Newsletter — Term 3, Week 7

Welcome to the Week 7 newsletter, published Monday 24 August 2026. Book Week begins tomorrow, Year 12 practice exams start, Year 7 2027 families join us on Wednesday evening, and the athletics carnivals, Year 9 City Experience and Year 4 Camp are close behind. Please check the Dates to Remember table and the Parent Portal for forms and bookings.

From the Principal

What a week. Five sold-out performances of Oliver! from Wednesday 19 to Saturday 22 August 2026 drew around 1,900 people to Mary MacKillop Hall. To our cast of 64 students from Years 5 to 12, crew of 22 and 18-piece pit orchestra: thank you. Congratulations to Finn Harrington (Year 8) as Oliver, Isabella Romano (Year 12) as Nancy, Marcus Oyelaran (Year 11) as Fagin, Lily Nguyen (Year 9) as the Artful Dodger and Tom Castellano (Year 12) as Mr Bumble, and to Mr Callum Reid (Director), Ms Grace Whitlam (Musical Director), Ms Hannah Kim (Choreography) and every staff member and parent who helped.

Year 12 practice exams run in the Hall from Tuesday 25 August to Friday 28 August 2026 — the most valuable rehearsal before the VCE written examinations begin on Wednesday 28 October 2026. Details are on the practice exams page.

On Wednesday 26 August 2026 at 7:00pm we host the Year 7 2027 Information Evening in the Hall — I look forward to meeting our incoming families there with Mr Tom Brennan, Mr Nick Papadopoulos and Mrs Kate O'Brien.

Finally, Term 3 ends Friday 18 September 2026 with a 2:30pm dismissal for both schools; casual clothes are not permitted.

Dr Helen Carmody, Principal

Junior School

Book Week — "Stories Light the Way". Our Book Week dress-up parade is tomorrow, Tuesday 25 August 2026 at 9:00am on the Main Oval (wet weather: Mary MacKillop Hall). Parents are welcome. Students come dressed as a favourite book character and change into uniform after recess (pack it in their bag). No toy weapons, face paint or full-face masks. The Book Fair runs in the Library Monday 24 to Friday 28 August 2026, 8:15–8:45am and 3:20–4:00pm (cash or card). Author Meg Ellery visits Years 3–6 on Thursday 27 August 2026; Book Week awards are presented at Junior Assembly on Friday 28 August 2026, 2:30pm. Full details: Book Week 2026.

Years 5 and 6 Parent-Teacher-Student conferences are Thursday 27 August 2026, 3:45–7:30pm, in the Junior classrooms (10-minute slots; students attend). Bookings close on the Parent Portal at 12:00pm on Wednesday 26 August 2026. See conferences.

Year 4 Camp — Camp Sunnystones, Bacchus Marsh. Year 4 depart at 8:30am from the Junior gate on Thursday 10 September 2026 and return at 2:30pm on Friday 11 September 2026. Medical, dietary and consent forms are due on the Portal by Friday 28 August 2026; medication goes to Ms Ellie Marchetti in a named, pharmacy-labelled zip-lock bag by Wednesday 9 September 2026. Packing list: Year 4 Camp.

Prep 2027 Transition Session 1 runs on Tuesday 1 September 2026, 9:15–10:30am in the Prep rooms. See the Prep transition program.

Junior Assembly resumes Fridays 2:30pm from Friday 28 August 2026. Footy Colours Day: Thursday 17 September 2026, gold coin for the Fight Cancer Foundation.

Ms Priya Natarajan, Head of Junior School

Senior School

Year 12 practice exams run Tuesday 25 August to Friday 28 August 2026 in Mary MacKillop Hall, with sessions at 9:00am and 1:30pm. Students attend only for their exams and otherwise study at home (Library quiet study 8:30am–3:30pm). Full winter uniform with blazer, VCAA-approved equipment, arrive 20 minutes early. Timetable: exam timetables.

Year 7 2027 Information Evening — Wednesday 26 August 2026, 7:00–8:15pm in the Hall. No RSVP required. Topics: transition program, laptop (BYOD) program, uniform, camps and Orientation Day (Tuesday 24 November 2026). Details: Year 7 2027.

Year 9 City Experience — Monday 31 August to Friday 4 September 2026. Depart 8:15am daily from the Senior gate by train; return approximately 3:15pm. Full-fare student Myki with at least $20, sport uniform and tracksuit all week, lunch or $15 per day. Outstanding consent forms to the Senior office; questions to Mr Will Turner. See City Experience.

Year 10 Subject Selection interviews for 2027 are on Wednesday 2 September 2026, 1:00–6:00pm. Bookings open on the Learning Hub today; final selections are due Friday 4 September 2026. See Subject Selection.

Year 11 exams run Monday 7 September to Friday 11 September 2026 (timetable on the Learning Hub).

Year 12 Graduation Mass and Valedictory Dinner bookings close Monday 14 September 2026 via the Portal (Mass Tuesday 20 October 2026, 6:00pm; Dinner Thursday 26 November 2026, 6:30pm, Leonda by the Yarra, $120 per guest). See Graduation and Valedictory.

Year 7 Immunisations (round 2) are Thursday 17 September 2026; consent via the Portal by Friday 11 September 2026 — see immunisations.

Science Week finished with a well-attended Years 5–9 Robotics showcase on Thursday 20 August 2026, and our B Grade Debating team (Year 10) won DAV Round 5 the same evening — congratulations.

