Newsletter 25 June 2025
From the Acting Principal
A Terrific Term Two
What a wonderful Term Two we have had at St Monica’s School. From sports events to arts performances, assemblies, excursions and most importantly, lots of deep learning. Over the last two weeks, our teachers have been analysing student assessments, including reading tests, to not only provide parents with information on achievements and progress, but to plan for next steps in Term 3. The progress that our students have made is truly remarkable and a testament to their terrific efforts, expert teaching from our educators and wonderful support from our parents. Proof of the school’s success was also made evident in last week’s Courier Mail release of the ‘Better Education’ top schools in QLD, 2025. (You can access the ratings here - Top Primary Schools in Queensland - Latest Results) With a score of 96%, our ranking is as high as it has ever been, outperforming many local schools. We are all truly blessed to be part of this wonderful community.
On a personal note, I would like to thank each and every one of you for your support this term, particularly during my time acting in the principal’s role in Mr. Barrett’s absence. It has been a true privilege to lead our community, and I have taken great joy and pride in doing so. I look forward to working together next term as we shape learning and create significant opportunities for all of our wonderful students.
Semester One Report Card Distribution
This afternoon, all report cards will be sent to parents via the Parent Portal on the Sentral For Parents App. Please contact the office if you have any difficulty accessing your child’s report.
Last call for St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal Donations
A reminder that this Friday, St Vinnies representatives will be attending our final Term 2 Assembly to collect all donations for the Winter Appeal. Please give all you can to help those less fortunate than ourselves this winter season.
Term 3 Key Dates
Week 1
Monday July 14 Pupil Free Day (no school)
Tuesday July 15 First day of Term 3
Friday July 18 NAIDOC Celebration Day. This year’s theme – Strength, Vision, Legacy.
Friday July 18 Catholic Schools Athletics Carnival for qualifiers
Week 2
Tuesday July 22 Kokoda Day. Students in Kokoda to wear their House shirts. Liturgy at 11:05am
Wednesday July 23 100 Days of Prep Celebration
Friday July 25 Fromelles Day. Students in Fromelles to wear their House shirts. Liturgy at 11:05am
Week 3 CATHOLIC EDUCATION WEEK
Monday July 28 Catholic Education Week Mass and Free BBQ sausage sizzle lunch
Tuesday July 29 St Vinnie’s de Paul Workshops with Education Officer Julie Inskip
Wednesday July 30 Grandparents Day. Prep leading Assembly, followed by time in classrooms and a special morning tea
Thursday July 31 Catholic Schools Netball and Touch Football Gala Day
Chalk drawing competition back at school
Friday Aug 1 Bishop’s Inservice Day/Pupil Free Day (no school)
Week 4
Monday Aug 4 ICAS Digit Tech Competition
Thursday Aug 7 ICAS Writing Competition
Friday Aug 8 Year 3 Excursion to Cobb and Co, ‘Take a Look Captain Cook’
Interactive learning expo.
Week 5
Wednesday Aug 13 Indonesian Cultural Day
Thursday Aug 14 Author Visit - Greg Dreise
Friday Aug 15 National Day of Action Against bullying – Wear PURPLE
Friday Aug 15 Community under 8s Day
Week 6 BOOK WEEK
Monday Aug 18 ICAS Science Competition
Tuesday Aug 19 Inner Downs Athletics for students who qualify
Wednesday Aug 20 ICAS Spelling Competition
Friday Aug 22 Book Week Parade after Assembly
Saturday Aug 23 Family Mass at 6pm
Week 7
Monday Aug 25 ICAS Maths Competition
Friday Aug 29 St Monica’s Feast Day (Mass at 9am, Free BBQ lunch on the oval, Old Fashioned Games and St Monica’s Got Talent Competition at approx. 1:00pm)
Week 8
Tuesday Sep 2 Special Father’s Day Assembly in the hall at 8:40am.
Tuesday Sep 2 Wellbeing visit from Head Space – Years 5 & 6
Parent & Teacher Session from 3:20pm – 4:20pm in the library.
Wednesday Sep 3 Oakey Sing Out. Activities during the day & evening presentation at the Oakey Cultural Centre.
Thursday Sep 4 Year 6 excursion to New Acland Mine
Thursday Sep 4 Year 4 excursion to St Helena Island and Year 4 Sleepover
Friday Sep 5 Consistency of Teacher Judgement Day (pupil free day - no school)
Week 9 NATIONAL CHILD PROTECTION WEEK
Parent Teacher Interviews throughout this week
Tuesday Sep 9 Year 4 Touch Gala Day
Friday Sep 12 R U OK Day. Special Assembly
Friday Sep 12 Year 2 Excursion – Significant Places in Oakey (Historical Museum, Australian Army Flying Museum, Train, Station, RSL, War Memorial and the Bernborough Statue)
Week 10
Thursday Sep 18 End of Term Thanksgiving Mass
Friday Sep 19 Last Day of Term 3
Prep Enrolments for 2026
As we approach the mid-year mark, we are beginning to form our 2026 Prep class. If you or someone you know is considering enrolling their child at St Monica’s school next year, please encourage them to complete an enrolment form via our school website.
