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From the Principal and Assistant Principal…
NAPLAN
Today (Wednesday 12 March) the students in Years 3 and 5 started their NAPLAN testing with Writing. NAPLAN will continue over the coming days with Reading, Conventions of Language and Numeracy. Whilst we recognise that this can be an anxious time for students, our teachers have put a lot of effort into preparing the students. We wish all of our students the best of luck.
Seesaw
As you may have noticed our teachers and students have been busy creating and posting on Seesaw. Each week, classes will post students working collaboratively or their samples of work. Parents, please ensure that you have signed up using the QR codes that were sent home last week so that you can celebrate your child’s learning with them.
NCCD
Information provided about students to the Australian Government for the NCCD includes:
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- year of schooling
- category of disability: physical, cognitive, sensory or social/emotional
- level of adjustment provided: support provided within quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial or extensive.
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This information assists schools to:
- formally recognise the supports and adjustments provided to students with disability in schools
- consider how they can strengthen the support of students with disability in schools
- develop shared practices so that they can review their learning programs in order to improve educational outcomes for students with disability.
The NCCD provides state and federal governments with the information they need to plan more broadly for the support of students with disability. The NCCD will have no direct impact on your child and your child will not be involved in any testing process. The school will provide data to the Australian Government in such a way that no individual student will be able to be identified – the privacy and confidentiality of all students is ensured. All information is protected by privacy laws that regulate the collection, storage and disclosure of personal information. To find out more about these matters, please refer to the Australian Government’s Privacy Policy. Further information about the NCCD can be found on the NCCD Portal. If you have any questions about the NCCD, please contact the school.
PB4L Correction sequence
Mary Immaculate implements the School Wide Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) framework. This is a positive behaviour framework to enhance social and academic outcomes.
PB4L is an effective framework, which addresses school-wide, non-classroom, classroom, and individual positive student behaviour support and management, designed to prevent and decrease problem behaviours, leading to improved student learning outcomes.
High expectations for behaviours, which are linked to the vision and mission of the school, are explicitly taught, practised and reinforced. PB4L therefore helps to develop a positive and supportive learning environment.
As a school community we strive at all times to adhere to the following three school rules in order to create a safe, respectful and supportive school environment.
For more information about what the Correction Sequence looks like at school, click here.
Easter Raffle
This year we would like to raise funds for Project Compassion through a school Easter Egg Raffle. The more easter eggs donated, the more prizes we can raffle. We are hoping for 30 baskets this year.
To support us in this fundraising effort, we kindly ask for donations of Easter eggs; big or small or chocolate bunnies. Please send your donations by Monday 31st March.
A few parents are needed to assist with making these Easter baskets/prizes on Wednesday 2nd April at 8:40 am. If you are available to assist, please email info@mievdow.catholic.edu.au indicating your interest in making the prizes.
Raffle tickets will be sent home shortly. A booklet of 40 tickets will be sent home per family. Tickets will be 50 cents each or the booklet is $20. Whilst we encourage families to sell as many raffle tickets as possible we remind students to only ask trusted adults whom they know.
Please return all raffle tickets (sold or not) by 2:30 pm Wednesday 2 April.
The Easter Egg raffle will be drawn on Monday 7 April.
Principal and Parent Q and A
The first session for this year will be Monday 24 March. There will be two sessions, repeats, so you can choose when is most convenient - 1.15pm - 2.15pm or 6.30pm - 7.30pm. Mrs Rolfe will do a brief presentation about our Annual Improvement Goal for 2025 and outline the Cyclic Inquiry process. She will then happily take any of your questions. If you have something you’d like me to cover or answer that may take a little preparation, please email or call so I can have any extra information ready for you. I have had very good feedback about the sessions held last year so please come along if you can. Pancake Tuesday was one example of ensuring special events happen even though we don’t have a P&F and these Q and A sessions also provide an important means of having two way conversations for the sharing of information and giving feedback or sharing ideas. If you are a bit nervous about coming by yourself, bring a friend!
God Bless
Michelle Rolfe and Amelia Ahern
Principal and Assistant Principal
JUST A REMINDER THAT KINDERARTEN 2026 ENROLMENTS CLOSE FRIDAY 11 APRIL 2025 ( END OF TERM)
IF YOU HAVE A CHILD WHO IS PRESENTLY ATTENDING MARY IMMACULATE, AND HAS A SIBLING / YOUNGER BROTHER OR SISTER WHO NEEDS TO ATTEND KINDERGARTEN IN 2026, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE AN ONLINE ENROLMENT FORM. SIBLINGS ARE NOT AUTOMATICALLY ACCEPTED.
SWIMMING
Despite a shortened Swimming Carnival due to the adverse weather, we were still able to successfully run our competitive 50m races. A big congratulations to all students who will be receiving their ribbons at our Week 8 assembly.
Congratulations to the following age champions who will also receive medals at our Week 8 assembly:
Junior Girls- Charlotte J
11 Year Girls- Julia M
Senior Girls- Indyana A
Junior Boys- Neil S
11 Year Boys- Bradley G
Senior Boys.- Riley S + Dason M
A big congratulations to Poppi W from Year 2 who was successful at the Diocesan Swimming Carnival in advancing to the Mackillop Trials - Go Poppi!
TOUCH TRIALS
On Wednesday 19 February the Primary Boys and Girls Touch trials took place at Thomas Dalton Park, Fairy Meadow. Well done to our two Mary Immaculate representatives Aaliyah M and Hina V who should be very proud of the way they performed on the day.
A big congratulations to Hina V who was selected to represent Wollongong as a part of the Mackillop Touch Team. The team will participate in trials held in Wagga on Friday 13 June 2025.
