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