Term 2, Week 5 (27 May 2025)

PRINCIPAL'S ADDRESS

Pope Leo XIV – Finding Silence in a Noisy World

Since writing the previous newsletter, our newly elected Pope Leo XIV has officially begun his pontificate following the Mass of Inauguration in St Peter’s Square on Sunday May 18, marking a significant moment in the history of the Catholic Church. As the 268th successor to Saint Peter, Pope Leo XIV brings a sense of humility, hope, and wisdom. His first homily, centered on themes of reconciliation, courage, and simplicity, was both powerful and deeply moving. He has spoken about the importance of prayerful silence in a noisy world, the need for civil discourse in times of division, and the Church’s role in fostering healing across political and cultural lines.

He wasn’t only referring to external noise — the kind that comes from devices, traffic, or headlines — but also the inner noise that fills our days: constant schedules, distractions, anxiety, and the pressure to always be “on.”

Pope Leo XIV reminds us that silence is not the absence of sound, but the presence of God. It is in quiet moments that we often find our clarity, peace, and purpose.

In light of this, I am challenging myself to create intentional moments of stillness in my week, whether it is

• a few moments of silent reflection before starting my day,
• a quiet prayer or reading before a meeting, or 
• a “tech-free” break during the day.

In a world filled with noise, choosing silence is countercultural, but it can also be deeply satisfying. Let us allow that silence to become a space for gratitude, awareness, and connection with something greater than ourselves.

Mothers Day Celebrations at Mater Dei

Our recent Mother’s Day events, including the High Tea, Liturgy and Celebration of Learning, really captured the strength of our school community. Families came together to honour the incredible women in our lives, share in a beautiful liturgy, and celebrate the amazing learning taking place across all year levels. It was a wonderful day of love, learning and laughter and the joy and pride was evident in every smile. Thank you to all who attended and helped make the day so memorable, it was a beautiful reminder of the special community we share.

Attendance Matters!

Regular attendance is a key factor in helping students reach their full potential, not only in their learning, but socially and emotionally as well. I understand that occasional absences due to illness or emergencies will occur, however, I do request that appointments are scheduled outside of school hours whenever possible, and to avoid signing students out early unless absolutely necessary. I urge parents and carers to prioritise school 

attendance and to reach out if there are any barriers to getting students to school on time each day. While full-day absences can be easy to track, partial attendance—arriving late or leaving early—can quietly add up. Just 10 minutes each day adds up to 30 hours of lost learning time over the course of a school year. That is the equivalent of missing almost a full week of school.

In New South Wales (NSW), aligned with the NSW Department of Education's expectations for student attendance,  a good percentage of student school attendance is typically considered to be 95% or higher. Students with attendance rates below 90% may be considered at risk of educational disadvantage.

🎯 Ideal Attendance = 95% – 100%
A student misses fewer than 9-10 days per school year. Strongly associated with better academic performance and engagement.

⚠️ Concerning Attendance = Below 90%
Can significantly impact learning outcomes.

I strongly encourage you to keep track of your child’s attendance rate via Compass. I will be in contact with parents where there are concerns about any student’s attendance rate at this midpoint in the school year.  It is important that we work together to ensure our students are given every opportunity to gain the most from their learning time.

Council of Catholic School Parents

The Council of Catholic School Parents (CCSP ) NSW/ACT has a new website that can now be translated into over 140 languages and offers easily accessible ways for parents and carers to stay in touch with the team. The site features interactive maps that link to information about CCSP members, dioceses, and numerous resources and links for families. The website can be accessed using the following link  https://www.ccsp.catholic.edu.au/ 

There are several online presentations for parents and carers coming up that you may find useful. There are direct links to register your interest, or these can also be accessed from the main website.

