What are you and your family busying yourself with as the Easter weekend approaches? As we prepare ourselves for a few days of potentially overindulging in chocolate and buying products branded with the Easter Bunny, perhaps we could all do with a reminder about the meaning behind the long weekend we are about to celebrate and enjoy.

We are all very conscious of the pain and suffering present in our world. The Easter story invites us to travel with Jesus through his pain and suffering as he takes the journey from death to new life. The story reminds us that God walks with all of us as we strive to respond to the sadness, hardship, and pain in our world and in our own lives. If we follow the events of Holy Week, we will hear about moments of connection and rejection, joy and sorrow, despair and hope, betrayal, and faithfulness… experiences which might possibly be reflected in our own life journey.

As we celebrate Easter this year, we are called to be people of hope. To be people who let the light of the Easter candle burn brightly within so that others may share in the reassurance of what the Easter message offers; that even amidst some of the awful atrocities we see happening in our world, there can be glimmers of life, love and hope. Easter reminds us that God wants to transform our doubts, our worries, and fears into experiences of joy and new life.

May this Easter be blessed with plenty of opportunities to celebrate with family and friends, and also some time to reflect on how we might live in a way that is more hope-filled and joyful… a life where we can allow God’s love to shine through us for others to see each day.

God bless & happy Easter!

Angela Myles

Parent Teacher Interviews

Interviews occur this week for our Primary students from Kindergarten to Year 6 and we thank those families who have been able to book times through Compass to discuss their child/ren’s learning and start to 2024. We know this is a beneficial meeting to ask questions and plan for Term 2. We remind families that the Semester 1 Reports are to be shared with families in the last week of Term 2, and with these reports, we provide a second and final Parent Teacher Interview process for 2024.

Term 1 Discos

A new initiative created by our student leaders in the Year 6 SRC Partnership has been approved with all students invited to a School Disco this term, including students from Kindergarten to Year 2.

In addition to the Disco held at the end of each year, in Week 11, Thursday 11th April, we will have new separate after school events for K-6 students. In Infants (K-2), there will be a Disco from 4:30 - 5:15pm in the school Gym. Parents may attend this K-2 event. Once completed and Infants are farewelled, students from Years 3 - 6 are invited for their own Disco from 5:30 - 7pm. Students attending are asked to bring a gold coin donation to go to Project Compassion.

It’s great to see our school leaders take on the responsibility of engaging with staff and proposing ways to improve the connection of our students at St Matthews.

Justin Yeo

How are you as a family going to celebrate Holy Week and a well earned break over the Easter period? Is there a time to discuss and reflect on how we bring Jesus to life in our everyday thoughts, words and actions?

Easter Mass Times 

Year 1 Retreat

Recently Year 1 celebrated a retreat program at St Mary’s Parish. It was a wonderful celebration of belonging to begin the year where the students and their families participated in activities about the church and parish which we all belong to. Thank you to all families who were able to participate.

Romero Feast Day

“Aspire not to have more but to be more.”

On Monday our Romero House students came together to celebrate the life of Oscar Romero. St. Oscar lived and worked in El Salvador, a very poor country in Central America. He fought for justice and equality for his people and had a great love for the poor, homeless, and abandoned.

It was a fun afternoon with all our Romero students from K-10.

Ross McKeown

Leader of Mission

Get involved with Project Compassion, by watching a video about this year theme:

For all future generations.

As the Season of Lent comes to a close, so does our support of Caritas Australia through Project Compassion.

Thank you to all families who have returned their Project Compassion boxes. If you are yet to do so please return the boxes by Thursday 28th March.

You can also donate directly through the St Matthews fundraising page until Thursday.

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.

Stage 2 list - Year 3 and Year 4

Stage 3 list - Year 5 and Year 6

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

Secondary School Photos

Secondary photo day will be Wednesday 15th May

Primary School Photos

Primary photo day will be Thursday 16th May

Sibling Photos

Familes are able to order sibling photos. The cut off for sibling photos will be 12am (midnight) Monday 13th May. No exceptions can be made.

We are pleased to once again offer sibling photos for families with children at both campuses. More information regarding this will be communicated to families closer to the date.

Please find below instructions for booking school photos. Envelopes will be available from the front office for those families who are unable to purchase online.

Head of Campus Assistant - Primary

Our school social media pages are an important source of information/reminders about upcoming events in our school and Church community.  

Felien Potgieter

Public Relations Officer - Primary

The new Active and Creative Kids voucher is now available, helping to make activities more affordable for eligible NSW families.

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