Dear Families,

We have had a busy but important last couple of weeks of Term 2. Our staff participated in a very engaging professional learning day with Dr Nathaniel Swain on Monday 15th June and then followed up with two days of coaching with him. He worked with our staff to help us further develop our work with explicit teaching and engagement practices.

Some of our wonderful students got together and made things and bought things and very generously gave their time and money to run a stall to raise money for the Royal Children's Hospital. Well done team - they raised $174 in one day, that will now be donated to the RCH.

Ms Connolly has now undertaken the audition process for the lead roles in our play "Scenes from Alice in Wonderland" that will take place later in the year. Watch this space!

Some of our staff got together to enjoy a night of Pickleball in Dingley, followed by a shared meal at the DI. Some of us were great at coaching from the sidelines while others got right into the swing of the game. A fun night was had by all.

Thanks to all our staff and families for participating in our parent/student/teacher interviews this week. It is always so important that we work together to support our children to achieve their full potential. Thank-you for coming along to build such a positive relationship with your child's teacher.

We had a very fruitful leadership team day today where we set some directions to ensure we achieve the goals we set in our 2026 Annual Action plan and also looked at the MACS Vision for Leadership. We also undertook some much needed policy updating and contextualisation to ensure we are abreast of current compliance requirements and procedures.

I wish everyone a safe and happy holiday and hope you enjoy a little extra down time over the next couple of weeks.

PLEASE CHECK THE DATES TO REMEMBER PAGE FOR ALL THE IMPORTANT TERM 3 DATES.

DON'T FORGET SCHOOL FINISHES ON FRIDAY AT 1.30 P.M.

There will be an assembly at 1.00 p.m.

TERM 3 STARTS ON

MONDAY 13TH JULY AT

8.40 A.M. Classrooms open - 8.50 a.m. start!

Congratulations :

Congratulations once again to Max who has made it to the State Level competition for Cross Country running. What a star Max - fantastic work and congratulations on your wonderful achievement of making it so far. We will all be right behind you as you compete at this very high level. Congratulations and good luck!!!

Student Wellbeing Support Programs:

Please see the below message about some upcoming student support programs available to interested families through Playroom Therapy.

NEW: Minecraft Therapy Groups For young people aged 9–17

We're thrilled to announce the launch of our Minecraft Groups — small, therapist-led sessions that use Minecraft as a medium for therapeutic play. Through building, collaborating, and exploring together in-game, young people develop real-world skills including communication, teamwork, emotional regulation, and confidence. We know that for many pre-teens and teens, traditional talk-based support can feel uncomfortable or hard to access. Meeting them in a space they already enjoy — and understand — can make all the difference. We're offering two formats:

• Term Groups — regular weekly sessions across the school term, building genuine connection and consistency over time.

• Intensive Holiday Groups — concentrated sessions run during school holidays.

Groups are kept intentionally small to ensure every young person feels seen and supported. The flyer is here - Minecraft groups.pdf — we'd love for you to share it with anyone you think might benefit! Expressions of interest are now open. Please get in touch to find out more or to register your interest.

Group Play Therapy

Holiday Intensive - All ages — Balwyn North Clinic

Our popular Group Play Therapy Holiday Program is also returning these July holidays! This small-group program offers children a fun and supportive space to strengthen emotional wellbeing, social skills, and confidence through play.

Program Details:

Dates: Monday 29 June – Friday 3 July 2026

Duration: 1 hour per day for 5 days

Location: Balwyn North Clinic

Cost: $850 per child (5 × 1-hour sessions)

Group Size: Up to 6 children with 3 therapists (1 therapist per 2 children)

Using an integrative, play-based approach, our therapists create a nurturing environment where each child's individual needs are supported through child-led play and meaningful peer interactions. The program encourages self-expression, emotional growth, and connection in a safe and engaging setting. Spaces are limited for both programs! If you'd like to reserve a place or find out more about either group, simply reply to this email or give us a call — we'd love to hear from you.

Warmly,

Amy Silverwood

Practice contact number: 0478 389 793

Practice email: hello@playroomtherapy.com.au

Locations: 101 Doncaster Road, Balwyn North / 91 Waverley Road, Malvern East

Website: www.playroomtherapy.com.au

Playroom Therapy acknowledges the traditional owners of the land and their Elders in each of the communities where we work and play.

School Advisory Council

We are still looking for some new members for our School Advisory Council for 2026. The group will meet 5 more times this year on a Tuesday evening at 7.30 p.m. The role of the School Advisory Council, in keeping with the objectives of the MACS Constitution, is to provide a crucial point of connection between the wider school community, the parish and our school leaders. If you are interested in joining the group please contact Frances on 9262 2000 or email: principal@smdingley.catholic.edu.au