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- From the Executive Principal
- From the Head of Campus
- RE Happenings
- Sports News
- Garden Club
- Spelling Bee 2024
- School Fees 2024
- Enrolments for 2025
- Bright Beginnings Playgroup
- Message from the Council
- Student Services
- School Hours
- Term Dates
- Active and Creative Kids Voucher
- Lunch Box Ideas
- Canteen
- Midford Uniform Shop
I came across some commentary on social media recently about the relative cost and value of paying school fees. Given that our 2024 school fee accounts have recently been sent to families, I thought it might be a good time to share some of the facts around how funding for Catholic Schools works and also how school fees fit into the mix.
All students in Australia are entitled to a government supported education. Families do, however, have the freedom to choose the type of school they want their children to attend. Those choosing a non-government school for their child are required to pay school fees and levies in order to make up for the shortfall in government funding that is provided for a child in a Catholic or other non-government school, compared to funding provided for a child in a State school.
There are significant recurrent costs associated with educating young people in all Australian schools. In 2023, the minimum (or ‘base’) recurrent cost of school education for every Australian student was:
- $13,060 for a primary student
- $16,413 for a secondary student
These recurrent costs include teacher salaries, school excursions and activities, classroom resources and general school operating costs. They do not include capital costs such as the construction of new buildings. Responsibility for the recurrent funding is shared by the Australian Government and the various State Governments and then, through the payment of school fees, families in non-government school communities such as ours, also contribute to covering these costs.
The figure below provides an overview of the sources of recurrent funding for Government, Catholic and Independent Schools in Australia.
St Matthews is a systemic Catholic School. This means that we are part of a system of schools within a region that work together and support one another. In our particular case, the system we are part of is the Catholic Education Diocese of Bathurst. The diocese is always striving to balance the cost of providing high quality, faith-based education in our school communities with the need to keep fees as affordable as possible for families. We also strive to ensure that our fees are ‘all inclusive’ so that families are not regularly asked to contribute more throughout the year for excursions and other activities.
One of our core values as a Catholic community is to support those who are struggling. This means that no child will ever be refused a Catholic education because of genuine financial difficulty. Families in genuine financial hardship can be provided assistance through our confidential fee concession process which is always managed in a supportive and respectful way. If you would like more information about how this process works, please don’t hesitate to contact either myself or our Finance and Operations Manager, Annette White.
We are incredibly grateful for the financial support our families provide. Your contributions through the payment of fees and levies enable our school to provide a high quality learning environment for your children. If you ever have any questions or concerns about what you are called to contribute, I would welcome the opportunity to discuss these with you.
God bless
Angela Myles
Last week provided our students with numerous opportunities to grow in their faith and participate in numerous pathways provided by our diocese. Bishop Michael Mckenna was present to lead Mass for our Year 3 students and the wider community on Thursday morning. He then visited a number of classrooms around the school with Mrs Myles and our school leaders. He concluded the day by blessing the new OSCH operating at the front of St Matthews.
NAPLAN
Students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 will sit the National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) test during the next two weeks. All students will complete four tests covering numeracy, reading, writing and language conventions (spelling, punctuation and grammar). The NAPLAN results and the student reports will be released later in the year.
The results provide information about student achievement that can be used to inform teaching and learning programs. NAPLAN tests provide point-in-time information regarding student progress in literacy and numeracy and are intended to complement the wide range of formal and informal assessments that are already conducted in schools.
NAPLAN - Information for Parents and Carers
Attendance
We at St Matthews want our students to receive a great education, and this starts with students coming to school each and every day. If students miss school regularly, they miss out on learning the fundamental skills that will set them up for success in the later years. There is no safe number of days for missing school – each day a student misses puts them behind, and can affect their educational outcomes. Each missed day is associated with progressively lower achievement in numeracy, writing and reading. A reminder to families that we are informed from the Catholic Education Diocese of Bathurst (CEDB) that students in the Primary school with under 90%
He or she is only missing..... | That equals.... | Which is.... | Over 13 years of schooling that’s... |
1 day per fortnight | 20 days per year | 4 weeks per year | Nearly 1.5 years |
1 day per week | 40 days per year | 8 weeks per year | Over 2.5 years |
2 days per week | 80 days per year | 16 weeks per year | Over 5 years |
Justin Yeo
Break open the Gospel
Each week our primary classes participate in an opportunity to explore the coming week’s Sunday Gospel. The lessons look at the meaning of the gospel and how we bring that message to our school in our everyday thoughts, words and actions.
