Dear Parents and Caregivers,

The annual St Michael’s Primary Athletics Carnival, held on Friday, May 9th at Sanctuary Point Oval proved to be a great success, and was an opportunity for students to showcase their athletic talents and participate in a day of fun and friendly competition. The event served the important purpose of identifying students to represent the school in track events at the upcoming Diocesan Athletics Carnival, offering both competitive races for aspiring athletes and inclusive non-competitive events for all to enjoy, alongside various other engaging activities throughout the day. The smooth running of the carnival was made possible through the dedicated efforts of numerous individuals, including Mrs. Bozikov for her meticulous line marking of the field, Mr. Allmark for his role as convenor, and the invaluable assistance provided by school staff and parents. Notably, the exemplary behaviour demonstrated by all students contributed significantly to the positive and enjoyable atmosphere of the day.

Last Monday 18 May 2025, Mrs Martine Mathieson, our Religious Education Coordinator (REC) participated in a review of her role. Two Catholic Education Office staff from Wollongong, Mrs Anna-Louise Jones and Mr Gary Quinn, joined me for this review. Through a self review, survey results and interviews, a number of strong themes emerged, acknowledging the effort and hard work that Mrs Mathieson has put into her REC role. At the completion of the review, Mrs Mathieson was given valuable feedback and thanked for the leadership she has shown in the role. Congratulations Mrs Mathieson. 

On Tuesday 19 May 2025, our school participated in The Australian Government Department of Education annual Post Enumeration (PE) Exercise for non-government schools. This process validated the accuracy, completeness, and reliability of student information provided in the annual August Census in 2024, ensuring the integrity of the count and measuring the accuracy of recurrent funding payments. Approximately 350 non-government schools across Australia, including ours, participated in the 2024 Census PE exercise as part of the Department's broader effort to gain assurance on non-government school census data.

During the review, a contractor compared school data with the original Census submission, sighting evidence for various student records such as ages, year levels, Indigenous status, disability, visa status, boarding, and distance education. I am pleased to report that St Michael's school passed the audit with no discrepancies, thanks to the huge efforts by Ms Emma-Kate Callaghan, Mrs Karen Delany, all classroom teachers and other staff. Well done all. 

On Monday, May 26th, all Australians will observe National Sorry Day, a significant day to acknowledge and remember the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who were forcibly removed from their families and communities, known as the Stolen Generations. This day provides an opportunity for all Australians to reflect on the past injustices and understand their lasting impact. There are a number of local events that some of our students and their families will participate in. We encourage all families to participate in activities that promote healing, reconciliation, and a deeper understanding of our shared history. Let us stand together in acknowledging the pain of the past and working towards a more equitable future for all Australians. 

During the last three days I have attended the NSW Catholic Conference for Principals which occurs every two years. The Association of Catholic School Principals (ACSP) in NSW provided this opportunity for Principals to attend keynote lectures related to the 2025 theme, "Living Waters: Leading with Hope, Inspiring Faith Communities,". The conference recognised the crucial role of Principals in nurturing the holistic wellbeing of students, staff and families. This biannual event offered a valuable professional learning opportunity specifically focused on faith, learning, and wellbeing. Thank you to Mrs Rutkowski for leading the school as Acting Principal during my absence, well supported by the school leadership team and staff. 

Due to the next Staff Development Day (Pupil Free Day) occurring on Tuesday 10 June 2025, the next Parents and Friends (P&F) meeting will be on Tuesday 17 June 2025, commencing at 6pm. 

Yours in faith & virtue

Christopher Paton

School Principal

LAUDATO SI' WEEK 2025

24th May - 31st May

Laudato Si’, which means 'praise be to you', is a letter that Pope Francis wrote in May 2025 to the global community. The letter focuses on caring for all creation.

Laudato Si’ Week, is a celebration held annually to mark the anniversary of Pope Francis' landmark encyclical on caring for creation. We are asked to pause and give thanks for Pope Francis and his gift of Laudato Si’ to the world. This year marks the 10th anniversary of Laudato Si’ which will continue to inspire us to care for our common home and to respond heart and soul to ‘both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor’ for generations to come.

Each child from Kindergarten to Year 6 will make a poster reflecting on ways we can protect our common home. Prizes will be given to the best poster in each class and they will be displayed around our school. This activity will be carried out at school.

 

ST VINCENT DE PAUL WINTER APPEAL

FRIDAY 13 JUNE

St Michael’s will hold their annual St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal on Friday 13 June. Students will attend school dressed in mufti, however instead of bringing a gold coin, students are asked to bring an item for the Vinnies Van in Wollongong.

Our Mini Vinnies students will collate the items into packs and present these to the St Vincent de Paul representative, when they visit our school in Term 3 for our annual Winter Sleep Out.

We ask that on Friday 13th June, each grade brings the items listed below.

 

 

Thank you in advance for your contributions towards this important fundraiser for our local Catholic agency who support those in need.

Martine Mathieson

Religious Education Coordinator

Friday 13 June 2025, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
The Fraternity Club, Fairy Meadow

Families are welcome to join Robert Fitzgerald AM, Age Discrimination Commissioner, as he explores the critical issues facing older Australians today—including elder abuse and ageism—while offering practical insights and strategies for ageing with dignity, purpose and positivity.

To register for this free community event (including morning tea), scan the QR code below, call 02 4227 1122, or click here.

For further information, please contact Jane Hollier on 0417 018 152 or at janeh@catholiccare.dow.org.au. 

PRIMARY ATHLETICS CARNIVAL

On Thursday 9th May, students from Years 3 to 6 took part in our annual Athletics Carnival at Sanctuary Point Oval. We were blessed with beautiful weather, and the students thoroughly enjoyed the day of competition, fun and team spirit.

