SCHOOL NEWSLETTER - TERM 1 WEEK 2 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
Mon to Fri - 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 

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,

Welcome back to the St Justin's school community for 2025.

I sincerely hope that you have enjoyed the holiday break with your family and are looking forward to a year of celebration, growth, learning and connection.

On Tuesday our Year 1 to 6 students returned to St Justin's with great enthusiasm, energy and excitement. This energy was evident as our students entered the playground and their new classrooms with their new classmates and teacher/s.

Yesterday, our Kindergarten students and their families enjoyed their first day at St Justin’s, making a successful and seamless transition to the start of their primary schooling. It was a joy to have our students back ready to learn, grow and continue to develop in their faith, learning and wellbeing.

Thank you to our wonderful staff for their dedication, commitment and passion shown in spending many, many days of the holiday break, preparing for their classes and the new school year.

Thank you to our parents for ensuring that your child/ren were ready for school with the purchasing of new uniforms, pens, pencils, bags, school shoes and the many other items that our students will need moving into the new school year - it is greatly appreciated.

We welcome to the St Justin’s family Mrs Tracy Malcaus (SSO Office), Mrs Emma Bray  (SSO Office),  Mrs Tracey Nieuwenhuis (1G), Ms Amy Huska (2R), Ms Alana Azzopardi (5W) and return of Mrs Maria La Rocca (3G), Erica Assandri (Kinder/IC) and Mrs Kristina Bennett (IC). These staff members are a great addition to our staffing and bring wonderful professionalism, expertise and energy to our school community.

This year marks the Catholic Church’s 25 Year Jubilee and the Mary MacKillop Parish 10 year anniversary. 

Pope Francis has declared the Jubilee Year as the Year of Hope. Pope Francis writes that “Everyone knows what it is to hope. In the heart of each person, hope dwells as the desire and expectation of good things to come, despite our not knowing what the future brings”. 

In choosing the motto ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ Pope Francis noted that “we must fan the flame of hope that has been given to us and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty”.

This year is a wonderful opportunity for us to reflect on our families and how we bring Hope to those to whom we care for and love.

On Saturday 21 June the Mary Mackillop Parish will celebrate 10 years of faith formation and service to Oran Park. Both as Parish and school community, we will acknowledge and celebrate the remarkable dedication, service and commitment  of Fr David Catterall and Fr Feleki Tautunu, to our connected and faith-filled parish.

The Annual Improvement Plan for 2025 will focus on the following goal: Students will achieve growth and achievement in Mathematics

Our school-based priorities include: Parents engage in rich formation opportunities with their child/ren, Assessment informs practice, Clear expectations and practice exist in PB4L in K-6 and Enhance pathways for learning with St Benedict’s College

We look forward to working towards successfully achieving this goal and implementation of school priorities throughout the year.

Thank you for your support in making the start to the 2025 school year such a successful and enjoyable one.

Have a sensational end of week and weekend.

Take care

Brad Colquhoun  - Principal.

Diary Dates

Other Extracurricular Activities

The SLAM teachers look forward to continuing to create hands-on learning experiences for students during our SLAM lessons in 2025. We wish you well!

The SLAM team 

Sport - Mr Ben Hawkins

Library - Mrs Jen Giewald

Art - Mrs Hayley Zaborski 

Music - Mrs Megan Fulko

Diverse Learning

Sporting News

Representative Sport Pathway Trial Nomination Information 

Throughout 2025, students are  provided with multiple sporting opportunities within the school environment. These include school sport carnivals such as swimming, athletics, cross country; participation in gala days including netball, soccer, basketball and cricket. These events are opportunities for all students to participate and be involved in, to develop their skills, enjoyment, be part of a team, improve wellbeing and contribute to a positive school culture. 

Criteria for representative sport pathway nominations: 

Please see the specific nomination criteria for each sport. In general the representative sport pathway trials are for students who are;

• Skilled and talented players and will be in Year 5 & 6 in 2025 (recommended)
• Experienced in the given sport and may have some high level representative experience or playing at a high grade
• competing at a high level, regular experience  and a background in this high level of competition, with a strong skill based and understanding of the game

Parents who acknowledge that their child meets the criteria for a  given sport, were asked to complete a nomination form and should they be successful to trial, these are the following dates for the different sports:

Ms Rochelle Young - Sports Coordinator

Administration

Welcome!

