Term 2 Week 5 Newsletter 2025

Principal's Messages

ACKNOWLEDGING SORRY DAY: LEARNING, RESPECT, AND RECONCILIATION 

This week, our school is commemorating Sorry Day, a significant event that acknowledges the historical mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and emphasises the importance of our collective journey towards reconciliation. Courtney Monaghan and Sarah Goodwin, our dedicated Aboriginal Education Officers (AEO), will be visiting each classroom to deliver a special lesson on the meaning and significance of Sorry Day. She will explain what this day commemorates and why it holds profound importance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, as well as for all Australians. Through these lessons, we aim to foster a deeper understanding and respect among our students, reinforcing our commitment to reconciliation and creating a more inclusive and respectful community.

Our Prayer for Reconciliation

Loving God,
You made the world and everything in it.

We are sorry for the hurt and sadness caused in the past,
especially to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Please forgive us.

Thank you that the cultures of our First Nations peoples are still strong today.

We believe in you and your Son, Jesus,
who came to bring peace and love to the world.

Help us to be kind, forgiving, and loving to each other,
just like you are to us.

Give us the courage to be honest about our history,
so we can help make Australia a fair and caring country for everyone.

Teach us to respect all cultures,
to take care of the land and waters,
and to share what we have in fair and just ways.

Help us make changes that improve life for everyone,
especially those who are having a hard time.

Be with young people as they grow,
so they know they are loved, strong, and important.

May your love and strength guide us
as we build better families, better communities,
and a better future for all.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.

CEDB NATIONAL RECONCILIATION WEEK MASS THIS FRIDAY

We warmly invite all parents, carers, and members of our school community to attend the National Reconciliation Week Mass at St Brigid’s Church in Dubbo on Friday 30th May at 10.30am. This special Mass marks a significant step in our Diocese’s commitment to recognising and celebrating Aboriginal culture and spirituality within our Catholic tradition.

Bishop Michael McKenna has approved two annual Diocesan Masses to be held each year to acknowledge key dates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. These Masses will rotate around the Diocese, involving local schools, staff, students, families, priests, and communities.

We are honoured that St Brigid’s Church will host the first Diocesan Aboriginal Mass for 2025 as part of National Reconciliation Week, and we are proud that our school will participate alongside others in this important celebration.

Our school will be represented by myself, Alicia O’Connor (Religious Education Coordinator), Courtney Monaghan and Sarah Goodwin (Aboriginal Education Officers), our Year 6 School Ministers and Deputy Ministers, Student Representative Council members from K-Year 5, and all of our Aboriginal students.

The Mass will be a joyful and respectful reflection of Aboriginal culture and spirituality, and we encourage all families to join us in standing together for truth, justice, and reconciliation.

We hope to see many of you there as we gather in faith and unity.

YEAR 5 & 6 RECEIVE SPECIAL BIBLES FROM BISHOP MCKENNA

At our recent school assembly, students in Year 5 and Year 6 were each presented with a beautiful hard-cover Bible, gifted by Bishop Michael McKenna, Bishop of the Diocese of Bathurst.

Each year, Bishop McKenna generously gives these Bibles to all Year 5 students across Catholic schools in our diocese. They are intended to support students’ faith journey throughout their final years of primary school and can continue to be used as they move into high school.

Because our current Year 6 students did not receive their Bibles last year, we were pleased to present them with their own copy alongside this year’s Year 5 cohort.

These Bibles are not only for reading in class but can be personalised—students are encouraged to write notes, highlight passages, and mark pages that are meaningful to them. It is our hope that these Bibles will be treasured as a source of inspiration, comfort, and guidance for years to come.

PEER SUPPORT GROUPS LAUNCHED TO BUILD CONNECTION AND LEADERSHIP

This term, our Year 6 leaders have begun running Peer Support groups that meet weekly for one term. These groups bring together students from Kindergarten through to Year 6, creating a wonderful mix of ages and friendships. The program not only helps build strong connections across different year levels but also provides valuable opportunities for our Year 6 students to develop their leadership skills and serve as positive role models. Through these groups, we are fostering a supportive and connected school culture where every student feels included and valued.

