Week 10

This week our hearts and minds turn to the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus reminds us of Jesus’ great love for everyone. His heart is a symbol of kindness, compassion, and the care He has for all people, especially those who are hurting or in need. To celebrate this special feast, our school community will gather for a liturgy during assembly this Friday at 2:50pm. Please note that the previously advertised Mass has been cancelled. We look forward to coming together in prayer and reflection at the assembly

Dear Jesus,

Your Heart is full of love for me.

Thank you for loving me so much.

Please help me to love you back

And to be kind to everyone, just like you.

Amen.

St Oliver Plunkett Feast Day- 400th year anniversary of his birth.

Next week, on Thursday 3 July, we will celebrate the Feast Day of St Oliver Plunkett, our school’s patron saint. This year is particularly special as we mark the 400th anniversary of his birth. St Oliver was a man of deep faith, peace, and courage. Even in times of great difficulty, he remained committed to truth, kindness, and unity—values we can all strive to live out today. To honour his legacy, we will gather for a whole school Mass at 10am on Thursday 3 July- parents are warmly invited to attend.

Please note: this is not a dress-up day- students are to wear their normal school uniform.

Principal Leave Update

I would like to share that I will be taking Long Service Leave from Monday 30 June to Monday 28 July. My husband and I are looking forward to some much-needed rest and renewal after a full and busy period both professionally and personally. I’m grateful for the opportunity to take this time and look forward to returning refreshed and ready for the term ahead.

In my absence, Cecilia Garden will be in charge, supported by Sara Belante-Tankard and our dedicated staff. A reminder to families that your first point of contact should always be your child’s teacher, and we are here to support you.

Staff Update

It's with mixed emotions that we share the news of Michael Gonsalves' resignation. Michael is moving overseas to be closer to his family and friends, and while we'll miss him, we're grateful for his contributions to our school community. We wish him a wonderful new adventure!

School Uniform- Reminder

We understand that some uniform items may be on back order, and we appreciate your patience. However, it is important that all students wear the correct school uniform to school each day, unless we have received written communication from you.

Teachers are beginning to reinforce uniform expectations with students in the classroom. As a school community, our shared goal is for every student to wear the correct school uniform. We are now in the winter season and all students should be in full winter uniform.

This includes the following items:

Academic Winter Uniform

Option A: (Girls/Boys)

School Fleece V Neck Jumper
Long Sleeve Academic Polo
Navy Gabardine Pants
Navy Socks
Black Leather Shoes

Option B: (Girls)

Navy Tunic
Long Sleeve Academic Polo
Navy Tights
Black Leather Shoes

Sports Winter Uniform

Option A: (Girls/Boys)

½ Zip Long Sleeve Top
Long Sleeve Sports Polo-Polyester/cotton back.
Navy Track Pants with Cuffs/Navy Microfibre Shorts
plain white socks- student should not be wearing black socks or branded socks to school
Runners

Option B: (Girls)

Navy Skort

Thank you for your continued support in helping us maintain a strong sense of pride and belonging through our uniform.

Assembly (this week)

A reminder to all families that our whole-school assembly will take place this Friday at 2:50pm. This week, we will be celebrating the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Parents welcome)

2024 Annual Report to the School Community.

The Annual Report to the School Community outlines the successes of the school year in relation to the five spheres of our School Improvement Plan: Education in Faith, Learning and Teaching, Student Wellbeing, School Community and Leadership and Management. The Annual Report also outlines areas for improvement that will be a focus for the coming year. The Annual Report is published in May of each year, reflecting upon the previous school year. We have much to celebrate in our 2024 school year. To access the 2024 Annual Report to the School Community, click HERE it is also available on our school website.

https://www.sopascoevale.catholic.edu.au/ourschool#report

Every School Day Counts!

As we approach the end of the term and student semester reports are made available, you'll see a summary of your child's attendance on their school report. This is important, as consistent attendance is key to their success! While we understand that children sometimes get sick, our goal is to have every student at school, every day, and on time. The first bell rings at 8:45 AM, with classes starting promptly at 8:50 am. Being on time helps your child settle in and start their learning without missing a beat.

