Dear Parents and Guardians,

This week we move into the season of Lent, a time that invites us to pause and reflect on the values that deepen our compassion and strengthen our shared responsibility for one another. It is a time for reflection that draws us back to what truly matters - generosity expressed through acts of compassion and kindness. In his 2026 Lenten message, Pope Leo has invited us to focus on a very specific and practical theme: "Listening and Fasting: Lent as a Time of Conversion." While he emphasised the traditional pillars of prayer and fasting from food, he has specifically asked the faithful to take on a unique "fast" this year.

Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday

Our school community gathered this week to mark the beginning of Lent, a significant journey in our Catholic faith. On Tuesday, our students enjoyed pancakes to acknowledge Shrove Tuesday; a tradition rooted in the practice of clearing the pantry of rich foods like eggs, flour, and sugar before the Lenten fast begins. This "last feast" served as a joyful bridge into the solemnity of Ash Wednesday.

We extend a heartfelt thank you to Fr Trevor Trotter for celebrating our Ash Wednesday Mass. Fr Trevor reminded us that this season is a profound time of self-reflection, calling us to consider how we can turn back to God with our whole hearts and show people that we are people of faith. Ash Wednesday itself holds deep significance as we receive ashes in the sign of the cross; it is a humble reminder of our humanity and a public commitment to penance and renewal. By wearing the ashes, we acknowledge our desire to "repent and believe in the Gospel," setting a focused intention for the forty days ahead. A huge thank you also needs to go to our wonderful Faith and Community Leader Sophie Mackinnon who prepared a beautiful Ash Wednesday Mass.

Shining Bright: Our 5-Star Sustainability Achievement

Yesterday was a momentous occasion for our school as we gathered to officially receive our 5-Star Sustainability Award from Dominique at Sustainability Victoria. It was a wonderful morning of celebration, marking a milestone that sets our school apart. We are incredibly proud to announce that we are currently the only school in the Northern part of Melbourne to hold this prestigious 5-star rating.

The journey to becoming a 5-Star ResourceSmart School has been many years in the making; a journey built on commitment, creativity, and collaboration. I would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the many special guests who joined us to celebrate our 5-Star Sustainability achievement. A sincere thank you to Dominique from Sustainability Victoria for her leadership and for recognising the years of hard work and dedication here at Mother Teresa. We also thank Emma and Pia from CERES; for their partnership and expertise in embedding sustainability throughout our curriculum. Our thanks go to Mel from the Hume City Council for her invaluable guidance in teaching our students how to protect our local flora and fauna, and to the team from Bunnings Craigieburn for their ongoing generosity and partnership in enhancing our outdoor initiatives.

We were also honored to welcome representatives from Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) to our award ceremony. Thank you to Ms. Sarah Parry (General Manager for the North), Ms. Casey Jandies (Senior Manager School Leadership for Mother Teresa), and Mr. Jeremy Sim (School Infrastructure Compliance Officer for the North) for your attendance and your firm belief in the importance of education for sustainability. Finally, I thank the staff and principals from our local parish schools for joining us; your encouragement and presence made this milestone truly a community celebration.

This achievement would not have been possible without the vision and persistence of key members of previous staff, as well as current staff Bernadette Jacovidis and Tina Sabato, whose hard work, dedication, and leadership in planning, preparing, and completing the ResourceSmart modules have been extraordinary. As principal, I look forward to continuing our mission here at Mother Teresa to care for our common home and teach our students about the importance of sustainability intiaitives and practices.

Welcome Picnic & Movie Night

Due to the extensive rain predicted for early next week, we have made the decision early to postpone the Welcome Picnic. The new date of the welcome picnic will be Wednesday 4th of March from 5.00-7.00pm.

We have also had to have a change to the anticipated date for the Movie Night. At the time of the school calendar being published, the Movie night was listed as 'TBC' (to be confirmed). We have since heard from the Movie company and unfortunately they are unable to do the previously published date. This event will now be rescheduled and a new date will be communicated as soon as it is booked in.

Term Overviews

Next week we will be sending out our Term Overviews for each year level via Compass. These termly overviews will outline the key learning areas and curriculum foci for your child’s year level, as well as upcoming important information and dates for the term. We hope that these term overviews will provide a clear picture of what students will be learning across the term.

School Accounts

Please note that the student levy and ICT levy are now due. Thank you to those families who have already paid these fees. If you need assistance or have any queries regarding school fees please email info@motherteresa.catholic.edu.au

Pilgrimage Leave - Foot Steps of St Paul

Later this term, I will be joining other principals from the North on a pilgrimage to Greece and Turkey, following the "Footsteps of St Paul." This pilgrimage retraces the Apostle Paul's 10,000 mile journey spreading Christianity across the Mediterranean, focusing on key sites in Greece and Turkey. Major stops include Philippi (first European church), Thessalonica, Athens, Corinth and Ephesus. I feel very privileged to be able to learn more about St Paul having completed a Pauline Literature unit during my initial teaching degree. The conversion of Saul on the road to Damascus remains one of the most powerful examples of transformation in our faith and something that has always intrigued me as he was such a fierce opponent of the early Church and was changed by a direct encounter with the risen Christ. This moment of radical conversion shifted his life from one of persecution to one of profound mission, proving that a single encounter with God can reshape a person’s entire purpose.

Having the opportunity to visit these historic places in Greece and Turkey that are so central to our faith, I am very much looking forward to learning more about St Paul and seeing the ancient ruins of the cities that he was able to evangelise and spread the mission and teaching of the early church, knowing he wrote to real people dealing with very human struggles - some struggles we still continue with today! I will be on leave from Monday, 16th of March until the end of term (returning on Easter Sunday at 10.00pm!) During my absence, Darren will be Acting Principal. I look forward to bringing back much learning to our community.

Regards,

Jess

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