Head of Primary P-6

As we near the end of Term 3, this newsletter celebrates the many ways our community has come together this term to learn, create, compete and, most importantly, look after one another. Community is at the heart of everything we do, and it is built in the small, everyday moments: the respect we show in how we speak, play, work and learn alongside one another. Our richness lies in our diversity, and our strength lies in the shared values that unite us despite our differences. As you read through this term’s highlights, I hope you see not only what our students have achieved, but the care, kindness and connection that made it possible. I would like to take this opportunity to thank parents for your partnership and support of the school.

“‘he Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and rich in mercy.‘
Psalm 145:8

R U OK? DAY

On R U OK? Day, Del Monte and Gioia House students took part in a range of activities designed to spark meaningful conversations about connection and support. It is a timely reminder that a single question, asked sincerely, can be the first step in helping someone who’s struggling.

This is a message worth carrying home too. Checking in with your own children doesn’t require the perfect words — a few small things can make a real difference:

• Choose a relaxed, low-pressure moment, as many honest conversations happen side by side, in the car, on a walk, or during a shared activity, rather than face to face.
• Ask open, specific questions instead of ‘What was the best and hardest part of today?’ to invite more than a one-word answer.
• Listen without rushing to fix — let your child talk and reflect back what you hear (‘that sounds tough’) rather than jumping straight to advice.
• It’s okay if the answer is ‘no’ or a shrug. What matters most is that they know you noticed and that you’re someone they can come back to.

Gioia House STEM Day

STEM Day at Gioia House last week was a wonderful showcase of creativity, critical thinking and collaboration in action. Students worked in teams through the design thinking process, taking on the roles of architects, engineers and urban planners to reimagine Strathfield as a more sustainable community. Students combined hands-on design with digital technology to bring their ideas to life, culminating in a shared model of Future Strathfield and a fun finale programming Sphero BOLT+ and Dash robots to complete community-based missions. Thank you to Mr Wang for leading such a successful program, and to all the teachers for supporting students as they built and refined their projects throughout the day.

Gioia House Ethics Olympiad

Last week, two Gioia House teams competed against schools from Singapore, Hong Kong, New Zealand and across Australia in the Junior Ethics Olympiad. Facing tough ethical dilemmas under pressure, our students met the challenge with clear thinking, genuine curiosity and a willingness to really listen to one another.

The Lavender Team took home the Gold Medal, with judges praising the strength of their reasoning and how they worked together to build their case. The Magenta Team was right behind the third place. Across both teams, students were recognised for the depth of their analysis and the maturity they brought to every response. These results reflect months of weekly training and commitment. Congratulations to the following students on their hard work and outstanding achievement:

Lavender Team – Gold Medalists
Jessica Princi 
Laura Touma
Lina D’Arrigio 
Mia Bogovic 
Scarlett Ghossein

Magenta Team – Judges’ Honourable Mention 
Alira Djordjevic
Charli Merhi 
Charlotte Smolcic 
Isabella Lahood 
Jennifer Stanton 
Laura Ordakji 
Olivia Bijjani 

Public Speaking

The K-6 Public Speaking program culminated in the Celebration of Speech, held at both the Del Monte campus for Years 1-4 students. The Gioia House finalists competed against St Patrick’s students in a friendly competition, which has become a tradition that continues to strengthen the bond between our schools. We were once again impressed by the quality of the speeches students wrote in class and delivered with confidence. We congratulate all our students for embracing the opportunity to grow as confident communicators.

We also congratulate the Gioia House and Del Monte finalists and overall winners of 2026 Public Speaking:

Year 1 – Sophie Metledge
Year 2 – Abbie Thompson
Year 3 – Alice Kim-Higgins
Year 4 – Sabrina Commisso
Gioia House – Winner – Mia Bogovic, Highly commended – Margaux Anderson

WriteOn COMPETITION

Congratulations to Joanna Wong, who was awarded a Silver Award in Stage 2 of this year’s WriteOn competition last week. This is a wonderful achievement given the competition was fiercer than ever, with 1,027 entries submitted from 977 schools across NSW. Joanna’s piece was selected as one of just 55 winning entries, a true testament to her talent and hard work. She proudly represented the College at the award ceremony at the State Library of NSW, receiving her award from Mr Greg Warren MP, and had the added privilege of meeting Dr Paul Cahill, Executive Director of NESA, and Dr Caroline Butler-Bowdon, the State Librarian, who shared with delight that her own daughter is a Santa Sabina graduate. Congratulations, Joanna, on this outstanding achievement!

