Happy Father’s Day 

Happy Father’s Day to all our wonderful St Catherine’s dads, step dads, grandads and special friends. We hope you were all spoilt by your children and grandchildren. The children loved shopping for their gifts last Thursday. Thank you to Abbey Walters and her OLSH students for organising the gifts, setting up the stall and helping the children select the perfect gift.   

Dear God,
Thank You for the gift of fathers.
For their strength, their wisdom, and their love.
Bless all dads, grandfathers, and father figures,
Who guide, protect, and care for their families.
Give them patience, joy, and peace each day.
May they always know how deeply they are loved and appreciated.  Amen.

St Catherine’s Got Talent Show!

The first round of auditions began last Monday. It was wonderful to see the wide range of talents. Thank you to our judges for giving up their time to help out during the auditions. This year the difficult judging job has gone to our Year 6 Learning Leaders Leona, Isla, Eve, Vincent and William. Miss Hall, Miss Burnet and Mrs Hudson are also judging. The second round was held this afternoon. The finalists will be announced on Wednesday, 10th September. 

Week 1 Auditions

Finals - Week 9  - Monday 15th September at 2:15pm

This year the finals will be held during the school day in the hall. Parents & families are most welcome to attend. More information will be coming your way soon. The 2025 finalist will be announced on Wednesday, 10th September.  If you have any questions please email sam.hudson@scmoorabbin.catholic.edu.au

Special Playground Visitor 

There was great excitement during recess last week when students discovered a tawny frogmouth nestled in one of our gum trees. We are so lucky to have beautiful native gardens.

St Catherine’s Trivia Night

Congratulations to Julia Runci and the P&F for an extremely successful night. Thank you to all the staff, parents and friends that supported the night. There was lots of money raised but we all had lots of laughs. We are so lucky to have such a fun-loving group of families and staff.

2025 Student Shout Outs!

Please email me if your child has achieved an amazing milestone either individually or with their team. We will showcase them in our newsletter. Please include a photo of your child showing off their award/trophy/certificate etc. Please note we cannot add team photos to the newsletter as we don't have photo permission for the team members.

Ellie - Year 1

Congratulations to Ellie. On Saturday Ellie participated in her primary ballet assessment at her dance school “Theatre De La DanSe”.

Book Now for MACSEYE’s September Holiday Program                                                                                          

MACSEYE is running a fun and engaging school holiday program this September. The program runs throughout the school holidays and features exciting activities including dance, crafts, footy and games, excursions and more! See the attached brochure for the full program and fees.                   

Bookings

Current OSHC users: Book now via the Xplor Home app

New families: Enrol first via the enrolment link in the brochure and you’ll get instructions on how to book.

Bookings close: Monday 15 September

Please note: Regular before and after school care sessions will not be available during the holidays.

For more information, contact MACSEYE         

School Uniform- Reminders

There are a number of students not wearing the correct uniform. Runners are ONLY to be worn when students have Physical Education or sport sessions. We are very proud and take pride in our uniform and expect students to adhere to the correct uniform at all times.

ADVANCE NOTICE

Remaining 2025 School Closure days

Term 3

Week 9 Friday 19th September

Term 4

Week 5 Monday 3rd November (Day before Melbourne Cup Day)

Week 7 Friday 21st November

Last day of school for 2025

Week 11 - Yr 6 Monday 15th December @ 3:20pm

Week 11 - Foundation - Year 5 & Staff 16th December @ 3:20pm

 _______________________________________________

Term 3 WEEK 8

Monday 8th September

• Walking club @ 8:40am
• Choir @ 1:45pm
• 2:15pm St Catherine’s Got Talent Auditions- Round 2

Tuesday 9th September

• Playgroup @ 9-11am
• Chess club @ 1:45pm
• Chess Fanatics with Felix @ 3:30-4:30pm in the Learning Hub
• P&F meeting 7:30 - 8:30pm

Wednesday 10th September

• Year 6/Foundation Parish Mass @ 10am

Thursday 11th September

• Running club @ 8:15am
• Playgroup @ 9-11am
• 1/2 Learning assembly

Term 3 WEEK 9

Monday 15th September 

• Walking club @ 8:40am
• Choir @ 1:45pm
• 2:15pm St Catherine’ Got Talent Finals

Tuesday 16th September

• Playgroup @ 9-11am
• Chess club @ 1:45pm

Wednesday 17th September

• Interschool Chess Competition hosted at St Catherine’s @ 9:30 - 2:30pm.

