From Our Principal Mrs Janelle Heffernan

Aboriginal Acknowledgement

As we come to gather we acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We commit ourselves to actively working alongside Aboriginal people for reconciliation and justice.

Dear Families,

Presentation Day

On Saturday 21st November, the Presentation Sisters around the world celebrate their Foundation Day, known as Presentation Day. Our school was founded by the Presentation Sisters 134 years ago so their history and involvement in our school, is an integral part of our history. Nano Nagle founded the sisters and we now have a Colour house named after her – Nagle House. Nano Nagle was born in 1718 in Ballygriffin in Ireland. She had 4 sisters and 2 brothers. Catholic schools were not allowed so Nano attended a forbidden ‘hedge’ school. When Nano was 12 she was smuggled to France for the education forbidden in Ireland. She was well educated, talented and enjoyed life in France but she decided to return to Ireland and teach the poor children. Nano found that this was not possible as the strict laws had not changed. She returned to France in order to become a religious sister and to be able to pray for her Irish people. Nano could not settle to this and knew that she had something important to do. She returned once again to Ireland and lived in Cork with her brother Joseph where she secretly taught children. Soon there were 7 schools being taught by Nano and some other ladies. When she wasn’t teaching, Nano was visiting the sick, poor and lonely around Cork. When it was dark she carried a lantern and soon she was known as the “Lady of the Lantern”. At age 57, Nano Nagle founded the Order of the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary – the Presentation Sisters. There were three ladies with her and she knew that a Religious Order was needed to carry on the work they were doing. She was a sick lady and on the 29th April 1784, she died. In 1886, a small group of sisters left Lucan in Ireland and came to Lismore to establish a Convent and schools. On 11th October 1886, St Carthage’s School was opened.

May the Spirit of Nano Nagle and her Sisters who have been a part of our School’s history, continue to grow in each of us.

Naidoc Week Celebrations

Last week we celebrated Naidoc Week at school. The theme for the week was; Always was, Always will be. Mr Condie organized various activities and visiting speakers for our students. Aunty Delta and Aunty Thelma and Uncle Mick spoke to our students sharing stories, artefacts, language and culture. There was great feedback from both students and staff! Mr Condie also recorded Indigenous stories for the students to listen do and provided them with art activities. We say a very big thank you to Mr Condie for his hard work and commitment to organizing and reorganizing! (due to Covid) Naidoc Week experiences for our students.

Farewell and Thank You

We would like to say farewell and thank you to Mrs Anne Ross. Anne has been working at St Mary's. Casino this year and has accepted a permanent position there from the start 0f the 2021 school year.

This is great news for Anne, but we know that she will be greatly missed at St Carthage's. Anne has been employed at St Carthages for 24 years in a myriad of positions, grades, teams etc. Her expertise, wisdom and positive attitude are indicative of Anne's commitment and dedication to her vocation.

As a school community I know you join with me in wishing Anne all the best for next year and beyond. On behalf of St Carthage's we say a huge thank you for everything you have done for students, their families and staff at St Carthage's!

Christmas Concert

Unfortunately, we are unable to have a Christmas Concert this year due to Covid number restrictions and social distancing protocols. With our students and staff we would have over 1000 people on site and we would be unable to adhere to the guidelines.

This concert has always been a highlight of our year, bringing our school community together and we are extremely disappointed that we are unable to go ahead this year, however, we look forward to coming back bigger and better in 2021!

Year Six Final Assembly

We have been given the green light to have a final assembly for our Year Six students. This will give the school the opportunity to say thank you and farewell to our Year Six cohort. The assembly will be on Friday, 11^th December. Unfortunately we are unable to have parents and carers at this assembly.

School Reports

School Reports will be sent home on Friday, 11th December. Some parents may not feel that an interview is required at this time and may prefer to wait for our interview period early in Term 1, 2021, to catch up with your child’s new teacher. If you feel the need for an interview, please contact your child’s teacher directly.

From Our Assistant Principal Mrs Amanda Deeps

Mathematics Assessment Interview Bookings

Bookings are now open for Mathematics Assessment Interviews (MAI) for next year. MAIs will take place on Thursday 28th January and Friday 29th January 2021. To make a booking go to www.schoolinterviews.com.au

The event code is: 8qmnj

Follow the prompts to make your booking/s. Please remember to select the grade your child/ren will be in next year (2021).

Bookings must be finalised by Wednesday 2nd December at 4pm.

