Principal's Message

Dear Parents, Carers and Friends,

Welcome back to Term 3! I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful, restful winter break with family and friends.

We have already hit the ground running with an exciting start to the term. It was fantastic seeing so many of you at our Parent-Teacher Interviews—thank you for partnering with us to support your children's learning and progress.

Highlights & Upcoming Events

Touch Football Gala Day: Our students recently attended the NSW Primary Touch Football Gala Day, where they had an absolute blast! They showed fantastic sportsmanship, learned the ins and outs of the game, and had so much fun.
Armidale Diocese Athletics Carnival: This week, we send our best wishes to our talented primary and secondary athletes who are travelling to Tamworth to represent our school at the Athletics Carnival. We are so proud of your dedication—go Phillies!
UNE Science Discovery Visit: Tomorrow we welcome the University of New England (UNE) team to our school for an interactive Science Discovery session with our Year 7-10 students.

Celebrating Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop (Feast Day: Saturday, 8 August)

This Saturday, 8 August, we celebrate the Feast Day of St Mary MacKillop—Australia’s first canonised saint and genuinely one of my personal favourite Saints.

St Mary MacKillop, alongside Fr Julian Tenison Woods, founded the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart (the Josephites). Driven by deep faith and compassion, the Josephites dedicated themselves to bringing education and care to the most isolated and vulnerable. They played a foundational role across regional and rural Australia, including right here in communities like Moree—setting up schools, teaching local children, and offering practical help to anyone in need.

"Never see a need without doing something about it." — St Mary MacKillop

Her famous words remain a powerful reminder for us all to lead with empathy, action, and community spirit in our daily lives.

Enrolments for 2027 Are Now Open!

Looking Ahead: Please note that enrolment interviews for 2027 students are now underway. If you have a child due to start in Kindergarten or Year 7 or know of local families interested in joining our school community, please encourage them to visit our website to enrol, https://stphilomenasmoree.catholic.edu.au/enrol/, or reach out to the school office on 67521577 for more information.

Wearing Our Uniform with Pride

It is so wonderful to see so many of our students coming to school each day wearing their uniform with pride—they look fantastic!

As we begin the new term, please ensure your child comes to school fully dressed in the correct school uniform each day. A gentle reminder on a few specific details:

Hats: Primary students must wear the broad-brimmed school hat, while secondary students are required to wear the official trucker cap.
Socks: Please ensure students are wearing the correct school socks.

Thank you for your cooperation and support in helping our students present themselves well and take pride in our school identity.

Reminder: Mobile Phone & Wearable Devices Policy

To help keep our classrooms focused and distraction-free, a quick reminder regarding mobile phones at school: all students are required to have their mobile phones "off and away" in their bags for the duration of the school day. This is in accordance with our school's Mobile Phone and Wearable Technology Policy.

We appreciate your assistance in reinforcing these expectations at home so our students can stay engaged in their learning.

St Philomena's Mobile Phone and Wearable Technology Policy 2026.pdf

Community & Giving: St Vincent’s Winter Appeal

This Friday, we are hosting a fundraiser to support the St Vincent de Paul Society Winter Appeal.

The Theme: Pyjamas! Students are invited to come to school comfy in their favorite PJs for the day.
How to Support: Instead of a gold coin, we kindly ask students to bring new or unused toiletries (such as soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, or deodorant).

Your generous contributions will help make a real difference for individuals and families doing it tough in our community this winter.

God Bless

Alistair Stewart

Alistair Stewart

Principal