SCHOOL NEWSLETTER - TERM 2 WEEK 10 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,

Hope that you are well and have enjoyed an outstanding  week.

The St Mary MacKillop Parish 10-year anniversary was an outstanding community event with in excess of 2000 people coming together to celebrate this significant milestone.  It was wonderful to hear Bishop Brian Mascord, Fr David and Fr Feleki, sharing their wisdom, stories, joy and appreciation to the congregation. We thank the Parish for their overwhelming support and ongoing faith formation of St Justin’s and St Benedict’s school communities. 

As we move out of Term 2 and into a well deserved holiday break, thank you for your continued work in supporting the faith, learning and wellbeing of students, staff and SJOP community. There is an enormous amount of collaboration, energy, dedication and persistence that goes into our work and there should be great sense of pride in our efforts to support our students' ongoing learning and growth.

The Sacrament of First Holy Communication is a very special time in the faith development of our students and their families. This is central to our faith and greatly appreciate the support and guidance of Fr Feleki, St Mary MacKillop Parish, our staff - Mrs Fenato, Mrs Greene, Ms Niceski, Mrs La Rocca, Mrs Sant and Mr Galbraith for preparing our students for this Sacrament of Initiation. Congratulations to our Year 3 students and their families. 

On Monday 21 July our staff will be engaged in further professional learning relating to our Annual Improvement Plan in the area of Mathematics. This day will support our ongoing focus in working towards improving our students' achievement in Mathematics.

As Term 2 comes to conclusion, thank you to our staff and parents for your investment in and commitment to our students. We share a collective responsibility to developing, guiding and enriching our students faith, learning and wellbeing. This shared responsibility comes with great care, sense of service and compassion as our students continue to learn and grow.

Wishing you a safe and enjoyable time with your family and hope the next two weeks provides you with an opportunity to maneuver through your day at a slightly slower pace.

Look forward to seeing the St Justin's community again for the start of Term 3 on Tuesday 22 July.

Take care,
Brad Colquhoun
Principal

Diary Dates

NAIDOC Week

This year’s NAIDOC Week, held from 6 July to 13 July 2025, celebrates the theme “The Next Generation: Strength, Vision and Legacy”.

“In the eyes of our children, we see not only our past reflected, but the strength of our future unfolding. They are the keepers of our story, the bearers of our vision, the living legacy of generations of wisdom. The path to tomorrow is walked by the feet of our children, guided by the wisdom of our Elders, and paved with the resilience of generations who came before”. — Sue-Anne Hunter, Proud Wurundjeri and Ngurai Illum Wurrung woman, Deputy Chair and Commissioner of the Yoorrook Justice Commission.

The 2025 NAIDOC theme, The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy, honours the incredible strength and resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, as well as the powerful vision and legacy that our Elders and communities leave for our future generations.

It’s an opportunity to celebrate the young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders who are shaping a positive future for their communities, honouring their strength, vision, and the legacy they are building.

2025 also marks a significant milestone for NAIDOC Week, as we celebrate 50 years of elevating First Nations voices, culture and resilience, as well as recognising and acknowledging the wonderful achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities.

As we commemorate this legacy, we pass the baton on to the next generation who will move forward, guided by those who have walked the path before them. The wisdom of Elders reminds us of the importance of the passing down of culture and knowledge to our young people. It is through their strength and determination that their cultures will continue to thrive and flourish in the years to come.

This NAIDOC Week 2025, as all Australians come together to celebrate, let us reflect on the incredible achievements and contributions of First Nations peoples and communities. Let us look to the future with hope and optimism, knowing that the next generation will carry on the legacy and continue to fight for justice, equality, and recognition.

As Pope Francis said to the youth of the world: "Walk in hope! Hope overcomes all weariness, every crisis, and every worry. It gives us a powerful incentive to press forward, for it is a gift received from God himself."

