Dear families,

After the buzz of last week's Mother's Day celebrations, we were grateful for a somewhat lower-key week.

Important message via nForma

Please keep an eye out for an important communication that will be sent to all families in the coming week. This message will cover a number of key areas relating to school policies and procedures, including:

• Our Parent/Guardian Code of Conduct: a reminder of MACS’ current expectations for all members of our school community
• Updates to the MACS Attendance Policy and Documentation, which include revised expectations and procedures around:
• Holidays taken during school term dates
• Students attending appointments during school hours
• Modified timetables
• And a number of other related matters
• MACSEYE updates

We ask that all parents take the time to read through this communication carefully when it arrives. As always, please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

Divisional Cross Country Update

Our cross country team is growing! We are thrilled to announce that William (Year 6) has also qualified for the Divisional Cross Country, bringing our total number of representatives to 10 students. We wish all of our students the very best as they prepare to represent our school at Werribee Racecourse on 28 May.

Classroom Mastery Coaching Visit

This week, we welcomed back Yolanda Charalambous from Classroom Mastery for our third coaching and observation visit since we undertook the Western Region’s flourishing learner professional learning series in 2024. Yolanda spent time observing several members of our staff, with a particular focus on the use of classroom routines.

I am delighted to share that Yolanda spoke extremely highly of our staff, our students and the routines we have established throughout the school. In fact, she was so impressed with what she observed that she has expressed her intention to feature our school as a case study to showcase our practices to other schools embarking on this learning. She will also be returning to film some of our staff for use in Classroom Mastery's instructional videos, a wonderful recognition of the exceptional work happening in our classrooms every day.

I could not be prouder of the dedication and hard work our staff bring to their teaching. It is always a special thing to have the quality of our school confirmed by those who visit from the outside. This is a true testament to the commitment of every member of our team, and I thank them sincerely.

LSO Day

This week, we also took a moment to pause and celebrate our Education Support Staff who work so tirelessly behind the scenes. These are the people who show up every single day with warmth, patience, and dedication, quietly making an enormous difference in our students' lives.

To honour their contributions, we gathered for a special morning tea and presented each of our ES staff with a small gift as a token of our appreciation. It was a lovely occasion and a wonderful reminder of just how fortunate we are to have such a remarkable team alongside us.

Our Education Support staff are the backbone of so much of what we do. Whether they are working one-on-one with students who need extra support, assisting in the classroom, helping out in the yard, or contributing in any one of the many other ways they do, their impact is immeasurable. They bring so much heart to our school community, and we hope each of them knows how valued and appreciated they are.

P&F

Our P&F committee does incredible things for our school, from the recent Mother's Day stall to fundraising for projects that benefit every student. This all currently falls on a very small group of dedicated mums who are already juggling busy family lives and jobs outside the home.

Without more support, we risk losing the wonderful activities and events our students have come to love.

You don't need to commit to a big role. Even helping out for an hour at an event makes a real difference. If you've ever appreciated what the P&F does for your child, please consider giving a little back.

Our next event is the ever-popular school disco on 29 May. If you haven’t yet signed up, please consider doing so, especially for our middle/senior disco, as we need more parents to supervise.

Get in touch with the P&F team to find out how you can help. We'd love to have you on board.

Catholic School Parents Victoria

Catholic School Parents Victoria (CSPV) has been re-established to strengthen the voice of parents and carers in Catholic education across Victoria, recognising parents as the first educators and key partners in their child’s learning, wellbeing and faith journey.

CSPV is guided by a Council of parent representatives from across the state, ensuring that the diverse perspectives of families in Catholic schools are reflected in its work and advocacy.

We invite you to explore the CSPV website at www.cspv.catholic.edu.au where you will find a wealth of information and resources to support your parenting journey within Catholic education, including guidance on wellbeing, faith, learning and key issues impacting families. You can also subscribe via the website to join the CSPV community, receive the quarterly newsletter and be invited to upcoming events.

You can also connect with CSPV on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook to access valuable insights, updates and practical resources.

Together, we can continue to strengthen the partnership between families, schools and the wider Catholic community.


Staffing news

We are both incredibly proud and more than just a little sad to share that Kristy will be moving on to an exciting new role as Office Manager at St Joseph's Werribee next term.

Kristy has been an absolute cornerstone of our school in the time she has been with us, always the first to lend a helping hand, keep things running smoothly behind the scenes, and greet everyone with a warm smile. Her commitment, professionalism, and genuine care for students, staff, and families have left a lasting mark that will be nearly impossible to replace.

While St Joseph's Werribee is gaining someone truly exceptional, we will feel her absence every single day.

We wish Kristy all the very best in this wonderful new chapter. She deserves every bit of success that comes her way!

Have a fabulous weekend.

