Principal's Report

Dear Parents

I hope you have enjoyed a safe and restful long weekend. It is hard to believe we now have only three weeks remaining until our mid-year break!

Our students have continued to work very hard throughout the term, showing great focus, effort and a positive approach to their learning. Across the school, our teachers are using explicit teaching practices aligned with the MACS Vision for Instruction, helping students to know exactly what they are learning, why it matters and how they can be successful. Through daily review, clear modelling, guided practice and opportunities to apply their learning independently, students are building confidence and strengthening their knowledge and skills. The growth we are seeing across all year levels is very pleasing and is a credit to the hard work of our students and the care, skill and dedication of our teachers. St Carlo’s is truly blessed to have such wonderful staff who work so hard to support every child to experience success.

Prep 2027

It has been lovely to meet our eligible new families for Prep 2027. Last week we commenced interviews with our existing families, and these will continue this week. We look forward to welcoming our future Prep students and families as they begin their journey at St Carlo’s.

Woodlands Division Cross Country Championship

Congratulations to our students who represented St Carlo’s so well at the recent Woodlands Division Cross Country Championships at Kilmore Racecourse. There were many outstanding individual efforts, and we are very proud of the way our students participated with determination, sportsmanship and school spirit. Thank you to Miss Sardo, Mr Dundovic and Mrs Meacco for supporting the students on the day. Our school is always so well represented by our very talented students.

Good luck to those students who have advanced to the Regional Cross Country Championships. 

Student Illness

Winter has certainly arrived! Our school continues to be impacted by a variety of illnesses, including flu and gastro, and we are still experiencing a higher than usual rate of absenteeism among both students and staff. Please continue to closely monitor your child’s health and keep them at home if they are unwell. If your child becomes unwell at school, parents will be contacted and asked to collect them. Thank you for your continued support in helping keep our community safe and minimising the spread of illness.

Child Safety

I would like to remind all families that the school gates open at 8:30 a.m. Students should not arrive before this time. We have noticed a number of students arriving up to 30 minutes early, often riding bikes or playing in the streets without supervision. To ensure the safety of all students, any child arriving before 8:30 a.m. must be accompanied by a parent or carer. As a reminder, families can register for Before School Care to ensure children are safely supervised before the gates open. Thank you for your continued support in helping us provide a safe and well-supervised environment for all students.

Road Safety

We really appreciate the care and patience shown by parents and carers during drop-off and pick-up times. Please continue to be very careful and observe the parking restrictions around the school. Traffic Officers patrol this area and may issue parking infringements, so it is important that all families follow the rules.

The drop-off zone in Haddington Crescent is for drop-off only. Cars must not be left unattended during this time. Please also be mindful that Haddington Crescent, opposite the school, is a no standing zone between 8:00–9:00 a.m. and 3:00–4:00 p.m. On the school side of Haddington Crescent, there is no parking in the morning, as this is a two-minute drop-off zone between 8:00–9:00 a.m. 

Please 

• Avoid performing U-Turns 

• Please don't leave your car in the morning in front of the school - drop and go helps make the traffic flow!

   

I also ask families to speak with their children and remind them to always use the designated school crossings.

Sacred Heart of Jesus Mass

Families are warmly invited to join us for our Sacred Heart of Jesus Mass, which will be hosted by our Year 5 and Year 6 students. 

• Date: Friday 12 June
• Time: 12:00 p.m.
• Location: St Carlo Borromeo Chapel

We look forward to celebrating this special Mass with you and sharing in prayer as a community. 

MACSEYE

Commencing next term, our families will access our new Outside School Hours Care service, MACSEYE.

MACSEYE is a subsidiary of Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools and provides a safe, inclusive and engaging environment where children aged 5 to 12 can relax, explore their interests and spend time with friends before and after school. With supportive educators, enriching activities, cosy quiet zones and healthy snacks, MACSEYE nurtures children’s wellbeing and development, giving families peace of mind.

Information about how to enrol and book has been shared today via Audiri. Families wishing to access this service from the beginning of next term are asked to complete their enrolment as soon as possible.

Emergency Management Plan

St Carlo’s has a comprehensive Emergency Management Plan that addresses site-specific hazards and potential emergencies. An important part of this plan is to regularly test our emergency response procedures through practice drills each term.

This Thursday, we will be conducting a lock-down drill. If you feel your child may be anxious about this, please reassure them that it is only a practice and an important way for us to make sure everyone knows what to do in an emergency.

Parish School Advisory Council

Next Monday, we have our Parish School Advisory Council meeting, which brings together parent representatives from our three parish schools. I would like to thank St Carlo’s representatives Manny Bugeja, Katrina Ferguson and Cathrine LaTerra. Together with Nella Fimiani and myself, they represent our school and provide valuable advice and perspective as part of the Parish School Advisory Council.

Special Hot Food Day

Students have the opportunity to order a special lunch for Friday 19th June. A variety of pizza and pasta dishes are available to order via QKR!  Orders must be placed on the QKR! App by Monday 15th June, 10.00 a.m. Thank you to our wonderful P&F for organising this hot food day. 

Grandparents Mass – Term 3

Please refer to the Religious Education section in today’s newsletter, which contains important dates for our Term 3 Masses, including our very special Grandparents Masses. Please share these dates with grandparents, as we would love to welcome them to school for these beautiful celebrations. They are always among our favourite events of the year!

School Fees

Thank you to the many families who have now paid their school fees in full. For families paying by instalments, please note that the second instalment is now overdue. It is very important that school fees are paid in full and on time to enable the school to meet its financial obligations.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you would like to discuss your account, or contact our Office Manager, Maria DiMedio, if you wish to set up a direct debit payment plan.

Australia's Best Teachers Campaign

Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools are again partners in the Australia’s Best Teacher Campaign. 

If you would like to recognise the exceptional work that our dedicated and inspirational teachers do, this is your opportunity to  nominate them.

Important Dates

Please keep an eye on the school calendar on Audiri or click here for our Google Parent calendar. 

• Thursday June 25 - End of Term 2: Students finish at 1.00 for Student Led Conversations
• Friday June 26 - No School:Student led conversations
  • Booking information was shared today via Audiri

We ask St Carlo Borromeo to continue to bless our wonderful Parish and School Community. 

Kevin Gleeson.