From the Principal - Mrs Janelle Heffernan

Acknowledgement of Country

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

Dear Families,

Welcome back to our new school year and our first Newsletter for 2025. I hope you all enjoyed a very relaxing and enjoyable time with family and friends over our Christmas break. We begin this new year filled with hope and anticipation. We look forward to a year full of unknown opportunities for us all to support each other in our partnership of educating, guiding and modelling Christian values to our children.

The term has started with a real sense of purpose and a great spirit of co-operation and enthusiasm for learning. Teachers have worked tirelessly to ensure that classrooms are ready for learning and I am sure that you will be happy with your child‘s new learning environment. We especially welcome our 2025 Kindergarten students and their families and the many new families who are beginning their educational journey at St Carthage’s. We hope your time here is happy and rewarding and we thank you for trusting your children to our care.

Congratulations to our students for the way you have started on this new stage of your learning journey and thanks to parents for having them so well prepared for school. Thank you to the staff who spent holiday time at school setting up rooms, developing programs and organising resources and school events for Term One. It is this dedication and commitment which allows us to start the year so smoothly. Well done all!

To you, the parents and families, I eagerly look forward to meeting you over the next few weeks at our beginning of the year meetings, our Welcome Barbeque or out in the playground at drop off and pick up. We are here to work in partnership with you and I would appreciate any input or suggestions which you may have to ensure that our school runs as smoothly and efficiently as possible.

As we complete our second week of school, I hope that your children are settled and happy in their new classes. Certainly, the talk has been very positive, with teachers commenting about how eager and enthusiastic the students have been. As we begin this new year, it is important to remember that parents and teachers are partners in helping each child achieve a successful transition into adulthood. This combined support is essential if the transition is to be a positive developmental experience for your child. A good relationship with your child‘s teacher will make it easier for you to stay informed about your child‘s progress across all areas of schooling and to work together if difficulties or problems arise throughout the year. On occasions, you might find that teachers offer advice or constructive criticism about your child that you may not agree with. However, it is important to keep an open mind to the teacher‘s comments (and they to yours). Unfortunately, none of us are perfect, so if a problem arises, it is important to consider both sides of the story. The outcome should be one that helps your child succeed at school. There needs to be a sensitivity which respects the parents who have a special knowledge of their children, and the teacher as a trained professional.

School staff at St Carthage's are dedicated and caring people and they want to be not just good educators, but educators who their students will remember because they shared their knowledge and love of learning with them. Jonathan Sarks, Rabbi and author of ―The Politics of Hope, said about teachers:

“Educators open our eyes to the world. They give us curiosity and confidence.

They teach us to ask questions. They connect us to our past and future.

They are the guardians of our social heritage.

Life without a teacher is surely not a life.”

May 2025 be a great year for you and your children and please remember, if you have any questions, queries or concerns regarding your children throughout the year, please contact your child‘s teacher, our Assistant Principals or myself so that we can work together on a joint solution.

School Annual Improvement Plan 2025

Our School Annual Improvement Plan for this year falls under 3 Domains. Please see these domains and the outcomes below. These outcomes will form the direction of our planning, professional learning and main focus throughout 2025

        1) Enlivened Catholic Identity

- Students, staff and families are provided with the opportunity to engage in prayer, mass, liturgical celebrations and evangelisation opportunities.

- Students are provided with the opportunity to actively serve others within the school and local community.

          2) Thriving Learners 

- Improve the wellbeing of students at St Carthages.

- Foster a school culture where all students feel seen, supported, and empowered through thoughtfully designed physical spaces that encourage social connection and personal growth.

- Staff engage with the new syllabus documents - Creative Arts & Science and Technology- so that they are confident they can implement these in 2026.

- Use student data, feedback, and observations to identify specific needs that ensure all programs are implemented with fidelity and adjustments are made as necessary.

         3) Sustainable Futures

- Establish a collaborative and trusting leadership team between the Principal, Assistant Principal - Learning and Teaching and the Assistant Principal - Mission fostering mutual respect, clear role definitions, and aligned vision to effectively support the school community.

Ash Wednesday and the Season of Lent

Ash Wednesday is on the 5th March and marks the beginning of Lent.

