From the Assistant Principal Mission - Mr Brendan Tickle

Reconciliation and Eucharist Retreat

Last Friday, our students participated in a beautiful Reconciliation and Eucharist Retreat that offered them the opportunity to deepen their understanding of God’s love and forgiveness.

Throughout the day, students engaged in a variety of small group activities, games, prayer, and reflection, all designed to help them explore the meaning of these important sacraments. The retreat created a calm and supportive space for students to reflect on their relationship with God and how they can share His love with others.

It was a meaningful day filled with learning, laughter, and faith, and we are so proud of the reverence and enthusiasm our students showed throughout the experience.

We thank our staff for their guidance and care in leading the retreat, and we look forward to continuing this journey of faith together as the students prepare to receive the Sacraments.

School drop off/pick up

We have recently been contacted by local residents who have been unable to enter or exit their driveways in Leycester Street due to parked vehicles. We understand that Leycester Street is a public road and many of the vehicles may not be associated with our school. If you are parking or dropping off near the school, please ensure that driveways remain clear and accessible at all times.

We greatly appreciate your cooperation and understanding.

Thank you for your support.

Year 1 Faith, Fun & Family Night

Our Year 1 Faith, Fun & Family Night is coming up soon, and we are looking forward to sharing this special evening with our students and their families.

An invitation with all the details has been sent to families via Compass. This is a wonderful opportunity for families to come together, enjoy some fun activities, and share in our faith as a community.

We encourage all Year 1 families to join us for an evening of connection, laughter, and celebration.

We can’t wait to see you there!

Parent Courses

NSW CCSP Parent Conference

The NSW Council of Catholic School Parents are hosting a special 30-year anniversary Parent Conference in Sydney. Keynote speakers include Justin Coulson, Michelle Mitchell and Daniel Principe. Conference tickets cost $30, and parents/carers need to arrange their own travel and accommodation in Sydney. For more information and to book, go to https://www.ccsp.catholic.edu.au/2025-conference.

OnLineTraining

ADHD: This short course was developed with the help of Parents for ADHD Advocacy Australia (PAAA). This course is aimed at supporting the parents and carers of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Other people may also find it helpful, such as other relatives, teacher assistants, and teachers.

Autism: This short course is directed at parents and carers of children with autism. Other people may also find it helpful, such as other relatives, teacher assistants, and teachers.

Parents of children who’ve been identified on the autism spectrum have been interviewed to identify the issues that concern them the most. This is reflected in the videos throughout this short course.

Please find more information about the courses on the OLT platform linked here.

The Family Centre

Attendance 

We would like to thank our parents and carers for supporting your child to attend school each and every day. Your commitment plays a vital role in their learning, growth and connection to our school community.

We also sincerely appreciate your care in keeping your child home when they are unwell, helping to ensure the health and well being of all students and staff.

Currently, our whole-school attendance rate sits at 92.5%, and we are grateful for the continued partnership of our families in maintaining strong attendance across all year levels.

As part of our routine attendance monitoring, in Week 6 families of students whose attendance is currently below 90% may receive COMPASS communication. This message is intended to inform you of your child’s current attendance rate and forms part of our responsibility to keep families updated.

We understand that there are often valid and explained reasons for absences and you may have already provided this information to the school. There is no action required from parents, this is simply to ensure that you are aware of your child’s attendance level.

Thank you again for your ongoing support in ensuring your child is at school, ready to learn and thrive.

PBS

As part of our Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) program, we continue to promote positive behaviours that help create a safe and respectful learning environment for all.

In Weeks 3 and 4, our whole-school focus is on Being Safe – in all areas.
Students are learning and reminded that:
“I keep my hands, feet, and objects to myself.”
This important message helps ensure that everyone feels safe and respected at school.

In Weeks 5 and 6, our focus shifts to Being Responsible – in the playground.
We are encouraging students to:

• Listen carefully when the teacher is speaking

• Follow instructions the first time they are given

We appreciate your support in reinforcing these messages at home, helping our students grow into safe, respectful, and responsible members of our school community.

Help Us Save Lives – Join the St Carthage’s Blood Drive

The Red Cross is running a Schools Blood Drive from 1 August to 31 October, and we’re inviting all St Carthage’s parents, carers, and family members to get involved.

St Carthage’s has an ongoing team registered with the Red Cross, allowing us to track the number of lives saved through our collective donations. It's an inspiring way for our school community to come together and make a real difference.

Did you know? Every blood donation has the potential to save up to three lives. Whether you’re a regular donor or thinking about donating for the first time, your contribution can have a powerful impact.

If you’d like to be part of the St Carthage’s Blood Drive, simply register with the Red Cross and join our school team. The reception staff at the Donor Centre will help you register for our school team. 

Let’s show the strength of our community by rolling up our sleeves and helping those in need!

Welcome Sr Ninfa

From 19th June, you may have seen a new face around the parish.
Sr Susan Ninfa Escala Timbal of the Holy Family has joined Sr Evelyn and Sr Di here at St Carthage’s Parish.

Sr Ninfa has 34 years in Consecrated Life and was born in Tagbilaran City, Bohol Province, Philippines. She has spent 14 years in Indonesian Missions assisting in the formation of younger sisters, the spiritual formation of younger people and assisting at the Campus ministry in two Catholic Universities.

The rest of her time has been spent in the Philippines assisting the Provincial Government as Secretary and campus ministry in a Catholic University and some Parochial Schools.

Sr Ninfa loves to sing, dance, listen to people and share her Carmelite/Palautian spirituality. Her personal vision for her ministry in Lismore:
“I envision a ministry where family members are being assisted in the deepening of their relationship with the Triune God in faith, hope and charity, empowering them to become witnesses of this relationship in the society”.

Please make Sr Ninfa feel welcome when you see her.