Term 3 Week Three 2024
Aboriginal Acknowledgement
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,
I would like to welcome everyone back to Term 3 and I trust that the holidays, (they seem so long ago!), were a happy and restful time to recharge the batteries. We were certainly blessed with beautiful weather and also some very frosty winter mornings!
Thursday 8th August was the Feast of St Mary MacKillop. Mary Mackillop is Australia's first saint. Mary MacKillop was a trail-blazer in her lifetime, leaving a culture of exemplary living for her followers to emulate. Mary paved the way for education of poor children and a variety of ministries which addressed the needs of 19th century Australia.
Mary MacKillop was the founder of the inspirational group of women who continue her work today in our country and in neighbouring countries. Mary MacKillop is an example of faith put into action and words, as she followed her dream to ensure country children in small rural communities in Australia were able to receive a good education in their Catholic faith and academic skills for their future. She always went out of her way to minister to the poor, the lonely, the sick and those who were outcasts.
Mary Mackillop's mantra;
“To never see a need without doing something about it".
Mary MacKillop Prayer
Ever generous God,
You inspired Saint Mary MacKillop
To live her life faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and constant in
bringing hope and encouragement
to those who were disheartened, lonely or needy.
With confidence in your generous providence and through the
intercession of Saint Mary MacKillop
We ask that you grant our prayers.
We ask that our faith and hope be fired afresh by the Holy Spirit so
that we too, like Mary MacKillop, may live with courage, trust and
openness.
Ever generous God hear our prayer.
We ask this through Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Feast of the Assumption
On Thursday 15th August, the Church celebrates the Feast Day of the Assumption of Our Lady when, according to our faith, the Holy Mother, “having completed her course of her earthly life was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory".
The Assumption signals the end of Mary's earthly life and marks her return to heaven to be reunited with Jesus. While the bodies of both Jesus and Mary are now in heaven, there is a difference between the Assumption and the Resurrection. Where Jesus arose from the tomb and ascended into heaven by his own power, Mary's body was taken up to heaven by the power of her Son.
NAIDOC Week - from Mr Condie
This week we are celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture in our NAIDOC Week.
The theme ‘Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud’ is to highlight the achievements of indigenous Australians and to stand tall in our identity. It also calls for the wider community to join us on this journey of reconciliation and unity.
On Monday and Tuesday we welcomed into the school Tywana and Tayah Caldwell (Widjabal-Wiyabal local custodians) who ran cultural lesssons. Every student had the opportunity to be involved in face painting, braiding/weaving and art activities. They also could get a chance to smell lemon myrtle and taste Davidson Plum jam made by Mr Condie. It was great to hear stories and knowledge from the two sisters. Tywana is a great artist and showed us some of the artwork she has produced. Recently she did an artwork for Lismore City Council that you might see in the community.
Many thanks for Tywana and Tayah celebrating with us.
On Monday afternoon we had an assembly and emphasized the great work our 36 Aboriginal students do at the school.
Thursday saw a BBQ lunch for our Aboriginal students and families. Everyone got to have sausage sandwiches and to sample kangaroo meat. It was awesome to see many parents be involved as well.
During NAIDOC we run the Deadly Doors competition and each class has to design their classroom door with an Aboriginal design. I have seen many doors around the school this week and amazing artwork.
Next week we have Mitch King as a special guest who will design a dance with our Aboriginal students. The following day the students will teach the dance to the rest of the school.
As I said at the assembly NAIDOC only works well when everyone is involved in the activities. Thank you to students and teachers for being engaged with our NAIDOC celebrations we have had this week.
We thank Mr Condie for his continued passion, hard work and commitment to ensuring our aboriginal students are acknowledged and valued, and for sharing his knowledge and wisdom with all students - great job!
2025 Enrolments
I have had the pleasure and privilege of meeting some of our new families enrolling their child into Kindergarten next year. What a delight it is to see the smiles on the faces of the children as we talk about their transition to 'big school.' When I ask our new parents why they have chosen St Carthage's for their child they have unanimously said that they have heard great things about the school. All the advertising in the world can't make up for personal recommendations from someone who speaks positively about their experiences at our school!
