Term 4 Week 3 of 11
Friday, 23rd October 2026
Message from the Principal
Dear Parents and Carers,
As our Year 4, 5, and 6 students grow more and more independent, they naturally become more curious about the digital world. Recently, we have noticed an increase in students discussing, sharing, and mimicking trends from social media platforms—most notably TikTok. We also deal with situations where students have been disrespectful to each other online via these apps and this has caused concerns at school. While these platforms offer creative outlets, they also introduce challenges that our upper primary students are not yet developmentally equipped to handle. Primary school children are simply not ready for the online world.
It is important for families to note that allowing upper primary students on these apps is no longer just a violation of standard app terms and conditions—it is now illegal under Australian federal law.
The social media minimum age law explicitly bans children under the age of 16 from creating or maintaining accounts on major platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook.
No Parental Loopholes: Under this legislation, parents and guardians cannot give consent to bypass the age restriction.
Who is Held Accountable? The law does not punish or fine parents or children. Instead, the legal onus and heavy financial penalties rest entirely on the social media corporations, which are legally required to proactively detect and deactivate underage accounts.
I’m reaching out to our parents to keep their children off social media and to follow the new laws to protect their children.
Some ideas to support this are
Keep Devices Out of Bedrooms: Establish a central charging station in the kitchen or living room. Ensure all devices are plugged in there well before bedtime to guarantee uninterrupted sleep.
Have Open Conversations: Instead of just banning apps, talk openly about why these age limits exist. Ask them about what they see online and ensure they know they can come to you if something makes them feel uncomfortable or scared.
Explore Safe Alternatives: Encourage your children to engage in offline activities, sports, or creative hobbies that provide fulfillment without the pressure of online validation.
Tabloid Sports
It was wonderful to see our Year Prep, One and Two students enjoying their tabloid sports on Monday. A special thanks to our P.E teacher Nathan Koprek for organising the sports, our wonderful parent helpers and the Year 6 helpers for being part of such a fun day.
Best Wishes,
Deputy Principal - Religious Education Leader
October is the Month of the Rosary
“In times of trouble, saying the Rosary is like holding the Blessed Mother’s hand”
The Rosary is a meditative prayer that the faithful have prayed for hundreds of years. It centres around Mother Mary, recognising that she intercedes in our prayers and that in turn, Jesus listens to his mother’s pleas (remember the story of the Wedding in Cana?). The Rosary invites us to meditate on divine mysteries that happened in Mary and Jesus’ lives, which then helps us grow in love and faith in God.
View the QR code for a printable guide to the Rosary.
Reflection: Who taught you to pray the Rosary?
Here’s one of the prayers your family can practise at home!
St. Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal
As we begin to approach the end of the year and look forward to Christmas, for members in our community that are less fortunate than us it means a time of greater stress.
This year, our school will be supporting our community by collecting donations of non-perishable items on behalf of our Parish’s
St. Vincent De Paul Conference.
Some examples of some non-perishable items are:
A basket will be placed in each Year Level area, where families are welcome to bring in a non-perishable item to be donated via the Parish. This donation drive will go until Wednesday 25th of November as our Vinnies group needs time to create hampers to send to families in need.
All our St Vinnie’s members will represent each of you as they deliver these generous resources on your behalf. We would like to extend our gratitude and thanks for your continuous support.
Best Wishes,
Wellbeing, Community & Child Safety
Our PBL focus for weeks 3 & 4 is LEARNING TO BE MINDFUL. This focus helps our students build resilience and has several benefits to their social and wellbeing outcomes:
Reduced stress, depression and anxiety
Improved behavioural and emotional regulation
Improved concentration, impulsivity and memory
Strengthened connection in relationship
The students will be learning about and practicing mindfulness. It involves paying attention to the present moment, thoughts, and surroundings with openness and without judgment.
Simple Mindfulness At-Home Activities
Belly Buddies (Teddy Breathing): Have the child lie down with a soft toy or "buddy" on their belly and watch it rise and fall as they breathe deeply.
