Week 4 Term 4 2020
Aboriginal Acknowledgement
As we come to gather 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,
On Sunday we celebrated the Feast of All Saints which in Australia is celebrated on November 1st.
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. The feast of All Saints first appeared in the fourth century when the Eastern Church introduced a feast to celebrate martyrs on the Sunday after Pentecost. The Eastern Church still observes All Saints’ Day on the first Sunday after Pentecost.
By the seventh century, the feast was being observed in the West and included those saints who were not martyrs. The present date of 1st November follows a tradition established in England and Ireland.
All Saints’ Day is celebrated by Christians from a number of different traditions. Because of our differing understandings of the identity and function of the saints, however, the liturgical practices associated with the feast vary. For Roman Catholics, All Saints is a day to remember, venerate, imitate and invoke the saints.
We venerate the saints as human beings transformed by the grace of God. When we celebrate the feast of a saint, we give glory to God who has done marvellous things in the life of one of us.
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.
NAIDOC Celebrations
Next week we will celebrate NAIDOC Week at school. As you are aware this special week was transferred to next week due to Covid.
The NAIDOC 2020 theme - Always Was, Always Will Be. - recognises that First Nations people have occupied and cared for this continent for over 65,000 years.
It is an opportunity for all Australians to come together to celebrate the rich history, diverse cultures and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the oldest continuing cultures on the planet.
Always Was, Always Will Be. acknowledges this nation’s story. NAIDOC 2020 invites all Australians to embrace and acknowledge the history of this country – a history which dates back thousands of generations.
The very first footprints on this continent were those belonging to First Nations peoples and we have maintained ongoing spiritual and cultural connections to the land and sea.
All Australians should celebrate has that we have some of the world’s oldest oral stories and it’s about seeing, hearing and learning the 65,000+ year history of this country – a country that was criss-crossed by generations of brilliant Nations.
Mr Condie has organised activities for all our students to acknowledge this special week.
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.
Next Wednesday, 11th November each class will pray together and observe a minute's silence.
Staff Changes 2021
Miss Buchanan has accepted a 12 month position at Mt St Patrick’s Primary School, Murwillumbah and Mr Jack Sheridan has taken leave from his full-time position for the 2021 school year. We wish both Tanya and Jack all the best for 2021.
Visitor/Disabled Carpark
There are limited spaces in our Visitor carpark near the Office entrance. This area is for short term parking between the hours of 9:15am – 2:45pm. Between 8:30am-9:15am and 2:45pm-3:30pm use of the Visitor/Disabled Carpark is restricted to only parents or students entitled to Disability Parking. It is not a pick up or drop off area for parents use before or after school. Again, no cars should be parked on the driveway at any time.
School Reports
School Reports will be sent home on Friday, 11th December. If you feel the need for an interview, please contact your child’s teacher directly. Some parents may not feel that an interview is required at this time and may prefer to wait for our interview period early in Term 1, 2021 to catch up with your child’s new teacher.
World Teachers Day 2020
Last Friday was World Teacher’s Day – it was a great opportunity for us to thank the wonderful teachers we have here at St Carthage's. Due to all the challenges of this year I am sure our teachers have demonstrated the important role they play in guiding, inspiring and nurturing each and every student here at St Carthage's. We are so grateful for their constant hard work and dedication.
Mathematics Assessment Interviews
Our Mathematics Assessment Interviews for Years One to Six will take place on Thursday 28th January and Friday 29th January. A note will come home early next week with instructions on how to make a booking for your child/ren. Please remember to book an interview for the grade they will be in next year.
The first day for students from Years One to Six will be Monday 1st February 2021.
Best Start Literacy Assessment and Mathematics Assessment Interviews for Kindergarten 2021
Children start school with a range of early literacy and numeracy knowledge, skills and understandings. Many students are already engaging with the world around them to express their ideas. Many students start school knowing a range of things about numbers, patterns and basic mathematical ideas.
The Best Start Kindergarten Assessment is a statewide assessment that helps teachers identify the literacy and numeracy skills of each student at the beginning of
Kindergarten. The assessment provides teachers with information on how to best support each student’s needs at school.
At St Carthage's we use the Best Start Literacy Assessment and the Mathematics Assessment Interview to identify the literacy and numeracy skills of our students entering Kindergarten.
The Best Start Kindergarten Assessment and Mathematics Assessment Interview supports teachers to develop teaching and learning programs that build upon
what students know and can do. Teachers sit with the child one on one focusing on what they can do. The assessment does not require any preparation.
Teachers will provide parents and carers with information about the skills their child demonstrated during the assessment. All children learn at different rates and parents do not need to be concerned if their child can’t answer all of the
questions.