A special thank you to Claire Bozikov, parent of Mila in Year 5, and her husband Adam. When it became apparent on Thursday morning that the field lines hadn’t been marked, Claire and Adam generously spent their afternoon ensuring everything was ready for our carnival to proceed smoothly. Their time and effort contributed greatly to the success of the event, and we are sincerely grateful for their support.

Over the coming weeks, we will be holding the field events at school. This will allow students the opportunity to practise and perform before competing. Once all events have been completed, we look forward to announcing the overall house winner and age champions.

MASON, FINN & HAVANAH REPRESENT IN CANBERRA

On Friday 9th May, Mason Milligan and Finn Goddard represented our school at the MacKillop Rugby League Trials in Canberra. The boys played four high-intensity games against teams from Canberra/Goulburn, Sydney, Wagga and Parramatta.

Finn showcased his speed and athleticism, scoring several impressive tries and making his presence known on the field. Mason worked tirelessly in the second row, breaking through opposition lines and standing firm in defence. Both boys should be proud of their efforts and will now await news regarding selection for the next MacKillop Rugby League trials in June.

Havanah Flugler from Year 6 also travelled to Canberra to compete in the MacKillop Netball Trials. Playing in both goal shooter and goal attack positions, Havanah demonstrated exceptional skill and accuracy, contributing to her team’s success. Her efforts and composure under pressure were commendable, and we congratulate Havanah on her outstanding performance.

KOBE MEDALS AT NSW PSSA BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS

CROSS COUNTRY

The Diocesan Cross Country, originally scheduled for Tuesday 6th May, was rescheduled to Tuesday 27th May. However, due to the current weather forecast, the event at Willandra has been replaced with a selection trial to be held at the Illawarra Criterium Track (Lindsay Mayne Park, Unanderra). Parents of participating students have been notified with details via Compass.

AFL GALA DAY- YEAR 5 & 6

Congratulations to the Year 5 & 6 students who represented our school at the AFL Gala Day on Wednesday 14 May.

If you have any questions about sport or any upcoming events, please don’t hesitate to contact me. 

Andrew Allmark

Sports Coordinator

NATIONAL SORRY DAY & RECONCILIATION WEEK 2025

This year National Sorry Day falls on Monday 26 May and is a day when we pause to remember the Stolen Generations of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

It leads us into the Week of Prayer for Reconciliation and National Reconciliation Week which is held each year between 27 May and 3 June.

The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2025 is, Bridging Now to Next.

All students will participate in class liturgies for Reconciliation Week during their Religion lessons.

FAREWELL & GOODLUCK JYE, TIARA & SIENNA!

We're sending our best wishes to Jye Grant, Tiara Turner, and Sienna Rosa as they start their new chapter in Goulburn. All the best!

Mrs Julie Lawrence

Defence School Mentor

SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS

Year six students have been learning about using natural and sustainable materials to make everyday objects waterproof. Students explored items such as banana skins, beeswax, cornflour, oil and leaves to successfully create a waterproof shelter.

SHARING LEARNING WITH OUR KINDY BUDDIES

Students in Year 6 recently created a hybrid text to share with their Kindergarten buddies. A hybrid text is one that incorporates a narrative story with factual information.

Kindergarten students enjoyed their personalised stories about spotted quolls, dingoes, Uluru, kangaroos, clownfish, dolphins and the Daintree Rainforest. What a beautiful way to share our learning with our buddies!

Hello St Michael’s Families,

We hope all our wonderful mums, grandmothers, and mother figures enjoyed a very special Mother’s Day!

A huge thank you to everyone who supported our Mother’s Day Stall and Raffle—from purchasing tickets and gifts to donating gifts and volunteering your time. Your generosity and community spirit made it a joyful success!

We also extend our heartfelt thanks to the local businesses and sponsors who donated such generous prizes. Your support plays a vital role in helping us raise funds for important school resources and bringing our school community together.

While we’re still tallying the final profit, we’re thrilled to announce that funds raised will go towards purchasing decodable readers and sporting equipment for our school.

Congratulations to our lucky winners:

UPCOMING P&F MEETING – TUESDAY 17 JUNE

6pm in the staff room

All are welcome! Whether you're a familiar face or new to the community, we’d love to see you at our next meeting. It’s a great opportunity to get involved, share ideas, and help shape what’s ahead for Term 2 and beyond.

STAY CONNECTED – FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Want to stay in the loop with everything happening at St Michael’s?
Follow the St Michael’s P&F on:

• Facebook: P&F Events Page
• Instagram: St Michael’s P&F Association

By following our pages, you’ll receive:

• Event and fundraiser reminders
• Important community updates
• Fun photos and highlights from school activities

Join us online and be part of the conversation!

Warm regards,

St Michael’s P&F Committee
stmichaelspnf@gmail.com

Thank you to Meagan's Kitchen for providing our wonderful canteen service.

Our school canteen is managed by Meagan's Kitchen, operating four days per week (Tuesday-Friday).

Lunch orders may be placed by online through 'My School Connect' on the following link. (Also available beneath the parent tab on our school website). A reminder for parents/carers, lunch orders for Fridays are to be placed by 1pm Thursday.

School Canteen Online Orders

Our dedicated staff members are highly trained and passionate about providing quality care. They ensure that each child feels valued and encouraged to explore their interests. The program includes homework assistance, recreational activities, and nutritious snacks, all within a structured and supportive setting.

For more information or to enrol your child, please contact Simone Danby at Aspire on 0438 358 118. Simone is available to answer any questions and provide further details about our program offerings.

We look forward to welcoming your child to Aspire Before and After School Care at St Michael's.

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