St Colman's School Mortlake eNewsletter

Acknowledgement of Country

St Colman’s acknowledges the Girai wurung people as the traditional owners of the land on which our school stands and we respectfully recognise elders both past and present.

From the Principal

Dear St Colman's community,

Welcome to Week 6!

While we are enjoying the beautiful sunshine, we are also keenly aware that our region is in desperate need of rain. I have never seen our land so dry, and I know that many of our families are facing very challenging conditions and worrying financial times. In this newsletter, I have included formal communication from DOBCEL, our Governing Body, reassuring you all of their support during these difficult times. If paying school fees is a challenge for your family, please reach out to us—we are here to help.

This week, we commence Catholic Education Week in the Diocese of Ballarat. We have so much to be proud of in our school and in the wonderful system of schools to which we belong. The week highlights our commitment to providing high-quality, holistic education founded in Gospel values, fostering the holistic development of well-rounded, compassionate citizens. We began our celebrations today with “Dress Like a Teacher” day and a wonderful Pizza and Milk lunch prepared by our fantastic Student Leadership Team.

Please read on to discover what else is happening in our school community. Remember to check the key dates section of the newsletter to stay up to date. There are quite a few excursions coming up over the next two weeks, so please ensure you are regularly checking PAM for any notifications that require your action.

As always, feel free to contact me at any time with any questions, concerns, or suggestions.

Kind regards,

Janet

Key Dates:

Term 2 2025

Monday 26th May-Dress Like a Teacher day/ Pizza Lunch

Friday 30th May- Tri Sports

Monday 2nd- Friday 20th June- Malia Callaghan in Junior Room (Pre -service Teacher Placement)

Tuesday 3rd June- Junior Excursion to Warrnambool

Wednesday 4th June- AFL 9's

Friday 6th June- HCSN Network Day

Monday 9th June- King's Birthday Public Holiday

Wednesday 11th June- SAC Meeting

- Susan McLean Cyber Safety presentation, 7:30 @ MRC Camperdown

Monday 30th June- MRC Taster Day @ Noorat

Tuesday 1st July- Mid-year reports delivered

Friday 4th July- Term 2 finishes at 2:15

School Closure Days for 2025
8 August – Student-free day- Catholic Social Teaching
31 October – Student-free day- Structured Literacy
3 November – Student-free day- Compliance Training and Assessments
19 December – Student-free day; last day of term four

Catholic School Culture

Last week was Laudato Si’ Week in Australia. As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’ letter to us all, it is worth reflecting on how his message of caring for “Our Common Home” remains one of the core purposes of our Religious Education curriculum here at our school.

Laudato Si’ is an encyclical—a special letter written by Pope Francis in 2015. Its title comes from the first words of St. Francis of Assisi’s “Canticle of Creatures,” meaning “Praise Be to You”.

This important document calls on everyone—not just Catholics—to care for the environment and for each other. Pope Francis reminds us that the earth is a gift from God, and we are responsible for looking after it and showing respect for all people and living things. Laudato Si’ teaches that caring for nature and helping people in need are deeply connected, and that we must act with compassion and responsibility.

The encyclical encourages us to reflect on our daily choices—like using resources wisely, protecting animals and plants, and supporting those most affected by environmental changes. At its heart, Laudato Si’ is about living simply, caring for creation, and working together for a better world.

As a Catholic school community, we are inspired by Laudato Si’ to nurture a sense of gratitude for God’s gifts and to encourage our children to become thoughtful, caring stewards of our common home.

Financial Support

As drought conditions continue to affect many parts of our community, we remain committed to supporting families who are experiencing financial hardship. If this is the case for you, I encourage you contact the school to arrange a confidential conversation with Janet about how we can best support you during these challenging times.

"Dress like a Teacher" day

Today we began our celebration of Catholic Education Week by having Dress Like a Teacher Day and enjoying pizzas that were lovingly prepared by our Student Leadership Team. Below are some photos from our fun day.

Wonderful News

We congratulate Rosie and Eamonn O’Connor, who have shared the exciting news that they are expecting their first baby in November. We look forward to sharing in their journey and watching that little bump grow!

Tri Sports

Grade 5/6 Tri Sports are on this Friday, May 30th, at Frederick Street Oval in Camperdown starting at 10am. Our students will combine with St Thomas' and enter teams in the netball and football competitions. Children will be driven to Camperdown by Anna or Brianna and there will be a canteen there to buy snacks and lunch.

Parents of children in Year 5 and 6 will need to give permission on PAM for their child to attend.

Junior Excursion, AFL 9's & HCSN Network Day

Our Juniors will be heading off on an excursion to Warrnambool next Tuesday, June 3rd. The children will attend a theatrical performance of Alison Lester’s classic picture story book Imagine at The Lighthouse Theatre.

