Dear Parents and Caregivers, 

The last fortnight of school commenced on Monday, May 26 with Australians marking National Sorry Day. This important day recognised the past mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It particularly focused on the Stolen Generations, who were taken from their families. The day allowed all Australians to think about these past wrongs and their lasting effects.

National Reconcilation Week (27 May to 3 June) followed this important day, commemorating two significant milestones, including the successful 1967 referendum, and the High Court Mabo decision.

Many of our students and their families took part in local events. We encouraged all families to join activities that help healing, reconciliation, and understanding our shared history. Each class had a focus on National Sorry Day, with students reminded to be gentle, loving, humble and patient with each other.

On Tuesday 27 May a number of our elite Cross Country runners represented St Michael’s at the Diocesan Cross Country trials, usually hosted by our school at Willandra, but transferred to the Illawarra Criterium Track in Unanderra. Twelve athletes represented our school and their families and we are pleased to congratulate Amarlie Ward, Finn Goddard, Mila Bozikov, Ezekiel Blinksell and Jackson Golding who qualified for the Wollongong team to compete at the MacKillop Trials on Wednesday 11th June. Well done and thanks to Mr Allmark as convenor and the student’s parents for driving them to the carnival.

The Year 2 Excursion to Kangaroo Valley Pioneer Village which was postponed due to poor weather leading up to the event, shall now occur on Tuesday 1st July.

During the last week, the final interviews for Kindergarten 2026 took place. Offers for Kindergarten 2026 will be made in the last week of June, 2025. 

For the last two weeks, Mr Paton has been on sick leave having caught Influenza A, resulting in severe Bronchitis and an upper respiratory infection. He is on the mend and will be taking Long Service Leave from 11-18 June to travel to China with family members for a short break. Best wishes for a safe and healthy journey. On his return to school yesterday morning, Mr Paton expressed his gratitude to the school leadership team, office staff and all staff for supporting the school during his absence.

Today, Mr Paton and I attended the Principal and Assistant Principal meeting which occurs within the Wollongong Diocese once a term. Thank you to Mrs Martine Mathieson who was Acting Principal, supported by the school leadership team. 

Yours in faith & virtue

Carolyn Rutkowski

Acting School Principal

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.

GRANDPARENT'S DAY

Martine Mathieson

Religious Education Coordinator

As we transition into the cooler months, we kindly remind all students and families of our Winter School Uniform expectations.

The School Stripe Tie is a compulsory part of the uniform for both girls and boys and must be worn on all days the formal school uniform is required.

For boys, please ensure that school shirts are neatly tucked into trousers at all times during the school day.

In accordance with our uniform policy, students are required to wear black leather school shoes with laces or velcro (not boots). Please note that black leather joggers or sports shoes are not permitted, even if they are leather-look. For your reference, we have included examples of appropriate school footwear below.

We appreciate your support in maintaining high standards of presentation and school pride.

CROSS COUNTRY

On Thursday 27th May, a select group of students proudly represented our school at the Diocesan Cross Country Selection Trials, held at the Illawarra Criterium Track. This event was organised in place of the traditional Diocesan Cross Country Carnival, which could not be held at its usual location due to recent rainfall making the course unsuitable.

Our athletes — Hunter Craig, Mia De Ruyter, Oliver Tadros (Year 3), Piper Brown, Van Leedham (Year 4), Ezekiel Blinksell, Mila Bozikov, Ivy Horwood, Finn Goddard (Year 5), and Savannah Crockett, Jackson Golding, and Amarlie Ward (Year 6) — took on the challenge of competing on a flat, fast 900-metre cycling track, which was quite different from the grass and hills of Willandra that they had trained for. Depending on their age division, students completed two or three (and a bit!) laps of the track, with strong winds making the race even more difficult.

Despite the conditions, our runners gave it their all and competed with determination and pride against some of the best athletes in the Diocese. A special congratulations to Finn Goddard and Amarlie Ward, who both took out first place in their age divisions. They, along with Mila Bozikov, Ezekiel Blinksell and Jackson Golding have qualified to compete at the MacKillop Trials at the Sydney Equestrian Centre on Wednesday 11 June. We wish them all the very best of luck!

AFL PAUL KELLY CUP FINALS

On Tuesday 11th June, our Year 5 and 6 girls' AFL Paul Kelly Cup team will travel to Batemans Bay to compete in the South Coast Regional Finals. We wish them great success and look forward to hearing all about their experience.

SOUTH COAST SOCCER GALA DAY

Looking ahead, students in Years 3 and 4 will participate in the South Coast Soccer Gala Day on Friday 29th August. Students in Years 5 and 6 are also invited to nominate their interest in this exciting event. If your child would like to be considered, please complete the Year 5 & 6 nomination form by Monday 17th June. No late entries will be accepted. The cost for Years 5 and 6 students is approximately $12.

YEAR 5 & 6 SOCCER NOMINATIONS

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

Andrew Allmark

Sports Coordinator

The ADF Equip Program enhances the well-being of children whose parents are serving in the Australian Defence Force (ADF). 

UPCOMING EVENT

An ADF families event: Child of the ADF Medallion Ceremony

When: Friday 13 June 2025
Time: 4pm – 5.30pm
Where: Shoalhaven Veteran and Family Hub – 124 Wallace Street, Nowra

Ceremony Tickets

Mrs Julie Lawrence

Defence School Mentor

FRIDAY CULTURE GROUP

Reconciliation Week ended on Tuesday 3rd June with Mabo Day. It commemorated Mer Island man Eddie Koiki Mabo and his successful efforts to overturn the legal fiction of terra nullius, or ‘land belonging to no-one’.

Today we welcomed Kieryn Neaves to Friday Culture. Kieryn will continue to gather with the didj boys leading up to NAIDOC and join Ky and Uncle Mark practicing.

Kieryn was born in Gimuy (Cairns, Far North Queensland) home of rainforests and reef. His Mob are Gamilaroi (ancestors were taken to Barwon River Catholic Mission) and Mamu – Mamu . They are the people of Innisfail and their totem is the Cassowary. Kieryn has played and made yigi yigi (Gugu-yallandji word for didgeridoo) for nearly two years. He works for the Navy as the Regional Indigenous Development Coordinator for the Shoalhaven region.

The shirt Kieryn is wearing is the Bungaree polo. Bungaree is the Navy’s Indigenous Performance Group that he supports with cultural dancing and didgeridoo.

Students in our upcoming 2025 School Musical Production of 'The Jungle Book' are invited to purchase a commemorative t-shirt. Orders may be placed through the Compass Parent Portal.

The numbers are in and we can confirm that we raised a total of $2,253.55 from our Mother’s Day fundraising which will be going to the school to purchase new readers. 

Thank you to all for supporting our fundraising efforts. 

UPCOMING P&F MEETING – TUESDAY 17 JUNE

6pm in the staff room

Just a reminder, due to the Staff Development Day, the next P&F meeting will be held on Tuesday 17 July, rather than Tuesday 10 July.

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 the Term 3 and beyond.

CALL OUT TO BUSINESSES

Our major fundraiser, 'The Colour Run' is planned for later this year. 

Could your business be interested in supporting the school as a sponsor? 

You will receive marketing as a sponsor via our social media and included in our newsletters. 

If you or your business are interested and would like to process the donation before the end of financial year, please contact the P&F via our email to discuss it further. 

stmichaelspnf@gmail.com

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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