A friendly reminder: our school gates open at 8:35 AM. This is a great opportunity for students to catch up with friends and get some energy out before the school day begins. Let's work together to ensure a bright and successful end to the term for all our students.

MACS Vision of Engagement – Key Messages for Staff

We were fortunate to attend the launch of the MACS Vision of Engagement, an exciting initiative that aims to elevate student engagement across our Catholic schools. While some headlines have portrayed this as a “back to basics” approach to behaviour, the heart of the vision is far more transformative, it's about clarity in learning, compassion in interaction, and a deep respect for the dignity and belonging of every child.

The statistics presented at the launch were both eye-opening and motivating:

Australia ranks 69th out of 76 OECD countries in classroom behaviour, making it one of the most unruly in the OECD.
In a recent global survey on childhood happiness, Australian children were ranked among the most unhappy, highlighting the need for renewed attention on student wellbeing and connection.

A powerful message was shared: attention matters, motivation matters, and learning matters and these are linked to the way we build relationships and structure our classrooms.

The event featured inspiring keynote addresses, including from the Deputy Premier- Minister for Education, Ben Carroll who spoke passionately about the need for systemic change that prioritises student engagement, teacher clarity, and inclusive, respectful school cultures.

Good news for US…This vision aligns beautifully with our own school's mission - nurturing students through clear expectations, consistent approaches, and relationships built on compassion and respect.

Celebrate Grandparents Day 2025 This July!

Get ready to celebrate Grandparents Day a little earlier this year!

To coincide with the Feast Day of Saints Anne and Joachim (Jesus' grandparents- on July 26), we've moved our Grandparents Day celebration to July.

We can't wait to honour all the wonderful grandparents in our community and hope you can join us for a special day.

To help us make sure everyone is comfortable, please take a moment to complete this short Google Form: https://forms.gle/LbCLPYGfaFCaqNGo6

This will allow us to ascertain any special arrangements needed regarding stairs and mobility.

2026 Preps: Welcome to Our School!

We're thrilled to announce that our 2026 Prep students have started collecting their welcome packs! This is the first exciting step in their journey with us. Next term, they'll begin attending our early learning sessions, giving them a fantastic opportunity to become familiar with their new surroundings and meet their future classmates.

We can't wait to see their happy faces around the school as they become part of our wonderful community!

Term 3 Calendar Now Available

Our Term 3 Calendar is now ready. Please take a moment to mark these important dates on your family calendar. Although Term 3 is a shorter 9-week term, it is filled with rich learning opportunities and exciting experiences for our students. We encourage families to review the calendar carefully to stay up to date with key events and activities.

Please note that while we do our best to plan ahead, some changes may occur due to circumstances beyond our control. We’ll always keep you informed of any updates as early as possible.

End of Term Reminder

A reminder to all families that Term 2 will finish on Friday 4 July, with students dismissed at 1pm. We thank you for your continued support this term and wish all our students and families a safe and restful holiday break.

Have a great week.

Delfina Pieri

Principal

principal@sopascoevale.catholic.edu.au

What's coming up this fortnight...

Wed 25 Jun: P&F Fundraiser Tony's Pies - orders open

Fri 27 Jun: Assembly (Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus)- 2:50pm - parents welcome

Thurs 3 July: Feast of St Oliver Plunkett Mass- 10m Church- parents welcome

Thur 3 Jul: St Oliver's Feast Day Celebrations

Fri 4 Jul: End of Term - 1pm finish

Important Dates and Events

Term 2

Tuesday 22 April- Friday 4 July- 1pm dismissal for students

Term 3

Monday 21 July- Friday 19 September- 1pm dismissal for students

Term 4

Monday 6 October- Tuesday 16 December- 1pm dismissal for students

2025 Sacraments

Reconciliation (Year 3)- Wednesday 12 November @ 6:30pm (Church)

2025 School Closures

Monday 11 August: Professional Learning Day- No school for students

Friday 28 November: Professional Learning Day- No school for students

Public Holidays

Tuesday 4 November: Melbourne Cup

Time In Lieu Days

Monday 3 November: School Closure for staff and students

2025 Parent/Teacher Conferences

Thursday 23 October: Parent/Teacher Progress Meeting- 1pm finish for students

2025 Celebrations of Learning

Term 3: Wednesday 17 & 18 September: School Production (evening)

