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%

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

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

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

Primary Campus Times

School Hours: 9:10-3:10 (staff supervision from 8:40)

Break 1: 11:40-12:10
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*

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