And let us reflect:

• What can I learn from the stories that have been passed down from our ancestors and Elders?
• How do I create space to listen and learn from our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sisters and Brothers, including our young people?
• How can I be a good steward of God's love to each one of my neighbours so that I may listen, learn and welcome?

Catholic Life - Digging Deep for the Homeless "Auntiz" Homeless Collection - Staff incentive

Did you know over 40 people in Camden are homeless, with many more lacking basic winter essentials?

This term, St Justin's staff have supported a local initiative helping the homeless in our area. Inspired by our recent spirituality day, we connected with Auntiz—an op shop in Smeaton Grange that provides food and clothing to those in need multiple times a week.

Natalie, the heart behind Auntiz, offers hope and dignity to people doing it tough, reminding us of our call to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

St Justin's staff have generously donated clothing, beanies, sleeping bags, yoga mats, and socks to support this mission.

If you have time during these holidays, consider visiting Auntiz—you may find a treasure and share a little light with someone in need.

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

St Justin's Got Talent Returns in 2025! 5th September 2025

Get ready! St Justin’s Got Talent is back and set to be a highlight of Term 3. After last year’s incredible showcase of student creativity and confidence, SJGT 2025 is ready to take things to the next level with even more opportunities for our talented students to shine!

This year, there will be 3 acts per grade:

• 2 acts selected by students through a class vote
  
  
• 1 act selected by teachers
  

🎬 Audition Details

• Auditions: Friday 15th August and Friday 22nd August 
  
  
• Location: School Library/Hall
  
  
• Group size: Maximum of 5 students
  
  
• Audition time limit: Strictly 3 minutes
  
  
• Students may only audition in one group
  
  
• Groups must consist of students from the same grade only
  

To be eligible to audition, each student must submit an Audition Form signed by a parent or caregiver. If a group is auditioning together, each member must submit a separate form.

Audition Forms MUST be submitted no later than Monday 3rd August. You may download a copy here or students may collect a form from the library (on the right hand side as you walk through the library door)

🎨 NEW in 2025 – SJGT Art Gallery!
This year we are excited to introduce an Art Gallery as part of the SJGT celebration. Mrs Zaborski will be curating a stunning display of student artwork created during class this semester. These pieces will be showcased during SJGT and considered in the judging for our Artist category.

🏆 SJGT 2025 Categories & Awards:

• Musicians
  
  
• Performers
  
  
• Artists
  
  

Each category will have a Winner and a Highly Commended award—recognising excellence, creativity, and stage presence.

Further information will be shared at the beginning of Term Three.

Mrs Megan Fulko 

Music Specialist 

St Justin's Got Talent - Front Cover Artwork Competition

 St Justin’s Got Talent – Front Cover Artwork Competition! 

Do you love to draw, paint, or create?
Here’s your chance to have your artwork featured on the front cover of the official 2025 St Justin’s Got Talent programme!

Last year, Sullivan H created an amazing design that was proudly displayed on the very first SJGT cover – and now it’s your turn!

We are looking for a brand new front cover for this year’s show, held on September 5th, 2025.

Your artwork must:

 Include the words St Justin’s Got Talent
 Include the date September 5th, 2025
 Be A4 size
 Be created in portrait orientation

 Entries are due by Friday 15th August.

They can be handed into the office or given directly to Mrs Zaborski.

The Premier's Reading Challenge

This year, St Justin's has had 113 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: Mateo C, Malachi M

Year 5: Emma B, Celeste M

We now have 41 students who have completed the challenge! Remember you can keep reading and complete for the in-school prizes!  

Library News

Celebrating Our Young Writers: WriteOn 2025

We are thrilled to announce that several of our students have participated in the 2025 WriteOn competition, an annual writing event hosted by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA). Open to all NSW primary students in Years 1 to 6, the competition encourages young writers to craft imaginative texts of up to 500 words.

This year's stimulus was the thought-provoking quote: “Could they be changing?” Students were challenged to explore this theme creatively, showcasing their unique voices and storytelling abilities.

