During Week 3, I attended our Term 4 Diocesan Principals Conference. The first session was presented by Susan McLean who is one of Australia’s foremost experts in the area of cybersafety, particularly as it relates to young people. Her presentation was eye opening and also a little frightening at times. She shared some harrowing statistics with us about the way young people are engaging online and also shared some strategies to support the work we do in this area. One statistic that particularly shocked us was that by the age of 12, 65% of girls have already sent nude images of some kind.

Susan’s book ‘Sexts, Texts & Selfies’ is an excellent guide for parents and carers hoping to give their children the skills, knowledge and strategies they need to navigate the internet in a safe and responsible way. The book reminds us that, although our children are digital natives who are extremely tech savvy, we need to be careful not to confuse this with actual knowledge of and appreciation for the risks associated with being online. Whilst our children might appear to know a lot more about technology than we do, we as parents have a crucial role to play in helping them to develop a better understanding of how to stay safe in the online world. Susan points out that young people don’t always have the ability to pause and reflect on the consequences of their actions before doing something and, because they are young, they don’t yet have the life experience to really understand the consequences even after they have been explained to them. This is particularly true for children in primary school who already have access to social media and chat groups. In light of this, it will be very interesting to see what emerges from the Federal Government's discernment regarding placing age limits on social media. I would strongly recommend you check out Susan McLean’s Cyber Safety Solutions website.

In the context of school, we provide extensive opportunities for students to learn about cybersafety, however, it is so important that these messages are also heard at home. As I am sure you know, there are lots of amazing resources available via the eSafety Commissioner website.

If you ever have any concerns or questions regarding your child's online safety, please don’t hesitate to contact us and we will support you in whatever way we can.

God bless.

Angela Myles

2025 Kindergarten Orientation

Last week we welcomed our newest cohort to St Matthews with all 3 class groups for Kindergarten in 2025 having their first of 3 orientation sessions. The Kindergarten program, which started with our ‘Bright Beginnings’ program in Term 2 provides opportunities for a successful transition to ‘Big School’ next year for these students. Mrs Atkinson has worked tirelessly to ensure that all students are fully supported and prepared as they start a 13 year journey of education at St Matthews.

Sport

This week provided our older students with opportunities to represent St Matthews at a number of events. The Netballs Schools Cup in Sydney for girls from Years 5 and 6 is the third round of competition for this group of very talented sportswomen after success at both Dubbo and Orange.

On Thursday, a first for St Matthews at our primary school, with attendance in Bathurst for a Basketball Gala Day. Boys and girls from Years 5 and 6 have trained for a number of weeks with Mr Coughlan and Mr Howes with 4 teams competing against numerous schools from around the Central West.

The sporting pathways for individuals continues also, with selected Years 4 and 5 students heading to Bathurst later this week with the aim of being selected in the Diocesan teams for Summer Sports. Successful students will progress through this pathway in touch football, cricket, tennis, softball and basketball.

Wellbeing Week

Each term we highlight the importance with our students, staff and families of looking after yourself and your wellbeing. Week 5 is our Wellbeing Week each term where no homework is given to students and we encourage our community to spend this extra time with family, enjoying hobbies or whatever helps with your mental, spiritual, physical and emotional health. Students are encouraged to check in with one another, particularly during this week, and focus on the positives of every day.

Justin Yeo

Remembrance Day

This week our school, town, state and nation celebrated Remembrance Day, 11th November, which marked the end of World War 1 over a hundred years ago.
Although it was a long time ago, today is an opportunity to remember all those who have died in wars and conflicts since then. In our world today, life is difficult and there is still conflict in places such as Ukraine and Israel. We pray that we value the freedoms that we enjoy today and commit ourselves to creating peace in our world by recognising that peace begins in our own families, classrooms, schools and communities. Thank you to Year 5 for leading our Liturgy.

Catherine McAuley- 11th November

Venerable Catherine McAuley founded the Sisters of Mercy (an order of nuns) in Dublin, Ireland, in 1831 with a deep love of serving others as Jesus did. The Sisters of Mercy arrived in Mudgee in 1874 and founded St Matthews in 1912 on the same values which Catherine developed in her sisters. To live the St Matthews way is to live these values to the best of our ability. Like St Matthew, Catherine McAuley responded to Jesus’ call to follow him and to give her all in love and service to others. Catherine once wrote that “we can never say it is enough.”

