Newsletter Term 1 Week 2 (Wednesday 12th February 2025)

Our Newsletter

We want to keep everyone in the loop! Our weekly newsletter is here to update you on school activities and important information. By reading it each week, you can better support your child and help them stay prepared for events like excursions or special dress days. The newsletter is sent out every Wednesday during term time and can be referred to anytime, as past newsletters are archived on our website and available through your Compass notifications.

Our termly calendar was sent home with students this week. Just remember to check the newsletter each week, as changes can happen throughout the term. It provides current and vital information for parents, caregivers, and students. We know life gets busy, but taking a moment each week to read the newsletter will make a big difference for your child. Thanks for staying connected with us!

Our Gospel Reflection

Luke 5:1-11 - Fish in the Sea of Divine Life

Peter was a fisherman. Jesus had been brought up in a carpenter’s household. Jesus tells Peter when and how to fish. This gets under Peter’s skin. He tells Jesus a few facts of life about night fishing on the Lake of Gennesaret. But, he gives in to this landlubber’s directive and casts out the nets and hauls in a very good catch.

Jesus wants to come into the rhythm of our ordinary workaday lives. Surprising things may then happen. You may be commissioned by Our Lord Jesus Christ to become ‘fishers of men’, fishers of human beings. But don’t fishermen fish the fish out of the sea and kill them?

Is being caught up in the net of Christianity to be a deadening experience? Having this in mind, St Luke used a word for netting fish for an aquarium. We who have been caught up in the net of Christianity are meant to be more alive than ever, ‘fully alive’. The best analogy I can think of is the stranding of pods of whales, thrashing around in the shallows, barely existing, doomed unless saved. People go down and put slings under them and haul them into deeper water.

We could pause a moment to thank God that we have been guided into the life-giving waters of baptism, and for the strength to help others swim into the Oceanic depths of Divine Love.

From Our Acting Principal

Welcome to 2025!  

I hope you all enjoyed a memorable break with your families. It is fantastic to be back for the 2025 school year and to welcome our students and families back last week was wonderful. Our staff have been working hard to prepare for the return to school, and we are excited to begin the year with a strong focus on optimal learning environments by setting high expectations for learning.

I also acknowledge our dedicated teachers, all of whom have been in and out of the school throughout the holidays, setting up their classrooms to create warm and welcoming spaces for our children.

A huge thank you to our families for supporting the Mathematical Assessment Interviews (MAI). Our students returned to school happily last week to complete these interviews and it's been pleasing to see them reconnect with friends and teachers. This valuable data is helping us refine our approach to teaching Mathematics throughout the year.

Last Friday 7th of February was a momentous day in the lives of 25 of our families as they had their son or daughter begin their school journey in Kindergarten. It was wonderful to see the students looking so smart in their new uniforms, wearing big smiles and looking so happy. We welcome all of our new students and their families from Kindergarten and look forward to a wonderful year of learning together.

We also welcome Molly (Year 1) and her family who have joined the St Brigid's community this year.

We welcome back Mrs Jan Condon into a Mathematics Intervention and RFF role as well as Miss Jorjia Sharpe as a Teacher Assistant, supporting Year 4. We would also like to welcome Mrs Megan Ritchie who will be working on Wednesday and Thursday as our school counsellor. We also wish Mrs Kayla Farrell all the very best as she has taken maternity leave, waiting on the arrival of her second child.

Have a wonderful week ahead and we look forward to seeing many families at our beginning of year events next week.

Vanessa Walters,
Acting Principal.

Assistant Principal - Learning & Teaching

Welcome back to an exciting new school year at St Brigid’s Kyogle! The first week back is always a special time as we reconnect, settle into routines, and set the foundation for a year full of learning and growth. I am thrilled to see our classrooms buzzing with energy and enthusiasm as students begin their learning journey for 2025.

At St Brigid’s Kyogle, we are passionate about creating a positive and engaging learning environment where every child feels supported to thrive. Our focus this week is on helping students feel comfortable, confident, and ready to embrace the opportunities ahead.

What’s been happening over the past week:

• Classroom expectations - teachers and students are co-developing classroom expectations and routines to ensure a safe and productive learning environment.
• Mathematics - Mathematics Assessment Interviews are being finalised to support teachers to identify the next steps in learning in Mathematics.
• English - MultiLit (English) classroom programs and interventions have started this week focused on meeting the needs of every student.

