It has been a wonderful start to the year. I would like to extend a warm welcome back to our existing families and a special greeting to those new families joining our community for the first time. It is pleasing to see that the year has started off exceptionally well; the students are already settled, happy, and falling into their class and school routines with ease.

This term, we are excited to commence Passion Projects for students in Years 3–6, which will run on Wednesdays. This program is designed to ignite creativity and new skills in our learners.

If you have a particular talent, hobby, or skill—whether it’s coding, knitting, carpentry, cooking, or photography—and you are interested in sharing it with our students, please contact me as soon as possible. We would love to have our community involved in enriching this program.

Building a strong community is a priority for us this year.

• Parent Committee: I am keen to establish a Parent Committee to assist with school-based events. If you are interested in being a part of this team, please email me directly.

• Volunteer Induction: I will be organising an induction next week for parents who are new to being involved in our school.

• OCHRE Cards: Please note that all parents volunteering at Mother Teresa are required to hold a valid OCHRE card. These can be easily applied for online.

Plans for our additional learning spaces are well underway. We expect this project to go out to tender in the next couple of weeks. I am committed to keeping you informed and will provide regular updates on the build as we progress.

• Please see the attached link on how to download your students past Seesaw record of work and photos. This is only for those students who have been at Mother Teresa prior to 2026. 

https://help.seesaw.me/hc/en-us/articles/208754866-How-do-families-save-and-download-their-child-s-work

We had a beautiful start to the year at our Beginning of Year Mass, led by Fr Mick Court. It was a lovely way to welcome our new staff, students and families into our school community and place our year in God’s hands. During the Mass, our Year 6 Student Leaders were blessed, marking the beginning of their leadership journey. A big thank you to Lia Finocchiaro for speaking with our leaders and guiding them through their commitment pledge — such a special and meaningful moment for all involved.  

Welcome back to the 2026 school year!

I am looking forward to another exciting year of Physical Education, including PE lessons, Gala Days, the Athletics Carnival, Cross Country, and lots of opportunities for students to stay active and involved in sport.

In Term 1, there are several School of Sport Education NT – Regional Selection Trials available for students aged 10–12 years (please see details below).

These trials are held outside of school hours, so students will require a parent or carer to transport them to and from the sessions. Please note that students must attend all three days of the selection trials for their chosen sport. Attendance at only one session is not sufficient. For example, AFL trials run on 17, 18 and 19 February from 3:30–5:00pm, and students must attend all three sessions.

Students who are selected through these trials may go on to:

• Represent the Top End Region at Northern Territory Championships
• Compete against other regions across the NT
• Develop their skills in a more competitive sporting environment

Term 1 Regional Selection Trial Dates (12 Years & Under)

• 17–19 February (Tue–Thu, 3:30–5:00pm) AFL Venue: TBC
• 10–12 March (Tue–Thu, 3:30–5:00pm)Football (Soccer)Venue: Palmerston Rovers Football Club / Gray Oval
• 17–19 March (Tue–Thu, 3:30–5:00pm)NetballVenue: Gray Primary School Outdoor Courts
• 24–26 March (Tue–Thu, 3:30–5:00pm)CricketVenue: Southern Districts Cricket Club, Freds Pass Reserve

If you have any questions or would like further information, please feel free to contact me at darren.powell@nt.catholic.edu.au

On Thursday, our Year 6 and Transition students kicked off their buddy program, and it was a big hit! The Year 6 students proudly introduced themselves to their new Transition buddies, then jumped straight into games, story time, and colouring as they got to know one another. There were lots of smiles, laughs, and friendly faces all around.

The Year 6s and their buddies will be catching up regularly throughout the year, helping make the Transition students’ first experiences in primary school feel welcoming, supportive, and just that little bit easier.

Mother Teresa Catholic Primary School supports children of the Australian Defence Force through the Defence School Mentor Program (DSMP). The DSMP, funded by Defence Member and Family Support (DMFS), assists Defence students and their families with changing schools, integrating into the school community, and providing support during parental absences. 

This funding enables the employment of a Defence School Mentor (DSM) to work within the school to raise awareness of the Defence lifestyle and to support Defence students with their social, emotional, and other wellbeing needs.

Defence students are dependents of a serving member of the Australian Defence force. Please reach out to our DSM if you would like to discuss whether your child might benefit from participation in the Defence School Mentor Program. 

At Mother Teresa Catholic Primary School Miss Rheannan is our Defence School Mentor. If you have any further questions please contact her at rheannan.anderson@nt.catholic.edu.au.  Rheannan will be onsite Mondays & Fridays.