SCHOOL NEWSLETTER - TERM 2 WEEK 8 2025

Our Parish

Our Parish

Fr Feleki – Parish Priest (Administrator)
C/- 94 Oran Park Drive, Oran Park, NSW 2570PO
Box 889, Narellan, NSW 2567
Ph: 4648 2226    Email: oranpark@dow.org.au
Web:   marymackillopparish.org.au
Facebook:  oranparkparish

Office Hours
Tuesday to Friday - 9am to 1pm

NB: While the Parish Office is open to visitors, if possible we encourage all enquiries to be directed to the Parish Admin team via email oranpark@dow.org.au or via phone 02 4648 2226

If the parish office is unattended, leave a message on the answering machine or you can send an email: oranpark@dow.org.au 

CONFIRMATION PREPARATION PROGRAM 2025

ONLINE ENROLMENTS

OPEN MONDAY, 9 JUNE

Families wishing to prepare their children for the Sacrament of Confirmation in 2025 are asked to complete the online enrolment form which will be available from Monday, 9 June, on the ‘Youth Sacraments’ page of our Parish website.

Online enrolments will CLOSE on Friday, 27 June, at 5pm - no late enrolments are able to be accepted.

ALL enquiries must be made through the Parish Office

Parish Mass Times

Weekend Mass Times, Oran Park

• Saturday Vigil 5pm - preceeded by the Sacrament of Reconciliation from 4pm
• Sunday 8am
• Sunday 10am
• Sunday 12 noon - Chaldean Holy Mass
• Sunday 5pm

Week Day Masses, Oran Park

• Tuesday 7pm
• Wednesday 8am
• Thursday 10am - preceeded by Rosary at 9.30am
• Friday 9.30am - 1st Friday of the month will include Anointing of the Sick

Principals Report

Dear Partners in Mission,

Hope that you are enjoying a sensational week. 

This Sunday 22 June, we will join our parish community in celebrating 10 wonderful years of serving the Oran Park community. This special 10-year anniversary will be commemorated with Mass in the Hall at 10 am, celebrated by Bishop Brian and Fr Feleki, followed by the Fiesta. It presents a wonderful opportunity for our schools and parish communities to come together, acknowledge, and celebrate this significant milestone. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the many parents, parishioners, and staff who have generously made themselves available to support the Parish.

Congratulations to Mr Michael Turner on his recent appointment as Principal of St Benedict’s Catholic College. This a wonderful acknowledgement of Mr Turner's expertise and ongoing commitment to St Benedict's. We look forward to our continued relationship with St Benedict’s and Mary MacKillop Parish moving into the future. 

Last Friday’s Spirituality Day offered our staff the chance to deeply embrace the theme of being Pilgrims of Hope. We began the day united, with open hearts, minds, and hands, engaging with passion, energy, enthusiasm, and spirit—it was truly outstanding. The sense of connection and community experienced was remarkable, and we are grateful to our wonderful staff for their collective dedication.

We also wish to acknowledge and thank our staff for their diligent work in completing Semester 1 Reports. As educators, it is both affirming and encouraging to observe our students’ continued growth and to identify areas for improvement as we move into Semester 2. We look forward to engaging with parents during the upcoming Parent-Teacher Interviews next week to discuss student learning and progress throughout Terms One and Two.

Many of our Year 3 students will be receiving the Sacrament of First Holy Communion on Saturday, 28 June. This important Sacrament of Initiation is a celebration of faith journey for our students, staff,  families and Parish community.

We extend our appreciation to Fr Feleki, the Mary MacKillop Parish, our dedicated Year 3 teachers, Mrs Fenato, and the families for their ongoing support and guidance in preparing the students for this special occasion.

Have a sensational weekend and hope to see you at Sunday's Parish celebration. 

Take care,
Brad Colquhoun
Principal

Diary Dates

Curriculum And Learning

Kindergarten - 100 Days of Learning

Dear Partners in Mission,

Week 2 Term 3 marks 100 days of learning for our Kindergarten students. Since the very first day of school we have been counting down the days. To honour this, we have planned a fun-filled day that celebrates positive learning behaviours and achievements.

On Friday the 1st of August (end of week 2, term 3) we ask that all students in Kindergarten come to school dressed up like they are 100 years old. For safety, please ensure that students wear appropriate enclosed shoes, shirts that cover their shoulders and bring a sun-safe hat for their lunch breaks.

We look forward to celebrating with our 100 year old friends!

Kindergarten Teachers

Sacred Song Writing Competition 2025

Sacred Song Writing Competition 2025 – Finalists Announced!