Term 4: Thursday 20 November- 9-11am- Mathematics Focus

Term Three

Week 1

Mon 21 Jul: Term 3 begins for all students

Week 2

Mon 28 Jul: 2026 Preps Early Learning S1: 9:30am - 10:30 am

Tue 29 Jul: Tony's Pies orders close

Wed 30 Jul: Preps 100 Days of School (dress up).

Wed 30 Jul: SAC Meeting - 7pm - members only

Thur 31 Jul: Grandparents Day

Thur 31 Jul: 2026 Preps Early Learning S2: 2:45pm - 3:45pm

Thur 31 Jul: TRP Webinar: Building Resilience at Home for Parents/Carers

Fri 1 Aug: Interschool Sports: St Olivers vs Coburg West (Home)

Fri 1 Aug: Tony's Pies orders delivery

Fri 1 Aug: School Assembly 2:50pm - parents welcome

Week 3

Mon 4 Aug: Year 6 Incursion - Carlton Respects

Thur 7 Aug: 2026 Preps Early Learning S3: 2:45pm - 3:45pm

Week 4

Mon 11 Aug: School Closure - Professional Learning Day for Staff

Thur 14 Aug: Merri-Bek STEM MAD Showcase - St Fidelis 10am - 3pm

Fri 15 Aug: Feast of the Assumption - whole school mass 12pm - parents welcome

Fri 15 Aug: Assembly 2:50pm - parents welcome

Week 5

Mon 18 Aug: Book Week begins - Book dress up and parade

Tue 19 Aug: 2026 Preps Early Learning S4: 9:30am - 10:30 am

Thur 21 Aug: 2026 Preps Early Learning S5: 2:45pm - 3:45 pm

Thur 21 Aug: District Athletics

Fri 22 Aug: Book Week concludes - Author visit: Leigh Hobbs

Week 6

Mon 25 Aug: 2026 Preps Early Learning S6: 9:30am - 10:30 am

Wed 27 Aug: Scholastic Book Fair begins

Fri 28 Aug: Assembly 2:50pm - parents welcome

Week 7

Thur 4 Sept: Father's Day Gathering & Morning Tea

Thur 4 Sept: 2026 Preps Early Learning S7: 2:45pm - 3:45 pm

Fri 5 Sept: Father's Day Stall

Week 8

Mon 8 Sept: Book Fair concludes

Thur 11 Sept: R U OK? Day - Wear a splash of Yellow

Fri 12 Sept: Assembly 2:50pm - parents welcome

Week 9

Mon 15 Sept: Footy Hot Dog Day

Mon 15 Sept: 2026 Preps Early Learning S8: 9:30am - 10:30 am

Wed 17 Sept: School Performance A-K (rehearsal day, evening times and ticket purchases will be communicated soon)

Thur 18 Sept: School Performance L-Z (rehearsal day, evening times and ticket purchases will be communicated soon)

Fri 19 Sept: End of Term - 1PM Finish for Students

Parish News

Parish Website

Click the link above to find information about upcoming events at the parish.

It's a great way to stay involved and connected with our Parish community.

Student Administration News

Thank you to all our parents that have been able to complete the following permissions. If you missed this in the busyness of Term 1, please take a moment to read and complete the following permissions for your child via Google Form:

⭐️ ICT: Chromebook, Photography & Seesaw - this permission covers a few important areas. (Parents of students in Years 3–6, please review the Chromebook Agreement with your child to ensure a shared understanding of responsible use).

⭐️ Sunscreen Application Consent

If you are unable to access Google Forms, please contact our school office for assistance.

Thank you for your cooperation!

Second Hand Uniform Store Will Open This Week!

Our Second Hand Uniform store will open this week (25 June & 26 June) and run every fortnight (on even weeks - 2, 4, 6, 8, 10) at the following times:

Wednesday morning: 8.35am – 9.00am
Thursday afternoon: 3:20pm – 3.45pm

All items cost $10 each. Cash payments only at this stage.

