Dear Parents, Teachers and Students, 


Parent Teacher Interviews
A reminder that Parent-Teacher Interviews will be happening on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons next week. Bookings are open until 5pm this Friday; go to the Parents–Interview Booking tab on the school website or the Parent Teacher Bookings tile on the SZapp app. If you are unable to use either if these booking methods, please contact the school office and we will make a booking on your behalf.

Interviews will, as usual, be an opportunity to discuss the individual achievements and progress of students and set learning goals for further development. In recognition of the significant efforts of many families to support their child’s remote learning, prior to reports being finalised interviews will also, if appropriate, be an opportunity to provide teachers with valuable insights into your child’s successes, challenges and overall engagement with learning from home.

Interviews will be 15 minutes duration and, to maintain appropriate social-distancing, will be held in classrooms. All family members attending will be required to sanitise their hands when entering the classroom. No-one who is unwell or exhibiting symptoms of respiratory illness should attend an interview; we will be happy to reschedule if this is the case. I respectfully ask all families to strictly observe the fifteen-minute time limit; teachers have many interviews to conduct and if they run over time it inconveniences many other families. 

The Library and the PAC will both be open to provide a warm place to wait between interviews, if necessary, but please observe social-distancing protocols.


St Vincent de Paul CEO Sleepout
Every night, thousands of Australians experience homelessness. But it doesn't have to be that way. This year I'm taking part in the Vinnies CEO Sleepout to raise money for the St Vincent de Paul Society to support Australians in need. The Catholic Education Canberra Goulburn team, including the Director, Deputy Director and several CE staff and principals, is aiming to collectively raise $24000 to help break the devastating cycle of homelessness. For one night, next Thursday, I'll be sleeping outside as part of an eye-opening experience to raise awareness and bring home the realities of homelessness. I need your support to reach my personal target of $1500, so this Friday, as part of our House Spirit Challenge, all students have been invited to wear their favourite beanie to school and bring a gold-coin donation. Families and friends can also donate directly to the appeal via my page at https://www.ceosleepout.org.au/fundraiser/michaelgreen

Will you help me to reach my target?

Hartigan House
Hartigan House is named after priest and famous Australian poet Patrick Joseph Hartigan (1878 – 1952), who wrote under the pseudonym John O’Brien. Patrick was born in Yass and was a former student of the Mt Carmel Convent School. He was ordained a Catholic priest in 1903 and was appointed inspector of Catholic schools in the Goulburn diocese in 1910. Fr Patrick Hartigan is remembered for his humorous literary insights and his kindliness towards others. The Hartigan House colour, gold, reminds us that Patrick Hartigan was once a student of Mt Carmel – gold used to be our school sports colour before the new uniform was brought in. Gold also reminds us of our own region with the golden wheat fields and fleeces.

And here is an excerpt, the opening stanza, from one of Hartigan’s poems, written as John O’Brien, called The Kids in the School:

As I look through the school in the morning
I intrude on the youngsters at work
With grave faces all levity scorning,
But I am proud of the mischiefs that lurk
In a roguish grey eye or a dimple
Or a shy little smile which imparts
That I hold in my keeping the simple
Pure trust of their hearts.


Kindergarten-2021 Enrolments and Interviews
Enrolment interviews for next year’s Kindergarten are underway; please contact Carol or Emma if you have not completed your child’s enrolment form. Enrolment numbers are due to Catholic Education by the end of June. Your earliest attention to this would be much appreciated. 

Athletics
We have been advised there is a chance that the Archdiocesan Athletics Carnival will be going ahead in Week 5 next term, and schools have been asked to undertake a section process for possible representatives.

Given that we do not have the facilities at school to conduct trials and that access to council facilities is still restricted, our remaining option is to seek nominations from families, dependent on the following conditions: 

• Selection to compete at Archdiocesan level normally requires progression through the school and Northern Region carnivals, so nominees in 9-year-old to 13-year-old age groups must have previously been selected to compete at least at Northern Region level in each event that they nominate for.
• Previously recorded (2019) times/heights/distances will be used to confirm nomination.
• The only event that 8-year-old students are likely to be selected for is the 100m track (in all other track and in all field events 8-year-olds compete as Juniors alongside 9s and 10s), and given that there are no previously recorded times for this age groups, trials may be held.
• Parents must be available to transport their child to The Australian Institute of Sport  on Thursday 20 August.
• Nomination by parent does not guarantee selection.

Nominations must be submitted electronically, using the link below, by Friday 19 June, Week 8.

Submit a Nomination Here

Mt Carmel School will be holding our own School Athletics Carnival later in the year when the weather is warmer and restrictions around social gatherings have been eased. This carnival will have a focus on participation, personal achievement and school spirit. Because it will be school-based only there will be no representative pathways from this carnival, but we will be awarding House points to determine an overall winning House and to select and recognise age-champions and runners-up.

May God’s peace be in your families,

Michael Green
Principal