Grandparents Prayer and Shared Morning Tea
We were overwhelmed with the large number of our grandparents and families who were able to join us for our Grandparents Prayer and morning tea. It was a great celebration and a wonderful tribute to our grandparents.
Thank you to everyone who was able to come along and share the morning with us.
(Please see AP- Mission for photos.)
St Carthage's Kindergarten 100 Days of School Celebration
What a wonderful celebration we had earlier this week with our Kindergarten students to celebrate 100 days in Kindergarten! Our students participated in activities throughout the day and joined with their Year 6 buddies in the afternoon.
Book Week Parade - Friday 23rd August
It is time to start thinking about costumes for Book Week! This year's Book week theme is “Reading is Magic". We will again be having our Book Week dress up and parade at school. This will occur on Friday 23rd August.
We invite our pre-school siblings to come along dressed up as well and join our parade. More details to follow!
Book Fair
We will be having a Book Fair in our Library starting on Wednesday 21st August through to lunchtime on Friday 23rd August. Book Warehouse are supplying the books that will be sold.
Children will have a walk through to see the range of books on the Monday or Tuesday before the fair begins. Parents are welcome to come along and buy a with your child/children or alternatively send along some money for them to buy a book of their choice.
Father’s Day Stall - Thursday 29th August
Our Fathers’ Day Stall will be held on Thursday, 29th August. Gifts will be $5.00 per gift.
Father's Day Sausage Sizzle - Thursday 29th August
This will be held on Thursday afternoon, 29th August 4.15-5.45pm on the bottom playground. This will be a great opportunity to catch up with other families and to celebrate our dads.
School Community Group Meeting - Tuesday 3rd September
We will be having our School Community Group Meeting on Tuesday evening 3rd September at 5.30pm.
ICAS Timetable
The ICAS assessments have started for the year, with two tests—Writing and Digital Technologies—taking place this week. Below are the dates that the students who have been registered for these assessments will sit them. If your child happens to be absent on one of these days, we have the week to catch up on any students who could not sit them on the dates below.
| Date | Test | Test Time |
| 7th August | Writing | 35 minutes |
| 8th August | Digital Technologies | 30-35 minutes |
| 12th August | English | 45-50 minutes |
| 19th August | Spelling | 40 minutes |
| 20th August | Science | 45-55 minutes |
| 26th August | Mathematics | 45-60 minutes |
NAPLAN Individual Student Reports
All students who sat the NAPLAN assessments in Term 1 should have brought home their Individual Student Report earlier in the term. Below is some information for parents and carers on these reports.
National Principal's Day
Last Friday, we celebrated National Principal's Day with Mrs Heffernan. I'm sure you all join us in thanking Mrs Heffernan for her dedication to our students, staff, and community.
Grandparents Day Liturgy
St Carthage's Primary School warmly welcomed grandparents and family members for a delightful Grandparents Day celebration in Week 1. The event saw a remarkable turnout, with a large number of grandparents and relatives joining us for a morning filled with joy, connection, and cherished memories.
The celebration began with a heart warming liturgy in the hall, where students and staff came together to honour the invaluable contributions of grandparents. The liturgy set a reflective and appreciative tone for the morning, emphasizing the love and wisdom that grandparents bring into our lives.
Following the liturgy, everyone moved to the bottom playground for a beautiful shared morning tea. Grandparents and students alike enjoyed the opportunity to bond and share stories over morning tea.
One of the highlights of the morning was the beautiful performance by our talented school choir. A particularly special moment was the rendition of "This Little Light of Mine" by our Kindergarten students.
The Grandparents Day celebration at St Carthage's was a testament to the strong bonds within our school community. It was a morning of reflection, gratitude, and love, highlighting the invaluable role grandparents play in our lives. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the grandparents and family members who attended and made the day so memorable.
We look forward to many more occasions, celebrating the wonderful connections that make St Carthage's a truly special place.