ANNUAL DIOCESAN SPELLING BEE – BEST OF LUCK TO OUR STUDENTS!

This year marks the 13th annual Spelling Bee conducted by our Diocese, an event that continues to inspire and challenge our students. We are incredibly proud of our qualifying students, who have demonstrated exceptional dedication and talent in their preparation for this event. We know they will showcase their impressive knowledge and skills, and shine brightly in this next level of the competition. Please join us in wishing Nash and Olivia from Year 3, Brianna and Harry from Year 6, all the very best as they compete on Wednesday. Their hard work and enthusiasm make us all proud, and we look forward to celebrating their achievements.

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES DRILL THIS WEEK

Each term, we conduct an emergency drill to ensure students are familiar with the procedures and feel prepared, not alarmed. This term, we will be practising a fire/evacuation drill. Teachers will explain the process beforehand so students know what to expect and understand the importance of the drill.

The fire/evacuation procedure is as follows:

• A signal is given: a siren sound followed by a verbal evacuation warning

• Teachers close windows and doors and turn off lights

• Classes walk calmly to the designated evacuation area, where rolls are marked

If this were a real fire or emergency evacuation, parents would be notified via Compass.

DIBELS READING CHECKS – SUPPORTING STRONG FOUNDATIONS IN READING

Over the next two weeks, all students will take part in DIBELS reading assessments with their class teachers.
DIBELS stands for Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills. These short, simple checks help teachers see how your child is going with important reading skills like sounding out words, reading smoothly, understanding what they read, and recognising sounds in words.

These assessments focus on four of the five essential components of early reading—phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, and comprehension—often referred to as the ‘Big Ideas’ of reading. These are the key skills children need to develop as they learn to read with confidence.

The information gathered from these checks helps teachers better understand how to support your child’s reading growth and ensure they are on track for grade-level reading success.

Once the assessments are completed, your child’s teacher will send home a Parent Report with clear feedback about your child’s progress and any areas where extra support or extension might be needed.

Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting strong learning and wellbeing for every child.

NATIONAL SIMULTANEOUS STORYTIME 2025

On Wednesday 21 May at 12pm, our school joined students and educators from across the country in celebrating National Simultaneous Storytime - a much-loved annual event that promotes the value of reading and literacy.

This year’s chosen book was The Truck Cat by Deborah Frenkel, a heartwarming story that explores themes of friendship, identity, immigration, and finding a sense of home in unexpected places.

Students and teachers gathered to enjoy the story together, connecting with schools all over Australia as the same book was read aloud simultaneously in classrooms, libraries, and community spaces.

It was a joyful shared reading experience and a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the power of stories to bring people together.

100 NIGHTS OF READING SUPERSTARS

More students happy to be checking off 100 nights of home reading last week! We love celebrating reading at St Laurence's and encourage our students to develop a love and enthusiasm for reading. When students achieve 100, 150, 200, 250 and 300 nights of Home Reading they are rewarded with a special book prize from my Book Box.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR CHILD’S CHARACTER STRENGTHS

As a parent and educator, I always find great value in Michael Grose’s insights, and I wanted to share something I recently read that really resonated with me. In a piece titled “Understanding Your Kids’ Character Strengths: A Simple Guide,” Grose outlines how we can better identify and nurture our children’s individual strengths - those qualities that make them shine from the inside out.

He explains that children often can’t recognise their own strengths because they’re simply too close to them. As parents and teachers, we might struggle too - until we know what to look for. Grose offers three key elements that, when combined, help reveal a child’s true character strengths:

1. Performance – What is your child naturally good at? This might be a school subject, a sport, a creative pursuit or something completely outside the box. Look for activities where your child performs above their age level or learns quickly.

2. Energy – What activities light them up? The things that energise a child and boost their self-esteem are strong indicators of where their passions lie. These are the tasks that don’t feel like work and that they’ll keep doing long after they have to.

3. High Use – What does your child choose to do in their own time? Notice what they gravitate toward again and again - whether it's writing stories, building with LEGO, helping in the kitchen, or organising games with friends.

