Thank you to all families that have engaged with the parent-teacher interviews over the last week. We still have some families who have not made an appointment to see their child’s teacher and I ask these families to make contact with the teacher and arrange an interview, even if it has to be done by phone. It is best to make contact by email. To contact a teacher you simply follow this template.

first name.suname@cg.catholic.edu.au such as peter.hughes@cg.catholic.edu.au

Failing this, simply ring the front office.

These meetings are essential and allow the school and home to work as a team to support the growth of each child and address any concerns that occur in either context.

Thursday saw the last of our Open Days for prospective families for the 2026 school year. The official enrollment period closes on May 30th even though families are able to enrol after this date. Interviews for families that have submitted enrollment forms have commenced so we can get to know the needs of each child and have support in place, if needed, for the Kindergarten orientation days which commence in term three.

If you have not yet submitted an enrollment form or know of a family that has not, please do so as soon as possible. School tours are still available and these can be arranged by contacting the front office.

Reading Challenge

The reading challenge for term three commences next Monday. To successfully complete the challenge and be part of a special luncheon cooked by Mr Hughes students need to read for at least 18 of the 19 nights over the next four weeks. Students from Years 3 - 6 received their reading logs this week while the students in the younger grades are to use their InitiLit home reading diary.

Safe on Social

I am resharing this resource from Safe on Social called, “Unfollow the Fear - A Guide to Online Bullying” for those families who may have missed it a few weeks ago. Whilst for some parents online bullying is not on their radar yet, this e-book does give many excellent suggestions for supporting your child/teenager when facing bullying, online or in person. In particular there are ideas for helping with building resilience and confidence; how to talk with your child and have important conversations, the earlier the better; how to spot the signs of bullying and teaching your children empathy and responsibility.

Bullying

At St Mary’s we are committed to providing a safe, respectful, and supportive environment for every student to ensure their wellbeing for optimal learning and growth. Bullying in any form is taken very seriously, and we have a comprehensive approach to prevent and address it promptly and effectively.

CECG has a well-defined anti-bullying policy that clearly outlines what constitutes bullying, including physical, verbal, social, and cyberbullying. This policy is shared with students, staff, and families to ensure everyone understands what behaviors are unacceptable and is available on the CECG website.

Throughout the school year, we engage students in age-appropriate lessons and activities that promote kindness, empathy, and respect. We encourage open conversations about bullying and empower students to speak up if they witness or experience it.

Students and parents can report bullying incidents confidentially through multiple channels, including directly to their teachers, Mrs Thompson, Mr Hughes. We ensure all reports are taken seriously and investigated promptly.

When bullying is confirmed, we take immediate steps to support the affected student and address the behavior of the bully. Interventions may include counselling, mediation, behavioral plans, and, if necessary, disciplinary action according to our school’s code of conduct.

We continuously monitor situations to prevent recurrence and maintain communication with parents to keep them informed and involved in the resolution process.

We believe that working together—students, parents, and staff—we can create a positive school culture where everyone feels safe and valued.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at school.

Mortimer Legends Day

This event for Year 5 and 6 will be held next Tuesday 27th May. Both the tackle and league tag will be held at Keith Cullen Oval. Mrs Eastwood and Mrs Dal Molin will be attending with the students. Students may be dropped at the oval after 9.15am. There will be no supervision before this time. Students who have indicated they are travelling by bus will be bussed down after the bell goes in the morning. There will be a canteen in operation at the oval. Students may be collected after presentations and any students remaining will be bussed back to school to go home as normal. All information including draws and team lists can be found on Compass in the resources section.

MacKillop Hockey Championships

We are looking forward to Eden Sibanda returning to school next week to hear all about her week competing with the MacKillop Hockey Team at the NSWPSSA Championships in Newcastle. They were playing in the Gold Medal match yesterday which is very exciting and we look forward to hearing the updates!!! What an incredible achievement for Eden!!!

MacKillop Soccer Trials

We wish Piper Hardy the best of luck as she represents the Canberra-Goulburn Archdiocese in the upcoming MacKillop Football Trials next Friday. We hope you have an amazing day!!

Rugby Union Trials

These trials have been moved to Tuesday 3rd June and the registrations have been extended to the 1st June. If your child is interested in trialling please register via the CSNSW Sport Portal.

Athletics Carnival

The weather was not on our side this week! We are hoping for a better day next Thursday 29th May! All details will stay the same. Thank you to the parents that have reached out to assist - if you are able to help out next Thursday please email me.

High Jump

Our High Jump practice sessions with Phil McInerney will still take place on Wednesday 26th May next week for students in Years 3 to 6. We are then hoping to then run the High Jump event at the carnival with the students that are identified on Wednesday can make the minimum heights. All students in Year 3 to 6 will need to wear their sports uniform next Wednesday.

Building Lifelong Readers

The Australia Reads Research Review provides an audit of recent reading research undertaken in Australia and overseas.  Some of the key findings from this research include:

Library Buzz During Recess!
The library has been a popular spot during recess, open every day for students from Kindergarten to Year 6. It’s been wonderful to see so many children enjoying their time reading, drawing, colouring, and playing board games with friends. The library is a popular space where students can relax, connect, and explore their interests. 

A reminder that Term 2 school fees are now due. If you currently have an outstanding balance on your school fee account, we kindly ask that you take steps to finalise your payment as soon as possible.

If you are not in a position to pay your account in full at this time, we strongly encourage you to set up regular payments through BPoint Enterprise Direct Debit. This service is designed to help families manage school fee payments more easily and consistently.

What is BPoint?

BPoint is a secure payment platform provided by the Commonwealth Bank, offering a safe and reliable method for managing online payments. It allows families to make payments using either a bank account or credit card (excluding AMEX), with a small surcharge of 0.5% applied to credit card payments.

How to Set Up Direct Debit

To establish a direct debit arrangement, please contact Mrs Dal Molin in the front office to discuss your preferred repayment frequency—weekly, fortnightly, or monthly.

Once a payment schedule is agreed upon, you will receive an email with a link to complete and finalise your direct debit setup securely.

If you have any questions or require further assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact Mrs Dal Molin in the front office.