We commend our budding authors for their creativity and dedication. Their participation reflects a strong commitment to developing writing skills and engaging with imaginative literature. Please join us in congratulating our participants this year:

* Anakai 5R - Changes Through Their Ocean Eyes
* Erin 5B - The Unbearable Life of Tala Santos
* Christopher 1G - Believe in Jesus 

📚 Holiday Reading Inspiration📚

As the school holidays approach, many families wonder how to keep children reading without it feeling like a chore. One fantastic resource we’d like to recommend is Louise Park’s practical and empowering guide, 7 Steps to Get Your Child Reading.

7 Steps to Get Your Child Reading by Louise Park is a practical guide for parents and teachers, offering expert advice on how to help children develop a lasting love of reading. It provides a clear, research-based approach to building literacy through both traditional and digital methods. Louise Park draws on her decades of experience as a teacher, author, and educational consultant to share seven simple, commonsense steps that will support children’s reading development:

1. Talking Their Way to Literacy
2. Reading Their Way to Literacy
3. Linking writing and reading
4. Taming the tech and making it count
5. Harnessing the power of book ownership
6. Embracing two reading philosophies
7. Finding just-right books for any age

As Louise Park’s puts it, literacy is the single most important thing we can teach kids. If they can read, all other learning will follow. Learn how to futureproof your child's literacy in a rapidly changing world, and give them the best chance of success.

Helpful Tip: The book also points parents to Toppsta, a free website filled with kid-friendly book reviews and curated reading lists by age and interest — a great tool to help your child choose what to read next!

Camden Library Fun: Holiday Programs

Don’t forget to check out the school holiday programs at your local branch: Camden, Narellan or Oran Park. Their winter holiday program includes activities suitable for all age groups: Click here to book your child/ren’s spot! Libraries are a treasure trove of free resources — and they’re warm, quiet, and perfect for a family outing.

Read books by First Nations authors and illustrators

• Use Story Box Hub to access quality read-aloud from Australian voices.

Login details for Story Box Hub:

Username: wollong16

Password: SBL2494

For more on NAIDOC Week and ideas for families: https://www.naidoc.org.au/

Keep It Light, Keep It Varied

These holidays aim for balance — not pressure. Let your child choose, re-read favourites, explore audio books or even read in different places (a blanket in the backyard, under a table, or with a torch at night!). The goal is to make reading enjoyable and habitual — and that’s where growth happens.

Happy reading, everyone — and happy holidays!

Jennifer Giewald

Library Teacher

Diverse Learning

NCCD Parent Fact Sheet

The Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD) takes place every year in July. The NCCD is a collection that counts:

• the number of school students receiving an adjustment or ‘help’ due to disability
• the level of adjustment they are receiving to access education on the same basis as other students.

Students are counted in the NCCD if they receive ongoing adjustments at school due to disability. This ‘help’ allows them to access education on the same basis as a child without disability. The NCCD uses the definition of disability in the Disability Discrimination Act 1992. Schools provide this information to education authorities.

For more information on the NCDD please refer to the NCCD Fact Sheet attached to this newsletter.

Sporting News

NEW DATE - THURSDAY 24TH JULY - SCHOOL ATHLETICS CARNIVAL

Dear Parents/Carers, 

NEW DATE - THURSDAY 24TH JULY (Term 3)

Date: Thursday 24th July

Venue: Narellan Sports Hub (Fields 1 & 2) - 6 Porrende Street, Narellan  

Transport: Students will be transported to and from the venue by bus.

Departure from School: from 9am 

Estimated Time Return to School: 2pm - 2:30pm 

Meals: Recess, Lunch, Snacks and Drinks – please ensure that food is either in their school bag or a backpack NOT plastic bags.

What to Bring: Water bottle, Hat, Sunscreen and packed lunch/recess.