How you can support your child:

• Create consistency - establish and maintain regular routines for bedtime, meals, and getting to school on time each day
• Celebrate small wins - acknowledge their efforts as they settle back into school life and celebrate small achievements with them.

We are so excited about the year ahead and look forward to working in partnership with you to make it a successful one for your child. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or need assistance during this transition back to school.

Samantha Lynch,
Assistant Principal – Learning and Teaching

Assistant Principal - Mission

Term 4 Mission Dates for the Calendar 

As we look ahead in Term 1, we’ve included key Mission Dates for your calendar. These dates are important for staying connected with upcoming events and ensuring everyone is prepared. Please take note of these dates, and feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further details.

Opening School Liturgy and student leaders Induction 

We warmly invite you to join us for our Opening School Liturgy as we begin a new school year together. This special celebration will take place at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish on Wednesday, 19th February, at 10:00 am.

During the liturgy, we will welcome our students, staff, and families into the new school year and celebrate the induction of our 2025 Student Leaders.

Whole School Parish Family Mass 

Please join us for our first Parish School Mass for 2025 on:

📅 Sunday, 23rd February
⛪ Our Lady of Sorrows Church
⏰ 9 am 

This is a wonderful opportunity for our school community to come together in faith, worship, and fellowship. We encourage all families to attend as we celebrate the start of the new school year with our parish.

Sacrament of Reconciliation 

We are pleased to inform you that the Sacrament of Reconciliation for Catholic students in Year 3 and Year 4 will take place on Tuesday, 11th March at 6:00 PM in Our Lady of Sorrows Church.

This is an important step in your child’s faith journey, providing them with the opportunity to experience God’s love and forgiveness in a special way. Further details regarding preparation and participation will be shared with you in the coming weeks.

Sacrament of First Holy Communion 

We are pleased to invite you to an information session for the Sacrament of First Holy Communion. This session is for families of students in Year 4 who are Catholic and wish to receive this important sacrament.

Date: Monday, 3rd March
Time: 5:30-6:30pm
Location: School Library 

During the session, we will outline the preparation process, key dates, and expectations for the sacrament. Your attendance is highly encouraged to support your child's faith journey.

If you have any questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Courtney Hyde,
Assistant Principal - Mission

Wellbeing Team

Meet Megan 

A warm lovely hello to all of the families of the St Brigid’s community.  My name is Megan Ritchie and I am coming to you as the St Brigid’s School Counsellor for 2025. My passion for music, dancing, fitness, and family is only matched by my enthusiasm for and dedication to supporting young minds as a school counsellor. I feel very privileged to be a presence here at the welcoming community of St Brigid's Kyogle.  

Originally born in South Africa, my family migrated to Australia when I was only 1 year old.  I have forever been grateful for my mother and fathers courage to start anew in a foreign country for the sake of freedom.  I am blessed to be one part of a lively, chatty, vibrant family of five.  This family consists of musician son Joe, university student Olivia, high school student Xavier and husband Matthew.  We all share a love of the beach, good food and great outdoors.  

As one of the newest members of the St Brigid's primary school community, I am excited to share my diverse interests and knowledge to support the academic, social, and emotional wellbeing of the bright students here in Kyogle.  If you see me around the school, please come say hello and have a chat.

Megan Ritchie,
School Counsellor - megan.ritchie@lism.catholic.edu.au

Meet & Greet and Safe On Social Night

We look forward to having all of our families join us for our Meet n Greet Parent Information Night on Thursday 20th February. This is a great opportunity to visit your child's classroom and meet their teacher in an informal way. The night will begin with open classrooms before students will move to the hall for pizza and a movie and parents will be presented with Safe on Social.

An overview of the evening

5:15pm- 5.45pm: Open Classrooms. Parents and students can wander through their classroom and catch up with their teacher informally. There will be no formal presentation in the classrooms but it will offer a chance for your child to share their work and classroom with you.

5:45pm: Students will be called to the hall to enjoy pizza and a movie. Parents will move to the Stage 3 classrooms for the Safe on Social presentation. Food will also be provided for parents in the Stage 3 rooms.