PARENTAL CONTROLS - USING PARENTAL CONTROLS TO HELP PROTECT YOUR CHILD ONLINE

For parents and carers of primary school students

Presented by eSafety Commissioner Team

Thursday 19 June 2025
12.30 – 1.15pm

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

PARENTING TWEENS: WHAT KIDS NEED NOW, BEFORE THE TEEN YEARS

For parents and carers of primary school students 8+

Presented by Michelle Mitchell

Tuesday 24 June
7pm - 8pm

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR PARENTING TWEENS

PARENTING TEENS: STAYING CONNECTED THROUGH THE TEEN YEARS

Parents of high school kids 12+

Presented by Michelle Mitchell

Wednesday 25 June
7pm - 8pm

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR PARENTING TEENS

McDONALDS CHARITY FUN NIGHT NEXT WEDNESDAY 4 JUNE

Join us for our annual McDonald’s in Macarthur Charity Fun Night next Wednesday 4 June at participating Restaurants and Food Courts, with 10% of all proceeds donated to Mater Dei in support of Mater Dei ECE, K-12 School and NextPath Continuous Learning.  You may even spot some of our school staff dining in! 

Reconciliation Week “Bridging Now to Next”

National Reconciliation Week runs from May 27 to June 3 each year, marking significant milestones in First Nations history. This year's theme invites all Australians to reflect on our shared past, consider our present, and work together towards a more united future. 

Prayer for Reconciliation Week

God of all creation,

You formed this land and its peoples.
We thank You for the richness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures,
for their deep connection to country,
and their enduring strength in the face of injustice.

As we mark Reconciliation Week,
open our hearts to truth and our minds to understanding.
Help us to walk humbly beside First Nations peoples,
listening, learning, and seeking justice.

Heal the wounds of the past,
and let your Spirit guide us toward a future
where respect is lived,
where dignity is upheld,
and where all people may flourish in peace.

May our journey together be marked
by compassion, courage, and a shared commitment to reconciliation.
Through Christ, our reconciler and our hope,
Amen.

JENNIFER FOLDES
PRINCIPAL

FROM THE DEPUTY PRINCIPAL'S DESK

Influenza Fact Sheet

As we head into the cooler weather, more and more students become unwell.

Please be vigilant if your child shows symptoms of influenza and keep them at home. 

It is also important to note that antibiotics work best with rest!

Together we can prevent the spread of illness.

An influenza Fact Sheet is included below:

Reconciliation Week

This week is Reconciliation Week - Bridging Now to Next. The focus of the week reflects the ongoing connection between past, present and future.

Today we welcomed Zipporah Corser-Anu to Mater Dei. Zipporah is a proud Samu and Suy woman from Saibai Island in the Torres Strait as well as being Christine Anu’s daughter and a wonderful entertainer!

The students enjoyed singing songs in the language from Torres Strait Island of Saibi. Zipporah introduced the students and staff to language, dance and story - a wonderful way for us all to recognise Reconciliation Week. 

Following the concert, students went back to their classrooms to continue learning about Reconciliation Week - its meaning and significance to all Australian people. 

Semester One Reports

Teachers have been working hard writing each student’s report for Semester One. This semester will see the new and improved version of our school reports being used for the first time. The improved structure of the reports came from input from all stakeholders including parents and students.

The overwhelming feedback was that the report needed to reflect the progress and growth of each individual student. Therefore, the report aims to be a much more positive and personalised reflection of student learning.

The report is designed to be read in conjunction with your child’s Personalised Plan for Students with Disability (PPSD). The report speaks to progress, growth and achievement whilst the PPSD outlines goals, supports and future learning.

The scale used for the reports is known as the Personalised Reporting Scale and reflects the learning achievement, growth and progress of the student within each of the NESA  Learning Areas studied through the semester. This scale is used to reflect the personal progress of your child in their learning. 

P – Personalised 

Personalised reports are provided for students who receive a more personalised daily program within the classroom. Generally, a personalised report will be provided for students where a high level of adjustment and assistance is required.

P1 – Beginning 

The student has some existing prior knowledge and/or necessary pre-skills for the task. The student is beginning to participate in a task with maximum teacher assistance. The student uses skills and knowledge in a single setting.

P2 – Occasional 

The student understands information, concepts and/or can perform skills. The student often relies on physical or verbal assistance when participating in a task. The student has begun to demonstrate the skills in selected, familiar settings. 

