Ms Belinda's Message

Preps 2027: We enjoyed hosting our three Step into Prep sessions this September and it was wonderful to see our group of new Preps engage in crafts, sport and dance during their time here. Families enroled for next year, you should have received information about our Prep Orientation sessions and Welcome night. We look forward to these Term 4 events in preparation for your child's commencement in 2027.
Extra-curricular Activities: We are offering three extra-curricular activities after school in Term 4.
Strike Soccer – Tuesdays, 3:30pm–4:30pm, every week
Chess Mates – Wednesdays, 3:30pm–4:30pm, every week
Percussion Music Class - Thursdays, 3:30-4:30pm, Weeks 2-Week 7 (includes school performance at assembly)
We would also like to celebrate the success of our students in Chessmates! Throughout the term, students have participated in a tournament, with the grand final played this week. Congratulations to our winner, Deeb, our runners-up, George P and Ted, and fourth-place winner, Cooper. We also congratulate Patrick and Alexander, who received special awards for their outstanding sportsmanship in class.
R U OK? Day: Thank you to our Wellbeing team (Chris and Giulia) for organising a day where we recognised the importance of mental health and checking in with others. Money fundraised from the day through casual clothes and 'Guess the Jelly bean' will be given to Opening the Doors Foundation to support Indigenous Education and Kookaburra Kids who provide young Australians age appropriate prevention and early intervention for mental health services.
Online Safety Book: eSafety Commisioner has launched an online safety guide for parents and carers supporting children and young people. It covers key online safety topics - from gaming and social media, to cyberbullying and AI-generated content. It provides practical ways to support your child to have more positive online experiences. Please feel free to explore this valuable resource further.
https://infogram.com/1p76w699r3rke2hz9m0dgmjllysnwk9vn20
Final note: Catholic schools are funded through a combination of government funding and parent fees. As government funding does not meet the full cost of providing Catholic education, fees remain an important part of funding teaching, learning, student wellbeing and the day-to-day life of our school. For 2027, MACS has set fee guidelines in response to significant cost pressures, including higher operating costs and the expected cost of salary and conditions improvements under the next enterprise agreement (EBA).
We know any fee increase affects family budgets, which is why we are committed to keeping fees as affordable as possible. Clarification for our fees for 2027 will be disclosed in Term 4 as an Audiri post.
As always, our focus remains on maintaining a strong and connected school community while continuing to provide a high-quality Catholic education and the very best opportunities for every student.
Enjoy a safe and restful break.
Belinda Cheong
Principal
What's coming up in the first two weeks of Term 4....
- 5th October, Students begin school for Term 4
- 8th October, Seniors Mass, 9:15am
- 9th October, HSPA Meeting, 9am
- 15th October, Assembly, 2:30pm
- 16th October, School Disco, 6:00pm-8:30pm
Extra-Currcilar Activities (must be registered):
Strike Soccer – Tuesdays, 3:30pm–4:30pm, every week
Chess Mates – Wednesdays, 3:30pm–4:30pm, every week
Percussion Music Class - Thursdays, 3:30-4:30pm, Weeks 2-Week 7
Please check out upcoming events on our Parent Calendar via our website. https://www.hsthornburyeast.catholic.edu.au/news-events/calendar/

