Dear Parents, Teachers and Students, 

Bullying - No Way!
This week is the Bullying No Way National Week of Action, and the theme for 2025 is 'Be Bold. Be Kind. Speak Up.’ Classes have been exploring this theme and discussing ways to help ensure that bullying is not a part of our community. There are some important Bullying No Way resources for families, available at https://bullyingnoway.gov.au/support-and-advice/for-families.

If you are ever worried that your child is experiencing bullying or some other kind of negative behaviour, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can work together to help address any problems and do our best to get negative behaviours to stop. 

Mt Carmel Day and Feast of the Assumption
Because we can’t celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Mt Carmel on its actual date – July 16, which falls during the school holidays – we will be celebrating our school’s foundation on another Feast Day dedicated to Mary: the Feast of the Assumption, this Friday 15 August. Fr Peter will celebrate Mass with us at 12pm in St Augustine’s Church, and parents who would like to join us for Mass are most welcome to attend (the Feast of the Assumption is a Holy Day of Obligation in the Catholic Church). A special treat will be provided for everyone at lunch time (all dietary needs will be catered for) and in the afternoon, buddy-classes will get together for a variety of activities to foster school spirit and learn about our history.

Book Week 2025 – Book an Adventure!
Book Week is fast approaching and our classes are all working hard to complete displays for our Library based on this year’s short-listed books. This year we will be having our Book Week Parade next Wednesday 20 August at 12:30pm under the playground shadecloth. Our annual dress-up parade is a firm favourite on the school’s social calendar; parents and other relatives are warmly invited to attend. The school will be providing a sausage sizzle lunch for students on the day of the parade – thank you to the school Community Council for assisting!

Because many families stay back after the parade to view the class displays in the Library, we are extending the offer to families of joining in our sausage-sizzle lunch. Sausages are provided to students free-of-charge, but to help with catering and planning we ask that family members wishing to have a sausage sandwich after the parade pre-order via the RSVP link below and contribute $2 per sandwich (paid by gold-coin on the day). Please RSVP by 12pm next Monday 18 August.

https://forms.office.com/r/CcNMnLA68N

Parish Jubilee Pilgrimage
On Saturday 23 August, St Augustine’s Parish is holding a ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ walk, and registrations are open for parishioners wishing to join the journey.
The Pilgrimage commences with a blessing at St Augustine’s at 8am and concludes with 6pm Mass and supper at Murrumbateman. There are four distances to choose from – 30km, 19km, 13km or 6km. Support vehicles will be on hand to enhance your safety and comfort. Experience the physical and spiritual joy of walking as a pilgrim. For more details and registration, go to: https://staug-yass.org.au/wp/pilgrimage/.


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.


Council of Catholic Schools Parents​​​​​​​ Free Webinars for Parents and Carers
Tomorrow evening, Wednesday 13 August, the Council of Catholic Schools Parents (CCSP) is hosting a free webinar about sleep and children’s health. 

Don't miss this opportunity to find out strategies you can use to help your children develop healthy sleeping habits for optimal function!

Join Sleep Educator Lisa Maltman from The Sleep Connection for an insight into how important sleep is for your children - and you - and tips for making sure the whole family gets enough zzzzzzzz.

The webinar is for parents of students from Kindergarten to Year 12 and runs from 7pm to 8pm. Follow the link below to register.

Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams

May God’s peace be in your families, 

Michael Green
Principal

Religious Education in the Classroom
Welcome to Week 4! Year 4 students have been learning about how the wisdom of St Paul and the Acts of the Apostles help us to live in a faith community. Students enjoyed posing as St Paul to write a letter or a postcard to the community to spread the word of God. 

Religious Life of Mt Carmel School
Saint Mary Mackillop’s Prayer Service - Thank you to Mrs Swadling and 1 Red for preparing and leading a beautiful prayer service. 

Mt Carmel Day Celebrations
Mt Carmel School will be celebrating the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Mary and the Feast Day of Our Lady of Mt Carmel with a Marian Mass on Friday 15 August 2024, 12:00 - 1:00 pm, at St Augustine’s Church. Students will participate in Mt Carmel Day activities and will enjoy a special cupcake.

Parents and the wider community are invited to celebrate with us in honour of Mary. 


Mt Carmel School’s Upcoming Celebrations

Prayer 

Prayer to the Blessed Mother of Mount Carmel

"O most beautiful flower of Mt. Carmel, fruitful vine, splendour of Heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist me in my necessity. O Star of the Sea, help me and show me you are my Mother. O Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to succour me in this necessity (make request). There are none that can withstand your power. O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee. Sweet Mother, I place this cause in your hands. 

Amen.”

St Augustine’s Parish News

Sunday 14 September, 10.30am, St Augustine's Church.
Please pray for the children as they prepare for their Confirmation.

