Congratulations to the following students who recently received Principals' Awards:

The Primary Monty went to Marie Ortega (5G) and Ella Salman (5G) for doing an amazing job collecting containers and cleaning the Return and Earn Bins.

The Primary Monty to Kateri Vu Nguyen (3G) for letting a teacher know about some glass in the playground so that it could be removed safely. 

The Infants Orchy went to Lovro Surkic () for helping other students to carry the lunch tub and to move the soccer goals without being asked.

Congratulations to

• Joslyne and George Isaac on the birth of Joachim Mikhael, brother to Grace (3G) & Aquilina (KW)
• Siobhan and Cormac McCaughan on the birth of Eleanor Monica, sister to Sebastian (KW) & Dominic (1S)

Now that Term 3 is coming to a close, and the holidays beckon, allow me to quote from: “Anecdotes and Examples Illustrating the Catholic Catechism”, selected and arranged by KEV. FRANCIS SPIRAGO.

THE RUDE BOY AND THE ECHO [He who is well-mannered will be well treated.]

A little boy who did not know anything about an echo, one day when at play in a meadow, shouted : "Hello, Hello!" Directly from a wood in the vicinity he heard a shout in answer : "Hello! Hello!” [After a while, the conversation between the boy and the “shouter” became rather impolite!] He ran home and complained to his mother that there was a bad boy hidden in the wood, who had been calling him names. His mother listened to his tale, and when he had finished, said to him: "What you heard was only the echo of your own words. If you had spoken kindly, kind words would have come back to you out of the wood...

Please pray for our sick and injured family and friends:

Zoey de Villiers (KW); Irene Nimenzo, grandmother to Anastasia (5G) and Jacinta (KB) Campbell; Cecilia Obeid (5G), sister to Clare (4G) & Lucy (2G);Giorgio Murgolo, son to Michael Murgolo (Founding Class);Simon Elbayeh, father to Olivia (7G); Joshua Gibbons (Yr5Wollemi), brother to Catherine (8B) & Madeleine (7B) Gibbons; Helen Stanojevic (Teacher); & Emmanuel Hanna, brother to Cecilia (10B) & Lucia (7G) Hanna.

Please also remember those who have passed away:

Michael Lucas, Grand Uncle to Raphael Magat Y1W;Nicholas Mentis, grandfather to Mariah (10) Seecy; Lucrecia Concepcion, great-grandmother to Lael Nasayao (4B); Stephen Leitch, uncle to Marcus Dowsett (KG); VinceBellet, brother to Donna Murphy (English Teacher); Aden McFarlane, great grandfather to Charlotte McFarlane (4G); JamieDowsett, father to Marcus (KG); Argyna Santiago (Class of 2025) &Aiyana Cabanero (Yr10 2019) sister to Amara (10) 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. 

As we are fast approaching the end of another wonderful school term, we again find ourselves with an abundance of lost property. 

On Monday 22nd and Tuesday 23rd September in the morning and afternoon a table will be set up outside the middle gate with all unlabeled drink bottles, containers, shoes, jumpers, jackets and hats.  Could you please check the table to see if anything belongs to your child(ren).    

In addtion to the above usual items of lost property, we also currently have in lost property a stroller, a bag of knitting and a pair of pink glasses (see pictures below). These can be collected from the font office.

**** Any clothing items not collected by the end of term will be donated to charity.  Unclaimed lunchboxes, containers and drink bottles will be thrown away ****

Many thanks to those parents who are labelling their children's clothes and containers as this enables us to return your child's lost items!

RSVP Link:  https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1473521

With the upcoming school holidays, our Year 10 students, together with their teacher volunteers, will be hosting the Montgrove K-6 Girls Holiday Programme from Monday 29th September - Wednesday 1st October.

