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Friday, 27th June 2025
Dear Parents, Carers, & Students,
This coming weekend, we celebrate the Feast of St Peter & Paul. Throughout most of the Church’s history, these two major figures of Peter and Paul, have been linked, and so it is fitting that they share a common feast day. However, Peter has been given greater regard and has held a more significant place in the tradition. In fact, the Church itself is often described as ‘Petrine’ – in the tradition of Peter. Much is made of the line of Popes being traced back to Peter. The authority and structure of the Church is linked to the Petrine model of Church. Describing Peter as the ‘rock’ upon which the Church was built is an excellent image of stability and constancy.
In something of a contrast, the apostle Paul is best known as the great traveller who spread the message of Jesus all around the shores of the Mediterranean, establishing communities of faith wherever he went. His letters – or epistles – to these communities were some of the first Christian writings; predating by 20 years or more the four gospels of the New Testament. Rather than stability and constancy, Paul is identified with growth and change; expansion and openness. I would argue that without Paul the early Christian communities may not have survived beyond the end of the 1st Century.
Normally I would only publish the weekend’s Gospel, however to honour these two great Saints I have included both the Second Reading and Gospel Acclamation. I encourage you to take a moment and read it. For myself, having travelled late last year to Greece and followed the path that St Paul took as he proclaimed and lived out Christ’s message to us all, I cannot help reflect upon how profound the teachings of Christ were then and continue to be now in our own community.
May you be blessed to be able to change and grow and in doing so, become a pillar of hope and inspiration for others.
With kindest regards,
Des Noack
Principal
Week 11
Monday 30/06
- The First Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church
Tuesday 01/07
- Parent Teacher Learning Conversations 3.30pm to 8pm
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 3.30pm to 8pm
Friday 04/07
- Saint Elizabeth of Portugal
- Last Day of Term 2 – Dismissal @ 3.15pm
How Parents Can Get the Most Out of Parent-Teacher Meetings
Parent-teacher meetings are valuable opportunities to discuss a child’s progress, strengths and areas for improvement. To make the most of these conversations, parents should:
- Prepare in Advance – Review the child’s recent work, grades and behaviour beforehand. Note any concerns or questions to discuss.
- Be Open and Positive – Approach the meeting with a collaborative mindset, listening to the teacher’s insights while sharing observations from home.
- Ask Specific Questions – Instead of general inquiries like “How is my child doing?”, ask targeted questions about academic performance, social skills and engagement in class.
- Discuss Strategies for Improvement – If challenges arise, work with the teacher to develop actionable steps for support at school and home.
- Follow Up – After the meeting, reinforce key points with the child and maintain communication with the teacher if needed.
By being proactive, engaged and solution-focused, parents can ensure productive discussions that benefit their child’s learning journey.
At St Catherine’s we have a dedicated room for therapy sessions and encourage classroom observation by allied health professionals. Both parents and therapists are required to complete a number of legal documents before starting and booking has previously been made through the office and Learning Diversity Leader. This can be time consuming and cause delay for the therapists and families. We are very happy to announce we now engage with an online booking system School Therapy.
We love School Therapy because it replaces a time-consuming and detailed process with an efficient and consistent online service. Therapists love School Therapy too. Engagement approval can happen in less than an hour, session bookings in minutes, and the visitor portal shows them exactly what they need to do so they don’t get tripped up by missing paperwork.
School Therapy comes from the same people who make School Interviews, the school event booking service trusted by 5,000 schools around the world.
If your child engages with allied health and you would like the therapist to connect with the school in any capacity, please share our therapy email address with them therapy@scmeltonwest.catholic.edu.au
Nadine Barnes
Learning Diversity Leader
Prep enrolments for 2026 are filling very quickly with only 7 spaces left. Once we reach 75 enrolled students, all further applications will be placed on a waiting list.
If you are a current family that has not yet taken a 2026 Prep Enrolment Form, you are placing yourself at risk of not being able to enrol your child into next year’s 2026 Prep classes.
The school is currently at 94% capacity, an increase of 8% since August 2023.
Now Accepting Neurodevelopmental Referrals
Ascot Vale Paediatrics is currently accepting a limited number of neurodevelopmental referrals.
Availability is limited and subject to clinical triage.
All general medical and referrals for babies under 12 months will be triaged, and if accepted, an appointment will be accommodated in a timely manner.
Solution Psychology is currently taking new clients for a broad range of support from cognitive and neurodiverse assessment to regular therapy sessions.
They have three Victorian locations and also offer school based visits and assessments.
We’ve recently seen a significant increase in the number of lost property items being left throughout the school. Our lost property area is overflowing and we’re keen to reunite these items with their rightful owners.
We’d like to remind all students and parents that it is each student’s responsibility to take care of their belongings. School uniform items are not only an important part of our school identity but can also be costly to replace. To help reduce the number of lost items, please take the following steps:
- Label Everything
- Check Lost Property Regularly
- Keep Track of Uniform Items
We appreciate your help in encouraging students to take responsibility for their possessions. If your child is missing something, please visit the lost property area as soon as possible — unclaimed items will be donated at the end of the term.
