SCHOOL NEWSLETTER - TERM 1 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
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 and have enjoyed your week.

Harmony Week ‘Everyone Belongs’ is a celebration that recognises our diversity and brings together Australians from all different backgrounds. It is a week that  supports, acknowledges and embraces  inclusiveness, tolerance, respect, care and a sense of belonging for everyone.

Thank you to Team NAPLAN - our Year 3 and 5 staff, Instructional Coaches and Mrs Manning for their collective work in preparing our students for last week’s NAPLAN. Our students engaged in each of the assessments across Writing, Reading Grammar/Punctuation and Numeracy extremely well and the process itself was seamless. We look forward to receiving our results by middle of Term 2.

Congratulations and thank you for your support in ensuring that we have continued to recessive and fulfil our Student Attendance target. Across Kindergarten to Year 6, we are currently at above 95% attendance, which is outstanding. With your ongoing support, we will continue to work towards the 95% mark.

World’s Greatest Shave at St Justin’s is supported by the Leukaemia Foundation and will take place on Friday 28 March at 2:30pm in COLA 2 all are most welcome to attend. Currently, Fr Feleki, Sr Mary, Mr Cartwright and myself will be involved in the great shave and Mrs Lusik, Mrs Manahan and Mrs Manning colouring their hair. We have had an amazing response from the school and Parish community having raised over $1500 at this stage. If you would like to donate to this wonderful charity, please use the following link below:-

We have enjoyed our parents and grandparents, supporting and attending our Morning Gatherings each Monday from 9am. All are welcome to join us for tea, coffee and light refreshments in the Hall Foyer prior to the Morning Gathering from 8:30am.

During Project Compassion Month our Concert for Compassion each Wednesday has enjoyed fantastic success, great talent and amazing audiences. Thank you to Mrs Fulko for her enthusiasm, time and ongoing support in ensuring each concert’s success, sense of joy and entertainment. Well done all involved.

In terms of Staffing, we welcome back to St Justin’s Lana Turner from St Thomas More, Ruse.  Lana will join Team MacKillop and we look forward to her support and expertise in this space.

Our staff will be involved in Teacher Professional Planning Days (Pupil Free Days) on  Monday 31 March and Monday 28 April. The focus of these days will include professional learning on Differentiation in Mathematics, High Impact Teaching Strategies, CEDoW Reading Position Paper, Student Learning Intentions/Success Criteria and Goal Setting, CEDoW Faith, Learning and Wellbeing.

Have a sensational weekend. Go well, go gently.

Take care,

Brad Colquhoun

Principal

2025 Annual Improvement Plan

Diary Dates

Curriculum and Learning

Class Cup of Learning

Congratulations to 3R and 4R on being the winners of the Class Cup of Learning! 3R and 4R were the champions of the spelling competition for the beginning of the year. This challenge will take place again at the end of Term 2 and the beginning of Term 4. Good luck to all of our spellers!

The Premier’s Reading Challenge

This year, St Justin’s has had 96 primary students sign up to complete the challenge individually! What a great response from our students. It is not too late to sign up to the challenge. If your child is interested, please see Mrs Orazi or Mrs Giewald.

A special shout out to these primary students who have completed the challenge over the past fortnight:

Year 3: Sahaila F

Year 4: Mija B, Victoria C, Lachlan C, Peter D, Shiloh C, Rachel G, Brielle S

Year 5: Franco B, Violet G, Erin M, David N, Alexander T

Year 6: Anita D, Zizi E, Mia G, Christopher M, Charlie S

We now have 18 students who have completed the challenge! Remember you can keep reading and compete for the in-school prizes!

Celebration of Learning - Stage 2

Extra Curricular Activities

Celebrating the Success of Our Concert for Compassion!

Over the past two weeks, our talented students have graced the stage, sharing their musical gifts in the spirit of giving.
A big congratulations to our recent performers:

Week 1 Performers:

• Fillan T(2G) – "Waka Waka" on the keyboard
• Megan S (6B) & Clara D (6B) – "Power Rock" on flute and clarinet
• Rachel G. (4R) – "Unstoppable" (Sia)
• Elaina D (2R) – "Waiting on a Miracle"

Week 2 Performers:

• Elizabeth L (4R) – "A Million Dreams" (The Greatest Showman)
• Sienna P (6W) – "Vampire" (Olivia Rodrigo)
• Audrey M (3R), Simone P (3R), Alia S(3G) – "Die With a Smile" (Lady Gaga)
• Taliah M (4W) & Lilly M (4W) – "Traitor" (Olivia Rodrigo)

A heartfelt thank you to our amazing MCs and photographers Marcel D., Pierre W., and Christopher M., who have helped make each concert run smoothly and captured these special moments!

