Term 4, Week 8 (3 December 2024)

PRINCIPAL'S ADDRESS

On the first of December children everywhere will start opening doors on their Advent calendars.  Most of these calendars will reflect the children’s current interests and will have chocolate inside. Opening these doors begins the anticipation of Christmas coming!

As we commence the beautiful Season of Advent, I am always reminded of the tension that exists between the busyness in the lead up to Christmas with many end of year and festive events that can fill our cups and test our patience, and the liturgical message of waiting patiently for the birth of a child, to be named "Emmanuel, which means, 'God is with us'." Mt 1: 23- 24. It is important to make space for Advent, the season of preparation, and to not lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas. 

Advent calendars, which can take various forms, are used by many families and individuals as a daily countdown to Christmas, with the small doors or compartments that reveal a surprise or piece of chocolate each day, further building anticipation for Christmas Day. However, the Advent calendar has a much deeper purpose and significance than just a treat. Evidently dating back to the 1850s, the Advent calendar typically includes 24 doors or boxes to open, one for every day in December leading up to Christmas Day. The history of the Advent calendar can be traced back to 19th-century Germany, where it originated as a way to count down the days to Christmas and emphasise the religious aspects of the holiday. The early Advent calendars were quite different from the ones we see today.  The first Advent calendars were quite simple and were used to mark off each day in December leading up to Christmas. In the mid-20th century, Advent calendars started to become more commercialised, with the inclusion of small doors or windows that could be opened each day to reveal a hidden picture or religious verse. This design added an element of surprise and excitement for children, making Advent even more engaging. One significant development in the history of Advent calendars was the introduction of chocolate-filled calendars in the early 20th century, particularly in Germany and other European countries. These calendars became popular among children, as they offered a sweet treat each day during the countdown to Christmas. In the latter half of the 20th century, Advent calendars began to take on more secular themes, featuring popular characters, toys, or other items behind the calendar doors. This shift allowed Advent calendars to appeal to a broader audience beyond the Christian religious context.

There are endless suggestions and creative ideas across the internet and on Pinterest etc, for making your own Advent calendar as a family and engaging children in the lead up to Christmas, focussing on the season of Advent. Another way of keeping the focus on Advent is to place a prayer near the calendar to be read each day prior to opening the door to reveal the surprise behind it.

"God of Love,

Your son, Jesus, is your greatest gift to us.

He is a sign of your love.

Help us walk in that love during the weeks of Advent,

As we wait and prepare for his coming.

We pray in the name of Jesus, our Savior".

Amen.

As we come to this time of the school year I have no doubt that many will join me in thinking where has the time gone. In looking back we certainly have much to be grateful for as a Mater Dei Community as we reflect on everything from the general day-to-day activities to the major events and celebrations throughout the year. In reading back over our newsletters for 2024, and our social media communications, a significant number of these have been captured, and Term Four certainly does not disappoint in this area. We have had an abundance of milestones, events and celebrations in such a short period of time, and none greater than our PAN night of nights! Having faced the challenge of our usual venue being unavailable, the idea of a Movie night came about in the hope that we could still capture the magic of live student performances in film. From the overwhelmingly positive feedback that we have received both on the night and since, I am confident to say that it was a great success. For me personally, it was certainly a privilege witnessing the joy and excitement amongst the students that extended to the families.

We recently farewelled our Year 12 students and families at their Graduation Mass and Ceremony followed by the Year 12 Formal Dinner.  These are moments naturally filled with emotions of both excitement and uncertainty both for the students and their families as the significant journey of schooling finishes. I reminded Year 12 of the importance of setting their sights high and believing they can achieve anything that they set their mind to. Each student was presented with a graduation portfolio to acknowledge their achievements in finishing Year 12 and several major awards were also presented. 

Among these awards was the Mater Dei Peace Prize which is always received with such anticipation and excitement. Justin Buda was a most deserving recipient of this award for 2024 and planted a Peace rose in our growing rose garden.    

In a similar way we celebrated the achievements of students from Kindergarten to Year 11 last week during our End of Year Liturgy and Awards Assembly. It was also an opportunity to mark the end of Primary Schooling for our Year 6 students in anticipation of them moving into Year 7 next year. It is critical that we take the time to acknowledge each of our students during these events as the one school community.  Several Major Awards were also presented.

