Emmaus Catholic Primary School

Dear Lord,

We thank You for bringing our Emmaus family safely back together for the start of Term 3. As we step back into our classrooms in Dayton, we invite You to be our constant companion. May we recognize Your presence in every person we meet and in everything we learn.

Guided by our school motto, "Journeying Together," we ask that You bless our community:

• Walk with our Students: Open their minds to be curious, independent, and confident learners. Help them to always trust in their unique gifts. Give them the grace to understand, care about, and respect one another.
• Guide our Teachers and Staff: Grant them wisdom, energy, and patience. Bless their efforts to deliver a child-focused education that lets every student thrive.
• Strengthen our Families: Bless our parents as they work in close partnership with our school. Keep our homes filled with your love, hope, and peace.

Lord, make our school a vibrant place of faith where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. May we walk hand-in-hand with Jesus every day of this busy term ahead.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

After an incredible period of Long Service Leave, it's wonderful to be back at work and reconnecting with everyone.

My wife and I made the most of this special opportunity by travelling through Europe and visiting places that we had not been to before. Our adventure began in the beautiful country of Croatia, where we enjoyed the stunning coastline, historic towns and warm hospitality. From there, we explored Italy, (Puglia, Amalfi, Sorrento and Ischia) soaking up its rich history, spectacular architecture and, of course, its world-famous food.

To top it all off, we finished our holiday with a memorable cruise through the Greek Islands and Turkey. From breathtaking scenery and fascinating ancient sites to relaxing days at sea, it was the perfect way to end an unforgettable trip.

The time away gave us the chance to recharge, experience new cultures and spend quality time together. While it was difficult to leave such amazing destinations behind, it's great to return feeling refreshed, energised and ready for the opportunities and challenges ahead.

While going away on holidays is a beautiful and fun thing to do, there is one thing that you are reminded about while you are away. That is, that while we travel and see some astonishing places and sites… there is no place like home. It certainly reinforces how fortunate we are to be living in a country like Australia and especially Perth, WA.

Thank you to everyone who kept things running so well during my absence. I appreciate all your support and look forward to catching up with everyone and getting back into the swing of things.

I would especially, like to extend my sincere thanks to our Assistant Principals, (Mrs Fernandez, who was Acting Principal, and Mrs Hackner), who did a fantastic job leading the school during my Long Service Leave. Knowing the school was in such capable hands gave me complete confidence to truly relax and enjoy my time away.

Their professionalism, leadership and unwavering commitment ensured the school continued to run smoothly, and I am incredibly grateful for everything they did in my absence. We are so fortunate to have such dedicated and talented leaders supporting our staff, students and school community.

Thank you, ladies, for your outstanding work, your commitment to our school and for making my return such an easy one. Your efforts are genuinely and greatly appreciated.

Following consultation with parent groups and school leaders, Catholic Education Western Australia Limited (CEWA) has introduced a new Parent and Carer Code of Conduct.

Next Friday 7 August is a very important day for all schools throughout the country. It is extremely important that every child is in attendance on the day if timetabled to be at school unless your child is unwell.

The purpose of Census:

Information provided during census is collected by the Australian Government Department of Education in accordance with the Australian Education Act 2013 and the Australian Education Regulations 2023. The Act and Regulations require the legal entity responsible for the administration of the school to provide this information to the department to:

• ensure the provision of Australian government funding to schools is properly calculated and appropriately managed
• conduct research, statistical analysis and develop school education policy for the Australian Government
• meet national and international reporting obligations on school students in Australia
• publish and provide information about schools to the public.

Please read the important attachment below which provides further information on the Census and the use and disclosure of personal information.

There has been changes to the operation of Catholic School Advisory Councils and Parents and Friends Groups following recent updates from Catholic Education Western Australia. Please open the attachment below for these changes.

