Newsletter Term 1 Week 7 (Wednesday 19th March 2025)

Front Page with Stage 2

Yesterday, our Stage 2 students participated in a special Reconciliation Retreat, where they deepened their understanding of forgiveness and God’s love. Through reflection, prayer, and engaging activities, students explored the meaning of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and its importance in their faith journey. For some students, this retreat was particularly meaningful as they also received the Sacrament of Reconciliation with their families. It was a beautiful moment of grace and renewal, allowing them to experience God’s forgiveness and strengthen their relationship with Him. The students thoroughly enjoyed the day, appreciating the opportunity to grow in faith and share this special experience with their peers.

Our Gospel Reflection

Luke 13:1-9

In Sunday's Gospel reading, Pope Francis explains, we see that ‘Jesus rejects and strongly contests the idea of blaming God’ for the world’s misfortunes.

God does not send disasters to punish people. God is not vindictive, but ever merciful. And we are all called to respond to God’s mercy, the Pope says, ‘especially during this time of Lent.’

This includes learning how to stop blaming God. We should try to turn our attention to those times when, as the Pope puts it, it is ‘our selfishness that tears apart relationships; … our wrong and violent choices that unleash evil.’ We are called to become the kind of people who can acknowledge our own faults.

‘But Jesus knows that conversion is not easy,’ the Pope adds, ‘and he wants to help us here.’ This is why Jesus ‘encourages us with a parable that tells of the patience of God.’

The fig tree is an obvious symbol for each one of us. ‘More time is given to it,’ the Pope says, ‘another possibility. I like to think’, he adds, ‘that a nice name for God could be “the God of another possibility”: God always gives us another opportunity.’

Such a chance is here, now. It is up to us to seize it.

From Our Acting Principal

This week, Kindergarten have started their 3 way parent-teacher-student conferences and Years 1-6 will begin next week. We look forward to this opportunity to share success and look towards the students’ ongoing goals during these conversations. In anticipation, we thank parents and carers for taking the time to meet with their child’s classroom teacher and to work in partnership with the school. I would also like to acknowledge our teachers for their hard work in preparing for and hosting these meetings.

This week, our Year 3 and 5 students have been completing their NAPLAN tests. Students who have been absent during the scheduled testing time, will have allocated time to catch up on their tests where possible. Our staff are incredibly proud of the effort our students put into giving their best possible efforts into these assessments.

Attendance

Last week, there were letters sent home to families where students fell below 90% in their attendance for the first 6 weeks of school. This is actioned through a school audit to ensure that we are notifying families once they fall below this percentage.

Please be mindful that if your child is late to school or leaves early, this will be marked as a partial absence and this partial absence accumulates towards their overall percentage.  If you have any concerns about this letter or would like to speak with me about your child’s attendance, please reach out.

Cross Country

We are all looking forward to our school cross country tomorrow. The high school fields are still too damp so we will have a modified cross country at school. Children can wear their sports uniform tomorrow with their coloured house shirt. Normal school uniform can then be worn on Friday. We will begin our cross country at 11.30am. Ribbons and age champions will be presented at an afternoon assembly tomorrow at 2.55pm.

Road Safety Song Launch

We also invite all parents to the launch of our Road Safety song on Friday 21st March from 2.45 in the hall. The front deck area will have tea and coffee available from 2pm if parents would like to catch up before our launch. Everyone is welcome!

Pupil Free Day

A friendly reminder that next Monday 24th March will be a Pupil Free Day. As staff will be attending learning in Alstonville, there will be no one on site on this day.

Have a wonderful week!

Vanessa Walters,
Acting Principal.

Assistant Principal - Learning & Teaching

As we welcome Week 7 into the school calendar, I would like to share with you some writing from Stage 2. In English, our students have access to some beautiful literature and are engaged in many learning and teaching activities that develop Oral Language, Reading Fluency, Reading Comprehension, and Vocabulary, and are provided with opportunities to understand and respond to this literature.

Year 3 Writing

Year 3 have been reading the text “Fantastic Mr Fox” and this week, they have been learning about phrases. The students were identifying these phrases within the text and even worked on creating their own. Congratulations Year 3 on your learning!

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Year 4 Writing

Year 4 has been reading the text “The Thing About Oliver” for the past 6 weeks. This week , they have been learning to engage in the writing process to produce quality and purposeful narratives that explore some of the features presented in their literature. Here are two examples of Year 4’s work.

Warm regards,

Samantha Lynch,
Assistant Principal – Learning and Teaching

Assistant Principal - Mission

Easter Raffle

We are once again holding a giant Easter raffle to raise funds for Project Compassion during Lent. Students can bring in an item to donate towards the raffle, a small egg, bunny or anything Easter related is appreciated. We hope to have HEAPS of prizes for students. Tickets will be on sale from next week; $1 each or 3 for $2. Thank you for your support.  

Harmony Day 

This Friday, we will be recognising Harmony Day with a Whole School Liturgy in the Hall at 12:20pm.

We warmly invite all parents, carers, and family members to join us as we come together to celebrate the importance of inclusivity, respect, and belonging in our school community.

Sacrament of First Holy Communion and Parish Family Mass 

On Sunday the 30th of March there will be a Whole School Parish Family Mass. This is a very special celebration as we will also have some students in year 4 who will receive the Sacrament of First Holy Communion. We would love to see as many families there as possible.

