2024 Newsletter Term 4 Week 7

Letter from the Principal - Brad Toole

Dear Parents & Carers

It's hard to believe, but Advent is almost here.  The month before Christmas has to be the longest time of the year for kids! Help your kids make it through the long days of December by celebrating Advent.  Not known for their patience anyway, kids have to wait and wait for the big day.  It doesn't help that Christmas decorations are available in shops in October.

Advent

• The Church begins a new Liturgical year.
• Advent lasts for four weeks, from the first Sunday of Advent until Christmas Day.
• Advent means "coming".
• The Advent season is a time of prayer and preparation for the feast of Christmas.
• Customs of the season include the Advent Wreath (3 violet & 1 pink candles) and the Jesse Tree (symbols of the family of Jesus).
• Vestments during Advent are violet.

Weekly Attendance Summary

Attendance is vitally important for success for our students in achieving their learning benchmarks.

Our goal is 90% attendance.  In 2024 our attendance is currently sitting at 89.78%.

Our attendance for Week 6 of Term 4 is below.  Let's keep above 90% each week!

R.E. Matters - Walking In The Light Of Christ.

‘Let your Light Shine’ – Never see a need without doing something about it.

Come Lord Jesus,
Come and let your light shine through us
so that through our actions
we may be salt for the earth,
a light in people's sight
and that we might reach out
to you in one another,
especially those in need. 
Amen.

Christmas Mass Times

Gulgong Christmas Event Choir

We have been invited and accepted an invitation to sing two songs at the Gulgong Christmas Celebrations at the ANZAC Park on Saturday 14th December. 

Mrs MacLean will be coordinating the choir and it is open to all students who would like to participate. Wear a Christmas T-shirt or Christmas coloured t-shirt and meet Mrs MacLean on the night to sing Silent Night and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. It will be a great night with lots of fun activities planned.

School Fees

A reminder that will the end of the school year fast approaching, all outstanding school fees must be paid ASAP unless you are on an approved payment plan or have contacted us regarding your circumstances.

Fee statements with outstanding balances were emailed out to families on Monday.  

Swimsafe - Intensive Swim Program

Our Swimsafe – Intensive Swimming Program will be held each day for the next two weeks (Monday 2^nd December - Thursday 12th December). 

We are looking forward to improving our swimming and water safety skills as we become Clownfish, Dolphins, Sharks, Seals, Penguins and Starfish for the next two weeks. 

Each day the children will need:

(1) swimmers,

(2) towel,

(3) sunscreen,

(4) schoolhat and

(5) a bag to carry it all in.

Students may choose to wear thongs to and from the pool but will need their school shoes for the rest of the day. 

If your child is in the ‘Clownfish’ they will need to come to school dressed for swimming. Children in Clownfish are: Alice T, Ryan P, Aalayah N, Blair N, Eevee R, Winter K, Indy-Rose C, John V, Bonnie-Blue O, Maggie W, Sophie J, Tom L, Avelyn M, Jane T, Airlie K, Sophia W, Hope S, Lola P, Sarah W, William B, Henry B, Pearl O

Please ensure your child has a healthy lunch and a water bottle each day for these weeks as swimming makes us hungry! 

Thankyou to our parents, for your help in organising Intensive Swimming this year.

SRC Colour Run

On Tuesday 17th December our SRC are organising a colour run on the back oval. It will be a great fun celebration to finish the year. All students need to wear old clothes and covered shoes (white t-shirts are most effective). Please bring a change of clothes for after the colour run. 

The run will start at 12noon and be followed by a free bbq for parents and students to celebrate the end of another school year. Parents, grandparents, siblings are all welcome to get involved on the day. We will be providing some groovy little sunglasses this year to protect the kids eyes.

Day of Difference & Talent Quest

This Friday 29th November we will be hosting our Day of Difference and Talent Quest for 2024.  Mrs Menchin and Mrs Tomlinson are coordinating the Talent Quest and students are invited to wear mufti clothes on Friday that identifies what makes them unique and special.

Students will be showcasing their talents from 2.00pm on the basketball court.  Parents and friends are welcome and encouraged to come along and support the students.

* Please note that rain is predicted for later this week.  In the event that wet weather will impact our arrangements, an alternative day and time will be decided on Thursday.

School Captain Voting

Friday 6th December at 2.00pm in our school hall, our Year 5 students will present their "School Captain Speeches".  ** Please note this date has changed from that previously advised due to moving our Presentation Night forward. 

After the students present their speeches, students from Kinder to Year 5 will vote for our School Captains for 2025.  Students will be voting for two school captains.  The girl and boy with the highest number of votes will be announced school captains.  We look forward to announcing our School Captains at our Presentation Night on Monday 9th December.

Mufti Day - Last Day of the Year

On Wednesday 18th December (last day of the year) we will be having a free mufti day. Students are able to wear their favourite Christmas clothes. Students need a hat, covered shoulders and covered in shoes.

Staffing 2025

We are currently advertising for some Learning Support Officers (TA's) to join our team in 2025.  The positions will close next Monday and we will announce the successful candidates before the end of the year.

Some of our funding is still up in the air so the number of days, hours and finer details will be locked in once the preferred candidates are chosen after interviews.  The positions are advertised on the Bathurst Catholic Education Office website.

Key End of Year Dates

Key dates for end of year celebrations are:

Thursday 5th December      Year 6 Farewell Dinner in School Hall @ 6.30pm

Friday 6th December             Year 5 School Captain Speeches and Voting @ 2.00pm

Monday 9th December          Presentation Night - 6.30pm at Gulgong Memorial Hall  (**please note new date)

Friday 13th December             Year 6 Day Out

Monday 16th December         End of Year Mass (TBA) and Year 6 Final Assembly @ 2.30pm

Year 6 Farewell Dinner:  Year 6 Farewell Dinner will be held on Thursday 5th December at 6.30m in our school hall.  It is a great night for our Year 6 students and their parents to attend.  If there are any parents who would like to help decorate the hall, that would be very much appreciated.

Presentation Night:  Presentation Night will be held on Monday 9th December 6.30pm at the Memorial Hall.  Please join us as we celebrate the wonderful achievements of our school and the achievements of our students.

End of Year Mass & Year 6 Assembly:  Year 6 End of Year Mass will be held on Monday 16th December in our church at a time to be confirmed.  All students will attend the Mass and parents in our community and particularly our Year 6 parents are invited to attend our celebration.  Year 6 Final Assembly will be held at 2.30pm on the same afternoon in our school hall.

Year 6 Day Out:  Our Year 6 students will receive information on their Day Out on Friday 13th December.

End of Year Reports

The end of year is fast approaching and we are busy finalising Semester 2 reports.  We will be busy and working hard until Wednesday 18th December.  Semester 2 reports will be available on the Compass Parent Portal on Monday 18th December.  Please do not hesitate to contact your child's teacher if you have any questions or concerns about your child's learning.

Merits - Wk6 Term 4

Kinder:   Willem, Jack   

Year 1:     Winifred, Lukas    

Year 2:     Hunter, Lennon, Jane

Year 3:     Elise, Miller

Year 4:    Cooper, Oliver

Year 5:    David, Olivia, Pippa, Noah

Year 6:     Arabella, Tommy, Dante

Halos:      Ned, Connor, Logan, Wayne, Lincoln, Anna, Airlie, Sophie, Georgia, Jane

2025 Enrolments

Student Wellbeing

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