Year 1-6 Enrolments for 2026
As many of you are aware, we currently have waitlists for some year levels. Wait lists play an important role; if a student transfers to a new school due to an event such as family relocation, we can fill the position with a student from the waitlist. Sometimes, if the waitlist is extensive, we can look at creating two classes for that year level the following year. With this in mind, if you know anyone who is looking to move to St Monica’s school, but the year level is currently full, still encourage them to fill in an enrolment form on the website, so they can be interviewed and potentially enrolled as soon as possible.
Happy Winter Holidays
Wishing you all a restful, safe and blessed Winter break, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to school on Tuesday, the 15th of July, noting that Monday, the 14th, is a student-free day.
From the Classrooms
Prep
Students have worked very hard this term and are ready for a well-earned holiday. We have had lots of monster fun exploring different mediums and shapes during afternoon art this week. Congratulations to all students who participated in the Athletics Carnival on Friday. What a fun day all round with sprints and field event rotations. We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a relaxing, happy, and safe holiday. We look forward to catching up with you all for Term 3.
Year 1
What a fun-filled couple of weeks we've had in the Year One classroom! The highlights certainly were making fairy bread and our Magnificent Thing creations for our procedural text unit. I know the students are very excited to bring their creations home before the holidays.
The Year One class has worked very hard this term, and should be very proud of their efforts! Thank you, parents, for your continued support. We hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday and look forward to jumping into new learning next term.
Miss Smith and Mrs O'Brien.
Year 2
I can’t believe we are nearing the end of Term 2 and are halfway through Year Two! Time just flies when you are having fun!
In English, we have been revising our knowledge of parts of speech. This week we have learnt all about adverbs! We even got to play “Blooket” to test our knowledge. It was so much fun!
In Maths, we have been learning all about reading and writing analog time. So far we have focused on o’clock times and half past times. It has been fun making our own clocks and using ourselves as hands on the clock in the quad area.
In Health, we are learning about persistence and collaboration. We have talked about what a good team member and bad team member look like. We are all going to focus on being good team members in and out of the classroom for the rest of the term!
I hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday and enjoy the well-deserved break!
Until next time,
Lauren Grant
Year 3
The Year 3 students have had another fantastic term of learning. They have enjoyed learning about fables and building on their narrative writing styles in English, whilst in HASS they have deepened their understanding of community and changes that occur over time.
Over the last few weeks, they have been meticulously planning and developing models of their designs of 'Oakey's Best Park'. Throughout the design process they have had to make changes, problem solve and apply feedback to ensure that they are meeting the requirements of the task. It has been fantastic so see their creations come together. They should be so proud of their efforts!
I hope you all have a safe and enjoyable break and look forward to another fantastic term ahead.
Year 4
I would like to thank the Year Four students for the effort they have put into their schooling during Semester One. It has been wonderful to see the academic growth achieved by all during this time. I look forward to a fabulous Semester Two.
I would like to congratulate the many Year 4 students who will be competing in the Catholic Carnival on the Friday of Week 1, Term 3.
Please note that I will be away over the holidays, and unable to respond to e-mails until Wednesday of the second week. I would like to wish you all a happy and safe break from the school routine.
God Bless.
Mrs Anderson
Year 5M
As Term 2 officially comes to a close, we want to take a moment to celebrate what an incredible journey it’s been. From laughter and learning to leadership and growth, 5M has truly shone this term—we couldn’t be prouder of everything the children have accomplished.
Some standout highlights include:
- Students showing resilience, compassion and creativity through The Resilience Project.
- Powerful persuasive writing as we stepped back into history, crafting compelling letters to Governor La Trobe to argue against the gold mining license.
- Hands-on science experiments that brought states of matter and particle theory to life in fun and fascinating ways.
- Watching every student rise to the challenge during the Athletics Carnival, where they gave their all, cheered each other on, and showed true sportsmanship in striving for personal bests.
Just a reminder that report cards will be released this afternoon. We know they’ll reflect the hard work, curiosity and enthusiasm your children bring to the classroom every day.
Thank you for your continued support. We wish you all a restful and joyful break. See you in Term 3, ready for more adventures!
Year 5R
Year 6
As we reach the end of a busy fortnight, our Year 6 students have experienced a fantastic mix of learning, sports, and fun activities. Last week, our students demonstrated outstanding sportsmanship during the Athletics Carnival, particularly excelling in the 800m race. Cheers, hand shakes and personal bests filled the track as students pushed themselves with many surprising themselves with their great results. On Tuesday, the girls enjoyed an exciting excursion to St Ursula's, while the boys kept busy at school, rearranging their classroom to trial new desk layouts.