We are excited to announce the finalists of the 2025 Sacred Song Writing Competition! This year, our students once again amazed us with their creativity and faith-inspired lyrics.

Congratulations to our Top 5 Finalists:
🎵 Brielle S (4G) – Thank You, Lord
🎵 Ellie C and Krista M (4G) – Holy Spirit
🎵 Gwen T and Audrey M (3R) – Thank You, Jesus
🎵 Havana D (3G) – Learn To Fly
🎵 Mila M (5G) – Jesus Is Our Light

We also extend a special Highly Commended mention to Ellie C and Krista M for their beautiful composition, Holy Spirit.

🌟 A massive congratulations to Mila M for being selected as the winner of the 2025 Sacred Song Writing Workshop! Mila’s song, Jesus Is Our Light, will be recorded at the end of the term. 

The songwriting workshop gave each finalist the opportunity to share how their lyrics were inspired and explore the process behind composing their melodies. Students thoroughly enjoyed singing each other’s songs and sharing positive feedback about what they loved in each piece.

We are incredibly proud of the talent and faith displayed by all participants. What a gift it is to see our students using their creativity to share God’s love through music!

Australian Mathematics Competition

Australian Mathematics Competition - Year 3 to Year 6

This year the Australian Mathematics Competition will be taking place in August for students in years 3-6. It is a great opportunity for students to showcase their problem solving skills, as they take on unique problems designed by leading educators and academics.

What to wear: Uniform as per usual for that day

What to bring: Pencil, eraser

Cost: $9 payable via Compass Event Consent and payment due by: 4th July 2025

Library News

The Magic of Books + Maths = Learning in Disguise!

When we think about maths, our minds often jump to numbers, counting, or equations—but did you know that stories are a fantastic way to explore mathematical thinking too?

Picture books and novels often weave in important maths concepts such as patterns, time, measurement, spatial awareness, and problem-solving in a fun, relatable way. When children read stories that include mathematical ideas, they're not just enjoying a book—they’re building early numeracy skills, developing logical thinking, and seeing how maths connects to the world around them.

Books also help reduce anxiety some children feel around maths. When maths is wrapped up in a story, it becomes engaging, playful, and meaningful. It’s learning in disguise!

Here are some wonderful books that explore maths concepts through storytelling:

Try These Fun Maths Through-Story Activities at Home:

Counting Feet (Inspired by One Is a Snail) – Draw or cut out animals with different numbers of legs. Mix and match to create “animal maths problems” your child can solve.

Create a Calendar (Inspired by All Through the Year) – Design your own family calendar with drawings, events, and weather symbols. Chat about days, months, and patterns in the seasons.

Spot the Patterns (Inspired by Uno’s Garden) – Look for patterns in nature (like leaves, shells, or flowers) and then make your own repeating patterns with art or craft materials.

Measure Your Moves (Inspired by Emily Loves to Bounce) – Use string or a tape measure to track how far you can jump, skip, or bounce. Estimate first—then measure and compare!

Maths is everywhere—and the more we help children notice it in everyday moments (and stories!), the more confident and curious they’ll become.

Why not borrow one of these books from the local library and go on a reading-and-maths adventure together?

Happy Reading!

Mrs Giewald

Library Teacher

Shrubbies Video 2025

Sporting News

On Monday 16th June, students from years 3 and 5 participated in the ‘Bulls in Schools’ soccer clinic. The clinic offered engaging drills and fun activities that catered to students of all soccer abilities. A massive thank you to the Macarthur Bulls for this wonderful initiative and for providing this opportunity to our students. It's so pleasing to see the continued promotion of physical and active lifestyle habits within our school.

Following on from the success of our Futsal sides, training will be recommencing soon for those participating in the upcoming state championships. 

Mr Ben Hawkins

Rugby League News

Recently Jett Fulko spent time representing Wollongong in the Mackillop Under 11’s Rugby League competition. Congratulations to Jett for his endurance and resilience in some pretty cold weather!

St Justin’s Athletics Carnival

We're so excited for our upcoming St. Justin's Athletics Carnival! It is on Wednesday 2nd July at Narellan Sports Hub and it's going to be a fantastic day where our students get to demonstrate incredible sportsmanship, show off their athletic skills, work together in teams, and most importantly, have a lot of fun. We'd absolutely love for as many of you as possible to come along and cheer them on. Come see our students shine – it's always a highlight of the term.

Our students have been practising their skills with Mrs Middleton and Mr Hawkins in their sport lessons here is a snap shot of some of the students practising for the up and coming carnival. 

Our Primary (Year 2 8 year old's - Year 6) students will be competing on the Athletics track in track and field events and our Infants (Kinder - 7 year old Year 2) students will be enjoying their carnival on the Touch Football fields, completing sprint races as well as other team oriented games.

