The Easter Hat Parade this morning was a lovely chance for the Infants students to show some of their creativity. It is always a joy to see their energy and big smiles. On Wednesday, the Year 9 girls came back from their three day camp tired but happy. The long hike and small discomforts were a challenge, but in the end the experience gave them a good sense of accomplishment. It was also a great time for them to be together and bond as a grade.

With the sad news of Argyna’s death, it has been a very tough week and I thank everyone for their parayers and support for the students, the staff and for our whole community. The girls themselves have shown great solidarity in their prayers and being there for each other. The funeral this morning will be particularly difficult, and I ask you to please pray for her family today and in the days and months to come.

The sorrows of these past few days can bring us closer to Christ as we remember His suffering and death during Holy Week. The hope of Easter will also be very close to our hearts, knowing that, with Christ’s Resurrection, sin, suffering and death no longer have the last say. Our hope remains in the Risen Christ who can fill us with his love and peace.

I wish you all a very blessed Easter and restful break. Please also remember Kristina Saoullis (KW teacher) and Isabella Tutton (1S teacher) who will be baptised at the Easter Vigil Mass. We share their joy and pray that they may have a beautiful and fruitful new life in Christ.

Thank you for your continued support and prayers for Argyna, her family, her class and the Montgrove School community. 

The funeral will be held this Friday 11th April at 11:00am at Holy Spirit Parish, 5 Todd Row, St Clair. A fellowship lunch will follow, and the burial will take place at Pinegrove Memorial Park at 2:30 PM.

We would ask that any Secondary students attending do so with their parents. Please remember to fill out an absence form on Engage if your daughter is attending. We are expecting a large number of people at the funeral, so please be prepared for standing-room only.

For those who would like to offer a monetary contribution — as is tradition in Filipino families — the Santigo family kindly ask that any donations be given personally, placed in an envelope.

The Mass and burial will be livestreamed. Join us by registering here: https://www.sydneyfunerals.com/.../celebrating-the-life...

Once registered, you will receive the link in your email. Thank you!…

At the end of J.R.R. Tolkien’s, “The Lord of the Rings”, we read of how,  at Mt Doom, after having rid the world of the evil Ring, having thereby undone the power of the Dark Lord, the two hobbit heroes are precariously perched upon a little rocky outcrop,  imminently threatened to be engulfed in the mounting lava. At this point, Frodo lovingly declares to his best friend, Samwise Gamgee: “I am glad you are here with me. Here at the end of all things, Sam.” But just then, as they are exhausted and fainting, we see the magnificent Eagles, winging their way towards them, and plucking them out of danger… The massive twist of the destruction of the Ring, and liberation of the world, is what Tolkien called a “eucatastrophe”, the term he coined to refer to a dire crisis, suddenly resolved into a positive outcome.

Easter, according to Tolkien, is the greatest “eucatastrophe” of all time, an undeniable historical event, whereby the apparently disastrous death and burial of Jesus Christ, on Good Friday, gave way to his resurrection, on Easter Sunday!

The events we remember and celebrate at this time of the year, and indeed, every Sunday, can also help us be gratefully mindful of the many “eucatastrophes” that are strung out during the course of our daily lives, both at school and everywhere else.

Please pray for Isabella Tutton (1S Teacher) and Kristina Saoullis (KW Teacher) who have made the wonderful decision to get baptised into the Catholic Church this Easter. The sacramental ceremony will be held at the Easter Saturday Vigil Mass at 6:30pm at Saint Nicholas of Myra Church, Penrith.

All are welcome to attend! We wish them the best as they embark on this journey in their faith!