This week we looked at the Gospel of Luke. We compared the pulling power of Jesus to that of a magnet. The magnet has great power and will draw many objects to itself. It reminds me of something that Jesus taught about Himself. The people who were following Jesus thought Jesus had come to set up an earthly kingdom. But Jesus came to earth to die for our sins so that we could join Him in His heavenly kingdom.
Confirmation
The confirmation journey for our Year 6 students and above has recently started after parent sessions last week and Tuesday of this week. If you wish for your child to participate in the Sacrament of Confirmation, please contact the Parish Office. The journey now moves to a commitment mass and attendance at weekly mass leading up to the celebration with Bishop Michael on the weekend of the 22nd and 23rd of June.
Infants Prayer Boxes
An initiative of our infants classes is the SMCS Prayer Box. Each student of the week gets to take home a prayer box and share in the opportunity to pray as a family.
A reminder if possible to please send any photos of this occurring to your class teacher or Ross McKeown
If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.
Romero Feast Day - Monday 25th March
- Primary Romero students will remain on site as normal and come together at 1.00pm to commence the celebrations, students will be released at 3.10pm
- Secondary Romero students in Years 7-10 will depart the Broadhead Campus at 12.40pm. Secondary students will travel by bus to Lewis Street and are asked to find their own transport home either via bus from Lewis Street or other means of transport.
- Students may wear sports uniform or clothing of their house colour: red.
Neat clothing and enclosed footwear. - Please bring water, hat, sunscreen and lunch. An afternoon tea will be provided.
Ross McKeown
Leader of Mission
DIO Swimming
Last week Wednesday, the pathway for swimming continued in Dubbo with the Bathurst Diocesan Swimming Carnival. From this we have 13 students who progress to Polding in Sydney in the coming weeks.
The senior girls relay team dropped 12 seconds from their time. Ruben won the 2024 Junior Boy Championship.
A big thanks to Meg Kelly for being the northern team manager.
Bathurst Winter Trials
Last week Friday saw a group of Year 5 and 6 students participate in the Diocesan Winter Sports Trials in Rugby League, Soccer, Netball and Hockey. Across all sports we will have representation from our students who will participate for our Diocesan teams to hopefully be selected for Polding in Term 2.
Angus, Darcy and Rory who were selected to represent the Bathurst Diocese at the Under 11’s Polding Rugby League Carnival.
James, Harry, Arthur, Harper and Baxter made possible / probables and from that, Baxter and Arthur were selected in the Bathurst Diocese Team.
Both Heidi and Carmelina were also selected in the Bathurst Diocese Team.
Cross Country
The atmosphere of the successful primary school cross country carnival resonated with cheers and laughter as students, teachers, and parents gathered to celebrate a day of athleticism, camaraderie, and community spirit. Lawson Park was filled with the pitter-patter of running shoes as eager participants of all ages took on the challenging course with determination and enthusiasm. The event displayed a sense of sportsmanship and healthy competition, leaving a lasting impression on the young runners, who gained not only physical fitness but also an invaluable lesson in perseverance. The success of the cross country carnival reflected the unwavering commitment of the school community to promote a holistic approach to education, emphasizing the importance of both academic and physical well-being.
Adam Coughlan
K-6 Sports Coordinator
We are thrilled to share some exciting news from our school's Garden Club! Our dedicated young gardeners recently participated in the Mudgee Show, showcasing their hard work and passion for gardening. We are proud to announce that our beetroots have clinched the second prize, a fantastic achievement that highlights the effort and care our students put into nurturing their produce.
Moreover, our zucchinis also received a highly commended recognition, further demonstrating the talent and dedication of our young gardeners. This success not only reflects the skills they have developed in the garden but also their commitment to learning and exploring new experiences.
Thank you to our students, teachers, Mr Chapman and parents for supporting the Garden Club and encouraging our young gardeners to flourish. We look forward to more exciting adventures in gardening and future successes at upcoming events.
Bec Ferguson
Each year we participate in 2 rounds of spelling bees to determine 4 students to represent our school at the Diocesan Spelling Bee.
During Week 11, your child/children will take place in a class preliminary Spell-off bee. The two top spellers from each class will then be selected to compete in their Stage Spelling Bee. If your child/children are selected to compete, you will be notified via email. Students will have the holidays to practise before our Stage Spelling Bee in Week 2 next term.
The attached flyer will enable you to access an electronic copy of the wordlists, if you wish to practise at home.
