Yesterday we had the privilege of having Alexandre Havard visit Montgrove and address the Senior students and staff. Havard is an international speaker and author of a number of books, including Virtuous Leadership. A number of you may also have heard him speak on Wednesday night in Chatswood. As he spoke to us about finding purpose in our work, he defined his own mission as helping people discover the greatness for which they have been created. This comes first of all from knowing ourselves deeply, so that we can understand the unique contribution we can give in whatever job or setting we find ourselves in. His presentations are always thought provoking and challenge us to be true to ourselves and thus inject more meaning into our family life, our work and in our social relationships.

At the Whole School Assembly on Tuesday we announced the House Captains for 2024. Congratulations to the following Year 11 girls: Raphaelle Canete (Brindabella), Caroline Elias (Diamantina), Clarissa Lapid (Menindee) and Anne Portelli (Tanami). Today they are having a Leadership workshop with the School Captains and Secondary Class Representatives to kick start the year and brainstorm initiatives. I look forward to working with them in the coming year.

During the week we said farewell to our Enrolments Registrar, Mrs Raelene Pirotta, who has been working at the school since 2005. She has been an important part of the foundational years of Montgrove and we are deeply grateful for her hard work and loving dedication to the families, staff and students of the school. We wish her all the best with her retirement.

Parent Mentor Meetings have started for this term. The purpose of the first meeting with your mentors is to set goals for the year. You should have received an email with instructions on how to book a meeting with your mentor through PTO. If you haven’t already done so, I encourage you to make a booking soon so that, together with your mentor, you can get started with character goals for each of your children. 

Congratulations to: 

• Joan & Christian Dulawan on the birth of Ellidy Mariette, sister to Maximilian (KB)

On Tuesday 27th February 2024, our Year 11 House Leaders were announced at a Whole School Assembly.   Congratulations to:

• Raphaelle Canete - Brindabella
• Caroline Elias - Diamantina 
• Clarissa Lapid - Menindee 
• Anne Portelli - Tanami 

On Tuesday 20th February our 2024 Class Representatives were announced.  Congratulations to: 

Year 7 Blue

• Janice Kosman 
• Carina Tapang

Year 7 Green

• Amelia Bolton 
• Anysia Mackenzie 

Year 8 Blue

• Jemima Guy 
• Penny Wiggins 

Year 8 Green 

• Hanna Romanowska 
• Mia Badr

Year 9

• Cecilia Hanna
• Aruni Perera 

Year 10 Blue

• Emey Sara Ginu 
• Georgia Tabone

Year 10 Green 

• Verity Rodrigues 
• Mary Ruhl 

Please find attached, the flyer for more information.

Here is a brief excerpt from a famous and delightful bit of poetry, by Hilaire Belloc:

Rebecca, Who slammed Doors for Fun

A Trick that everyone abhors

In Little Girls is slamming Doors.

…[Rebecca] was not really bad at heart,

But only rather rude and wild:

She was an aggravating child....

…The children who were brought to hear

The awful Tale from far and near

Were so impressed,

That they made sure

They never more would slam the Door.

 —As often they had done before.

St Josemaría once advised a young person that, on opening or closing a window, she might do very well to try to do so, not hurriedly, but gently, while making of it a little prayer for her parents… 

It all seems to be a bit of a reminder that Lent involves doing such small sacrifices as make life pleasing, or at least less unpleasing, to others, especially family members.

Please pray for our sick and injured family and friends:

Victor Sciberras, father to Raelene Pirotta (Registrar); Benjamin Santiago, father to Agryna (11); & Emmanuel Hanna, brother to Cecilia (9B) & Lucia (6G).

Please also remember those who have passed away:

Antoine Scoulou, grandfather to Mona-Maria Scoulou (3B); Victor Asdiollo Tuballa, father-in-law to Sarah Tuballa (Religion teacher), grandfather to Charlotte (9B) & Felicity (3G) Tuballa; Priscilla De Leon Yabut, grandmother to Samantha Magat (12); Aurea Ingco, great grandmother to Mila Kottatis (2G); 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. 

Mass

Mass is held Monday to Friday at 12:15pm.  Parents are welcome to attend Mass in the Chapel.

Chapel Visits

Parents are welcome to visit the Chapel from 2:30pm for prayer. 