DONATIONS:

If you have any good quality school uniform items that your child/children have outgrown and you would like to donate to our Second Hand Uniform Store, please drop them off at our school office.

Lost Property

If your child has misplaced an item of clothing or lunch box/drink bottle, please feel free to check our LOST PROPERTY in our school office by next Thursday 3 July.

All unclaimed uniform items will be donated to our Second Hand Uniform store and all other items will be disposed.

Thank you for your assistance.

Extended Leave Form

If you are planning a family holiday or scheduled extended leave from school, please download the Extended Leave Form, complete and return to our school office.

Click here to access the form.

Paper copies are also available for collection from our school office.

Thank you for your assistance.

Carol Leone/Katherine Darmanin

Office Administration

Extend News - Before and After School Care

Always Learning and Always Evolving

Extend's valuable and informative monthly publication, 'The Link - Community Hub', has just released its latest edition. It provides interesting articles, reviews, and ideas for our community to read and share!

Please click below to download the latest edition

The Link - Community Hub June 2025

We sincerely hope you find this resource useful and insightful.

Wishing you well,

The Extend Team

Parents & Friends News

Winter Warmer

A big thank you to Paula and the crew including Carla, Amy and Elie for coordinating and jumping in the Cheers Toastie truck at our recent Winter Warmer event!

Thanks to their efforts, the kids enjoyed delicious, warm toasties that truly hit the spot and made the event extra special. We really appreciate the hard work in making it such a success!

Looking for Parental Volunteers!

If you would like to volunteer at the following P&F fundraisers, please use the link below to sign up.

Term 3

Father’s Day Stall - Friday 5 September from 2:30pm
- Setup
- Selling

Volunteer here - volunteersignup.org/CE9T7

Thank you for your time and contribution.

Calling all local businesses!

Want to be a part of our Father's Day Stall this year?

We're looking for amazing local businesses with gifts perfect for the St Opp's community. If you think your products would be a great fit for our stall, we'd love to hear from you!

We'll be in touch soon to discuss how we can partner together for a successful Father's Day Stall.

Canteen News

Term 3 Canteen Volunteer Roster Now Open!

Hello everyone

Volunteer opportunities for "Term 3 2025 Canteen Volunteer Roster" are now open.

Please click on the following web link (or copy it into your web browser if clicking doesn't work) to go to the signup sheet:

volunteersignup.org/HPJPW

To sign up, just follow the instructions on the page. It only takes a few seconds to do.

Thank you for volunteering!

Student Awards

Awards will be printed in Monday's newsletter. Please be on the look out for your child's name.

Two children from each class will receive awards for displaying the below dispositions in their learning. They will receive their certificates at our fortnightly assembly on Fridays that take place on even weeks Week 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 at 2:50pm.

Parents are welcome to attend our fortnightly assemblies.

Risk Taking Russ Resilient Ruth Self Motivated Sally Reflective Rita Persistent Pete Curious Carter Collaborative Cody

Year Prep

YEAR PM

Vivienne K being a curious learner as demonstrated by her confidence to check her learning with the teacher when she is unsure.

Dion V for being a reflective learner as demonstrated by the way he shared his learning with the class when spelling and sounding out words.

YEAR PV

Xander R for being a risk taking learner as demonstrated by the way he loves to be challenged during Mathematic lessons.

Giulietta A for being a for being a collaborative learner as demonstrated by the way she offers help and words of encouragement to her peers.

YEAR PW

Shray J for being a risk taking learner as demonstrated by his positive mindset to always have a go at a challenging task.

Lauren L for being a curious learner as demonstrated by the way she asks insightful questions about our learning each day.

Year One

YEAR 1B

Leonardo S for being a risk taking learner, as demonstrated by his efforts to offer his peers feedback on their writing.

Thomas S for being a reflective learner as demonstrated by the way he articulated the strategies used to add numbers.

YEAR 1H

Zoe K for being a reflective learner as demonstrated by her willingness to use feedback to improve her spelling.