A huge thank you in advance to all the parents who have so kindly volunteered their time and support! We truly appreciate you helping us make our sports day a success. Ms. Young will be in touch before the end of Week 9 to confirm your roles for the day. 

On the day, all 100m and 200m sprint races are treated as finals. Unfortunately there is not enough time in the day to run heats first and then finals for all of the age groups. The students who have the top 2 times from each 100m event will advance to the Regional Athletics Carnival held next term. 

For our field, 200m and 800m events, students are categorised in: 

Juniors - ages 8 - 10, 

11 Years and 

Seniors ages 12 -13

The top (1) student in these events will progress to the Regional Athletics Carnival.

We will also be forming  male and female Junior and Senior 4 x 100m relay teams based on the 4 fastest times from students in those age groups. 

Students wishing to compete in the first event of the day, 800m race, have been asked to opt in to the event through the Compass Carnival consent form.

Students who would like to be considered for High Jump have also been asked to indicate on the Carnival consent form and send their highest verified jump to info@sjopdow.catholic.edu.au OR sport@sjopdow.catholic.edu.au

Please do not hesitate to contact the Sports Coordinator if you have any further questions.

Ms Rochelle Young

St Justin's Sports Coordinator

CEDoW GALA DAYS

Selection Process

Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong (CEDoW) organised Sport Gala Days provide our students with a chance to participate in friendly games as part of a St Justin’s team, competing against other local Catholic Primary Schools. These days are designed to be enjoyable, allowing students to have fun with their peers while applying the skills they've learned in Sports lessons in a fun competitive setting.

Throughout their sports lessons this year, students will be given the opportunity to express interest in participating in the upcoming Gala Days and need to nominate themselves. Mr Hawkins, the sports teacher, will observe all nominated students during their sport lessons to assess their understanding of the game rules and their demonstration of good sportsmanship, which will assist with the team selection process. Preference is given to Year 6 and Year 4 students for teams and if there are additional spots these are then filled by Year 5 and Year 3 students who have expressed their interest in participating. This ensures that students get an opportunity to attend a gala day (should they wish to) every 2 years.

If your child has been invited to participate in a St Justin’s Gala Day Team you will receive a Compass Event Notification for parents’ permission closer to the event date. Please note that students attending these Gala Days will require parental transportation to and from the venue. Additionally, events like these rely on parent volunteers to ensure their success, as without parent help we would be unable to support the number of teams in each day.

Upcoming Gala Days:

Term 2

• CEDOW Netball - Thursday 26th June 2025 (Back up Date 3rd July 2025) 

Term 3

• CEDoW Soccer - Thursday 28th August 2025 (Back up Date 4th September 2025)
• CEDoW Basketball Juniors Yrs 3 & Yrs 4 - Thursday 18th September 2025
• CEDoW Basketball Seniors Yrs 5 & 6 - Friday 19th September 2025

St Justin’s are also looking forward to participating in other Gala Day style events this year that are competitive and not organised by our CEDoW. These days ARE competitive and therefore teams for these will be picked on student ability and skill in the sport. Students will be offered the opportunity to nominate themselves to trial for these events and teams will be organised by Mr Hawkins and Ms Young. If your child has been selected in a competitive sporting team, you will receive a Compass Event notification for parental permission closer to the event date. These days will incur a fee, to help cover the cost of the team registration. Parents will also be required to transport their children to and from the venue.

Upcoming Competitive Sporting Days: (Small fees payable)

Term 3

• Futsal State Championships (Qualifying teams)

Term 4

• Oz Tag - 31st October 2025 (Penrith)
  

St Justin’s School Sporting Events

Upcoming Whole School Sporting Events:

• St Justin’s School Athletics Carnival - Term 2: Wednesday 2nd July 2025 (Back up date 24th July)

Next level competitive pathway for selected students - Mackillop Western Region Friday 8th August

Primary Students Diocesan Representative Sporting Pathways

Students participating in the representative pathway events are highly skilled athletes, selected based on a range of criteria. This includes years of experience in their chosen sport, representative achievements, sporting club affiliations, and notable sporting accomplishments. These trials are not gala days or school-based carnivals. They are not designed for students “to come and try or for the experience” They are designed specifically for elite athletes who have demonstrated exceptional talent and are aiming to progress to the next level of competition; Regional→State→National. These are organised and run outside of our school, we just provide the information for the when and where of the event.

Parents will need to nominate their child for the 2026 year during the nominations period which opens from 2nd September to November 2025.