We hope you can join our community for this great event and we look forward to meeting you, especially all of our new families. Please complete the Compass Event by Tuesday 17th February.

An overview of the Safe on Social Presentation

With the ever increasing exposure to Social Media, this is a presentation that no parent or carer can afford to miss. We are delighted to have Kirra Pendergast, Founder, Principal Consultant & International Expert Speaker of Safe on Social come to our school on Thursday 20^th February to deliver a presentation that will be engaging, entertaining and quite confronting.
Kirra will deliver information that primary school parents need to know about:

And many other games and apps your children may be using now or in the future.

Other areas that Kirra will cover are:

Kirra will be presenting to the students in Years 3 to 6 during school time and then will give her presentation to parents in the Stage 3 Rooms commencing with dinner from 5:45pm. There will be child minding available to allow all parents to attend. 

School Fee Invoices - 2025 Academic Year

Dear Parents and Guardians,

School fee invoices for the 2025 academic year will be sent out today via Compass. Please note that this year, fees will be billed for the full year rather than on a term-by-term basis.

For your convenience, you can access your fee invoice via the Compass app. Statements will reflect the payment plan you selected last year with the Catholic Schools Office (CSO). If you did not select a payment plan, your fees will automatically default to a termly payment schedule. Preferred payment is via BPay, you can find these details on your invoice.

If you have any questions regarding your fees or payment plan, please don’t hesitate to contact the school office.

Thank you for your continued support.

Jo Kelly

Sports News

Hello families,

My name is Hayley Catlin, and I am excited to step into the role of sports coordinator this year. I bring with me a rich history in sports, having represented Australia as part of a team in show jumping during my teenage years in New Zealand. Alongside equestrian pursuits, I was actively involved in swimming, athletics and running.

Family Involvement in Sports
Currently, I am a proud parent of four active children who have embraced a wide variety of sports. Their experiences include competing at school, zone, dio, polding and state levels in basketball, netball, rugby, touch football, swimming, dance, volleyball, water polo, soccer, cross-country and even mini bull riding internationally. This diverse involvement has given me valuable insights into the dynamics of youth sports and the importance of fostering an inclusive environment.

Wakakirri Experience
For the past five years, I have had the pleasure of being the Wakakirri facilitator. This role has allowed me to engage with students creatively through storytelling and dance, promoting teamwork and personal expression among participants. The joy I find in being busy and involved in these activities drives my passion for coordinating sports programs.

Vision as Sports Coordinator
As your sports coordinator, my goal is to create an engaging and inclusive sporting program that encourages participation at all levels. I am committed to ensuring that every student has the opportunity to thrive in their chosen sport while developing essential life skills such as teamwork and resilience.

I look forward to working with all of you to enhance our sports programs and create memorable experiences for our students! 

Upcoming Sports Events at St Brigid's

Our students at St Brigid's have an exciting and busy term ahead! Here are some important events to note:

I encourage all eligible students to participate and wish them luck in their upcoming competitions! 

If you have any questions for me please feel free to contact me via email at hayley.kennedy@lism.catholic.edu.au or alternatively contact the office on 66321988.

Yours in sport,
Hayley Catlin

Book Club

A message from Scholastic Book Club

Issue 1 of the Scholastic Book Club was distributed to students this week. Orders are due Friday 21st of February. We strongly encourage the use of the online ordering system, visit www.scholastic.com.au/LOOP. Orders processed by the due date will be electronically linked to the rest of the school order.  You do not need to complete the paper form. Happy book hunting, happy reading!
Peek inside Issue 1 HERE
Place orders HERE

Kyogle Rotary Breakfast Club

We are excited to announce that this year, thanks to the generous support of The Kyogle Rotary Club, Breakfast Club is available for all students who may have missed breakfast at home, Tuesday to Friday during term time. The Breakfast Club is served by staff volunteers and students, offering toast and cereal options to ensure our students start the day off right.

Donations to support this initiative are still welcome and greatly appreciated. Thank you to the Kyogle Rotary Club and our volunteers for making this possible!