Celebrating St Mary of the Cross MacKillop
On Thursday, August 8th, St Carthage's Primary School acknowledged the feast day of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, Australia's first saint. Born in 1842, Mary MacKillop dedicated her life to educating the poor and helping those in need, founding the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart.
To honour her legacy, our classes held a brief prayer service, reflecting on her teachings and contributions. Students learned about her life and were inspired by her famous words, “never see a need without doing something about it.”
St Mary of the Cross MacKillop’s feast day is a reminder of the importance of compassion, service, and faith in our daily lives.
Sacramental Program
Reconciliation and Eucharist
Several of our students will soon be receiving the Sacraments of Eucharist and Reconciliation. These sacraments are significant milestones in their spiritual journey, and we are proud of their commitment and dedication.
We extend our thanks to all the family members who attended the Parent Information Night on Wednesday, July 31st. Your support and involvement play a crucial role in preparing our students for these important occasions.
Key Dates
- Reconciliation: Wednesday, September 4th at 5:30 PM
- Eucharist: Sunday, October 27th at 5:00 PM
As these dates approach, we ask our school community to keep the following candidates for Reconciliation and Eucharist in your thoughts and prayers:
| Alexa Andersen | Mazzie Annetts | Zander Annetts | Louis Bailey |
| Harrison Behan | James Brodie | Erin Byrne | Nadia Cittolin |
| Mia Clarke | Evie Collings | Amelia Collyer | Coburn Dalli |
| Nymarli Davison | Levi Dunstan | Eilish Dwyer | Holly Ellem |
| Madeleine Evans | Evie Field | Eleanor Golding | Mila Handy |
| Lucas Harmon | Marcus Hunter | Theah Kelly | Joshua Kirkland |
| Sophie Lane-Winkler | Lucy Lee | Maciek Nhial | Jamal Magann |
| Juno Magnay-Ravel | Olivia Mary Maxson | Armani McLean | Cooper Munro |
| Rafferty Nilon | Princess Obioha | Maya Orcher | Olivia Pidcock |
| Owen Sauer | Owen Shaw | Khiarla Sheridan-Gordon | Lacey Simpson |
| Maddison Sloane | Daisy Smith | Damon Stone | Nash Taylor |
| Eliana Tucker | Demi Walters | Sophia Wells | Serena White |
Your prayers and encouragement are invaluable as our students prepare to deepen their faith and relationship with God.
We look forward to celebrating these sacraments with our students and their families, marking these special moments in their faith journey. Thank you once again for your continued support and involvement.
PBS
At St Carthage's, we are proud to be a Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) school. Our commitment to PBS reflects our dedication to fostering a positive, safe, and inclusive learning environment for all students. The PBS philosophy is centred around teaching and reinforcing clear expectations for student behaviour. PBS at St Carthage's is underpinned by the following expectations:
- Be Safe
- Be Responsible
- Be Respectful
- Be your Best
The Philosophy Behind PBS
PBS is an evidence-based framework that focuses on proactive strategies to define, teach, and support appropriate student behaviours. By clearly outlining and consistently reinforcing expectations, we aim to create a school culture where positive behaviours are the norm. This approach not only enhances the overall school climate but also supports students' social, emotional, and academic success.
Focus for Weeks 3-4: Bus Bays
For Weeks 3-4, our PBS focus is on bus bays. Ensuring the safety of our students during arrival and departure times is paramount. We are teaching students the specific expectations for behaviour in the bus bays, emphasizing the importance of staying safe, being respectful to others, being responsible and following instructions from staff and bus drivers.
Key expectations for the bus bays include:
- Moving safely
- Wearing a school hat
- Staying with the bus bay group
- Sitting in the correct area
- Being polite, respectful and cooperative
- Considering others in a public space
By reinforcing these expectations, we aim to ensure that all students can travel to and from school safely and efficiently.
Focus for Weeks 5-6: Toilets
For Weeks 5-6, our PBS focus is toilets. We are teaching students the specific expectations for behaviour in when using the toilets, emphasizing the importance of staying safe, being respectful to others and being responsible.
