Dear Parents/Carers,                   

Last week, our school community joyfully celebrated the feast of Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop – a woman of courage, conviction, and deep faith. As Australia’s first saint, Mary MacKillop continues to inspire generations through her commitment to education, her unwavering trust in God, and her love for the marginalised.

Mary's famous words, "Never see a need without doing something about it," remain a guiding light for all of us in Catholic education. They remind us that our faith is not only something we believe, but something we live—especially in how we care for others and respond to the needs of our time.

At school last week, students learnt about Mary’s extraordinary life, her founding of the Sisters of St Joseph, and her determination to bring education to children in rural and disadvantaged communities. Her legacy lives on in our classrooms, in our service to one another, and in our shared commitment to nurturing the dignity and potential of every child.

As we reflect on Mary MacKillop’s example, we are reminded of the importance of standing strong in our values, listening to the Spirit, and leading with compassion—just as she did.

Let us continue to walk in her footsteps with courage and hope.

Go Gently,

Michael Reardon
Principal

Staff Professional Learning Day – Monday 18 August 2025

On Monday 18 August, staff will participate in a dedicated Professional Learning Day. This will be a valuable opportunity for each grade team to engage in collaborative planning, with a focus on investigating their chosen area of wondering.

These “wonderings” are guiding questions that reflect our commitment to the 2025 Annual Improvement Plan goal: Students will be engaged in their learning, strive to meet high expectations, and achieve improved learning outcomes.

Each grade will use the day to:

• Explore their selected wondering in depth
  
  
• Analyse relevant evidence and classroom practices
  
  
• Develop intentional strategies to address their focus area
  
  
• Align their planning with whole school goals and student needs
  
  

The discussions and planning from this day will help shape targeted, meaningful learning experiences for all students.

Sheereen Brunetta
Assistant Principal

Summer Uniform Transition

Following Fathers Day, Monday, 8 September 2025, students may begin wearing their summer school uniform as the days become warmer. 

A Heartfelt Thank You to Our St Paul's Community!

We extend our sincere gratitude to every family who contributed to the Mini Vinnies Winter Appeal this year. Your incredible generosity has made a significant difference in the lives of those in our community experiencing or at risk of homelessness, as well as those struggling with poverty and the ongoing cost of living pressures.

The response from our students and families was truly overwhelming. We were so impressed by the sheer volume of donations, with numerous baskets and bags filled to the brim with essential food, cleaning, and personal hygiene items, along with much-needed warm blankets.

A special thank you also goes out to our dedicated Mini Vinnies team, who worked tirelessly to help sort and pack all the collected items. Your effort and commitment were invaluable!

These vital contributions were collected by our dedicated local St Vincent de Paul volunteers. They will now be distributed directly to individuals and families in need within our community, offering comfort, support, and a ray of hope during these challenging times.

Your compassion and willingness to help others truly embody the spirit of St Paul's. Thank you once again for your exceptionally generous support!

Celebrating St. Mary of the Cross MacKillop

As mentioned by Mr Reardon, last Friday, August 8th, our school community celebrated the feast day of Australia's first saint, St. Mary of the Cross MacKillop. Her life was a testament to courage, compassion, and a deep love for God, particularly in her mission to provide education for the poor.

St. Mary MacKillop, through her establishment of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart, showed us the power of faith in action. She was able to appoint her sisters as administrators and teachers in many of our Catholic schools, including our own, St Paul's Camden.

We are all invited to follow St. Mary MacKillop's example in our daily lives by showing compassion to others and always striving to make a positive difference in our world.

The Feast of the Assumption

On Friday, August 15th, our school community will celebrate the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This is one of the most important feast days in the Catholic Church, commemorating the belief that after her death, Mary was taken, body and soul, into heaven.

The Assumption is a beautiful testament to God's love for Mary. It reminds us of her unique role in salvation history and her place as the first and most perfect disciple of
Jesus. This feast day also offers us a message of hope, reminding us that we, too, are called to share in the glory of eternal life with God.

To celebrate this special day, our students in Years 3 to 6 will attend the Parish Mass
at 9:15 am this Friday. Students in our Infants classes will also mark this day with an activity in their classroom. We encourage all families to take a moment to reflect on Mary's unwavering faith and her inspiring journey as we celebrate this important feast day together as a school community.