The Best Start Literacy Assessment and the Mathematics Assessment Interview will take place on Thursday 28th January through to Tuesday 2nd February. This is a one on one interview and will take approximately 1 hour and will be conducted by your child's teacher for 2021. The first day of school for Kindergarten students will be on Wednesday 3rd February 2021.
A note will be sent out early next week outlining how to book an interview time for you child.
Encouraging students to move from their Heads to their Hearts to their Hands...
St Vincent De Paul provides much support for local families who are in need. Due to COVID restrictions aimed at keeping our community safe, this year’s Christmas Hamper Collection will be a little different.
We will have two major efforts to collect funds this year:
First, Year 5 students and teachers are organising a FUN FRIDAY for the 13th of NOVEMBER – Students and staff are encouraged to wear CASUAL CLOTHES on that day (Hats and enclosed shoes need to be worn). A GOLD coin is requested on that day - proceeds will go to St Vincent De Paul in the form of GROCERIES ONLY CARDS.
Second, St Vincent De Paul have invited all families to either make a cash donation to be converted to grocery gift cards or to purchase one of the following type of gift cards:
Woolworths Groceries Only Card or
Coles Groceries Only Card or
IAG Groceries Only Card
ALL DONATIONS SHOULD BE PLACED INTO AN ENVELOPE MARKED - SVDP - CHRISTMAS DONATIONS
Cash Donations or Pre-bought Cards will be collected from the School Office on 16th December.
Our donations at Christmas support families who need extra support and help us all celebrate the Feast of Christmas. Your support shows that there are members of our community who care for them.
St Carthage’s Conference of St Vincent De Paul thank you sincerely for your continued support and pray that all in your school community share in the blessings of Christmas.
$ 709 !!!! Raised from our CRAZY SOCKS DAY!
Thank you to all the children, families and staff who made our annual Crazy Socks Day for Catholic Mission such a HUGE success!! This was our best effort so far and Mr Whitney has already sent your contributions to CATHOLIC MISSION.
Our money will go to help Catholic Mission - For more information about Catholic Mission go to https://www.catholicmission.org.au/
Loving God,
We pray for the children all over the world who are challenged by
disability, especially those children, cared for at the Arrupe Centre in Cambodia.
We pray for Bishop Kike and the staff at the Arrupe centre: May they feel
blessed in the work they do as they “reach out and give life.”
Please grant all people at the Arrupe Centre the loving touch of your
compassion as they walk together as the Body of Christ. Amen
Rest in Peace Mrs Thomson
Recently members of staff met and members of Jeni's close family gathered to pay our respects to Jeni's great work with our children. Numbers were limited due to COVID but the occasion was the first time all of Jeni's family were able to gather together.
The Scripture chosen, from the Book of Jeremiah, speaks of a potter working to form vessels out of clay. Like the potter, Jeni also worked quietly to form the many children within her care.
“Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will let you hear my words.” So I went down to the potter's house, and there he was working at his wheel. And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter's hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do. The Word of the Lord
We also dedicated a plaque in Jeni's name and it is now safely placed into our Remembrance Garden.
Finally, we all need at times to have an uplifting breath of fresh air to help us get through a challenging day or week. Take a few minutes to listen to Walk on Water - a joyful worship hymn which paints a smile on life!
Richmond Zone Summer Sports Trials
After months of no sport, it is great to see the representative pathways for sport open back up. The Richmond Zone Summer Sports Trials were held on Thursday 29th October. The storm thankfully passed and the students were able to commence their trials shortly after 4:00pm. As usual, our students represented our school with maturity, respect and sportsmanship. Congratulations to the following students who attended the trials:
Cricket: Zachary Cohen, Alister Gapes & Hugh Martin
Tennis: Jackson Conte, Jessica Holmes, Xavier Kay, Samuel Lovegrove & Lachlan Pidcock
Touch Football: Rugby Allen, Jesse Cooper, Macy Field, Kirra Fowler, Zara Hellyar, Lachlan Johnson, Indy Lacson, Hugh Marshall, Lenny McDonald, Case McQuilty, Lily O'Sullivan, Theo Rogusz & Ethan Welman
The Lismore Diocesan Summer Sports Trial will be held on Tuesday 24th November for Tennis and Friday 27th November for Basketball, Cricket, Softball and Touch Football. We wish the best of luck to Darcy Drooger, Murphy Ware (basketball), Zachary Cohen (cricket), Jessica Holmes, Xavier Kay (tennis), Macy Field, Indy Lacson, Jessie Cooper, Lenny McDonald, Case McQuilty & Theo Rogusz (touch football) as they progress to the next representative level for their respective sports.