Please pray for our sick and injured family and friends:

Simon Elbayeh, father to Olivia (7G); Regine Bernacer(11B) daughter to Anne Bernacer (Formation team); Raphaella Roberts, sibling to Anna (12) & Azaliah (2G) Roberts, cousin to Seraphia (9B), Miriam (7B), Jacinta (5B), Danielle (3B) and Joseph (1S) Karam; Joshua Gibbons (Yr5 Wollemi), brother to Catherine (8B) & Madeleine (7B) Gibbons; Easter Nasayao-Montenegro, aunt to Lael Nasayao (4B); Lucy Bates, sister to Sarah Tuballa (Librarian and Religion teacher), aunty to Charlotte (10B) & Felicity (4B) Tuballa; Walter Daniel Valenton, uncle to Elyssa (8G), Marcela (3B) and Daniela (3B) Valenton; Vengie Pangilinan (Former teacher); Helen Stanojevic (KG Teacher); & Emmanuel Hanna, brother to Cecilia (10B) & Lucia (7G) Hanna.

Please also remember those who have passed away:

Argyna Santiago (Class of 2025); Bruce Kilpatrick, father to Julie Blazevic (school secretary), grandfather to Lisa Blazevic (library assistant) & great grandfather to Thylane Djurdjevic (2B); Benjamin Santiago, father to Argyna (12); Craig Walsh Jr, Uncle to Paula Catt (6B); Craig Walsh Snr Grandfather to Paula Catt (6B); Aiyana Cabanero (Yr10 2019) sister to Amara (9) Cabanero.

If you would like to add any intentions to the Prayer Board, please send them to melanie.merriman@montgrove.nsw.edu.au. Please also let Melanie know when your intentions can be removed. 

Siblings of current students are given priority during the enrolment process.  If you would like to submit an application for your son/daughter in Kindergarten 2026 please register via this form and an application form will be emailed directly to you.  Students enrolling in Kindergarten must have turned 5 years by March 31 of the year that they are to start school.

Those who have already submitted Kindergarten 2026 applications previously, there is no action required from you at this stage. This is just a reminder email for any current families who intend to but have not yet applied. If your application is not received by Friday 11th April 2025, a place for Kindergarten 2026 can not be guaranteed. 

Please note that the Enrolment Acceptance Fee is now $200 for all families and that current families applying for Kindergarten places for 2026 onwards will be subject to a school readiness assessment prior to their child's year of entry. 

If you have any questions please contact our Enrolments Team enrol@montgrove.nsw.edu.au or call (02) 4749 4714. We look forward to assisting you in your enrolment journey.

Kindergarten to Year 6

Start:            8:50am

Finish:           3:00pm

Kindergarten and Year 1 students may be picked up at 2:45pm from their classroom. Please note that this is only applicable for parents who ONLY have children in Kindergarten and Year 1.

Kindergarten to Year 6 students arriving after 8:50am will be required to sign in at the office.

Year 7 to Year 12

Start:            8:30am

Finish:           3:15pm

Year 7 to 12 students arriving after 8:30am will be required to sign in at the office.

• If you have children in both Kindergarten and/or Year 1 AND a primary student, please collect them after 3:00pm. 
• If you have children in both Primary and Secondary school please collect them between 3:15pm and 3.30pm. 

Thank you so much for supporting Montgrove College, especially through fundraising. This term, we are running a Billy G’s Gourmet Cookie Dough fundraiser to raise money for the new school chapel. 

Billy G’s Gourmet Cookie Dough is an exciting fundraiser, made by an Australian, family owned and operated business. There are ten (10) dough-licious flavours to choose from, including the most popular Choc Chunk and the new Cinnamon Donut Cookie Dough!  You can also create your own cookie magic at home with our Golden Classic flavour by adding your own mix ins to your cookies when you bake them! There is even something for your special furry friends, with a cheese flavoured Doggie Dough!  Billy G’s Gourmet Cookie Dough is exclusive to fundraising – so stock up!

Get started! Cookie dough orders must be placed online using the online platform. Create your child’s profile by visiting cookiedough.com.au, click on the Register Button and follow the Prompts. Add Montgrove College as Group Name and select your child’s class from the list. Orders are open from 10 April 2025 until 02 May 2025, so make sure you get rolling and create your online fundraising page today!

