Dear Families,

Welcome to our week 6 newsletter. It is hard to believe we are now at the end of Week 6 of Term 2.  

SCoS Athletics Carnival: What a Huge Success! A massive congratulations to everyone involved in the SCoS 3- 6 Athletics Carnival at Landy Field on Friday.  It was a fantastic day filled with high energy, wonderful sportsmanship, and outstanding student participation. Seeing our school community come together and compete with such enthusiasm was so special to see - and we were blessed with the sensational autumn weather. A special mention and extended thank you goes to Mr Corey and Ms Sam Boyington. for their exceptional leadership, preparation in organising the event. Coordinating a carnival of this scale takes an immense amount of planning, and their hard work behind the scenes ensured the entire day ran seamlessly (including the very entertaining lunchtime relay). We also want to extend our sincere gratitude to all the staff members who attended and assisted. Whether they were timing races, recording data, managing events and supervising students, your support was invaluable. Events like this cannot happen without a collective "all hands on deck" attitude.  

Heartfelt thanks also to everyone who contributed to our beautiful Pentecost liturgy on Tuesday of this week. It was a very moving and reverent liturgy, providing our entire school community with a powerful moment of reflection, and unity. Pentecost reminds us that the mission of Jesus continues through people willing to bring light into everyday moments. A kind word to a friend or colleague, patience during a difficult situation day or showing compassion to someone in need can all become signs of the Spirit at work. Catholic schools are not simply places of learning; they are communities where faith is lived out in practical and life-giving ways. Next Wednesday morning at 8.45am we are ALL IN for Reconciliation and very much look forward to holding our National Reconciliation Week liturgy. 

I also provide a very huge thank you to our amazing parent community for your incredible generosity and quick response in assisting a family in need with meals and pantry items. The overwhelming support we received shines a light on the compassionate and caring spirit that defines St Catherine of Siena. Please remember that our support for families in need is ongoing; if you would like to contribute further, donations can be dropped off directly to Belynda in the front office at any time. Thank you for continuing to look out for one another and making our community so special. 

As we approach the cold and flu season, we would like to share an important health reminder. Please be assured that we do not request student pick-ups unnecessarily. We only contact families after all available first aid measures have been fully exhausted, and it is determined that a student needs to return home to rest or may  require external medical care. For more details on our first aid policy, please refer to the latest Admin Update in this newsletter. 

Congratulations to Grace Blackburn who participated and performed in Short Black Opera for KIds at Geelong Performing Arts Centre. This music education program was created by celebrated Yorta Yorta soprano, composer, and educator Deborah Cheetham Fraillon AO and uses song, story and play through music to allow students to connect to their First Nations identity. It was joyous to see the children build pride in their identity and connect through creativity. Our junior First Nations students and staff who attended the showcase concert were amazed at the exceptional quality and beauty of the performance. It was a very moving event and we all loved watching Grace sing! 

We are pleased to share a quick traffic update that should make your daily commute to SCoS a little smoother. Barwon Heads Road via Warralily Boulevard is now fully open again. This reopening should significantly ease the travel congestion we have been experiencing immediately around our school grounds during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up times. We thank you all for your patience, careful driving, and cooperation during the disruptions, and we look forward to a much smoother flow of traffic, particularly along Warralily Boulevard moving forward. Drive safely!

Finally, At St Catherine of Siena, we deeply value the partnership between home and school in nurturing your child’s growth. With that shared commitment in mind, I strongly encourage parents and carers to carefully read the Learning and Teaching section of this week’s newsletter. Our school homework expectations include both nightly reading and regular math fluency practice through Numbots and Times Tables Rockstars. These tools require just 10 minutes, 3 to 4 times a week, to make a massive difference in your child's foundational skills.

Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership.

Nathan

Student Voice News

Recently, the Student Voice team met to discuss ways we can improve Nature Play at St Catherine of Siena. During our meeting, we explored ideas including creating one designated Nature Play space next to the soccer pitch and introducing a roster for students participating in nature games. The Student Voice team will present these ideas to the Leadership Team. 

The team also reviewed our Nature Play expectations to help ensure everyone stays safe, included and respectful.

We remember to:

• Only use natural materials like sticks and rocks when building forts and structures. We do not use building materials, garden supplies or sports equipment.
• Never use sticks or rocks as weapons.
• Share materials because they belong to everyone.
• Play kindly by sharing, taking turns and using respectful words.
• Include others and avoid choosing “bosses” or having play fights with other groups.
• Respect other children’s forts and structures by not knocking them over or taking their materials.

By working together and showing fair play, we can make Nature Play fun and safe for everyone!

Current Call for Support: Can You Help This Week? 💙

Right now, two families within our own community are navigating challenging times and need a helping hand. If you’ve been looking for a way to give back locally, this is it.

Here is a quick look at who we are supporting and exactly what they need:

Family 1: One Adult & Three Children

• The Situation: Pushing through a tough season and needing a boost with everyday essentials.
• What they need most: *Lunchbox snacks for the kids
  • Fresh fruit & veggies (Bonus tip: The kids absolutely love apples and grapes!)
  • Fuel vouchers to help them get around to school and appointments.
  • Simple, comforting family meals.

