SCHOOL NEWSLETTER - TERM 1 WEEK 4 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,

Hope that you are well.

Last Monday, our P&F Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held and we had the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the work and support of the 2024 P&F Team of Bernadette Di-Filippo (President), Rhys Williams (Vice President), Joe Smith (Treasurer) and Amy Cowie (Secretary). St Justin's enjoyed incredible success in 2024 with the P&F supporting several events, including the Movie Night, Colour Rush, Book Fair, Mothers and Fathers Day stalls and School Discos. 

Thank you to Bernadette Di-Filippo for her outstanding contributions to the St Justin’s community over the last 11 years. Her investment in and dedication to our school has been tireless. We will miss her presence, organisation, sense of adventure and humour. 

At this meeting the 2025 P&F Executive Team was elected. We welcome Rhys Williams (President), Amy Cowie (Vice President), Joe Smith (Treasurer) and Daniella Desisto (Secretary) into their respective roles and look forward to working with the team throughout the course of the year.

The P&F’s first event for the year is the Despicable Me 4 Movie Night on Friday 28 February commencing at 7:00pm. Thank you to the P&F Team for their work preparing for and the organising of this event.

This week’s ‘Meet and Greets’ is a wonderful opportunity to connect with our teachers in our collective work in support of our students' faith, learning and wellbeing. Thank you to our staff for their preparation and time during Meet and Greet week. To our parents, thank you for affording us the time to establish and/or further enhance the positive relationships needed in bringing to life each of our students' potentials.

Enjoy a brilliant end of week and weekend.

Embrace, Respond, Serve and Nourish

Take care

Bradley Colquhoun 

Principal

Spiritual Reflection - Pilgrims of Hope

Diary Dates

Celebration of Learning

Kindergarten

Congratulations to our newest members of St Justin’s for a wonderful start to school. The Kindergarten children have quickly settled into their new routines, making new friends and discovering exciting learning opportunities. With their enthusiasm and curiosity, it’s clear that this year will be full of fun, growth, and wonderful moments. We can’t wait to see all the amazing things they will achieve as they continue to explore, play, and learn together!

The Kindy Teachers

Year 1

This term, the students of Year One will be learning about the sacrament of Baptism. A key understanding of this unit is that of ‘welcome’. Just as Jesus welcomes the children to Him, the teachers of Year One welcomed their students back to school with a short picnic assembly. The teachers celebrated the return of their students to school with a certificate and enjoyed munch and crunch together as a grade.

Other Extracurricular Activities

Parent Volunteers

Information will soon be shared regarding how you might be able to assist in supporting our students in the classroom. Our parent volunteers are invaluable and have been such an asset to the teachers and the students and it would be wonderful to see our processes and structures continue this year. If you can share your time with us, please keep an eye on the upcoming communications from the school.

Mrs. Samantha Orazi
Instructional Coach

NSW Premier's Reading Challenge - Opening Soon!

The Challenge aims to encourage a love of reading for leisure and pleasure in students, and to enable them to experience quality literature. It is not a competition but a challenge to each student to read, to read more and to read more widely. The Premier's Reading Challenge (PRC) is open to all NSW students in Kindergarten to Year 10, in government, independent, Catholic and home schools.

Last year we had over 100 primary students enter the competition independently! We are hoping for many more this year. 

2025 Challenge dates

Challenge opens: Monday 24 February 2025

Challenge closes to students: Friday 22 August 2025

The website remains closed to Coordinators and Students at this time. Please keep your eye out for information informing students that the challenge has opened! 

Year 2 Spelling Bee

Year Two have begun preparing for the Spelling Bee Competition which will be held in classrooms in Week 11. Students are encouraged to continue to practise spelling the competition words to earn points for their class! Good luck Year Two! 

NAPLAN - Wednesday 12 March 2025 to Monday 24 March 2025

Each year the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is sat 
by students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. Students will participate in tests for writing, reading,
conventions of language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy.

NAPLAN 2025 will take place from Wednesday 12 March to Monday 24 March.

NAPLAN is just one part of our school’s learning assessment program. The tests assess
literacy and numeracy skills your child is already learning at school, so the best
preparation is their everyday classroom learning. Our school will also undertake
activities to help students become familiar with the types of questions and tools
available in the online tests.

The public demonstration site (https://www.nap.edu.au/online-assesment/public-demonstration-site) available for you to see the format of the online tests.

Further information about NAPLAN is available on the NESA website
(https://www.nsw.gov.au/education-and-training/nesa/naplan) and the NAP website
(https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/for-parents-carers).

If you have any questions about NAPLAN, please contact your child’s teacher.

Concert For Compassion - Auditions & Performances

We are excited to announce the return of Concert For Compassion! This special event provides students with the opportunity to share their musical talents while supporting a worthy cause. Through music, we encourage kindness, generosity, and community spirit, raising funds for Project Compassion throughout the season of Lent.

Auditions will take place on Mondays at lunch, beginning Week 6 (3rd March) in the Music Room, after eating time. Students may audition as solo performers or in groups, singing to a backing track or playing an instrument (BYO) – keyboards are available from school. To give their best performance, students must practise their audition in front of family or friends beforehand. Auditions will continue until all available performance slots are filled.