Grose points out that when all three elements - performance, energy, and high use - are present, you’ve likely uncovered a true strength. These aren’t just hobbies or skills; they are traits that can be nurtured and carried into adulthood, shaping your child’s future in meaningful ways.

As a parent, reflecting on this model can help us see our children more clearly and support them to grow in ways that are joyful, fulfilling, and true to who they are. It’s a simple but powerful way to better understand and honour the unique gifts our children bring into the world.

UNDERSTANDING AND USING PARENTAL CONTROLS TO HELP PROTECT YOUR CHILD ONLINE

Free Parent Webinar from the eSafety Commissioner

Parental controls are a helpful tool to support your child’s safety online. They can be used to limit access to harmful content, manage screen time, and monitor interactions across devices, apps, gaming platforms, and computers.

The eSafety Commissioner is offering a free 45-minute webinar to help parents and carers:

• Learn about the different types of parental controls and how to set them up

• Use parental controls alongside other online safety strategies to support your child in building safe and responsible online habits

This session is especially relevant for parents and carers of primary school-aged children and is particularly timely following the Childhood Unplugged parent workshop with Dr Justin Coulson, where he emphasised the importance of proactive digital parenting strategies.

Webinar details:
🗓 Monday 3 June
⏰ 3:30pm (AEST)
📍 Online

To register or learn more, visit: www.esafety.gov.au/parents/webinars

Religious Education

Gospel Focus

As we celebrate the Ascension of the Lord this Sunday, we remember that Jesus, in returning to the Father, entrusted His disciples with a mission of love, healing, and reconciliation. This week, we also mark National Sorry Day - a time to reflect on the deep hurt caused to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, especially the Stolen Generations. Just as Jesus called His followers to be witnesses of peace and understanding, we too are called to listen, to learn, and to walk together with respect and compassion. May the hope of the Ascension inspire us to build a future grounded in truth, healing, and unity, as we follow Christ’s way of love in our school and in our nation.

TERM 2 EVENTS

MASS TIMES: St. Brigid’s: Saturday - 5:00pm, Sunday - 9:00am and Sunday - 5:00pm.

St. Laurence’s Church: Monday- 9:30am, Wednesday - 9:30am, Friday -12 noon and Sunday - 7:30am

Sports

SOCCER GALA DAY

Our annual Soccer Gala Day will be held on Friday 8th August. Nominations are now open for parents wishing to be a Team Manager on the day.

Being a team manager involves ensuring your team gets to their designated fields on time for games and rotating subs. Please email your class teacher if you wish to be a team manager in 2025!

ATHLETICS CARNIVAL

Our school Athletics Carnival will be held on Wednesday 25 June (Week 9). We are looking forward to a great day of participation, teamwork and friendly competition.

Event nomination forms for students in Years 2–6 have been sent home. Please ensure these are completed and returned to school by Friday 6 June to assist with event planning.

More details about the day will be shared closer to the event.

Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL)

As part of our ongoing commitment to Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) each class spends time reviewing and learning about the expectations in specific areas. The focus can be developed from feedback and data. This week our focus is all being responsible in all school settings.

Being responsible in all school settings means:

• We report bullying and harassment
• We put rubbish in the bin
• We are punctual
• We report problems to the teacher at the right time
• We are truthful
• We think about consequences 
• We take care of property

Lunchtime Clubs

Canteen

Thank you to our wonderful parent helpers who have heard our call for help and put their hands up to volunteer on Friday's in our school canteen. The roster for Term 2 is below.

Our meal break times are:
Recess 10:50 - 11:10am;
Infants Lunch 12:40 - 1:20pm;
Primary Lunch 1:10 - 1:50pm.

School Photos

Dates to remember

Birthdays

Curriculum Corner

YEAR 4 MATHS UPDATE

Recently, Year 4 students have been learning all about representing numbers in different ways. They explored how to write numbers in words, as well as how to expand and partition numbers up to six digits. Through hands-on activities and engaging activities, students deepened their understanding of place value and developed greater confidence in working with larger numbers.

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