On Wednesday, June 4th, our Year 3 and 4 class will be participating in AFL 9s at the Noorat Rec Reserve.

On Friday next week, June 6th, all students from the three primary schools that make up the Hampden Catholic Schools Network will come together for a special day.

Foundation to Year 2 students will travel to Camperdown to join their peers for a day of play, learning, and prayer.
Grade 5 and 6 students will travel to Terang for their activities.
As is tradition, Grade 3 and 4 students from all three schools will gather here at our school.

Please note: For all of these excursions, children are required to wear their sports uniform and bring their own snack, lunch, and drinks (no lunch orders available).

Keep an eye out for the notification that will provide you with further information and prompt you to complete the PAM permission forms.

New Fence

We are very grateful to some of our amazing parents for their efforts in replacing the old boundary fence that backs onto our playground and oval.
A huge thank you to Grant Cameron for all his organisation and hard work, and to his dedicated crew: Tom Dale, Travis Greig, Charles Kenny, Mason, and Will!

We are incredibly lucky to have parents who are willing to donate their time to our school—and who are so handy with the tools as well!
The fence looks fabulous—thank you all so much!

School vest for Winter

Last year we introduced a new uniform item; the puffer vest. We have a few available in the office for purchasing. They cost $60 each and the cost will be invoiced to your school account. Sizes seem to be fairly accurate, so if you child is regularly a size 10, I would suggest that, or one size up, is the size you need to buy.

Changes to the Reporting of Numeracy

This year we are reporting on the new numeracy curriculum; Victorian Curriculum F–10 Version 2.0. The staff have been teaching to this in 2025 and will be reporting on this too. One of the changes to our reporting is that instead of reporting to several strands - Number and Algebra, Measurement, Space - we will now report to 'Mathematics' which will include all of the strands. Look out for this when our new look reports come home later in the term.

School Advisory Council

We are grateful to our SAC members for 2025 for their ongoing support of our school.

Jo Wallis (Chair), Alison Greig, Zion Palmer, Sophie Allen, Rachel Baulch, Danielle Kenny, Georgie Price, Rosie O’Connor (School rep), Janet Cain (Principal).

These people are the voice of the parish and parents in the school. If you have any questions or anything that you would like raised please contact one of these people.

The SAC meets twice a term and we thank these people for agreeing to be a part of this group that provides an essential link between the school and its families.

This year we will hold our meetings Wednesday of week 3 and week 8 each term starting at 6:30pm. Please note that we have cancelled this Wednesday's SAC Meeting as we put all of our efforts into promoting our Open Night/ Bush Dance.

The dates are;

Term 2; May 7th and June 11th

Term 3; Aug 6th and Sept 10th

Term 4; Oct 22nd and Nov 26th (AGM)

Tonight, some members of our SAC will gather together with the SAC members from St Patrick’s, St Thomas’, and Mercy Regional College for a dinner to celebrate Catholic Education Week and to acknowledge our joint commitment to fostering thriving educational communities, grounded in Gospel values.

Wellbeing

Cyber Safety and Digital Responsibility

As highlighted in previous newsletters, we continue to address school-related issues that arise from students’ online activities—such as gaming or chatting—outside of school hours. If you become aware of any online incident involving your child that may impact their school experience, please let us know.

We encourage you to remain vigilant about your child’s online activities, including what they access, play, say, and hear. By fostering digital literacy, parents can help protect children from risks like cyberbullying, inappropriate content, and online predators, while also promoting healthy digital habits and open conversations about online experiences.

In the coming weeks, I will be sharing valuable information and resources to support you in this area. These will include key online safety messages, practical tips, and links to eSafety tools and resources designed to help young people stay safe and thrive online.

We look forward to working together with our families to ensure a safe and positive digital environment for all our students.

Good habits start young

Parents and carers play an important role in helping children to develop digital intelligence — the social, emotional and practical skills needed to successfully navigate the digital world.

Wellbeing Newsletter by Mrs Marsden

Since our Wellbeing Day, students have been practising using their individual regulation plans to remind them of strategies to try when they identify emotions that are outside of the green zone. The students are enjoying trialling different techniques and have even helped guide staff in making their own plans. Be sure to check them out next time you are in the classroom.

A reminder that our Wellbeing Information Session will be held at 2:15pm on Tuesday, 27th May (TOMORROW). Please ensure that a representative of each family is present. Alternatively, you can email nmarsden@scmortlake.catholic.edu.au to request a link to join online. I look forward to meeting many of you on the day. Thank you in advance for your support in taking a collaborative approach to caring for your child.

