7th April 2025

Term 1 - Week 10

• Monday 7th April 2025
  

  • School Liturgy & Assembly let by 3TJ @ 9.00am - Family & Friends welcome

  • School Choir @ 8.35am in the Library
  • Agriculture Club @ Recess
    
• Tuesday 8th April 2025
  • Mini Vinnies @ Recess
    
• Wednesday 9th April 2025
  
  • Guitar Group @ 11.00-11.40am (Early recess in classroom at 10.50am)
  • Year 2 Ukulele Group @ 1.10pm
  • Music Viva Choir Group @ 1.30pm
  • Didgeridoo Group @ 1.40pm
    
• Thursday 10th April 2025
  
  • Band @ 7.50-8.50am 
  • Junior Band @ 11.00-11.40am (Early recess in classroom at 10.50am)
  • Last day of Term 1 for Students
• Friday 11th April 2025
  
  • Pupil Free Day

Term 2 - Week 1

• Monday 28th April 2025
  • Pupil Free Day
• Tuesday 29th April 2025
  
  • First day of Term 2 for students
  • Mini Vinnies @ Recess 
• Wednesday 30th April 2025
  
  • Resurrection Encounter Assembly @ 9am - Family & Friends welcome
  • Buddy Classes Easter Hat Construction @ 9.30-10.15am - School Hall - Family & Friends welcome
  • Easter Hat Parade 10.15-10.45am - Family & Friends welcome
  • Picnic Recess 10.45am Family & Friends invited to bring their morning tea and sit with students
  • Guitar Group @ 11.00-11.40am (Early recess in classroom at 10.50am)
  • Year 2 Ukulele Group @ 1.10pm
  • Didgeridoo Group @ 1.40pm
    
• Thursday 1st May 2025
  • ANZAC Day Service @ 9.00am
  • Senior Band @ 7.50-8.50am 
  • Junior Band @ 11.00-11.40am (Early recess in classroom at 10.50am)
    
• Friday 2nd May 2025
  

Important Dates

From the Principal

As we journey through Lent towards Easter we are reminded of our call to bring peace to our world; to our homes,  our school and to our community. In order for peace to flourish we must be open to God’s forgiveness and open to accepting  this free gift. Last weekend, Bishop Michael in his homily reminded us of the concept of forgiveness when he spoke about the Gospel reading of the Prodigal Son (or Forgiving Father). Bishop Michael reminded us that to forgive, does not mean that we condone an action. Just as Jesus did, we must take ourselves to the place of the sinner, to be with those who most need us and to bring them back to the loving embrace of Jesus. 

This reminded me  of a time when I was told by a parent that the children were not scared enough of me;  they thought that many students would come to my office, play with toys and make their way back to the classroom. At this time, I wish that I had the eloquent words of our Bishop. Sometimes our students make mistakes, they are human as we are. At Cathedral, we believe that discipline means ‘to learn’. So we take ourselves to the place of our students, sometimes we take belly breaths with them or colour in while they try to regulate their emotions. This does not mean that we condone their actions. In fact, this gives us the time and the space to connect with our students before we correct their behaviour and look to teach them our expected behaviours.  

As we reflect on another term of learning, we give thanks for our parents who give our staff the space to connect and to correct. To be firm in their boundaries but kind in their teaching of our expectations. Over the term, like in any school we have given awards, merits, countless raffle tickets and celebrated through praise the achievements and positive behaviours of our students. Over the term, we have also tracked student behaviour, we have made calls to parents, had parent meetings with students, suspended students and developed management plans and individualised support for students in our school. While this might sound a little dreary, at Cathedral it has been quite the opposite. At our school we celebrate these processes. These processes, along with our strong focus on student well-being ensure that Cathedral continues to be a place of learning. 

So thank you to the staff of Cathedral who follow these processes, to our students who embrace learning every day and especially to the parents of Cathedral who support us as we follow these processes and in doing so encourage their children to learn. 

We wish all of our families a very happy Easter. Our last day of the term is this Thursday 10th April and we look forward to welcoming back students on Tuesday 29th April. We encourage students to join us on ANZAC Day for our community March (details below).

Our Newsletter will be published fortnightly in 2025 and we encourage you to access the Google Cathedral Community Calendar so that you can stay current with school dates and celebrations. 

