2026 Term 3 Week 8

Dear Parents & Caregivers,

For the first time I have actually been sitting here trying to think of something to write. Not because there is nothing amazing happening at MG but because I have found myself in Struggle Town this week, just feeling really flat and grumpy. Now normally I am quite a happy sort of guy and it is rare for me to be like this but I have definitely not been myself due to a few things beyond my control. I am sure you can all relate to times where little things turn into big things and patience seems to disappear!

So because of these feelings, I decided to practise my preaching. Each day this week I told myself to remember all the things I love about my life, to look for the positive in each moment and to be fully present when interacting with others. And do you know what? I have once again found those feelings of excitement and happiness. What I realised is that with the busyness of life, if I lost sight of my daily routine of asking myself the above, saying my daily prayers/reflection and taking the time to simply be, my levels of enthusiasm simply vanished.

I recently listened to a podcast by The Imperfects on the topic of stress which resonated with the current feelings I have been experiencing.  They mentioned that feelings of stress come on when we experience stressors, things that may create stress like traffic on the way home from work.  For some people, this experience would bring on stress while for others it may not.  One thing I learned from the podcast is that when stress is brought on we go into a state of fight and flight.  This would have been ok if we were back in the day when we may have been hunting for our food as the physicality of that task gives the body what it needs to deal with the stress.  In today’s world however, for most of us, after a stressful day we tend to want to sit on the couch and watch TV or scroll our phones.  While we may think relaxation is the key to a stressful day, it actually does not assist our bodies in coming down from the fight and flight response.  One outcome of not dealing with the stress is lack of or broken sleep, something that may bring on more stress!  What our bodies need is to actually move so that we can come down.  It’s not a fitness thing; it is the movement that plays a big part in dealing with the stress.

Then there is good stress that helps our bodies rejuvenate through a chemical ‘cleanup’.  Good stress can come in the form high intensity exercise, cold or hot therapy or intermittent fasting.   These things actually assist us in dealing with the bad stress when it hits.

I am very lucky to be surrounded by many people here that inspire me to be better, even in times of stress.  It is these people that give me a ‘pick me up’ when it is needed.  That connection we have with others, is also important in our recovery or coming down from stressful situations, and I am so lucky to have so many connections at Matthew Gibney.  It was earlier this week that I found myself asking Mrs Google for some inspiration where I came across some from Mother Teresa.

Many of the quotes were just what I needed for a bit of a pick me up, but just as I turned on my emails I received a message from a mate with a quote from Mother Teresa that really hit the mark.  It just reminded me that we have an impact on others by what we do, simple isn’t it?  It is amazing to think that little things we do could be huge for others.  That if we did not care or be that drop in the ocean, their life could be much less.  Our actions can make a difference.

So for the rest of this week I decided to leave Struggle Town and enter each day with eyes of gratefulness and a sense of being there for others.  I mean I am pretty lucky.  It is an absolute privilege each day that I get to work in an awesome place with awesome people and then go home to my beautiful girls, wonderful family and all my friends.  You also should never forget the importance of the drops in the ocean that you offer others each day in each interaction.  I find it very uplifting to know we all have an impact on others.

Mother Teresa was an amazing person with a heart that loved unconditionally.  Although at times she had feelings of doubt, her ability to serve was inspirational.  The drops she left in the ocean were many which is why she is one of our most recent saints. May we call on Mother Teresa to remind us of the need to serve.

Happy Belated Father’s Day

To all our dads I couldn’t resist wishing you all a late Happy Father’s Day. When I think about my own two girls it reminds me of all the crazy ideas I am able to get away with, like using them as an excuse to get extra dessert or going to Maccas for a Happy Meal and also trying out my amazing dad jokes!  Sienna, my 15 year old finds them hilarious but Izabella now gives me that look ‘you’re not funny dad’!!  I am sure many of you out there can relate to this. I hope you all had a great day!

Sacrament of Confirmation

On Sunday 20^th September our Year 6 students will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.  We pray that the special spiritual gifts they will receive help them throughout their lives.  Thank you to all involved in preparing the students and the celebration, especially Miss Marston.

Athletics Carnival

How good was the carnival?  A huge congratulations to all the students for trying their best in their races and various events.  Thank you also to Mrs Hewitt for her organisation and commitment to running such a great carnival for our students.

