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- Principal News
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- Important Dates - New format! This can be found in your Simon App under Calendar
- Don't forget our Disco this Friday night!!
- Disco Map
- 2026 Class Separation Requests
- Mental Health and Wellbeing
- Sport News!
- Hooptime Highlights
- Sports Colours Day this Friday!
- Healesville Sanctuary Highlights!
- Year 1 - Moonlit Sanctuary Highlights
- Father's Day Highlights!
- Wear a Silly Hat and or Sunnies
- Lunch time Club
- Student Celebrations
- Library timetable
- 2026 Enrolments NOW OPEN!
- Camp Australia
- Lost Property
- Uniform
- Community News!
Dear Families,
As we have moved into the second last week of Term 3, we will still be very busy right up till the very end.
We have come through the other side of review which although quite an involved process, the information this provides to us as a school is quite valuable.
There were a large percentage of areas within the School Improvement Tool where the changes have been very positive and the trajectory in which St Catherine’s move is in line with the school improvement agenda within the Diocese but also with contemporary evidenced-based educational initiatives and expectations. The last four years of hard work has been reflected within our report. This report also outlines areas in which we can improve or continue to strengthen. These results made me incredibly proud to be a part of the St Catherine’s community and the work we do for the betterment of educational outcomes for all of our students.
On Friday, we have sport colours day, children can wear their favourite sport colours or outfit, such as Cricket, footy, soccer, netball etc. Children should wear closed in shoes for their safety. A parade will be held at 9.00am on the basketball courts providing the weather is fine, please sign in at the vines area if you wish to come along and enjoy the fun! This day will be followed by our annual Disco which will be held in the MP Room, any children going to Camp Australia aftercare (which will be held from the Siena building in 4S4) and need your child collected will need to put this in writing to office@stcberwick.catholic.edu.au stating your child's name, grade and time they will need to be collected.
Bottled water will be supplied to all students along with glow sticks and spot prizes will be awarded on the night. The drop point will be through the gate near the administration office, with pick up being via the Prep Gate. This allows for wet weather back up plans. A map is included below.
Disco Times
4.30 - 5.30pm - Prep,1 and 2
5.45 - 6.45pm - Grades 3 & 4
7.00 - 8.00pm - Grades 5 & 6
In a short term, we have managed to fit in book week, Prep excursion Chesterville Farm, Grade 5 excursion Immigration Museum, Grade 1 excursion to Moonlit Sanctuary, Grade 3 excursion to Healseville Sanctuary, whole school Incursion NED's Resilience, Father’s Day afternoon and Father’s Day stall as well as our Level Prayer Afternoons, Grade 4 Reconciliation, and Grade 6 interschool sports.
Please ensure your children are adhering to the school uniform which includes jewelry and makeup.
Students will be asked to remove any items of jewelry that do not adhere to the Uniform policy and also any makeup being worn to school.
Illness is hitting St Catherine’s hard again. We have students presenting with many symptoms, and ask that if your child is unwell or has any symptoms, that they be kept home to assist with reducing the risk of infection to other students and staff.
Please be assured that splitting classes is a last resort but is a necessity from time to time.
Warm regards
Anna
What a busy few weeks we have had since our last Newsletter. We are coming towards the end of the term, but there are a lot of moving parts between now and next Thursday. I have helped plan the logistics of the Disco this Friday. One item I do want to iterate is the pick up process will look different from last year as we continue to improve for Child Safety. I don’t believe this will take longer, but it will need your patience and support. We will drip feed parents into the Prep/Year 3 courtyard through one gate, then you will exit via another. We value your support in this.
Holiday Works
There will be minimal holiday works in the upcoming break. One item that will impact access to Camp Australia for one day is the removal of a large gumtree that is at the office entrance. This will necessitate those parents to use the Prep gate. When this date is finalised, more information will come out. There will be cones and arrows directing people.
Religious Education
Year 3 Level Mass
On Tuesday, 16 September, we will be holding the Year 3 Level Mass in our shared chapel. We warmly welcome all parents to attend as it will be the final mass for the term. Our Year 3 teachers are preparing their students with the readings and songs so it will be an excellent celebration.
Family Prayer Afternoons
Thank you to everyone who has been able to make it out to our Family Prayer Afternoons in the Chapel. We had to postpone our Year 4s participation due to the adverse weather conditions that swept through. We appreciate everyone’s understanding. This has been rescheduled for this Friday, 12 September at 2:50pm (as they have an Incursion for Reconciliation). We would love to see you there. Our Year 6s has been rescheduled due to a change in Interschool sports and will be running their session on Wednesday 17 September at 2:45pm. Our Specialist will continue as scheduled for Thursday 18 September at 2:00pm.
I greatly value your feedback on these events. Can you please spare one minute to complete a Google Form so we can use this to improve and consider them for next term. It would have a greater emphasis on student participation and leading. If you can, please complete this Google Form.
Friday 19 September - Student Free Day
Students will commence their holidays a day sooner than the rest of the state as we have a student-free day. I am coordinating this with a Catholic Identity and Religious Education leader from the Diocese of Sale Catholic Education Limited. The day will be spent looking at Dialogue, Post-Critical Belief and Recontextualisation, which are three main parts of the To Live in Christ Jesus curriculum. It will be a big day but one I am thoroughly excited for.
As we progress through term 3, it is now time for us to start considering class groupings for 2026. A large amount of information and considerations goes into setting up classes, including parent requests. Please note the following carefully:
-Parents may submit a separation request.
-We do not consider pairing requests as this is managed by the learning buddies process outlined below.
-Separation requests must be submitted every year.
-If you submitted one last year, they do not roll over.
-All requests are considered a one off.
-Separation requests must come via the office to info@stcberwick.catholic.edu.au.
-Requests submitted verbally, via individual teachers or staff may not be included, please submit your request via this email. Please clearly state your child and the person you would like your child separated from (full name).
-Separations may be for personal reasons or because of a pre existing relationship such as family friendship, family members, etc.
-Parents of twins are also asked to advise the school their preference for their children being placed together or separately.
-The deadline for requests is the end of Term 3.
We do our best to cater for parent requests but cannot guarantee as there are many factors which must be taken into consideration.
Later in the year, students will nominate 5 Learning Buddies that they learn well with and would like to have in their class. We ensure they are placed with at least one of these.
VICTORIA DONLAN
Curriculum/ICT Leader and Learning Adjustment Leader
St Catherine's School, Berwick
73 Ridgemont Drive Berwick VIC 3806
P O Box 557 Berwick VIC 3806
Phone: 03 9702 1466
Hello Everyone,
As we near the end of term, I’d like to share with you a new wellbeing support available at our school—our school counsellor, Desilyn Soh.
Desilyn has recently joined the St Catherine’s learning community and will continue working with us until the end of the year. She holds a Graduate Certificate in Counselling, and her time with us will form part of her Master of Counselling placement at Monash University.
While the number of places available with Desilyn is unfortunately limited, we encourage families who would like to learn more to speak with their child’s classroom teacher.
Wishing everyone a Happy End of Term break!
Best wishes,
Jasmine Bentley
Mental Health & Wellbeing Leader
Dates: 22-26 September
Time: 10am-2pm
Where: Near Woolworths
Tuesday 23 September: Footy team colours beaded bracelet making + Face painting
Wednesday 24 September: Footy cheer sticks + Balloon artist
Thursday 25 September: Gingerbread decorating + Balloon artist
Friday 26 September: Face painting
Time: 10am-2pm
Where: Near Woolworths