Term 1, Week 10 (8 April 2025)

PRINCIPAL'S ADDRESS

Holy Week: An invitation to Encounter Christ

With the end of the school term coinciding with Palm Sunday, marking the start of Holy Week, we prepare to commemorate the final days of Jesus' life, including his entry into Jerusalem, his Last Supper, his crucifixion, and his resurrection. We have the opportunity to pause and reflect back on the weeks of Lent that have guided us to this time. Holy Week is the most important week in the Catholic Church and is a time of solemn reflection, prayer, and anticipation. This week of great reverence and reflection spans the final eight days of Jesus’ life—from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. During the sacred liturgies observed during this week we remember and make present again the passing of Jesus from death to new life — the Paschal Mystery - through a series of profound traditions and rituals that have been passed down through generations. Give time this Holy Week to personal reflection and prayer as we encounter Jesus along the journey towards Easter.

On Holy Thursday we encounter Jesus around the table with his friends and the one who would betray him, washing their feet, celebrating the Last Supper, the Eucharist, and inviting his friends to do the same in memory of him. 

On Good Friday we encounter Jesus as he is lifted up on the cross. 

On Easter Saturday we encounter Jesus in this time of waiting.  

On Easter Sunday we encounter Jesus as the Risen one, the one who has overcome death, who has fulfilled his promise and who brings a message of hope and peace. 

Lord God,

We give you thanks, for you are good, and your mercy is endless.
At the start of this holy week,
turn our eyes to the One who comes in your name.
The One you sent to us, in human frailty
To walk the road we walk.
Open our eyes that we may see him coming,

And praise him with a pure heart.
May we walk in the way of his suffering,
And share also in his resurrection.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, 
one God for ever and ever.

Amen.

Mater Dei Staff farewells

At the end of this week we farewell three Mater Dei staff and acknowledge our appreciation for their years of service as morning and afternoon student transport drivers. I sincerely thank Karen, Robert and Carola for the care and interest they have demonstrated towards our students and families. Their friendly faces will be missed in the taxi line and on behalf of the many Mater Dei students and families that they have assisted over the years, I wish each of them the very best. 

A restful break

I wish all students, staff and families a restful break during this school holiday period. I am, as always, grateful for what we achieve together and looking back over the past ten weeks I do so with immense pride. Please stay safe and take care on the roads, especially if you are travelling over the Easter weekend. Enjoy this special time of year with your families and friends.

JENNIFER FOLDES
PRINCIPAL

FROM THE DEPUTY PRINCIPAL'S DESK

That’s a Wrap!

PPSD Conferences - Term One:

Tomorrow all parents/caregivers will have had the opportunity to meet with their child’s class teacher to set personal goals and to discuss the supports and adjustments that are being made for student success.

This has been an important process across the school and we thank all parents for their attendance at the conferences. This year the conference process changed. The significant changes were the allocation of time to each student’s personal plan i.e 30 minutes and having the student voice within the meeting. This may have been through work samples, videos or the student actually attending themselves.

By having student voice at these conferences starting from Kindergarten, we are aiming to develop each students’ self advocacy skills - this is an important skill for students to develop as they move through Mater Dei School. Being able to self-advocate beyond school will also be a positive attribute moving into adulthood.

To assist us in refining our PPSD Conference procedure and practices, we ask that you complete this evaluation.

TONI SILLIS
DEPUTY PRINCIPAL

P&F INFORMATION

STRONGER TOGETHER: Parent Learning Hub

This term there are several opportunities for parents to come together to focus on student strengths and the opportunities that lay ahead for your child.

On Tuesday 29 April,  parents/caregivers of students in Years 11 & 12 will attend a collaborative meeting to discuss school based transition pathways. In this meeting you will be able to set goals whilst also discussing your child’s NDIS funding review and how this may be managed to include post-school pathways. 

Parents/Caregivers will receive a TryBooking link this week. These meetings will be conducted with face-to-face and zoom options.

On Wednesday 30 April, 6pm, parents and students in Years 10, 11 & 12 are welcome to attend a Post School Options Evening - Understanding Adult Services and Systems. This evening will be designed as an interactive workshop where you will be able to begin to develop a plan for what may happen beyond school. You will have the opportunity to learn about:

• capacity building funding and how this is built into the NDIS planning
• how to ask for an NDIS review
• decide what will happen following that last day of Year 12.

