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- Message from Director of Schools
- Please join us for the 26th Annual Mass Celebrating Diverse Learning next week
- MISSION AND EVANGELISATION - Upcoming Events
- Short Notice NESA Inspection- A Principal’s Reflection
- Sporting school holiday camp
- Don’t forget to Decorate your space!
- HIGH POTENTIAL AND GIFTED EDUCATION
- Battle of the Bands- Secondary Schools Competition 2025
- ASPIRE upcoming programs and events
- WOW Gallery Submissions still open and Tickets ON SALE NOW!
- Upcoming iPadOS Update
- Important update regarding student BYOD devices
Dear Colleagues,
Global Scholar’s Cup
Recently, the World Scholar’s Cup was hosted for the first time in our region at Cessnock. Over two days, students from across our Diocese joined peers in this festival of learning, where collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking are at the forefront.
They participated in four challenging and engaging events: Scholar’s Bowl, Team Debate, Scholar’s Challenge, and Collaborative Writing.
All our students who competed represented our Diocese with distinction, demonstrating teamwork, resilience, and intellectual curiosity.
In some exciting news, one of our students, Phoenix Denny from St Joseph’s, Merewether, has qualified for the World Scholar’s Cup Global Round. He has seized this opportunity and will be attending the Global Round in Bangkok from September 5 to 10, 2025. He departs next Thursday to take part in this incredible international event.
Check out all the action from the day here at https://www.mn.catholic.edu.au/news/worlds-scholar-cup-comes-to-the-hunter-region/.
HALT Recognition Ceremony Celebrates Excellence in Teaching
On Friday, 22 August, Christine Owen from Holy Family Primary School in Merewether Beach and Erin Jordan from Catherine McAuley Catholic College in Medowie proudly represented our Catholic schools at the NESA Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher (HALT) Recognition Ceremony at the NSW State Library in Sydney.
The event acknowledged the outstanding accomplishments of educators statewide who have achieved HALT accreditation. Erin and Christine received their Highly Accomplished medals from Mr. Greg Warren, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Premier, as well as the Parliamentary Secretary for Education, Early Learning, and Western Sydney.
Both are proud alumni of All Saints College in Maitland, class of 2002. This meaningful moment marks a full circle, as they both reached this milestone in the same year.
We sincerely congratulate Erin and Christine on this significant professional achievement and commend their dedication to educational excellence.
St Kevin’s Cardiff Student Honoured with Medal of Excellence
St Kevin’s Primary School, Cardiff, is celebrating the success of one of its students, Conor Porter, who has received a Medal of Excellence for his Creative Art entry in this year’s Koori Kids ANZAC Day Competition.
The presentation was held on Wednesday at St Kevin’s, where Conor was presented with his medal by Aunty Louise Campbell, Principal Mary-Anne Jennings and Aboriginal Education Teacher Phil Taylor. Conor’s proud parents were also in attendance to witness the special occasion.
This recognition continues a strong tradition at St Kevin’s, with two other students receiving the award over the past three years. It’s wonderful to see students like Conor bringing together the stories of ANZAC and the richness of Indigenous culture. Programs like this allow students to reflect creatively on the values of courage, sacrifice, and community that ANZAC Day represents.
At St Kevin’s, there is a strong commitment to ensuring students respect and celebrate both histories as part of their learning. Conor’s medal is not only a personal achievement but also an excellent moment for St Kevin’s community.
Annual School Visit
St Francis Xavier’s Primary School, Belmont
I sincerely thank Freda Pascoe and her staff for their dedication to our students and the Belmont school community. It is evident that the individual learning and wellbeing needs of students are front of mind and efforts to strengthen the faith life of the school are obvious.
The school shared their proactive approach to strengthening Case Management processes and aligning PLT structures to support student outcomes. Their impressive work with learning progressions and commitment to consistent teacher judgement stood out as a clear priority. Collaboration with other schools was also a highlight, particularly in the use of learning progressions and moderation to enhance teaching practices.
A strong focus on wellbeing was also evident, with the school implementing whole-school practices aimed at building consistency and fostering a supportive environment. Their thoughtful reflection on the well-being goal, particularly in relation to PB4L, demonstrated a deep commitment to ongoing improvement. The school’s data-driven revision of PB4L was deliberate and proactive, with clear next steps to ensure consistency and enhance student understanding of PB4L and the school’s core values.
With my best wishes,
Jacqui
Last week, St James’ Primary School, Kotara welcomed NESA inspectors for a Short Notice visit—yes, it does happen!
As the day began, it was yet another day of wet weather, with steady rain falling. The construction on site was powering ahead, and the commencement of road widening works brought changed traffic conditions just outside the school gates. Despite these logistical challenges, our staff remained calm, focused, and prepared.
The NESA visit focused on several key areas: Stage 2 and 3 English and Mathematics, Enrolment, Attendance, and Child Protection. As these domains are central to our mission of delivering high-quality education and ensuring the safety and wellbeing of every student, the visit focus provided a valuable opportunity to reflect on our practices and affirm our alignment with NESA and system expectations.
Over the two-hour session, the visiting officers engaged in dialogue with school leadership and representatives from Catholic Schools. They then reviewed documentation in our portal folder—for ease of access named “A Great Day for a NESA Visit!”. Their review approach was collaborative and affirming, recognising the strength of our system processes and the high-quality teaching and learning programs that reflect NESA, school and diocesan requirements.