Still Want to Perform? There are still spots available! Auditions will continue in the Music Room on Mondays at lunch. Students wishing to audition must have practised in front of their grown-ups before attending.

Successful auditions will receive a ‘Concert for Compassion’ Golden Ticket, which will confirm their performance date and serve as an invitation for their parents to attend and celebrate their achievement.

We can’t wait to see more incredible performances in the coming weeks!

Library News

📚 Discover Story Box Library: An Australian Digital Storytelling Resource! 📚

At St Justin’s we are excited to offer Story Box Hub, a premier digital literacy platform that brings Australian stories to life for children of all ages. As it says on their website:

“Reading aloud to children, in particular by diverse and engaging storytellers, greatly improves language and literacy skills, especially in the early years of a child’s development. Sadly, studies show that many children are not read to frequently enough. Since 2013, Story Box has been committed to supporting and encouraging the practice of storytelling. It is intended for use as a complementary form of delivering the precious experience of being read aloud to, in order to improve children’s lives.”

Key Features:

• Diverse Story Collection: Access over 500 stories that reflect a wide range of themes, cultures, and experiences, promoting inclusivity and understanding.
• Engaging Storytellers: Enjoy performances by a diverse range of storytellers, including actors, comedians, sportspeople, musicians, artists, authors, and children, each bringing their unique flair to the narratives.
• Safe and Ad-Free: Rest assured that your child is engaging with content in a secure, ad-free environment, fostering a love for reading without distractions.

Read-Along series

For those who have used this resource before, this year Story Box Hub has introduced a new feature called the Read-Along series. 

As they say on their website: 

“We want to help bridge the gap between screen time, reading time and learning time, and our accessibility options, like our Read-Along series, transforms the act of listening to a story into one of active participation. By choosing the Read-Along option, emerging readers can follow the words on screen, the text synchronising and highlighting as the storyteller reads it aloud. For children learning to read, or those with reading challenges, text on screen offers a rich, fun, and engaging addition to an oral story, boosting literacy, language acquisition and learning.”

Read-Along series

For those who have used this resource before, this year Story Box Hub has introduced a new feature called the Read-Along series. 

As they say on their website: 

“We want to help bridge the gap between screen time, reading time and learning time, and our accessibility options, like our Read-Along series, transforms the act of listening to a story into one of active participation. By choosing the Read-Along option, emerging readers can follow the words on screen, the text synchronising and highlighting as the storyteller reads it aloud. For children learning to read, or those with reading challenges, text on screen offers a rich, fun, and engaging addition to an oral story, boosting literacy, language acquisition and learning.”

Parent-Friendly Tips for Home Use:

• Create a Routine: Incorporate Story Box Hub into your daily schedule, such as after school or on the weekends, to build consistency and anticipation for story time.
• Engage with Activities: Utilise the 'Activity Time' resources available with each story to extend learning. These activities encourage children to connect with the narratives through play and art, enhancing comprehension and creativity.
• Watch Together: Share the experience by watching stories alongside your child. This shared activity not only strengthens your bond but also allows for discussions that can deepen understanding and enjoyment.
• Explore Australian Stories: Delve into stories that highlight Australian culture, landscapes, and values, fostering a sense of national identity and pride.

Accessing Story Box Library:

As a member of our school community, you have free access to StoryBox Hub. Simply log in using the login details as shown on the image below to start exploring this enriching resource.

Embrace the joy and comfort that a great story brings. With Story Box Hub, you can nurture a love of reading and learning in your child, all within the unique context of Australian storytelling.

Happy Reading!

Mrs Giewald

Library Teacher

Diverse Learning News

Personalised Planning Meetings

During Weeks 8, 9, 10, 11 members of the Diverse Learning team have continued meeting with classroom teachers and the parents of students with Personalised Plans (PPs). In these meetings, current adjustments will be reviewed and learning goals will be discussed.

Personal Plan Meeting notifications should have been received via the Conference Tab. If you have any problems, locating your booked meeting time, please do not hesitate to contact the school office. We have enjoyed taking a collaborative approach to our student learning.

Sensory Pod

The St Justin’s School community welcomed a wonderful new addition to our school, The Sensory Pod. The Sensory Pod incorporates a sensory learning experience to help improve an individual's ability to develop sensory stimulation and re-regulation. It has been designed with input from occupational therapists, sensory integration specialists, and educators to ensure a practical sensory integration experience. The Sensory Pod is a calming place that students can go during class time if they are feeling “in the red zone”. The Sensory Pod is controlled by the student through the interactive sensory pad. The student is able to select one and/or all of the four different options below: Vibrating seat, six different calming songs, blue light and colourful lights.