Our 2025 Student Leadership Team was announced at the end of our Liturgy, also revealing a slight change to the structure. The Leadership Team will continue to be led by our 2 School Captains with the additional senior leaders having the title of Vice Captain aligned to one of four school values of Community, Hospitality, Peace and Stewardship. These values are informed by both the Rule of St Benedict and the lived examples of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan. The Vice Captains will also continue to have the responsibility of leading a House Group. In a similar way, our Primary Student leaders will align with a school value and House colour, providing opportunities for them to lead alongside our newly appointed School Captains and Vice Captains.  

During the Liturgy we also farewelled Sr Geraldine Kearney SGS who made a very difficult decision to resign from her role as Pastoral Associate at Mater Dei. During my address to the School Community I committed that Sr Gerry has become part of the furniture at Mater Dei and a most welcomed face who stands at drop off to welcome each student. Through Sr Gerry, we have witnessed and learned about true hospitality, peace, humility,  love of Christ and of neighbour, from a woman of deep faith, an educator, a friend. We wish Sr Gerry well health and every happiness as she departs from Mater Dei after many years of devoted service.  In an email from Sr Gerry that I received over the weekend, she wrote:

"My time at Mater Dei has been a privilege and blessing and I know I will hold all the community in my heart and prayers always!" 

Sr Gerry.

At the end of this week we also farewell Miss Sarah O’Riordan who has had an impressive year of teaching at Mater Dei while also completing her final year of University studies. We wish Miss O’Riordan every success in her future endeavours and hope to see her back at Mater Dei in the future.

Miss Kayla Crawford took leave from teaching at the end of the 2023 school year to pursue her interest in behaviour therapy. This has been a successful move for Miss Crawford who has since decided to resign from her permanent teaching position.

Mrs Jema Langham has been on a secondment placement at St Clare’s Narellan Vale this year and will remain there for the start of the 2025 school year before going on maternity leave in March. 

We wish Miss Crawford and Mrs Langham every happiness and success in 2025.

Last Friday we sent home a 2025 Class Social Story and School Diary with every student and this week we are having class transition and preparation visits for 2025. I know that both students and staff enjoy the opportunity to spend time together looking forward to their new classes for next year. 

The School COLA (Covered Outdoor Learning Area) is underway and beginning to take shape, with the construction program well on schedule. In recent weeks we have witnessed the structure of the curved roof take place, with the covered walkway connecting the school building to the COLA. We are hopeful of having access to the COLA in Term One next year.

In recent weeks I have spoken with several parents/carers regarding communication they have received from the school about their child’s psychoeducational assessment and their concerns that the recommendations suggest that Mater Dei may no longer be the correct educational setting to meet the needs of their child aligned to their intellectual capacity. Please be assured that the results of the assessment alone and/or any discussions that may follow in explaining these results, are by no means an indication or suggestion that a parent/carer should be seeking enrolment in an alternate school setting for their child. Any decision to transition a student from Mater Dei is done in consultation and collaboration with myself, the parents/carers, student and class team, and is inclusive of a well planned and supported transition program. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions regarding this and/or any information that you have received in relation to your child's psychoeducational assessment. 

Please note, from 2025 the decision has been made to remove the annual psychoeducational assessments for students in Years 1, 4, 7 and 10. Initially this requirement of assessing students was aligned to a school funding model, with the assessments administered by a psychologist employed by Mater Dei. Under this model, the majority of the cost for each assessment was highly subsidised by Mater Dei and supplemented slightly by the parent/carer. Mater Dei no longer employs a school psychologist and has continued to maintain this subsidy without increasing the contribution by parents/carers. As such, Mater Dei is no longer able to provide the heavily subsidised financial support to parents/carers for these assessments. Discussions regarding the recommendation or need for an updated psychoeducational assessment will occur in consultation with the student's parent/carer and class team during the parent/carer/teacher conference process. While Mater Dei can happily recommend the services of a qualified professional, parents/carers have the option to exercise their own preference in this area, and will also have sole financial responsibility for all costs related to the assessment. 

