Dear Parents/Carers,                                                                        

As we draw closer to the end of the year my mind has begun to wander back to how the year has been for us. Our community events are back and we are creating our new post COVID story. To make this happen, underpinned by a love and fidelity to our St Paul’s community, calls upon our christian vision to be real and active, day in and day out, not just at significant calendar events. This can only happen with many hours of unpaid work! Volunteers from the parent community and after hours or weekends from the staff at St Paul’s. The people are there because of the vision for work that constitutes St Paul’s way, about living in harmony and being a servant of the people. When we strive to work together as cooperative partners, not as competitors, we truly contribute to doing the work that God seeks from us. This prevents the work from becoming a list of jobs to do. St Paul’s way keeps the children at the forefront, we make a conscious decision to put others first. Thank you for being an active participant in this community and this is largely why our story, which we are creating right now in Camden, is well known and a positive one. 

I am also mindful of the students in the parish currently preparing for their First Holy Communion.  I look forward to their day with great satisfaction as the families have obviously made the effort to pass on their Christian tradition, faith and spirituality to their children.  This is not only something that happens within a Catholic school but must come from home first, as well as from connection with parish. Jesus is obviously central to everything we do at St Paul’s and there are also many other aspects of life that children, parents and teachers value. This is our story and we are formulating it in some way every day.

A man by the name of Thomas Berry in his book; ‘The Dream Of The Earth,’ reflects on our Catholic story and the challenges facing the Catholic Church.  I found this following statement by him quite thought provoking:

It’s all a question of story. We are in trouble just now because we do not have a good story.  We are in between stories.

Our vision tries to articulate our new story at St Paul’s. The commitment from parents and the staff to passing on our positive new story is happening right now.  I am responsible for this and so are you!

Go gently,

Michael Reardon
Principal

Parent Volunteer Thank You Morning Tea 

During the school year we have numerous parents volunteer their time to help in the classrooms, attend sporting events, excursions and other events.

As a token of our appreciation, the school would like to invite our 2023 parent volunteers to a thank you morning tea on Friday, 24 November 2023. 

If you have volunteered in any way this year and would like to attend, please RSVP before this Friday, 17 November 2023 via the insight in your compass parent portal.

Unexplained Absences

A reminder to parents to enter absences in the Compass Parent Portal on the day the link is forwarded to you. We continue to monitor our grade totals each week for full day absences. Our goal is for each grade to achieve, in total, below thirty each week. Last week there was only one grade that was able to achieve our target. Please ensure you discern carefully before allowing your child to be away from school.

Spliced Showcase

On Tuesday, 28 November 2023, students from Years 4-6 who have completed the Diocese of Wollongong SPLICED Project will have the opportunity to showcase their projects. The library will be opened from 3:15pm - 4:00pm for the school community and family members to see all the hard work the students have put into their projects. You are all welcome to attend. 

Principal Awards

Congratulations to the following students who have recently received a Principal Award. 

Hazel Thomas, Liam Oake, Isabella Castellano, Lexi Nicholson, Tasley Formosa, Samuel Clancy, Bryson Marano, Stephanie Ryan, Addison Leetch, Jacob Muscat, Eleanor Mammone, Mary Ristevski, Oliver Pace, Valentina Saliba, Jack Miller, Brendan Grech, Emaleigh Kelly, Addison Campbell, Noah McCarthy-Heise, Domenic Colagiuri, Sophie Aldred.

Junior Diabetes Foundation

Donation link  school page 

School Fees

• Please ensure all school fees are paid in full before the end of the 2023 school year.  If you are having genuine financial stress please make contact with the Principal as a matter of urgency to discuss your school fee situation or alternatively email Mr Reardon via info@spc.dow.catholic.edu.au

• Families that currently pay school fees by instalment do not need to complete another 'Request to Pay by Instalment' form as your current form carries over from year to year unless you wish to amend the frequency of your payments.  eg Weekly to fortnightly.  

• If your child is commencing Year 7 at one of our Diocesan Catholic Colleges your secondary school fees frequency for payment will be the same as the primary school unless you complete the 'Request to pay by Instalment' form to alter this.

• Families that do not currently pay school fees by instalment or are new to the school and would like to take up the option to pay their school fees by instalment please ensure that you complete a 'Request to pay by Instalment' form and either return this to the school office or submit it directly to instalments@dow.catholic.edu.au before the conclusion of the 2023 school year.  

School Fees Credits

If you have a fee credit, have no children attending St Paul’s in 2024 and are not sending your child to a Wollongong Diocesan high school, please email the school office via info@spcdow.catholic.edu.au to request a refund including your bank account details BSB & account number.  The school will forward your request to the Catholic Education Office to action. 

For families that have a fee credit and their child is attending a Wollongong Diocesan High School in 2024 the fee credit will be forwarded with your child to their new high school.

Medication Procedure 

As the 2023 school year draws to a close the school would like to remind parents of the current medication procedure.

All long term medication must be provided to the school in a WEBSTER PACK containing one month's supply per pack, clearly labelled with your child’s prescription, name, quantity and time medication is to be taken. The school advises that you consult with your GP or pharmacist to discuss the different styles of packs that will work best with your child’s medication.

Should your child require short term medication, no longer than one to two weeks, the webster pack is not required.  Parents are to provide the medication in the bottle or packet that it is provided by the pharmacist with the prescription clearly labelled.  All liquid medication requires a syringe or medicine cup and dosage pre-drawn to be provided for dispensing the medicine.  

An ‘Authority to Dispense Medication’ form must be provided to the school for all prescribed and over the counter medications before any medication can be dispensed to your child. Parents can access this form via the school website and the school office.

Students Not Returning in 2024

Students from Kindergarten to Year 5 (excluding Year 6 students) who will not be returning to St Paul’s in 2024 are requested to complete the attached form and return to the school office as soon as possible.

2023 - St Mary MacKillop Awards

November P&F Meeting Minutes