Choir

Our Choir has been preparing for a few upcoming performances. They will lead our Thanksgiving Mass on Wednesday 11th December and our Assembly on Monday 16th December at 9:15am.

Sacraments

All families, especially those with students who have received a Sacrament this year are invited to attend Mass on Sunday the 24th November to enjoy a cake and celebration after in the Parish Grounds for congratulations on receiving a sacrament this year.

Thanksgiving Mass

Save the date 11th December. St Matthews Primary School will celebrate the year 2024 and end our year giving thanks for all our graces. All families are invited to join us from 10.30 in the Gym.

Ross McKeown | Leader of Mission

We would like to invite all students in Years 3-6 to join the Creative Arts Club. For the remainder of the year, we will focus on drama.

John Freebody | Creative Arts Teacher

Dropping off and picking up at school

The beginning and end of the school day are busy times for pedestrians and vehicles outside schools. Parking signs are planned with your child's safety in mind.

It is helpful for everyone if you park safely, even if you have to walk further to the school gate. This is a good time to model positive road safety behaviour and physical activity for your child.

Slow down near any crossings around the school. At a supervised crossing, follow the directions of the school crossing supervisor. Crossing supervisors manage traffic to help primary school children use the crossings on roads near and outside of schools.

Drop your child off and pick them up on the school side of the road. Calling out to them from across the road is dangerous – they may run to you without checking for traffic. This will help keep all children as safe as possible during the busiest times of the school day.

You should always:

• park legally
• avoid dangerous manoeuvers such as U-turns and three-point turns
• give way to pedestrians, particularly when entering or exiting driveways
• avoid parking in the school bus bay

Drop off:

• make sure your child uses the Safety Door (rear kerb-side door) to get in and out of the car.
• parents and guardians remain in their cars at all times, no exceptions.
• if your child needs help entering or exiting the car, please park and support them away from the zone in front of the school.

Pick up:

• family names displayed on the dashboards of cars in the afternoon.
• if your child is late to pick up in the afternoon, please do a lap and join the end of the queue.

Dangerous driving behaviour around schools puts children at risk.

For more information on keeping children safe, visit the family section of Safety Town

With the end of another year fast approaching, we would like to touch base with all families to request that you update us as soon as possible if you have a child leaving St Matthews at the end of 2024.

We currently have a number of families who have been accepted to the school, but are currently awaiting a placement to become available. If you know that your child will be leaving the school at the end of the term, please contact the front office to obtain an exit form as soon as possible.

We appreciate your assistance in helping us finalise our student numbers and staffing for 2025.

Cindy Freeman | Enrolments Officer K-12

As we enjoy the sunny weather during term four, it's vital for students to protect themselves from harmful UV rays. The importance of sun safety cannot be overstated, especially during sport lessons and breaks.

Sun protection is essential as nearly all skin cancers are preventable. Extended exposure to the sun, particularly in early life, significantly increases the risk of skin cancer. Wearing a hat is one of the simplest and most effective ways to shield ourselves from harmful UV radiation.

St Matthews is a ‘No Hat / No Play’ school and we remind families that hats are a compulsory component of the school uniform expectations and must be worn for all activities in the sun, including during recess and lunch.

Here is the schedule for each year groups sport lessons:

Click HERE for more healthy lunch box examples

Click HERE to visit the food safety blog

Year 3 and Year 7 students

• eligibility for students going into Year 3 and Year 7 in 2025 is determined by distance from their enrolled school for next year
• to access free school-bus travel your child must apply for a new pass exactly as highlighted below
• if students are not eligible for free bus transportation they can still ride on the bus by paying a fare or by purchasing a book of 10 tickets or a term/annual pass from the Ogden's Coaches office

Apply for student bus passes through the Ogden's Coaches website.