QCESR Review Affirms Strong Future for Matthew Gibney

Earlier this term, Matthew Gibney Catholic Primary School participated in the Quality Catholic Education School Review (QCESR), a process that provides an opportunity to reflect on our journey, celebrate our achievements, and identify future directions for continued growth and improvement.

I am pleased to share that the review panel’s report was overwhelmingly positive and affirmed the tremendous work being undertaken across our school community. The panel recognised Matthew Gibney as a school with strong foundations, positive momentum, and a clear commitment to ensuring every child is known, valued, and supported to succeed.

The panel commended the dedication of our staff, the confidence and trust within our leadership team, and the welcoming and inclusive culture that exists throughout our school. It was particularly pleasing to see our strong Catholic Identity recognised, with the review highlighting the important role that faith, learning, and service play in the life of our community. Our newly developed core values of Joy, Growth and Service were acknowledged as an important step in strengthening our shared identity and vision for the future.

The review also celebrated the significant improvements made to teaching and learning over recent years. The panel noted our commitment to providing high-quality educational opportunities, improving consistency across classrooms, and creating learning environments where students feel safe, supported, challenged, and engaged. They also recognised the strong relationships between students and staff and the genuine sense of belonging experienced by our children.

Importantly, the report highlighted the valuable role played by our parents and caregivers in the success of the school. The panel specifically acknowledged the contribution of our Parents and Friends Association, whose fundraising efforts have supported literacy resources, wellbeing initiatives, sporting equipment, classroom enhancements, and improvements to our library and learning spaces. The strong partnership between home and school was recognised as one of our community’s great strengths.

The panel also affirmed the school’s strong financial position and positive enrolment outlook, providing confidence that Matthew Gibney is well placed to continue investing in quality learning environments and opportunities for students in the years ahead.

While celebrating our many strengths, the review also identified future opportunities that align closely with our own vision for improvement. These include continuing to embed our school values, strengthening connections with our parish, extending opportunities for students, particularly in Numeracy, and further developing staff leadership and professional growth.

I would like to sincerely thank our staff, students, families, parish community, Catholic School Advisory Council, and P&F for their support throughout this process. The review confirmed what we already know: Matthew Gibney is a vibrant, faith-filled community where people work together to create a place of belonging, excellence, and opportunity for every child. We look forward to building on this success as we continue our journey of school improvement.

Opportunities to Join Our Advisory Council and P&F in 2027

As we begin planning for the 2027 school year, we are pleased to advise our community that there will be opportunities for parents and carers to become involved in both our School Advisory Council and Parents & Friends (P&F) Committee. These groups play an important role in supporting the mission, direction and community life of our school. Information about available positions and how to nominate will be formally communicated during Term 4.

The Catholic Education Western Australia (CEWA) governance process requires schools to advertise vacancies at the beginning of Term 4 and provide all eligible members of the school community with the opportunity to nominate. Nominations are submitted using a standard nomination form, with clear information provided about eligibility requirements and nomination timelines.

Where elections are required, CEWA recommends the use of an electronic ballot process. Following the close of nominations, information about candidates will be shared with the school community and voting will be conducted through a secure digital platform. Defined voting periods will be communicated, and election results will be retained for accountability and shared with the community once finalised.

We encourage parents and carers to consider becoming involved in one of these important groups. Serving on the Advisory Council or P&F is a valuable opportunity to contribute your skills, insights and support to the ongoing growth and success of our school.

Further information regarding available positions, nomination forms and voting timelines will be provided in Term 4. We look forward to welcoming community members who are interested in helping shape the future of our school.

Have a blessed fortnight.  Goodness your way.

Clint

Term 3 2026 Parent Planner

Please click here for the Term 3 Parent Planner.

The Year Ones have been showing off their amazing creative writing skills by creating fantastic narratives both as a class and independently! They have been working hard to include interesting characters, exciting settings, problems, events and solutions to bring their stories to life. ✏️📚🌟

Children’s Liturgy at St Francis of Assisi Parish

The Children’s Liturgy Program at St Francis of Assisi, Maida Vale, has started for the year.  Children from Pre-primary to Year 4 are welcome.  Please bring your children to the old Parish Hall before the 9.30am Mass on Sunday.  The children sing and pray and listen to the Gospel at their level.  They then do an activity about the Gospel, before coming over to the church after the Homily.

For enquiries please contact Philomena on 0417 936 757.