P3 – Frequent 

The student relies on partial prompts to complete a task. The student can regularly perform the skill or demonstrate knowledge. The student uses the skills or knowledge in a variety of familiar settings and situations.

P4 – Independent 

The student can complete a task independently, without assistance. The student maintains the skill or knowledge over time. The student generalises the skill or knowledge to new settings, people or materials.

The report will still indicate a Commitment to Learning in each of the NESA Learning Areas and contain an overall comment from the teacher about your child within the school environment.

We are excited to be able to release the reports to parents and caregivers at the end of week 8. This will be an opportunity for you  to celebrate the achievements, progress and learning growth of your child.

Personalised Plan for Students with Disability (PPSD)

 Term 3 Meetings

The process of personalised learning, through PPSD, aims to ensure that effective personalised support measures are provided in learning environments that maximise academic and social development.

A second collaborative meeting will be organised in Term 3 where the student, class team and parents/carers meet to discuss achievable goals for the student. Goals can be academic, social or well being focused.

Collaborative PPSD meetings for Term 3 are scheduled for:

• Primary Grades: Monday 28 July - Wednesday 30 July

• Secondary: Monday 4 August - Wednesday 6 August

Each meeting is scheduled for 30 minutes and parents are encouraged to attend in person. However, if this is not possible, a zoom meeting will be offered.

On Friday 27 June parents/carers will receive a TryBooking link to reserve a time for their child’s PPSD meeting. All parents/carers are asked to reserve a timeslot.

Please note that these meetings now run throughout the school day.

School Photos

School photos are scheduled for this Friday 30 May. All students are to wear their full Winter uniform, including school blazer for secondary students. Please ensure that your child is ready for photos. 

A back up date has been arranged for Monday 16 June should your child be unwell or absent on Friday.

If you have any questions or you have misplaced your photo envelope, please contact the School.

TONI SILLIS
DEPUTY PRINCIPAL

P&F INFORMATION

Mother’s Day Thank You!

Many thanks to our parent volunteers who worked on the P&F Mother’s Day Stall. The commitment to the stall is very much appreciated. Our thanks is also extended to all parents and caregivers who supported the stall.

A special thanks to Amanda Abou-Rjeili and Melissa Faulder who coordinated the stall.

(L-R: Hayden Faulder, Ruby Perkins, Melissa Faulder, Robyn McAulay, Karen Witherspoon, Amanda Abou-Rjeili)

P&F Canteen Days

There are two more P&F Canteen Days for Term 2. The first  is next Friday 6 June and the final one for the term is Friday 27 June (last day of term). The menus are below. 

All ORDERS must be in by 9am Thursday 5 June & Thursday 26 June. 

NO LATE orders accepted 

NO over the counter sales for any students. 

An order must be placed for recess and lunch for ALL students.

SEPARATE bags are needed for RECESS and LUNCH orders.

* Sticky Beaks Bags are the best for recess and lunch *

ALL Orders should include - Your child's name and class, quantity and flavour required (where applicable)

STRONGER TOGETHER: Parent Learning Hub

Last Friday some of our Year 11 and 12 parents headed off together to the 2025 Sydney Disability Connection Expo. It was a great day spent together exploring the possibilities of post school life. The expo held a wide array of services that can be accessed across the Sydney metropolitan area. Our parents, along with Christy Smith and Nicole Robinson, came home with many showbags of information.

SCHOOL NEWS

MISSION & VISION

The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Visitation also teaches us about the power of faithful friendship and the joy that comes from sharing God's blessings with others. When Mary entered Elizabeth's home, both women recognised the miraculous work of God in their lives - Elizabeth carrying John the Baptist and Mary carrying Jesus. Their meeting was filled with wonder, gratitude, and mutual support during a time that could have been overwhelming for both young women. Elizabeth's words of affirmation - "Blessed is she who believed that the Lord's promise to her would be fulfilled" - remind us of the importance of encouraging one another in faith. As students, staff, and families in our Mater Dei community, we can follow Mary's example by being present for one another, celebrating each other's gifts and achievements and offering practical help when it's needed. The Visitation shows us that faith is meant to be shared, and that when we come together with open hearts, we can recognise Christ's presence among us.

