Head of Primary P-6

Our school year commenced with a spiritually uplifting Welcome Mass, marking the start of a new academic journey. The Mass set a positive and reflective tone for the year ahead, reminding us all of the importance of faith, unity, and a commitment to learning and personal growth. It was a beautiful way to welcome both new and returning faces, encapsulating the spirit of our school and paving the way for an inspiring and successful year.

As we welcomed back our students to Del Monte and Gioia House, our teachers have been focusing on providing opportunities for students to build connections with their new peers and settle into their daily school routines. We understand that the start of a new school year can bring feelings of uncertainty and anxiety for some students, especially around forming friendships and adjusting to a new environment. Just like learning to ride a bike, it’s sometimes necessary to let things wobble a bit. This approach helps in fostering independence, building resilience, and empowering your child to navigate transitions successfully.

We are excited to begin our educational partnership with new families and to continue strengthening our bond with existing ones. This year, we are committed to nurturing our students as active learners, deeply involved in shaping their own educational journey. We look forward to seeing them take on challenges, and show kindness and understanding within our learning community.

It was wonderful to host Del Monte and Year 5 parent information evening session last week. We were thrilled to meet many of you and walk you through new initiatives and current programs. Thank you for taking the time to join us at school and sharing kind and encouraging words. Your positive feedback was very much appreciated. Del Monte parents had the opportunity to meet with their child’s class teacher for a brief meet and greet in Week 1. This week, Gioia House teachers continue making phone calls to parents to introduce themselves and learn more about your daughter.

Knowing students

To effectively meet our students’ diverse needs, it’s crucial to have a comprehensive understanding of their academic and social and emotional needs. In the first two weeks Del Monte and Gioia House Teachers were actively engaged in gathering and analysing student data, which informed tailored teaching strategies, early interventions, and enrichment opportunities. We are actively working on enhancing our reporting format to provide parents with a clearer understanding of their child’s academic progress. This improvement aims to offer more insight into students’ current standing and guidance on their potential growth paths.

My visits to classrooms have been a truly enriching experience. Engaging in conversations with the students, I’ve had the opportunity to learn about their distinct personalities and diverse interests. Each class I enter brims with incredible energy, and the students’ enthusiasm and curiosity are incredible to observe.

Year 4 Leaders

Last week, I had the privilege of discussing the important topic of leadership with Year 4 students. We delved into various aspects of what defines a good leader and explored the broader concepts of leadership. It was inspiring to see the enthusiasm among the students as they are now in the midst of preparing their speeches, with many expressing a keen interest in nominating themselves for the role of Del Monte Captain. Teachers and I are eagerly looking forward to hearing their speeches next week. This is an exciting time for our young leaders as they embark on a journey of self-discovery and development in their leadership skills.

Gioia House Leadership

In Week 1, Gioia House students were introduced to the leadership structure. An impressive number of Year 6 students, 58 out of 101, stepped forward to nominate themselves for various leadership roles, showcasing their enthusiasm and commitment to serving the community. This week was marked by the nominees delivering their compelling speeches, setting the stage for the challenging task ahead for us – shortlisting five candidates for each student leadership position and three for each house colour leader role.

The voting for Del Monte and Gioia House leaders will take place on Friday, 23 February, and the elected leaders will be announced on Monday, 25 February. The commissioning of these new leaders is scheduled for Thursday, 29 February, marking a significant milestone in their leadership journey. I extend my congratulations to all the students who demonstrated remarkable courage by stepping up. We also look forward to welcoming the parents of the newly elected leaders to the commissioning ceremony, a moment of pride and celebration for our school community.

K-4 College Pillars Awards

We are excited to announce the introduction of the College Pillars Awards this year. These awards are a significant addition to our school’s tradition, recognising and celebrating students who embody the core qualities of our pillars: Prayer, Community, Service, and Learning. The recipients of these awards, nominated by their class teachers will be awarded at our school assemblies. To ensure that our younger students fully grasp the importance and meaning of these pillars, we have developed child-friendly descriptions, which have been unpacked in classrooms. This initiative is more than just an acknowledgment of individual achievements; it is an affirmation of our College values. By highlighting the actions and characteristics that reflect these pillars, we aim to encourage all students to live these values deeply and authentically in their daily lives.

We congratulate Pillars Award recipients:

Prayer
Prayer is like talking to a friend, and it can be done in different ways. It’s a chance for each of us to connect with God and share our thoughts and feelings. The Dominican pillar of prayer reminds us to take moments in our busy lives to think about what really matters and what makes us happy.
Zara Fajloun

Service
Helping others is like following the good things Jesus and St. Dominic did. When we talk to God, learn new things, and make friends, it makes us want to go out and do good things for others. That’s what service is all about – putting our faith into action by helping and caring for people.
Joanna Wong
Adriana Elias
Christopher Fajloun
Dohhyun Park
Vijayan Jayaseelan

Community
Community means being together and supporting each other, both here at school and outside. It’s about making friends and caring for each other. The Dominican Pillar of Community reminds us to be a good person, be kind to others and be connected with others.
Abigail BouAntoun
Isabela Barros
Damier Lin
Sebastian Hidalgo
Abigail Amor
Evelyn Metledge
Andrea Khoury
William Lu

