Newsletter Term 2 Week 1 (Wednesday 30th April 2025)

ANZAC Day Parade

This year’s ANZAC Day parade was a wonderful celebration of remembrance and community spirit. Our school leaders had the honour of representing us at the Dawn Service, paying tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of those who have served our country. A large and respectful crowd gathered to attend the march, and the presentation that followed was both moving and significant. It was truly inspiring to see so many come together to honour the ANZAC tradition. We are proud of how our school community was involved in such a meaningful occasion.

Our Gospel Reflection

Gospel Reflection - John 21:1-19
The Shawshank Redemption was the hit film of 1994. In it we follow the incarceration and escape plans of Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman. Robbins is condemned to life imprisonment for the murder of his wife and her lover. Freeman says he is the ‘only guilty man in Shawshank Prison’. Based on Stephen King's novella, this uplifting film is a surprise package from a writer whose fame comes from the horror genre.
The longer we watch the film, the more we realise that Stephen King has modelled his story on the Gospel of John. It is, in many respects, a more modern parable about John's portrait of Jesus. Tim Robbins' character, Andy, like Jesus, is an innocent man, treated harshly by the authorities of his day. He has to endure the condemnation and cruelty of the leading religious zealots who are keepers of law and order, while he inspires others to think of a world free of subjection and oppression where they can be free to live the life of which they dream. Like John's Jesus, Andy has big dreams and often talks in riddles, but he leaves clues for others to follow him in their quest for freedom.
In the last part of the film, after Andy has successfully escaped and the governor of the prison has been exposed for the hypocrite he is, Freeman is paroled after serving 35 years hard labour. He decides to go where Andy has gone and, just as Andy promised when they were together in prison, he finds that Andy has prepared the way for him to follow. The moving climax of the film comes as Robbins and Freeman meet on a beach, embrace each other and share food and drink to celebrate the new life both of them have discovered.
Stephen King understands John's portrait of Jesus very well. For all of Jesus' assuredness and composure throughout the Gospel, the sense of care and intimacy in the encounters with his friends is deeply moving.
In the Easter Gospel to which we have just listened, Jesus returns to where his friends have fled from Jerusalem. In a parable about the growing numbers of the early Church, the Eucharist and the suffering they are enduring, John reaffirms that Jesus is intimately present in their following of him and their suffering for the Kingdom. The only sense John can make of Jesus' death, the martyrdom of the apostles or the persecution of the early church is to see them all as acts of love. ‘No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends.’
Those of us who have been caught up in the net of God's love are heirs to the same promises of Jesus’ fidelity. Christ is intimately present to us in every act of loving sacrifice we undertake for him. He continues to send us out to tell people of the place that has been prepared for them at the banquet of life and he gives us strength to gird your loins for the times when life takes us to places we would rather not go.
In this Eucharist let's be grateful for this Easter season when we celebrate again that we have been set free from the prison of our fears and shown the way to live a life of sacrificial love and undeserved redemption.

From Our Acting Principal

A very warm welcome back to all our students and families after the Easter holidays. I hope you all had a restful break and a happy and holy Easter.

ANZAC Day

I want to thank all the students and staff who were able to make it to the Kyogle RSL sub Branch ANZAC Day March and ceremony last Friday. It was a terrific representation of our school and highlights the importance of this day. I was delighted to receive so many positive comments on the way our School Captains, Milla and Ayce delivered their readings at the Ceremony and they were up early to also attend and speak at the Dawn Service.
As a school, we held our ANZAC Liturgy at school on Monday afternoon. We were graced with the presence of Mr Bill Edwards, Bruce McKenzie and Kevin Ibbertson from the Kyogle RSL sub Branch and once again the students demonstrated their respect and honour of this important day. A huge thank you to Mrs Hyde for her work in preparing our ANZAC Day Ceremony.

Tell Them From Me Surveys

In the coming weeks we will be inviting students, teachers and parents to provide feedback on their experience of our school using an online survey. The surveys are an important part of our whole-school evaluation and planning process.
We would like to invite you to complete the Tell Them From Me (TTFM) Partners in Learning survey. As we value the role of parents and carers within our school community we would greatly appreciate your feedback. The information you provide will be used to maintain our commitment to working together in partnership to further improve student learning and wellbeing at St Brigid’s. The survey is anonymous and will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. It will be open from Monday 12th May through to Friday 30th May. In addition to the parent survey, the students from Year 4 to Year 6 and teaching staff will have the opportunity to participate in the TTFM survey. If you have any questions, please reach out.

Garden and Foliage Show

We're thrilled to report that the 2025 Kyogle Flower and Foliage Spectacular was a tremendous success once again!

