Week 6 Term 4 2022
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 Families,
Thank you for your support of our celebrations for Catholic Schools Week last week. It was a very special week for our students and staff and we hope that you also enjoyed our activities. The most exciting part for us was having our school community back together. We started the week with a Mass, and for many of our students this was their first experience of Mass in the Cathedral. We were so proud of the reverence and grace shown by our students. We thank Fr Bing for celebrating this Mass with us. Students loved showing their classrooms and sharing morning tea with their families.
We thank Mr Tickle for organising our World Cup soccer tournament with our Stage 2 and 3 students. This was focussed on participation and fun and it was great to see the students supporting each other throughout the games and enjoying their time together.
Our Welcome Back Barbeque and Disco was a huge success and we were overwhelmed by the number of families who came along to share this evening with us. This was a great opportunity to catch up and reconnect with our school families.
Students really got into the spirit of a themed casual day and we saw many aspiring future wage earners.
Our next big event for families will be our Christmas Concert on Monday 12th December.
Presentation Day
On Monday 21st November, the Presentation Sisters around the world celebrate their Foundation Day, known as Presentation Day. Our school was founded by the Presentation Sisters 137 years ago so their history and involvement in our school, is an integral part of our history. Nano Nagle founded the sisters and we now have a Colour house named after her – Nagle House. Nano Nagle was born in 1718 in Ballygriffin in Ireland. She had 4 sisters and 2 brothers. Catholic schools were not allowed so Nano attended a forbidden ‘hedge’ school. When Nano was 12 she was smuggled to France for the education forbidden in Ireland. She was well educated, talented and enjoyed life in France but she decided to return to Ireland and teach the poor children. Nano found that this was not possible as the strict laws had not changed. She returned to France in order to become a religious sister and to be able to pray for her Irish people. Nano could not settle to this and knew that she had something important to do. She returned once again to Ireland and lived in Cork with her brother Joseph where she secretly taught children. Soon there were 7 schools being taught by Nano and some other ladies. When she wasn’t teaching, Nano was visiting the sick, poor and lonely around Cork. When it was dark she carried a lantern and soon she was known as the “Lady of the Lantern”. At age 57, Nano Nagle founded the Order of the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary – the Presentation Sisters. There were three ladies with her and she knew that a Religious Order was needed to carry on the work they were doing. She was a sick lady and on the 29th April 1784, she died. In 1886, a small group of sisters left Lucan in Ireland and came to Lismore to establish a Convent and schools. On 11th October 1886, St Carthage’s School was opened.
May the Spirit of Nano Nagle and her Sisters who have been a part of our school’s history, continue to grow in each of us.
Year One ad Year Two Excursions
Over the past couple of weeks our Year One and Year Two students have participated in their first school excursion. Our Year One students went to Summerland Farm and Year Two students went to Byron Wildlife Sanctuary. We thank our teachers for organising these great learning activities for our students.
Year Five Camp
Year Five students will be going to Camp Goodenough for their annual camp in a couple of weeks. They are very excited and are looking forward to participating in the many activities they will be participating in.
Christmas Concert
Our school Christmas Concert will be held on Monday, 12th December starting at 5:15pm with a BYO picnic tea. For those families who are not coming to the picnic tea, we will require all children to be at school at 5:45pm for a 6:00pm start. All our families are invited to bring a chair or picnic blanket along to enjoy the evening’s performance. Students are asked to wear their sports shorts and shoes, with a green or red t-shirt, Christmas T-shirt or Colour House shirt. They may wear a Santa hat or tinsel on their head. Year 6 students who have a character role will have their costume provided. All students are expected to participate in this concert, but if your child is unable to do so, please advise their teacher in writing by Friday, 2nd December. An invitation is extended to all our new families who will be joining St Carthage’s School community in 2023.
End of Year Mass
On Thursday, 15th December we will celebrate the conclusion of our 2022 school year with Mass at 9:30am in the Cathedral. At the conclusion of Mass, we will farewell the 2022 Year 6 students and the 2023 student School Leaders will be announced. All members of our school community are invited to join
us for this important celebration.
School Reports
School Reports will be sent home on Friday, 9th December. 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, 2023, to catch up with your child’s new teacher. If you feel the need for an interview, please contact your child’s teacher directly.
Mathematics Assessment Interview Bookings 2023 - Reminder
Bookings are now open for our Mathematics Assessment Interviews (MAI) for next year for our Year One to Year Six students. MAIs will take place on Monday 30th January and Tuesday 31st January 2023. To make a booking go to: https://www.schoolinterviews.com.au/code/9fygg
or use the QR code below:
Follow the prompts to make your booking/s. Please remember to select the year level your child/ren will be in next year (2023).
