Dear Parents, Teachers and Students,

2024 Enrolments 
Our enrolment drive for 2024 has begun. If you have a pre-school child ready for Kindergarten, it’s time to enrol now. Catholic Education Canberra Goulburn has an online enrolment form, which can be accessed by clicking the link below. An interview will be organised once the enrolment application is received. If your friends have a child starting in Kindergarten next year, please encourage them to consider Mt Carmel as an option for their children’s education. We will be holding Open Day tours on Tuesday 23 and Wednesday 24 May, with a Parent Information Evening in the Lacey Library at 6pm on Wednesday 24 May.

Enrol Now (https://enrolments.mtcarmel.nsw.edu.au/nsw-schools/start).


Walk Safely to School Day
This Friday, 19 May, is National Walk Safely to School Day and Mt Carmel is encouraging as many families as possible to participate. If there is anyone who lives too far from school to walk the whole way but would still like to participate, we will be hosting a “Walking School Bus”. We will meet at the Liberty Theatre corner from 8am, and at 8:15am we will walk down the main street, crossing Meehan St at the traffic lights, up Rossi Street and then enter school via the Dutton St entrance. Parents and families are welcome to join in; no bikes or scooters, please.


Back to School Vouchers
A reminder to families that the NSW Premier’s Back to School Vouchers expire at the end of next month. Our school accepts the vouchers at the Uniform Shop, but they can also be used to pay for excursions. Later this year, we will be running separate camps for Year 5 and Year 6. Any families with unused vouchers are welcome to use them as forward payments for these events. Details of the vouchers and eligible expenses can be found at the following link:

https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/back-to-school-vouchers/guidelines#appendix-a-eligible-expenses

Calvary Hospital
Attached to this newsletter is a message from Archbishop Christopher Prowse concerning the ACT Government’s announcement of the compulsory acquisition of Calvary Hospital.

Although this is occurring outside of our government area, the implications of this decision may have far-reaching impacts on the provision of vital services founded in a distinctly Catholic ethos, including education. Please consider adding your name to the petition at www.savecalvary.com.au. 

May God’s peace be in your families, 

Welcome to Week 4! Year 2 students are learning about the Life and Times of Jesus and exploring how Jesus lived through the World Behind the Texts. Students had the opportunity to sample different foods from the time of Jesus.

Mother’s Day Prayer Service 
Thank you to Mrs Shoring and 2SS for leading a beautiful prayer service.   

Mt Carmel’s Mini Vinnies News
Mt Carmel’s Mini Vinnies is organising the Winter Appeal for our local Yass Vinnies Conference. Students are making posters to promote the Winter Appeal in our school before its launch in Week 6.

Prayer and Reflection

Let us be still and ask the Holy Spirit to be with us.

Dear Father,
Be with us as we pray.
Open our ears to hear your Word in the Gospel.
Unite us in faith, hope and love as we pray together.
Send your Holy Spirit to inspire and sustain us in our mission.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

I invite you to participate in a 3 minute prayer reflecting a Scripture passage 

https://www.loyolapress.com/3-minute-retreats-daily-online-prayer/  

Parish Mass
Click on this link for further details http://staug-yass.org.au/wp/sacraments/ 

Have a lovely week!
Eva Karakotas
Religious Education Coordinator

Love One Another

“This is my commandment,that you love one another as I have loved you” John 15:12

Mt Carmel Athletics Carnival
Our athletics carnival is booked-in for Friday 2 June at Victoria Park. Over the next few weeks, students will be practising basic athletics skills and techniques during their sport sessions on Tuesdays and Fridays. The high jump event will be conducted at school prior to the carnival once the students have had a chance to practise. We will require lots of parental assistance for the carnival, if you are free on the day and would like to help out, please complete the Google form using the link below to register your interest. All Primary students (3-6) will be automatically registered for all events. If you know your child will not be present on the day or is unable to participate for any reason, please let me know on the Google form using the link below. If your child is in Year 2 and is 8 or turning 8 and you wish them to participate in the Primary carnival, please complete the Google form using the link below. Finally, we will be running the 1500m event prior to the carnival after lunch on Tuesday 23 May. Students who have registered will walk down to Victoria Park with me after lunch to run the event. The 1500m event is an open event so only 3 boys and 3 girls are selected from the school to represent Mt Carmel at Northern Region. Therefore, it is recommended for, but not restricted to, upper primary students. If you would like your child to participate in this event, please complete the Google form using the link below.

To be a parent helper at the carnival, click here.

If your child will be absent or unable to participate in the carnival, click here.

If your child is in Year 2 and you would like them to participate in the primary carnival, click here.

If you would like to register your child for the 1500m event, click here.

At the time of publishing, I had no absences and no Year 2 students registered. If your child is going to miss the carnival or is a Year 2 student who is going to compete it is important to let me know for planning purposes.


Northern Region Cross Country
Congratulations to Zoey Mitchell, Macy Camilleri, Phoebe Reynolds, Spencer Crocker, Jackson Shelton, Reese Flynn, Juliette Glover, Milla Shelton and Emmett Crocker who all made it through to the Canberra Goulburn Cross Country Carnival to be held at Stromlo Forest Park this Friday 19th May.

Gecko Sport
Gecko sport will be running fundamental movement clinics with all infants classes from Weeks 2 - 5. The kids loved their first session with Geoff yesterday and look forward to sessions over the coming weeks.

Trials 
Please check the C & G website and the Facebook page for information about upcoming events https://www.sport.cg.catholic.edu.au/calendar.

Ted Dunstan
Sports Coordinator

Congratulations to the recipients of last week's Coordinator Awards.
 Awards are handed out at morning lines each Thursday.

National Simultaneous Storytime
On Wednesday 24 May, Mt Carmel is participating in the National Simultaneous Storytime. The story for this year's event is The Speedy Sloth written by Rebecca Young and illustrated by Heath McKenzie. Students will participate by simultaneously watching an online reading of the text provided by ALIA.

NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge
The 2023 Premier’s Reading Challenge is underway and will conclude on Friday 18 August 2023.

If your child has completed the challenge in previous years they can log on to the Premier’s Reading Challenge website using their existing login details.

www.premiersreadingchallenge.nsw.edu.au

If your child is completing the challenge for the first time, please email me at natalie.broers@cg.catholic.edu.au and I will provide you with login details.

Natalie Broers
Teacher Librarian

The Mt Carmel School Uniform Shop is open each Tuesday afternoon between 2.30pm– 4.00pm during school terms.