Thursday 18th September

• AFL Finals Football Rotations @ 9 -11:00am

*Thursday 18th September is the end of term for all students (school closure day Friday 19th September)

*First day of Term 4 is Monday 6th October

What a Term We've Had!

It’s been a busy and exciting term filled with rich learning experiences! In the classroom, we've been diving into multiplication and division, crafting creative narrative stories, celebrating both Science Week and Book Week with enthusiasm and preparing to surprise our dads on Father’s Day.

Beyond the classroom, we had a fantastic excursion to the Melbourne Sea Life Aquarium, where students were filled with wonder and awe exploring the underwater world. Back at school, our Fridays have been extra fruity and fun thanks to our popular "Slinky Apple Fridays"!

So grab a cuppa and let’s go…

Book Week – Book an Adventure
Always a favourite on the school calendar, Book Week was once again a big hit in Year 1/2! The students enthusiastically embraced the theme "Book an Adventure", exploring a wide range of new and exciting stories throughout the week and dressing up in their favourite book characters.

Our classrooms were buzzing with creativity as students explored literature through art and craft activities inspired by the books we read. The joy of storytelling truly came to life!

We’re especially excited to be borrowing the CBCA-shortlisted books from the library, thanks to Mrs Barca, and can’t wait to share our favourites with our families at home. 

With so many incredible stories to choose from, it was no easy task to select just one for our own book reviews - but here are some of our top picks:

Science Week – Decoding the Universe
This year’s National Science Week theme, “Decoding the Universe - Exploring the Unknown with Nature’s Hidden Language,” inspired our Year 1/2 students to dive into the wonders of the natural world. The theme encouraged students to explore the science and mathematics behind nature and technology - uncovering the secrets of the universe in ways that were both fun and meaningful.

As part of our class’ hands-on learning, we created our own mini-ecosystem by planting a terrarium in a large glass bowl. Using layers of soil, carefully chosen plants, and small decorative touches, the terrarium has become a living, growing science experiment.

We’ve been observing how these ecosystems change over time, monitoring plant growth and learning what helps our tiny environments thrive. It’s been a wonderful way to see science in action and understand the delicate balance of nature.

Slinky Apple Fridays

The Story of the Slinky: Did you know the Slinky was invented by accident? In 1943, a mechanical engineer named Richard James was trying to make special springs to help keep ship equipment steady. One day, he accidentally knocked a spring off a shelf - and to his surprise, it didn’t just fall. It “walked” down the shelves all by itself! That amazing moment gave him the idea for the Slinky toy we still enjoy today.

Although our slinky apples don’t walk, they certainly taste great! The classroom is always a buzz of activity as we slinky our way through Brain Break every Friday. There’s something extra fun about eating apples when they’re spiralled into a slinky shape - why do they always seem to taste even better that way?

Exploring the Wonders of the Sea
Excitement was in the air long before we even boarded the bus for our big adventure to the Melbourne Sea Life Aquarium! Our visit was filled with amazement and curiosity as students explored the incredible world beneath the sea, discovering fascinating marine animals and underwater habitats up close.

The students have shared their experiences through some wonderful recounts, capturing the magic of the day in their own words. It truly was a memorable excursion - fun, educational, and enjoyed by all… even the grown ups!

My visit to the Aquarium (by Saul)

We went to the Aquarium. First we had to go on the bus to get there. When we got there we got to go through the V.I.P door. We saw fish and jellyfish and we saw the lifecycle of a jellyfish. We saw a super small jellyfish but there was more than one. Let’s move to the sharks!

My visit to the Aquarium (by Leo)

We had to go on a bus to go to the Aquarium. I saw a turtle and a big crocodile. In the penguin enclosure I found out that penguins are really good at swimming and I saw a jellyfish that can change colour. I saw a giant stingray and a turtle called Plugger. The seahorses were very pretty. The crabs were really cool. I also held a cool shark egg. The leopard shark had a lot of dots on it and the swordfish had a big nose.