Annual Catholic Club Mass & Communion

Last Sunday the school captains joined Mr Reardon in attending the Catholic Club's annual Mass and communion at St John's Church in Campbelltown.

This is a yearly event which brings together personnel from the MacArthur region including representatives from all of our Catholic schools.

Mrs Debrincat
Religious Education Coordinator

Regular School Attendance

Regular attendance is one of the most important factors in a child’s learning, wellbeing, and social development. When students attend school every day, they have the best opportunity to build strong relationships, develop essential skills, and achieve their personal best.

As parents and carers, you play a vital role in ensuring your child attends school on time, every day—unless they are genuinely unwell. Consistent attendance:

• Builds good habits for life and work
• Ensures continuity in learning
• Supports emotional and social growth
• Prevents gaps in knowledge that can be difficult to catch up on

Your Responsibility

Under NSW law, it is a legal requirement for children between the ages of 6 and 17 to attend school or be registered for home schooling. If your child must be absent, you are required to provide the school with an explanation within seven days.

We understand that sometimes absences are unavoidable due to illness or other exceptional circumstances. In these cases, please notify the school promptly.

Together, we can make sure your child gets the very best start in life by attending school regularly and valuing every day of learning.

Every day matters – every student matters.

STEAM Challenge – Straw Bridge Build

This term, our students have been taking part in a weekly STEAM project. This week’s challenge was to design and build a straw bridge strong enough to hold Mrs King’s cup of jewels. Students were given a set amount of time and limited materials to complete the task. It was fascinating to watch them work through moments of frustration, times when problem-solving, teamwork, and clear communication became essential. The results showed not only creativity and engineering skills, but also resilience and collaboration in action.

Results Are In – and Here’s What We Found

Our survey has provided valuable feedback from both parents and students about life at our school. These insights highlight our strengths and point to opportunities for continued growth. Here are some key findings from the results.

FROM OUR PARENTS

94% of our parent community, either strongly agree or agree that our Catholic Values are evident in our school. This reflects the shared commitment of staff, students, and families to fostering a learning environment grounded in the teachings of Christ and the traditions of the Catholic faith.

These values are embedded not only in Religious Education lessons but also in the way we approach pastoral care, community service, prayer, liturgy, and daily interactions. Parents recognise and appreciate how these principles are lived out through respect, compassion, inclusivity, and a genuine sense of belonging. This strong alignment between our school’s mission and the lived experience of our community is a testament to the dedication of our staff and the active partnership we have with families.

FROM OUR STUDENTS

67% of students know their school’s vision and mission statement and see it lived out by teachers, students and staff. This indicates that a significant majority of our students are not only aware of our core statements of purpose but are also able to recognise how these guiding principles shape our daily school life.

Students identified examples such as the way teachers model respect and inclusion, the collaborative and supportive relationships among peers, and the integration of our mission into classroom learning, assemblies, liturgies, and community events. This alignment between our stated vision and the actions of our community demonstrates that our school’s values are more than words—they are actively practised and embedded in the culture of the school.

P&F Meeting - Wednesday, 13 August 2025

A reminder the P&F meeting will be held this Wednesday, 13 August 2025 beginning at 7:00pm in the school hall. All parents are encouraged and welcome to attend.

Father's Day Stall

Donuts with Dad

The Lab Cafe & Desserts.....

After 11 long months, we’re beyond excited to announce the grand reopening of The Lab Café & Desserts Camden!

Following the fire that forced us to close, we’ve been overwhelmed by the love, kindness and support from the incredible St Paul’s and Camden community — and we couldn’t have done this without you.

Now, we’re back and better than ever! Your favourite desserts are still here, plus a whole lot more:

• A bigger range of artisan ice creams & fruity sorbets
• Loaded cookie & brownie bowls served with luxury soft serve ice-cream and toppings
• Dutch pancakes, waffles, churros, hot cinnamon doughnuts and fondues platters & Create your own desserts  
• Freshly made sandwiches, melts, wraps jaffles
• Grab & go salads, soups, rice paper rolls
• Refreshing smoothies, slushies, milkshakes
• The Professor’s Lolly Lab Pick n Mix
• Our retail wall of goodies
• And introducing our new speciality coffee ONA Coffee.

We can’t wait to welcome you back into the Lab 

The Lab Team