Principal's Piece 

Term 3, Week 5

Dear Parents and Carers, 

Our Year 6 students had a very special and reflective week last week as they continue to prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation. They began with their retreat day, which provided an opportunity for prayer, reflection, and deeper understanding of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Together with their parents and sponsors, the students participated in the Family Faith Night, where they shared their hopes and commitments for the journey ahead. The week concluded with Mass celebrated by Bishop René, a beautiful occasion that brought our parish and school community together in prayer and support.

This Sunday, our Confirmation candidates will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, a milestone in their faith journey. We hold them in our prayers as they open their hearts to the Holy Spirit and step forward in faith.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of our Year 6 students as they prepare to be sealed with Your gifts. Grant them wisdom to see the world through Your eyes, understanding to follow Your ways, courage to stand strong in their faith, knowledge to grow in truth, reverence to honour all that is holy, and wonder and awe in Your presence each day. Bless their families, sponsors, and teachers who guide them, and may this sacrament strengthen them to live as faithful witnesses of Christ. We ask this through Christ our Lord. 

Last week our Year 1 students and their families enjoyed a very special Family Engagement Evening. The children were excited to share storytime together at school and it was wonderful to see so many families attending and joining in the experience. We thank our Year 1 teachers for organising such an engaging evening and our families for taking the time to be part of their child’s learning. Your presence makes such a positive difference and helps strengthen the partnership between home and school.

This week we celebrated Book Week, one of the most enjoyable and creative times in our school year! The excitement was on full display during our Book Week Parade, with students and staff dressing up as their favourite book characters. It was wonderful to see the imagination, effort, and joy that went into the costumes, and the way our school community came together to celebrate the love of reading. Book Week is a reminder of the importance of stories in shaping imagination, learning, and connection. We thank all our families for supporting their children in preparing costumes and helping make the day such a success.

On Wednesday, 45 of our Year 3–6 students represented our school at the Craigieburn South District Athletics Championships, at the Meadowglen Athletics Track. For the first time in a long while, we were blessed with beautiful weather, which made for a fantastic day of competition. Our students competed in a wide variety of track and field events, giving their absolute best effort in every event.  It was wonderful to see the determination, sportsmanship, and encouragement they showed not only to their teammates but also to students from other schools. Many of our students came away with plenty of ribbons for their outstanding results, but more importantly, every student should feel extremely proud of the way they participated and represented our school. A number of students have now qualified for the Woodlands Division Athletics Championships. A big thank you to the staff and families who came along to support the team on the day; your encouragement made a huge difference.

A reminder about our Father’s Day Breakfast, booking will close Friday, 29th August. Please complete the registration if you would like to attend.

Wednesday, 3rd September ( Romero/Teresa) or Thursday, 4th September (Kolbe /Samaritan).To make a booking, please click on this link 

Through the month of September, we will be raising money to support the Prostate Cancer Foundation. If you would like to contribute to this important cause, you can donate directly through the following link:

https://fundraise.pcfa.org.au/fundraisers/olps

Each year our school takes part in the MACSSIS (Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools – School Improvement Surveys). These surveys are an important opportunity for us to hear the voices of our students, staff, and families. The feedback we receive helps us to celebrate what we are doing well and to identify areas where we can continue to grow and improve together as a school community. I warmly welcome all families to take part in this year’s survey. Your input is valued and makes a real difference in shaping the learning environment and experiences we provide for our students. Further details on how to access the survey will be shared soon. Thank you in advance for your support and for helping us build the best possible learning community for our children.

School Calendar: Please check the School Community Calendar Page for important upcoming events. 

Take Care and God Bless 

Cinzia Mancuso

Acting  Principal