Key expectations for the toilets include:
- Going straight to the toilet, using it quickly and quietly and then leaving
- Respecting the privacy of others and keeping the toilet area clean
- Being responsible in the toilet area
Community Involvement
We encourage parents and guardians to support our PBS initiatives by discussing these expectations with your children at home. Your involvement is crucial in helping us create a consistent and positive environment both at school and in the broader community.
Thank you for your ongoing support and cooperation in making St Carthage's a safe and positive place for all students. Together, we can ensure that our PBS program continues to thrive, fostering a nurturing environment where every student can succeed.
Protocols for Travelling To and From School
To ensure a smooth and safe process for all students in the morning and at the end of each school day, we have reviewed and updated our protocols. Please view the attached PDF for your child's specific arrangements.
Reminders:
- Pick-Up: Students should not be picked up or dropped off at the service station.
- Safety: Students should not be playing games outside of the school grounds.
- Leaving School Grounds: Students should not leave the school grounds without a parent or staff member.
Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our students safe.
Parish Mass Times
St Carthage’s Cathedral, Lismore
- Tuesday - Thursday 8:00am
- Friday - 12:05pm
- Saturday Vigil - 5:30pm
- Sunday - 9am & 11am
Carmelite Monastery Chapel, Goonellabah
- Monday - Friday 7:00am
- Saturday 8:00am
- Sunday 7:00am
St Dympna’s Church, Dunoon
- Sunday - 8.30am
Family Matters
Guiding Our Children in Their Search for Truth, Meaning, and Purpose
In today's fast-paced and ever-changing world, our children are navigating a landscape filled with endless information, diverse opinions, and constant distractions.
St Carthage's Reading Challenge
The Reading Challenge will continue this term. We are encouraging all students from Kindergarten to Year 6 to read every night for homework. This is our main focus while we are reviewing our current homework policy.
Congratulations to those students who have been regularly logging their minutes read through the QR code or by sending their details to the office.
Week Two winners were: Heidi Osborne, Charlotte Gillett, Mazzie Annetts and Lexi Behan.
Maths Olympiad Competitions
This week, students from Years 3-6 competed in their 3rd Maths Competition. Students use problem solving skills and knowledge to solve five questions within 30 minutes. The competitions are run by APSMO and are designed to develop creative problem solving skills.
Year 6 students compete in the Maths Olympiad division. This competition is designed for high- achieving mathematicians who compete against students from across Australia and New Zealand.
Students in Year 5 compete in the Maths Games division. Students learn and develop valuable maths problem solving skills, while fostering an appreciation of mathematics and its application to the real world.
Students from Years 3 and 4 compete in the Maths Explorer division where they are introduced to problem-solving and work in pairs to apply to real world problems.
All students who have been participating in these competitions should be extremely proud of their efforts and commitment. The final competition will take place in Week 7. Presentation of awards and certificates will take place at a whole school assembly at the end of the term.
Richmond Zone Athletics Carnival
On Thursday the 1st August, 54 students travelled to St John’s Woodlawn to participate in the Richmond Zone Athletics Carnival. Overall, we performed extremely well as a team and displayed excellent sportsmanship, behaviour and skills throughout the day. All students gave their best and enjoyed the experience of competing at this next level of athletic competition. We had many individual and team successes, leading to 19 students qualifying for the Lismore Diocesan Athletics Carnival on Friday 16th August.
To qualify for the Diocesan carnival in Coffs Harbour, the students needed to finish in the top three of their individual event or be part of the top two relay teams in their age division. Our junior girls were sensational, finishing first and our senior boys and girls side both finished a solid second. Our junior boys gave their best but unfortunately didn’t finish in the top two. The students who will progress to the Diocesan carnival from their Zone results are listed below.
| Name | Event | Placing |
|
Nash Robinson |
8 yrs 100m |
3rd |
|
Daisy Smith |
Junior Girls Relay |
1st |
|
Juno Magnay-Ravel |
Junior Girls Relay |
1st |
|
Zarni McGregor |
10 yrs 100m Junior 200m Junior Girls Relay |
1st 2nd 1st |
|
Eliana Tucker |
Junior Girls Relay |
1st |
|
Ella Davey |
11 yrs 100m Senior Girls Relay |
3rd 2nd |
|
Mikayla Evely |
11 yrs Shot Put |
3rd |
|
Ellie Gumbleton |
11 yrs 1500m |
3rd |
|
Ruby Hall |
Senior Girls Relay |
2nd |
|
Kyna Rhodes |
Senior Girls Relay |
2nd |
|
Lexi Behan |
12-13 yr Long Jump |
3rd |
|
Muntasir Faiaz Hasan Zarif |
12-13 yr Shot put |
2nd |
|
Reggie Field |
Senior Boys Relay |
2nd |
|
Grace Hogan |
12-13 yr Shot Put |
2nd |
|
Grace Mills |
12-13 200m Senior Girls Relay |
2nd |
|
Archie Sauer |
12-13 yr 800m 12-13 yr 1500m 12-13 yr Long Jump Senior Boys Relay |
1st 1st 3rd 2nd |
|
Kyan Smith |
12-13 yr 1500m |
2nd |
|
Fraser Wright |
Senior Boys Relay |
2nd |
|
Tyler Bell |
13 yrs 100m 12-13 yrs 200m 12-13 yrs Long Jump Senior Boys Relay |
1st 2nd 1st 2nd |
A special mention to Tyler Bell who was Runner Up Senior Boy Age Champion- he had some fantastic successes over a very busy day!
Thank you to Mr Tickle who organised the Zone Carnival and to Mrs Sudiro who assisted on the day as well as preparing our relay teams. We thank St John’s Woodlawn for the use of their grounds, their excellent canteen and their numerous helpers- it was an awesome day appreciated by all Richmond Zone schools.
Elective Sports
Years 5 and 6 have begun Term 3 by participating in their Elective Sport Program. The children have chosen between soccer, NFL Tag, Gymnastics, basketball, tennis, netball and hockey. The children will complete their chosen sport during the first five weeks of the term.
Rugby League Clinics
Recently our children in Kindergarten to Year Three had the opportunity to participate in some Rugby League clinics. The children enjoyed learning new skills and playing the game with their friends. It was great to have NRL Game Development Officers come in and run the sessions with the children.
Polding Rugby Union Trials
Congratulations to Lachlan Elphick and Reggie Field who both participated in the Polding Rugby Union Trials in Forbes. They have done exceptionally well to reach a trial at this level and demonstrated excellent skills and dedication to the sport of Rugby. A special congratulations to Reggie who was successful at these trials and will now represent Polding at the NSW PSSA Rugby Carnival in Wagga Wagga later this term.
Lismore Netball Gala Day
In week four, we have many students from Stage Two and Three participating in the Lismore Netball Gala Day. We will have both competitive and non-competitive teams on the day. The winner of the Year 5 and 6 competitive section will be invited to progress to the Regional finals later this year. We wish all teams the best and know they will represent our school in an excellent manner and have lots of fun with their friends. We thank Mrs McRae for her time coaching and selecting the teams and for her and Mrs Lynch for going with the children on the day.
After School NRL Program
The NRL is launching an after-school rugby league program designed to develop skills, foster teamwork, and ignite a passion for the sport in a fun and supportive environment. If you are interested in your child participating, they can register using the following link:
August
1st - Richmond Zone Athletics- Woodlawn
1st - NAIDOC Celebrations- Woodlawn
2nd - Green and Gold Casual Day (celebrating the Olympics)
5th-9th - School NAIDOC Week Celebrations
6th - Catholic/Independent Schools Rugby League Gala Day
7th - What’s the Joke – Kindergarten, Year One and Year Two Performance
14th - Lismore Netball Schools Cup
15th - Assumption of Mary (Holy Day of Obligation)
16th - Diocesan Athletics – Coffs Harbour
17th-23rd - Book Week
23rd - Book Parade
29th - Father’s Day Stall - $5.00
29th - Father’s Day Celebration
30th - Richmond Zone Football, Netball and Multi Sports Gala Day - Year 6