We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed their incredible donations of ingredients and baked goods. Your generosity helped create a delightful spread that received numerous compliments.

A special shoutout goes to those who dedicated their time and effort on Friday and Saturday, working tirelessly in the canteen, serving, preparing food and drinks, and assisting with setup and packing down each day. Your hard work and dedication were truly appreciated and played a significant role in the event's success. We couldn't have done it without you!

We join with Catholics around the world in mourning the death of Pope Francis, Servant of the Servants of God. A leader known for his humility, deep compassion, and unwavering commitment to the poor and marginalised, Pope Francis called the Church to be a place of mercy and inclusion. His messages of hope, care for creation, and the dignity of all people resonated far beyond the Church. We give thanks for his witness to the Gospel and his tireless service to God’s people. At St Brigid’s, we have remembered Pope Francis in our prayers and will continue to be inspired by the legacy he leaves behind.

As per the Bishop's announcement, Fr Erick has taken an appointment at the Ballina Parish as Assistant Priest. We welcome Fr. Joe Holloway to our Parish and there will be opportunities to welcome him as he moves into the community.

Fr Erick will be beginning on the 1st June in Ballina and we would like to say thankyou and farewell him at the Family Parish Mass on Sunday 25th May. Families are invited to a BBQ and morning tea after Mass with families requested to provide a plate for morning tea. It would be wonderful to see many families coming along to farewell Fr Erick and thank him for the time in our Parish.

Lastly I would like to give my best wishes to Dan Prentice on his upcoming wedding on Saturday. I wish Dan and Lily a lifetime of love and happiness.

Have a wonderful week ahead!

Vanessa Walters,
Acting Principal.

Assistant Principal - Learning & Teaching

Welcome back to Term 2. We trust that you had an enjoyable holiday with family and friends and your children are feeling reenergised for a wonderful term of learning, faith and friendship. 

Focused Classrooms

In Week 9 of Term 1, we shared the concept of Neurodiversity with you. We had some great feedback from parents in regards to this information, so have decided to share with you what our staff have been working on since our Professional Learning.

As a staff, we have continued to build our shared understanding of how to create safe and supportive learning environments for all students, towards focused classrooms. Part of this learning has been to understand how Neurodiversity affects an individual. This resource assists individuals to acknowledge and reflect on six areas that impact on Neurodiverse learners:

• Sensory processing
• Executive functioning
• Strengths and interests
• Connections to culture and community
• Self care and independence skills
• Social and communication skills

By reflecting on the strengths of the individual, the challenges they face, the adjustments they need to overcome these challenges and the identification of effective strategies, we can create consistency across contexts for each individual. This deep reflection is also useful in understanding how a child's behaviour links to their diagnosis. Increased understanding of why a child does certain things can promote understanding, empathy and more effective support for our students. This is a tool that we have been using to support us in this deep reflection.

To understand more about Neurodiversity take a moment to watch this video. It is a great way for us to develop shared understanding and was a key feature of our Staff Professional Learning around Neurodiversity.

For further information on Neurodiversity visit: https://learninghub.positivepartnerships.com.au/

If you have further questions, please reach out.

Warm regards,

Samantha Lynch,
Assistant Principal – Learning and Teaching

Assistant Principal - Mission

Sacrament of Confirmation Information Session 

A reminder that we will be holding our Sacrament of Confirmation Information Session on Wednesday, 30th April at 5pm. This session is for any student in Year 3 or above who would like to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation this year. It is strongly encouraged that at least one parent or carer attends, as important information regarding the preparation program and the celebration of the Sacrament will be shared.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Courtney Hyde,
Assistant Principal – Mission

Making Jesus Real (MJR)

Positive Behaviour 4 Learning (PB4L)

PBS Matrix

We are excited to share with you the launch of our new Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) Matrix, which has been co-constructed by staff and students throughout Term 1. This updated matrix reflects our shared values and outlines the expected behaviours in all areas of school life. It provides a clear, consistent framework that supports a positive, safe, and respectful learning environment for every child. By involving students in its creation, we have ensured that the expectations are meaningful and relevant to their daily experiences. We look forward to embedding the new matrix into all aspects of our school culture, from classroom routines to playground interactions and assemblies. We value your partnership in supporting positive behaviour, and we welcome your feedback. Please take a moment to share your thoughts via this link

Wellbeing Team

WHAT IS WELLBEING EVEN ??

Dear St Brigid’s Community,

I’m reaching out with an open invitation to you—yes, you! I’d love to hear your thoughts. Email me directly with your answer to the question above or share what you’d like to learn more about!

