Term 2 Week 6 Newsletter 2025

Dear Parents, Friends, Staff and Students of St Catherine’s,

Staff reflection Day-Pupil free day this Friday.

Thank you to the parents and carers for your support in allowing the staff to undertake a professional development day this Friday. Carla, Fr Fred, and I will lead the staff in a Staff Retreat Day. The day follows the late Pope Francis’ guidance for hope to be a central theme of our work this year. 

Where is hope when you are feeling anxious? Having been a Principal for more than 12 years I have observed more recently the negative impact that particularly social media has on many children. In addition to catastrophizing events (so that you continue to tune-in), constant exposure to curated, idealized images of peers' lives can lead to unhealthy comparisons and Fear of Missing Out (FOMO). The late Pope Francis spoke of hope not as mere wishful thinking, but as something rooted in trust in God’s love and the belief in a greater purpose. “Hope is the virtue of a heart that doesn’t lock itself into darkness, that doesn’t dwell on the past, does not simply get by in the present, but is able to see a tomorrow”. Pope Francis 

Staffing News

I am pleased to share that Genevive Jong will be returning to St Cath's in Term 3 (part time) from maternity leave. Many will know Gen as a highly accomplished teacher. I will provide further details once the timetable for Term 3 has been finalized.

Our Year 6 students flourish in senior school.

It is no surprise that our largest class this year is our year 6 class because the students and parents know the benefit of completing their time at St Catherine’s to set themselves up for future success. We regularly seek feedback to see how well our graduating Year 6 students manage in year 7. It is reassuring for parents that St Catherine’s students flourish in a variety of schools including leadership and most recently we were pleased to hear that Annabel Hage (Yr 6 graduate 2018) has been appointed School Captain at Mercedes College.

Italian Day

Thank you and well done to Mrs Niedorfer for organizing our Italian Day this week and a big thanks to the parents of Lucia Clements for providing the yummy food for this day, along with the Langfords for donating the beef for the bolognaise sauce.

Winter illness

Winter has arrived and so has the flu season. I appreciate the challenges faced by families and schools during the recent wave of illness and thanks for keeping your children home when needed and when you can and supporting the health of others at school.

Year 5 Camp

Our year 5 students spent two nights at Mylor Adventure Camp this week and I observed first-hand how much the students enjoyed spending time together and challenging themselves with a range of individual and team building activities. Thank you to Mrs Williams, Mr Butler, and Ms Eichorn (practical teacher) for supporting the children throughout this camp experience.

Debating

I was delighted to see our debaters do so well on Tuesday night. Thanks to Clare Thompson for her work in supporting the team especially given student absences because of illness. Thanks also to Mrs Eichhorn for helping last minute.

Congratulations to our year 5 teams who won all 3 debates. Well done to Toni-Mari/ Holly/Mackenzie and also to Mary/Alice/Hayley who did 2 debates in a row (and won both!)

Congratulations to our year 6 teams including Mia/Charlie/Toby. Well done to Alexia/Paddy/Hugo who won, to Raphi/Orlando/Vea who won with Raphi best speaker, and to Aliyah/Kiyan/Max who won with Aliyah best speaker.

We also had several parents who helped in preparing and stepping into various support roles like time keeping last night.

Student Wellbeing

The welfare of our students is a priority. We constantly monitor our student's wellbeing including using tools such as the Classroom Pulse survey. The students are invited to provide feedback across a range of wellbeing indicators, and we collate this data and use this to respond to areas of need. As you might expect, the feedback from our students is generally that they are happy at school, happy with their teachers and happy with their friends but we are always looking for improvements.

Enrolment for 2026 and 2027

It has been a pleasure showing prospective families through our school over the past few weeks, showcasing our warm and nurturing learning environment. I am always delighted with how proud our students feel about their school and how warmly they welcome new students.

We are currently accepting enrolments for 2026 and 2027. If you have a child that is due to start school next year or the year after and are yet to enroll them, please contact our Enrolment Officer, Cathy Fischle (cfischle@stcaths.catholic.edu.au) as soon as possible.

Semester 1 Student Achievement Reports

Teachers will be finalising student assessments for Semester 1 over the coming weeks, allowing them to produce student reports which will be available in SEQTA in the last week of term.

Monday Tuck and Friday Lunch

We are so grateful to our dedicated P&F and parent volunteers who organise Monday Tuck and Friday Lunch each week. The students very much enjoy being able to purchase items such as cupcakes, muffins, biscuits or hot chocolates and we couldn't provide this service without the generous donations from our families - Thank you!

Best wishes for the long weekend.

Warm regards,

Mark

As we move through the term, it's amazing that we are now halfway through term 2! There has been a great deal happening across the school, from student-led initiatives to classroom learning, service and ministry and sacramental celebrations. Our commitment to faith and ecology continues to shine. These are just a few things happening around St Catherine's over the last few weeks.  