Remembrance Day

For Remembrance Day, KBE read Anzac Ted by Belinda Landsberry. It is a powerful, poignant story of a little boy's teddy bear that was passed down to him from his grandfather. Battered, torn, missing an eye and an ear, he might look scary but he's got a great story to tell. For Anzac Ted went to war, keeping soldiers company and giving them comfort.

This book is as a gentle introduction to the ANZAC story and the importance of remembrance for a younger audience.

They'd see a hero, plain as day

Who sits upon my bed.

A hero, who saved me and you.

His name is Anzac Ted.

After hearing the story, KBE drew a picture of Anzac Ted.

From Our Assistant Principal Mission Mr Danny Hatchman

Encouraging students to move from their Heads to their Hearts to their Hands...

Tomorrow, the 21st of November is a special day for our school. We remember how Mary's parents brought Mary to the Temple to be dedicated to a life in service to God. When Mary was older she said YES to being the mother of Jesus...

Mary's life inspired Nano Nagle to work with the poor and needy. Eventually, Nano founded the Presentation Order who established our school. They also said “YES” to travelling from Ireland to Australia doing God’s work.

The Presentation Sisters arrived in Lismore from Ireland and began St Carthage’s School on the 11th October 1886. That’s 134 years ago!

Today at school we will remember their sacrifice and pray for their continued good health. The children will pray together today for this occasion.

God of love, fill our hearts with your spirit of love and gratitude, so that, like Mary, we will also say YES to you. Today we remember the gifts that Nano Nagle and all Presentation Sisters have given us: Fill our hearts with your spirit of courage, hope, simplicity, welcome and compassion.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen

Unfortunately, the Lismore Presentation Sisters were unable to attend our gathering today due to Covid. Words of thanks and a beautiful boquet of flowers were sent to them with our very best wishes for tomorrow.

These are the flowers we sent to the Presentation Sisters!

We also say 'YES"

Our school also says "YES" to God's call to serve those in need. We continue the traditions of the Presentation Sisters by caring for those in need in many ways.

A huge thank you to all families and staff who contributed to this year's Christmas Hamper giving for the Lismore St Vincent De Paul Society. We are still collecting so if you have any Grocery Only Cards to donate to the Office they will be very much appreciated!!

$1000 was raised from our Casual Clothes day and approximately $650 in grocery only cards have been donated. These have been handed to the St Vincent De Paul Conference Leader for distribution to local families for essential items over the Christmas period.

Congratulations to Ella GROSSFELDT!

Recently Ella was Baptised at St Carthage's Cathedral. Her family were very excited for Ella and celebrated this very special event in Ella's journey through life with God.

NAIDOC Week

NAIDOC WEEK 2020

Last week we had our NAIDOC Week at our amazing school.

The theme for this year is ‘Always Was, Always Will Be’ and is something that was highlighted all around this country.

I would like to give a big thank you to all the jarjums (children) and teachers for the respectful way they were involved in this celebration.

On the Monday we had Aunty Delta Kay from Byron Bay visit our school. She belongs to the Arakwal clan of the Bundjalung Nation and told us stories of the ocean and life on the coast for local Aboriginal people. Our jarjums really liked the clapping game and learning about some of the traditional plants used by Aboriginal people. I thought it was pretty amazing how the dolphins helped to gather the fish for the Arakwal people!

Throughout the week jarjums did some great things in classrooms like Dreamtime Stories and we had a poster and colouring-in competition as well.

On Wednesday we had local Elders Uncle Mick Roberts and Aunty Thelma James start the day off with a smoking ceremony. The thousands of years ritual is to bring in the ‘good’ and get rid of the ‘bad’. It is also a sign of goodwill, peace and harmony for those involved. I’m sure it is something that our school community will remember for a long time. It was great hearing the wisdom, knowledge and stories from our Elders. Uncle and Aunty then showed us activities like bead-making, weaving and clay sculpture. These were great things to do because they were hands-on and a different experience for our jarjums. I did see some great bowls and animals made over the sessions we had too. One group of boys also got to use the ‘bullroarers’ with Uncle Mick.

Many thanks to our special guests Aunty Delta, Uncle Mick and Aunty Thelma for spending time with us for NAIDOC Week.

We do have planned some more activities in Week 8, so stay tuned for that. In the next newsletter we will have our NAIDOC Poster and Colouring-In Competition winners too.