The word Lent comes from the Old English word ‘lencten’, meaning spring - the time of new life in the northern hemisphere. To move toward ‘new life,' fasting and prayer are practised in Lent as remembrance and reflection of our Lord’s fasting in the wilderness.

During this time, we often talk about what we are going to refrain from. We also discern what we are going to give. Pope Francis has previously told us almsgiving - donating money, goods or time to the poor - ‘sets us free from greed and helps us to regard our neighbour as a brother or sister. What I possess is never mine alone.'

Pope Francis not only underlines giving in Lent, but he warns against our culture that takes, uses or discards: ‘How many of God’s children are mesmerised by momentary pleasures, mistaking them for true happiness! How many men and women are entranced by the dream of wealth, which only makes them slaves to profit and petty interests! How many go through life believing that they are sufficient unto themselves, and end up entrapped by loneliness! How many young people are taken in by the panacea of drugs, of disposable relationships, of easy but dishonest gains! How many more are ensnared in a thoroughly digital existence, in which relationships appear quick and straightforward, only to prove meaningless!’

So this Lent, in fasting and giving, let us also think about what it is to take; what it is to discard others; what it is to deny the ‘least of our brothers and sisters.'

Kindergarten 2025

It was great to welcome our Kindergarten students and their families to our school on Monday and to see them happily arrive at school each day as the week progressed. I think that there will be some very tired little people tonight and I also think their teachers and support staff will also sleep well! 

Congratulations on a great start!

Please see photos below with more to come at a later date.

Child Protection and Child Safeguarding Policy

The Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools (DLCS) is wholly committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people.

As school communities and as individuals, we commit to fostering communities of safeguarding that recognise and uphold the dignity and rights of all children and young people. Our commitment is drawn from the teaching and mission of Jesus Christ, in love and justice, whereby the dignity and sacredness of each child is respected.

The DLCS and St Carthage's Primary School is committed to:

• a zero tolerance to the abuse of children and young people
• a culture of openness that supports the safe disclosure of risks of harm to children and young people
• involve families and carers for input and provide open and transparent information sharing
• appropriately vetting and engaging the most suitable people to work with children
• implementing current safeguarding procedures and practices underpinned by legislation, to maintain safe and supportive physical and online environments
• listening to the voices of children and young people as we constantly strive to remain alert and make improvements
• providing continuous training and education to our staff, volunteers and partners
• adequately resourcing our child safeguarding responsibilities
• responding sensitively, respectfully and in a timely manner, to those who bring forward a suspicion, concern, knowledge or allegation of abuse of a child or young person, in line with our lawful obligations and our Child Safeguarding Policy.

Our commitment to ensure a child safe environment and culture within our schools will continue to remain at the centre of our thinking and action. Our hope is for each child and young person entrusted to our care to experience the ‘fullness of life’ (DLCS mission) and we understand the essential role that safety and wellbeing play in achieving this vision.

For more information or to raise a concern, please visit the Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools Child Safeguarding website or to raise a concern, please contact here.

School Leaders 2025

Congratulations to all our Year 6 student leaders who will be our role models by setting the standard in terms of presentation, respect for all and appropriate behaviour at all times throughout this year. Special congratulations to our School Captains, Vice Captains and Colour House Captains for 2025:

School Captains:   Isabella Mullington and Billy Bradfield

Vice Captains:  Luka van der Walt and Henry Hogan

Colour House Captains

Carthage:  Ella Davey and Isaac Barry

D'Arcy:  Sassy Zorzo and Billy McCarthy

Doyle:  Georgia Dodds and Harrison Behan

Patrick:   Ruby Hall and Jack Hutley

Nagle:  Clancy Jeffery and Tobhi Olive-Conte

Thomas:  Maggie Hughes and Gus Collings

Welcome BBQ and Disco

The Welcome Barbeque and Disco will be held on Thursday evening, 6th March from 5.15pm - 7.00pm. This is an opportunity for us to come together as a school community to celebrate the new school year. 

Flyers will be sent home and if you are able to join us please fill out the return slip and return it to school for catering purposes.