All proceeds will go towards the building of our new Chapel.  As numbers are limited, please register your daughter by Monday the 23rd September to secure her spot through the link below.

https://forms.gle/Ysz27y5tX5976KWa8

Looking forward to seeing many of the students there to support this wonderful cause!  For any queries please email Christine Lay or Teresa Barry on  

montgroveholidayprogramme@montgrove.nsw.edu.au

When: Monday 29th September - Wednesday 1st October

Time:   9.00am -3.00pm 

Cost:   $40 per day per child or

            $100 for 3 days per child 

Bring: Recess Lunch Hat and any medications needed 

A big thank you to all the dads who joined us for our Father’s Day Afternoon Tea and Games. It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and show our appreciation for the important role dads play in the lives of our students and school community.

We would also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all the mums who volunteered their time and energy to make the Father’s Day Stall such a success. And of course, thank you to the students who supported by purchasing gifts for their dads, grandads, and other special male figures – your enthusiasm helped make the day extra special!

As we reach the close of another rich and joy-filled term, our hearts turn with gratitude for the learning, growth, and shared moments that have shaped our school community. Yet we also recognise that the busyness of school life, family schedules, and daily routines can leave us all longing for renewal.

Rest is more than simply stopping. It is about balance, trust, and hope. The virtue of temperance reminds us to seek harmony in our lives, and Jesus Himself often withdrew to quiet places to pray and be refreshed. When we follow His example, our rest becomes a gift—strengthening us not only for ourselves, but for those we love.

The upcoming holidays are a sacred opportunity to slow down, notice the beauty in ordinary life, and give thanks for the blessings we sometimes miss:

• the sound of laughter around the dinner table

• the warmth of spring sunshine

• the joy of siblings playing together
  These are the simple, holy moments where God often whispers His love most clearly.

As members of the 2025 junior debating team, we have learned and developed many essential skills, such as speaking confidently in front of a fairly large crowd, how to work as a team, how to speak impromptu and how to find alternative arguments to the opposition. Debating has been educational, enjoyable and engaging, and we are reluctant to say goodbye to such an extraordinary experience. We thank and are very grateful to Mrs Hoffmann and Miss Muscat for giving up their time to teach us these valuable skills. We can all proudly say that we have improved our public speaking abilities more than before we began debating.

Sehaj T & Elise J

The debating season has wrapped up on a high note, with both our teams securing victories against Penrith Christian School on the topic “Schools should replace long summer holidays with multiple shorter breaks throughout the year.” This was followed by two more strong wins against Bellfield College on the topic “The government was right in legislating an age restriction for social media.”

Throughout the season, the girls have worked with dedication and shown tremendous growth in skill, confidence, and their ability to construct arguments and deliver powerful rebuttals. Congratulations to Samreen Gill, Antonia Mallett, Elise Jordan, Sehaj Tung, Asees Tung, Elizabeth Grus, Marvella Gunawan, Marian Bonus, Michelle Yu, Minna Joseph, Victoria Lobo Kakodkar, and Madeline Bolton.

A special thank you goes to last year’s debating team, who generously gave up their Tuesday lunch breaks to help coach and support this year’s team. Many thanks also to Mrs Galea, whose faithful adjudication and guidance have been invaluable throughout the season. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to our parent helpers, Mr and Mrs Mallett and Mrs Grus, for transporting the team to away debates and for providing such generous support to the students.  

Mrs Hoffmann and Miss Muscat

This term in Science, Year 1 have been busy exploring the wonderful world of seasons. We’ve discovered what happens as the months change—what we wear, the activities we do, how the temperatures shift, and the beautiful ways nature transforms throughout the year.

To celebrate all this learning, Year 1 White Class created Seasons Posters as part of our very own Seasons Expo. This special project was a collaboration between students and their families, bringing together creativity, knowledge, and lots of enthusiasm! The results were nothing short of fantastic—bright, colourful, and full of the children’s favourite facts and discoveries about the seasons.

During the expo, students proudly shared their posters with their classmates, talking through what they had learnt and why each season is so special. It was wonderful to see the confidence on their faces as they explained their ideas and answered questions from their peers. Their classmates responded with encouragement and admiration, creating a warm, supportive atmosphere in our classroom.