Confessions

Fr Anthony Khoudair is available for confessions on:

• Tuesdays from 2:45pm to 3:30pm
• Wednesdays from 2:45pm to 3:30pm 

 Fr Felix Navarro is available for confessions on:

• Thursdays from 3:00pm to 3:30pm
• Fridays from 3:00pm to 3:30pm 

• The office door will be locked from 9:00am
• Mrs Merriman will unlock it remotely when she sees you
• To enter please wait for the click before pulling the door towards you gently
• If reception is unattended please ring the door bell and a staff member will let you in

General

• Please do not park in the Medical Centre car park next door
• For the safety of our students, parents, staff and visitors please remember that the speed limit in all parts of the car park and driveways is 5 km/h at all times. 
• All children up to the age of 7 must be seated in an approved child booster seat.
• When you are dropping off your child/ren please do so in either the drop off zone, or park your car in a designated car space.
• If you are dropping your child/ren off before 8.15am, please remind them that they are to stay seated at the main gate

Car Park

• Children are NOT to be left unattended in cars in the car park.
• Please park your car in a parking spot - DO NOT use the car park as a “kiss and drop area”
• Please DO NOT stop or park your car on the pedestrian crossing to let children out of the car
• Please use the car park pedestrian crossing to take children to and from parked cars.
• The large fig tree and surrounding garden in the carpark is out of bounds at all times.  Could you please ensure that you do not allow your children to play around the base of the tree or climb in it.   Please also do not park here.  This is both for the safety of your children and the health of the tree.
• We have 2 disabled spots in the car park, these spots are on either side of the Fig tree. We request that you please only park in the marked disabled spots if you currently hold and display a valid disabled parking permit

Car Line

• Please do not park on Bringelly Road in the area leading to the entrance driveway. Even though there is no signage stopping parents from parking there, it does impact the flow of traffic being able to enter the driveway and also impacts the public being able to drive along Bringelly Road. 
• If you are waiting to turn right from Bringelly Road into the car line, please stay as close to the centre line as possible. This will allow people turning right out of the Montgrove exit gate to travel past those cars.
• If you are entering the car line from the Caddens Road side, please allow cars from the Northern Road side to merge to avoid traffic congestion on Bringelly Road.
• No parking at any time in the carline drive-through from the entrance to the exit, especially during peak times. This allows for the traffic to flow freely
• Students are not permitted to enter their car before the crossing. This is to ensure the safety of those entering the car and those crossing.
• Please do not get out of the car in the carline. A team of teachers will put the children in the car. This will allow the cars to move through at a quicker pace.
• Parents using the car line are asked to remain in their car. A staff member will supervise your child coming to the car.
• Please display your family surname in the windscreen. Each family should have received a copy of a “Family Surname” sign to display in the windscreen.
• The senior girls who do not have younger siblings will be able to go straight to their parents’ cars in the car park. All other children must be picked up in person or via the carline. The children’s safety is paramount.
• When leaving the School please keep to the marked left or right lane of the driveway depending which way you are turning onto Bringelly Road.

Extreme Weather Procedure for Afternoon Pick-Up

• In temperatures over 40 degrees, there will be no car line in operation. We ask that parents park their car and collect their child/ren from either the classroom or the Hall.  K-2 students may be picked up from their classroom from 2:30pm. At 2:45pm all K-6 students will be in the Hall.  If there are no available car spaces in the car park, the car line area may be used to park your car if you intend to only be a few minutes collecting your child/ren. Secondary students school finish time will be as usual – 3:15pm.
• During storms when there is lightning, there will be no teacher on Crossing Duty. We ask that you use care when driving through the car line. It is advisable for students to have a raincoat that they can wear in these conditions.

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.

Montgrove College would appreciate donations of the following items of clothing to be kept as spares for when a student needs a change of clothes. The previous style of the summer dress is also suitable: 

• Size 6 summer dresses
• Size 8 summer dresses
• Size 4 boys shorts
• Size 6 boys shorts
• Sports shorts
• Size 6 & 8 winter dresses 
• Boys long sleeve shirts

We thank you for your donations. 

Early Pickup for Appointments

In an effort to teach our students to take personal responsibility and to be accountable for their own items, we do not have a Lost Property box at Montgrove.   

We ask that all personal items be labelled with your child's surname and first initial, so that any items that are misplaced can be returned to the owner immediately.

On Thursday 22nd and Friday 23rd February, our Year 6 classes travelled to Canberra for an educational tour of the national capital. Students were given the opportunity to participate in a variety of educational programs with a focus on Australia’s history, culture, heritage and democracy. During their time there, they visited Mt Ainslie, both Old and New Parliament Houses to explore the way our government is run, cast votes during their own preferential election at the Electoral Commission Office and went back in time to visit the ANZAC soldiers at the War Memorial. There was also a special night time outing that you can read about below in the students' reports.