How do prizes work? Every student who sells two or more tubs will receive an incentive prize for their efforts! But why not aim higher? The more tubs you sell the more prizes you will receive! There are 11 prizes up for grabs, so why not set your own fundraising goal and aim for them all? Prizes are automatically ordered at the end of our fundraiser based on the number of tubs you have sold. 

Family and friends are your greatest supporters, so make sure you ask them for support. You will reach your fundraising goal in no time! 

You can Win Big!  Our highest tub seller will go into a draw to win a PlayStation 5 Gaming Bundle. For every tub you sell or buy, you will also receive one entry into the draw to win $20,000 Cash. Plus, every student that achieves all online virtual badges will win an additional Gold Dig Out prize.  

Don’t forget to refer to your Order Form for all the information. Happy fundraising! 

On Tuesday 8th April 2025, students from Year 5 and Year 8 attended the annual Schools ANZAC Service at Penrith Paceway.  As always the City of Penrith RSL sub-Branch put on a beautiful service honouring our service men and women. 

A special thanks to Miss Barry for making a beautiful wreath for our girls to place. 

Absence forms are done through the Engage Parent Portal. The Engage Parent Portal allows you to access your children's reports, complete absence forms and see your account details for both Wollemi & Montgrove. You would have already received your username and password earlier in the year.

St Marys RSL sub-Branch, wish to invite families from Montgrove College to join the annual ANZAC Dawn Service Commemoration to be conducted at the Guns War Memorial in the grounds of St Marys Diggers Club Ltd, corner Hall Street and Mamre Road, St Marys on Friday 25th April.  Pre-Service videos will commence by 4.30am with the actual Service to commence at 5.00am.

The Service will occur within the open car park area of St Marys Diggers Club.  Parking within the Club grounds may be limited so that early arrival is recommended.  If medical assistance is required while at the Service, we have requested St John Ambulance to attend.

The NSW Premier's Reading Challenge is now open and Montgrove College is excited to be participating!

What is the NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge?

The PRC is a statewide Challenge that encourages students to develop a love of reading for leisure and pleasure in students and enables them to experience quality literature. It is not a competition, but a challenge to encourage each student to read, to read more, and to read more widely.

All students who complete the challenge and have their reading record validated by the school’s PRC coordinator will receive a certificate signed by the Premier of NSW.

How many books do students need to read?

Students in Kindergarten to Year 2 are challenged to read or experience 30 books. 20 of these books must be from the relevant Challenge booklists, and up to 10 books can be personal choice books. Books can be read with a parent, carer, teacher or another student. 

Students in Year 3 to Year 10 are challenged to read 20 books independently. At least 10 of these books must be from the relevant Challenge booklists, and up to 10 books can be personal choice books.

If a book is from an approved PRC series, students can enter up to 5 books as Challenge books, and can read up to 10 other books from the same series as Personal Choice books. More information on the rules of the Challenge can be found on the PRC website.

Books must be added to a student’s online reading record by Friday 22 August 2025 in order for their reading record to be validated and receive a certificate.

How do students log their reading?

Students can access the PRC’s Student Experience site using their DoE username and password, or can log into the site via the Student Portal. A video guide explaining how to use the Student Experience site can be found here. All students have been given their login details. 

How can students find books on the NSW PRC challenge lists?

Montgrove College library has a wide variety of titles on the NSW PRC.  In addition to our selection, Penrith City Library also has an extensive selection of PRC titles.

Sarah Tuballa

PRC Coordinator at Montgrove College

Earlier this term, Montgrove selected several students to trial for the Hills Zone U16s and Opens basketball teams. Nicole N (Yr 8), Annabella M (Yr 9), Madeleine J (Yr 11), Raphaelle C, Magdalena L, and Klara T (Yr 12) stood out during the trials and were all selected to represent Hills Zone.

On March 10th, Annabella, Nicole, and the rest of the U16s HZSA basketball team competed at Hills Basketball Stadium, facing various representative teams from associations across NSW. The team played five intense games with only short breaks in between and finished in an impressive 3rd place.