Student achievements – ICAS Test results

Congratulations to all students who participated in the 2026 ICAS Assessments, and a special commendation to our award recipients for their outstanding achievements.

Test	High Distinction	Distinction
English	Year 3  Jonathan Lin Riona Sengupta	Year 2 Abigail Thompson   Year 3 Serena Dong Oscar Ko Zoe Nguyen Joanna Wong   Year 4 Oscar Kochman Isla Thompson   Year 5 Bethany O’Neil
Spelling Bee		Year 2 Oscar Su Jamison Wong   Year 3 Oscar Ko Jonathan Lin   Year 5 Elizabeth Fajardo   Year 6  Angela Li
Mathematics	Year 2 Jamison Wong   Year 3 Oscar Ko Jonathan Lin   Year 6 Jingxian (Lydia) Wang	Year 3 Serena Dong Peggy Peng Riona Sengupta Joanna Wong Ryan Xue   Year 4 Axel Leung Sebastian Portelli   Year 6 Amara Jeyaganesh Aria Leung Jennifer Stanton

MBH and Prep Athletics Carnival

Book Week and author visit

Please view Mr Moses’ article in this week’s Veritas Voice for more.

Parent-Teacher-Student Interviews – Friday 25 September 9:00am–5:00pm

By now, you would have received the booking link for our forthcoming Parent-Teacher-Student Interviews. We look forward to welcoming families and sharing your child’s learning progress this term. Most importantly, these interviews give your child a valuable platform to build agency, giving them the opportunity to speak to their strengths and identify areas of focus in their learning.

Road Safety reminder

We have seen an increased presence of police and rangers on Carrington Avenue recently. We also have noticed a genuine improvement in behaviour. Thank you to the many families who consistently model safe and courteous road behaviour. Your care sets a wonderful example for our children and helps staff during morning and afternoon duties. Please continue to set a good example for our students and help keep everyone safe. Thank you.

Online Safety

We encourage families to stay vigilant and continue monitoring their children’s device use and online activities during the holidays, especially apps with online game and chat functions. Please reinforce respectful communication while messaging or emailing friends. Please check the eSafety Commissioner website for advice on keeping your children safe online.

Term 3 concludes on Thursday 24 September.

Term 4 commences on Tuesday 13 October. Students are required to return in full summer uniform. Please refer to the uniform guidelines in your child’s school diary to ensure they are dressed appropriately from the first day of term.

As we come to the end of Term 3, we give thanks for the gift of learning, friendship and community. We wish all our families a safe, restful, and joy-filled holiday break.

Mrs Stella Azizian
Head of Primary P-6

Calendar events

Important dates for Del Monte and Important dates for Gioia House:

For detailed information about upcoming college events, please refer to the communications sent directly to families via email.

• Wednesday 16 – Friday 18 September – Canberra/Year 6 Outdoor Education Experience
• Thursday 24 September – Term 3 concludes P-6
• Friday 25 September – PTS Interviews P-6

IMPORTANT DATES TERM 4 

Tuesday 13 October – Term 4 commences – students return
Thursday 15 October – DM Assembly 
Wednesday 21 October – Sydney Catholic Schools Stage 3 Volleyball Gala Day 
Wednesday 21 October – Twilight Discovery Tour
Tuesday 27 October – Sydney Catholic Schools Conference 2 Oztag Championship
Thursday 29 October – DM Assembly
Friday 30 October – Colour Fun Day
Wednesday 4 November – Year 5 2027 Parent Information Night
Friday 6 November – Year 5 Experience Day
Thursday 12 November – DM Assembly
Thursday 12 November – Co-curricular Awards
Saturday 14 November – Year 6 Dinner
Tuesday 24 November – Dominican Awards and Year 4 Graduation
Thursday 26 November – College Speech Night
Friday 27 November – K-2 Splash and Dash Carnival
Monday 30 November – Advent Carols
Tuesday 1 December – Year 4 Big Day In
Wednesday 2 December – K-4 Thanksgiving Mass and Year 4 Dancing on the Plot
Wednesday 2 December – Gioia House Thanksgiving Liturgy and Picnic