Ruby Laughton
Fletcher Lees
Alex Warhurst
Lachlan Inkster
Mikayla Black
Heath Wood
Dylan O’Reilly
Charlie Field
Magnus Felizardo
Kalon Vu
Zoe Medway
Mabel Adie
Caitlin Guiney
Conor Guiney
Isla Townsend
Jaxon Field
Harrington Roser 
Hugh McPherson
Zoe Leahy
Lily Butt
Ruby Hallam

Children's Liturgy

Children are invited to attend Children’s Liturgy every second and fourth Sunday of the month. 

Wishing you all a blessed week.

Eva Karakotas
Religious Education Coordinator

Canberra Goulburn Athletics Carnival
Congratulations to the following students who will represent Northern Region at the Canberra Goulburn athletics carnival at the AIS on August 21:

Mabel Adie, Abby Hillman, Esther Payne, Neva Welsh, Spencer Crocker, Jack Maher, Allan McRae, Zoe Mitchell, Logan Johnson, Macy Camilleri, Madeline Caldow, Alice Miller. Good luck everyone, can’t wait to hear how you go.


Todd Woodbridge Cup
The Todd Woodbridge Cup is a primary school team tennis competition for Stage 2 (Years 3 & 4) and Stage 3 (Years 5 & 6) students that uses modified equipment, numeric scoring, and mixed gender teams. Events are designed to be fun and inclusive, meaning it is not just for experienced tennis players. Anyone who wants to give tennis a go is encouraged to come and have a go. 

The Todd Woodbridge Cup will be held in our region on Wednesday 27 August (Stage 2) and Wednesday 3 September (Stage 3). If you would like to nominate your child for the event, please use the links below. Teams are made up of four boys and four girls, so we will onnly be able to submit a team if numbers permit. Please note there will be a small fee if your child attends the day. 

Year 3/4 Todd Woodbridge Cup

Year 5/6 Todd Woodbridge Cup

Sports Trials
If you have children in Year 5 or 6 who are interested in trialling for Canberra Goulbourn sporting teams, please check the following website regularly for upcoming events:

November Trials - Primary Cricket (for 2026), Basketball - Boys and Girls (for 2026), 
Tennis - Boys and Girls (for 2026)

https://www.sport.cg.catholic.edu.au/calendar

Ted Dunstan
Sports Coordinator

CBCA Book Week 2025

Book Week is a celebration of books and Australian children's authors and illustrators. This year’s theme is Book an Adventure.

There will be various activities for students to enjoy during Week 5 including a Book Week Parade on Wednesday 20 August.

Students are invited to dress up as a book character for the day. The Book Week Parade will commence at 12:30pm.

A sausage sizzle lunch will be provided for the students to celebrate this special day. Dietary requirements will be catered for.

Because many families stay back after the parade to view the class displays in the Library, we are extending the offer to families of joining in our sausage-sizzle lunch. Sausages are provided to students free-of-charge, but to help with catering and planning we ask that family members wishing to have a sausage sandwich after the parade pre-order via the RSVP link below and contribute $2 per sandwich (paid by gold-coin on the day). Please RSVP by 12pm next Monday 18 August.

https://forms.office.com/r/CcNMnLA68N

Open Library
At the conclusion of the parade on Wednesday all visitors are invited to the Lacey Library. Every class will have a display, based on one of the CBCA Shortlisted Books to view.

Visiting Author/Illustrator/Performer

On Tuesday 26 August, we will have Martin Chatterton visiting Mt Carmel. K-6 will be attending an interactive session with Martin. To learn more about Martin’s books and performances visit Martin Chatterton.

Week 5 & 6 Events

Book Week- Monday 18 August - Friday 22 August - Book an Adventure!

Book Week Parade- Wednesday 20 August -Sausage sizzle lunch- All visitors are invited to the Lacey Library after the parade.

Author and Illustrator Visit- Tuesday 26 August - Martin Chatterton

I am looking forward to celebrating the Book Week events with you and your families.

Kind regards,
Natalie Broers
Teacher Librarian

Congratulations to the recipients of the Week 2 Mt Carmel Awards.
These awards were handed out last Friday, 8 August, at morning assembly.

K Blue Shae Spring Elle McRae Beau Tome Cooper Slinger	K Gold Aggie McCrone Eliana Vithanage
1 Green Ivy Sirca Lillian Drybrugh Heeya Chaudhary	1 Red Frankie Morris Rigel Barker
2 Blue Arabella Merriman Ryan Tome Feliks Burzynski	2 Gold Olivia Christensen Brax Carter Edward Drybrugh
3 Green Elisabeth Morris Chevy Leahy	3 Red Sasha Ramadan Ethan Kim
4 Blue Olivia Aksenov Asher Gorman	4 Gold Lachlan Black Constance Potter
5 Green Stella Grant Gracie Lyons Vincent Da Deppo	5 Red Esther Nyathi Joshua Salzke
6 Blue Andria Rogin Abby Hillman Lachlan Inkster	6 Gold Macy Camilleri Amelia Hooper Spencer Crocker

Congratulations to the recipients of the Week 3 Mt Carmel Awards.
These awards will be handed out this Friday, 15 August, at morning assembly.