Upcoming Diocesan Representative Sporting Trial Dates for 2025

These upcoming trials are for selected students from the 2025 Diocesan Representative Sports Pathway who have already been nominated by their parents in 2024. These nominations are reviewed by CEDoW sport selectors unless St Justin’s have been asked to run an in school trial to gain further insight into nominated student abilities.

If your child has been selected by CEDoW Sport you will receive a Compass Event Notification for parent permissions closer to the event date. Please note these are CEO run events and therefore no St Justin’s staff members attend and students who attend will require parental transportation to and from the venue.

2026 Representative Sport Pathway Trial Nomination Information

Each year primary school children have the opportunity to trial for Wollongong representative teams, for the following summer and winter sports: Basketball, Tennis, Cricket, Touch, Softball, Football (Soccer), Rugby League (11 years and Open), Rugby Union, Hockey, Netball and Australian Rules. This gives students the opportunity to access higher levels of sporting pathways, representation and opportunities to progress into state representation. 

These trials are held annually and provide a pathway for students to the MacKillop selection trials. The selected Wollongong teams’ trial at MacKillop level against the Dioceses of Wagga, Canberra/Goulburn, Sydney and Parramatta. 

The Wollongong Diocese nomination process for 2026 will be open in Term 4 2025. Further information will be released closer to the date. 

If you have any sporting inquires please email sjop_sport@dow.catholic.edu.au

Ms Rochelle Young

Sports Coordinator

Administration and Awards

Kindergarten and Year 1 students are valiantly striving for 95% attendance rate as the winter chill commences.

Grade 2 to 6 are all sitting above the 90% range but there is room for improvement. So let's see if we can maintain 100% attendance for the reminder of Term 2. 

School Fees

School communication has gone out to families who are not on an instalment agreement and are now overdue with the  payment of their child/rens school fees.

If you are finding yourself in challenging circumstances please make contact with the school to see if we are able to assist.

Whooping Cough

Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a highly contagious respiratory infection that can be very serious, especially for infants and young children. It's characterized by severe, uncontrollable coughing fits that often end with a distinctive "whooping" sound as the person gasps for air. The best way to protect yourself and others from whooping cough and other respiratory illnesses is through good hygiene and coughing etiquette. This means covering your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or coughing/sneezing into your upper sleeve or elbow if a tissue isn't available. Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water afterward. Practicing proper coughing etiquette helps prevent the spread of germs and keeps our community healthier. For more information please see the link shared below

Awards System Update

Celebrating Our Students

We’re proud to see so many students earning Blue Merit Awards, a testament to their positive behaviour and effort.

With the increasing number of awards, we are updating how certificates are distributed:

• Blue Merit Award certificates will now be sent digitally via parent email notification. You are welcome to print them at home.
• Special Awards will be presented in the classroom, except for Kindergarten students receiving their 1st Special Award, which will be presented at the Infants Assembly.
• Principal Awards and the Principal Medallion will be presented at school assemblies.

You can view your child’s award progress anytime via Compass Chronicle. We appreciate your continued support in recognising and celebrating the efforts and achievements of our students.

Award Points System Breakdown 

Every 1 Blue Merit Award = 1 Point
Students accumulate points to earn Special Awards, Principal Awards, and eventually the Principal Medallion.

Staff Development Day - 1st Notice

Medallion and Principal Awards

Congratulations to the following students for receiving their Medallion/Principal Award at our last Assembly.

Callie Z and Erin M from Year 5 performed in Camden Musical Society’s ensemble production of Alice in Wonderland Junior. Callie and Erin showcased incredible talent, singing, dancing, and acting on stage. Their dedication to performing multiple shows over several weeks highlighted their discipline and commitment to the craft. The catchy songs, brought to life by these young stars, made the production even more memorable. Congratulations to these two students from our St. Justin’s community on their outstanding performances in the musical!

St Justin’s Catholic Primary School Facebook Page:

Don’t miss out on following all our exciting news about events and learning on our St Justin’s School Facebook page:

Social Media Statement

The Catholic Education Office of Wollongong, Social Media Statement will become a permanent fixture as part of the school newsletter in order for Parents of the school community to be aware of the standards expected.

Parent-School Partnership 

Apple Devices - iPad, iPhone or Mac

- Open Books app - sign in using Apple ID if needed

- Tap GET to download the Book

- Access via the Books app Library once downloaded 

You will then have the option to download - Download the book from the Book Store and then read in books.

Android

Click this link to download as an ePub file and open in your favourite eReader app, like Adobe Digital Edition

P&F News

P & F contact email:

pandf@sjopdow.catholic.edu.au

Cash purchases only, No EFTPOS facilities. Please be kind to our P&F volunteers.

Community & Parish News