Family 2: Two Adults & Three Children

• The Situation: Dealing with  illness and needing a break from the kitchen.
• Dietary requirements: No allergies.
• What they need most: * Quick, easy, and nourishing family dinners to take the pressure off.

If you are able to contribute in any way, please drop your donations off to Belynda at the front office or sign up to cook a meal through June via our Meal Train Link

Do you need a hand, or know someone who does? If you are currently doing it tough—or if you know another school family who could benefit from some extra support right now—please reach out.

ABOUT FAMILIES 4 FAMILIES

At the heart of our school is a strong, compassionate community that looks out for one another. With this in mind, we are incredibly proud to launch our Families4Families Community Program—a initiative designed to wrap around our school families when they need a helping hand. The concept is simple: when life gets overwhelming, our community steps in to lighten the load. Assistance might look like providing a fresh home-cooked meal, donating pantry staples, stocking up our school’s emergency freezer, or donating grocery and fuel vouchers.

Your Privacy Matters: Please be assured that this program is completely anonymous. All donations are managed centrally, and meals or vouchers will be discreetly delivered by school staff or made available for a quiet pickup from the front office.

Progressing Reading and Numeracy Skills - Teachers can’t do it alone

In 2025, our school revised its homework expectations for all students in Prep - Year 6.  Whilst home reading has always been an expectation, last year we added regular maths fluency practice to our expectations.  Every student in Year 1-6 can access either the Numbots (Years 1 and 2) or Times Table Rockstars online app to support this regular maths practice (or you can be provided with a hard-copy alternative if you prefer screen-free).  Our expectation is that families will dedicate 10 minutes, 3-4 times a week to fluency practice as well as nightly reading.

The hard reality: In the last fortnight 6% of students at St Catherine of Siena in Years 3-6 met the minimum expectation of 20 minutes of maths fluency practice each week.  That meant that out of 289 students, 17 were successful, with most of these being Year 4 students.  Additionally, when asked if they read at home, many of our middle and senior students report that they do not. 

Together, we need to shift this reality.  

In Raising Readers, author and educator Megan Daley highlights that “PE teachers, coaches and music teachers all talk about practice.  And in an age where we can be constantly distracted, reading [and building maths skills] does at times, like training for sport, need to be scheduled and adhered to.”  Children need more practice than what we can provide in the short and busy school day.

St Catherine of Siena is committed to working in partnership with families in learning and we need families to partner with us in supporting homework practices.  Our community can do better than 6%.

If you need your child’s username/password for Numbots or Timetables Rockstars re-sent or have any questions about homework, please contact your child’s classroom teacher or Allison Wedding (DP/Learning and Teaching leader).

Important Reminder: Sick Bay and Student Pickups

To keep our school community healthy, please remember that our sick bay is designed for short-term first aid, not extended waiting. Keeping unwell students in the sick bay increases the spread of germs (& Nits) to other children and staff.

If your child becomes unwell at school, we require them to be collected within 30–45 minutes. *Emergency Contact Protocol: If we are unable to reach you, or if you cannot make arrangements to pick up your child within this 30–45 minute window, we will systematically call your listed emergency contacts to ensure your child can be collected promptly.

• Update Your Details: Please ensure your emergency contacts are up to date and aware that they may be called upon.
• We're Here to Help: If delayed pickups become an ongoing issue, we will reach out to discuss how we can work together to better support your child's wellbeing.

Thank you for helping us maintain a safe and healthy environment for everyone!

FAITH FOCUS: The Mystery of Pentecost

The mystery of Pentecost refers to the powerful and life-changing event when the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles after Jesus had returned to heaven.

In the Pentecost story (Acts 2:1-11), the disciples were gathered together, unsure and afraid. Suddenly, the Holy Spirit filled them - often described as a strong wind and tongues of fire. This gave them courage, wisdom and the ability to speak in different languages so they could share Jesus’ message with everyone.

The “mystery” of Pentecost is that God’s Spirit is not something we can see, but it is deeply real. It transforms people from the inside, giving them strength, peace and the courage to live out their faith.

For Catholics, Pentecost is often called the birthday of the Church because it marks the moment the apostles began spreading the Good News to the world.

Mini Vinnies Update

This term we are supporting the St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal. Mini Vinnies have been working hard making blankets for the appeal. In the meantime, please start clearing out your cupboards for blankets, jackets, beanies and scarves. Stay tuned for when to bring these into school.

Pentecost Prayer

Come, Holy Spirit,
Fill our hearts with your love.

Give us courage to do what is right,
wisdom to make good choices,
and strength to follow Jesus each day.

Help us to be kind, patient, and loving to others,
just as you guide us.

May your Spirit be with us always,
 bringing peace and joy to our hearts.

Amen.

Please find below link to the Dates for your Diary - Updated for Term 2 Week 6

These are subject to change and will be updated with new events regularly. Please ensure you check SIMON /PAM and the What's on Weekly.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY