Dear Parents and Friends,

Welcome back! I hope you all enjoyed a relaxing and refreshing holiday with your family. It has been wonderful to see our students return safely, happy, and ready to embrace another exciting term of learning.

We have made a fantastic start to Term 3, with students already engaged in a range of rich and meaningful learning experiences. There is so much to look forward to over the coming weeks. Highlights include our Whole School Production on 2 and 3 September, our Prep students celebrating 100 Days of School, a variety of excursions and incursions, National Bullying Prevention Week, the Feast of the Assumption, our Father's Day Stall and Breakfast, the Year 4 Scienceworks Camp, and our ever-popular Book Week celebrations - just to name a few.

It promises to be another busy and vibrant term, and we look forward to sharing these experiences with you and your children.

Staffing News

Our current Italian teacher, Mrs Rosaria Saccardo, will be taking leave for the remainder of the year. We wish Rosaria every happiness as she takes the opportunity to travel, relax, and enjoy time with family and friends.

We warmly welcome Miss Stephanie Mure, who will be teaching Italian with Mrs Barca, during Rosaria's leave. We know she will be a wonderful addition to our staff and school community.

Congratulations to Mrs Crane! Jacinta, her husband Trent and their daughter Ava, are expecting their second baby in January! We know you will join us in wishing them every happiness as they prepare to welcome this wonderful new addition to their family.

Congratulations also to Mrs Munari and Mr Courtney, who are expecting a baby in December. We wish you both every blessing as you prepare for this exciting new chapter in your lives.

First Holy Communion

Congratulations to our wonderful Year 4 students who celebrated the Sacrament of First Holy Communion on Sunday.

Unfortunately, I was unable to attend as I was away due to a family funeral. Nella shared with me that the students looked absolutely beautiful and participated in the celebration with great reverence, confidence and joy. It was truly a special occasion for the children and their families.

A heartfelt thank you to Father Dishan and Father Samuel for their guidance and support in preparing the children for this important milestone in their faith journey and for making the celebrations so meaningful.

I would also like to sincerely thank our dedicated Year 4 teachers: Miss Ferla, Miss Mikhaeel and Miss Galati, for the care and commitment they showed in preparing the students, and Mrs Kuric for her outstanding coordination of the sacramental program.

Finally, thank you to the many staff members who generously gave up their Sunday to be present and support our students and families. Their willingness to be there reflects the wonderful sense of community we are so fortunate to have at St Carlo's.

Student-Led Conversations – A Celebration of Learning

A sincere thank you to our teachers and students for the tremendous effort they put into preparing for our Student-Led Conversations at the end of last term. We also extend our appreciation to the many parents and carers who attended and supported this important event.

These conversations provided students with an opportunity to reflect on their learning journey, celebrate their achievements and discuss their goals for the future. It was wonderful to see students confidently sharing their progress, speaking proudly about their successes and identifying areas for continued growth.

We received overwhelmingly positive feedback from families, and it was inspiring to witness the strong sense of ownership and pride our students have developed in their learning.

Congratulations to all students on a successful first semester. We look forward to seeing their continued growth throughout the remainder of the year.

Curriculum Overviews

This week, families will receive their child's Term 3 Curriculum Overview via the Audiri app. These overviews provide valuable information about what students will be learning across each curriculum area and further strengthen the partnership between home and school.

Our dedicated teachers continue to provide engaging, high-quality learning experiences that challenge and support every student to achieve their personal best.

Parents & Friends

A special thank you to our wonderful Parents & Friends Association for organising Burgers & Big Smiles Day this Friday, followed by our Green and Gold Iced Donut Day on Friday 31 July in celebration of the Commonwealth Games.

The students always look forward to these special lunch days and greatly appreciate the wonderful opportunities provided by our hardworking P&F volunteers. Thank you for your continued support of our school community.

Book Week – Symphony of Stories

One of the highlights of the term is Book Week, which will be celebrated in Week 7. This year's theme, "Symphony of Stories," celebrates the joy of reading and the many ways stories connect, inspire and bring people together.

Students can look forward to a week of exciting activities, culminating in our annual Book Week Parade on Thursday 27 August. We encourage everyone to begin planning their costumes and joining in the fun. Please see the Book Week section of today's newsletter for further information.

Lunchtime Clubs

Our lunchtime clubs continue to be extremely popular and provide wonderful opportunities for students to develop new interests, build friendships and enjoy positive social experiences. This term's clubs include:

Monday: Lego & Coding Club
Tuesday: Buddy Club
Wednesday: Dance Club
Thursday: Art Club

Thank you to our dedicated staff who generously volunteer their time to make these clubs possible.

School Camps

Our Year 4 students are eagerly anticipating their overnight camp at Scienceworks, which promises to be an exciting and memorable learning experience.

Looking ahead to early Term 4, our Year 5 students will attend Lake Dewar Camp, followed by an educational visit to Sovereign Hill.

School camps are an important part of our curriculum, providing students with valuable opportunities to develop independence, resilience, teamwork and confidence. Attendance is expected unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Grandparents Masses

One of the most treasured traditions at St Carlo is our Grandparents Masses. Throughout the term, each year level will celebrate a special Mass to honour the important role grandparents play in the lives of our students and families.

We look forward to welcoming our Year 6 grandparents this Wednesday as we begin these beautiful celebrations. Please refer to the Religious Education section of today's newsletter for dates and further details.

School Uniform Reminder

A reminder that students are expected to wear the full winter school uniform each day.

All items of both the old and new uniform are now available and should be purchased through our official supplier, Noone.

If your child is not wearing the correct uniform, a notice will be sent home to parents asking that you ensure that this is rectified. Thank you for your continued support in ensuring students wear the correct uniform with pride.

Cyber Safety Project: Parent Webinar

As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting student wellbeing, we invite all parents and carers to attend a free online webinar, Reducing Screen-Time Conflict and Restoring Balance, on Monday, 3 August at 7:30 pm (AEST).

This practical 45-minute session will provide realistic, easy-to-implement strategies to help families manage screen time, reduce conflict around technology use, and encourage a healthier balance between digital devices and everyday life. Recognising that many families experience challenges with technology-related conflict and screen-time boundaries, the webinar offers supportive, evidence-informed strategies that require no technical expertise and can be implemented immediately at home.

We encourage all parents and carers to take advantage of this valuable opportunity to gain practical insights that will support positive wellbeing outcomes for their children and family. Further information, including registration details, can be found on the Student Wellbeing page of this newsletter.

Traffic Safety Reminder

As we begin another busy term, I ask all families to help us keep our students safe around the school.

Please remember to:

Observe the 40 km/h speed limit.
Follow all parking restrictions.
Avoid double parking.
Use the designated school crossings.
Remember that the morning drop-off zone is drop-off only. Please do not park in this area.

The safety of our children depends on all of us working together, and we sincerely appreciate your ongoing cooperation.

School Fees

Thank you to all families who have paid their school fees or who are maintaining their payment plans. Invoices for families on instalment plans will be emailed next week.

School fees are vital in enabling the school to meet its financial commitments, including the ongoing repayment of our building loans and the continued improvement of our facilities for our students.

If you have any questions regarding your account or would like to discuss alternative payment arrangements, please contact me or our Office Manager, Maria Di Medio, who can also assist with setting up a direct debit payment plan.

Thank you for your continued support.

Census Day

Friday 7 August is the annual Non-Government Schools Census Day. On this day, all non-government schools across Australia collect student enrolment information, which is used by the Australian Government to determine school funding and for national statistical reporting.

A Privacy Collection Notice is available for families outlining how student information is collected, used and protected in accordance with privacy legislation.

School Closure Days – Term 3

A reminder that our Staff Professional Learning Days will be held on:

Friday 7 August
Friday 4 September

Students are not required to attend school on these days.

As always, thank you for your continued partnership and support. Together, we continue to provide a wonderful learning environment where every child is known, valued and encouraged to flourish.

I wish you and your family a wonderful week ahead, and pray that St Carlo Borromeo continues to watch over and bless our parish and school community.

Kevin Gleeson.

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