Learning
Learning is like an exciting adventure where we work together to discover new things and grow into our best selves. We aim to be curious learners, asking important questions, being strong when things get tricky, thinking about what we learn, and teaming up with friends to understand and enjoy learning even more.
Leo Deng
Anthony Chidiac
Victor Rizk
Zoe Nguyen
Leo Wany
Samuel Chidiac
George Rizk
Oscar Kochman
Olivia Lai
Yousseff Taouk
Valentina Nader
Aria Leung
Ivy Taouk
Scarlett Ghossein

Gioia House Action Girl Awards

At Gioia House, our ongoing commitment is to foster qualities such as integrity, respect, advocacy, kindness, and confidence, while creating opportunities for our girls to engage in positive actions. To recognise and encourage these efforts, any teacher can nominate a student for the Action Girl Award. These awards are presented at the Gioia House assembly, celebrating students who actively embody these values and make meaningful contributions to our community. This initiative reinforces our dedication to nurturing well-rounded individuals who are not only academically capable but also socially responsible and compassionate.

This week’s Action Girl Award recipients are showcased in Ms Maks’ report.

Road Safety

The safety of our students is our highest priority, and it has come to our attention that there are increasing concerns regarding road safety near our school. Unfortunately, there are too many instances of drivers disregarding road safety rules, thereby putting your children, our students, at risk. We urge all members of our college community to be vigilant and adhere strictly to road safety regulations.

We kindly request all parents and guardians to follow the road safety rules diligently, especially in and around Carrington Road. This includes observing the school zone speed limits, adhering to parking restrictions, and ensuring safe street crossing. These measures are crucial in maintaining a safe environment for our students and help in preventing accidents.

Please refer to the Strathfield Council School Safety Program for more information.

Del Monte Birthday treats and allergies

In light of numerous allergies among our students, we ask parents to be mindful when bringing birthday treats to school. We request that any treats provided are individually packed and nut-free. To ensure the safety and inclusion of all students, these treats will be distributed at the end of the school day. This precaution helps us to safeguard the health of all our students while allowing them to celebrate these special occasions safely.

Parent helpers

We welcome parents to volunteer as a helper on the Del Monte Campus please visit VO and select the Primary Parent Helpers tab to fill out the Google doc or click on this LINK.

Gracious God, as we begin this Lenten journey, guide our hearts and minds towards renewal and growth. Help us to embrace simplicity, to find strength in fasting, and to be generous in our giving. May this season of Lent bring us closer to You and to each other, fostering a spirit of compassion and love in our school community. Amen

May this Lent be a time of meaningful introspection and spiritual growth for all of us

Stella Azizian
Head of Primary P-6

Calendar events

DEL MONTE CALENDAR EVENTS

Thursday 22 February – Years 3-12 Swimming Carnival, SOPAC
Tuesday 27 February – Prep to Year 4 School Photos
Wednesday 28 February – P&F General Meeting
Thursday 29 February – Commissioning Leaders Liturgy 2:00pm
Monday 4 March – 6:30pm – 8:00pm Judith Locke Parent Evening Prep to Year 6
Wednesday 6 March – Friday 8 March – Year 4 Camp, Tallong
Thursday 7 March – International Women’s Day Dinner, College Hall
Wednesday 13 March to Monday 18 March: Year 3 NAPLAN
Thursday 21 March – Harmony Day
Friday 22 March – 130 Year Gala Dinner – Fullerton Hotel
Thursday 28 March – Holy Thursday (College closed)
Friday 29 March – Good Friday Public Holiday
Monday 1 April – Easter Monday Public Holiday
Monday 8 April – Years 3 to 4 Sydney Catholic Schools Mixed Netball Gala Day
Friday 12 April – Last day of term

GIOIA HOUSE

22 February – 3-12 Swimming Carnival
23 February – SSC Photos
4 March (P-6) – Dr Judith Locke parent presentation
5 March (7-12) – Dr Judith Locke parent presentation
13-18 March – Year 5 NAPLAN
22 March – 130th Anniversary Gala Dinner

Prep

We have started the school year by welcoming 47 nervous and excited students into Prep. The students are beginning each day with growing confidence and independence as they wave goodbye to their parents and enter the Learning Space. Did you know that our youngest learners are already able to unpack their own bags when they arrive in Prep each morning?

Currently, a favourite activity in Prep is Developmental Play. Developmental Play is when a variety of activities are made available from which the students can choose to participate in. This type of play helps to develop our students’ social skills as they learn to share and communicate with each other.

Kindergarten

The students in Kindergarten have had a very positive and successful start to the year. They are already demonstrating resilience, respect and responsibility when engaging in learning experiences, following daily routines, meeting new friends, and moving around the school safely.

The students have begun to develop a sense of community during social activities and have met their Year 4 Buddies. The Kindergarten and Year Four Buddies have been paired according to their respective colour houses and will meet fortnightly to engage in various group activities.

Our BeFit Program has also commenced and will continue fortnightly on Tuesdays, during even weeks only. The students will be required to wear their sport uniform on these Tuesdays, in addition to their usual scheduled PE day.

We look forward to working in partnership with you and your child during 2024!