The following day, on March 11th, Madeleine, Raphaelle, Magdalena, Klara, and the HZSA Opens basketball team returned to Hills Basketball Stadium for the Opens Basketball competition. They played exceptionally well in all their games and also secured 3rd place.

These results were an outstanding achievement for both HZSA and Montgrove! Congratulations to all our students who were selected to compete in this event!

The Montgrove College Cross Country Carnival was held on Friday, March 21st. Despite having to delay the primary events due to rainy conditions, the carnival still went ahead, and it was a fantastic day filled with enthusiasm and determination. It was wonderful to see so many students supporting each other and giving their best effort.

A special congratulations to Sarah Chircop (Yr 4) and Wing (Elisa) Li (Yr 5) who broke school records on the day. This is an incredible achievement! Your dedication and effort have set a new benchmark for future competitors.

Cross Country Records

• Sarah Chircop (9yrs) - 8.53.30
• Wing (Elisa) Li (11yrs) - 13.22.47

The Hills Zone Cross Country Carnival will take place on Tuesday 20th May at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre. Students selected to represent Montgrove at the carnival will receive a letter early in Term 2.

C. Bolton

The Combined Hills Zone, CSSA, and CASA Triathlon took place on Friday, March 28th. A total of 28 students from Yr 4 - Yr 11 competed on the day. Four students took on the highly challenging Individual event, while the rest participated in team events. All of our students performed exceptionally well, achieving outstanding results. 

Congratulations to the following students for their achievements:

• Junior Individual Event: Chloe L – 2nd place

• Primary Duathlon Team Event: Sarah C & Olivia G – 1st place

• Primary Triathlon Event: Madeline B, Gabrielle C & Elizabeth G – 2nd place

• Intermediate Secondary Event: Lauren L, Audrey C & Bethany D – 2nd place

A huge thank you to all the parents who came to support our Montgrove team.

C. Bolton

On Thursday 20th March, Year 9 students had the incredible opportunity to take part in a wheelchair basketball session, gaining firsthand experience of inclusive sports. This session was part of their PDHPE unit, where students explore the benefits of lifelong participation in physical activity and the ways in which sports can be adapted to cater to diverse groups within society.

We were privileged to welcome Stephan from Wheelchair Sports NSW/ACT, who was born with Spina Bifida and has played a variety of wheelchair sports, including rugby and tennis. Stephan’s mission is to foster greater understanding between individuals with different levels of mobility and to promote inclusion. Rather than viewing mobility differences as a disability, Stephan encourages us to see them as simply another way of being mobile.

During the session, every Year 9 student had the chance to participate in a game of wheelchair basketball using professional equipment designed for the sport. Students learned how to manoeuvre the wheelchairs effectively, along with key skills such as dribbling, defending, attacking, and shooting, all from a seated position.

Beyond being an enjoyable and engaging experience, the session was also highly educational. It provided valuable insights into how individuals with disabilities can actively participate in a wide range of physical activities, reinforcing the importance of inclusivity in sport.

C. Bolton

On March 31st, seven Montgrove swimmers qualified to represent Hills Zone at the AICES Swimming Championships. All of our girls swam exceptionally well, achieving personal best times in all individual events.

A big congratulations to our 12-14 Years Medley Relay team, who placed third in their event! Amelia B, Maria C, Lucy C, and Chloe L (Year 8) will now advance to represent AICES at the NSWCIS Swimming Championships in May.

• Lessons during class time for infants and primary students.  Before school lessons for secondary (or after school at a nearby private studio)
• Beginner to advanced levels taught
• Two optional student recitals held each year at the Joan Sutherland Centre
• AMEB piano and music theory examinations offered
• Teacher is accredited and a full member of the NSW Music Teacher’s Association

Montgrove College Trading Hours 2024

Mondays: 8:30am to 12:30pm

Ordering online couldn’t be simpler.