Thanks Everyone - Yours in Reconciliation

Mr Condie

Indigenous Education Worker (IEW)

MY EXPERIENCE OF NAIDOC WEEK - by Dane Buchan - (Thank you Mr Condie)

Last week our school celebrated NAIDOC WEEK! One of my experiences of NAIDOC week has been painting with Mr Condie. Mr Condie met with some indigenous students to create some art. I painted this stone with Mr Condie.

VISIT BY BUNDJALUNG ELDERS

We were very fortunate as Mr Condie organised for Uncle Mick Roberts & Aunty Thelma James who are Bundjalung elders to visit our school. They helped us learn a little more about indigenous culture by a smoking ceremony. The ceremony is about cleansing the space around us by bringing in good and getting rid of the bad.

The smoking ceremony symbolises goodwill, harmony & peace and is a very old ritual which is thousands of years old. We used lemon myrtle leaves to burn. The students thought this was fantastic!

Visit by Aunty Delta

We were also fortunate to have Aunty Delta speak with our jarjums (children) about Bundjalung culture. Aunty Delta works as an Aboriginal Education Officer with NPWS and shared many stories handed down from her mother and her aunties. Aunty Delta is very passionate about sharing her culture! Aunty Delta taught us lots of language, like the names of animals and how to greet one another including

Jingi Walla Widja - Hello, how are you?
bugulwan - thank you
yoway - yes
yagam - no

Here are some pictures of Auntie Delta with Mr Condie. Thank you Mr Condie for organising this excellent opportunity!

NAIDOC Week Reflections - Kindergarten

Aunty Delta came to celebrate NAIDOC Week. Aunty Delta told us a story of Aboriginal people and taught us some Bundjalung words. My favourite part of the story was when the men went to get the meat because it would be fun.

Maddison Sloane

Aunty Delta came for NAIDOC Week. My favourite part was when she told us the story and when she showed us the weapons. I also liked the kangaroo skin, I wanted to touch it. My favourite weapon was the boomerang.

Luka Robertson

Aboriginals hunt for food. The Aunties gather fruit while the Uncles hunt for animals. The Aboriginals don't kill animals when they have babies because they couldn't grow and the animals will stop coming.

Holly Ellem

Aunty Delta taught me that Aboriginal people live in tents. Aboriginals have lived for thousands of years. People buy stuff. Aunty Delta said that animals have to have babies and can't be killed when hunting.

Nixie Paterson

Aunty Delta is an Aboriginal and I am an Aboriginal too. Aunty Delta forever Aboriginal. Aboriginal people eat birds. Grandma sang to the dolphin to get fish.

Khiarla Sheridan-Gordon

Today Aunty Delta taught us the Aboriginal people speak in other languages. Aunty Delta came from Byron Bay. Aboriginal people have lived in Australia for thousands of years. Aboriginals are respectful to others. She told us about the flag. The colours of the Torres Strait Islander flag were blue and green.

Lacey Simpson

From Our Leader of Pedagogy Mrs Abbie Matthews

Soundwaves -

The focus sounds for the following two weeks are:

Celebration of Learning - Kindergarten

This term, Kindergarten has been using Learning Intentions and Success Criteria to help them with their writing. They have been learning about characters and have explored how authors bring characters to life in their writing.

Bump-it-up walls provide a visual for students with explicit focus areas aligned to writing examples. It allows students to reflect on their own writing and set goals to improve.

Bump it up wall -

From Our Leader of Sport Mr Brendan Tickle

St Carthage's Swimming Time Trials

The St Carthage’s Swimming Time Trials will be held on Wednesday 2^nd December at the Lismore Memorial Baths. I am pleased to announce that due to the easing of restrictions, parents are now able to attend the trials. All spectators will be required to pay $3.40 upon entry to the pool.

The online nomination form, permission slip and money is due this Friday.

2019 Age Champions

General School News

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Happy Birthday to all the Staff and Students that have a birthday at this time.

Lola Rielly, Eamon Bailey, Chloe Rhodes, Eleanor Golding, Georgia O'Brien, Kale De Re, James Grace, Lindsay Scott, Kate Wolton, Olivia Thompson, Jet Monckton, William collins, Elouise Evans, Elijah Auld, Elliot Jensen, Jaja Wongkruth and Kristine Mumford.

Congratulations

The school community would like to congratulate Erika, Alanah and Lachlan Andonov and their family on the birth of their baby daughter and sister Angelina. Congratulations on the arrival of your new-born! We hope you enjoy this special time and make lots of wonderful memories.