Pope Leo XIV
“Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum” — I bring you news of great joy. “Habemus Papam!” — We have a pope!
At St Denis, we join in prayer for the newly elected Pope, Robert Prevost, who has taken the name Pope Leo XIV — notably, the first Pope born in the United States. Pope Leo XIV comes to this role as a missionary religious, dedicated to following Christ and serving people across the world.
From the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo XIV greeted the world with these beautiful words: “Peace be with all of you.”
Let us keep Pope Leo XIV in our prayers as he begins his leadership of the Church.
School Uniform
At St Denis School, our uniform represents more than appearance — it reflects a strong sense of community, pride, and shared identity within our Catholic learning environment. Wearing it with care shows our commitment to the values we live by each day: dignity, responsibility, and a love of learning. The uniform helps create a sense of equality among students and strengthens the feeling of belonging. This Uniform Guide provides clear expectations to help families support their children in wearing the uniform well. We appreciate your continued support in promoting the correct wearing of our school uniform.
🌟 Amazing Results at Our P&F Election Fundraiser! 🌟
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to our P&F, especially Tegan Wyatt and Gloria Osorio, for organising another incredible fundraiser for our beautiful school. A huge thank you also to the many parents who baked, cooked, served, and so generously gave their time and talents. Together, you raised an enormous $5,000 to help bring our future playground to life!
It was a privilege to attend the event and chat with so many from our school community, including families who returned with fond memories of their children’s time here and who spoke so warmly of their love for our school.
Last week, our leadership team met with Nature Play to finalise the playground design. We are also thrilled to share that local member David Michael will contribute $40,000 toward the project, helping make our dream a reality. I can already imagine the joy of our current and future students enjoying this space.
A special highlight was seeing our St Denis students confidently managing the EFTPOS machine and float (with parent support), using their beautiful manners to engage with customers—a true testament to the strength and spirit of our amazing community!
Mother’s Day Celebration
A big thank you to Loriana and Michelle, who, on behalf of the Year 3 class, coordinated the beautiful Mother’s Day Breakfast. It was a joy to see so many mums, aunties, and grandmothers join us to share a delicious breakfast with their children. We were truly blessed with the most beautiful autumn weather, making the morning even more special.
Following the breakfast, we were treated to a gorgeous Year 2 liturgy — thank you to Miss Tuohy and the Year 2 students for leading us in such a meaningful and heartfelt prayer.
I hope everyone had a wonderful and memorable Mother’s Day weekend!
⛪ Confirmation News
Last week, Father Minh Thuy visited our Year 6 students in preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation, which will be celebrated this Friday night at St Denis Church.
Thank you to Leone and Libby for preparing the students so thoughtfully, and to our Assistant Principals, Eugene and Casey for their excellent organisation and guidance. It was also lovely to attend the parent-child workshop last Tuesday evening with Cordelia Nicholas (CEWA), who led a meaningful and reflective session for our families.
🏕 Camp 2026 Updates
Last term, our Year 5 and Year 6 students enjoyed two fantastic experiences: the Year 5 Surf Camp and the Year 6 Adventure Camp.
As we look ahead to 2026, we’ve been carefully reviewing the financial aspects of these camps. Rising costs—particularly around staffing, accommodation, and transportation—have placed pressure on the Year 5 camp budget, and we are committed to keeping this experience affordable for families. To do this, we are excited to explore a “Leadership Day Camp” model for Year 5.
This revised format will preserve the best parts of camp, including surf lessons and leadership development activities, while moving to a day-based experience without the overnight stay. This approach offers several important benefits: it keeps the focus on skill-building and fun, reduces the cost and allows us to meet the increased staffing requirements now needed to maintain the highest standards of child safety and supervision. By simplifying the logistics, we can continue providing a meaningful experience without compromising student safety or wellbeing.
We will share more details in future newsletters, but please be assured that our students’ experience, growth, and safety remain at the centre of every decision we make. We are confident this updated model will continue to deliver an exciting and memorable milestone for our Year 5s.
Warm regards,
Sarah Potts
PRINCIPAL
Exciting News – Before-School Tennis Coaching at St Denis School!
We are excited to announce that Tennis Excellence will be offering before-school tennis coaching at St Denis School in Term 2.
Every Monday (excluding 28 April & 2 June) morning at 7:30AM, Tennis Excellence will be on the courts serving up two fun group sessions!
Group 1: Years 1-3
Group 2: Years 4-6
The sessions will be all about skill building and providing fantastic opportunities for your child to learn tennis, improve coordination, fitness and make new friends! Tennis Excellence’s experienced coaches will make sure every child feels supported and engaged throughout the session.
Spaces are limited, so be sure to secure a spot here: School Programs | Tennis Excellence
Tennis Excellence – Where Great Tennis Begins!