Canteen

Our school’s canteen service is available each Monday during term time, coordinated by M'Leigh. The canteen is a favorite among students, with parents able to place orders online via Compass for both recess and lunch. Students can also purchase items on the day. To ensure everything runs smoothly, we rely on volunteers to assist M'Leigh with preparing orders such as making sandwiches, wraps and packaging lunch bags. We’re lucky to have our Year 6 students help serve at the counters, but we also need parents, caregivers, or grandparents to contribute a few hours on a Monday.

If every parent/caregiver volunteered one Monday, we’d have enough help for the whole year! The hours are from 9:30am until around 1pm. To register your interest, please use the link below or stop by the school office. Your support will help keep the canteen running.

Register your interest HERE

Important School Information

We’ve put together some important information for the 2025 school year in the attached PDF. If you have any further questions or need clarification, please don’t hesitate to contact the office.

Student Awards

Congratulations to the following students who have shown tremendous effort and were presented with their awards at our assembly in Week 1.

Positive Behaviour 4 Learning (PB4L)

Making Jesus Real (MJR)

Celebrations

You shine with the Light of the Lord —the kind of Light that grows brighter and warmer and more radiant with time. God bless you with a very happy birthday!

Calendar

Parish News

Parish Information
Our Lady of Sorrows Parish established 1916. Our Parish Family includes the town of Kyogle and the villages of Urbenville and Woodenbong.
Administrator: Fr Erick Quinteros | Phone: 0438 196 944 | Parish Office Phone: 02 6632 1074 | Email: kyogle@lismore.catholic.org.au | Facebook: @OurLadyofSorrowsCatholicChurch

Service Times
Kyogle Weekday Masses: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 9 AM. Please note that this schedule is subject to change. Saturday Vigil 6:00pm | Sunday 9:00am.
The Woodenbong Communion Service and Mass alternate every Saturday at 9 AM. The Sacrament of Reconciliation begins 30 minutes prior to Mass. Morning tea is served every Sunday after Mass, hosted by the parishioners. Everyone is welcome!

We are on Facebook! Click here for Our Lady of Sorrows Facebook Page  

Community News

Parent Resources

Free online resources available that provide support year-round, even when other services are closed during the holiday period:

For Parents

Triple P Parenting is an evidence-based program and all parents and carers of children under 12 can access one year of support for free here: https://www.triplep-parenting.net.au/au/free-parenting-courses/triple-p-online-under-12/

Choose from general parenting support or support specifically for parents/carers of anxious children.

Parentline NSW is a free telephone counselling and support service for parents and carers of children up to 18 years of age. The phone line – 1300 1300 52 – is manned by a team of trained professional counsellors from 9am to 9pm Mondays to Fridays and 4pm to 9pm on weekends. https://www.parentline.org.au/

For Children and Young People

Kids’ Helpline – 1800 55 1800 – is a free, 24/7 service available to children and young people aged from five to 25. Support is available via telephone or webchat. There are also a variety of resources online: www.kidshelpline.com.au

Headspace – 1800 650 890 – is Australia’s national youth mental health foundation, and provides mental health services to 12 to 25-year-olds in person, online and via phone. There are also a lot of resources available on the website https://headspace.org.au/

For Mental Health Crises

The NSW Mental Health Line – 1800 011 511 – is a free, 24/7 phone service that you can call if you are worried about your own or someone else’s mental health. The number is staffed by trained professionals who can offer mental health advice, complete brief assessments, make recommendations for appropriate care, and refer callers to other NSW Health mental health services. Some of the reasons that callers may contact the Mental Health Line include (but are not limited to):

- changes in mood that are worrying to you or others
- significant changes in personal hygiene or motivation
- difficulties with concentration
- confusion about what is real and what is not
- feelings of panic or intense anxiety
- thoughts or actions of hurting yourself or ending your life
- thoughts of harming someone else

Online Safety Basics (From www.esafety.gov.au) 

Because we value the critical role parents and carers play as partners in educating and forming young people, we have compiled some helpful resources to support families at home.

Educational Games

Toy Theatre | Educational Games for Kids
Math Games
Hidden Pictures Games and Puzzles

Quick Links

St Brigid's Facebook Page
Parent Assembly Facebook Page
Supporting Learning - Primary
Faith and Family
Tips for Parents – Supporting your Childs attendance at School
NSW Government Facebook Page