Newsletter 11th December 2024 - Term 4 Week 9
Principal's Message
Dear Parent/Carer,
This is our final Newsletter for 2024. The next week is full of so many celebrations, events and festivities in our school as we celebrate the end of a wonderful school year. This is also my final Newsletter as Acting Principal of St Therese’s. I would like to thank all the staff, especially the Leadership Team, for working with me throughout the year, to continue to ensure St Therese’s is a positive and vibrant school. Thank you also to the parents/carers for your support to continue to build our community. We have had so many great events this year, such as termly Liturgies and Open Classrooms, Athletics Carnival, Art Trail, Inaugural St Therese’s Ball, Book Week Activities, Poetry Evenings, Christmas Carols Night, Christmas Craft Day and Swimming Carnival. Finally thank you to our beautiful students, your laughter, energy and enthusiasm bring joy to the school each day.
I would like to wish our Year 6 students, and all students leaving St Therese’s for new schools in 2025, all the very best for your journey ahead. I wish all families a Merry Christmas, and a safe and happy holiday. School will resume for Year 1-6 on Tuesday 4 February and Kindergarten will start school on Thursday 6 February.
2025 Student Leadership Team
Following Year 5 leadership speeches over the past two weeks, it gives me great pleasure to announce the Student Leadership Team for 2025.
School Captains: Maeve Healey and Tighe Crosby
Student Council:
- Social Justice Team - Max Checkley & Maeve Healey
- PB4L Team - Sienna Gregson-Woods & Jerome Gavin
- Environmental Team - Tighe Crosby & Alexi Apostolovski
- Active Lifestyle Team - Georgie Apostolovski & Jack Moran
Sport Captains:
- Casey (Blue) House - Chase Moran and Lucy Collie
- Cyril (Gold) House - Reid Moorgev and Grace O'Neill
- Walsh (Green) House - Emilio Smerekanycz and Andrea Pilley
- Wright (Red) House - Oliver Hall and Amelia Hansen-Earley
Reports and Classes for 2025
Reports will be opened on Compass on Friday 13 December at 4:30pm. Parents/Carers will also receive an email with your class 2025 class and teacher. Please check your Spam folder if you cannot find this in your inbox. The emails will be sent out at approximately 4:30pm on Friday 13 December.
Working Bee
My apologies, there seems to be a miscommunication with the alternate date for the Working Bee, which took place yesterday morning. Bunnings planted many plants and fruit trees, and most of the playground equipment has been installed as well. We are still waiting on two cubby houses to be installed. This area is looking lovely, and I am sure will be enjoyed by students for many years.
Christmas Masses
We invite you all to Christmas Masses at St Therese’s Church, the times for these can be found in the Newsletter.
Kaylene Maretich
Acting Principal
Assistant Principal's Message
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
I want to wish all the St Therese’s community a very Happy Christmas and fantastic New Year. As I am leaving for St John Vianney Primary School, I wanted to say thank you for my year at St Therese’s. The community has been so supportive of me from my very first day. You are very lucky to have such wonderful students, dedicated staff and helpful parent community.
Mark Konik
Acting Assistant Principal
Catholic Identity & Curriculum
Catholic Culture News
Francis' Focus – Who better to help guide us in the true depth and meaning of our Catholic faith than the charismatic and authentic leader of our Church, Pope Francis. Below, Pope Francis reflects upon Sunday’s Gospel and what our preparation through Advent calls us to be as we move towards the celebration and true meaning of Christmas – may our hearts be opened by the Grace of God to the loving presence of Christ so that, in turn, we can open our hearts with love towards the needs of one another:
‘The voice of the Baptist still cries in the deserts of humanity today’, says Pope Francis. There is, the Pope observes, a desert of indifference in our world filled with ‘closed minds and hardened hearts.’
During Advent we are all called to heed the Baptist’s cry. Christians, the Pope suggests, should therefore repent from any selfish inaction on our part. We cannot simply affirm that ‘we’re okay’ because we are Christian and that ‘things are fine as they are and we don’t need any kind of conversion.’
Rather, the Pope encourages us to ask ourselves whether ‘we have within us the same feelings that Jesus has? Is it true that we feel as Christ feels?’ Do we see the needs of others – for forgiveness, companionship, or aid – or are we focused on ourselves?
Having heard the cry, we are also called to share the Baptist’s mission to make Jesus known. And the best way to preach the Gospel, the Pope advises, ‘is to open a door.’
We open a door to belief when our faith is lived authentically and we are attentive to those around us. We must ‘lay low the mountains of pride’, the Pope affirms, ‘fill in the ravines dug by indifference and apathy’, and ‘make straight the paths of our laziness and our compromises.’
Religious Education
Thank you for your support of Religious Education throughout the year. This is an essential wellspring of our Catholic Identity as a school and one that allows our students to not only learn about religious knowledge, other faiths, and the Catholic Tradition as an authentic subject within the curriculum, but also provides opportunities for students’ hearts to be opened to an encounter with God through the presence and transformative power of the Holy Spirit.
I wish you a happy and holy Christmas and may the festive season be filled with joy and peace for you all. God Bless!
Prayer, Celebration & Mission
First Holy Communion – Last Saturday (7th Dec.) at the 8am Mass, two of our students (Zoe O. & Henry B.) made their First Holy Communion. They had been unable to receive the sacrament earlier in the year with the rest of the cohort, so we thank Fr Velerian and the parishioners present for making this Mass such a special occasion for these students and their families.