Courtney Hyde,
Assistant Principal – Mission

Wellbeing Team

Healthy Habits Helping Kids Handle Life

Healthy minds and emotional well-being play a crucial role in a child's growth and development. Throughout their lives, children will encounter and navigate various challenges, setbacks, experiences, and opportunities. To help them make the most of these moments, it's important to help and guide them in developing healthy habits. Studies show that fostering these habits will enable them to become more adaptable, enhancing their emotional resilience in the face of life's ups and downs.

Here are 6 things we can do:

1. REGULAR MOVEMENT 

Regular movement strengthens muscles, bones, and the heart.  It improves coordination and motor skills. It boosts brain function, enhancing memory, concentration, and learning abilities. Additionally, exercise triggers the release of endorphins, promoting a positive mood and reducing stress and anxiety. Movement encourages social interaction through team sports or group activities, teaching valuable skills like teamwork and communication. Regular movement helps children stay healthy, feel good, and build a strong foundation for future well-being.

2. SLEEP ZZZZZZ

Support good sleep habits by establishing a consistent bedtime routine and creating a calm, screen-free environment before bed. Encouraging regular sleep schedules and ensuring the bedroom is comfortable can also help promote better sleep quality.  Sleep is essential to allow the brain to have an opportunity to recover, recharge and be ready for the following day.

3. MANAGING WORRY

Stress has many good attributes; it reminds us that we care and it connects us directly with the most challenging and important aspects of our lives. In fact, the evolutionary goal of the stress response was to help boost the body and mind into enhanced functioning so we could learn and grow to be able to meet the demands we might face.

However we need to be able to teach our kids the difference between healthy stress and being too ‘stressed out’. It’s always handy to have one strategy to turn to when we feel our stress levels rising. Some good strategies to teach our kids include learning to take slow, deep breaths to provide extra oxygen and lower the heart rate; or going for a walk to remove themselves from the stressful situation.

Check out - AFTER A BIG STORM in the previous Newsletter (Week 6)

4. RELAXATION

Downtime is important for children; it allows them to relax and recharge, helping to reduce stress and prevent burnout. Time away from devices, television and electronics provides opportunities for self-reflection, creativity, and independent play, which are essential for emotional and cognitive development. Additionally, downtime helps children build resilience, as it allows them to process their experiences and emotions in a calm, restorative environment.

5. TIME WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY

Spending time with friends and family helps children develop strong social skills, emotional support, and a sense of belonging. Positive interactions with loved ones foster trust, empathy, and communication, which are vital for building healthy relationships. These connections also provide a safe space for children to express themselves and navigate challenges.

6. CARER MODELING

Most important is that as carers we need to both join in and model all of the above habits. 

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

Sports News

We are excited to invite you to our cross-country event tomorrow. We will meet in the weather shed at 11:30am, and begin with the 5/6-year-olds, then move through each age group, finishing with 12-year-olds.

This event is a wonderful opportunity for our students to showcase their endurance and perseverance skills and we would love for you to be there to cheer them on!

Yours in sport,

Hayley Catlin

Ready 4 Learning

Stars of the week

One of our school goals this year is to have an average weekly attendance of 90% and above. The class with the best average each week receives the  “Stars of the Week” trophy and certificate to display in their classroom.

Term 1 Attendance 

Community Forum

A huge thank you to everyone who attended yesterday’s Community Forum! It was a fantastic session filled with planning and discussions for the upcoming Flower & Foliage Spectacular. We Need Your Help! We’re looking for volunteers to help serve scones, biscuits, sandwiches, and cakes on Friday 11th April and Saturday 12th April. If you can lend a hand...

Please sign up HERE.

Check out the available slots below, A huge thank you to those who have already volunteered!

Book Club

Issue 2 of the Scholastic Book Club is OUT NOW! 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. Happy book hunting, happy reading!
Peek inside Issue 2 HERE
Place orders HERE

Positive Behaviour 4 Learning (PB4L)

Making Jesus Real (MJR)

Lunchboxes - Planning ahead

Planning ahead makes packing lunchboxes a breeze! Here are some easy tips to keep your kids’ lunchboxes healthy and delicious:

- Chop veggies in advance 

- Use leftovers creatively  

- Portion snacks for quick grab-and-go options

For more tips visit www.healthyliving.nsw.gov.au/healthy-lunchboxes

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!

Congratulations to the following students who have shown tremendous effort and were presented with their awards at our assembly in Week 6.

Calendar

School Calendar Access

You can find the school calendar in the Compass app by tapping the calendar icon at the bottom of the homepage. Alternatively, access it via our website HERE

Please always refer to the calendar for updates, as changes may occur.

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, Wednesday, and Friday at 9am. 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  

ASPIRE ~ Young Adults Spiritual Formation with Bishop Greg, for those aged 18-35 years. For further information contact Sr Di, CM 0405327153 Email youth@lismore.catholic.org.au

Community News

Casino Christian School

We are having an Information Night on March 27th for students who will start High School in 2026.

Webinars

Upcoming Term 1 free webinars for parent and carers. These are great opportunities to up your skills so that you can support your child's learning at home and at school. Can't wait to see you online!

Holy Family Skennars Head are hosting a parent workshop with Angela Lockwood Parenting in the Age of Distraction on Tuesday, March 4th. All parents and caregivers are warmly invited to attend.  

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