Camille Tavares   | Principal

ANZAC MARCH

We invite  students to join us on Friday 25th April for our community ANZAC Day March. Students are asked to meet in front of the RSL on Rankin St (our school banner will be displayed) dressed in their full Winter uniform at 9:50am. We ask that students bring their drink bottle and suggest that they also bring their school hat if it is a sunny day. 

Parents of younger students may like to walk alongside their child.

The March will conclude with students attending the service at the Carillon on George St, where they can be collected at the conclusion of the service.

Annual School Improvement Survey

Our school will be asking all parents, students and staff to complete the Annual School Improvement Survey. The Surveys will be distributed to all staff, parents and Yr 5-12 students on Thursday 8th May (Wk 2, Term2).

These surveys enable all members of the school community to have a voice. We do take note of all comments written as they are valuable insights from key stakeholders of the school. The comments and data provides information about how well the school is operating, highlighting areas of strengths and those that may need revision. Overall, the data collected from the surveys provide highly valuable information that directs the school's future planning for continual improvement.

Congratulations

Congratulations to our beautiful Miss Aimee Morris who last weekend celebrated her wedding. We wish Aimee and Jesse every blessing for their married life together. Miss Morris will now be known by her married name, Mrs Lane.

Awards

Teaching and Learning

Three-Way Conferences
Thank you to all of our families for your participation in our Three-Way Conferences that were held in Week 8. It was wonderful to bring together the unique voices of students, parents, and teachers to both celebrate achievements and set goals for the rest of the school year. This collaborative process is essential in promoting growth in our students and strengthening the partnership between home and school. We look forward to sharing progress across the year towards reaching set goals. 

Public Speaking School Finals
Communicating effectively, including using language to entertain, inform and persuade audiences forms a significant part of the Stage 2 and Stage 3 English Curriculum. The CWA Public Speaking Competition provides a real-life opportunity to practise and develop these skills. After much work in classrooms across the last half of this term with all students in Year 3 to 6 planning, writing and delivering speeches, school finals will take place on Wednesday afternoon at 2.15pm with Grade Finalists presenting their speeches to the school community.  We invite parents of selected students to join us for this event.

One student will be chosen in each age group to represent Cathedral school at the CWA Public Speaking Competition to be held in Orange next term. Times and location will be communicated at the beginning of next term. 

See dates below:
Year 3 - Monday, 26th May
Year 4 - Tuesday, 27th May
Year 5 - Wednesday, 28th May
Year 6 - Thursday, 29th May

Spelling Bee 
Stage 2 and Stage 3 students will battle it out at the beginning of next term for a place at the Diocesan Spelling Bee to be held in Wellington on Wednesday, 28th May. Students who have progressed to the school finals will be informed this week.

The Stage 2 Spelling Bee will be held on Thursday, 1st May at 9.30 am in the school hall following the Anzac Day service.
The Stage 3 Spelling Bee will be held on Friday, 2nd May at 9 am in the school hall. 
Parents are invited to join us for these exciting events.
Following our school finals, two students from each Stage will be chosen to represent Cathedral School in Wellington for the Diocesan finals. 

Term 1 Holidays
Wishing everyone a safe and relaxing break over the holiday period.
A reminder that school begins for students on Tuesday, 29th April.

Mrs Catherine O'Neill   | Assistant Principal

Winter Uniform

Our students return to school in their full winter uniform. This includes the wearing of the school tie. 

Please make sure that your child is correctly dressed including: tie, correct shoes and socks. If you are experiencing financial hardship and require support with the purchase of uniforms we ask that you please contact the office. 

For our girls wearing the maroon winter dress,  navy stockings should be worn or white socks with the maroon trousers. Boys should wear grey socks. All students wear black leather shoes (not joggers except on sport day).

A reminder that hair below the shoulders should be tied up and only basic hair accessories in school colours should be worn. 

Nail polish is not to be worn to school and only one pair of small plain stud earrings are suitable to be worn to school. 

Class in Focus 3MO

In 3MO we have been very busy learners! 

Last Monday we visited the ANZAC Memorial in Sydney, where our students participated in the ‘Rosemary for Remembrance’ workshop. The students had a guided tour of the memorial and explored the power of symbolism in storytelling through the story of the Lone Pine. Students will learn more about this through our literature focus in English which begins with the text, 'When Grandad Marched on Anzac Day."

In Mathematics we have been exploring data, chance and position. The students have been exploring these concepts through hands-on activities like bean bag tossing and coin flipping. Students have been responsible for collecting, organising and analysing data, including the development of different types of graphs. 