As one of the final lessons of our HASS unit, students learned how bills are passed in government by acting out a parliamentary process. Their proposed bill to ban homework sparked lively debate – though, sadly, it wasn’t passed however, they did gain an appreciation of the importance of parliamentary procedures. Eager to dive into next term's work, students have begun investigating natural disasters in Science and exploring the diverse cultures of Asia in HASS.
Enjoy the holiday break and we look forward to seeing you back next term!
From Music
Congratulations to our School Choir who received two 2nd places and a 3rd place in the Dalby Eisteddfod recently. These students have been incredibly dedicated and enthusiastic this term. Thank you also to the wonderful Mrs Sarah Malone, our conductor. It was fantastic to have some parents attend the Eisteddfod as audience members, your support was greatly appreciated.
Choir is held every Thursday at Big Lunch in the Music Room. New members in year 3, 4, 5 and 6 are welcome at the beginning of next term. No auditions are necessary. We are looking for students who enjoy singing and who honour the commitment. It would be great to see some new faces.
S.M.G.T: It's that time of year again! The highly anticipated St Monica's Got Talent show is back! Does your child have a talent they'd like to share with the community? e.g. comedy, magic tricks, puppet show, singing, dancing, etc. The school holidays are a fabulous time to prepare. Auditions will be held during Music Lessons in weeks 3 and 4 of next term. Students may perform as individuals/partners/small groups. Successful students will be notified and then invited to perform at the Semi-Finals, which will be held during school time in week 5. Successful acts will be notified and then progress to the Grand Finals of S.M.G.T on Friday 29th August at 1:30pm. Judging criteria is
- Confidence
- Audience appeal
- How polished the performance is
Don't forget to pick up a NOMINATION FORM from the office! It will be great to see all the talent St Monica's has on offer.
Today, Wednesday 25 June, the Choir attended the CWA Home in Oakey. It was an absolute delight to perform in front of the residents, particularly Kathleen O'Brien (pictured below) who turned 100 earlier in the year and who attended St Monica's 94 years ago! What an amazing experience for all involved!
Sports News
Be Well at St Monica's
From the P&F
Just a reminder that the next P&F Meeting will be held on Tuesday 22 July at 6pm in the Library.
All parents and carers are invited to attend this meeting.
Uniforms
School uniforms are now available at School Locker online theschoollocker.com.au
Research has shown that one of the real advantages of an education at a Catholic School is that a special and unique pride is developed. One significant way to foster such pride is the enforcement of strict uniform guidelines. All children are expected to wear the school uniform as listed below:
School Uniform - Years 1 to 6
Girls – Formal - Monday, Wednesday & Thursday
- St Monica’s School Dress Uniform
- Dress: Pattern, Sutton no 346(B)
- Dress: Fabric, Check 8021
- Collar: Cesarella 1301, Zip: Birch 265 Bottle Green
- St Monica’s School green school bucket hat
- Short white socks – (no ankle socks)
- All black shoes – may be leather or jogger.
Girls – Sports - Tuesday and Friday
- St Monica’s School Sports Shirt Yr.1 to Yr.5
- St Monica’s School Leader Shirt Year 6
- St Monica’s School Navy Blue Skort
- St Monica’s School green school bucket hat
- Short white socks
- White sandshoes/joggers
Winter Variation
- As Above
- St Monica’s School Bottle Green Fleecy Pullover with embroidered crest
- Green fleecy track pants with sports uniform only.
- Navy Blue Tights (optional)
Boys – Formal - Monday, Wednesday & Thursday
- St Monica’s School Dress Shirt with tartan collar
- Shirt: Pattern, Simplicity 5581
- Fabric: Bottle Green Poplin 8021
- Shorts: Navy Blue Long Shorts (Ruggers)
- St Monica’s School green school bucket hat
- Short navy-blue socks – (no ankle socks)
- All black shoes – May be leather or jogger.
Boys – Sports - Tuesday & Friday
- St Monica’s School Sports Shirt Yr. 1 to Yr. 5
- St Monica’s School Leader Shirt Year 6
- St Monica’s School Navy Blue Shorts (Stubbies)
- St Monica’s School green school bucket hat
- Short white socks
- White sandshoes/joggers
Winter Variation
As Above
- St Monica’s school Bottle Green Fleecy pullover with embroidered crest
- Green fleecy track pants with sports uniform only.
- Long navy-blue pants - Ruggers – Formal uniform (optional)
It is expected that the correct and clean school uniform will be worn at all times. A school uniform can help instil in the students a sense of pride and identity. It also signifies unity and equality.
Prep students wear the sports uniform 5 days per week – Monday to Friday
All Students
Hair: Collar length hair or longer must be tied back with a green band or green ribbon. Natural hair colour is expected. Rat’s tails and tracks are not permitted.
Earrings: Girls: Sleepers and plain studs are the only acceptable earrings.
Boys: No earrings.
Other: Clearly mark all clothing with your child’s name.
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