Students have commented that the Sensory Pod has made them feel:

"Happy and Calm"

"Sleepy"

"Happy and ready to learn"

"All their worries have gone"

“Most peaceful place ever”

“I am so happy”

Belinda Pace

Diverse Learning Leader

Sporting News

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 2

• Futsal

Term 4

• Oz Tag

St Justin’s School Sporting Events

Upcoming Whole School Sporting Events:

• St Justin’s School Cross-country Carnival - Term 1: Tuesday 8th April 2025

Next level competitive pathway for selected students - Tuesday 6th May

• 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 generally runs from 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

St Justin’s Sports Coordinator

Administration and Awards

Well done to our Kinder, Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3 and Grade 5 students for maintaining 95% or higher attendance for the year so far!

Year 4 and Year 6 there is still time to improve your attendance before the end of Term 1.

REMEMBER:

REMINDER: THE IMPROTANCE OF TIMELY ARRIVAL

We’d like to remind everyone of the importance of students arriving at school on time.
Being punctual ensures that students don’t miss out on the essential activities that take
place at the start of the school day.

Even arriving just 5 minutes late can impact our attendance records and will be reflected
in reports. Any student arriving after 9.05am will be marked as having an unjustified
absence. It is crucial for both academic progress and maintaining accurate attendance
data.

We appreciate your continued support in helping your child arrive on time each day.

PARENT INFORMATION REGARDING SCHOOL STUDENT TRAVEL

FAREWELL

We would like to announce that Emma Bray will be finishing in the office on Thursday 26th March. In the short time that she has been part of the SJOP family, Emma has made significant contributions to both the life of the office and her collective roles. We wish her every success in her new administration role at Mt Annan Christian College.

CENTRALISATION OF PRIMARY SCHOOL FEE MANAGEMENT - ADVICE TO FAMILIES

From the commencement of the 2025 school year, the management of certain aspects relating to school fee accounts in Primary Schools has been transferred to the School Fees Liaison Office at the Catholic Education in Wollongong.

What does this mean for families:

Your school’s administration office is your first place for enquiry regarding school fees. School staff will provide information regarding instalments, methods of payment, giving access to an Application for Fee Concession and attend to other general enquiries.

If you are experiencing financial difficulty or need to make an arrangement for payment of your school fee account, please email sflo@dow.catholic.edu.au with your name and the school in which your children are enrolled. The School Fees Liaison Office will then contact you directly to offer assistance.

Please note that each school has a dedicated School Fees Liaison Officer to provide a personalised service to individual families. This Officer will also have a close relationship with your school. If you require further information about this initiative, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs Ann Holgate | SSSO.

PARENT/ TEACHER COMMUNICATION

A reminder to our parent cohort that the school encourages all communication to teachers from parents to come via info@sjopdow.catholic.edu.au all communication is forwarded on to the relevant staff member the same day so long as it has not been sent outside office hours and the staff member then has the opportunity to respond to your query within a 48hr period.

Communication via Seesaw has now been turned off as this is a tool used by teachers to share your child's work and achievement from the day / week.

We thank you for your support of this process.

INSIGHTS FOR PHOTO PERMISSION AND USE OF TECHNOLOGIES - FINAL 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 to 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 of 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 21st March 2025. All students whose permissions have not been actioned will automatically go to Does Not Have Permission.

2026 ENROLMENTS- 2ND REMINDER

Enrolments are now open for 2026.

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

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

Enrolments will close Thursday 10th April 2025. Applications received after this date will be marked as late.

Medallion and Principal Awards

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

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

Clothing Pool – Friday 4th April 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

Join Father David Catterall’s Appeal for Stem Cell Donors

As many are aware, Fr David Catterall (Emeritus Parish Priest of St Mary MacKillop Parish, Oran Park) is currently undertaking a stem cell transplant. While not without its risks, this transplant offers him a better outcome to his Acute Myeloid Leukemia diagnosis. 

Each year, over 1,100 Australians, like Fr David, search for a stem cell donor to cure their blood cancer or disorder. A transplant from a genetically matched donor is often a last-resort treatment that could save their life. However, Australia’s existing donor pool only helps around 80 patients annually, leaving many struggling to find a match. By registering as a donor, you could give hope to patients worldwide.

Stem Cell Donors Australia runs the national donor registry, and signing up is as simple as completing an online form and a free cheek swab kit sent to your home. If you are ever a genetic match, you’ll be contacted to donate your blood stem cells.

Becoming a donor is free, easy, and could change someone’s life. If you’re 18 to 35 and generally healthy, you can join Fr David’s appeal by visiting stemcelldonors.org.au/appeal/david or scanning the QR code.