On Thursday 11th September 2025, students in Years 7 to 12 were enrouraged to wear a Yellowaccessary for R U Ok Day.  There was a bake sale and some fun activities to paticipate in.   

During Weeks 7 and 8, Montgrove was proudly represented by 10 talented students who qualified to represent HZSA at the Primary CIS and Secondary AICES Athletics Carnivals.

A special mention goes to Amelia G, who achieved an outstanding 2nd place in the 17 Years Girls Javelin. Her performance has earned her the opportunity to progress and represent AICES at the Secondary CIS Carnival in Week 10.

We congratulate all our athletes on their efforts and extend our best wishes to Amelia as she prepares for the next stage of competition.

• 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

To register for the "Loving with the Heart of Christ" afternoon, please click on the link below

https://forms.gle/G7KgzyRjR294t9Rk6

To register for the Retreat for Women please click on the link below

https://forms.gle/2vCRmXNcGxvowhBd6

Montgrove College Trading Hours 2025

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 throughour online appointment system by using the below link.  https://Midford.as.me/MontgroveCollege

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

As a part of our biannual pricing review, please find attached Montgrove’s uniform retail pricing as of Term 4, 2025.

To keep increases to a minimum, items have a 2% price increase, rounded up to the nearest dollar. This typically equates to $1 - $2 increases on items. On some items, there is no increase.

Date: Saturday 20 September 2025

Meet: Martin's lookout carpark, Springwood

Time: 8:00am SHARP

Route: "Lost World"

Duration: 4-6 hours

Bring: Water, snacks, sturdy shoes and determination

RSVP: Tom (0433 337 436) or Vasco (0414 396 643)

SAVE THE DATE!

Kindergarten End of Year Picnic

Date: Sunday 2nd November 2025

Time: 2:00-4:00pm

As we wrap up Term 3, let’s take a moment to acknowledge what a busy and productive few weeks it’s been. The last few weeks in particular, have been packed with assessments and deadlines and Year 11s, finishing up with their Preliminary Exams today. Both students and staff have been working hard and persevering through this demanding period.

A well-deserved break is not far – the school holidays are a perfect opportunity to rest, recharge, and enjoy time with family and friends. While it’s important to take a break from schoolwork, the holidays can also be a good opportunity for some reflection.

Take Time to Reflect

Students may take the time to reflect on their learning journey this term. It may not be about grades but seeing how much they’ve grown over the term. Here are a few questions they can ask themselves:

The Year 11 and 12 Visual Arts students attended a workshop Unpacking Unseen Images at the MCA. The workshop, led by Museum Art Educators/practicing artists, allowed students the opportunity to critically engage with artworks in the MCA and explore ways for responding to contemporary art. Students were challenged to think about the experience of the audience through direct connection with artworks and unpack artworks through the perspectives provided by the Visual Arts Frames and Conceptual Framework. The trip to the MCA was also spent wandering through the various exhibitions on display and viewing the work of international artist, Cerith Wyn Evans. 

The Hon. Prue Car MP invites all students to enter her 2025 Londonderry Christmas Card Competition. The competition is open to all ages. The winning design will be printed and sent across the state as Prue’s official Christmas card, and the winner will also receive a First Prize certificate.

Submissions close on Friday, 14 November 2025. Entries can be sent either via email to Londonderry@parliament.nsw.gov.au or by post to PO Box 43, St Marys NSW 1790

Year 11 Visual Arts students Lidia Hoffmann and Vielle Marquez have been participating in the Penrith Open Studio program, attending workshops every Monday since the beginning of Term 2. They have had the opportunity to meet other creatives and gain mentorship by professional artists to explore new techniques and develop their skills.

The young artists of the program will be exhibiting their work at Lewers: Penrith Regional Gallery. The opening of their exhibition Organised Chaos will be held on Saturday 27th September at 10am – 12pm.

Congratulations to Lidia and Vielle and looking forward to seeing their work on display!

Organised Chaos – Opening Night

The Sony World Photography Awards - Youth Competition is open to photographers aged 19 and below. Entry is FREE.

Click on this link for more information: Youth Awards.