Term 3 Week 6 2025

From the Principal

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

It was wonderful to see the characters in our much loved stories come to life on Tuesday for our Bookweek Parade. The students looked incredible and we certainly had some very popular characters there on the day - Elsa, T-rex, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Spiderman, The Breakfast Club, Matilda, Minecraft and so many more. One that stood out for me was the cane farmer. Imagine having the opportunity to dress up as any character from a book and choosing the cane farmer because this is what dad is. 

From Science Week to Book Week, our morning Come and See opportunities to showcase the learning our students have been engaging in to our Class Masses and sport today has made for a very big week for all and for good reason.

School life is made up of many moments – some that bring great joy and others that may not be our personal favourites. Yet each of these experiences plays an important role in shaping a child’s journey. School is often the first opportunity for students to step into a “mini society,” where they learn how to engage with others, celebrate together, and navigate both the fun and the challenges that come their way. Even on days or at events that may not spark their interest, students are developing the resilience, patience, and respect needed to participate fully in a community. These moments teach them that being part of something bigger than themselves sometimes means embracing experiences for the benefit of the whole, and that too is an important part of learning.

Thank you for being an active part of your child’s experiences in these special moments.

God Bless,

Lisa Fitzsimmons

Religious Life of the School

Dear families,

Class Masses

 This week, we began our Class Masses for the term, with our Year 3, 4, and 5 students gathering to celebrate together. We are very grateful to Fr. Manoj for leading us in a beautiful liturgy and sharing a thoughtful reflection on Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and how we can turn to her in prayer, trusting that she will bring our needs to her Son. The Mass was especially meaningful for our Year 4 students who received Holy Communion for the first time within our school and parish community. We also thank the families who joined us, your presence and support help make these celebrations of faith even more special.

Feast of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary (August 22), a beautiful reminder of Mary’s special place in God’s plan. As Queen of Heaven and Earth, Mary isn’t distant or grand in the worldly sense—she is a gentle, loving mother who continues to care for us and intercede on our behalf. Following the Feast of the Assumption, this celebration invites us to reflect on Mary’s closeness to God and her example of faith, humility, and compassion. In our school community, we look to Mary as a model of grace and service, encouraging our students to live with kindness and courage in their daily lives.

Sacramental Thanksgiving Mass

What a joyful occasion we shared last weekend as many of our Year 4 students received the Sacraments of Confirmation and First Holy Communion. This was a significant milestone in their faith journey, and we extend our heartfelt thanks to the families and parish community who supported and celebrated with them.

This Sunday, we come together once more as a parish family—at 9 am at the Sacred Heart Church in Ayr and 8 am at the St Colman’s Church in Home Hill—to celebrate Mass and give thanks to God for one another, for our families, and for the gift of the Holy Eucharist that nourishes and strengthens us. We warmly encourage all our sacramental candidates to join us for this special celebration.

God bless,

Maria 

Learning Corner

LEARNING and TEACHING

Every minute counts!

WHAT A FABULOUS WEEK!

This week, we celebrated both Science Week and Book Week at our school, and it was a time full of exciting activities!

On Monday afternoon, the school was buzzing with energy as classes joined forces to explore scientific concepts. Our Prep students received guidance from Year 6 students as they conducted their explorations. Meanwhile, students in Year 4/5 and 5B teamed up with Year 1 and 1/2B students to apply scientific principles in construction projects. Students in Years 3 and 4 engaged in a variety of experiments in groups. I believe the volcanoes were quite explosive.

The patience and support shown by the older students toward the younger ones were truly admirable. It was wonderful to see so many parents participating in the Science Week activities. I hope you experienced as much enjoyment and learning as the students.

Interest in Science is clearly growing at our school, as seen in the increasing number of students becoming STEMgineers under Mrs. Hutchesson's guidance.

Throughout Book Week, Mrs. Felesina entertained us by dressing as a different book character every day. The Book Week Parade was a wonderful display of creativity and a celebration of the diverse range of books our students have been reading.

PREMIER’S READING CHALLENGE

A big thank you to the parents who encourage their children to read and share their love of literature. Now that the Premier’s Reading Challenge has ended, I encourage everyone to keep reading and enjoying books.

If you have any Reading Record sheets at home, please send them in on Monday so we can finalize the Challenge and our school competition. Look out for the results in next week’s newsletter!

If you have a few minutes when you bring your child to school, do come together to spend some time in the library browsing our collection.

Enjoy the week ahead

Rita

Guidance Counsellor

SchoolTV has a free Digital Media Literacy & Safety (Part III) Webinar for parents on Tuesday 2 September at 7:30pm.  Please follow this link if you wish to register.

Grief & Loss

Community