So, let’s talk about wellbeing.
It’s a word that seems to be everywhere these days, right? It’s one of those buzzwords that pops up in conversations, social media posts, and even on our products. Interestingly, wellbeing first appeared in the English language back in the early 1500s. But it wasn’t until recently that it gained serious traction. Fast forward to 2025, and it’s now among the 5000 most commonly used words! That’s a pretty wild ride for a word that started off so quietly.

So, why all the hype? What does wellbeing even mean?
According to the Cambridge English Dictionary, wellbeing is simply: “The state of feeling healthy and happy.”
Sounds easy, right? Be happy. Be healthy.
But hold on—are we healthier and happier than people in the 1500s? Is that why we use the word more often?  Hmm... it has me wondering.

If wellbeing is that simple, why does it feel so complicated?

I want to hear from you! What challenges are you facing in your own journey of wellbeing? What do you need more info on? What tools or strategies could help you and your children thrive? Let me know what’s on your mind! I love hearing from the community about what’s happening right now—those moments at the front line of your life, that we all experience in different ways.

And a quick shoutout to those who are taking part in the Gratitude Challenge—You’ve got this! Thanks for engaging!  Your efforts make a difference, and trust me, consistency is everything. Whether it’s a photo, an email, or just a note, I’d love to hear how it’s going for you. (And if you haven’t started yet, it’s never too late to join in!  Just shoot me an email)

Looking forward to hearing from each of you and diving into more of these important conversations in upcoming newsletters!

Stay golden,

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

Sports News

Welcome back to a very busy Term 2 in the sports world!

To begin our term strong, we proudly congratulate the 34 students from St Brigid's who competed at the Zone Cross Country event held yesterday at Hepburn Park in Goonellabah. Their dedication and spirit were truly inspiring to witness. What stood out most was the genuine encouragement and support they showed each other throughout the competition-a testament to the strong community and sportsmanship within our school.

A special congratulations goes to Hamish Laarhoven, who achieved a very competitive third place in the 10 years boys category. We are all cheering him on as he prepares to compete next at the Diocesan Cross Country event in Grafton during Week 4. St Brigid's is proud of every student who participated, and we look forward to seeing their continued success and camaraderie in future events. Well done to all!

Week 3 - We have a National Rugby League Game Development Officer visiting us on Friday the 16th of May from noon. All students will be involved in a Blitz Clinic where they will develop ball skills and learn some tricks of the sport. 

Week 4- On Monday the 19th of May all students will be involved in an AFL taster clinic from 2pm. St Brigid’s are hosting the NAB AFL Auskick program after school on Wednesdays from Week 5 where students from the community are all welcomed to attend. There will be 5 x weekly sessions after school for a cost of $55. This includes the program run by AFLQ development staff with WWC checks and includes an AFL footy and items as pictured below. If you have a child interested in this, keep a look out in our newsletter over the coming weeks for a QR code to scan and sign up.

Week 5- St Brigid’s students who play league will be attending the Brian Kelly Legend 7's on Wednesday 28th May - U10's, U12's & U12's Girls League Tag (7 a side @ Kingsford Smith Park, Ballina).

Week 9- St Brigid’s Athletic Carnival on Thursday the 26th June at Kyogle High School Oval. More information to follow closer to the date.

Yours in sport,
Hayley Catlin

Mothers Day Liturgy & Picnic Lunch!

We’re hosting our annual Mother’s Day Stall, where students can purchase a thoughtful gift for their mum or another special woman in their life. Gifts will be available for $2 to $5 on Thursday 8th and Friday 9th May. We also warmly invite you to our Mother’s Day Liturgy & Picnic on Friday 9th May starting at 12pm in Our Lady of Sorrows Church. Afterward, enjoy a BYO picnic lunch with your child, friends and family on the school grounds.

Catholic Schools Week

Catholic Schools Week is coming up from 12th to 16th May! We have exciting events planned each day, starting with our Whole School Liturgy. We have school tours during our Open Morning, where you can join us on the deck for a coffee. There will also be the big unveiling of our Holy Door, followed by historical school rotations the following day We’ll wrap up the week with our annual Walk to School Day, coming together for a shared breakfast at school. It’s sure to be a week filled with celebration and community!

Walk Safely To School Day

We are taking part in the National Walk Safely to School Day on Friday 16 May, also supporting National Road Safety Week. We invite all of our students at St Brigid's to take part. This annual campaign encourages all primary school children, their parents and carers to walk safely and regularly to school.

Our school's participation in this national activity is to raise awareness of the benefits of regular walking.