Dress code: Full Sports Uniform and school hat. Students are also able to wear a plain shirt in their house colour.

Footwear and Spikes: Spikes are permitted in the 100m and 200m age division events. The maximum spike length is 7mm for track and Long Jump. Spikes will not be permitted in 800m category events. All competitors must wear footwear,  

Students with mobile phone permission: please do not bring a mobile phone on the day if you are getting picked up from the athletics carnival as it will be locked up at school in the office overnight. Students who are returning to school from the carnival on buses can bring their mobile for usual drop off and collection from the office.

Attending Staff: All Staff

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 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.

Netball Gala Day

St Justin’s attended the West Region Netball Gala day in Minto on Thursday 26th July. We had 3 Year 6 teams and 3 Year 4 teams that participated and enjoyed playing against other schools in our area. Students were amazing reps for our school and were commended for their sportsmanship and team work.

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 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 (Camden)
  

St Justin’s School Sporting Events

Upcoming Whole School Sporting Events:

• St Justin’s School Athletics Carnival - Term 3: Thursday 24th July 2025

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

Mary MacKillop Art Work - 10th Anniversary Mass

Mary MacKillop Artwork Created by: Nathaniel J, Nathan R, Luca C, Nicholas M and Alexander V - Year 6

We would like to present the portrait of Mary MacKillop that we created together to Mary Mackillop Church.  Mary MacKillop cared deeply for children, so it was important to include a child in our painting. The artwork shows her standing near a schoolhouse, reminding us that God loves and blesses children. At first, we struggled to create a painting of Mary MacKillop for our project, but we later realized it was about God and His presence. So we  joined together and spent our lunch breaks creating something meaningful and beautiful about Mary MacKillop. We added Australian bottle brushes on the hill to show the country’s beauty and St Mary’s impact on Australian education. The halo shows her kindness, the blue rosary shows the Sisters of St. Joseph, and the cross symbolizes her faith. The church represents the first school she started in Penola, South Australia, in 1866, and the pathway reminds us to follow the path of God’s love. 

Administration and Awards

Supporting positive school attendance is a shared responsibility, and everyone has a role. 

All grades have shown an improvement in their attendance over the last 2 weeks - that's an awesome effort everyone! Let's continue to focus on making our school goal of a 95% attendance rate. 

Canteen:

Yeronga School Uniforms:

Yeronga Uniform stores will be closed for the following week due to Stocktake

Closed the week – Monday 7^th - Sunday 13^th of July

Pets on Site:

A reminder to our parent community that no pets, including puppies, are allowed on site unless prior permission has been granted by the Principal.

Please do not become upset if you are requested by a staff member to remove the pet from the premises. 

Awards System Update - 2nd Notice

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:

Medallion and Principal Awards

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

We’re thrilled to share some exciting news from our SLAM lessons this semester. Congratulations to KB, KR, 4W, and 5R, who each earned a perfect score of 360 points this semester. That’s four smiley faces or 40 points every week, for consistently demonstrating outstanding Positive Behaviour for Learning.To celebrate their achievement, these classes enjoyed 30 minutes of play on Monday. 

We would also like to acknowledge the terrific efforts of KG, 1R, and 2R, who achieved an impressive 355 points which is also a fantastic achievement. And a huge well done to our whole school community: 23 classes earned 300 points or more this semester during their SLAM lessons. This reflects a remarkable collective effort and commitment to positive behaviour across the school. We are so proud of our students.

The SLAM Team

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

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

Please see below information for the Wollondilly Council FREE NRL Holiday Clinic at Bargo Sportsground these July school holidays:

Tuesday 15^th July

Bargo Sportsground 10am-12pm

Ages 5-15

Registration Link: FREE NRL Clinic - Ages 5-15 Years old Tickets, Bargo Sportsground , Bargo | TryBooking Australia

Free School Holiday Activities – July 2025 » Wollondilly Shire Council

Scouts 1st Cobbitty: