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 Parents,

On Wednesday, 1st November the Church celebrated the Feast of All Saints. The feast of All Saints recognises all the saints – those who have attained the beatific vision in heaven – both known and unknown, in a single celebration. November is the special month in our church year when we celebrate, remember and give thanks for the lives of the people we love and hold dear who have died. We pray that they are now at peace with God. 

We imitate the saints because they offer examples of how to be disciples of Christ, and to ensure that those who remained offered models of discipleship which are relevant for the Church in all ages and places.

 As always, what the church believes is expressed in its liturgical prayers:

 “Today we rejoice in the holy men and women of every time and place.

May their prayers bring us your forgiveness and love.”

(Opening Prayer for All Saints) 

All Souls' Day is celebrated on 2nd November directly following All Saints' Day, and is an opportunity for Catholics to commemorate the faithful departed.

Remembrance Day

Next Friday morning students will acknowledge Remembrance Day. At 11am on 11th November, 1918, the guns on the Western Front fell silent after more than four years of continuous warfare. The red poppies, a familiar emblem of Remembrance Day, bloomed across some of the worst battlefields of Flanders in World War 1. Mr Hatchman will prepare a prayer that will be celebrated in each classroom.

World Teacher's Day

Last Friday we celebrated World Teacher's Day. This was a great opportunity to say thank you to our teachers who work tirelessly to ensure our students are learning and growing each and every day. We say a special thank you to our teachers for meeting the challenges of the past couple of years with positivity and hope always keeping the students at the forefront!

We say a very big thank you to Dominos Pizza Lismore who donated pizzas for staff to acknowledge the great work that teachers do.

School Community Group Meeting - Tuesday 22nd August 

We will be having our School Community Group Meeting in the School Hall on Tuesday evening 21st November. refreshments will be served from 5.30pm with the meeting beginning at 6.00pm. 

During the meeting you will hear school reports, some information about the new English and Mathematics curriculums and there will be opportunities for our parents and carers to collaborate on future meeting topics important to your child/children.

A flyer will be sent home for your information. 

Year Six Brisbane Excursion

Our Year Six students have returned from their excursion to Brisbane. A great time was had by all. You can view photos of the week on our school Facebook page.

We thank the staff who have accompanied them throughout the week, leaving their families to support our students; Mrs McFadden, Mrs Lynch, Mr Matthews, Mr Tickle, Mr Gordon, Mr Bullpitt, Mrs Ireland and Mrs Deeps. I congratulate all of Year Six for their behaviour, manners and respect for all shown at all times.

After School Sport

If your child is attending sports training or games after school and it is a change to their normal routine could you please let the school know via a note to the school office. 

Reminder to Parents and Guardians
Please be mindful of informing the school of any diagnosis or change in medical condition for your child so that School Action Plans and records are current and accurate. This is especially important for those students with Asthma, Anaphylaxis, Diabetes and other medical issues.

Anaphylactic Allergies
We do have a growing number of students with allergies which can cause an anaphylactic reaction. It is a policy of our school that children do not share food and teachers often remind the children in their classes about not sharing food. We ask for your assistance in reinforcing this at home and by labelling all lunch boxes with your child’s name.

Christmas Concert- save the date!
St Carthage’s School’s annual Christmas Concert will be held on the evening of Monday, 11th December. Further details will be sent home at a later date.

2024 Date Reminders

Dates for starting school next year:

• Staff: - Administration Day: Tuesday, 30th January 2024
• Years 1-6: - Complete Maths Assessment Interview (M.A.I.): Wednesday 31st January and Thursday 1st February. We will advise when bookings are open.
• Years 1-6 return: Friday, 2nd February 2024.
• Kindergarten: - Complete M.A.I. & Best Start: Wednesday 31st January  - Monday 5th February 2024.
• Kindergarten begin: Tuesday, 6th February 2024.

Understanding the New Semester 2 Student Report - Information for Parents

Why are there changes to the K-6 Semester Two Student Report?

The NSW Government is reforming the curriculum to streamline and strengthen what is taught in every classroom in NSW, so every student is prepared and ready for their future. The curriculum reform has been informed by consultation with teachers, parents and education experts, and is underpinned by extensive research. Curriculum reform involves changing teaching, learning, assessment and reporting to parents. 

The release of the new syllabuses provides the opportunity to revise aspects of the Student Report to align with current research.

“Parents want to know what was taught and how well their child has learnt it, 

as well as where improvement is needed…….  (NESA, 2023)”

What are the changes to the Student Report Comments for Semester Two?

Student Report Comments reflect the Learning Areas on the Student Report. There will be multiple comments:

• English Comment
• Mathematics Comment
• Key Learning Area Comment and 

The English and Mathematics Comments will reflect:

• Areas of achievement and growth
• Learning Goals

within each Key Learning Area.

The Key Learning Areas Comments will reflect:

• Areas of achievement and growth
• Learning Goals

across Creative Arts, Science and Technology, History, Geography and Personal Development, Health  and Physical Education.

Sample Student Report (your child’s student report may look slightly different)

What are the changes to Religious Education for Semester Two?

Religious Education will no longer be reported on by Units of Work. It will now be reported on as Knowledge and Understanding across the Units of Work. This is in alignment with the reporting processes for other Key Learning Areas.

Will there be further changes to the Student Report?

Yes. In 2024, Year 3-6 will have a new English and a new Mathematics syllabus. In 2025, K-6 teachers will teach, assess and report on new syllabuses for the other Key Learning Areas. The release of the new syllabuses provides the opportunity to revise aspects of the Student Report to align with current research. The research, as well as feedback from schools, will guide future changes.  Your child’s school will communicate any further changes to parents prior to the 2024 Semester One Student Report. 

What if I have questions about the changes?

Parents are encouraged to contact the school to discuss any questions you have about the K-6 Semester Two Student Report.

Crazy Socks Day!! Next Monday 6th November - Gold Coin Donation for Catholic Mission

Students and staff are invited to wear Crazy Socks next Monday the 6^th November and bring a gold coin donation to be given to Catholic Mission. Loana Wallace - Diocesan Director of Catholic Mission - will speak to the students about the the Timor-Leste appeal and how their donations make a real difference to the children there. You do not have to purchase new socks for this day - be creative with ones you already have!

Dates for the Term - Assistant Principal - Mission 

Date	Event	What’s happening
Wednesday 1st Nov	All Saints Mass 12:05 - Cathedral	Years 4-6 will be attending Parish Mass at 12:05
Thursday 2nd Nov	All Souls Day	Classroom teaching will occur to celebrate this important day
Monday 6th Nov	Socktober Crazysocks coin donation	Presentation in Hall by Loana Wallace - Diocesan Director of Catholic Mission - re the Timor-Lestian appeal. 11:25-11:50 catholicmission -passageofhope
Friday - 10th Nov	Yr 5 Leadership Retreat	Hall
Friday 10th Nov	Remembrance Day Prayer	Students and Staff will remember the sacrifices made and being made by those who serve to protect our great country
Tuesday – 21st Nov	Feast of the Presentation of Mary - Presentation Sisters Foundation Day	We will celebrate this important day with prayer in the Hall 11:20 – 12:00. Presentations Sisters - Sr Anne Jordan and Sr Janice Duggan - will share in our prayer celebration.
Tuesday – 21st Nov	RE Staff meeting	Teachers conclude the process commenced last Term how our Religious Education Units incorporate a ‘service’ action.
Tuesday – 21st Nov	School Community Group meets – 5:30 for 6pm start	Term 4 meeting for our parent body - all welcome
Thursday – 7 Dec	Yr 6 Retreat	Hall
Thursday 14th December	End of year whole school Mass	9:30am Captains for 2024 will be announced and the Year 6 class of 2023 will be farewelled.
Every 2nd Friday	Jesus Over Lunch Time - JOLT	In the Hall 1:30-2:00 - children celebrate their faith through games and music with our Mission Assistant Megan

 

Parenting your Video Gamer

This has been a frequently requested topic by parents - Parents are able to join the group to watch the webinar at the CSO or join at their home.

PARENTING_YOUR_VIDEO_GAMER_4_1_.pdf

PARENTING_YOUR_VIDEO_GAMER_4_1 pdf 11.15 MB

And in other news...

Pope Francis calls for ‘paradigm shift’ in Catholic theology

Pope Francis has called for a “paradigm shift” in Catholic theology that takes widespread engagement with contemporary science, culture and people’s lived experience as an essential starting point.

There are “profound cultural transformations,” in our world today.

In response, the Pope presented his dramatic vision for the future of Catholic theology in a new document issued yesterday.

Titled Ad Theologiam Promovendam, or “to promote theology,” the document revises the statutes of the Pontifical Academy of Theology (PATH) “to make them more suitable for the mission that our time imposes on theology”.

It says,

“Theology can only develop in a culture of dialogue and encounter between different traditions and different knowledge, between different Christian confessions and different religions, openly engaging with everyone, believers and non-believers,” the Pope wrote.

Pope Francis wrote that Catholic theology must experience a “courageous cultural revolution” in order to become a “fundamentally contextual theology” which recognises the culture as the starting point.

Guided by Christ’s incarnation into time and space, this approach to theology must be capable of reading and interpreting “the Gospel in the conditions in which men and women live daily, in different geographical, social, and cultural environments,” the Pope wrote.

He contrasted this approach with a theology that is limited to “abstractly re-proposing formulas and schemes from the past” and repeated his long-standing criticism of “desk-bound theology”.

Instead, he emphasised that theological studies must be open to the world, not as a “‘tactical’ attitude” but as a profound “turning point” in their method, which he said must be “inductive.”

Pope Francis emphasised that this bottom-up re-envisioning of theology is necessary to better aid the Church’s evangelising mission. 

“A synodal, missionary, and ‘outgoing’ Church can only correspond to an ‘outgoing’ theology,” the Pope wrote.

If the Church is to continue to be relevant, it must 'go out' to culture, not be inward.

At the end of last term we celebrated the Deadly Doors competition winners in 2Gold and 5 Blue.
Each class took part in designing a door or space as part of our NAIDOC Week in Week 3 Term 3. The designs were based around the theme for this year, ‘For Our Elders’. Everyone was a winner by being involved, but we did pick two classes that were exceptional.
2 Gold and 5 Blue could wear free dress for the day and have a pizza lunch.
I know there were many full stomachs that day from the amount of pizza boxes put in the rubbish bins.
Well done everyone!!

Richmond Tweed Regional Library