Bookings must be finalised by Friday 2nd December at 3pm.
The Sacrament of Eucharist - First Holy Communion
Year 4 students are involved in the preparation for the Sacrament of Eucharist or Holy Communion. This is the final step in the process of initiation when one can fully participate in the Eucharist by receiving Holy Communion. Eucharist is a unique sacrament as it is central to the Catholic Faith where we encounter the real presence of God.
The students have been learning about the different parts of the Mass and how the presence of Jesus is found in the Eucharist, the Gospel, the Priest and in the congregation.
A most important part of celebrating Eucharist occurs at the conclusion of Mass (the Dismissal) when the priest reminds us that we are sent to continue Jesus’ mission and to live our lives according to the will of
God. We are then called to go forth to live our lives as true followers of Jesus.
There is only one Mass for First Holy Communion - Sunday 27th November at 5:30pm.
We ask you to please keep these children in your prayers as they continue this journey.
Our School Story -
the Feast of the Presentation
- Passion for those made poor and for changing the structures of society that made and kept people poor
- Zeal – doing “all in her power” to change the way things were for those made poor
- Courage and
- Trust in Divine Providence.
The Presentation Order
accompanies St Carthage's
The Sisters in Lismore have accompanied our school since that time and still, to this day, are caring for our community.
During the recent flood events our school and families received support in so many ways. We are forever indebted to the example of Nano Nagle and the Presentation Order - past, present and future.
Like Mary and Nano, everyone at St Carthage’s is asked to Let your light shine!
- Say ‘Yes’ to God - just like Mary did
- Care for others like Nano Nagle
A Thank you from Catholic Mission
(Faith in Action)
Dear Friends,
Thank you for your generous donation supporting the work of Catholic Mission and giving life to what we do. Your kindness and faithfulness inspire us, and we are ever grateful for you.
Your support makes an incredible difference to the lives of tens of thousands of children, their communities and Church leaders in Australia and around the world who are impacted through Catholic Mission programs and the global work of the Pontifical Mission Societies.
Your school’s gift through Socktober helps to ensure that mission partners like Father Habte in Emdibir, Ethiopia can continue supporting families, like Neela’s, and their communities, being the hands and feet of Jesus and bringing hope to those in need.
We hope that you are inspired by the part you play in this missionary journey and the life-giving work that you help bring to be. To find out more ways to make an impact, visit catholicmission.org.au.
On behalf of missionaries around the world, thank you for your faith in action.
Sincerely,
Fr Brian Lucas
National Director
Year 3 RED News!
Thank you to the Sisters and our wonderful teacher Mrs Melissa Winkler-Dunn for combining to ensure students in Year 3 RED received a beautiful personal set of Rosary beads. The children were so excited to share their learning! Thanks to Nash, Claudia and Elly-Mae for sharing their learning with me!
Year 5 Leadership Day is coming up!
This program is provided for the Year 5 students to bring a focus upon their leadership roles in the new year. The program aims to lead the students to develop a clearer understanding of their personal skills and gifts and how these might be best used in their roles as leaders in 2023. Thank you to our Year 5 teachers for organising this Day!
Parish Youth Mass
The next Parish Youth Mass and BBQ will be in the New Year on Saturday 12 February, 2023. Mark the date in your diary!
$20 Boss Market Day
$20 Boss Market Day - Coming soon on Tuesday, Week 8!
Where: St Carthage’s School Quad
When: Tuesday 29th November
Time: 12:20- 1:10pm and 2:20-2:50pm
All students from Year 5 and 6 will set up and operate a market stall to sell and/or advertise their business, products and services that they have created this semester. Family and friends are invited to visit the market throughout the afternoon. All students across the school will access the market throughout the afternoon.
Information about the program:
This semester, the Year 5 and 6 students at St Carthage’s have been participating in the $20 Boss immersive learning program during their digital technology lessons with Mrs Loadsman. The program was developed in consultation with students and educators and was designed to build the enterprise skills of young people, better preparing them for a future of work.
The program gives students $20 of funding per student to create, launch and operate their own venture over the course of a semester. Students were encouraged to work in groups and have been learning key elements of social entrepreneurship. They have also focussed on how to create social good by benefiting humanity and/or the environment through their business. The $20 Boss program is aligned with the National Curriculum across English, Economics, Business and Mathematics.
Please direct any questions to Mrs Hayley Loadsman
hayley.loadsman@lism.catholic.edu.au
Please view the digital advertisements and prices for each group’s business here.