Journeying in Faith: Preparing for Confirmation 

We would like to acknowledge and celebrate the dedication and commitment of our Sacramental Program students as they continue their journey towards the Sacrament of Confirmation. The children are engaging deeply in their preparation with their families, particularly in the process of discerning a patron saint to guide and inspire them in their faith. 

Choosing a Confirmation name is a significant part of this journey. It invites each child to reflect on the lives of the saints and connect with a model of Christian discipleship that resonates with their own hopes and values. 

As we look ahead to their Confirmation celebration on Friday June 20th, we hold these children and their families in our prayers. May the Holy Spirit continue to guide and strengthen them in this sacred time of growth and grace. 

Altar Server Ministry – An Invitation to Serve 

Several students have expressed a keen interest in becoming altar servers for school liturgical celebrations. This is an important and rewarding leadership role within our school community.   

Under the guidance of Fr Fred and Carla, the students were supported and trained as they learned how to serve during Mass. This initiative is a beautiful way for students to live out our Dominican pillar of Ministry, offering their time and presence in service to others and to God. Participation in this ministry offers many personal and spiritual benefits, including: 

• Developing a strong sense of responsibility and service 
• Growing in confidence and public presence 
• Gaining a deeper understanding of Catholic liturgy and traditions 
• Actively engaging in the faith life of our school 

We look forward to walking alongside our students as they take up this special opportunity to grow in faith, leadership and community. 

Project Compassion Update 

Our final calculations have come in, and we are pleased to inform the community that together we raised $1,174.20 for Project Compassion this year. 

Thank you to everyone for your generosity and support. Your compassion and commitment have made a meaningful difference in the lives of others. 

Vinnies Winter Appeal – Let’s Help Keep Others Warm This Winter! 

As the colder months set in, we are proud to again support the Vinnies Winter Appeal in partnership with the St Vincent de Paul Society. This important initiative helps bring warmth, dignity and hope to those in our community who are doing it tough this winter. 

We are inviting our school community to contribute in two meaningful ways: 

DONATION DRIVE 

We are collecting non-perishable food items, toiletries and warm socks to support those in need. Donations can be brought to school and placed in the collection baskets in classrooms.  To avoid double ups, each year level group are invited to donate the following items:

• RecJS and RecJB - Tinned Soup, Pasta and Jarred Sauce 
• 1/2NB and 1/2BB - Toiletries 
• 3/4JC and 3/4SB - Breakfast Items  
• 5AW and 6CT - Desserts, tea, coffee, milo 

Final collection day: Wednesday 2nd July (Week 10) 

PJ & Oodie Fun-raising Day 

On Friday 4th of July (the last day of term 2), students are invited to donate a gold coin and wear their warm pyjamas, slippers, oodie and/or dressing gown to school. 

All funds raised will go directly to Vinnies to help support families and individuals experiencing hardship. Your generosity, big or small, will help bring warmth to those doing it touch this winter. Thank you for your support!  

Welcome to Our Feathered Friends! 

We’re excited to share that our new chickens have settled in beautifully to their home in our school garden! Over the past week, classes have been taking turns to visit the chickens, helping them become familiar with their new environment and gently getting to know our school community. 

As part of the welcoming process, students across the school suggested creative and fun names for our new feathered friends. After much enthusiasm and thoughtful discussion, our Eco Leaders finalised the names last week. We’re thrilled to introduce Nugget, Omelette, Lucky, Lolly, and Ruby! 

Creative Cubby Construction in Full Swing! 

Throughout recess and lunch, students of all ages have been eagerly engaging in some busy constructive play by designing and refining their own cubbies using natural materials found in our outdoor spaces. This open-ended play fosters a range of valuable skills, including creativity, teamwork, problem-solving, adaptability and sustained focus.   

To support their ongoing efforts, students have been using "Work in Progress" cards to indicate that their cubbies are still under construction. This helps others to respect and appreciate the evolving nature of their designs, but also to share the resources that are available. 

The cubby spaces have become a testament to student imagination and cooperation, and it has been wonderful to witness their ideas come to life in such an engaging and meaningful ways.   

We are after extra resources to add variety to the student's cubby building efforts. If you have any pots, pans, containers or weather-safe material (tarps etc) that can be donated, we would love to have them. Any donations can be left with Di at the front office. 

Carla Thomas
Acting APRIM

SEQTA Engage for reports 

Teachers and students are working hard to finalise end of semester assessments and reports. The Semester Reports will be distributed to families in Week 10. At St Catherine's School we use the website and/or app SEQTA Engage to distribute the reports electronically. More information will be shared with new families next week about downloading the app and accessing our school account so you will be able to receive your child's report. Please look out for information via email next week.  