K Blue William Maher Charlie McLucas	K Gold Stevie Eldridge Artie Hayden
1 Green Lucy Ward Olivia Logue Acacia Aniversario	1 Red Harper Grant Marley Grant
2 Blue Mila Boyton Ava O'Mara Aurora Irwin	2 Gold Evelyn Harris Brock Flynn Liam Coster
3 Green Hayden Spring Hennessey Rankin	3 Red Zoe Di Sisto Rosalind Clark Benny Shoring
4 Blue Macca Arnold Archie Gooley	4 Gold Evelyn Platt Chloe Tyndall
5 Green Aria Hodgson Zoey Mitchell Madeline Caldow Sophie Donoghue	5 Red Cecilia Candido Pinheiro Jasper Jones
6 Blue Poppy Smith Phoebe Reynolds Jaxon Field	6 Gold Mikayla Black Ruby Laughton Beau Jones

The Clothing Pool will be open tomorrow, Thursday, 14 August.  

Opening Hours
Opening Hours: 2.30pm-3.30pm - even weeks of Term. 
Location: in the Uniform Shop room, next to the Music Room.

If you have any money outstanding for thr Clothing Pool, we do ask that this is dropped at the Front Office as soon as possible.
Payment is via cash only. 

If you have any questions, please contact Liz on lizdadeppo@gmail.com.

Let’s talk about something many families are quietly navigating: school refusal/avoidance.

If your mornings involve tummy aches, tears, or full resistance to leaving the house, please know you're not alone, and your child isn’t just being ‘difficult’ School refusal is often a sign of overwhelming emotional stress, and there’s support available.


What is School Refusal?
School refusal is more than not wanting to go to school. It can involve real distress. Kids might say they feel sick, cry at drop-off, or completely shut down. These reactions are often not conscious choices, but signs their stress response system is activated. It’s their way of saying, ‘This doesn’t feel safe right now.’


Why Does It Happen?
Every child is different, but common reasons include:

• Separation anxiety
• Social or performance anxiety
• Friendship issues or trouble fitting in
• Learning difficulties or academic pressure
• Changes or stress at home

It’s important to know that school refusal is rarely just a child issue. It is often influenced by the home environment, school culture, and even how we as adults are coping. Kids pick up on our stress and moods. What we model, they absorb.


What Can Help?
Here are some helpful strategies discussed in a webinar on school refusal by The Raising Children Network, featuring paediatrician Dr Billy Garvey:

• Acknowledge the struggle. Instead of trying to fix things right away, try: ‘I know this is hard.’
• Be their safe base. Progress might be slow, but the key is to walk alongside them and keep moving forward.
• Focus on strengths. Help your child find ways to contribute or feel valued at school. One example: Billy engaged with a student who loved art and was asked to help with school posters. It gave her a reason to feel proud and connected to the school environment.
• Teach self-awareness. Help kids learn to spot their early warning signs like a tight tummy or racing thoughts, so they can use coping strategies earlier.
• Prioritise predictability. Kids feel safer when they know what to expect, not just in routine but in how adults around them respond emotionally.
• Look after your own mental health. Children learn how to manage emotions by watching us. Modelling self-care is a powerful message. It tells them it is okay to feel anxious and to ask for help.

And remember, enjoying time with your children and needing time apart are both completely valid. Boundaries are healthy for everyone.


Seek Support
If school is becoming a daily challenge, I’d love to connect and support you and your child through it. We can work together with classroom teachers and school staff to create a gentle, tailored plan that helps your child feel safe, supported, and more confident at school.

Email: amelie.nicholson@mccg.org.au
Referral to counselling link: https://catholiccare.force.com/housing/s/school-referral-form
Webinar link: https://raisingchildren.net.au/guides/podcasts-and-webinars/webinars/school-refusal-webinar

Warmly,
Amelie Nicholson
Student and Family Counsellor

Thank you to Yass FM 100.3 presenter, Karen Williams, who kindly donated the book Economics for Kids, written by Helen Hoang to Mt Carmel School last week.

Helen Hoang was a guest author on Karens radio show, Storylines in recent weeks, and asked for her book to be donated to local schools. 

Storylines - the radio show for readers, is on each Wednesday, 5pm to 7pm on Yass FM 100.3. 

Expression of interest: Drum Corps Training & Performance Group for students at Mt Carmel.

Mr Noonan is proposing a return to the school having a Drum Corps Group at Mt Carmel School for Mt Carmel students to learn & perform at events such as The Christmas Street Parade & school concerts/events.

When: Mondays 1:40pm-2:05pm (2nd break after eating)

What: Students will learn traditional stick drumming on snare drum plus other styles such as French & Swiss Basel.

* Drums, stands, sticks, practice pads will be supplied.

Who: Years 2-6 at Mt Carmel School

Cost: $55 per term per student which includes above use of supplies and training by Mr Noonan who is an experienced tutor in snare drum drill & routines including entry into the National Drumline Competition in 2019 & leads the RBCC Drumline Troupe.

Contact: 0408 622 819