SCHOOL NEWSLETTER - TERM 4 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
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 

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 Term 4

Welcome back to Term 4! We hope everyone enjoyed a restful break and is ready for the exciting term ahead. We look forward to working together to make this a positive, productive, and successful term for our whole school community.

Playground Update – Term 4 Trial

In our continued efforts to respond to feedback from parents, students, and staff, we are making some exciting changes to make playtime even safer and more enjoyable for everyone!

From Term 4, as a trial, we will move away from separate play spaces and instead have three main play areas:

• Mary MacKillop Playground
  
  
• St Justin’s Playground
  
  
• Parish Grass

Students in Kindergarten, Year 1, and Year 2 will play together in one area, while students in Years 3, 4, 5, and 6 will share another.

Students will be able to move freely between the different playground areas during playtime, within the designated zones.

The Parish Grass will continue to host structured games for Years 3–6, just as it has in the past.

Photos of our students playing Newcombe ball using our new Volleyball net on the playground

Congratulations to Jayden K!

A huge congratulations to Jayden from 5 White who on Friday competed in the CEODoW South Eastern Regional Public Speaking Competition and was named the Finalist!

Jayden spoke about the impact of technology in our world today and for the future. We are extremely proud of Jayden’s achievement!

Thank you to Jayden’s family and Mrs Luisk for assisting Jayden to prepare and rehearse his speech.

Jayden will now compete at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Buli Diocesan Public Speaking Grand Final for 2025 on the 6th  November 2025.

We wish him the very best in the upcoming Grand Final!

A special new arrival for our school community!

We are delighted to congratulate Mrs Lucchitti and her husband Julian on the arrival of their beautiful, healthy baby boy, Vincent Gianni Lucchitti. Vincent was born on 27 September, and both mum and dad are loving the journey of parenthood.

We send our very best wishes to the new family!

Kylie Billett

Acting Principal

Diary Dates

Curriculum And Learning

Stage 1 - Celebration of Learning

Stage 1 - Celebration of Learning Term 4 

Year 4 Excursion - The Australian Pioneer Village

What a wonderful day we had on our journey into the past! Our recent excursion was a huge success, packed with hands-on activities and historical discoveries. 

Year 4 got a fascinating look at the sheep industry during the Sheep Talk Shearing Shed session and watched the impressive skill of turning fleece into yarn at the Wool Spinning Demonstration. Everyone then got a true taste of pioneer life by tackling chores like Butter Churning and the Washing Board Demonstration, and even trying their luck at the old Water Pump.

We had the pleasure of exploring historical landmarks, including the cosy Cartwright Cottage, the loud and busy Blacksmith Shop, and the wonderfully preserved School House. A highlight was the delicious, freshly made Damper Tasting enjoyed by all!

Year 4 Team

Crazy Sock Day - Update

THANK YOU to our school community for your generosity we raised $865.75 and a big THANK YOU also to our Mini Vinnies team for all of their hard work, time and dedication.

Library News

Book Lists and Recommendations

Recent data shows that many boys are not reading for pleasure, and girls are doing only slightly better. While we know reading for enjoyment is declining for both boys and girls, we also know that this is something we can help turn around, one good book at a time.

I recently came across a great blog post from Alison Tait and Megan Daley of the Your Kid’s Next Read podcast, that is very helpful. It’s a list of 125 books that boys are reading and loving right now, based on real recommendations from a large reading community. Even if your child doesn’t always reach for a book, this list is full of fun and engaging titles that are proving to be popular with readers. It’s a great place to start if you’re looking for something new to spark their interest. You can read the full list here: 125 Books That Boys Are Reading

& Loving Right Now. This list is just one of many curated lists for every age, stage and interest that the Your Kid’s Next Read team has put together. Click to Explore Book Lists Here for book recommendations for the young readers in your life.

Another place to check out book lists and recommendations for children and young adults is the kids and young adult section of the ‘Better Reading’ website. Every year in conjunction with Big W they release the ‘Top 50 Kids’ Books’ and every Monday they release the top 10 children and young adult book sellers list. They also regularly review new release books and interview authors on their latest books.

New Book Spotlight

Every month or two new books are added to our library, in this way our collection is kept fresh and up to date. One of our new nonfiction books that has just arrived in our library is: Ningaloo by Tim Winton and illustrated by Cindy Lane.

“Inspired by Tim Winton’s 25-year-long effort to preserve the biodiversity of Western Australia’s remarkable Ningaloo region, comes a stunning, fully illustrated picture book. Join award-winning author and passionate conservationist Tim Winton and watercolourist Cindy Lane as they dive into this incredible part of the world. From enormous whale sharks to minuscule Cape Range Millipedes, and from colourful coral reefs to muddy mangroves, the biodiversity and interconnectedness of each distinctive ecosystem will fill young readers with wonder and awe. Most importantly, as the next generation of custodians of Ningaloo, they’ll discover how to support and protect the region in the years to come.”