Christian C for being a risk taking learner, as demonstrated by the way he challenges himself to add extra detail to his writing.

Year Two

YEAR 2A

Rania H for being a persistent learner as demonstrated by her high concentration levels when completing maths tasks using our place value charts.

Cameron F.M for being a risk taking learner as demonstrated by the way he accepts mistakes as part of his learning.

YEAR 2G

Dirk T for being a curious learner as demonstrated by the way he always seeks out new information and shares it with the class.

Hugo F for being a collaborative learner as demonstrated by the way he always leads others to share their thoughts when doing group work.

YEAR 2R

Zoe W for being a collaborative learner as demonstrated by her use of kind words and actions when working with others.

George H for being a curious learner as demonstrated by the way he asks meaningful questions to solve problems and deepen his understanding.

Year Three

YEAR 3L

Aria M for being a reflective learner as demonstrated by the way she articulates what she has learnt and how she can make improvements.

Lucia S for being a curious learner as demonstrated by her eagerness to ask questions and her confidence to clarify information when she is unsure.

YEAR 3P

Courtney M for being a reflective learner as demonstrated by the way she uses teacher feedback to improve and set future learning for herself.

Pearl D for being a persistent learner as demonstrated by her willingness to give tasks multiple attempts even when she finds them tricky.

Year Four

YEAR 4D

George W for being a collaborative learner as demonstrated by the way he worked as part of a group to share ideas and listen to each other when working on his group paraliturgy service.

Arnand Y for being a collaborative learner as demonstrated by the way he displays patience, flexibility and respect in order to successfully complete a task within a group.

YEAR 4G

Marcus S for being a reflective learner as demonstrated by his ability to use behaviour feedback to create goals for the future.

Ariah S for being a risk taking learner as demonstrated by her willingness to give Math problems a go even if unsure of the correct method.

Year Five

YEAR 5JL

Victoria D for being a reflective learner as demonstrated in English. You are able to independently review your writing and take on teacher feedback with a positive attitude and make changes to enhance your writing. Well done!

Julian S for being a self motivated learner as demonstrated in English. Your thorough research of an endangered animal, combined with your strong understanding of persuasive texts, enabled you to craft a detailed and convincing persuasive letter.

YEAR 5M

Alexandra M for being a self motivated learner as demonstrated by the way she puts maximum effort into her learning tasks across all curriculum areas and is always trying her best.

Dante M for being a persistent learner as demonstrated by completing all of his reading comprehension questions to the best of his ability.

Year Six

YEAR 6F

Luka M for being a persistent learner as demonstrated by the way that he has strived to improve his multiplication recall times to under 1 second.

Savannah S for being a self motivated learner as demonstrated by the work that she has committed to ensure that her narrative was published for review.

YEAR 6N

Dimitrios K for being persistent learner as demonstrated by the way that he has strives to add more detail to his responses in Literacy Daily Reviews

Joseph C for being a reflective learner as demonstrated by his ability to recognise areas for improvement and use feedback to create learning goals for the future.

School Noticeboard- Special Acknowledgements

Our School Community Notice Board acknowledges special Staff or School Family News. It allows us to be connected through prayer while we are apart and it is something I would really like to continue when we are back together again. If you have a particular event happening in your life e.g. birth or death and would like us to acknowledge this event please email me. We as a school community would love to offer prayers and thoughts to you during times of great joy or sadness.

principal@sopascoevale.catholic.edu.au

Welcome Baby Eliana

We are thrilled to share the joyful news that Mollie Lekkas has welcomed a beautiful baby girl into the world!

Eliana Julie Lekkas was born on Sunday 15 June, and both mum and baby are doing well. We send our heartfelt congratulations to Mollie and Jason on this wonderful new chapter.

Please join us in sending your best wishes and warmest thoughts to them as they enjoy this special time together!

Community News and Events

Gratitude for Generosity

A heartfelt thank you to Trinity Switchboards for another generous donation of Chromebooks, headphones and document cameras - to enhance student learning and empower teaching.

We are truly grateful for your commitment to education and community. Your contribution plays an important role in supporting both our students and teachers as we continue to grow and learn together.

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