Week 4 Term 1 2021
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,
As we finish Week 4 of Term One it is great to reflect on the first few weeks of our new school year. We have seen our students settle effortlessly into their new class, form relationships with their new teachers, reconnect with their friends, make new friends and continue their learning where they left off! It is wonderful to also see our kindergarten students settling so well into school life. It is amazing how quickly 'big school' becomes their new normal.
Thank you to our parents and carers for again following the Covid school guidelines by dropping students at the gates or dropping and leaving quickly if you need to come in with your child. These protocols are in place for all schools in NSW with no adult visitors on site during school hours unless there has been a prearranged appointment. Parents may visit the uniform clothing pool but must come via the office to sign in. We are currently seeing many children attending school with cold and flu symptoms. It is still a requirement that students do not attend school if they are unwell.
On Wednesday we had a whole school prayer service for Ash Wednesday. Fr Bing joined with us and distributed ashes to our students and staff. Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent in our Church year. Lent is a very significant time in the Church year. Lent is a time of preparation for Easter, when we celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Many Christians think of the forty days of Lent as an opportunity to change their daily lives and become closer to God.
From its start on Ash Wednesday until its conclusion on Easter Sunday, Lent has been a traditional time for fasting or giving something up or abstinence. Just as we carefully prepare for events in our personal lives, as a wedding or birthday, Lent invites us to make our minds and hearts ready for remembering Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.
These days, Christians around the world observe Lent in many ways. Many from more orthodox and traditional denominations will still observe the fast strictly, beginning with the wearing of ashes on Ash Wednesday and abstinence of meat, fish, eggs and fats until Easter Sunday. Others will choose to give up just one item for Lent, more commonly a ‘luxury’ such as chocolate, meat or alcohol. It is also becoming increasingly common for people to give up other things in order to refocus their faith during this time; such as watching TV, going to the gym, even social media. Many Christians also use Lent to pray more intensively and to use simple daily reflections and acts of generosity as a way of putting others first during preparations for Easter.
Let us take time to reflect on the past year and during this season of Lent perhaps think about ways how we can ‘fast’ in our own lives.
Janelle
Prayers
Please keep Mr Hatchman in your prayers. He will be on leave for the rest of the term as he undergoes medical treatment. I know your thoughts will be with Danny and his family at this time.
Year Six Induction Mass
Last Thursday we celebrated our Year Six leaders with a Mass in the Cathedral. Our School Captains and Colour House Captains were presented with their badges and all of our Year Six student leaders recited their pledge to do and be the best person they can be in their senior year at St Carthage's.
We thank Fr Bing for celebrating this special mass with us.
Lions Citizenship Award
Congratulations to Chloe Rhodes and Blake Robinson who were presented with the Lions Citizenship awards at our Year Six Induction Mass last week. This award recognises school service, leadership amongst peers and school spirit.
We congratulate Chloe and Blake on this great achievement.
Parent/Teacher Information Night
It was wonderful to see so many parents and carers at the Parent Teacher Information night held last week. Hopefully these meetings provided you with an overview of the year ahead and answered any questions/ concerns that you may have had.
Parent/Teacher Interviews
We look forward to welcoming our parents and carers into our class rooms next week to meet with teachers. Working together in partnership helps to clarify goals for your children, inform about areas of strength and areas to work on as well as clarify any issues or concerns which we may not be aware of.
Bookings for interviews are made online. Please check Class Dojo for how to book if you haven't already done so.
Welcome Barbeque and Disco
We are excited to be able to host our annual Welcome Barbeque and Disco on Thursday, 4th March. It is imperative that we abide by our Covid safety Plan that will be shared with you as this event gets closer. Please return your attendance notes as soon as possible.
School Photos Reminder
Our School photos will be taken on Monday 8th and Tuesday 9th March. School Photo envelopes have been sent home. Please return these envelopes on the Monday of the photographs, with correct payment enclosed, as these will be handed straight to the photographers. We do not handle photo money. Sibling envelopes are available from the School Office. All students are to wear their full school uniform on Monday for class photos. Sibling photos will be taken on the Tuesday. Uniform for sibling photos is at parents’ discretion.
