What a truly wonderful week it has been as we came together to celebrate the remarkable women in our lives. Our Mother’s Day Mass was a deeply moving occasion \u2013 a moment of gratitude, prayer and togetherness that reminded us of the beauty at the heart of our school community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A very special thank you to our P&F Association for their thoughtful organisation of the Mother’s Day gift stall. It was an absolute joy to watch our students move so purposefully and lovingly through the stall, carefully choosing just the right gift to surprise and delight their mothers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To every mother, grandmother and special woman in our students’ lives, I hope you felt celebrated, cherished and deeply appreciated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We believe that great teaching goes far beyond the delivery of content \u2013 it is about equipping students with the thinking skills they need to engage meaningfully with knowledge, solve complex problems and become lifelong learners. Last week, our staff devoted their professional development time to deepening this vision through a focused exploration of Teaching for Thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A key insight driving our professional learning is that thinking skills cannot simply be assumed \u2013 they must be taught explicitly, just as we teach reading or mathematics. Our teachers explored how to name and model specific cognitive skills in the classroom, such as explaining, analysing, justifying, evaluating evidence and constructing reasoned arguments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By making these skills visible and giving students a shared language for thinking, we empower them to approach any task \u2013 whether in English, Science, HSIE or the Arts \u2013 with greater clarity and intention. Students learn not just what to think about, but how to think well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Central to our session was a close examination of the Values of Inquiry, drawn from the work of Peter Ellerton, a leading Australian educator in critical thinking and inquiry pedagogy. Ellerton’s framework challenges teachers to cultivate in students a genuine disposition toward intellectual rigour \u2013 not just the mechanics of thinking, but the habits of mind that make thinking trustworthy and meaningful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These values ask students to go beyond surface answers and instead pursue understanding with honesty and care. Key values explored by our staff include: depth, precision, accuracy, relevance, breadth and fairness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Importantly, our staff explored how these cognitive skills and values of inquiry are not confined to a single subject \u2013 they are woven through every learning area. A student applying precision in Mathematics is doing the same intellectual work as one choosing accurate vocabulary in a persuasive text, or carefully evaluating sources in a History investigation. When students internalise these values, they transfer them naturally across disciplines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our teachers spent time mapping these skills to current units of work, identifying moments in their planning where they can explicitly prompt students to think with more depth, ask better questions and reflect critically on their own reasoning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can support this work by asking your child questions that push a little deeper: <\/p>\n\n\n\n How do you know that?<\/em> These simple prompts mirror the thinking habits we are building every day in the classroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the heart of a strong education is the ability to read with confidence and comprehension, and this takes time, practice and nurturing. We have been placing a strong focus on reading stamina across our classrooms: the ability to sit with a text, engage with it deeply and sustain concentration over time. Like any skill, stamina grows gradually and every minute of quiet, focused reading builds a stronger reader.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alongside stamina, we know that vocabulary is one of the greatest predictors of reading success. A rich vocabulary opens doors to understanding complex texts, expressing ideas clearly and engaging with the world with curiosity. We encourage families to use rich, varied language at home and to embrace new words encountered in books as exciting discoveries rather than obstacles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reading fluency is equally vital and comes from the ability to read smoothly, expressively and at an appropriate pace. Fluent readers are freed from decoding every word and can instead focus their energy on meaning and comprehension. Regular reading aloud at home, even with older students, remains one of the most powerful things a family can do.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n We encourage all families to set aside dedicated time each day to read \u2013 and just as importantly, to talk about books. Ask your child what happened, what they thought, what surprised them, what they would have done differently. These conversations build comprehension and critical-thinking skills that underpin success in every area of learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even 15\u201320 minutes of reading each evening, paired with a brief conversation about the book, makes an enormous difference over a school year.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Students are expected to wear their full winter school uniform every day except on days when they have PE or Be Fit\/Be Active lessons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Exception<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n These expectations are an important part of maintaining our high standards and ensuring that students take pride in their appearance and in representing the College. I understand the convenience and comfort of remaining in sports uniform throughout the day; however, it is essential that we teach our students responsibility, routine and respect for our shared College expectations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Information about the College’s uniform expectations can also be found in your child’s College Diary, under the Uniform Guidelines section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I appreciate your continued support in ensuring that all students comply with the Uniform Guidelines and, most importantly, learn the value of presenting themselves with care and pride.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This week, a group of our Year 1 students took part in a truly heartwarming collaborative art project with students from St Lucy’s, working together to create a shared artwork that reflects the creativity, joy and spirit of both communities. Led by Sr Sheila and Ms Sulis, and working side by side with one another, our students discovered that art has a wonderful way of bringing people together, transcending differences and building genuine connections through colour, imagination and shared purpose. It was a beautiful reminder of the inclusive values at the heart of our school community, and we could not be prouder of the kindness and openness our Year 1 students showed throughout this first session. We look forward to sharing the finished artwork with our whole community very soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I would like to reassure all families that the water in our school bubblers is clean, filtered and fresh-tasting so students can drink with confidence throughout the day. With school bags becoming quite heavy due to large lunchboxes and water bottles, families are welcome to send their child with a smaller water bottle, knowing they can easily refill it from our bubblers at any time during the school day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What a proud and memorable moment it was on Tuesday as Ms Skerman presented our Year 4 students with their very own Del Monte jerseys. The smiles on our students’ faces said it all \u2013 this is a milestone moment, marking the beginning of their final year at Del Monte. A heartfelt thank you to our P&F for organising the jerseys and making this occasion so special. Students are welcome to wear their jerseys on their PE day and at special events throughout the year \u2013 families will be notified of these occasions as they arise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Last Wednesday, our Dominic Adventurers took on an exciting challenge at the Sydney Rock Climbing Centre and what an incredible experience it was! Students pushed themselves beyond their comfort zones, digging deep to overcome their fears as they tackled the climbing walls with determination and courage. One of the most beautiful parts of the session was watching our students encourage and cheer each other on to reach a little higher and keep going when the climb felt tough. These are exactly the moments that build resilience, confidence and a true sense of community. Thank you to Mr Walker for leading the program and the teachers for supporting the students. A very warm thank you to the parents who gave up their time to come along and support our students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We warmly invite all families to join us for our upcoming Learning Walk. This is a wonderful opportunity to step inside your child’s classroom, see their learning environment firsthand and celebrate the great work happening across our Primary stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As you join us for the Learning Walk, please remember that the Kiss and Drop zone is a no-parking area during pick-up times. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Prep 2 & 5 Day <\/strong>Thursday 28 May 8:20am-8:50am School photo packages will be sent home this Thursday. Please remember to check your child’s school bag on Thursday afternoon so nothing gets missed. If you have any questions about your order, please contact the school office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/d1dfwahqlx324v.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/72\/2026\/05\/020A9768.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nTeaching for Thinking<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What this looks like at home<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Is there another way to look at it?<\/em>
What evidence supports that idea?<\/em>
What makes you say that?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe Power of Reading<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nCollege Uniform Expectations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Collaborative Art Project<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWater Bubblers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Year 4 Jersey Presentation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>Dominic Adventurers \u2013 Reaching New Highs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nDel Monte Learning Walks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Prep 3 & 5 Day <\/strong>Tuesday 26 May 8:20am-8:50am
Kindergarten <\/strong>Friday 29 May 2:25pm
Year 1 <\/strong>Wednesday 20 May 2:25pm
Year 2 <\/strong>Friday 29 May 2:00pm
Year 3 <\/strong>Wednesday 17 June 2:25pm
Year 4 <\/strong>Friday 12 June 2:25pm<\/p>\n\n\n\nSchool Photos<\/h2>\n\n\n\n