Dear Parents, Teachers and Students, 


Student Leadership
This Friday 17 November, nominations close for Year 5 students who are seeking formal leadership positions in 2023; that is, School Captains, Vice-Captains, House Captains and SRC Representatives. At Mt Carmel, our student leaders are appointed, not elected, and the process begins with students completing a nomination form addressing a selection criteria. Next Thursday 23 November, we will hold an assembly at 11:30am for the nominees to present their speeches to the school; parents are warmly invited to attend. The final step in the selection process will be Leadership interviews on Monday 27 November.


Stage 1 Swimming Program
This Friday 17 November we will be holding our one-day intensive Stage 1 swimming program. Students in Years 1 and 2 will be travelling to the Gunghalin Leisure Centre by bus to participate in a levelled AustSwim swimming lesson, a water safety lesson, and some fun and games in the water play area. Students will need to wear their swimmers under their sports uniform, for a quick change at the start of the day, and bring a towel, swim goggles, dry underwear, a plastic bag to put wet items in, and a packed recess, lunch and drink bottle – students will not be permitted to use the Leisure Centre’s canteen facilities. Please ensure that all items are clearly labelled with your child’s name.


End-of-Year Events
Now that we have passed the mid-term hump and are on the downhill run to Christmas, we are excited to be able to invite families to join us in our end-of-year celebrations. Because Christmas is on a Monday this year, Advent does not start until Week 9, and 1AH will lead us in a Prayer Assembly at 9am on Monday morning, 4 December. In Week 10, KAA and KJG will join to lead our prayer for the second week of Advent at 9am on Monday 11 December.

Our whole-school Christmas Concert will be held on Friday 8 December, Week 9, at 12pm under the shade-cloth featuring a Nativity play and a range of traditional and modern Christmas performances. At 9am on Wednesday 13 December, we will have a Year 3-5 awards assembly to recognise the efforts and achievements of our Primary students; parents will be notified in advance if their child will be receiving an award and are welcome to attend. Thursday 14 December is the last day of attendance for Year 6 students, and we will be holding our Graduation Mass at 9:30am in St Augustine’s Church, with Year 6 awards being presented in the church at the conclusion of Mass. After Recess, at 11:30am, we will hold our traditional Farewell Assembly to wish our School Leaders well for their journey to High School. A separate letter with details of Year 6 events will be sent to families next week.

All of these events are listed on our school calendar, which can be found on our website at https://www.mtcarmel.nsw.edu.au/calendar.


School Fee Discounts for Students with Siblings Attending a Systemic Catholic Secondary School
The Catholic Education Commission offers a variety of tuition discounts based on the number of children in a family enrolled in a Systemic Catholic School, including a 50% discount to the primary tuition fee if a student has a sibling enrolled in a Systemic Secondary School. Further in this newsletter is a form with details of the discounts and an application, which must be submitted annually. Affected families are asked to complete and submit the sibling discount form by Friday 1 December.


Free Parenting Courses
Parents and carers are offered access to free online parenting courses developed in Australian by the Triple P – Positive Parenting Program, thanks to Australian Government funding. 
Triple-P offers specific programs and online resources, assisting with the everyday challenges parents and carers face raising calm, resilient and happy children.

To find out more, go to https://www.triplep-parenting.net.au/au/triple-p/.


Call for Tenders for Creative Services
The Catholic Education Office is establishing a panel of suppliers of creative services. Suppliers with relevant capability and capacity are welcome to submit a tender in these categories:

• Photography
• Videography
• Copywriting
• Speech writing
• Graphic design

The request for tenders is advertised on the CECG website under the Tenders tab on the homepage, and was advertised in The Canberra Times on Saturday 4 November 2023. Tenders must be received by the closing time on 27 November 2023. Contracts would be finalised in January 2024.
Suppliers can seek more information by emailing tenders@cg.catholic.edu.au.

Link to tender: https://cg.catholic.edu.au/tenders/.


Vinnies Youth Programs
The St Vincent de Paul Society runs a variety of youth programs designed to provide assistance and respite young people who are dealing with complex family situations. A brochure outlining the St Nick’s, St Joe’s and VINES programs is attached to this newsletter. If your family or someone you now may benefit from participating in one of these programs, please contact the school office for assistance with a referral.


May God’s peace be in your families, 

Michael Green
Principal