Parking in Service Station
We ask that students do not get dropped off or picked up, or parents park in the Service Station before and after school. It is dangerous for our students to be walking through the Service Station when traffic is moving in and out.
Infant's Play Equipment After School
Our Infants’ play equipment is designed for use by our younger students under teacher supervision during the school day at the following times: before school from 8:30am to 8:55am, morning tea and lunch. It is not to be used by students from Years 3 to 6 at any time. Students catching buses, walking to Cathedral pickup or waiting for parents are NOT to be on the equipment as they are not being supervised. No students unsupervised by their parents are to be on the equipment after school. We don’t wish to spoil fun, but safety is paramount and teachers are spending much time moving students away from this area to where they should be in the afternoons
School Photos
The envelopes to order school photos were sent home during the week. Our school photos will take place on Monday 8th and Tuesday 9th March 2021. Envelopes need to be returned to school by Monday 8th March. If you would like to have sibling photos envelopes for these can be collected from the Office.
On Monday 8th March we ask that all students wear their full school uniform. Year Three will not wear their Sports uniform on this day as per usual.
Catholic Schools Office Road Safety Message
As children return to school, it is important to keep safety in mind. As parents you should take the opportunity to talk with your children about getting to and from school safely.
Here are some safety tips:
- Be alert and aware by traveling distraction free. Ask children to take off their headphones when walking.
- Choose a safe place to cross. The fastest way, may not be the safest way.
Stop! One Step back from the kerb.
Look! Continuously, both ways.
Listen! For the sounds of approaching traffic.
Think! Whether it is safe to cross and keep checking until safely across.
- Keep safe getting in and out of the car. Always use the door closest to the kerb.
- Keep safe getting on and off the bus. Wait at the bus stop and stand at least one step back from the edge of the road. Always meet your child at the bus stop. Never meet them on the opposite side of the road and call them across. Wait until the bus has gone, before you cross the road.
- Hold hands to cross the road. Until they are ten children should hold an adults hand.
- Wearing a helmet. Children must wear a helmet when riding a bike in any public place – it’s the law. Foot scooter, skateboard and rollerblade riders should wear helmets and protective gear such as knee and elbow pad.
Be a positive role model when you are a pedestrian, passenger and driver. Children learn from what they see, as well as what we say. Never sacrifice safety for convenience.
Source: http://www.walk.com.au/wstsd/, https://roadsafety.transport.nsw.gov.au/
Bus Safety Week (22nd-28th February)
We ask families to talk with their child about:
- Waiting until the bus has gone to cross the road safely.
- Not getting distracted by a mobile device.
- What do to if they get on the wrong bus or off at the wrong bus stop.
More Road Safety tips can be found at: https://roadsafety.transport.nsw.gov.au/downloads/keeping-our-kids-safe-around-schools.pdf
2021 Staff Professional Learning Days (no students)
Monday 19th April
Wednesday 5th May - STAFF PROCLAIM
Friday 25th June
Monday 12th July
Friday 17th September
2021 Term Dates
Term 1 concludes Thursday 1st April
Term 2 commences Tuesday 20th April - concludes Thursday 24th June
Term 3 commences Tuesday 13th July - concludes Thursday 16th September
Term 4 commences Tuesday 5th October - concludes Wednesday 15th December.
Sound Waves is a whole- school synthetic phonetics program based on the 43 sounds of Australian English.
Please follow the link below to receive more information about this program-
Each week, a specific phoneme/grapheme will be explicitly taught across the whole school. As part of the program, students have access to interactive games and activities at home through the Sound Waves Kids Website.
Below are the passwords for each grade to access the site:
| Grade | Password |
| Kindergarten | will990 |
| Year One | thin968 |
| Year Two | clip904 |
| Year Three | class313 |
| Year Four | seat291 |
| Year Five | quit401 |
| Year Six | grass870 |
Spotlight on......Year Six!
Year Six engaged in their first 'Digitech Workshop' this week. Students each chose a digital technology application/program that they wanted to learn more about. During the workshop, teachers and students together explored these tools and discussed how they could be used as part of their future learning. Some of these technologies included - Podcasts, Greenscreen, Scratch, Powtoon and Stop Motion Animation. These workshops will continue next week so that all students can continue to build their knowledge and skills in a variety of digital technologies.