The Ascension of the Lord 

This holy day is celebrated forty days after Easter, marking the moment when the risen Jesus was taken up into heaven before his Apostles on the Mount of Olives. This pivotal event, described in the Acts of the Apostles and the Gospel of Luke, represents not an ending but a new beginning for Christ's mission on earth. As Jesus ascended, he promised his Disciples that they would receive the Holy Spirit and become his witnesses "to the ends of the earth." The Ascension reminds us all that while Jesus is no longer physically present with us, he has not abandoned us - instead, he has entrusted us with continuing his work of love, mercy and justice in our world. Just as the Apostles returned to Jerusalem with great joy to prepare for Pentecost, we too are called to be joyful witnesses of Christ's love in our classrooms, playgrounds, homes, and wider community. This Feast encourages us to look beyond ourselves and embrace our mission as Catholics to share the Good News through our actions, words and service to others.

CeChat Conference

Last Thursday and Friday, 22 and 23 May, Ms Mansfield, Ms Sullivan and Mrs Gorey attended Cenet’s Future: Forward AI in Catholic Education Conference 2025 (Artificial Intelligence).  The conference was highly informative with a range of  keynote speakers and session breakout presenters.  Topics included: Co-Creating AI in Education by Dr Michelle Dickinson;  Ethical AI in Education - from Policy to Practice by Dr Nici Sweaney and Supporting teachers to Lead AI Integration by Mr Carlo Iacono.  The conference provided many thoughts and conversations about future goals.

PEDAGOGY

Casual Staff at Mater Dei School

We are fortunate at Mater Dei School to have reliable, flexible and passionate casual Teachers and Teacher Assistants who can support our students when regular staff are absent or attending professional learning. This means that the students can continue with their learning for the day by caring casual staff. Recently we had the support of casual teachers Mrs Charles teaching key vocabulary with AUSLAN sign language for Science in 1/2 Gregory, Mrs Iaforno teaching about covering private body parts in Personal Development and Health with K Samaritan and Mrs Gerace reading the book Click Clack Moo Cows That Type to 1/2 Benedict. We also had casual Teacher Assistants, Kirsty supporting 3/4 Polding with their Mathematics lesson, Ruth supporting 7/8 Gregory by preparing resources for their lesson and Elliot supporting 12 Gibbons with their Mathematics lesson about time.

CURRICULUM

Stage 3

5/6 MacKillop students continue to focus their literacy learning on knowing the difference between vowels and consonants and identifying these within words and sentences. Ms Fahey has been incorporating explicit teaching instruction followed by supported guided practice for students to acknowledge and use vowels and consonants in their reading and writing. The students engage with enthusiasm during the whole class games that Ms Fahey incorporates into the students’ learning.

5/6 Gibbons have been developing great literacy learning and working routines in their classroom. Mrs Searle and Kim D focus their explicit teaching in small groups which supports individual student opportunity to review prior learning and growth. Through a range of experiences such as cvc word reading snakes and ladders game, levelled text reading and MiniLit cvc word bingo games, all students are able to practice their literacy skills and knowledge.

Year 11 VET Students Shine at Mother’s Day Café

Our Year 11 students showcase their skills and dedication by successfully organising, decorating, and serving at this year’s Mother’s Day Café as part of their VET Certificate Workplace 11 course. Under the guidance of Mrs. Smith, who was pleased to observe many key competencies being demonstrated, the students worked collaboratively to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The event was a great success and thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended. Congratulations to our students for their professionalism and effort!

SPORTS & EVENTS

Walk Safely to School Day

On Thursday 15 May, we participated in “Walk Safely to School Day”. At Mater Dei we recognise that pedestrian safety is a vital life skill and knowing how to safely cross the road, recognise potential hazards and make safe choices is essential for independence and wellbeing.

