Dear Parents, Teachers and Students, 

Welcome Back for Term 3
I would like to extend a very warm welcome to Term 3 to all students, families and staff, especially those new to our school community. I trust that the two-week break provided an opportunity to refresh and unwind, and that all are now ready to take on the challenges of a new term. We have a busy term ahead of us, with lots of exciting things planned; the calendar on our school website (https://mtcarmel.nsw.edu.au/calendar) is kept up-to-date with all events, but reminders will always be published in the Carmeletta, too.

I am back on deck now, after a brief period of leave in which I was fortunate to be able to participate in a pilgrimage to St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, and honoured to carry the Jubilee Cross the length of Via della Conciliazione, from outside the Vatican into St Peter’s Square, entering the Basilica through the Holy Door, which is only opened during a Jubilee or Holy Year, usually only every 25 years. We also visited several other Jubilee churches, including Santa Maria Maggiore (where Pope Francis is buried), Notre Dame Cathedral, Galway Cathedral, and Westminster Cathedral. In a personal element to our pilgrimage, I was also able to visit the town of Rochfortbridge in Ireland, the place from which the three courageously faithful Sisters of Mercy came in 1875 to found Mt Carmel School. I feel tremendously blessed to have had the opportunity to make this journey with my family. We were able to do and experience so many incredible things, but to be a pilgrim is to be more than just a tourist – it is a journey of encounter, an endeavour to personally experience the ways in which God's presence has been witnessed and expressed throughout time, and thus to better understand our own place in the history of our faith and, ultimately, become a better disciple.

God of hope,
In this Jubilee year, you remind us of our call to grow in faith and love.
Open our minds to know Your voice.
Open our hands to do Your work.
Open our hearts to hold Your Spirit.
Amen.

NAIDOC Week
NAIDOC Week was celebrated during the school holidays, and it is an important time to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It is also an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest continuous living cultures on earth. To mark NAIDOC Week, 3 Green led us in a beautiful Prayer Assembly last Friday, and this week the Year 6 classes and their teachers, Mrs Karakotas, and I will be travelling to Goulburn on Thursday to participate in the Northern Region NAIDOC Mass at the Goulburn Cathedral.

100 Days of Kindergarten
This Friday 1 August, we will celebrate a milestone for our youngest students: one hundred days of big school – time flies when you’re having fun! The Kindergarten classes will mark the occasion with a special dress-up day, lots of fun activities exploring the number 100.

School Attendance - Every Day Counts
A reminder that any student absence is required to be explained promptly, preferably with an absentee note submitted via Compass. Notwithstanding the importance to public health of keeping children at home when they are sick (and there are plenty of bugs going around at the moment), it is worth remembering that many small absences can quickly add up to have a big impact on your child’s learning – if your child misses as little as one day per fortnight, this equates to almost three full terms by the end of primary school. 

The Catholic Education Attendance Policy identifies the following levels of attendance:

• Excellent Attendance: 95% and above (e.g. 2.5 days absence or less in a term or 10 absences over a year)
• Regular Attendance: 90-94.9% (e.g. 2.6 to 5 days absence in a term or 10.1 to 20 absences over a year)
• Emerging Absenteeism: 80-89.9% (e.g. 5.1 to 10 days absence in a term or 20.1 to 40 absences over a year)
• Chronic Absenteeism: Less than 80% (e.g. more than 10 days absence in a term or 40 absences over a year)

Our attendance rates by year group so far this year range from 89 to 93 percent. Hopefully, as we come out of the winter flu-season, we will see a rise in all year levels’ attendance so that everyone can make the most of their learning in Semester 2.


Altar Servers
The parish is recruiting Altar Servers to serve at Mass on Sunday mornings. Serving on the altar helps children to become more engaged with the Mass and to better understand its rituals. It is also a great way to encourage our children to become active citizens, with a positive attitude towards community service. 

Servers must have received the sacraments of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. Anyone from Year 4 and up would be most welcome to participate in this important role. Training will be provided during school hours and at Mass by the Liturgy committee and experienced servers. Please return the commitment slip (attached to this newsletter or collected from the front office) if your child would like to help with this special job.


Mt Carmel Day
The actual date of Mt Carmel Day is July 16, which falls almost every year in the school holidays. Consequently, we will be celebrating our school’s Feast Day on August 15, which is the Feast of the Assumption – another important day on the church’s calendar in honour of Mary. So on Friday in Week 4, we will celebrate with a whole-school Mass and some fun activities. More information on the day will follow, closer to the event.

Michael Green
Principal