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

 

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Dear Families,

You may have noticed new “PROTECT” posters displayed around the school grounds and in learning spaces. These posters are part of our ongoing commitment to creating and maintaining a safe, respectful and supportive environment for all children.

The PROTECT posters are designed to help children understand:

• their right to feel safe

• the importance of speaking up if they feel unsafe or worried

• who they can talk to at school for support.

The posters use child-friendly language and visuals to reinforce key safety messages in an age-appropriate way. Staff will also continue to support students through wellbeing and social emotional learning throughout the year.

We encourage families to talk with their children about trusted adults and the importance of seeking help when needed.

If you have any questions about the posters or our child safety practices, please feel free to contact the school.

Thank you for your continued support.

Kind regards,

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Do you have a business that you would like us to promote? An nForma document will be sent out shortly where you can give us the details and we will include your business on our Community Board. Watch this space!

 

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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Due to calendar Clashes the Reconciliation dates have been slightly amended.

They are now:
Thursday September 3rd 11:30am & 3:30pm
Tuesday September 15th 11:30am & 3:30pm
Wednesday September 16th 11:30am & 3:30pm
Thursday September 17th 11:30am & 3:30pm
Bookings will open at the beginning of Term 3.

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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We know families are likely to have questions during this period of change from Camp Australia to MACSEYE.  MACSEYE will be hosting online information sessions where families can meet our team, learn more about MACSEYE OSHC, and ask any questions they may have.

 

There will be two online sessions:

• Tuesday 19 May, 6.30pm – 7.00pm
• Wednesday 10 June, 6.30pm – 7.00pm

 

The sessions will also be recorded and shared with you, so families unable to attend can access the information.

 

Please note these sessions are open to all schools transitioning to MACSEYE in Term 3.

For more infromation click here 

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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Term 2 has kicked off brilliantly, and as the weather  starts to change we have some changes to the canteen.

Our senior student leaders will be selling icy poles & bags of chips for $1 each lunchtime from Monday to Friday. 

 

 

All proceeds will go towards supporting the development of our exciting new ninja playground.

Thank you for your support in helping us make this fundraiser a success and for giving our students a fun way to stay cool this term!

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

 

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Friday 29th May 

Dress to party in neon, GLOW or white!
Prep - Grades 1, 2 & 3.
ARRIVE 5.45 - 7 pm Finish

Grades 3, 4, 5 & 6.
ARRIVE 7.15 - 8.30 pm Finish

BYO named water bottle
Parent helper must have a valid WWC to help out on the night.

Book your disco tickets! 

We will have Eftpos available on the night!

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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The Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge is now open, and we’re excited to be taking part!

All students from Prep to Year 6 are welcome to join in.

 

This year’s Challenge theme is ‘Stories to discover. Stories to tell’. Stories can inspire and challenge us, and help us grow. They open our eyes to new worlds and new ways of thinking. 

It is not a competition; it is a personal challenge for children to read a set number of books by 4 September 2026.

Children from Prep to Year 2 are encouraged to read or ‘experience’ 30 books with their parents and teachers. Children from Year 3 to Year 10 are challenged to read 15 books.

The number of books read can be varied for everyone's needs.

All children who complete the Challenge will receive a certificate of achievement signed by the Victorian Premier and former premiers.

To learn more about the Challenge, visit Premiers' Reading Challenge | vic.gov.au

To register your child, please email me with your child's name, year level and class name at blycke@smaltona.catholic.edu.au

Happy reading! 

Thanks 

Brenda lycke

Literacy Leader

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

 

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2 spots left  and tickets are closing soon. Don’t miss out!

Join us on this special day and secure your tickets now.

Date: Saturday the 30th May

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PARISH RENEWAL PROGRAM – we would love all our parish school families to be involved! The Program provides us with a wonderful opportunity as individuals and as a community- to reflect on the importance of our faith and to embrace the exciting opportunities ahead. The Program runs for three weeks, covering themes central to parish life – FAITH, ENGAGEMENT and COMMITMENT. You will have the opportunity to hear how we all have a role to play in building a vibrant parish community, that meets the challenges of today and ensures a sustainable future for our children to enjoy in the years to come.

A special Program brochure has been provided for each parish school family – taken home with your eldest child. The brochure details where the parish is now and importantly what are our key priorities in the times ahead – mission, pastoral care and financial. ‘Soft copies’ of the brochure are also available through the link here.

THOUGHTS FOR REFLECTION:
“Why is our parish community important for my family?”
“Our parish school and our parish community have a special relationship – working together to provide the best Catholic education for our children. Providing an education underpinned by our shared faith and values. Laying strong faith foundations through the Sacramental Program and the celebration of our faith at school and class Masses. It is in the interests of
all our parish school families to ensure we have a vibrant, vital and viable parish community, so we can continue to support our children on their faith journey.”

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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In this week's Community News you will find information about the Church Bulletin. Church Bulletin

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Respect • Responsibility • Resilience • Courage

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