Mothers Day Celebrations

On Friday 16 May, we celebrated our beautiful Mothers. All the classes in the school made a lovely treat for the Mums to enjoy.

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EVENTS

16^th LADIES LIPSTICK LUNCHEON

On Friday 9 May, The Cube in Campbelltown was buzzing with colour, energy and community spirit as 600 guests came together for our 16th Annual Ladies Lipstick Luncheon. It was a heartwarming day filled with kindness, inspiration, and a true sense of togetherness – a wonderful reflection of the community our families and supporters help create every day.

This year’s theme, “Unlock Your Potential” was woven throughout the day, from the uplifting words of School Principal Jenny Foldes to the heartfelt performances of our talented School Choir who touched every heart in the room. Their renditions of “True Colours” and “Fight Song” filled the room with energy, and the excitement soared as our School Dance Troupe lit up the stage with “Hall of Fame”.

A particularly special moment came when Mater Dei parent and staff member Melissa Zaniol, along with MDECE Educator Vicky Willis, shared their experiences with student, Liliana through her time at Mater Dei Preschool and School. Their words reminded us all of the real impact our community has – every single day.

This year’s event featured a major raffle prize of a brand-new KIA Picanto Sport, valued at over $20,000. It was wonderful to draw Megan Toole’s name from the barrel and celebrate with her in the room as she is a past Mater Dei family and long-time supporter.

Events like this don’t happen without a team effort, and we’re incredibly grateful to the dedicated staff who work so hard behind the scenes.

Thank you also to the wonderful parent helpers who volunteered their time in the lead up.

McDONALD’S CHARITY FUN NIGHT - Wednesday 4 June

2025 ATHLETICS CARNIVAL - Save The Date!

STAFF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

2025 IMPORTANT DATES

FORMS & PROCEDURES

PARENT FORMS AND SCHOOL DOCUMENTATION

School documentation and common forms are stored in Compass for parents to access at any time.  Parent Forms can be found by following these steps on your Compass App:

 (Steps 1-3 are for App users only)

1. Click on the student
2. Click on the 3 lines in top left corner
3. Click Open in Browser
4. Click on Community Icon (2 heads)
5. Click on School Documentation
6. Click Parent Forms

ATTENDANCE EXEMPTION FORMS 
Any families who wish to apply for attendance exemptions to attend therapy services in 2025, please download the Application for Leave Exemption form on Compass, complete and return to schooladmin@materdei.org.au 

2025 SCHOOL DROP OFF / PICK UP PROCEDURES

COMMUNITY

Boots n’ Beats Country Music Festival

Our Boots n’ Beats Country Music Festival is BACK for 2025! 🤠

The event will feature local and nationally renowned country music artists, delicious country-style food and drinks, kids’ entertainment and activities, and MUCH MORE!

This event will be a fun day out for the whole family!

Here is what you need to know:

Date: Saturday 14 June 2025

Time: 12 – 6pm

Location: Camden Bicentennial Equestrian Park

Tickets are on sale now!

You can head to https://www.camden.nsw.gov.au/whats-on/annual-signature-events/boots-n-beats for more information.

School Student Concession Cards

If you're a student aged 16 years or older and eligible for concessions, the Transport Concession Entitlement Card serves as proof of entitlement when using a Child/Youth Opal card within the Opal network or when traveling on child or concession fares in NSW. 

The Transport Concession Entitlement Card replaces the following cards:

1. Senior Secondary Student Concession Card (16 years and over) – also issued to Mature Secondary Students (18 years and over), Distance Education Students and Home School Students.
2. Proof of Age card (when a student under 16 years of age looks older)
3. Boarders Rail Pass

To travel on a Child/Youth Opal card or a child/concession ticket, students must carry a concession entitlement card.

Children aged between 4 to 15 years do not require a proof of entitlement for concession travel. However, if they look more mature, they can get a Transport Concession Entitlement Card to verify to authorised officers that they are under 16 years old.

Please contact Mater Dei School Admin on schooladmin@materdei.org.au if you are interested in applying for a Concession Entitlement card.

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