All parents and students of Years 10, 11 & 12  are encouraged to attend. Please RSVP via this link.

On Monday 5 May, 6pm parents of students in Years 4, 5 & 6 are invited to attend the Introducing High School Workshop. At this workshop, parents will learn about what it means for their child to enter the Life Skills curriculum of Years 7-12. In addition parents will also learn some key touchstones of upcoming changes in the management of their child’s healthcare through the teenage years.

Parents of students of Years 4, 5 & 6 are encouraged to attend. Please RSVP via this link.

On Friday 23 May Mater Dei School will head the the Sydney Disability Connection Expo. This parent excursion will see parents of students in Year 5 through to Year 12 travel together on a bus to the expo. 

This will be a great opportunity for parents to be together to explore what is on offer for adults, families, caregivers, children and guardians. Exhibitors include NDIS, Service Providers, Allied Health Professionals, Early Intervention Experts and much, much more.

Mater Dei School will organise a bus leaving the school site at approximately 9:15am arriving back at school by 2:45pm.

If you would like to be a part of this excursion, please express your interest here.

SCHOOL NEWS

MISSION & VISION

✝️ Easter Reflections ✝️

As we approach the Easter season, our school community takes a moment to reflect on this significant time in the Catholic calendar. Easter reminds us of renewal, hope and the promise of new beginnings that come with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Easter message  resonates in our classrooms and conversations, with our staff and with our students.

The Easter story invites us to consider how we might bring more light and joy into our everyday lives. Whether it's through small acts of kindness, reaching out to someone who might be struggling, or simply taking time to appreciate the beauty of autumn as it unfolds around us, we can all embody the Easter spirit in meaningful ways.

As we head into the holidays, we encourage families to use this time to rest, reconnect and perhaps explore the rich traditions of Easter in your own way. Whether attending Mass, enjoying time with loved ones, or simply taking a peaceful moment to reflect.  Easter offers us all a chance to pause and appreciate life's blessings. We look forward to welcoming everyone back refreshed and renewed for the new term ahead!

Project Compassion 💫

Thank you for the Gold Coins donations for Project Compassion!  This Friday will be our final Mufti day and a Gold Coins donation!  Caritas assists people who are struggling in Australia and around our Asian neighbours.  The organisation supports students attending school and people attending a job or setting up their own business.

🏇 Still a Country Show 🐄

Last Friday, all  Secondary students and staff attended the wonderful Camden Show!  The sun shone down upon us and there was excitement in the air!  Years 7 & 8 continued to work on their Dairy Unit and as soon as they  arrived, they headed over to the Dairy Cow judging arena.  It was great to see our mate Gavin from Gavana Dairy take out first prize in his division.  The students gave him a big clap and he gave us a big wave.  Community, an important Value in our Benedictine spirit!  The Stage 4 students also explored the Nursery, went into the pavilion and saw Carmen's winning jam! The students watched a milking demonstration, bought their lunch and enjoyed listening to the bands!  A great day was enjoyed by all the students and staff! 

PEDAGOGY

Explicit Teaching Framework

Throughout this term teachers have been coming to better understand the Explicit Teaching Framework and how this high impact teaching strategy can be used to meet the needs of Mater Dei School students. 

Explicit teaching practice sets clear expectations for students so that they enter classrooms ready to learn. Research shows that students learn best when they are given explicit instruction, accompanied by lots of practice and feedback.

The recent curriculum reform has reviewed syllabus documents with a foundation of being taught explicitly. 

What does Explicit Teaching look like in classrooms?

In a classroom where the teacher is using Explicit Instruction as a high impact teaching strategy you will see the teacher:

✅  Clearly explaining & modelling the activity

✅  Break down learning into chunks

✅  Allow students to master learning bit by bit

✅  Gradually remove scaffolds and supports to allow students to develop independence as their confidence increases.

Explicit instruction focuses on building up student mastery so that they can get better and better at different aspects of the curriculum, including social skills, personal care skills and keeping themselves safe.

