Dear Parents, Teachers and Students,

Christmas Mass
The Parish Christmas Eve Mass will be held on Tuesday 24 December at 7pm, weather permitting, on the Mt Carmel playground under the shade cloth. If the weather is inclement, Mass will be held in St Augustine’s Church. There will be limited seating provided, so please bring a chair or a blanket if you can. Fr Peter has invited children attending to get into the Christmas spirit by coming dressed in theme – shepherds, angels, Magi, etc.
Christmas Day Mass will be celebrated in the Catholic Church Hall in Murrumbateman at 10:15am on Wednesday 25 December.

Merry Christmas!
And finally, I would like to finish with a few words of thanks. The many successes of the 2024 school year stand proudly as a tribute to the professionalism, dedication and love that our incredible staff bring to their work each day, and to the enthusiasm, resilience and love that the wonderful children of Mt Carmel School bring to our classrooms and playground every day. To our departing students, remember that, wherever you go, you each form a special chapter in the story of our school and you will always be a part of the Mt Carmel Family. Best of luck with the new adventures to come, wherever they may lead.

Thank you to every fabulous family for their support this year; I am very grateful to you all. Thank you to the teaching and support staff for their tireless effort, commitment and vocation. 
Thank you to the sensational students; I hope that you are all proud of your efforts and achievements this year. Now it’s time for a rest; take good care over the Christmas break.

May you all, and your families, have a happy and holy Christmas in this year of Our Lord, 2024, and may the peace of the Infant Child be with you every day.

May God’s peace be in your families, 

Michael Green
Principal

Religious Life of Mt Carmel School
Welcome to the last week of Term 4! I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for your support this year. Wishing all our families a wonderful Christmas with lots of love, peace, joy and laughter. 

This week is the third week of Advent. Thank you to Mrs Field and 5 Red for preparing and leading a beautiful Advent Prayer Service on Monday. We light the candle of Joy as a symbol of the joyful news of Jesus’ birth.

Dear Mt Carmel School,

It was my pleasure to be able to attend the morning assembly last Friday/at the end of last term/at the end of last year to thank the children for the wonderful donations provided by the Mount Carmel families and community for our Christmas Appeal. Conference members were overwhelmed by the quantity and range of donations.

These donations assist us to support families across the Yass Valley who are struggling with cost of living pressures and who sometimes cannot afford to put food on the table three times a day, let alone provide food for Christmas celebrations.

I have been so heartened by the support we have received throughout the year: for the Winter Appeal and CEO Sleepout, Christmas Appeal and our Centenary Mass.

I do particularly want to recognise the efforts of the Mini Vinnies leaders, who drive the appeals within the school. I hope that they will find opportunities to lead and to spread the word about the work on Vinnies as they head into secondary school and beyond. I also wish to recognise the drive and enthusiasm of Ms Karakotas, whose support for our work is invaluable.

We were also thrilled to receive a substantial cash donation from the Mount Carmel parent body, which has assisted us to purchase some extra toys for children to be included with the Christmas hampers. Your generosity is overwhelming.

I wish you all a happy and holy Christmas and thank you all for your donations to Vinnies this year. 

Deb Valencic

President, St Augustine's Conference of SVdP, Yass

Year 6 Graduates 
Mt Carmel School wishes all students a successful start to Year 7.

Best wishes for a blessed Christmas with your family and a wonderful 2025!

Eva Karakotas
Religious Education Coordinator

Hail Mary, full of Grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Luke 1:26-28

Mt Carmel School Swimming Carnival 2025 - Save the Date
The 2025 swimming carnival has been set for Friday 7 February, at the Yass Memorial Pool. The Northern Region Swimming Carnival is set for Thursday 20 February, at the Queanbeyan Swimming Pool. 

Canberra Goulburn/Wollongong Boys AFL Trial Information 2025
Date:Tuesday 18th February - 2025

Time:Timing

Management Arrival: 8:30am

Student Registration: 9:00am -9:15am

Trials Commence: 9:20am

Conclusion: Approx 1:00 - 1:30pm depending on numbers

Venue: South Thomas Dalton Park Fairy Meadow (South Fields)

Uniform: Football attire- mouthguards compulsory.