Our school timeline is as follows:
T1 W7 - Spelling lists send home via email
T1 W11 - Class Spelling Bee
T1 W11 - Parents of finalists notified via email
T2 W2 - Stage Spelling Bee
If you have any further questions please contact myself via email.
Mell Hunt
Stage 3 Coordinator
All families have now received their 2024 fee statement as well as information in a separate email regarding fee accounts. It is very important that you review your statement and advise of any errors.
Monthly statements will be sent a few days after the end of the month. While you are receiving a statement, you have an outstanding balance, unless you are in credit.
If you have not received a fee statement, please contact the bursary office.
Annette White
Finance & Operations Manager
Save The Date!
Registrations will open for our "Bright Beginnings" Playgroup on Monday 25th March. We look forward to meeting you and your child very soon!
Please email Bernie Atkinson for any questions or enquiries.
Bernie Atkinson
Kindergarten Transition Coordinator
Our lost and found rack is located inside Gate 2.
All labelled items will be returned to students weekly. At the end of each term all unclaimed items will be donated to Vinnies.
Student Services - Primary
Primary Campus Times
School Hours: 9:10-3:10 (staff supervision from 8:40)
Break 1: 11:40-12:40
Break 2: 1:40-2:10
*If you need to pick up your child, during break time, please make sure to let the office know at least 10minutes before the start of break*
Term 1:
Thursday 1 February - Friday 12 April
Good Friday: 29th March (Public Holiday)
Easter Monday: 1st April (Public Holiday)
Term 2:
Tuesday 30th April - Friday 5th July
Pupil Free Day - Monday 29th April
Pupil Free Day - Friday 7th June
Term 3:
Monday 22nd July - Friday 27th September
Pupil Free Day - Friday 23rd August
Term 4:
Tuesday 15th October - Wednesday 18th December
Pupil Free Day - Monday 14th October
Active and Creative Kids Voucher
Parents, guardians and carers of eligible school-aged children will be able to use two $50 vouchers per calendar year.
About the new program
- Vouchers are available to those receiving Family Tax Benefit Part A, or Family Tax Benefit Part B, or both.
- Vouchers can be downloaded as a QR code and used toward either an eligible physical or creative activity.
- The $50 vouchers will be issued in school term 1 and school term 3.
- Vouchers must be redeemed before their expiry date.
For more information, visit Active and Creative Kids.
Flexischools is St Matthews Catholic Schools preferred way to order from our canteens. The cut-off time is 9am, please allow yourself enough time to complete an order. An order can be placed the night before or even days in advance.
Orders that are phoned through via reception after 9am will be offered a simple sandwich, a drink and snacks only (No Hot Food will be offered, so please do not ask). Credit Card details must be provided at the time, no exceptions. This ensures no further follow up for payment is required.
If parents are experiencing issues with Flexischools, please contact Flexischools directly using the Parent Help Line Number- 1300 361 769 (8am-12pm)
1. Introduction to Flexischools
2. How to Register with Flexischools
3. How to Place an Order (Canteen)
4. How to Place an Order (All Services)
5. How to Top Up Your Flexischools Wallet
Please let your child know if they are having a lunch order and what they are having. Some of our younger students are accidently throwing out their “tokens”. They need the token to redeem any frozen item/ slushie/ special that may have been ordered for them.
“Birthday Bucket” & “Classroom Cupcakes”
Alicia Cowden
Primary Canteen Manager
The Midford Uniform Shop is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8.00am to 4.00pm.
EFTPOS only, no cash.
Enjoy the convenience of online shopping. Save time and energy by ordering your uniforms online in six easy steps:
1. Go to midford.com.au
2. Select St Matthews Catholic School from the Online School Shops tab
3. New users to click the ‘Register New Account’ button
4. Start the registration process by selecting St Matthews Catholic School from the drop-down menu and add the unique school pass phrase: “Matthews1912”
5. Add your personal information, create a username and password
6. Order the items you need, select pick-up in store/deliver to school.
Online orders for Primary will be delivered to the school office on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1:30pm. Cut off time for ordering is 1.00pm.
Online orders for Secondary will be delivered to the school office on Wednesdays and Fridays at 9.00am. Cut off time for ordering is 3:30pm the day before.
Online orders for shop pick up - pick up only within the shop hours, please allow 1 hour after ordering for collection.
If you have any queries please contact the uniform shop directly:
Phone: 0439 442 509 or Email: st.matthews@midford.com.au
NOTICEBOARD