Mr Tom Brennan, Head of Senior School

Sport

CSSA Round 5 results (Wednesday 19 August 2026): Senior Girls Netball 1sts defeated Holy Cross 41–33 and remain undefeated at 5–0; Boys Soccer 1sts defeated St Brigid's 3–1 (now 4–1); Mixed Hockey drew with Mount Carmel 2–2; Boys Football 1sts lost to Corpus Christi 58–71; Intermediate Girls Basketball defeated Nazareth 44–29; Intermediate Boys Volleyball lost to Holy Cross one set to two. Round 6 is Wednesday 26 August 2026; semi-finals Wednesday 2 September and grand finals Wednesday 9 September 2026; CSSA Athletics Finals Wednesday 16 September 2026 at Ringwood. See CSSA Wednesday sport.

Junior Winter Lightning Premiership — on Friday 21 August 2026 at Kingsley Park Reserve our Years 3–6 teams won the netball and mixed soccer premierships and were runners-up in football. Thank you to Mr Daniel Ruiz and our parent helpers.

Junior Athletics Carnival — Friday 4 September 2026. Years 3–6 on the Main Oval, 9:00am–2:45pm; Prep–2 Mini Olympics on the Lower Field, 9:30–11:00am. House polo, hat, sunscreen, drink bottle and packed lunch — no canteen lunch orders for Years 3–6 that day. Parents welcome (sign in at the Junior gate). Normal 3:20pm dismissal, or sign out with the class teacher from 2:45pm. Wet-weather backup Friday 11 September 2026.

Senior Athletics Carnival — Tuesday 8 September 2026 at Ringwood Athletics Track. Buses depart Chapel Road 8:45am, return 3:15pm. Attendance compulsory; House polo, hat, sunscreen and own lunch. Both carnivals: athletics carnivals.

House Cup standings (Week 7): Chisholm 2,140; MacKillop 2,085; Romero 1,960; Polding 1,890. House Spirit Day on Friday 11 September 2026 could shake things up — see below.

Mr Luke Ferraro, Director of Sport

Music & Arts

Oliver! photos: College Musical. Next, the Spring Concert is Wednesday 16 September 2026 at 7:00pm in Mary MacKillop Hall, featuring Concert Band, Junior Band, String Ensemble, Senior Chamber Choir, Junior Choir, Stage Band and the Rock Bands program. Free entry; book via the Portal from Monday 31 August 2026 (maximum four per family until Friday 11 September 2026). Performers arrive 6:00pm in full winter uniform; doors 6:30pm; finish approximately 8:45pm. See Spring Concert 2026.

Ms Grace Whitlam, Director of Music

Faith & Mission

Please pray for our Year 4 students, who receive their First Eucharist at the 10:30am Mass on Sunday 6 September 2026 in St Mary of the Cross Church (candidates arrive 10:00am; rehearsal Thursday 3 September 2026, 3:30pm). See the sacramental program.

R U OK? Day activities begin Monday 7 September 2026, led by our counsellors and the SRC. House Spirit Day, Friday 11 September 2026: casual clothes in house colours, gold coin for the Vinnies Winter Appeal, lunchtime House chant competition — see House Spirit Day. First-Friday Mass is 9:15am on Friday 4 September 2026; Junior classes at the carnival will hold a class liturgy the following week.

Mrs Siobhan Reilly, Deputy Principal – Wellbeing & Mission, and Sr Bernadette Long rsj, College Chaplain

P&F

Father's Day Stall — Friday 28 August 2026 in the Hall foyer. Classes P–6 visit during the day; gifts $5–$15. Send cash in a named envelope or pre-load tokens on the Portal by Thursday 27 August 2026. Volunteers still needed 8:30am–1:30pm (WWCC required).

Father's Day Breakfast — Thursday 3 September 2026, 7:15–8:30am in Mary MacKillop Hall: bacon-and-egg rolls, pancakes, fruit and a coffee cart. $5 per adult, children free; dads, grandads and special friends welcome. RSVP via the Portal by Monday 31 August 2026. Details for both: Father's Day 2026.

The Junior playground shade-sail fund has reached $31,600 of the $45,000 target — thank you. Next P&F meeting: Wednesday 9 September 2026, 7:00pm, Staff Room and online. See Parents & Friends.

Mrs Rachel Ibrahim, P&F President

Dates to Remember

Full year dates: term dates.

Community Notices

• Spring holiday program (Wattle Creek OSHC) runs Monday 21 September to Friday 2 October 2026 (closed Friday 25 September), 7:00am–6:00pm, $78 per day. Bookings close Friday 11 September 2026 — see holiday program.
• Summer uniform is worn from Monday 5 October 2026. Transition fortnight Monday 5 to Friday 16 October 2026: full winter or full summer (no mixing); hats compulsory from Monday 5 October. Extra Uniform Shop openings: Saturday 12 September 2026 (9:00am–12:00pm), Wednesday 16 September 2026 (3:00–5:00pm), Tuesday 29 September and Thursday 1 October 2026 (9:00am–1:00pm). See Uniform Shop.
• Second-hand uniform sale — Saturday 12 September 2026, 9:00–11:00am, Hall foyer. See second-hand uniform.
• Year 5 Camp (Phillip Island) is Tuesday 6 to Friday 9 October 2026 — forms due Friday 18 September 2026.
• Canteen lunch orders close 8:30am on the Portal — see canteen.