Thank you Mrs Moloney for sharing your expertise and enthusiasm whilst supporting these workshops.
Richmond Zone Swimming Carnival
On Monday 15th February 42 students from Year 2-6 attended the Richmond Zone Swimming Carnival. It was great to see representative sport commence for 2021. The school spirit, sportsmanship and behaviour displayed by the students was outstanding. As a teacher, it makes me extremely proud to see our students support one another, regardless of their position in the race. The following students will now progress to the Lismore Diocesan Swimming Carnival on Friday 26th February:
- William Bullpitt
- Macy Field
- Reggie Field
- Jessica Holmes
- Ellie McKay
- Isabella Mullington
Macy Field was awarded the Senior Girls Age Champion and William Bullpitt the Senior Boys Runner Up.
We wish you all the best of luck in Murwillumbah next Friday.
Polding Tennis Trials
Congratulations to Xavier Kay who attended the Polding Tennis Trials in Newcastle on Friday 5th February. Xavier displayed a high level of skill on the court, which ensured he progressed to the finals. It was the manner in which Xavier approached his matches which has the selectors and managers taking notice. His maturity, manners and sportsmanship was commended by all present at the trials. Congratulations Xavier! You should be extremely proud to have reached this level.
Rugby League - After School Program
NRL will be hosting an after school rugby league program. This inclusive program provides students with the opportunity to develop a range of fundamental movement skills in a non-threatening environment. Due to the weather the program will now commence next Wednesday. Make sure you register as soon as possible so you do not miss out.
Auskick
Please find attached the information for the upcoming Auskick program.
Richmond Zone Winter Sports Trials
The Richmond Zone Winter Sports Trials will be held on Wednesday 24th February. We wish the following students the best of luck in their respective sports:
Football - Ruby Allen, Brydie Beston, Will Bullpitt, Molly Corcoran, Callum Faulkner, Sam Lovegrove, Oscar Maher, Archie Matthews, Andreas Periera, Theo Rogusz and Maude Webster
Hockey - Ellie Brady, Eden Kelly, Oliver Kelly, Akony Maciek, Hugh Marshall, Lachie O'Brien, Kaitlin O'Brien, Isobel Rose, Gigi Zorzo and Milla Zorzo.
Netball - Grace Edmonds, Lacee Faber, Eden Flood, Georgia Herman, Sammie Jones, Grace Kavanagh, Elley Smith, Emily Thorneycroft and Kaytlyn Turner.
Rugby League - Jimmy Field, Lenny McDonald, Samuel Conlan, Jesse Cooper, Bryce Roberts, Harper Rowe and Ethan Welman.
Rugby Union - Henry Begley, Nate Collins, Archie Da Fre, Darcy Drooger, Jonah Hudson-Sheaffe, Bailey Hughes, Harry Jenkins, Lachlan Johnson, Duncan Kirch, Case McQuilty, Darcy Paisley, Willis Rielly and Joel Tulk.
Thank you to Mrs Bailey, Miss MacDonald, Mr Matthews, Mrs McRae and Mrs Sudiro for assisting with the selection process at school.
Brendan Tickle - St Carthage's Primary School
Phone: 0266215529
brendan.tickle@lism.catholic.edu.au
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Harlan Brady Jarvis Mark Sienna O'Driscoll Wilson Grace Mills Zoe Stapleton Madeline Vinall Will Lynch Lachlan Johnson Thomas Larsson Avnoor Kaur Dek Maciek Rong Sean Pidcock Evie Andrews Mason Smith Emma McCluskie Veer Singh |
Jude Wagner Jie-Shi Jackson Oliver Sellen Ethan Smith Charlee Ianna Darcy Nestor Samuel Pascoe Elena Cardillo Ava Hutley Charlie Maher Annie Oliver James Webb Lilly Partridge Miller Clarke Jing-Huei Jackson Paige Woolston |
Summer Jenkins Archer Brett Ruby Lake Eva Scott Lacee Faber Connor Slattery Jack Watson Melissa Winkler-Dunn Kim Robb Craig Condie Amanda Parsons Tate Bailey Toni Lynch Kathy Taylor Danny Hatchman |
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