🕗 Event Schedule:

• 8:00am: Meet at the skate park for playtime and socialising before the walk.
• Walk Safely to School: Join us in walking safely to school together.
• Healthy Breakfast: Enjoy a nutritious breakfast at school upon arrival.

This event is open to all! Let's promote a healthy lifestyle while having a great time as a community. See you there!

Lithium Batteries

Lithium-Ion Battery Safety

Lithium-ion batteries are the fastest growing fire risk in New South Wales. Fire and Rescue NSW wants members of the NSW community to understand the risks and be prepared if things go wrong.

Preparation is Key:

• Ensure functioning smoke alarms where batteries are charged or stored.
• Charge batteries on non-flammable surfaces like concrete floors, avoiding beds or sofas.
• Large batteries should only be charged in well-ventilated areas like garages or sheds.

Charging Caution:

• Never charge batteries unattended or when sleeping.
• Disconnect devices once fully charged.
• Avoid using and charging devices on flammable surfaces or if damaged.

Charging Essentials:

• Use only approved chargers with the Australian Regulatory Compliance Mark.
• Beware of compatibility issues with chargers.

Safe Disposal:

• Never dispose of damaged batteries in regular waste bins.
• Use designated battery recycling drop-off points.
• Warning Signs:
• Dispose of damaged batteries promptly to mitigate fire risks.

For further information go to https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/chargesafe

Every year, all schools in Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). The NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about supports provided to students with disability. These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD guidelines (2019).

Information provided about students to the Australian Government for the NCCD includes:

• year of schooling
• category of disability: physical, cognitive, sensory or social/emotional
• level of adjustment provided: support provided within quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial or extensive.

This information assists schools to:

• formally recognise the supports and adjustments provided to students with disability in schools
• consider how they can strengthen the support of students with disability in schools
• develop shared practices so that they can review their learning programs in order to improve educational outcomes for students with disability.

The NCCD provides state and federal governments with the information they need to plan more broadly for the support of students with disability.

The NCCD will have no direct impact on your child and your child will not be involved in any testing process. The school will provide data to the Australian Government in such a way that no individual student will be able to be identified – the privacy and confidentiality of all students is ensured. All information is protected by privacy laws that regulate the collection, storage and disclosure of personal information. To find out more about these matters, please refer to the Australian Government’s Privacy Policy (https://www.education.gov.au/privacy-policy).

Further information about the NCCD can be found on the NCCD Portal (https://www.nccd.edu.au).

If you have any questions about the NCCD, please contact the school.

Wakakiri Meeting

All are welcome to attend the next Wakakirri meeting, which will be held on Thursday, 8th May at 3:30pm. 

You can review the minutes from the last meeting, held in Term 1 Week 9 below.

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 Average was 89%

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

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 5:00pm | Sunday 9:00am.
The Woodenbong Communion Service and Mass alternate every Saturday at 9am. 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  

To receive The Soul newsletter by email, please use [this form] to subscribe as an additional reader to The Soul mailing list.

Healthy Eating Active Living Team

Positive routines and habits around screen time can be great for the whole family.Try setting boundaries for screen time like device-free zones or times in your home. For more info on screen time, visit: www.healthyliving.nsw.gov.au/Pages/screen-time.aspx

Parent Talk

Parent Talk newsletter aims to provide parents and carers with relevant and timely information about developments in education, wellbeing, CCSP advocacy program and significant Catholic news and events.

Click here for the Latest Newsletter
Click here for the Newsletter Archive

Community News

Dear community, we’re excited to announce that starting Term 2, we’ll be offering a Taekwondo class every Thursdays as part of our Rainbow Region Kids after school care program!

 Location: Kyogle Public School
 Time: 4 - 5pm
 Day: Every Thursday in Term 2

This exciting new activity is open to all children enrolled in primary school in the community. **If your child attends Kyogle Public School, they can be picked up directly from their classroom by our educators and taken to the class.**

As a CCS-approved provider, eligible families can receive Child Care Subsidy to help reduce the cost of care. If you're not sure whether you qualify or need help applying, we're happy to assist! 

Open day Saturday 10^th May 10am - 2pm 

We will have the truck on display, drills, demos and integrations for kids of all ages about fire safety and what we do as fire fighters. Also a good opportunity for people to have a look around the truck and station. It is a FREE event!

Hello Community, we are less than two months away from the fantastic feast for our bookish senses that is Literary Allsorts.

And we’ve got some great panels to share with you. Tickets will go on sale in the coming weeks. As always, they will be low-cost, and sell quick. They will be available through kraw.com.au. And while you are there check out the fantastic opportunities we have for writers— our ever popular poetry competition, and the excellent Writer in Residence Program.

Paul and the Kyogle Readers & Writers Team. 

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