To learn more about this wonderful book or to watch the abc education series about Ningaloo click on the links below:

https://iview.abc.net.au/show/ningaloo-nyinggulu

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWjh465DMrI

https://www.betterreading.com.au/review/3-reasons-why-you-should-read-ningaloo-by-tim-winton-illustrated-by-cindy-lane/

https://www.yourkidsnextread.com.au/podcast-episode/episode-223-10-minutes-with-tim-winton/

While the data presents a challenge, we have the incredible opportunity to shape the future of reading, and it starts with us. Let's enthusiastically share the books that we are loving right now, chat openly with our young readers about what they are reading, and be the book champions who show every child that the joy of a great story is waiting for them right now.

Happy Reading!

Mrs Giewald

Library Teacher

Jubilee Year of Hope - A Conference for Parents and Carers

On 25 October 2025, the Council for Catholic School Parents (CCSP) is hosting a special anniversary celebration conference for all NSW/ACT parents and carers with children in Catholic schools! It’s going to be a value-packed day of connection and collaboration where their expert presenters will provide specialist advice on parenting in a modern world.

Dr Justin Coulson: co-host and parenting expert on Channel 9's Parental Guidance and the founder of happyfamilies.com.au 

Michelle Mitchell: sought-after author and speaker on parenting tweens and teens

Daniel Principe: a passionate youth advocate and educator, and nominee for Australian of the Year.

This conference will cover areas such as managing technology with young people, consent and respectful relationships, cybersafety, building your child’s resilience, sleep, managing anxiety, screens and brain development, supporting your child’s learning at home and at school and more!

Date: Saturday 25 October 2025

Time: 8.30 am – 3.30 pm (doors open at 8.00 am)

Location: Novotel, 350 Church Street, Parramatta, NSW 2150

Parking is available at the venue, Novotel Parramatta, for a day rate. Please contact the hotel for more information: (02) 9630 4999. Other options include Eat Street Parking. Novotel Parramatta is offering special rates for conference guests. Please call the reservations team on 02 9890 0850 or email novotel@nmsp.com.au to book and advise them that you are attending the conference. Valid until 9 October 2025, subject to availability at the time of confirmation.

Find out more information here.

Buy a ticket here: Supporting Families: Working Together in a Modern World Registration.

Sporting News

New Representative Sport Uniforms

Thank you to our P&F for funding the replacement of lost and damaged uniform pieces to restock our St Justin’s Representative Sport Uniforms. 

The P&F have also purchased some brand new Oz Tag shorts for our 4 teams who will be playing at the South Western Sydney Oz Tag Gala day on Friday 31st October.

They look amazing!

NSW PSSA Championships October 21 & 22 October

We congratulate the students who proudly represented both St Justin’s and our Wollongong Diocese at the NSW PSSA Championships. Our boys 100m x 4 relay team of Noah S, Harrison C, Antonio A & Sullivan H delivered a stellar performance. Harrison C also competed in shot put, high jump and long jump over the two days, at Sydney Olympic Park.

Harrison C has qualified in the NSW team for the second year in a row with a 3rd place in Long Jump.

Wollongong Representative Sport Nominations for 2026 CLOSING SOON

Please note that nominations for your child to trial as a  representative for Wollongong in 2026 are due to close soon. If you think that your child excels at a particular sport and that they fit the criteria to trial as a representative for our diocese in that area, make sure you have filled in the nomination form for them. 

Once the nominations period has closed on 1st November, there will be no further acceptance of students for any sports trials in 2026.

Nomination Process and Information for parents: 

If you acknowledge that your child meets the criteria for a  given sport, you are asked to complete a nomination form using the following link: 2026 Nomination Form 

or SCAN the provided QR code. 

Please note this process is NOMINATION ONLY, once nominations are received and close on 1st November 2025  all individual sports trial nominations will be: 

1. Reviewed and approved by the School Principal and/or delegate 
2. Reviewed by the sports convenor and selection committee based on criteria (students must meet the criteria of the given sport to be eligible)
3. Required in some cases to host a school based trial to determine most suitable athletes to attend the Wollongong representative trials. 
4. After this review, school sport coordinators will be notified of successful nominations, and these students will be provided with a trial information letter by the school and be permitted to attend the 2026 trial date. 

If you have any questions regarding this process please do not hesitate to contact the school sport coordinator and or Principal for further information regarding the representative sport pathway trial and opportunities. 

OVERVIEW OF INDIVIDUAL TRIAL NOMINATION SPORTS & PROCESS FOR PARENTS/CARERS 

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 (Small fees payable):

Term 4

• Oz Tag - 31st October 2025 (Friday) 

Upcoming Competitive Sporting Days: (Small fees payable)

Term 4

• Oz Tag - 31st October 2025 (Friday) 
  

St Justin’s School Sporting Events

Upcoming School Sporting Events:

• Next level competitive pathway for selected students 

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.

