Dear Parents and Carers,
Please keep the Year 4 children preparing to receive their First Eucharist on Sunday, 21 September at 3.00pm in your prayers. The children will be attending a special retreat day on Friday 19 September at the Holy Spirit Parish Church at Amaroo for a retreat day as they prepare for the sacrament.
Changes to the BYOD program for Year 4 2026
From 2026 we are changing our approach to BYOD for Year 4. As we have been working to build our bank of Chromebooks for use across the school, we now have enough laptops to provide a 1:1 program in Year 4 in 2026. This means that families in the current Year 3 cohort of 2025 will no longer need to purchase a device at the end of the year. An internal review has also indicated that the children in Year 4 do not require a device at home to complete set work. I am hoping this decision will reduce screentime at home, and the use of social media on a device.
Netball
With the Catholic Education transitioning to an incorporated organisation and the introduction of the weekend sport policy, primary schools have moved away from running weekend school sporting teams, due to issues involving supervision, the use of school logos outside school-nominated sporting events, and the management of funds collected by families. Like many sports parents are encouraged to look to the local sporting clubs for netball.
Historically, the MTS Netball and Cheerleading were run outside of the school umbrella. I understand many families view them as school-run ventures. Both these activities had parents at MTS willing to take on the coordination and so were promoted through the school. The school will now look to promote all local sporting clubs through the newsletter to assist parents at the time of registration and share news, where a club team whose members would be predominantly from MTS has news to piblish.
Another factor that is critical for parents to be aware of is that our KidsBiz licence covers most of the school grounds and the netball court. Current licensing imposes much stricter rules that schools must comply with due to the facilities being formally hired out by the school to the care provider. This will impact other activities, including school events held before or after school. We will be working very closely with KidsBiz to find a suitable arrangement.
Kindergarten Auslan Sign-Song
This term, the children have been learning Auslan and are eager to share their progress with you. They will be performing a ‘sign-song’ to demonstrate the signs and skills they have been developing.
When: Week 9, Thursday, 18th September
Where: Kindergarten Courtyard
Time: 2:45pm – 2:55pm
Fences
Our Hall building project is to commence on Monday, with fencing to be erected from 9.30am. This will have an impact on our parking and daily drop-off and pick-up. I must stress the importance that all school children should be dropped off on the basketball courts and not in the ELC slip lane.
Save the Date - Year 6 Graduation Dinner
Open Classrooms - Week 9
KidsBiz Relocation due to the hall refurbishment project
From Monday, 15 September 2025 Kids Biz OSHC will be relocating due to the planned building work that is about to commence.
Kids Biz OSHC will operate from the following new locations from Monday, 15 September 2025:
- Before School Care (BSC) will be in the Kinder breakout space and courtyard
- After School Care (ASC) will be in the Kinder breakout space, the school library, and the Senior space.
- Sign-in/out station and office: will be located in the Kinder breakout space.
Please see attached a map with the new location of the sign-in and out station.
The usual entry point (the black gate near the car park) will still be the entry point that is used for families; however, as there will be no access to the hall during this time, families are required to make their way to the Kinder breakout space to use the sign-in and out station. The main Kids Biz office will also be relocated to the Kinder breakout space, next to the canteen.
Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend, and may the best team win!
Carmel Maguire
Principal