• From the home page select the ‘Apply for a New Bus Pass’ tab
• This will take you directly to the Transport for NSW application form
• Please fill in the details and submit the form
• shortly thereafter you will be advised via email if the application is successful
• Successful applicants will be issued bus passes by Ogden’s Coaches in early 2025 via post

Transport Connected Bus Program

Over the last 18 months, we have been working with Transport for NSW to rollout a new system called Transport Connected Bus (TCB) which is being progressively rolled out on all NSW Government contracted buses in NSW.

TCB enables all regular passenger and school bus services delivered under TfNSW contracts to be tracked and monitored, providing passengers and the public with real-time location, on-time running and passenger loading information. We have been advised by TfNSW that services in this region will be going live at the end of October 2024.

What does this mean for School Buses?

All school buses will continue to operate as they have been, with no changes to routes, timing or bus orders because of the implementation of TCB.

It is a requirement that all school bus services complete the entire scheduled route every operating day and not divert from the scheduled route path. In cases where students are not at a school location or at a different location on an operating day, bus services are still required to operate to that school bus stop and not depart until the scheduled time.

School buses have been allocated route numbers starting with an “S” then three numbers as its unique identifier. We will continue to use the current names and will display the S numbers alongside the names on both the Perspex display boards and electronic destination signs. A complete list of new route numbers is included below.

How can I access real-time tracking information?

There are many third-party phone and tablet apps that give real-time tracking information on the NSW bus network. A few have been listed below but a complete list can be found on the Transport NSW website

Note when using these apps the S number will need to be used not the route name.

More information on the TCB project can be found on the Transport Connected Bus Program Page.

If you have any further questions please contact us on 6372 2489 or by email

Ogden's Coaches - Mudgee

Term 4:

Monday 14th October - Wednesday 18th December

Term 1 2025:

Breakfast Menu

Bought directly from the canteen with cash.

Must be ordered by 9am to allow enough time to cook & eat before school starts.

Lunch Orders

Flexischools is St Matthews Catholic Schools preferred way to order from our canteens.

Lunch orders 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 called through via reception after 9am will be offered a simple sandwich, a drink and snacks only. No Hot Food will be offered. 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)

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.

Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays

Students in Kindergarten, Year 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 have their lunch orders at Break 1 (11.40am)

Fridays

Students in Kindergarten, Year 1 & 2 will have their lunch orders at Break 1 (11.40am)

Students Year 3, 4, 5 & 6 will have their lunch orders at Break 2 (1.40pm)

Lunch orders can not be collected prior to these times, no exceptions!

How to Cancel a Flexischools Order

From the Order icon on the bottom navigation bar, select the student whose order you'd like to cancel.
On the relevant order, select the ..... icon to expand the available options. From here, select "Cancel Order"
Tap yes to confirm. Your order will be cancelled and the funds will be returned to your Flexischools wallet.
If you are unable to cancel an order, it may have already been processed by the Canteen Staff (order lables are printed each day at 9:05am) You will need to contact the school office and request the order is held for another day. Please do this as a matter of urgency.

• If hot food has been heated, we cannot keep this food for another day, it will be forfeited.
• If fresh food has been prepared, we can keep it until the following day unless it has been sent out in the lunch tub, in which case it will be forfeited.
• Any snacks and drink items can be provided on another day, providing they come back to the canteen (if they have gone out in the lunch tub)

Due to food safety regulations, the canteen is not allowed to reheat food brought from home.

As a birthday treat for students, the canteen is offering a Birthday Bucket or Classroom Cupcakes.

Birthday Bucket

A bucket of frozen Quelch Sticks will be delivered to your child’s class for them to share and enjoy with their class.

Available Monday to Friday, 7 days notice is needed.

Order and Pay via Flexischools - $18 (enough Quelch Sticks for the whole class)

Classroom Cupcakes

A platter of Cupcakes with vanilla icing and rainbow sprinkles will be delivered to your child’s class for them to share and enjoy with their class.

Available Monday to Thursday, 7 days notice is needed.

Order & Pay via Flexischools - $32 (enough cupcakes for the whole class)

Alicia Cowden / Primary Canteen Manager

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.

If you have any queries please contact the uniform shop directly:
Phone: 0439 442 509 or Email: st.matthews@midford.com.au

Extended Hours for the start of 2025