Spidey Senses: Encourage children to activate their "superhero senses" by quietly noticing 5 things they see, 4 they can touch, 3 they hear, 2 they smell, and 1 they taste.
Finger Breathing / Tracing Hands: Trace the outline of one hand with the index finger of the other hand, breathing in as you trace up a finger and breathing out as you trace down.
Mindful Glitter Jar: Shake a jar filled with water and glitter, then watch the glitter slowly settle to the bottom as a visual metaphor for calming busy thoughts.
Listening to a Chime or Bell: Ring a chime and ask the children to close their eyes and raise a hand for as long as they can clearly hear the lingering sound.
Add a mindfulness journal ritual - children writing 3 things they are grateful for everyday.
SUNDAY GOSPEL
Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 22:34-40
We Reflect
Jesus’ answer to the Pharisees highlights their preoccupation with the particulars of the Law contained within scripture. In their over-emphasis on the details of religious observance, they have forgotten about the most basic element of faith: to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind. Jesus reminds them that being faithful to God isn’t about following precise rules but rather it is simply about loving God. With this one sentence, Jesus undermines the power position of the Pharisees. If the Law is as simple as ‘Love God’, what need is there of Pharisees to interpret the details of the Law? Having pulled the rug out from under them, Jesus follows up with his reminder that the second most important commandment is to love your neighbour as yourself. This is a call to compassion and justice that Jesus practised freely but was sadly lacking in the religious authorities of his time.
REFLECTION by Greg Sunter
We Read
When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees they got together and, to disconcert him, one of them put a question, ‘Master, which is the greatest commandment of the law?’ Jesus said, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second resembles it: you must love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments hang the whole Law, and the Prophets also.’
Praise to You Lord Jesus Christ
Parish News
Sinulog Social Gathering
Thank you to our Philippine Community for the wonderful social gathering held on Saturday, 17th October. The evening was a great success and a wonderful opportunity for parishioners and friends to come together in fellowship.
We extend our sincere appreciation to all the organisers, volunteers, and contributors whose hard work and dedication made the event possible. The night was filled with great company, delicious food, laughter, and outstanding entertainment, creating a warm and joyful atmosphere for everyone who attended.
Thank you for your generosity, hospitality, and community spirit.
All Souls Day
Next weekend, during all Masses, we will offer prayers for those who have passed away. After the entrance hymn, parishioners will be invited to come forward and place the names of their departed loved ones at the foot of the cross, a powerful symbol of our community joining together in prayer and remembrance.
Thank You, Dinner for Ministry Volunteers,
As we approach the end of another wonderful year, we invite all parishioners involved in any ministry to join us for a Thank You Dinner in appreciation for your generous service to our parish community.
Date: Tuesday 24th November
Time: 6.00pm
Venue: Parish Hall
Please add your name to the RSVP list in the Narthex if you will be attending.
We look forward to thanking you for your dedication and commitment throughout the year.
St Vinnies Christmas Appeal
The St Vincent de Paul Society will once again be collecting gifts and hamper items for families in need this Christmas.
From Saturday 7th November to Friday 27th November, gift tags will be displayed on boards located at the back of the Piety Store. The tags will indicate either a boy or girl, generally aged between 5 and 12 years, with a small number of tags for 13 and 14-year-olds.
We invite parishioners to take a tag, purchase a suitable gift, and return the unwrapped gift to the church or parish office by 27 November.
We are also gratefully accepting donations of non-perishable food items for our Christmas hampers.
Thank you for your generosity and support in helping bring joy to families in need this Christmas
Missing Australian human rights activist Hiep Tran
Hiep Tran, who was recently detained or rather abducted after travelling to Cambodia is Minh-Tam Pham ‘son. Hiep had been holidaying in Thailand before making a short visit to Cambodia to meet with colleagues who are human right activists.
