening crowd grab rocks and are about to stone Jesus to death! They were horrified by his apparent blasphemy – claiming to be one with God. Such a bold declaration of oneness with the Father was no doubt used by the gospel writer to try to eradicate emerging questions about the divinity of Jesus.
Have you thought? Why John?
You may have noticed that during the Easter season, we have been hearing exclusively from the gospel of John. But aren’t we in Year C of the liturgical cycle – the year of Luke? Well, yes, but … The gospel of the year is predominantly proclaimed during Ordinary Time. However, there is no Year of John. This gospel is read during the Easter season and at other specific feasts and seasons. As the synoptic gospels focus on the life and ministry of Jesus, the theological and metaphoric nature of John’s gospel is much more suited to the post-resurrection season of Easter.
Gospel Focus – Eternal life
In the gospel passage, Jesus says of the sheep that belong to him, ‘I give them eternal life.’ He does not say, I give them the promise of eternal life. The message that comes through the gospel of John is clear that eternal life is not some future existence, but rather a new way of being in the here and now. But that is not to suggest that there is not an ‘eternal’ quality to eternal life. The gospel of John makes clear that eternal life begins in the here and now but has no end.
Prep A
Julia B – For building up your confidence this term. Keep it up, You’re a superstar.
Charbel B – For writing an amazing weekend recount, using finger spaces and a full stop. Keep it up!
Prep B
Elizabeth E – For being an inquisitive learner during mathematics and partitioning numbers to 5.
Manyang M – For being a knowledgeable learner and using your letter sound understanding when spelling unknown words.
Prep C
Chrisanna T – For identifying the sounds in the beginning, middle and end of CVC words. Awesome work!
Kabir S – For displaying a readiness to learn and trying your best to complete set tasks with a growth mindset.
Year 1A
Esme H – Continuously showing dedication to your learning, keep up the great work!
Penelope V – For always getting involved in class discussions and having a go in all learning areas. Well Done!
Year 1B
Abieei B – For being a responsible learner and always putting in your best effort. Keep it up!
David D – For your fabulous, neat handwriting you continue to deliver every day. Well done!
Year 1C
Jessie M – For demonstrating our PBL value of responsibility, by completing a detailed diagram of a plant and correctly labelling all of its parts. Keep up the great work!
Rubaab K – For making connections in your learning, by completing ‘because’, ‘but’, ‘so’ sentences about plants and what they need to grow.
Year 2A
Alaura M – For your dedication shown towards practising and improving your reading. Keep up the excellent effort!
Anthony G – For your effort and persistence when writing to make improvements to your sentences. Keep it up!
Year 2B
Zemichael G – For leading by example and helping others learn, showing our school values every day. Your efforts to support your classmates make a meaningful difference in our school.
Evelyn P – For producing exceptional writing including adjectives, complex sentences, and detail. Keep up the fantastic work!
Year 2C
Ryan A – For increased fluency in reading words containing r-controlled vowels. Keep up the fantastic work.
Arsema G – For your increased ability to add and subtract two-digit numbers using your knowledge of place value. Well done on having a growth mindset with this skill
Year 3A
Lily W – For your amazing effort in representing fractions of collections and shapes. It was so wonderful to see you fully engaged in this unit. Keep up the fantastic learning!
Mello Z – For showing outstanding participation during choral reads. Your enthusiasm and consistent involvement is amazing!
Year 3B
Bailee W – For your reflection on how your actions can show the values that St Catherine of Siena demonstrated.
Dhieu A – For your fantastic effort with identifying fractions of shapes and collections. Keep up the great work!
Year 3C
May T – For building on your confidence and becoming more involved in class discussions – your contributions are truly valued.
Charlie S – For engaging in your learning in writing and completing tasks to a high standard, in particular your cursive writing skills.
Year 4A
Ava K – For accurately identifying decimals to the hundredths place on the number line. Amazing effort!
John P – For accurately identifying decimals to the hundredths place on the number line. Superstar!
Year 4B
Ivan D – Actively participating in our literacy routine using the whiteboards to show sound letter and image relationships.
Bakita M – Actively participating in our literacy routine using the whiteboards to show sound letter and image relationships.
Year 4C
Abraham T – For his hard work and determination in recalling multiplication facts up to 8. Amazing work, keep it up!
Alexia M – For consistently giving her best effort in class while demonstrating a positive attitude toward learning! Well done!
Year 5A
Mace Z – For doing an amazing job on your multiplication and division post-assessment. You should be so proud! We are! Keep up the great learning.
Alana F – For doing an outstanding job on your multiplication and division post-assessment. You should be so proud! We are! Keep up the great learning.
Year 5B
Isabel R – For consistently following all PBL expectations and setting a great example for others. What a fantastic role model you are! Well done
Leon P – For demonstrating enthusiasm during our Inquiry lesson, especially when investigating and discovering information about artifacts
Year 5C
Chelsea H – For your consistent hard work and showing growth in both Maths and writing. Keep up the great work!
Matilda Ha – For your contributions in class and your engagement with the novel ‘The War Horse’. Well done!
Year 6A
Avalon S – Showing great maturity and enthusiasm during our Immigration Museum excursion when participating within a group and asking insightful questions.
Semira C – For showing growth in your resilience, actively collaborating with your peers and tackling challenges together with confidence.
Year 6B
Julian M – For trying hard to stay focused during learning time and for showing great progress in plotting fractions with related denominators on a number line. Keep it up!
Yara B – for being a flexible, positive learner who always gives your best and never complains, no matter the task. Your attitude is an inspiration!
Year 6C
Anna K – responsibility in monitoring class behaviour and helping maintain a focused and respectful learning environment
Dhieu Y – Enthusiasm, curiosity, and active participation during our recent school excursion to the Immigration Museum
This week at St Catherine of Siena, we received our preliminary NAPLAN data. Schools receive a School and Summary Student Report (SSSR). In this report, we can access the following data:
- Access to data around 4 of the 5 NAPLAN tests offered
- Grammar and Punctuation
- Reading
- Spelling
- Numeracy
- Item analysis i.e., we can see how each testing item from the 4 tests listed above links to the curriculum, how many of our students accessed the questions, and how many answered the questions correctly.
- Box and whisker plots i.e., looking at our students at a cohort level (see below).
YEAR 3:
YEAR 5:
The above box and whisker plots above show many valuable things in regards to learning and teaching e.g.
- Our 2025 Year 3 cohort is operating at Strong in 3 our of the 4 areas tested
- Our 2025 Year 5 cohort is operating at Strong in 2 our of the 4 areas tested
- We have more students in our 2025 Year 3 cohort operating in Strong and Exceeding than Needs additional Support and Developing
The Curriculum team and the Executive leadership team will unpack the data to ensure strategic Learning and Teaching decisions are continued to be made moving forward.
We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all our Year 3 and 5 students who undertook the NAPLAN testing back in Term 1.
NAPLAN services have advised that NAPLAN 2025 reporting packages will be distributed to schools in the week commencing Monday, 21 July. These reporting packages will contain:
- A confidential Individual Student Report (ISR) for each student who participated in the tests.
The ISR will display students’ results against the four proficiency levels for each NAPLAN domain, as well as performance ranked against the national average for the applicable year level.
The report also includes descriptors for each proficiency level and NAPLAN test domain.
These will be sent home to families as soon as possible.
Lisa McCallin
Deputy Principal of Learning and Teaching