St John’s Villa Christmas Celebration – On Wednesday 27th November our Year 5 students and teachers, accompanied by myself and Miss Soo (Youth Ministry Worker), went to the aged-care facility, St John’s Villa to conclude the year with a special Christmas celebration. Throughout the year, this has been a wonderful connection between our students and the residents of the villa. The students and residents worked together to decorate our Christmas banner and shared in a morning tea. Then some of our brave students entertained the residents with their musical talents. We even enjoyed a special surprise visit from Santa!
St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal – This festive season we remember those who are less fortunate than ourselves and so ask all families throughout the school to bring in the following items based upon student's grade. These items will be packed into hampers by members of our local St Vincent de Paul chapter and delivered to those in need this Christmas. Thanks so much to those families who have already sent in their contributions - we will be receiving donations up until the last day of school (Wednesday 18th Dec.).
Kinder – sweet biscuits, fruit cakes
Year 1 – lollies, cordial
Year 2 – breakfast cereals, long life milk
Year 3 – chips, nibbles
Year 4 – tinned fruit & vegetables
Year 5 – cake mixes, spreads
Year 6 – savoury biscuits, spreads
Advent – This coming Sunday, 15th December, marks the 3rd Sunday of Advent.
Christmas Mass Times – Please see the times below for Christmas Masses across the 3 parish centres. Reminder also to email me directly if your child/ren are available to be involved in the dramatization of the Gospel during the 6:30pm Christmas Eve Mass (as per the recent Compass notification - luke.smith@mn.catholic.edu.au):
Luke Smith
RE Coordinator
School Community News
Poetry Performance Nights
Congratulations to all the students who recited their poetry at the Comedy Club last week over two nights! The poems were brilliant, with all themes covered showcasing the individuality and talent of our students. These clever poets kept the audience highly engaged, with many moments of comedy! A special thank you to Susan Sheridan for her wonderful job as the MC and all her dedication to the Poetry Club. Also, thanks to Mrs McNeil for her support of the Poetry Club and work collating their own anthology, they are now published authors! What makes this event special too is the venue. Thank you to the Newcastle Comedy Club who kindly donated this space for the children to perform. We can’t wait for Poetry Club 2025!
Playgroup
Our last playgroup! We will be having a little party, jumping castle and some great (possibly edible) crafts!
9.15-11 in the hall.
We look forward to seeing you all there. Contact Simone 0402305446 for further details. Here are some pics from the last couple of weeks!
School Badges
School badges are available for sale at the office for $5.
Volunteering
Throughout the year, we welcome all parents/carers to volunteer at the school. To volunteer, you must complete the volunteer's induction. This process can take up to 6 weeks, so you are encouraged to complete this early.
School Fees
Fees should be finalised by the end of November, unless a payment plan has been negotiated with the school. Thank you to all those families who have already paid. If you require assistance or more information, please contact the office on 4957 4922 or admin@newlambton.catholic.edu.au
Principal Awards
Congratulations and thank you, children, for upholding the values and principles of St Therese’s. The following students will receive a Principal’s Award in their classroom next week.
KN - Alan J, Hattie W, Gigi M, Violet C, Clare C, Jackson C, Hazel K
1N - Otto B, Samuel R
1W - Isla C
2N - Leo M, Zara M
2L - Bexley G, Maeve C
4N - Elana B, Charlie F, Henry B, Oliver W, Max W
4W - Alex P
4L - Archie S, Vincent N, Sadie S
5N - Liam E, Stella R, Lucia F, Olivia H, Thomas L, Noah M, Oscar Y
5W - Noah B, Eloise C, Audrey J, Brianna H
5L - Tighe C
6N - Noah J
6W - Eden H, Jack T, Annabel S, Ryder P, Aria H, Mackenzie H, Bailey B, Olive L, Isaiah B, Elvis B, Ryan V, Ella R, Ly M, Noah K, Brock H, Hudson G, Lachlan C
6L - Rosie W
Wellbeing
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you as parents and carers for your incredible support this year in our inaugural year of implementation. Thank you for your beautiful feedback throughout the year and thank you most importantly, for bringing The Resilience Project into your home with GEM Chats, conversations with your children and for engaging with the TRP Take Home Sheets. This helps us to cultivate a GEM Culture across our whole school community.
The Resilience Project is continuing at St Therese's next year, bigger and better and we cannot wait to introduce you to new aspects of the program in 2025!
Please take a few minutes to share your feedback with this short survey which will help us to plan for 2025 and assist us to evaluate the effectiveness of the program in its first year at St Therese's.
https://forms.office.com/r/vXA1vtBFSu
Melissa Pyers & Danika Graham
Sport
Swimming Carnival
On Monday the 9th we had our school swimming Carnival at the Forum. All student who went to the carnival participated in the races, celebrations and showed team sportsmanship.
The staff are very proud of all the children who participated and would like to congratulate them on their efforts.
Well Done All.
Jye Bowen
Sports Coordinator
Important Dates
11Dec - Yr 6 Graduation Liturgy & Awards
- Busking 4 Vinnies
12Dec - Yr 6 Motiv8 Sports Day
16Dec - Infants Speers Point Park Excursion
18Dec - Final Assembly 9:30am
- Last Day School for Students
04Feb - First Day Yr1-Yr6
06Feb - First Day Kinder