Hiep Tran arrived in Australia at the age of 17. He completed his secondary education at Melbourne High School and then graduated from Monash University and working as an IT Analyst at The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) – Teltra – National Australia Bank (NAB). He also is a co-founder and Public Officer of Australian Alliance to Combat Human Trafficking Inc. was established through the initiatives of the Vietnamese Students Association in Melbourne with its Certificate of Incorporation N. A0049951J has been certified by Consumer Affair Victoria on 22 March 2007, efforts to fight against human trafficking regarding the Vietnamese communist regime’s complicity in trafficking of young Vietnamese girls - aged 6 to 10 - were forced to be sex slaves in Cambodia,
On 18 September 2026, while travelling in Cambodia to participate in meetings with other human rights activists, both men were unlawfully seized by Vietnamese secret police operating extraterritorially in Cambodian and ordered their detention in Saigon.
At the time of their abduction, they were preparing to board a scheduled commercial flight to Bangkok, where their relatives were waiting. Their confirmed itinerary clearly demonstrates that they had no intention whatsoever of entering Vietnam…”
We ask parishioners to sign the petition below by clicking on the link to help bring these men home.
Parishioner Assistance Request
We are seeking assistance for Irene Retelj, a parishioner who attends the 10.30am Mass. Irene is currently unable to attend Mass independently as she does not drive and would greatly appreciate a lift to and from church once a fortnight.
Irene resides in McCrae Avenue, St Albans. If you attend the 10.30am Mass and can assist by providing transport, please contact the Parish Office.
Pieta Statue Blessing
We are pleased to advise parishioners that the Pieta statue has now been installed, with landscaping works currently underway to enhance this special prayerful space.
The blessing of the Pieta statue will take place during all weekend Masses on 14th and 15th November. We invite all parishioners to join us as we dedicate this beautiful memorial and place of reflection within our parish grounds.
Christ the King
Since 1925 the universal Church has celebrated the 35th and last Sunday of Ordinary Time with the Feast of Christ the King. The feast honours the Christ’s sovereignty over all persons, families, nations and the whole universe. Over the past years we as a parish, have celebrated this feast with a distinct Samoan flavour.
It gives us an opportunity as a parish to recognise and celebrate with our parishioners who trace their origins back to Samoa. The celebrations will be at our 10.30am Mass on Sunday 22nd November, lunch afterwards.
Hairdresser Wanted - Part-Time Position
JC's Hair and Beauty, a home-based salon located in Taylors Hill, is seeking a reliable and friendly team member to join our salon.
Part-time role
12 to 15 hours per week to start
Ideal for mums with school-aged children
Commencing mid-November
To arrange an interview, please contact 0421 100 190.
Three
A
Claudette Petruccelli
Zane H - For enthusiastically using your Writer’s Notebook to collect ideas and turn them into vibrant, imaginative writing. Outstanding effort, Zane!
Grace K - For showing exceptional skill in collecting, organising, and displaying data in math. Well done Grace!
Kris S - For your enthusiastic approach to learning, strong determination, and eagerness to embrace new challenges. Keep striving for great things Kris!
Three
B
Jake Moloney
Madeleine V - For showcasing an engaging mindset during the St Kilda Beach excursion and demonstrating her penguin walk to the EcoCentre staff. Well done, Madeleine!
Magdalene H - for embracing her inner scientist when experimenting with different objects whilst identifying solids, liquids and gases. Well done, Magdalene!
Elisse C - For demonstrating her abilities as a great conservationist during the St Kilda Beach excursion, by keeping the beach clean. Well done, Elisse!
Four
A
Lena Aloi
Aaliyah A - For consistently demonstrating a positive attitude towards learning, showing perseverance when faced with challenges, and always striving to do your best.
Nicholas D - For showing kindness, respect and consideration towards others, and for helping to create a positive and welcoming classroom environment.
Adior D - For consistently making responsible choices, following classroom expectations, and being a positive role model for others through your actions and behaviour.
Four
B
Isabella Pisano
Jessica L - For your positive approach to learning, continued effort and willingness to challenge yourself. Keep believing in yourself and striving for great things, Jessica!
Xander A - For developing your understanding of categorical and numerical data during our Maths data investigation sessions. Keep striving to be the best learner you can!