As we move forward, the scheduling and recommendation for psychoeducational assessments will be made on an individual student basis in consultation with parents/carers and school staff, ensuring they remain practical and relevant to the student’s evolving needs. We believe that this more personalised approach will help to maximise the effectiveness of educational interventions and support better academic outcomes for the student, and provide meaningful information without overwhelming parents and carers.

To assist with your planning, the 2025 School Fees are set out below. While ever mindful of the current pressures on families with increasing cost of living expenses, the increase to school fees remains consistent with previous years and has been approved by the Mater Dei Board. We remain committed to supporting families the best way that we can and therefore keep our fees as low as possible, including offering a discounted amount for fees paid in full by the end of Term 1. As always, the timely payment of school fees is appreciated. 

My final message to our community for the year is one of peace and joy as we await the birth of the Christ child in a manger in Bethlehem and let the news of his birth fill our hearts anew.  May the gift of faith, the blessing of hope and the peace of Christ’s love be yours and fill your home.  

Merry Christmas.

JENNIFER FOLDES
PRINCIPAL

FROM THE DEPUTY PRINCIPAL'S DESK

Semester Two School Reports

Last Friday, you would have received your child’s Semester Two Report. This will be the final time you will receive the report in its current format. As previously advised, due to a change in the tool used to create and house Personalised Planning, you will not receive your child’s personalised plan this semester.

In addition, you will receive a social story for your son or daughter that will outline the class they will be in next year and the class team with whom they will be learning.

Reminders for Assisted Transport

Wearing Seatbelts 

A reminder that all parents and caregivers must ensure that they strap their child into their seats each day when travelling on taxi or in private vehicles. It is not the responsibility of the driver and/or ATSO to put the seatbelt on the student.

Parental/Caregiver Responsibilities

Parents and Caregivers must be available 15 minutes before the pickup and drop off times. Students cannot be left alone at their home or final destination. Parents and caregivers must inform ASTP if they have an adult other than themselves waiting for their child.

Mosquito repellent stickers

Some students are wearing mosquito patches to prevent any mosquito bites that may occur as the weather begins to get hotter.

Parents and caregivers are asked to ensure that these patches are worn on the inside of students’ clothing so as to avoid them coming off.

Keep the Online Conversations going!

As we approach the Christmas break, it is timely to remember to keep the conversations going about what your child may be doing and/or accessing online. Parental vigilance will keep children and young adults safe in the online environment. Below are some ideas as to what questions could help to keep the conversation going.

TONI SILLIS
DEPUTY PRINCIPAL

SCHOOL NEWS

MISSION & VISION

Catholic Calendar

Advent is a sacred season of anticipation and preparation in the Catholic liturgical calendar, marking the four weeks leading up to Christmas. The Advent wreath, a cherished tradition, features four candles—each representing a different aspect of spiritual preparation.

 The first candle, often purple, symbolizes hope and is lit on the first Sunday of Advent. The second purple candle represents faith and peace. The third candle is traditionally rose-colored, signifying joy, and is lit on Gaudete Sunday, a moment of rejoicing midway through the season. The final purple candle represents love and is lit on the last Sunday before Christmas. 

As each candle is progressively illuminated, families and communities are invited to reflect on the coming of Christ, symbolising the light of hope, faith, joy, and love that enters the world through the promise of Christmas.

Year 12 Graduation & End of Year Mass and Year 12 Assembly

Fr Michael from St Paul’s Parish in Camden celebrated this Mass with us to say farewell to our Year 12 graduating students.  The students walked in with their candles and presented them to Ms Foldes.  The Year 12 students had a photo with their certificates and their parents /carers, to record this special moment in time. It was a joyous occasion and the students were reverent and respectful as always.  

Following on from the Mass and a delicious morning tea,  the Graduation Assembly took place. Here, we celebrated the Year 12’s achievements, reflecting on their journey, hard work and growth.

Year 12 Formal

On Monday 18 November 2024, our students dazzled at a stunning formal event held at The Rydges. These young adults looked absolutely amazing as they marked the end of their Secondary school chapter in style!  They packed the dancefloor and thoroughly enjoyed their night together with their families and friends!

A special shoutout to all the staff who have supported, guided, and inspired these students throughout their time at Mater Dei. Everyone’s dedication has left a lasting impact on their lives. Well done to everyone involved in making this celebration memorable!