Narelle Marsden
Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader

Social Media & Comparison Culture

In today's hyper-connected world, young people are constantly exposed to carefully curated snapshots of other people's lives - from picture-perfect holidays and academic achievements to the latest fashion trends and fitness goals. This relentless stream of comparisons, often amplified through social media, creates what is known as comparison culture. Comparison culture fosters a mindset where individuals constantly evaluate their own worth by measuring themselves against others. This leaves many young people feeling as though they're falling short. For children and adolescents who are still developing their sense of identity, this environment can be especially harmful - contributing to feelings of inadequacy, self-doubt and anxiety. It's important to understand how comparison culture shapes the way children see themselves and their place in the world. When young people constantly compare their appearance, achievements, or social lives to their peers or online influencers, they can develop unrealistic expectations and a distorted sense of self-worth. This can lead to low self-esteem, perfectionism, and a constant need for external validation. However, through open conversations, positive role modelling, and proactive support, families can empower young people to build the resilience and confidence needed to navigate today's comparison-driven world. Encouraging an environment that values individuality, personal effort, and growth - rather than constant comparison or external validation - helps foster a stronger sense of self that allows young people to embrace their unique strengths and identity.

Comparison Culture

Michael Grose Parenting Toolbox

Friendships can be tricky! Michael Grose shares 10 time-tested tools to help parents guide kids through social ups and downs. Empower your child to become an expert friendship problem-solver, building agency and crucial life skills.
Here’s a handy purpose built first-aid kit to use when kids’ friendships cause distress.

Friendship First Aid Kit

School Wide Positive Behaviour Support

At St Colman's, we are excited to be using a positive behaviour acknowledgement system, inspired by the School-wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) framework. This evidence-based approach helps schools improve social, emotional, behavioural, and academic outcomes for students from Foundation to Year 12. Our new system will focus on promoting and rewarding specific behaviour expectations within our school community.

Here's how it works:

Staff members will distribute RAFFLE TICKETS to students demonstrating the targeted positive behaviour.
These tickets will be collected in a large jar and counted weekly.
Progress will be tracked on a barometer displayed in our school foyer and pictured above.
School-wide rewards will be offered at various milestones, with a grand prize when we reach 1000 tickets.

250 tickets= Movie and popcorn afternoon

500 tickets= Hot chip lunch at the playground

750 tickets= Casual clothes and free time afternoon/ rotation games

1000 tickets = Day trip to Lake Pertobe.

Congratulations to our students who have achieved the milestone of earning 500 tickets. All students enjoyed a hot chip lunch in the sun at Market Square last Thursday.

Our new Behaviour Blitz focuses on recognising and rewarding children who demonstrate respect by following adult instructions.

Hot Chip Reward

St. Colman's School is a Child Safe Community

Child Safety Officers

Janet Cain and Rosie O'Connor are our Child Safety Officers.

Contact them on:

Phone: 55992285 or 0490539167

Email: jcain@scmortlake.catholic.edu.au or roconnor@scmortlake.catholic.edu.au

The 11 Child Safe Standards

CCYP for Parents and Cares

COMMUNITY NEWS

FLY_0006_SEMESTER_2_VIC.pdf

ACD_Flyer_AboutACD_A4_Digital.pdf

Warrnambool_Surrounds_All_Girls_With_Prizes..pdf

Lunch Orders

LUNCH ORDERS are only available twice a week on Monday and Friday.

Menu and 2025 price list below

Playgroup at St Colman's

Our fortnightly Playgroup is ready to start again. We look forward to welcoming back our local pre-schoolers every second Friday. Our next session will be this Friday 30th May.

PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD WITH YOUR FRIENDS WHO HAVE PRESCHOOL AGED CHILDREN. EVERYONE IS WELCOME!!!

The ongoing commitment to this project will require support from other members of the school community. If you are willing to help out by going on a roster to help organise Little Colman’s, please contact the school.

Birthday Wishes

Out of School Care

A reminder that during 2025 we have access to Out of School Care, supplied by TheirCare, at Mortlake College. Registration is made via the TheirCare website. https://theircare.com.au/

Search for Mortlake College P-12

AngliCare Energy Assistance

As part of Anglicare Victoria’s FREE Energy Assistance Program, they provide assistance with energy bills to support Victorians to:

Talk to their energy retailer and get help with debt
Access extra financial support
Check they are receiving eligible concessions on their bill
Find and move to an affordable energy plan
Understand bills and fix any possible errors
Support your child's education with free internet at home

They can provide immediate assistance for clients who are struggling to pay for their gas or electricity bills to prevent disconnection to their property!

The follower two flyers provide further details.

NCCD

Please read the attached information sheet for parents regarding NCCD.

NCCD Information.pdf

Term 2 Week 6 Monday 26th May 2025