Registration: Registration is via the CSNSW website

Cost:$15.00

Ted Dunstan
Sports Coordinator

Book Returns
Thank you to the many students and families who have returned their books. 

There are still a number of outstanding loans. Please encourage your child to return these books to the library at the beginning of the 2025 school year.


Thank You and Merry Christmas
Thank you to everyone for the support you have shown to the Library events in 2024. It has been a pleasure working and celebrating with our Mt Carmel School community this year.  I hope you and your families have a wonderful Christmas and enjoy some lovely family time during the holidays.

Save the Date
Book Fair and Grandparents Morning Tea
Friday 21 February 2025 (Term 1, Week 3)


Natalie Broers
Teacher Librarian

Congratulations to the recipients of the Week 8 Mt Carmel Awards.
These awards were handed out last Friday, 13 December, at morning assembly.

K Blue Elyse Carter Heeya Chaudhary	K Gold Mia Smith Emily Reynders
1 Green Mia Brown Claire Kundolam	1 Red Sophie Gannon Gigi Aniversario Brock Flynn
2 Blue Camille Walker Adelaide Honan Chevy Leahy Hugh Davaris Harry Agistino	2 Gold Ted Ward Archer Jones
3 Green Eve Davis Zoey Watson Harriet Powell	3 Red Violet Richardson Scott Tome
4 Blue Claire Coster Jessica Hardy Jasper Jones Cooper Moses	4 Gold Ivy Howarth Esther Nyathi Billy Field
5 Green Ben Webster Lachlan Inkster Mrs Luckie	5 Red Kalon Vu Riley Pholi
6 Blue Isabella Soeira Mendonca Lewis Matthews	6 Gold Lily Cassidy Chloe Corcoran

Sacrament of Reconciliation

For Year Three (2025) students and above, who have been baptised

• Sacrament Date: Thursday, 3rd April 2025, at 6:30pm (Saint Augustine's Church)
• Registration Opens: Friday, 6th December 2024
• Registration Closes: Wednesday, 14th February 2025
• Commitment Mass: Sunday, 16th February 2025, at 10:15am (Saint Augustine's Church)
• Preparation Liturgy: Thursday, 13th March 2025, at 6:30pm (Saint Augustine's Church)

First Eucharist

For Year Four (2025) students and above, who have completed First Reconciliation 

• Sacrament Date: Sunday, 22nd June 2025, at 10:30am (Saint Augustine's Church)
• Registration Opens: Monday, 24th March 2025
• Registration Closes: Thursday, 4th April 2025
• Commitment Mass: Sunday, 6th April 2025, at 10:15am (Saint Augustine's Church)
• Preparation Liturgy 1: Thursday, 15th May 2025 (Lovat Chapel)
• Practice & Reconciliation: Thursday, 19th June 2025, at 6:30pm (Saint Augustine's Church)

Confirmation

For Year Six (2025) students and above, who have completed First Reconciliation and First Eucharist

• Sacrament Date (pending Archbishop’s approval): Sunday, 14th September 2025, at 10:30am (Saint Augustine's Church) 
• Back-Up Date: Sunday, 21st September 2025
• Registration Opens: Monday, 9th June 2025
• Registration Closes: Thursday, 26th June 2025
• Commitment Mass: Sunday, 29th June 2025 (Saint Augustine's Church)
• Preparation Liturgy 1: Thursday, 31st July 2025, at 6:30pm (Lovat Chapel)
• Preparation Liturgy 2: Thursday, 21st August 2025, at 6:30pm (Lovat Chapel)
• Practice & Reconciliation: Thursday, 11th September 2025, at 6:30pm (Saint Augustine's Church)

Next month we are excited to be sharing our love for hoops with the growing community of Yass Valley!  

Ginninderra Rats will be holding a fun three-day basketball clinic at Yass High School from 14-16 January 2025 catering for players aged 6-14 years, regardless of experience.

For full details visit our website or to register https://www.playhq.com/basketball-act/register/a5cd41.

Come make #ratsmischief with us!!

https://nxtlvlfa.au/