The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. To assist families in meeting the cost of the excursion the Australian Government contributes funding of $30 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program towards those costs. The rebate is paid directly to the school upon completion of the excursion.

Read on below to learn about what Year 6 thought of their excursion - it sounds like they had a fabulous time!

Our trip to Canberra started at 6 am, when the bus left Montgrove College. The sun wasn’t up and no one was awake. We boarded the bus with excitement ready for a very busy and tiring day ahead of us. The trip was about 3 hours long, after waiting in the bus we stopped for recess at Goulburn. 

When we finally reached Canberra the first place we went to was The War Memorial, a place where family members grieve, students learn and people remember. Both of our classes were split into 4 groups to learn. Some of the stories we learnt were in World War One, there was a story about a man who lied that he was Indigenous so he could enrol in the war. There was a story about a nurse whose red cross ship was attacked.

There were many stories, but halfway through the tour we were introduced to the eternal flame. A flame that never burns out, and then there was the tomb of the unknown soldier.

After the War Memorial we stopped for lunch at Regatta Point, followed by our time at the National Capital Exhibition. In the exhibition we were taught about the design and construction of Canberra. People were allowed to vote for the name of Canberra. My favourite name was Eucalyptia. We were able to design our own city with lego. After the National Capital Expedition we went to Mt Ainslie lookout for a view of Canberra.

After the lookout we made our way to New Parliament House. In the New Parliament we examined paintings of past Prime Ministers, Speakers and Senators. After examining the House of Representative and the Senate, we learnt about how bills were passed! After the spectating we did a roleplay of what actually happens in the House of Representatives and Senate. 

Following this we settled in our Hotel to get changed for Questacon and had dinner there. When we went to Questacon we tested the earthquake machine and the lightning machine. We learnt about bones, bugs and many more scientific things. We went on a big slide which explored friction and gravity. After going to Questacon everyone was tired so we went back to the hotel to catch some sleep.

In the morning we left the hotel at 7 am to go to Old Parliament House. In the Old Parliament we learnt about Democracy and different perspectives of when people first settled in Australia. The most exciting part was when we were able to sit in the old senate seats for a good amount of time. After going to The Old Parliament we went to the Electoral Education Center where we learnt how to vote for our own representatives. When voting, you have to put a number next to each candidate that is running, the number one meaning you want them to be your first choice to represent you and the higher the number you don’t want as a representative.

After the Electoral Education Centre we hopped back on the bus on our way back to school. Halfway into the drive we stopped at McDonalds to have dinner. We were given choices a few days before Canberra so that the McDonalds Restaurant  would prepare ahead of time. After dinner in McDonalds we went back to the bus to continue the trip back to school. At around 7:30 pm we finally made it back to school. And after a long trip and distance away from home we were at home.  Clare G (6 Green)

On the 22nd of February at around 5:45 am, I was boarding the bus with all my friends, about to embark on one of the most memorable adventures in my schooling life. A ‘3-hour bus trip’ sounded so long and so hard to endure but the time really flew by. Before I knew it, we had stopped at Goulburn to have morning tea and surprisingly, we were already past the halfway mark. Only 1 hour to go!

Before long,  we were off the bus and about to start the first activity of the day, visiting the Australian War Memorial. I found it very interesting to learn about the war conditions, the food and medicine rations.  We learned how it impacted many people who were not even involved in the war. Both WW1 and WW2 were incredibly upsetting and inhumane but worldwide, people have now learnt from the past and we were assured the chances of having a WW3 were slim. 

We enjoyed a relaxing lunch at Commonwealth Park and the National Capital Exhibition. At the NCE we were asked to design a future capital city. My group thought that recreational centres and wildlife+nature were necessary for a strong future. After this, we journeyed towards Mt Ainslie lookout to enjoy a delicious afternoon tea. Parliament House next! We were shown the Senate as well as the House of Representatives. Parliament House was so grand and looked a bit like a castle!

After this, I thought we would have a rest at the hotel but no! We barely had enough time to change into our sports uniform before we were ushered into the dining hall to enjoy a meal of delicious mash with bread and sausages.

Then we experienced the most exciting part of the day: QUESTACON! Questacon was full of galleries and interactive activities but best of all, there was the famous 6.7 metre free fall slide! In my opinion,  this was the most exciting (and scary!) part of the trip. After all this excitement we had to say goodbye and leave to get a good night's rest(Well,  we were supposed to. . .).