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

Ms Rochelle Young

Sports Coordinator

Administration and Awards

Attendance

Remember good habits start early…

It’s important that children develop regular attendance habits – that’s an attendance figure of over 95% – at an early age. The pattern of attendance set in Kindergarten and Year 1 is highly predictive of what it will be in subsequent years.

Regular attendance;

Improves academic performance: 

Regular attendance is linked to better grades, higher test scores like NAPLAN, and improved overall academic achievement. 

Keeps learning on track: 

Missing school means missing out on lessons, which can create gaps in knowledge that are hard to catch up on and negatively impact future learning. 

Develops essential life skills: 

Consistent attendance helps students build routines and learn important life habits like punctuality, responsibility, and time management. 

Fosters social connections: 

Being in class allows students to interact with peers and teachers, build friendships, and develop crucial teamwork and collaboration skills. 

Boosts engagement and well-being: 

Students who attend school regularly are more likely to feel engaged, confident, and have positive social and emotional outcomes. 

Prevents long-term risks: 

Poor attendance is a leading indicator of dropping out of school by high school, so regular attendance sets a foundation for long-term success. 

Increases future opportunities: 

Good attendance is associated with better long-term outcomes, including more career options and life opportunities after graduation. 

Increases teacher and peer interaction: 

Students can ask questions in real-time, receive immediate feedback, and participate in classroom discussions when they are present. 

Reduces the impact of excused and unexcused absences: 

Even seemingly small, sporadic absences can add up to a significant amount of lost learning time over the school year. 

Prepares for the workforce: 

The habit of consistent attendance is a critical skill that prepares students for success in the workplace. 

Term 4 - School Goal 95%

We can do it!!

Payment of School Fees by Instalment - New Families to our School

School fees are invoiced as an annual account, due for payment in full 30 days after invoicing. However, many families elect to pay their school fees by regular instalments and as a new family to our school, we would like to offer you this option. If you wish to take up this offer, please complete a Request to Pay by Instalment which is available on the school's website or from the school’s administration office. On completion of the request simply submit via the website or if you are completing a paper form, email it to instalments@dow.catholic.edu.au or submit at the school office. Following receipt of the request, instalments will be generated on your school fee account during the process of invoicing 2026 school fees. Your school fee statements are emailed to you and they will provide a list of scheduled payments and their due date.

Payment of School Fees by Instalment - Existing Families

Existing families in our school WITH instalments

If you are currently paying by instalment there is no need to complete another Request to Pay by Instalment as your request carried over from year to year unless you wish to amend the frequency of your payments eg. Weekly to Fortnightly.

Existing families in our School WITHOUT instalments

If you would like to pay school fees by instalments in 2026 and have previously not taken up this option for payment, please complete a Request to Pay by Instalment Form which is available on the school’s website or from the school’s administration office. On completion of the request either email it to instalments@dow.catholic.edu.au or submit at the school office. Following receipt of the request, instalments will be generated on your school fee account during the process of invoicing 2026 schools fees. Your school fee statement will provide a list of scheduled payments and their due date depending on the frequency you have chosen eg. fortnightly, monthly etc.

IMPORTANT: Please note that if you currently have a child or children at another school in the Diocese and you are paying by instalments at this location you will not need to complete another Request to Pay by instalment. The instalment request carried over from school to school with the same frequency of payment ie. fortnightly, monthly etc.

Afternoon Collection

Please remember that Kiss and Drop is not to be used as a parking area by parents in the afternoon. We ask our community to keep this area clear for families who have ongoing illness and require parking with close proximity to the office. These families have had a conversation with Mr Colquhoun and have permission to park. At this time there are currently 2 families that have this permission.

We take this opportunity to thank all those members of our community who choose to make good choices.

Mrs Ann Holgate | SSSO

With the new award system increasing in increments of 5 points, any existing point values between 1 and 4 have been rounded up to the nearest multiple of 5.

To check your child's award tally and progress, please follow the steps outlined below. If you have any questions regarding your child's awards, feel free to contact the office via email to sjop@dow.catholic.edu.au.

You can view your child’s awards using an iPad or laptop (the mobile app has limited features):

1. Open Compass
2. Click on your child’s profile
3. The Chronicle home page will open
4. Click on the “Categories” tab Select “Awards and Merits”
5. Change the date range from “This Year” to “All” (top right corner)
6. This will now show you all awards received and your child’s total merit points tally.

Catholic Care Link

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

Message from Sr Mary

Hello Everyone,👋

I am running the Seasons For Growth program term 4 (probably starting in week 3). It is a small group education program that supports children to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes to their experiences of change, loss and grief.

The program is run over 8 sessions with 4-7 participants. Each session takes about 40-50 minutes.

If you would like your child (and if THEY want) to attend, please let me know VIA the office staff. First in first served. 😀

For further information mackillopseasons.org.au

God bless you,
Abundant love and peace,

Sr Mary

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

Road Safety 

UPDATED Bus Timetable for St Justin's Oran Park