Vinnies Christmas Appeal

A huge thank you to those families who donated to Mater Dei’s Vinnies Christmas Appeal.  Helena from Vinnies filled up the back of her ute with all the goodies that were donated!  Our families’ generosity has indeed shown how Mater Dei gives back to our community.

"Can I express many thanks for the wonderful support from Mater Dei School, Teachers, Students & Parents, as always it is greatly appreciated and will add some extra cheer to the many families we are supporting".                                 

Helena from St Vincent de Paul Society - Camden/Oran Park Conference

A big shout out to our wonderful Carmen on reception!  As many of you would know, Carmen is a wonderful baker and sweets creator! Carmen donated $500 from the sale of her goodies to the Vinnies Christmas Appeal! The Mater Dei staff are always keen to support Carmen’s Vinnies Christmas Stall!

Stella Maris Band

On Friday 22nd of November, Mater Dei was fortunate to have the Stella Maris Band visit and play for us!  Stella Maris is a Good Samaritan Education College, as is Mater Dei.  The students and staff thoroughly enjoyed dancing to their music!  Kody K enjoyed learning how to conduct which was a wonderful experience for him!  We already have the Stella Maris band booked in for next year!

School Visits

During the past few weeks, Mater Dei students have been visiting their peers at different schools for social interaction, physical education and classroom learning.  Students in 5/6 Gibbons and 5/6  MacKillop have travelled over to St Gregory’s Junior School.  3/4 McCabe students visited their peers at St Clare’s Catholic Primary School and 7/8 Benedict and 7/8 Gregory were fortunate to visit the Metal Works room at St Gregory’s College.   Mater Dei students really embrace these opportunities to participate in activities at other schools. The other students and staff admire how confident and self-assured our students are.  2025 will continue to provide experiences for students from other schools to visit us and we will continue to visit other schools!  Our Benedictine Values of Community and  Love of Christ & Neighbour are consistently embedded in our actions and interactions here at Mater Dei!

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Years K-11 End of Year Liturgy

It was wonderful to see the Sr Carmela Ritchie hall full, for the Year 6 Graduation and End of Year Liturgy.  The Year Six students were the focus of the Liturgy with the Prayers of the Faithful focussed on their graduation from Primary school to Secondary school. Joshua will be leaving Mater Dei and begin his Secondary adventure at another school and we wish him the best of luck!  Our School Captains, Maya and Ryan were announced, as were our Vice-Captains, Zack, Natalie, Elissa and Charbel.  Our Year 6 Leaders also announced were Jayden, William, Abigail and Matthew.

PEDAGOGY

This year we have much to celebrate at Mater Dei. Our school improvement journey has led us to recognise the importance of data when planning for student learning. This data may come in the form of formal assessments as well as daily classwork and teacher observations.

This work has led to teachers planning targeted explicit lessons that aim to progress students in their learning. In addition, school staff have been able to review the reporting system for 2025 and parents will receive a new and improved report that aims to give a true picture indicative of their child’s progress. The revised report will be available at the end of Semester One 2025.

Catholic Schools NSW has redeveloped the tool used for Personalised Planning for Students with Disability (PPSD). At our recent Staff Development Day, teachers and teacher’s assistants underwent training in the use of the tool. A large component of this learning was the identification of the functional impact of each student’s disability answering the question What are the student’s barriers to access and participation? 

From here, school staff then worked to identify the adjustments needed for each student to access the curriculum and learning within the classroom. This access can include addressing both academic and social emotional barriers that the student may be encountering.

We are looking forward to implementing the new revised PPSD tool alongside the revised Semester Report which will all be informed by the data collected each day on every student at Mater Dei.

A Reminder!

Parent Teacher Conferences:

From 2025, the collaborative process of setting goals within the PPSD for each student with their class teacher will change. Each student will be allocated 30 minutes where the parent or carer, the student and the class team will meet to formulate personal goals. The class teacher will then use the PPSD to document the supports and adjustments needed in order for the student to meet the goal.

PPSD Parent Teacher Conferences will take place in Term 1 for primary students from Monday 31 March - Thursday 3 April and for secondary students from Monday 7 April - Wednesday 9 April. These conferences will be offered as face to face, telephone call or zoom. Further details will be sent early in Term 1.

