Dear Parents, Teachers and Students,

Thank you to all families for their patience and understanding at this time of considerable uncertainty. Please see the attached document of FAQs for school communities for the most current information that we have to hand. We are receiving daily updates about Archdiocesan responses to the coronavirus and please be assured that all relevant information will be passed on to the school community promptly. I ask that all parents ensure they are subscribed to SZapp alerts as this is the most reliable way for us to to transmit important announcements and updates. Also, the school calendar, available on SZapp and the website, is being regularly updated with information about events that are being postponed or cancelled. At this stage there is no pending directive that schools be closed; we are, however, interested in gathering information about the position families are in should the need to temporarily move to a remote learning environment arise. To that end I ask all families to respond to the SZapp survey that is being sent out today. Our annual reminder to update contact information was sent home at the end of February; thanks to families who have already completed and returned this note. It is very important that the school has up-to-date contact information for all families, so I ask that any outstanding notes be returned to school as soon as possible.


Updates and Important Information
Visiting professionals and parent helpers are still welcome at Mt Carmel, although we do ask that any person who is experiencing any symptoms of respiratory illness refrain from visiting at this time. We also ask that visitors and volunteers make use of our handwashing and sanitising provisions when they sign in and out of the school.

• School Banking has been cancelled for the remainder of Term 1
• Mt Carmel Playgroup has been cancelled for the remainder of Term 1
• Class attendance at Parish Masses (Fridays) Cancelled
• Year 5/6 Tennis Shootout (Friday 20 March) Cancelled
• National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence (Friday 20 March) Postponed
• Harmony Day Incursion (Tuesday 24 March) Cancelled
• Year 1 Excursion (Tuesday 24 March) Cancelled
• Try High School Days (Trinity, JPC, Daramalan) Cancelled 
• 3-6 Cross Country (Friday 27 March) Modified Event - No Spectators
• Parent-Teacher Interviews (Monday 30 - Tuesday 31 March) Postponed
• Canberra-Goulburn Netball/Rugby/Hockey Trials (Friday 3 April) Cancelled
• 1EK and 5/6TD Assembly (Friday 3 April) Postponed
• Easter Bonnet Parade (Wednesday 8 April) Cancelled
• Holy Week / Stations of the Cross (Thursday 9 April) Modified Event - Static Displays for Walking Tour
• ANZAC Day March (Saturday 25 April) Cancelled

St Patrick’s Day
Thank you to Mrs Field and 4KF for preparing our St Patrick’s Day prayer service; it is unfortunate that we were unable to present it fully, but I am grateful to them for their flexibility to change plans at short notice. Thanks also to the student musicians—Charlotte Alexander, Caelen Cassidy, Caitlin Guiney and Rory Swadling—for their tuneful addition to the celebration. After lunch we held and inter-house dance off (in the style of an Irish jig) led by the SRC and I am very pleased to confirm Mullungang House as the winner of the St Patrick’s Day Cup. Thanks to the generosity of Mt Carmel families, we raised $344 for donation to the St Vincent de Paul Bushfire Recovery Appeal.


Interim Reports
Interim Reports will be sent home, as advertised, at the end of next week. Parent-Teacher-Interviews, however, have been postponed. In the meantime, if you have any concerns about your child’s learning, achievement or progress, please feel free to contact their teacher via email. If you are unsure of any teacher’s email address please send correspondence to office.mtcarmel@cg.catholic.edu.au and it will be forwarded accordingly.


ANZAC Day Parade Cancelled
Unfortunately this year’s ANZAC Day ceremonies have been cancelled. Mt Carmel School has a proud history of participating in this important community event and we look forward to marching on ANZAC Day in 2021.


Cross Country
Next Friday Mt Carmel is hoping to hold a modified 3-6 Cross Country competition. The day will not be held as a carnival, rather classes will, weather permitting, walk to Walker Park to complete their races then return to school. Years 3 and 4 will run 2000m and Years 5 and 6 will run 3000m. The course will be different to previous years so that parent helpers will not be required for supervision of distant checkpoints. House points, place-getters, age-champions and winning house will be announced at Morning Assembly on Tuesday 31 March. Please note that this event is being run in modified form in the interest of school and house spirit only and to maintain some sense of normality for our students; there is no cross-country pathway this year as Regional, Archdiocesan, MacKillop and CCC Cross Country carnivals have all been cancelled.

May God’s peace be in your families,

Michael Green
Principal