My visit to the Aquarium (by Charlotte)

We came to the Aquarium on a bus. We had a picnic outside. I saw a fish called Squishy and it was my favourite fish. I touched a Port Jackson egg and I saw a jellyfish. I went through a tunnel with jellyfish inside it.

My visit to the Aquarium (by Joanna)

We saw a crocodile, seastar, jellyfish and turtles. Plugger the turtle only had 3 legs when she was rescued. We also saw Port Jackson sharks and we also got to touch the eggs. We saw seastars and we got to touch one of the seastars and learn some facts.

Narrative Writing - Life of an Author
This term, our budding authors have been learning how to craft exciting and engaging narrative stories. As a class, we’ve explored the key ingredients that make great writing come to life - starting with a sizzling start, creating interesting characters, and building an engaging plot.

Through guided lessons and shared writing experiences, students are developing their confidence and creativity as storytellers. It’s been wonderful to see their imaginations come alive on the page!

You Are Oat-erly Awesome, Dad!
They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day - and what better way to celebrate Father’s Day than with a healthy, homemade treat!

In the lead-up to Father’s Day, our class had a wonderful time creating personalised gifts, including pots of delicious toasted muesli and heartfelt cards to show just how much they love and appreciate their dads.

To all the dads, stepdads, grandads, and special father figures in our children’s lives - we hope you had a fabulous day on Sunday. You are all oat-erly awesome!

Foundation

Year 1/2RT

Hendrix - For becoming more independent and proud of your work.  You are making great progress this term through tackling tasks with determination and developing resilience when faced with challenges. Keep up your positive attitude towards your learning.

Zac - For growing in confidence this term, contributing actively to class discussions and group activities. You always work cooperatively with your classmates and show respect for others’ ideas and opinions - well done Zac!

Henry - For making fantastic progress in reading - becoming more fluent, understanding texts better, and reading with great expression. Henry, you show respect and care every day to all around you.

Joanna - For consistently demonstrating a strong understanding of key concepts and applying yourself with confidence across all learning areas. You are a kind and caring classmate who always looks out for others and contributes positively to our classroom community - well done Joanna!

Pace - For approaching mathematical challenges with enthusiasm and accuracy, showing a growing confidence in problem-solving. You are a kind friend who helps others and makes our classroom a happy place - what a great role model!

Saul - For making wonderful progress this term through consistent effort and a quietly determined attitude toward learning. Your calm presence and thoughtful approach have contributed greatly to your growth - well done Saul!

Year 3/4JB

St Catherine's Art Show 2025 – A Celebration of Creativity and Hope

We are thrilled to invite you to this year’s St Catherine's Art Show, a vibrant celebration of our students' imagination, passion, and artistic expression. The theme for this year is Hope, inspired by Pope Francis’ declaration of 2025 as the Year of Pilgrims of Hope.

Through their artwork, our students have explored the concept of hope. The result is a stunning collection of pieces created using a wide range of materials, techniques, and levels of complexity, reflecting the individuality and creativity of every child.

The Art Show promises to be more than just an exhibition. It’s a celebration of community, creativity, and connection. Alongside the student artwork, there will be interactive activities, live entertainment, and a few surprises to delight visitors of all ages!

We are especially excited to introduce a new category this year: Creative Ties – a special section dedicated to showcasing creative works made outside of school by our students and their families. This space is a beautiful reminder that creativity lives in every corner of our lives - not just in the classroom.

We warmly invite all families to come along on Monday 13th October, 2025 and experience this joyful event and to admire the artworks, join in the celebration, and support our young artists as they share their vision of hope with the world.

Jo Boers

Visual Arts Teacher

St Catherine's Got Talent 2025

Wow...St Catherine's has a whole lot of amazing talent!

Over the past few weeks we have had the great pleasure of holding auditions and viewing acts entered in this year's St Catherine's Got Talent show.  Our judging panel have been overwhelmed with the level of creativity and presetation of the performers and have managed to lock in 8 finalists.

We look forward to showcasing these wonderful performers at our Grand Finale next Monday 15th September at 2.15pm sharp.

Parents and families are welcome to be part of the audience in the hall as it promises to be an afternoon not to be missed! Please ensure any visitors sign in.

If you have any questions please email sam.hudson@scmoorabbin.catholic.edu.au

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