In Term 3, PPSD Parent Teacher Conferences will take place for primary students from Monday 28 July - Thursday 31 July and for secondary students from Monday 4 August - Wednesday 6 August.

It is extremely important that parents/carers make time available for these conferences.

CURRICULUM

In 2025 K-12 will be introduced to The new PDHPE syllabus that represents an exciting step forward in student learning, with a renewed focus on holistic health, inclusivity, and skills for life. Designed to empower students to make informed decisions about their wellbeing, the updated syllabus emphasises practical application, critical thinking, and personal resilience.

SPORTS & EVENTS

PAN @ the Movies

The viewing of our PAN movie at Event Cinemas was a great success. The students loved the opportunity to watch themselves on the big screen.

To see the online gallery: https://bit.ly/MDmovies2024 

USB’s and digital photos are still available, see Compass for details. Cash and eftpos payments are accepted.

Good Luck to Rosie:

Rosie will be representing NSW at the School Sport Australia Track and Field Championships, over the next five days.

Rosie will compete in the 100m, 200m and discus.

Wollongong Diocese Sports Awards

On Friday 15th November, the CDF Sports Awards were held at St Mary’s in Wollongong. Eight Mater Dei students were recognised for their outstanding sporting achievements in 2024.

Primary Sport Medallion:

• Hayden

Secondary Sports Medallion:

• Justin
• Ian
• Maria
• Ruby

Primary Sports Council Red:

• Rosie
• Marco
• Lilly-Rose

WORKPLACE LEARNING

Meals On wheels has now concluded for 2024.

Students in Year 10 have participated in the Meals On Wheels program as an introduction to Workplace Learning.

The Meals On Wheels work placements provide students with the opportunity to work in small groups to deliver cooked meals to residents within the local Camden area. The student involvement in this process allows them to gain transferable skills in organisation, communication, time management, confidence and being a hands on worker within the community.

All Year 10 students have been amazing workers over the course of the year.

FROM THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM

Exciting Playground Project

The sounds of construction have been present at Mater Dei this term, with works on the Covered Outdoor Learning Area (COLA) underway.

Families might not be aware that this project was a fundraising goal from a previous Foundation Dinner, and after much planning it is exciting to see the dirt dug and work progressing.

When finished, the COLA will provide an all weather, accessible, multi-purpose space for students all year round.

Some of the construction photos taken from the past few weeks show how it is taking shape, with works due to be completed in time for the students retuning to school at the start of Term 1 2025.

To see a 3D video of what the final will look like please click here:

https://youtu.be/mKTq451UoEA

IMPORTANT REMINDERS

Christmas Canteen Day

🎄Just a reminder that Christmas Canteen Day orders close this Wednesday - December 4. No late orders can be accepted. Order forms were sent home with all students and can be downloaded from Compass.

🍫 If you are able to donate a share pack (12 pack) of chocolates please send these in on Friday - not before. No nuts 🥜. These will be used to make Christmas treat bags for all students K-11.

🎅 Students are invited to wear Christmas mufti on Friday to celebrate the last day of the school year. They will still be required to wear closed in shoes, a hat and no sleeveless tops/dresses so that they can participate in normal school activities and be protected from the sun. It is supposed to be a very warm day. A Christmas t-shirt and sports shorts would be a great idea.

Merry Christmas families!!!

From P&F Canteen Crew

EVENTS

Carols at Mater Dei

Recently we gathered with families and staff from across all our programs to enjoy a wonderful afternoon of Carols on the lawns of the School Playground.

It was beautiful to see children of all ages playing, dancing, smiling and especially singing as the sun shone for us this year. Special thanks to Ms. Musso and Ms. Ferry for their hard work and for sharing their incredible talents with us, and to Josh who did an excellent job as MC.

We were lucky to have a visit from Santa too, who handed out hugs and some treats.

Thank you to all who attended and joined the festive fun.

STAFF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

2025 IMPORTANT DATES FOR PARENTS

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 2024, please download the Application for Leave Exemption form on Compass, complete and return to schooladmin@materdei.org.au 

2024 SCHOOL DROP OFF / PICK UP PROCEDURES

COMMUNITY

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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