Using Data to Support Every Learner at St Catherine’s 

At St Catherine’s, we are committed to ensuring every student is supported and challenged to achieve their personal best. A key part of this commitment is the thoughtful and purposeful use of educational data to inform teaching and learning. 

By regularly analysing student progress and assessment data, our teachers and leadership team maintain a clear line of sight into where each student is on their learning journey. This helps us to identify where additional support or enrichment may be needed, so that no student is left behind or held back. 

Our staff use a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) to tailor instruction to student needs. This approach allows us to provide targeted interventions or extension opportunities, either within the classroom or with the support of an ESO. 

We are fortunate at St Catherine’s to have a team of knowledgeable, experienced, and responsive educators, who work together to ensure every student can access the curriculum, engage meaningfully with their learning and experience success at their level. 

By using data well, we can deliver the right support at the right time, helping every student to thrive as a capable and confident learner. 

🌿 Reconciliation Week: Learning, Reflecting, and Growing Together 🌿 

Last week, our school came together to mark National Reconciliation Week (27 May – 3 June), a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements—and to explore how we can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. 

This year’s theme, “Now More Than Ever”, encouraged thoughtful conversations and meaningful actions in classrooms across the school. Our students engaged with this message through a range of activities designed to deepen their understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and the importance of reconciliation. 

Classroom Highlights: 

🖐 Storytelling and Yarning Circles: Students in Years 1 and 2 participated in yarning circles, listening to Dreamtime stories and discussing the importance of listening and respect in Indigenous cultures. 

🎨 Art with Meaning: Students in Reception created artworks inspired by traditional Indigenous symbols and painting techniques.  

💬 Student Reflections: The Year 3/4 classes wrote personal pledges about what reconciliation means to them.  

🧭 Mapping Country: In Geography lessons, students examined First Nations language maps and learned about the Traditional Custodians of the land our school is built on. Many students were fascinated to discover the diversity of Indigenous nations and languages across Australia. 

National Simultaneous Reading  

🚚🐱 National Simultaneous Storytime 2025: The Truck Cat  🐱🚚 

On Wednesday, May 22, students and staff joined thousands of schools, libraries, and families across Australia for the much-anticipated National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) 2025. 

At exactly 11:00 AM, the Early Years classes stopped to share in a joyful reading of this year’s chosen story — The Truck Cat by Deborah Niland. This delightful tale follows a determined little cat who finds adventure, friendship, and a sense of belonging riding alongside her beloved truck driver companion. 

National Simultaneous Storytime is all about celebrating the power of books and shared reading. It was wonderful to see the classes come together — united by a story that reminded us all that home is where the heart (and sometimes a purring cat) is. 

Narelle Brine and Carla Thomas 
Leaders of Learning – Curriculum and Assessment         

Supporting Success with PBIS: The Importance of Staying in the Classroom 

At St Catherine's, we're committed to creating a safe, supportive, and engaging environment for all students. One of the key ways we achieve this is through PBIS—Positive Behavioural Interventions and Supports. PBIS is a school-wide framework that promotes positive behaviour and helps students build the skills they need to succeed both academically and socially. 

A major focus of PBIS is encouraging students to remain engaged in the classroom. Why? Because when students stay in class, they’re more likely to: 

✅ Stay on top of their schoolwork 
✅ Build strong relationships with their teachers and peers 
✅ Develop responsibility and self-discipline 
✅ Feel connected to their school community 

What We're Doing 
Teachers and staff are working together to clearly teach and reinforce behavioural expectations. Whether it's being respectful, responsible, or ready to learn, students are recognized and rewarded when they meet these goals. We also focus on teaching problem-solving and conflict resolution, so students feel equipped to stay in class and manage challenges calmly and effectively. 

How Families Can Help 
Parents and guardians play an important role, too! Here are a few ways you can support PBIS at home: 

• Talk with your child about the importance of staying in class and being present. 
• Ask about their day and celebrate their successes. 
• Help them practice calming strategies they can use if they feel upset or frustrated at school. 
• Stay in touch with teachers to stay informed about classroom expectations and progress. 

Together, through PBIS and a strong home-school connection, we can keep our students where they belong—in the classroom, learning and growing every day. 

If you’d like to learn more about PBIS, please reach out to Bianca Bennett. 

PPL Review Meetings – Weeks 9 and 10 

In weeks 9 and 10 we are holding Personalised Plan for Learning (PPL) meetings with a select number of families to review individualised goals that support each child’s unique learning needs. During these meetings, teachers and parents come together to discuss progress, celebrate strengths, and plan strategies to help your child succeed academically and socially. This collaborative approach ensures that learning is tailored to your child’s interests, challenges, and abilities, making school a more meaningful and successful experience for them. Please keep your eye out for more information to come.