School Start and Finish Times

Pre-Kindy (Thurs and Fri) 8:45 am (doors open) - 3:00 pm

Kindy (Mon - Wed) 8:45 am (doors open) - 3:00 pm

Pre-Primary - Year 6 (Mon - Fri) 8:30 am (doors open) - 3:00 pm

Administration 8:15 am - 4:00 pm

Dear Parents and Guardians

SWIMMING DOES MORE FOR YOUR CHILD'S BRAIN THAN YOU THINK

This week, families would have received information from the Administration Office regarding our Term 4 In-Term Swimming Program for students from Pre-Primary to Year 6. Each year, this program provides students with a valuable opportunity to develop their water safety knowledge and swimming skills under the guidance of qualified instructors. While one week of swimming lessons is certainly worthwhile, it is important to recognise that swimming is a skill developed over time through regular practice and consistent instruction.

Just as a child would not be expected to become a confident reader, musician or driver after only a few hours of instruction, becoming a capable swimmer requires ongoing lessons and frequent opportunities to practise. Students who participate in swimming throughout the year often make noticeable progress during the school program, while those whose only exposure to formal instruction is during the annual school swimming week may understandably make more gradual gains.

With our Term 4 swimming program approaching, now is the ideal time to consider enrolling your child in regular swimming lessons if they are not already attending. The combination of consistent instruction leading into the school program can significantly improve a child's confidence, technique and overall enjoyment of the water.

Beyond the obvious physical benefits, swimming also supports children's overall development. It strengthens coordination, balance, rhythm and body awareness—skills that are closely linked to cognitive development, concentration and confidence. Strong swimming skills equip children with the knowledge and ability to stay safe in and around water, an essential life skill for every Australian child. In addition to this, swimming does more than build physical skills. It engages coordination, rhythm and body awareness, all of which are connected to brain development.

Movements in water require timing, control and focus. These patterns activate areas of the brain linked to language, memory and learning. Studies have found that children who swim early, often show advanced readiness when they enter school, including stronger early reading and number skills. Specifically, kids who swim before the age of 5 show up to 15 months ahead in literacy and numeracy, linking early swimming to academic readiness.

It is not just about safety. It’s an early form of stimulation that supports how the brain processes and learns. Sometimes the advantage does not come from more study. It comes from how the brain is developed before learning even begins.

To enrol your child in swimming lessons, click here:

https://www.swanactive.com.au/swimming/swimming-lessons/

https://www.stateswim.com.au/our-swim-schools/ellenbrook/

THE MIDVALE HUB

The Midvale Hub is a community support hub that helps children, families, and community members access a range of services in one welcoming place. They offer support with education, parenting, wellbeing, counselling, family assistance, food relief, community programs, and connections to local services. The Hub works closely with schools and organisations to help families feel supported, connected, and empowered within their community.

Emmaus is very happy to be forming a closer partnership with the Hub and we look forward to working together on some upcoming parent workshops and opportunities that will support our families and wider school community. Please click the link below for further info on parent workshops.

https://www.midvalehub.org.au/

In gratitude,

Loretta Hackner & Emma Fernandez

Our Parish, St Helena of the Holy Cross is inviting any student who is interested in helping with Altar Serving at our Parish and for our school masses to a training session this term. Those who have received their First Holy Communion are eligible to be trained. See the flyer below to register.

This term, our Year 6 Confirmation candidates prepare for their holy Sacrament. Parents, please note these important dates:

CONFIRMATION RETREAT (students only)

When: Tuesday 8 September

Where: At Emmaus CPS

Time: All day; Commences at 9am

What: Mrs Bateman will facilitate the retreat. Students are to wear sport uniform (leavers shirts)

CONFIRMATION WORKSHOPS (parents and students)

When: Wednesday 9 September OR Thursday 10 September

(Parents pre-book with Sacrament Coordinator)

Where: Parish Centre at St Helena of the Holy Cross Parish

Times: 4:00pm OR 5:30pm

What: Mr Harris from CEWA Catechist Services will facilitate an interactive session with parents and children. Note that a brief rehearsal follows the workshop session.

RECONCILIATION BEFORE CONFIRMATION (students only)

When: Wednesday 16 September

Where: At Emmaus CPS

Time: 10am

What: Confirmation candidates receive reconciliation ahead of their Confirmation, facilitated by Fr Bona.

SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION (parents and students)

When: Sunday 20 September

Where: St Helena of the Holy Cross Church

Times: 11:30am OR 3pm

(Parents pre-book with Sacrament Coordinator)

For enquiries, please contact Hannah Wager (Sacrament Coordinator): youth@sthelenaellenbrook.com

The Year 2 class warmly invites parents to join the school in commemorating Mary MacKillop:

This week our Emmaus community proudly celebrated 50 Years of NAIDOC Week through a variety of meaningful learning experiences that honoured the histories, cultures and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

On Monday, students enjoyed an engaging visit from the wonderful Baldja Mob from Seda College, who shared Aboriginal culture through games, face painting and a community art project. Throughout the week, classes also explored First Nations perspectives by reading Indigenous stories, participating in buddy activities, learning about the history and significance of NAIDOC Week, and completing classroom activities linked to this year's theme.

Students also contributed to our beautiful "Leaves of Connection" community tree display by sharing something they had learned about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. This vibrant artwork will reflect the collective learning and growing respect of our Emmaus community. It will be displayed in the hall at assembly next Friday.

Just a friendly reminder that 2026 school fees are due to be settled by the end of Term 3, 2026.

If you have any questions regarding your fee account or would like an update on your account status, please contact our Finance Officer on (08) 9232 5000 and select option 2 or email finance@emmaus.wa.edu.au.

On Friday 24 July, the Pre-Primary children departed school, bound for a day of fun at Kings Park. Many of the children enjoyed their first ever bus ride. Upon arrival at Kings Park, the children met the staff at the education centre and broke into class groups for activities. The Pre-Primary Blue class participated in the Nature Kid program first, learning about the essentials needed to survive in the Australian bush. They had the chance to filter their own water, and make fire, even roasting their own marshmallows. The Pre-Primary Green class meanwhile had a great time exploring the Naturescape playground and all of the beautiful natural environment around them. After morning tea, the classes swapped activities before enjoying a shared lunch. After lunch, there was just enough time for a final play before getting on the bus and heading back to school. Many thanks to the staff and parent helpers who attended the excursion. A wonderful time was had by all.

On Tuesday, the Pre-Primary Green and Year 4 students came together for a special Memory Café morning, where they enjoyed completing NAIDOC Week activities such as making clay Australian animals, decorating boomerangs, creating animal puppets, and sharing stories with our guests. We also shared a delicious morning tea, and we would like to say a big thank you to the families who generously contributed. A special thank you, as always, to Mrs Armstrong and Mrs McCort for all their help – everyone had a wonderful time together.

The Year 1 classes had a wonderful time celebrating their 100th day of school! Students and staff dressed up as though they were 100 years old and enjoyed a range of activities focused on the number 100. We finished the celebrations by making fairy bread topped with plenty of 100s and 1000s. It was a fun-filled day and a wonderful opportunity to celebrate just how much our Year 1 students have learned, grown and achieved so far this year.

Today, the Emmaus Ukulele Band proudly represented our school at the Catholic Performing Arts Festival. It was a fantastic opportunity for our talented Year 5 and 6 musicians to perform for a large audience and showcase the skills they have developed throughout the year.

The students performed Eye of the Tiger and An African Blessing with confidence and enthusiasm, representing Emmaus with pride.

A huge thank you to each member of the band for their dedication and commitment. Your willingness to give up your own time to rehearse and master these pieces has certainly paid off.

Congratulations on a wonderful performance—we are incredibly proud of you!

Mrs Plint

Come join the fun on the morning of Monday 10 August. Students will have the opportunity to see the awesome learning of Year 3 – 6 Italian students, but also sample the sights, sounds and flavours of Italy. Kindy to Year 6 students and parents invited:

As part of our ongoing commitment to ensuring our school uniform continues to meet the needs of our students and families, we are reviewing the current Years 1–6 Emmaus uniform, including the sports uniform, formal summer uniform and formal winter uniform.

We value your feedback and invite all parents and caregivers of students in Years 1–6 to share their thoughts. Your input will help inform future decisions about our school uniform.

Please take a few moments to complete the survey by clicking the link below:

Thank you for taking the time to provide your valuable feedback.