Welcome back to our wonderful families. We hope that you have all had a restful break and are ready for the  2025 school year.

We also welcome to our Administration Team, Mrs Emma Bray.  Emma will be taking over enrolments and assist our team with attendance communication.

Administration Team

SSSO - Mrs Ann Holgate 

SSO Administration / EA to Principal - Mrs Veronica Tannous

SSO Administration - Mrs Jessica Pech

SSO Administration - Mrs Tracy Malcaus

SSO Administration - Mrs Emma Bray

Attendance 2025

When it come to attendance, 90% is not an A.

When you do the math, 90% attendance is 20 school days missed. That's 20 days of critically important lessons, support from teachers and memories with classmates.

And days add up - students who are chronically absent are more likely to be suspended, struggle with learning and not graduate from high school. And tardiness counts, too. Those 5-10 minutes late each day adds up to almost 4 days per school year.

If you need support getting your child to school, were here to help.

Make it a goal for your child to Attend Daily. On Time. All Day.

Every minute missed is a missed opportunity for students to learn, grow and achieve.

Make it a priority for students to be at school, on time, every day. Even one missed day a month can take students off track.

Families should aim for 95% attendance or more for their child. 95% equals 9 missed days a year, which equals no more than one absent day per month during the school term.

Let's help our students reach their full potential!

Student Leaders

School Captains: Hazel S and Sullivan H

Vice Captains: Sophia S and Noah M

Student Leadership Team: Sullivan H, Noah M, Pierre W, Aurelia W, Noah P, Isla C, Maryella A, Sophia S, Hazel S, Juliano B, Ayla G and Cooper C.

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 

St Justin’s eBook

Dear Parents & Carers, 

As part of our Transition to School Program we have created an introductory eBook for you and your child so that together you can explore our school. The eBook allows your child to choose the features of school life they would like to learn about each time they open it. We suggest you sit alongside your child and discuss the content presented. 

Following each section, a parent and carer information area has been provided to allow schools to highlight any specific points parents generally like to know before the school year commences.  

Accessing your copy of the I’m Going to Kindy eBook can be done by following one of the options below:

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

Library News

📚 The Joy of Reading – Let’s Make It Fun! 📚

Reading isn’t just an important skill; it’s a magical pastime that opens up whole new worlds! Whether your child loves exciting stories, fascinating facts, or laugh-out-loud adventures, every book they read helps grow their imagination, vocabulary, and love for learning. The best way to encourage a lifelong reader? Make reading fun!

Let your child choose what they want to read: graphic novels, magazines, cookbooks, fiction, non-fiction - it all counts! Keep books in easy-to-reach places; on the coffee table, in the car, or in their school bag, so they can grab a book whenever inspiration strikes.

A quick reminder: If students have misplaced their library bag, they may bring along any reusable bag on their SLAM day! 

Also, now’s a great time to check around the house for any library books from last year to return. Books can be returned any day before or after school and at lunch or recess by placing them into the ‘Returns Chute’ of the Circulation Desk.

Let’s make reading a joyful part of everyday life! 

Happy reading!

Jennifer Giewald - Library Teacher

Catholic Life / Pastoral Care

2025 Jubilee Year of Hope

Pope Francis has proclaimed that this year is the Jubilee Year of Hope. Having commenced these celebrations last year on the 24th December 2024, we as a  catholic community are encouraged to walk together as Pilgrims of Hope, helping one another to deepen our faith through pray and service as a connected community in Christ.

I encourage you to read Bishop Brian Mascord’s letter to the diocese and keep your eye on the Jubilee pilgrimage sites that will host Mass by Bishop Brian throughout the year. 

Message from Sr Mary

Seasons for Growth Program

We are offering this program in 2025.

Seasons for growth is a small group education program that supports children and young people to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to understand and respond well to experience of change, loss and grief. We suggest that children and young people impacted by bereavement wait 6-12 months before participating in a Seasons for Growth program, For more information go to https://www.mackillopseasons.org.au

Community & Parish News