Sporting Schools Program
St Carthage’s was successful in receiving a Sporting Schools Grant for Term 4. The funding will be used to purchase equipment and provide a cricket and rugby league program. All students will have the opportunity to participate in a session of rugby league or cricket, with some grades participating in multiple sessions. The external providers deliver a very enjoyable and beneficial session.
St Carthage’s Swimming Trials
The St Carthage’s Swimming Trials will be held on Wednesday 2nd December at the Lismore Memorial Baths. This is the first stage of the representative pathway for swimming. Participation is encouraged, although it is important to note that this is a competitive event. It is therefore important that your child is proficient in all of the events that they have nominated for.
Students that are turning 7-11 years old in 2020 are invited to complete the online nomination form. It is important that both the online nomination form and the permission slip is completed and returned to school by Friday 20th November. The events include:
- 50m Freestyle, Breaststroke, Backstroke, Butterfly
- 100m Freestyle
- 200m IM
Due to COVID restrictions, our swimming trials are closed to family members and the public. We look forward to restrictions easing and hope that you can attend our sporting events in 2021.
The permission slip has been sent home today.
Please click here to access the online nomination form.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
Happy Birthday to all the Staff and Students that have a birthday at this time.
Gigi Zorzo, Laura Brickhill, Charlie Hills, Sophia Saxby, Zane Lancaster, Callum Lancaster,Adelaide McFarlane, Ella Klemm, Oscar Maher, Scarlett Ware, Jemma Copas, Cade Evely, Brandi Worrad, Olivia Harris, Dylan O'Brien, Bridget conlan, Darcy De Weerdt, Eliza Zwiers, Henry Begley, Willow Irwin, Kai Smith, Charlotte Baker, Lane Edmonds, Darcy Paisley, Hamish Bligh-Jones, Dane Buchan and Sam McKay.
Next week we are celebrating NAIDOC Week here at the school and we have several activities planned. This year the date has been held back nationally because of the recent pandemic and therefore will look a bit different to other years. Furthermore, the Lismore NAIDOC at the showgrounds have been cancelled this year as well.
This theme for 2020 is ‘Always Was, Always Will Be’ and this highlights the long connection indigenous people have with the land we walk on together. For thousands of years our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have lived, thrived and survived in this place we now call Australia. We are very proud of our culture and history that is at least 60,000 years old. However, all Australians should be proud as well of this amazing fact.
The knowledge that indigenous people have about this land is something that needs to be respected. For example, the recent bushfires that we experienced over the last year could have been reduced if we utilised indigenous fire management practices. Slowly this is starting to happen in some places in Australia and needs to continue.
On Monday we have Aunty Delta Kay (Arakwal-Bundjalung) coming from Byron Bay to share her history and culture. Uncle Mick Roberts and Aunty Thelma James (Widjabal-Bundjalung) will be here on Wednesday to share knowledge from the local Lismore area. All students will be involved in a poster/colouring in competition that will look at the 2020 theme. Other activities will be prayers, library display, dreamtime stories and Aboriginal art. Later in the month we have cultural educator Paul Crafty visiting who was unable to make it after the border was lockdown in August.
So we have many great things planned for NAIDOC Week!!
STAY DEADLY!!! - ‘deadly’ for Aboriginal people means great, awesome and cool.
Many thanks
Mr Condie
Indigenous Teacher Aide
Prayer of Aboriginal People
(For the Pope's visit to Australia in 1986, Aboriginal people composed the following prayer for the ceremony in Alice Springs. This prayer now is prayed by many Catholic Aboriginal groups around the country.)
Father of all, you gave us the Dreaming.
You have spoken to us through our beliefs.
You then made your love clear to us in the person of Jesus.
We thank you for your care. You own us.
You are our hope. Make us strong as we face the problems of change.
We ask you to help the people of Australia to listen to us and respect our culture.
Make the knowledge of you grow strong in all people, so that you can be at home in us and we can
make a home for everyone in our land.
Amen.
Positive Partnerships
Lismore Toy Library is open and welcomes you!
Lismore Toy Library is currently offering 25% off memberships and gift vouchers until December 15th. We are run by volunteers and volunteer members will receive a huge 50% discount! So come in to join up or renew!
Non-volunteer $60/year (normally $80)
Concession non-volunteer $45/year (normally $60)
3-month non-volunteer $22.50 (normally $30)
Volunteer $20/year (normally $40)
This Christmas, instead of buying more toys (and packaging), give someone you love a Lismore Toy Library gift voucher. It’s the gift that keeps on giving!