Dear Families and School Community,

It was a cold, wet, and wonderful Week 6 at St Catherine of Siena!

Staff Faith Formation Day Friday 14th August, our teaching staff spent an inspiring day exploring the lives and legacies of two remarkable Australian women: St Mary MacKillop and Venerable Mary Glowery. Guided by Sr Rita Malavisi and Fiona Power, the day offered a deeply moving faith formation experience.

A special thank you to Alice and Jodi for co-designing the day with such care, and to our entire staff for their reflection and enthusiasm. Sr Rita reminded us of the beauty of the Theological virtues—faith, hope, and love—and how the Cardinal virtues of prudence, fortitude, justice, and temperance ground us as Catholic educators every day.

Excursion Highlights The past fortnight was packed with learning outside the classroom:

• Prep: Got up close with the wildlife at Werribee Zoo.
• Grade 3: Explored the natural beauty of the You Yangs Regional Park.
• Grade 6: Ventured into Melbourne to visit the Immigration Museum and National Gallery of Victoria, rounded off with a delicious lunch in Chinatown.

Sacrament of Confirmation Thank you to all the families who joined us on Saturday at St Therese Church, Torquay, to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation. It was a truly joyful occasion. As our candidates received the gifts of the Holy Spirit to strengthen their bond with Christ and His Church, please keep them in your prayers as they live out their faith each day.

Upcoming Events & News

• 2026 Happiness Disco: Following fantastic feedback from students and parents alike, we are thrilled to announce that the Happiness Disco is returning this year as an annual tradition! Family tickets for 2026 will go on sale next week.

Reminders - 

Walking bicycles and scooters across the School Crossing

We kindly ask all families to ensure when arriving or leaving school that students, siblings and parents dismount from their bicycles or scooters at school crossings and walk them across the road. Following this road rule helps keep everyone safe during busy drop‑off and pick‑up times. Thank you for helping us model safe behaviour for our students.

2027 Enrolment Planning To help with our planning, please notify the office via email (enquiries@stcatherine.catholic.edu.au) as soon as possible before Term 4 if your child will not be returning to St Catherine of Siena in 2027. We understand circumstances change, so if you are currently navigating decisions, please feel free to reach out to us for an open, supportive conversation.

In Partnership

Nathan Owen

SUMMARY OF UPDATES 2026

Communication & Paperless School

• Check Email Daily: To remain sustainable, we are a paperless school. Please check your inbox regularly for permission forms, updates, and announcements so staff can focus on teaching rather than chasing responses.
• Key Platforms:
  • Newsletter: General updates and celebrations.
  • SIMON / PAM: Check for the “What’s on - Family Edition,” live calendar, and direct links to newsletters.

School Day Procedures & Arrivals

• Event & Assembly Arrival: Reception is a working space handling confidential student and administrative matters. Please gather under cover near the main gate until doors open rather than waiting inside the front office.
• Early Student Pick-Ups:
  • How to Notify: Email enquiries@stcatherine.catholic.edu.au directly. Do not rely on SIMON for same-day early departures, as the office does not monitor it continuously.
  • Times to Avoid: Please avoid pick-ups during Recess (11:00 AM – 11:30 AM) and Lunch (1:40 PM – 2:20 PM). Classrooms are locked and students are outside, resulting in significant delays.

 Medical & Health Guidelines

• Sick Bay & Unwell Students: Sick bay is for short-term first aid only. Unwell students must be collected within 30–45 minutes. If parents cannot be reached, listed emergency contacts will be called systematically. Please ensure your contact details remain up to date.
• Medication Administration Process (4 Steps):
  1. Download Form: Complete the parent section of the Medication Authority Form.
  2. Doctor Signature: Must be signed by an AHPRA-registered GP/specialist (pharmacist signatures are not accepted), or accompanied by a signed letter from your doctor.
  3. Adult Drop-Off: An adult must bring medication directly to the office in its original packaging with the pharmacy label (half-tablets must be in a labeled Pharmacy Webster Pack). Never send medication in a student's bag.
  4. Verification: The medication name, brand, and dosage supplied must match the signed form exactly.

Volunteers & School Fees

• Volunteer Requirements: All classroom and activity volunteers must complete the updated Volunteer Application Form and provide at least one referee contact to comply with MACS Child Safety standards. Please allow 7–10 working days for processing.
• School Fees: Fee statements are emailed as requested. If a direct debit declines, please rectify it prior to the next scheduled run. Consecutive missed payments will require a follow-up meeting to establish a supportive payment plan.

Last week, our Semester 2 Student Voice Team met for the first time. As part of their leadership role, our Student Voice representatives also act as Child Safety Officers, helping to ensure that student perspectives are included in our approach to child safety.

During our first meeting, students reviewed the Student Version of our Child Safety Policy and provided valuable feedback about its clarity and accessibility. They also shared their ideas about what is working well and what could be improved in the yard during break times.

Based on the feedback, students particularly enjoy the variety of clubs offered each break, the rotations on the soccer pitch and nature play space, and having sports equipment available to practise and develop the skills they have learned in PE. Our Senior students are also excited about the opportunity to run sports training sessions for our Junior students.

We look forward to working with our Student Voice Team throughout Semester 2 and ensuring that student voice continues to play an important role in creating a safe, inclusive and welcoming school community.

Faith Focus

What is the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary?

On 15th August, the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This special feast honours the belief that, at the end of her earthly life, Mary was taken body and soul into heaven by God.

Mary is an important role model for Christians because of her faith, trust and willingness to say "yes" to God's plan. Throughout her life, she showed love, humility and courage as the mother of Jesus and a faithful disciple.

The Feast of the Assumption reminds us that God calls each of us to live lives of faith and hope. As we celebrate Mary's Assumption into heaven, we are encouraged to follow her example by caring for others, trusting in God and sharing God's love in our families, school and community

Prayer

Loving God,

We thank You for the gift of Mary, the mother of Jesus and our mother in faith.

As we celebrate the Feast of the Assumption, we remember Mary's trust in You, her courage, and her willingness to say "yes" to Your call.

Help us to follow her example by showing kindness, compassion and love to those around us.

May Mary guide our school community to grow in faith, hope and service, and inspire us to use our gifts to make a positive difference in the world.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us.