Dear Parents and Friends

It has been a busy and exciting few weeks at St Carlo's! Every day I continue to be impressed by the dedication of our staff and the wonderful learning taking place in every classroom.

Last Friday was a perfect example of what makes St Carlo's such a special place. In one day we celebrated our Prep students reaching 100 Days of School, held our Years 4 - 6 Athletics Trials, enjoyed a special Green and Gold Donut Day, gathered together for assembly, and were lucky enough to enjoy a beautiful sunny winter's day.

As I walked around the school, I couldn't help but reflect on how fortunate we are to have such an outstanding community. Our staff go above and beyond every day, our parents are incredibly supportive, and together we provide our students with opportunities that make school both exciting and meaningful. It was a day filled with laughter, learning and pride. Our Prep students had the time of their lives, while our older students competed with enthusiasm, encouraged one another and displayed outstanding teamwork and sportsmanship.

I encourage you to take a few moments to read through this week's newsletter and enjoy just some of the wonderful experiences taking place across our school.

Prep 100 Days of School Celebration

On Friday, our Prep students celebrated a very special milestone - 100 Days of School!

It is amazing to think how much our youngest students have grown in just 100 days. They have developed so much confidence, independence and curiosity, and it has been wonderful to watch them flourish as learners.

The students looked fantastic in their creative costumes, and there was certainly no shortage of imagination! The day included a costume parade, disco, exciting classroom activities and a special lunch, making it a celebration to remember.

A heartfelt thank you to the students from Ave Maria College, who generously volunteered their time to assist throughout the day. Thank you also to our wonderful Prep teachers and Learning Support Officers for creating such a memorable experience, and to our Parents & Friends Association for providing the delicious morning tea and lunch.

We are incredibly proud of our Prep students and hope they continue to enjoy learning with the same enthusiasm throughout their years at St Carlo's.

Athletics Trials

Congratulations to all of our Year 4 - 6 students who participated in last Friday's Athletics Trials. It was wonderful to see so many students demonstrating determination, resilience, encouragement and outstanding sportsmanship as they competed across a range of events.

Congratulations to the students who have now qualified to represent St Carlo Borromeo at the upcoming District Athletics Carnival. We wish you every success and know you will represent our school with pride.

A sincere thank you to Mr Justin Cummins for the outstanding organisation of the day. Events like these require an enormous amount of planning and coordination, and Justin's dedication ensured every student had the opportunity to perform at their best.

Thank you also to our staff and parent volunteers who generously gave their time to assist throughout the day. Your support helped make the event such a success.

Good Luck to Our AFL 9s Team

We wish our AFL 9s team every success as they compete in the Northern Metropolitan Region AFL 9s Finals tomorrow. A special thank you to Mr Troy, who has done a wonderful job coaching and supporting the team throughout the season.

Congratulations to all of our players on reaching this level of competition. We are incredibly proud of your efforts and know you will represent St Carlo Borromeo with determination, teamwork and great sportsmanship.

Grandparents Mass

Throughout the term we warmly invite grandparents to join us for our Wednesday Masses, followed by a visit to the classrooms. These special mornings are a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the love, wisdom and guidance grandparents bring to the lives of their grandchildren.

Last week, our Year 5 students hosted their Grandparents' Mass, and it was wonderful to see so many proud grandparents join us. This Wednesday we look forward to welcoming our Year 3 grandparents.

Please refer to the Religious Education section of the newsletter for future Mass dates.

St Mary MacKillop Feast Day

On Monday 10 August, we will celebrate the Feast of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, Australia's first saint. Throughout the day, students will learn about St Mary MacKillop's inspiring life of faith, compassion and service, and her enduring message:

"Never see a need without doing something about it."

Students are invited to wear a splash of white with their school uniform and bring a gold coin donation to support the Mary MacKillop Foundation, helping provide educational opportunities for children in need around the world. Together, we can continue St Mary's legacy of kindness, generosity and hope.

Cyber Safety Parent Webinar - TONIGHT!

As part of our commitment to supporting student wellbeing, we encourage all parents and carers to join the Cyber Safe Parents webinar, Balancing Life & Tech, tonight, Monday 3 August at 7:30 pm.

This practical session will provide realistic, easy-to-use strategies to help families create a healthier balance between screen time and everyday life.

Parents and carers will learn:

practical ways to manage screen time
strategies to reduce conflict around devices
ideas for encouraging healthy online and offline habits.

If you are unable to attend the live session, we encourage you to register so you can watch the recording at a time that suits you. Please see the Student Wellbeing section of this newsletter for registration details.

Head Lice Reminder

We have had a small number of reported cases of head lice across the school. Head lice are very common in primary schools and are not a sign of poor hygiene. We ask all families to regularly check their child's hair and begin treatment promptly if lice or eggs are found.

If your child has head lice, please commence treatment before they return to school. We also encourage families to check all household members and wash pillowcases, hats and hair accessories to help prevent further spread.

Thank you for your support in helping us manage this common issue in a calm and practical way.

Thank You to our Parents & Friends

A sincere thank you to Vicky and our wonderful Parents & Friends Association for organising our recent Burgers & Big Smiles Day, which was another great success.

Last Friday, students also enjoyed the Green and Gold Iced Donut Day celebrating the Commonwealth Games, while our Prep students were treated to a special lunch as part of their 100 Days of School celebrations.

These events simply wouldn't happen without the generosity and commitment of our P&F volunteers. Thank you for the countless hours you give to our school.

I'd also like to thank our many parent volunteers who continue to support school events throughout the year. If you've been thinking about getting involved, we'd love to welcome you. Whether you can help once or regularly, every contribution makes a difference.

School Production

There is a real buzz of excitement around the school as rehearsals continue for our whole school production. With only one month to go, students and staff are enthusiastically preparing for what promises to be two wonderful performances!

Our production will be held at the Clocktower Centre on:

Wednesday 2 September – Cast A
Thursday 3 September – Cast B

Tickets for both Cast A and Cast B go on sale this Wednesday at 10:00 a.m.

Details on how to book are included in today's newsletter.

Productions like this provide students with invaluable opportunities to build confidence, develop communication and performance skills, strengthen teamwork and creativity, and experience the excitement of performing on a professional stage.

Students have now selected, or have been allocated, their characters, and those with speaking roles have begun practising their lines. Costumes have been designed to be simple and affordable. We encourage families to first look through wardrobes at home or ask family and friends if suitable items can be borrowed.

Please refer to the costume guide shared via Audiri.

We ask families to ensure:

all costume items are clearly labelled with your child's name
costumes are ready by Monday 24 August
students wear closed-toe, non-slip shoes for rehearsals and performances.

Thank you for your wonderful support as we work together to create another memorable experience for our students and school community.

School Closure Days – Term 3

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

This Friday 7 August
Friday 4 September

Students are not required to attend school on these days.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support and partnership. It is through the strong relationships between our staff, students and families that St Carlo's continues to be such a welcoming, vibrant and successful school community.

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.

Letter from the VCEA