Grades 4 to 6 participated in the 2nd Rite of Reconciliation on today, 12 March 2025 in the Church.
During the Lenten Season, this rite, the Sacrament of Penance, celebrates our call to turn back to God after we repent and receive God’s forgiving love and mercy.
Harmony Day: Special Assembly Hosted by Year 3
This year our school will be celebrating Harmony Day on Friday 4 April 2025. This special day is all about inclusion, respect, and celebrating our diverse community.
We are grateful to the students who were eager to share their many gifts and talents with our Mary Immaculate community during our very special assembly. We are very much looking forward to this special event
As a key part of this celebration, students are encouraged to wear orange or traditional cultural attire on this day.
Details are as follows:
Harmony Day Assembly hosted by Year 3
Location: School Shelter
Time: Extended assembly commencing at 1:00 pm
Stations of the Cross
During Holy Week this year, our students will be praying and meditating on the Stations of the Cross. This will occur on Monday 7 April. Please be aware that this is a core understanding of our faith - we display the crucified Jesus as a sacred symbol because it is through his sacrifice and resurrection that we have eternal life. It shows God’s everlasting love for us!
LENT (40 days)
Wednesday 5 March - Saturday 19 April
What should Catholics know about Lent; Fasting; Abstinence and Penance?
THE obligation to do penance is a way to interrupt the usual comforts of life, to rediscover in prayer the saving love of God, and to practice charity and justice towards those in need.
We do penance, not only on our own account, but also in the name of the Church for the good of the world.
We take these obligations seriously as a way of evangelizing the world. The Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference has not restricted
our penance to fast and abstinence in all cases; There are times when we choose the type of penance which is appropriate.
We should carefully select the form of penance that we consider most appropriate for our own circumstances and growth in the Christian life.
1. Abstinence from meat, and fasting, are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. All who have completed their 18th year and have not yet begun their 60th year are bound to fast. All who have completed their 14th year are bound to abstain.
2. On all other Fridays of the year including the Fridays of Lent, the law of the common practice of penance is fulfilled by performing any one of the
following:
A. PRAYER – for example, Mass attendance; family prayer; a visit to a church or chapel; reading the Bible; making the Stations of the Cross; praying the
Rosary.
B. SELF-DENIAL – for example, not eating meat; not eating sweets or dessert; giving up entertainment to spend time with the family; limiting food and drink
so as to give to the poor of one’s own country.
C. HELPING OTHERS – for example, special attention to someone who is poor, sick, elderly, lonely or overburdened.
Each of the faithful is obliged to receive Holy Communion at least once a year. This is to be done between Ash Wednesday, and Trinity Sunday, [eight week after Easter Sunday], unless for a good reason it is done at another time during the year. All the faithful are obliged to confess their “grave sins” at least once a year.
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR PARISH?
Come and join us on 23 - 25 May 2025 at a Marriage Encounter Weekend in a Covid safe environment at Mt Carmel Retreat Centre, Varroville, NSW – a stunning & tranquil oasis on the edge of Sydney.
Book online at www.wwme.org.au or contact Christine & Terry Mahony on 0490 774 419 or nswbookings@wwme.org.au
Courses are held in a supportive environment with others who share similar life challenges.
Our range of groups focus on strengthening relationships, parenting, post-separation, supporting parents with children in care, managing challenging emotions and loss and grief.
If you would like to learn more about our courses or enrol please email intakeservice@catholiccare.dow.org.au or call 4254 9395
Preparing Children for the Sacrament of Reconciliation
Dear Parents & Caregivers,
The enrolments for the preparation of the Sacrament of Reconciliation are in. We have 60 children preparing for the Sacrament.
Shortly I will send you further information and will organize for the distribution the Children’s Work Books to each family.
The parents will be asked to go through the program with their children over the 4 week during Lent and leading up to the celebration of Reconciliation, which will take place on 7 & 8 April.
The parents will be asked to attend THREE sessions. In these sessions, the parents will be given an adult view of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and will have time to share any concerns or insights about their children’s progress.
These will be 11, 18, and 25 March at 7:30pm in the Parish Hall. Unlike previous years, the children will not be attending these nights are they are designed specifically for adult education.
If you have any queries please email them to the parish office [ eaglevale@dow.org.au ] and they will be directed personally to me.
Fr. Leo Mifsud OMI
We acknowledge with gratitude the contribution that the Brother Clarence Foundation has made in helping out our School Community Families in the past and present. The Brother Clarence Foundation has distributed $133,910.00 since November 1991 to 358 families who have benefitted from this assistance. If you are interested in making a donation towards this Foundation please make contact with Hon. Treasurer Gary Charlton at gcharlton@optusnet.com.au
WEEKENDS
Saturday Vigil 5:30pm
Sunday 8:30am | 10:00am | 5:30pm.
WEEKDAYS:
Monday, & Tuesday, 9:00am
Wednesday, 7:30 pm
Thursday & Friday 9:00am
Saturday 9:30am
SPANISH MASS - Saturday 7:00pm
FILIPINO MASS – 2nd Sunday- 4:00pm
Devotional Times
ROSARY: BEFORE weekday Mass.
DIVINE MERCY
Chaplet- Fridays after 9am Mass
Chaplet & Benediction -First Fridays.
Divine Mercy Prayer Group:4th Friday at 6.30pm (in crying room)
HOLY HOUR led by Filipino Group:First Saturday of the month 11am
RECONCILIATIONS:Saturday 10:00am to 11:00am (During exposition of the Blessed
Sacrament)
BAPTISMS: Every SECOND & THIRD Sunday of the month.
Contact the parish office for necessary information.