Four
C
Vanessa Axiak
Sahasrith R - For showing kindness and patience by supporting classmates who find learning challenging. Your willingness to help others and encourage them to do their best makes our classroom a wonderful place to learn. Keep being a fantastic role model!
Eland C - For making a fantastic start to the term by demonstrating a positive attitude and trying new things.
Five
A
Jane Huang
Olivia M - For developing confidence in reading the text book ‘The Last Bear’ and enthusiastically sharing her understanding with her classmates.
Richard P - For taking initiative in his learning by striving to complete tasks within the allocated time and seeking help when needed.
Anji B - For being a resilient learner by asking questions when she is unsure about a learning concept or finds a task challenging
Five
B
Malae Suaesi
Amos L - For being a knowledgeable learner when sharing his fantastic ideas and understanding of natural disasters. Well done!
Alicia V - For demonstrating great understanding when applying independent and dependent clauses in her sentences. Great thinking!
AJ A - For being a resilient learner when confidently sharing his ideas about the four Gospels. Well done!
Five
C
Lavina Stewart
Johnathan N - For demonstrating strong math skills by collecting, organising and classifying large-scale data. Well done Johnathan!
Faye M - For excellent active listening and note-taking during our study of the 4 gospels. Keep it up Faye!
Six
A
Kurt Caguin
Vadao Khai - For putting in great effort into her information report writing, responding to feedback and presenting her best work. Well done Vadao Khai!
Makaylah Gauci - For effectively writing notes to record important facts about natural disasters. Keep up the good work Makaylah!
Six
B
Georgia Tankey
Noami L - For consistently demonstrating exceptional focus, active participation, and a vibrant enthusiasm for learning every single day.
Kung Then T - For being a consistently positive, reliable, and hardworking student who brings out the best in our classroom every single day.
Japanese:
Yumiko Aiki
Emily K (6C) - For being a dedicated and enthusiastic learner in Japanese class, consistently challenging herself with every task. Her commitment to learning Japanese is truly commendable!
Performing Arts:
Jody Banks
Bailey M (6C) - For displaying an amazing level of confidence in all areas of Performing Arts and for working on her performance skills with such a positive attitude to learning. Continue to let your talents shine, Bailey!
Visual Arts:
Emma Lyons
& Enza La Rosa
Johnathan N (5C) - For demonstrating a fantastic growth mindset when creating your Yayoi Kusama-inspired pumpkin! You showed creativity, perseverance and a willingness to keep trying. Keep growing as an artist!
S T E M:
Joanne Abos-Padilla
Velasquez
Pinidi (6A) - For demonstrating creativity and excellent design thinking while exploring 3D-printed fidget toy prototypes! You show a great understanding of what makes a design functional, safe and useful. Well done!
P.E:
Nathan Koprek
Jayden C (5A) - For demonstrating outstanding sportsmanship and cooperation during PE softball lessons. Jayden works brilliantly with his teammates to get the opposition out and has hit some amazing home runs in class! Well done Jayden!
Olivia M (5A) - For her positive attitude and enthusiastic participation in PE. Olivia approaches every activity with passion, gives her best effort in all tasks, and is always eager to get involved. Well done Olivia !
TERM FOUR DATES 2026
Week 4
Monday 26th October
● Year P - 2 Assembly at 2:30pm
● Adrian & Fiona EAL PD
Tuesday 27th October
● Leadership meeting at 3:30pm
Wednesday 28th October
● Junior Year Level Mass 9am
● 2pm full evac drill
Thursday 29th October
● Staff Meeting at 3:30pm
Friday 30th October
● 3/4 Excursion - Scienceworks
Saturday 31st October
●
Sunday1st November
● Solemnity of all Saints
Week 6
Monday 9th November
● Year 3 - 6 Assembly at 2:30pm
Tuesday 10th November
● Leadership meeting at 3:30pm
Wednesday 11th November
● Remembrance Day Service
Thursday 12th November
● Staff Meeting at 3:30pm
● School Advisory Council (SAC) meeting and dinner - 7pm
Friday 13th November
● Prep 2027 Transition with parents (Session 2 of 4) - 9am - 10am
● STEM - Fighting Extinction Showcase at Melbourne Zoo (Grade 6 - 10 students) 9.45 to 1.00
Saturday 14th November
●
Sunday 15th November
● Thirty - third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Week 8
Monday 23rd November
● Years 1-6 2027 Transition (Session 2 of 2)
● Year 3 - 6 Assembly at 2:30pm
Tuesday 24th November
● PSGs
● Leadership meeting at 3:30pm
Wednesday 25th November
● PSGs
● Leadership meeting 3.30pm
Thursday 26th November
● PSGs
● Staff Meeting at 3:30pm
Friday 27th November
● PSGs
● Prep 2027 Transition without parents (Session 4 of 4) - 9am - 10:45am
● Fundraiser Colour Run
Saturday 28th November
Sunday 29th November
● First Sunday of Advent
Week 10
Monday 7th December
● P-2 Swimming
● Year 3 - 6 Assembly at 2:30pm
Tuesday 8th December
● P-2 Swimming
● Leadership meeting at 3:30pm
● Staff Birthday December
Wednesday 9th December
● P-2 Swimming
● Year 6 Big Day Out to Funfields
Thursday 10th December
● Christmas Carols
Friday 11th December
Saturday 12th December
Sunday 13th December
● Third Sunday of Advent
Week 3
Monday 19th October
● Year 3 - 6 Assembly at 2:30pm
Tuesday 20th October
● Student Engagement Team Meeting all day in the parish
● Staff October Birthdays
Wednesday 21st October
● G5 excursion - Melbourne Museum IMAX
Thursday 22nd October
● Middle Year Level Mass 9am
● G6 excursion - Melbourne Museum IMAX
● Staff Meeting at 3:30pm
● Student Engagement Team Meeting
Friday 23rd October
● Principal Network
Saturday 24th October
●
Sunday 25th October
● Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Week 5
Monday 2nd November
● School Closure Day: TIL for Staff
Tuesday 3rd November
● School Closure Day: Melbourne Cup P/H
Wednesday 4th November
●
Thursday 5th November
● Executive team meeting - intervention and learning support forward planning for 2027
● Staff Meeting at 3:30pm
● Prep Level Mass at 2.30pm
Friday 6th November
● Prep 2027 Transition with parents (Session 1 of 4) - 9am - 10am
Saturday 7th November
●
Sunday 8th November
● Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Week 7
Monday 16th November
● Years 1-6 2027 Transition (Session 1 of 2)
● Year P-2 Assembly at 2:30pm
Tuesday 17th November
● Staff Birthdays
Wednesday 18th November
●
Thursday 19th November
● 2026 Evaluation Day (All leaders)
● Staff Meeting at 3:30pm
Friday 20th November
● Prep 2027 Transition without parents (Session 3 of 4) - 9am - 10:45am
● Principal Network
Saturday 21st November
Sunday 22nd November
● The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ King of the Universe
Week 9
Monday 30th November
● P-2 Swimming
Tuesday 1st December
● P-2 Swimming
Wednesday 2nd December
● P-2 Swimming
Thursday 3rd December
● 2027 Planning Day for Executive
● Staff Meeting at 3:30pm
Friday 4th December
● Principal Network (Mass)
● Years 1-6 2027 Transition (Session 3 of 3) 9am to 10.45am
Saturday 5th December
Sunday 6th December
● Second Sunday of Advent
Week 11
Monday 14th December
● Year 6 Graduation Lunch 11am to 1.30pm (lunch at 11.30am)
● No assembly today
Tuesday 15th December
● End of Year Mass & Awards at 9am
● Last day of the year for students finish at 12pm
● Staff will complete the handover
Wednesday 16th December
● Staff Lunch 12pm - 4pm
Thursday 17th December
Friday 18th December
Saturday 19th December
Sunday 20th December
● Fourth Sunday of Advent