The feedback was extremely positive. The documentation provided for review, was commended, as was our commitment to continuous improvement. The inspectors highlighted the strength of our curriculum planning and assessment, our proactive approach to attendance and enrolment, and our consistent, system-aligned child protection procedures.
Sincere thanks to Assistant Principal, Deb Petersen, and all staff for their thorough organisation and preparation of the documentation. Their efforts ensured a smooth and successful visit. I also extend appreciation to the Catholic Schools and Shared Services teams involved, whose support and presence were invaluable. They were on hand to answer questions and provide assistance where needed.
Our NESA visit was not only a positive experience but also a valuable process. It affirmed that our Diocesan COSI compliance systems are strong, our practices are purposeful, and our school community is deeply committed to quality education and student wellbeing. It reinforced that compliance is not about ticking boxes—it’s about embedding good practice, reflecting on progress, and continuously striving to improve.
So, at the end of it all, it truly was a great day for a NESA visit!
Our School communities are invited to decorate a space that uniquely reflects their commitment to children’s safety and wellbeing in line with the theme of National Child Protection Week ‘Every conversation matters: Shifting Conversation to Action’, for the chance to win some fantastic prizes.
You can find information about entry requirements and how to enter at: https://officeofsafeguarding.org.au/national-child-protection-week/
We can’t wait to see your entries!
University of Newcastle HDR Student Festival – Inspiring Our Future Scholars
On Tuesday, 26 August, selected students from across our schools attended the University of Newcastle Higher Degree by Research (HDR) Student Festival at the Callaghan Campus. This exciting event gave students a unique opportunity to experience university life firsthand, meet current researchers, and explore pathways into higher education.
Throughout the day, students engaged with interactive workshops, panel discussions, and campus tours, gaining valuable insights into how research shapes innovation and future careers. It was a wonderful opportunity for our students to see how their talents, curiosity, and learning can extend far beyond the classroom.
We thank the University of Newcastle for hosting this inspiring event and our participating students and families for their support.
Virtual Academy Nominations for 2026 Now Open
The Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle is pleased to announce that nominations are now open for the Virtual Academy 2026. This innovative online program is designed to extend High Potential and Gifted (HPG) students in Years 5–8, challenging them with conceptual, inquiry-based learning and opportunities to develop real-world problem-solving skills.
While many students are identified and nominated in Year 5 to participate for four years, the program also welcomes nominations for students new to our schools or those who have demonstrated emerging high potential. School leaders and teachers are encouraged to consider both current and future enrolments and reflect on data, performance, and observations to identify students who would thrive in this program.
The nomination process also supports equity and diversity, ensuring that students from underrepresented groups - including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, EAL/D students, rural and remote learners, and twice/thrice-exceptional students - are given fair access to this opportunity.
Important details:
- Nominations are not required for students currently enrolled, as their placement will automatically roll over to 2026.
- Year 6 students moving on to Catholic secondary schools should still be nominated by their current school to ensure continuity of learning.
- School GEMs are asked to complete all nominations by Friday, 31 October 2025 (Term 4, Week 3).
- At this stage, schools are asked not to inform students or families of nominations until formal offers are made to avoid disappointment should placements not proceed.
Following the review process, selected students will receive a formal letter of offer, along with further information about the Virtual Academy and guidance on selecting their unit and virtual conference times.
The Diocese thanks all school leaders and staff for their diligence and collaborative approach in supporting High Potential and Gifted students through this process.
For further details about the Virtual Academy nomination process for 2026, please contact your GEM or contact Maree Karaka (Leader of High Potential and Gifted Education).
Read LessThis is the first year of the diocesan competition, featuring musical talent from schools in the Maitland-Newcastle Diocese. Each school selected one band to be part of this competition. Bands performed to a packed Warners Bay Theatre and a panel of judges. The performances were outstanding with quality ensemble work and entertainment plus! And the very efficient and professional student stage crew were an excellent team.
Congratulations to “Alter Ego” from St Joseph’s College, Lochinvar- WINNERS of Battle of the Bands 2025:
Georgia Borg - Vocal
Samuel Bell - Keys
Parker Bullen - Lead Electric Guitar
Kai Mueller - Rhythm Electric Guitar
Alana Hili - Bass Guitar
Keeley Craft - Drum Kit
Congratulations to “UNTITLED” from Catherine McAuley Catholic College, Medowie who were awarded MOST ENTERTAINING:
Isla Mawby- Vocal
Harry Martin- Electric Guitar
Spencer Merriman- Electric Guitar
Zachary Richards- Electric Guitar
Grady Weatherley- Bass Guitar
Samuel Edwards- Drum Kit
Performing Bands:
Citruss- St Francis Xavier’s College, Hamilton
Linkd- Trinity Catholic College, Adamstown
Mind Blank- San Clemente Catholic College, Mayfield
Feedback:
The environment backstage was positive and upbeat, and the performance day ran smoothly.
I think it was organised masterfully! I was thoroughly impressed with the show.
What a great opportunity for students. Such high-quality performance from all schools. Can’t wait until next year!
Jessica Lopez- Education Officer, Musical Director ASPIRE
Please note: CDMN iPads at your school will be updated to the latest iPadOS on Friday, 29 August 2025. You may notice a notification about the update on the iPads, but no action is needed from you. The update will happen automatically after 4:30 PM on Friday, August 29, outside of school hours. Please disregard the notification.