Thank you for your continued support!
The school library is open every morning from 8.15am and available to students to exchange their books. We have some very avid readers who love expanding their mind, imagination and vocabulary through the extensive range of books available to them. Parents are encouraged to visit the library with their child also, especially when encouraging and assisting their child with book selections.
Prep Students
Prep students have continued exploring coding using Beebots. They learned to identify and label the different parts of the Beebot and even had fun creating synchronised dances using simple programming commands.
Grade 5–6 Students
Grade 5–6 students have kicked off their robotics journey using the LEGO Spike Essential kits. They’ve been building and modifying carnival-themed attractions and games, developing their skills in coding, collaboration and following detailed instructions.
Grade 3–4 Students
In their bridge engineering unit, Grade 3–4 students built and tested different types of bridges to investigate their strengths and weaknesses. Now, they’re planning their own bridge designs to span a 40cm gap while meeting specific design constraints and criteria.
Grade 1–2 Students
Our promising, young engineers in Grades 1–2 have been hard at work designing boats that must carry a payload and include a feature that makes them move. Construction is now underway and their creative designs are beginning to take shape!
Celebrating 100 Days of Prep! Families Invited to Join the Fun!
We are thrilled to invite the families of our Prep students to a special celebration marking their first 100 days of school! This exciting milestone is a wonderful opportunity to recognize our youngest learners’ growth, achievements and enthusiasm for learning.
On Monday, 4th August (Term 3, Week 3), we will host a fun-filled event in the Prep – One Learning Centre where students will showcase their progress through activities, displays and even a special performance! Families can enjoy light refreshments, take photos at our “100 Days Smarter” photo booth and share in the pride of their child’s early educational journey.
This celebration is a chance to say thank you for your support and to cheer on our Preps as they continue to learn, explore and thrive. Whether it’s counting to 100, reading their first words, or making new friends, every achievement deserves to be celebrated!
In the spirit of Catholic education, we are reminded of the words of Pope Leo XIII, who once said: “Nothing is more excellent than education. It is by education that we prepare people for life.”
An Operoo form will be sent out inviting you to RSVP to secure your spot. We can’t wait to see you there as we honour this special milestone together!
For more details, please contact any of the Prep Team staff. Let’s make this day unforgettable for our amazing Prep students!
The Prep Team
The Feast of St Peter & Paul
This Weekends Scripture & Reflection
Second Reading
A reading from the second letter of St Paul to Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18
All that remains now is the crown of righteousness.
My life is already being poured away as a libation, and the time has come for me to be gone. I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith; all there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that Day; and not only to me but to all those who have longed for his Appearing.
The Lord stood by me and gave me power, so that through me the whole message might be proclaimed for all the pagans to hear; and so I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from all evil attempts on me, and bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia!
You are Peter, the rock on which I will build my Church;
the gates of hell will not hold out against it.
Alleluia!
Gospel
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 16:13-19
You are Peter, and I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi he put this question to his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say he is John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ ‘But you,’ he said, ‘who do you say I am?’
Then Simon Peter spoke up, ‘You are the Christ,’ he said, ‘the Son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.’
Gospel Reflection
Peter and Paul symbolise two facets of our Christian community: mission and maintenance. Paul was the great missionary and Peter was the great leader who held together the earliest disciples. Both were crucial to the Christian community’s expansion and survival.
The image of the missionary venturing out boldly to proclaim Christ to the world is so much more engaging than being a maintainer. But every organisation or institution needs someone to provide a clear focus and vision, and to establish structures that will see the group survive past the first generation. To this day we need our Peters and our Pauls.
Peter and Paul did not always have an easy relationship. We know from the Acts of the Apostles that they disagreed about a fundamental issue in the earliest Christian mission: for whom was the good news of Jesus intended? Peter thought it was just for Jews. Paul argued it was for the Gentiles as well. What makes Peter’s leadership so outstanding is that he not only listened carefully to what Paul said, but saw what Christ was doing among the Gentiles. He trusted that the working of the Spirit was bigger than he was, and that it included a man who never met Jesus and yet seemed to have a richer insight into where and how Christ was to be preached. That takes courage and humility.
Today we need to be careful that in Christ’s name we do not bind things up so tightly that we leave no room for the Holy Spirit to challenge or surprise us. Having the courage and humility to ‘hang a bit loose’ is not weakness. It can be about trusting that Christ’s saving love is still at work in unexpected ways with all people everywhere.
Peter and Paul show what can happen when we cooperate with Christ in living out his love. Things we never dreamt of become possible. But their lives also show us the cost. Both of them died as martyrs. We may not be asked to embrace martyrdom in our lives, but in the way we run our race we are challenged to keep the faith and proclaim Christ by how we live. By doing so we are assured that when we come to heaven we will be greeted by Peter and Paul and with them we will behold the fullness of love, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, for eternity.