On day 2, we woke up to a delicious breakfast and we were then hurried off to the EEC(Electoral Education Centre ) to learn about Australia’s federal voting system. This was followed by our trip to the Governor General's house. We learned about his role, importance, and his REALLY long name. Our bus driver gave us a wonderful tour through all the Embassies on our way to mass at St Christopher's Cathedral. I loved how grand and beautiful the Cathedral was and I found the different statues very artistic as well as the whole place is a great way to honour our Lord.

MOAD(Museum of Australian Democracy) at Old Parliament House was our last stop of the day and where we sat in the old House of Representatives. It was amazing to know that past Prime Ministers had actually sat where we did.

The trip home was another great experience as we got to enjoy food at Maccas.  What a treat! We arrived home at around 7:30 pm. It was only one day but it was good to be back in the comfort of our own homes later that night.

In conclusion, our trip to Canberra was memorable, educational, and most importantly FUN!  Amalia G (6 Blue)

An invitation to Wollemi and Montgrove Dads.

James Ramos, Wollemi Headmaster would like to extend an invitation to our Wollemi and Montgrove fathers to join us at a Dad's Night on Friday 5 April at 6pm at Wollemi.

This night will be an opportunity for dads to come together and enjoy a meal, beer and one another's company.  This term, the Wollemi and Montgrove Dad's Night will be enjoying a Potluck Dinner, feel free to bring a plate to share. 

To RSVP,   kindly complete this form. We hope you can join us and catch up on the night.

 Contact Person: Andrew Zahra 0420 581 427

BASKETBALL WINTER SEASON

APRIL TO SEPTEMBER 2024 (TERMS 2 & 3)

The summer season is coming to a close on Saturday 6th April and the winter season will commence shortly after. We are looking for new basketball players for U10s, U12s, U14s, U16s and U18s (skilled & beginners). Particularly looking for experienced or very athletic U12 players.

Associated Costs for new players as follows:

Annual Registration Fee 

Payable to Penrith & Districts Basketball Association (Active Kids Voucher accepted) (Registration with Penrith Stadium & Basketball NSW)

• $80.00 – Members NOT turning 12 yrs on/before 31st Dec
• 100.00 – Members 12-17 yrs on/before 31st Dec 
• $130.00 – Members turning 18 yrs on/before 31st Dec

Basketball Uniform

• $80.00 (Reversible Singlet $45 & Shorts $35)
• $36.00 (Hoodie - optional)

Seasonal Costs 

Payable to Montgrove Basketball Club to cover Winter Court Fees

• $170 Payable as a direct deposit before registration and start of season, or if you wish to pay by instalments (2 x $50, then $70) and need to be paid within the first 6-8 games. See payment due dates.

Direct deposit information

Account Name: Montgrove Basketball Club

BSB: 032 278

Account number: 552500 (Westpac Bank)

Please inform by email to basketballmontgrove@gmail.com with reference details and players surname

A Beginners Basketball camp will be held at the Montgrove COLA. Date to be confirmed and is subject to the number of new enrolments.

Parents are encouraged to volunteer for Coaching and Manager positions.

Application forms are available for NEW players only. FOR MORE INFORMATION, please contact Kathie Balmeo (0412 523 552) OR email basketballmontgrove@gmail.com by 1st March 2024.

New Players

Please note that it will take 4-6 weeks for new uniforms to be received from date of purchase. Accurate measurements in CMS required (Full Bust & Shoulder to Hip + Waist). Orders placed through the club. 

Thank you

Corine Morgan and Kathie Balmeo

Montgrove College Trading Hours 2023

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.

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

Date: Sunday 3rd March 2024
Time: 12:00noon-2:30pm
Where: Werrington Lakes
Bring: BYO lunch and picnic rug
RSVP: 29 February 2024 to your Class Parent

Jessica Le Grand (KW): 0401 314 529
Marie Ison (KG): 0411 278 949

Jeremy and Clare would like to thank the families of 1 Blue who came together for the class’s first get together. Good company, weather and food provided the perfect picnic in the park event!

As announced at the end of Term 3, our school has partnered with Edstart to facilitate the payment of your school fees. 

The deadline for setting up an Edstart Plus account has already passed. If you have not already set up your account, please do so as soon as possible by visiting edstart.com.au/pared – it only takes a few minutes to create your account. The friendly Edstart customer success team will be able to assist you should you have any questions, you can contact them at 1300 139 445 or contact@edstart.com.au.

From 2023, 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