Week 2 has flown by and we are busy trying to fit in all that is required in a school in Term 4. Excursions, sporting events, immersions, liturgies, orientations, learning, assessments and so many other things have been on the calendar for Week 2. Late last night our Year 9 students, exhausted but still jubilant, arrived home after a very full week in Sydney. According to all reports it was an outstanding experience for our students and staff where they got to enjoy the cast array of opportunities and experiences that the city had to offer. They visited the Zoo, Parliament, the Theatre, an Escape Room, the Jewish Holocaust Museum and so much more. It was a fabulous time of team building and trying new things. We are extremely grateful to the dedicated staff who gave up a week to share this experience with the students, especially Ms Buchanan, Ms Moore, Mr Smith and Mrs Kingwill. We also want to make special mention of Ben and Tracy Tregear who made a last-minute trip to Campbelltown to pick up the students when there was a mix-up with their return tickets to make sure they got home safely. Their willingness to help was so appreciated and we are indebted to them for their late-night journey. Hopefully we will see pictures and a report in coming newsletters.

Our Year 8 students will travel to Tathra next Wednesday for their annual experience of coastal living. We wish them a fabulous time, safe travel and wonderful weather. Thank you to Mrs McPherson, Mrs Maxwell and Mrs Wade for their enthusiastic leadership of the excursion.

Yesterday our 2026 Kindergarten children experienced another brilliant transition program. It is noted that, even though they have spent only a few days in the kindergarten space, they are already well-practised in the routines and expectations of life at Big School. Our tireless Infants teachers spend an inordinate amount of time preparing the program to ensure that it supports our little people in making a successful start to their primary schooling. They still have two further transition experiences and we are excited by the privilege that we have to lead their educational journey.

Our Primary students have spent the day in Boorowa at the annual Touch and Netball Carnival.  This is an annual highlight on the Primary calendar and we hope that it was a glorious day in the springtime sun. We will post photos and a report in coming newsletters. Thank you to the staff and parents who supported this day.

The Archdiocesan Principals gathered in Canberra yesterday to build the next Strategic Plan for the diocesan schools. One of the greatest issues facing our schools in the next decade will be the statewide teacher shortage. This situation could become increasingly dire for all schools as the current teaching workforce transition to retirement with the average age of most teachers falling into this bracket. We are so blessed to have such wonderful teachers and we recognise how privileged we are to have dedicated and enthusiastic staff choose to work at our school. We hope that we will always be able to source the very best educators to work in our classrooms. Next Friday is National Teachers Day and we will celebrate our wonderful staff and acknowledge their contribution to the life, culture and success of our school.

In last week’s homily at the Saturday Vigil Mass Fr Lolesio spoke about our preparedness to pray for peace in our world. He added that this is a wonderful thing to do but that whilst we should pray for peace we should look at what we ‘do’ to achieve peace. Our actions should match our prayers. We conduct a very successful and important Faith in Action program where our Year 10 students get the chance once a week to put their ’faith’ into action by serving at the Nursing Home, Elouera School, the Sacred Heart Parish and Community Kitchen. This program has been operating for over 30 years and it is an invaluable way to show our students the value of service. Thank you to Mrs Maxwell, Ms Wade and Sr Kathy for their devotion to letting our students experience Faith in Action.

Remember, as St Teresa of Calcutta proclaims, “Not all of us can do great things, But we can do small things with great love.”

God Bless,

Ms Nicky Trinder

Principal