CURRICULUM

Mater Dei's Cup of Peace Cafe

This semester, Year 12 students have been working in the café on Tuesday mornings, gaining valuable skills in customer service, food preparation, handling money, and teamwork. This hands-on experience provides them with important life skills, and we are grateful for your continued support.

Each week, a different class has been invited to visit the café during recess, where students had the opportunity to purchase an item or a milkshake. While we encouraged purchases, students were also welcome to enjoy their recess in the café space with friends, regardless of whether they bought anything.

The students have thoroughly enjoyed this experience, and we are pleased to share that the money raised has been donated to support Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion 2025. Additionally, the funds have helped repurchase food items for future classes, ensuring the program continues to run smoothly.

Thank you for your ongoing support of this initiative. Your contribution is making a positive impact on both the students and the wider community.

Barista Course

Stage 6 students successfully completed their Barista Course in Term 1, gaining valuable skills in coffee making and customer service. Throughout the course, they learned the art of crafting espresso-based drinks, understanding coffee bean origins, and mastering milk frothing techniques. In addition, students explored workplace safety, cleaning practices, and the importance of customer interaction in a café setting. Upon finishing the course, each student received a certification, marking their achievement and readiness to pursue further opportunities in the hospitality industry.

WORKPLACE LEARNING 

It has been an absolute pleasure to see the outstanding achievements of our students participating in the Workplace Learning (WPL) program for term 1. All students have worked hard to achieve their goals and have demonstrated exceptional dedication and enthusiasm developing new skills.

Throughout the term, students have learned a variety of new practical skills that will serve as a strong foundation for further growth and development in the workplace. We are proud of the progress they have made and are excited to see them continue to build on these skills in term 2.

Congratulations to all students on their Term 1 achievements.

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IMPORTANT REMINDERS

EVENTS

Project Compassion 2025 Mufti Day - Friday 11 April 

Stations of the Cross Performance - Friday 11 April

ANZAC Day March - Friday 25 April

Lipstick Luncheon Raffle – WIN a NEW CAR!

Be in the draw to win a 2025 KIA Picanto sport, valued at $22,340 thanks to Macarthur Automotive KIA.

There are only a limited number of tickets available for purchase.

The draw will take place at 1.30pm at the Ladies Lipstick Luncheon, however the winner does not need to be in the room to win.

If you are interested in purchasing a ticket/s, one ticket is $50, please email developmentteam@materdei.org.au or call anytime between now and the 2 May 2025 on 4654 8708.

P&F Mother's Day Stall - Thursday 8 May 

School Photographs - Friday 30 May

McDONALD’S CHARITY FUN NIGHT - Wednesday 4 June

Make sure you mark your calendar for this years Macca’s Charity Fun Night. Mater Dei has been chosen to host this once again, so we look forward to seeing families enjoying their dinner in a local McDonald’s store on the Wednesday, 4 June.

More details to come.

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

YERONGA SCHOOL UNIFORMS, Camden - Closing Dates for Public Holidays

Easter

Closed – End of Day – Wednesday 16^th of April

Reopen – 9am – Wednesday 23^rd of April

Anzac Day

Closed – Friday 25^th of April

YOUR BEST HOLIDAYS YET START AT NEXTPATH!

If your teen is looking for fun and exciting activities these school holidays, then NextPath Continuous Learning’s Holiday Programs have you covered!

There are two programs on offer, based on your child’s age:

• Holiday Program – for ages 16+: https://www.nextpath.org.au/holidayprogram
• TEEN Holiday Program – for ages 12-15: https://www.nextpath.org.au/teenholiday

Each holiday program is packed with exciting activities designed to build independence, social skills, and confidence! Based at Wivenhoe on the grounds of Mater Dei, you can pick the days that suit your child and rest easy knowing they are in a safe, supportive, and fun-filled environment.

Follow the links for more information and to register. Places are strictly limited and FILLING FAST!

If you have any questions, please email funding@nextpath.org.au or call (02) 4654 8727.

Please note: NextPath holiday programs are not exclusive to participants of Mater Dei. Participants from other programs are welcome and encouraged to join.

WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS

Weekly Inclusion Program Term 2 - Registrations are Open!

CAMDEN YOUTH WEEK

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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