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
- 100 Days Of Learning for Preps
- Morning Tea for Prep Parents 9am
- 100 Days of Learning Assembly 2:30pm – Prep & Year 6
Tuesday 05/08
- The Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major
- Staff Meeting 30pm – 4:30pm
- Confirmation Family Night @ 6:30pm
- 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
- 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 14/08
- 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 7am & 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 30am
- 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
Taylor T – For showing great improvement while blending sounds to read words. Keep it up!
Alayna P – For your participation during our daily Heggerty lessons. Awesome work!
Prep B
Riley S – For being a knowledgeable learner during reading, confidently using your understanding of letter sounds to decode unfamiliar words.
Noah S – For being a knowledgeable learner during maths, identifying the missing numbers on number tracks to 20.
Prep C
George I – For demonstrating a readiness to learn by actively participating in our lessons, especially during phonics activities and while reading and writing our teen numerals.
Aiden B – For using your knowledge of heart words, phonemes and digraphs to write our dictation sentences. Your writing skills are getting stronger every day.
Year 1A
Lincoln G – For showing great dedication to his learning and making amazing progress using all your sounds to help write simple CVC words, fantastic effort!
Akoi M – For actively joining in whole-class discussions and using the ideas shared to help with your learning. Fantastic effort – keep it up!
Year 1B
Cyrus N – For showing amazing tracking during fluency and having a go at reading the passage on your own.
Joy A – For always trying your best, showing a positive attitude and putting great effort into everything you do.
Year 1C
Georgia D – For consistently writing detailed ‘because, but, so’ sentences, after reading Billie B Brown. Your sentences demonstrate your level of understanding, keep up the great writing.
Amalia E – For showing improvement in identifying the sounds in words during our phonics lessons this term.
Year 2A
Anthony G – For showing the school values of Responsibility and Respect by trying your best to solve problems calmly and letting teachers teach and learners learn. Well done Anthony!
Oskar S – For segmenting and blending sounds to read and spell words. You are showing great improvement! Keep it up Oskar!
Year 2B
Scarlette R – For smoothly adapting to our school community and consistently following all expectations with a positive attitude. We are so glad to have you in 2B!
Dylan K – For showing exceptional improvement in adding and subtracting with regrouping, using number lines with confidence and determination. Keep up the great work!
Year 2C
Jayden Z – For your increased efforts to listen carefully, share your ideas and stay engaged in your work. I am proud of you.
Genevieve J – For your growth in using a variety of addition and subtraction strategies this term. Keep up the hard work!
Year 3A
Zakai T – For writing an amazing factual recount about the Year 3 excursion to the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV). Well done on your incredibly neat handwriting so clear and easy to read.
Nova H – For reading with wonderful expression that brings the story to life! Your voice, tone and enthusiasm make listening a joy. Keep it up!
Year 3B
Zeb G – For a great start at St Catherine’s. It is great to have you in 3B!
Andreana D – For your positive attitude in catching up on testing. You demonstrated great responsibility for your learning by being so focused during this time.
Year 3C
Claire S – For your can do attitude with a smile in catching up on testing and schoolwork, you’re a star!
Mati K – For your significant improvement in testing across all subjects, especially in reading fluency — well done!
Year 4A
Dinuli R – For your detailed paragraphs about the First Fleet and Early European Settlement in your factual recount. Amazing!
Bailey M – For your graphical displays of a column graph and pictograph to show your survey data.
Year 4B
Ajhak A – For constantly focusing on class work, always giving his best efforts in learning time.
Abigail K – For your consistent efforts in revising your writing, checking in, to receive feedback.
Year 4C
Madonna A – For accurately collecting data and creating a pictograph that clearly and creatively represented the information. Well done!
Alexia M – For reading our fluency passages with accuracy and expression. Amazing work!
Year 5A
Chloe A – For consistently showing a strong readiness to learn by actively engaging, participating in lessons and being prepared by having all necessary materials ready.
Shahana S – For showing outstanding growth in reading fluency and making a significant improvement in your PAT R results. Well done!
Year 5B
Leon P – For showing our school PBL value of kindness. Your willingness to help others makes you a wonderful role model. Keep being kind and thoughtful – it makes a big difference!
Lewis L – For getting your writing piece in response to our novel study Black Cockatoo off to a strong start. Keep up the excellent effort – we can’t wait to read more!
Year 5C
Alison S – For your fantastic efforts on completing all your tasks so quickly and efficiently. Your hard work is impressive!
Johnny S – For making great choices and showing leadership skills. Keep it up!
Year 6A
Zara G – For a successful transition to our classroom! Thank you for the kindness and joy that you have brought to our class! Welcome to 6A!
Summer L – For collaborating and learning well with your peers in the classroom and welcoming our new student with open arms! Thank you!
Year 6B
Mia M – For making impressive progress in understanding probability, showing increased confidence and accuracy through consistent effort and a positive attitude toward learning.
Jacob A – For showing outstanding growth in your understanding of probability, demonstrating significant improvement from the pre-test to the post-test through hard work and persistence.
Year 6C
Athieei T- For showing courage and maturity in recognizing your behaviour and taking important steps toward understanding your feelings.
Liam M – For showing responsibility and determination by recognizing your math progress and taking the initiative to improve your skills.