Emmaus Wellbeing Coordinators 2026

Ms Kate Cameron (Wellness & SEL Coordinator) & Mrs Hannah Thomas (Social Worker)

This term, our whole-school wellbeing focus is Relationships.

Relationships are at the heart of children’s wellbeing. Research consistently shows that positive, supportive relationships help children feel a sense of belonging, build confidence and resilience, manage challenges and develop the social and emotional skills they need to thrive. In the middle years of childhood, friendships become increasingly important, with research showing that the quality of children’s friendships is more important than the number of friends they have. Positive peer relationships are associated with better mental health, reduced stress, stronger self-esteem and improved engagement in learning.

This term, we will continue to build on the skills our students have developed through the URStrong Friendology, helping them to understand that healthy friendships don't mean never having problems, they mean knowing what to do when problems happen.

🔥 When we have a Friendship Fire…

Friendship Fires are the everyday problems, misunderstandings and disagreements that happen in friendships. When this happens, we encourage students to Talk It Out. This means using calm, respectful communication to explain how they feel, listen to the other person and work towards a solution.

🚨 When someone is Mean on Purpose…

If someone is repeatedly being unkind or deliberately trying to hurt or exclude someone, this is different from a Friendship Fire. We remind students to use a Quick Comeback — a calm, confident response that lets the other person know their behaviour is not okay — and then Report to a Teacher if the behaviour continues or they need help.

As a school community, we want our students to know that they don't have to navigate friendship challenges alone. Asking for help is a strength, and our teachers are always here to listen, support and help students work through tricky situations.

Throughout Term 3, we will be encouraging our students to think about what makes a relationship healthy, how our words and actions affect others, how to repair relationships when things go wrong, and how we can be the kind of friend we would like to have.

Strong relationships don't happen by accident — they are built through kindness, respect, communication, listening, forgiveness and looking out for one another. 💜

The Scholastic Issue 5 Book Club has been distributed to all students.

Any book orders contribute to credits for new library books and resources for our school.

Please note that the final day for Book Club orders is Friday 7th August.

Get ready for the fun of Book Week in Week 5. Take a look at the awesomeness planned for this fun-filled school favourite:

A digital copy of the most recent Term 3, 2026 Parent Calendar is included below. Please note that any revised changes to the school calendars are updated and will be posted on our online calendar and in newsletter attachments.

👉 TERM 3 👈

Week 3

Tuesday 4 August

• Australian Maths Competition (Y3 - 6)
• Kindy Farmyard on Wheels incursion
• P&F meeting 6:00 pm

Wednesday 5 August

• RE Assessment Administration (Y3 & 5)

Thursday 6 August

• Y3 Excursion to King's Park

Friday 7 August

• Assembly
• Principal's Appreciation Day
• Census
• St Mary of the Cross Liturgy 2:15 pm (Y2)

Saturday 8 August

• Feast of St Mary of the Cross

Week 4

Monday 10 August

• Languages Week - Italian Day
• Year 1 Phonics Check starts (W4 -8)
• 'Bullying No Way' Week

Tuesday 11 August

• Altar Server training at Holy Cross Parish 3:30 pm
• Year 2 Phonics check

Friday 14 August

• Assumption Mass 11:30 am (Y5)
• Newsletter issued

Saturday 15 August

• Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

OSHClub are excited to have been selected as the dedicated onsite provider at Emmaus CPS!

OSHClub offers care for students before and after school, on pupil free days and school holidays.

click on the link below for more information!

VacSwim offers fun swimming lessons over the October and summer school holidays. it aims to give children across Western Australia the skills to stay safe and confident in the water.

For more information on who can enrol and how to enrol, dates and costs, please open the attachment below.

As part of the Calcio Italiano festival, with AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus and Palermo all playing in Perth in August, the Cook Labor Government has secured exclusive $39 school tickets for students, parents and teachers to the Juventus vs Inter match at Optus Stadium on Saturday 8 August. Please see the attachment below for further details.

The next newsletter will be issued on Friday 14 August.

Mr Coniglio

Principal