Successful students will receive a Concert For Compassion slip in the office bag, confirming the date they will be performing.

Selected students will perform at Wednesday lunchtime concerts, starting 5th March, under COLA 1 and continuing until the end of Term. Students who are not performing are encouraged to come along and enjoy the music. They are also welcome to bring a coin donation for the Project Compassion box to help support those in need.

Please note that this is a student-only event for both performers and audience members. We look forward to seeing our talented students shine on stage and come together in the spirit of compassion and generosity!

Mrs Megan Fulko
Music Specialist 🎵

Library News

Diverse Learning

Diverse Learning News

At St Justin’s, we offer Literacy, Numeracy and Social interventions to help support our students navigate school life and access the curriculum. We are excited to start many of our Interventions over the coming weeks. This year, we are trialing a new system for informing parents of student’s interventions. If your child has been selected to participate in an intervention, you will receive an email notification through COMPASS. It will take you to your child’s COMPASS page where there will be an insight notification. Once you tick yes, your child will then begin the program. Please contact the office if you have any concerns or questions.

Specialist programs: MiniLit, MultiLit, MacqLit, MSL and Quicksmart

School based programs: Comprehension, social skills, phonics and numeracy- whole number

Sensory Kits

We are pleased to introduce our new Sensory Resource Kits to St Justin’s this year. Each stage has their own Sensory Resource Kits which are stocked with a variety of sensory tools and resources which help support students’ regulation and wellbeing.. Please see the classroom teacher, if you would like to discuss these resources further. 

Our new playtime spaces

C.C.C-Children's Calm Corner

Our students are excited to have the C.C.C- Children's Calm Corner as apart of our school community. Our C.C.C is a quiet and calm space which our students can choose to use at lunch time. Students are thriving in this space and express that they "feel calm" now at lunch time,  “That all their dreams have come too” and “feel happier to return to class after break”.. A big thank you to Mrs Bartolic and Mrs Calcutti for supporting me in creating these spaces. 

Games Club

Our Games Club is also up and running! Our Games Club is located open at recess to students who have a pass. If you feel a student in your class would benefit from using this space at recess, please see your Diverse Teacher and they can discuss it with me.  A big thank you to Marta and Adriana C for supporting these students in this space. A Social Story has been created for this space.

Have a wonderful well-earned weekend with your family and friends.

Belinda Pace

Leader of Diverse Learning 

Sporting News

Ms Rochelle Young

Sports Coordinator

Administration and Awards

Insights for Photo Permission and use of Technologies - 1st Reminder

Just a reminder to our parents that Photo permission and Use of Technology permission needs to be actioned as soon as possible. Parents of students without photo permission or use of technology will be unable to receive images of classroom works via seesaw or be able use the school internet for classwork. Your earliest action would be greatly appreciated.

The link to your insights cycle is located on your parent profile

Click on here to proceed

You will then be taken to the my cycles. Please click on Use of Technology and then answer the relevant question and submit. Again click on student image and or work and answer the question and submit.

Permissions are then complete.

Insights cycle will be closed by 28th March 2025. All students whose permissions have not been actioned will automatically go to Does Not Have Permission.

Free online respect workshop for parents and carers

Do you know what’s influencing your kids? With young people spending so much time online, what they see and do can impact their behaviours and beliefs. Online disrespect is one of the ways violence-supportive attitudes can start to develop. 

Stop it at the Start has partnered with Tomorrow Man and Tomorrow Woman to help parents, carers, and other significant adults of young people aged 10-17 better understand how the online world is influencing their views on respect and gender, and share practical ways they can build relationships and start important conversations.

 Join facilitators Ryder Jack and Kasey Miles for a free interactive, evidence-based 90 minute workshop focused on connecting with young people, fostering healthier masculinity, and providing families with practical tools they can use day to day.

 Workshop dates

Tuesday, 18 February 2025, 7.00 - 8.30pm (AEDT)

Thursday, 27 February 2025, 7.00 - 8.30pm (AEDT)

https://mailchi.mp/b7d3e82c28a1/hiddentrendsofdisrespect-10336279?e=222ca04c92

2026 Enrolments

Enrolments are now open for 2026.

Please visit our school website and click onto the enrol now tab.

https://www.sjopdow.catholic.edu.au/

Attendance -  Update

Extended Absence Approval is now required for absences of greater than 5 school days. Parents are required to complete a Notification of Extended Absence. This not only applies to travel (holidays), but to other reasons that may require a child's extended absence from school ie. parent illness etc.

The family will receive an Acknowledgement of Extended Absence, this form will advise whether the absence has been accepted by the Principal or not. Please note that St Justin’s will be working in collaboration with St Benedict’s for those families who have children across both schools.

An explanation that is not accepted by the Principal will be recorded as an unjustified absence against the student. 

Remember 90% attendance does not = A

2025 whole school attendance goal is

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

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

P & F News

P & F contact email:

pandf@sjopdow.catholic.edu.au

Clothing Pool – Friday 7th March 2025 (Library) from 8.30am to 9am.

Clothing pool dates will be updated in the Diary dates of the newsletter are held on the first Friday of the month.

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

Community & Parish News