 Go to www.midford.com.au

1. Select Montgrove College from the online School Shops tab.
2. New users to click the ‘Register New Account’ button.
3. Start the registration process by selecting Montgrove College from the drop-down menu and add Montgrove unique school pass phrase: Montgrove2007
4. Add your personal information, create a username and password.
5. Order the items you need, select pick up from the uniform shop on Monday's or option of home delivery.

NOTE: Choosing home delivery is the fastest way of receiving your orders and home delivery is free for all orders over $50.

Please book appointments through our online appointment system by using the below link.  https://Midford.as.me/MontgroveCollege

For enquiries please email: montgrove@midford.com.au

Montgrove College Uniform Fitting Range Service will be open in the school holidays for fitting appointments and try on Services only.  No Sales or Orders will be placed on site. All orders are to be placed online only.  

If you’ve placed your order by Wednesday 7th April, your order will be ready for collection on Monday 14th between 11:00 am - 2:00 pm.  (School Holiday schedule hours only)

Orders placed after the 8th of April will be ready for collection on Monday 19th of April between 10:00am - 11:30am when the school returns.

Extended Term 2 Trading Hours  

• Monday 14th April: 9:00am-12:00pm 
• Wednesday 23rd April: 9:00am-3:00pm

The uniform shop will return to normal hours on Monday 28th April.

On Friday April 4, Year 2 Mums enjoyed a lovely morning tea at the Penrith Regional Gallery. New friendships were formed over a warm cup of coffee,  cake in the picturesque gardens. We look forward to the next catch up, from Emily and Clare.

On Tuesday April 8, 2 Blue dad’s got together for a casual dinner, the very first get togethers of many to come over the years! We enjoyed a hearty buffet and had some interesting discussions. Thank you for a great evening, from Jeremy. 

Year 2 dads and their daughters are invited to get together for a fun afternoon of bowling and banter. Zone Bowling Penrith, 2:15pm, Sunday May 18. Please RSVP to your class parent by Friday May 2.

All school fees must be paid via your Edstart account where you can opt for weekly, monthly, fortnightly, termly, or annual instalments. Pared will no longer accept direct payments.

As part of our commitment to parents, Montgrove will absorb the administrative fees for your Edstart Plus service, so that this service is free for families to use.

Edstart is a leading provider of payment and technology services for the education sector and currently works with thousands of parents at over 600 schools around Australia, with a key focus on providing personalised service for each family.

What are the benefits of partnering with Edstart?

1. Flexibility:

Edstart provides families with more options and greater flexibility when it comes to paying school fees, at no additional cost. For example, with an Edstart Plus account:

• Choose your preferred day for when payments are made

• Spread your payments over your preferred time frame during the school year

• Option to pay via direct debit, debit/credit card or BPay

• During difficult times, families can be offered flexible payment schedules

• Adjust your payments at any time

2. Paperless & secure:

●      Payment Information will be submitted and stored through Edstart’s secure online platform, so families can be assured of data security.

●      Direct debit forms no longer need to be printed. 

3. Customer Service:

●      Edstart provides Pared parents with a dedicated customer service team who can promptly respond to queries and questions over the phone, email or through their website’s live chat function.

If you haven't already, please set up your Edstart account online at edstart.com.au/pared.

1. PARED will issue the Invoice / Fee Account Statement once by week 2 of every Term 1, 2, 3 and 4.
2. This Invoice includes: Tuition Fees, Curriculum and Technology Levy (CTL) and Building Levy only.
3. The Pared Schools have partnered with Edstart to provide more flexibility and choice with your school fee payments. All school fees must be paid via your Edstart account where you can opt for weekly, monthly, fortnightly, termly, or annual instalments.
4. As it occurs, PARED will issue separate invoices for activities other than those in Item 2 above.  This will include major camps, major excursions, certain elective co-curricular expenses, band program, elective music software,  loss of or damage to laptop, PDHPE workbook, school diary, etc. 
5. These should also be paid via your Edstart account