In Science we have been learning about living things and cycles of life. We have been nurturing a chicken egg in our classroom, donated by the Timms family. It is due to hatch on the last day of the term! We have also planted seeds and are observing how seeds germinate and grow into plants. We are developing our ability to draw scientific diagrams to record our observations. 

Miss Muldoon & Mrs O'Neill   | 3MO Teachers

Class In Focus 5C

5C have had a busy couple of weeks!

In mathematics, we have been learning about factions and how to compare fractions with different denominators.  In Science, we have been learning about different types of forces. We all had lots of fun designing parachutes to demonstrate how air resistance works.  And we always have great fun helping our buddies in KM with art and craft and spending some time reading with them!

Mrs Clayton   | 5C Teachers

Religious Education & Catholic Life

Reflecting on Delany & Harmony Day
Our school community thoroughly enjoyed the wonderful celebrations of Delany & Harmony Day on Friday, 28th March 2025. The day brought us together to honor faith, inclusion, and community and every moment was meaningful and engaging.

I want to especially acknowledge the outstanding leadership of our Delany Captains, Amarli and Braith, who worked alongside me to plan and organise the day’s events. It was a pleasure to collaborate with them and bring their fantastic ideas and insights to life. Their dedication and contributions throughout the planning process were commendable, and their ‘student voice’ played a vital role in shaping the day.

The celebrations began with a beautiful Mass in the Cathedral Church, setting a reflective and uplifting tone. Families joined us for a shared picnic recess, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere, and students thoroughly enjoyed the Irish games and activities that followed. The day ran smoothly thanks to the enthusiasm of students, support of families and the support from many members of staff.

A heartfelt thanks to our generous school community for supporting Project Compassion fundraising through your gold coin donation as part of wearing green, orange or cultural attire and congratulations again to Amarli and Braith for their exceptional leadership. 

Delany & Harmony Day was a celebration of Bishop Daniel Delany’s legacy and the richness of our multicultural community. Thank you to everyone who contributed to making this day significant.

Sacramental Program
Thank you to our families that were able to attend the Sacramental Information Meeting recently, where Fr Paul, along with our parish schools RECs outlined the sacramental program for 2025. If you were unable to attend I have some spare information sheets available for families if needed.

Students in Year 3 will finalise their school based preparations for First Eucharist this week and Year 2 have now completed corresponding preparations for First Reconciliation.  Families of the above students can now approach the Parish Office to enrol and coordinate the receiving of these sacraments. Year 2 & 3 classroom teachers and I are more than happy to provide any support with this process so please reach out to us.

Reconciliation
Students from Years 3 to 6 have now undertaken the First Rite of Reconciliation as part of our preparations for Lent. Many students have taken up the invitation to reflect deeply on this important sacrament, guided by our School Chaplain.

Spending time in the Cathedral, they considered the significance of reconciliation during this sacred season, embracing this opportunity for forgiveness, renewal and spiritual growth.

Thank you to our students for their reverence and to our staff for supporting this meaningful part of our Lenten journey.

School Chaplain Classroom Visits
Over recent weeks, our School Chaplain, Fr Karl, has been visiting classrooms to engage with students as part of their invitation to the First Rite of Reconciliation. These visits have also been a wonderful opportunity for discussions about our faith, current units of study in Religious Education and moments of prayer through hymns.

One of the highlights has been singing ‘Goodness of God,’ a new favourite hymn for this year, which has brought a sense of the sacred and powerful  reflection to our visits.

Fr Karl and I have immensely enjoyed these visits in each grade. They have been a meaningful way to connect with students, share in their faith journey, and deepen their understanding of God’s presence in their lives.

Thank you to all students for their participation and enthusiasm during these sessions.

Holy Week Encounter
This Thursday, we invite all families to join our students and staff for our Holy Week Encounter as we prepare our hearts and minds for this deeply sacred time in our faith—the lead-up to Holy Week and the Easter Triduum which will be observed during the upcoming school holidays.

Our Year 6 student volunteers will lead this reflective experience, guiding us through the events of Holy Week, from Palm Sunday to Good Friday and helping us reflect on the significance of Jesus' Passion, death, and ultimate sacrifice for our salvation. Together, we will contemplate the love of Christ and the hope of His Resurrection, which calls us to renewal and faith.

This encounter is an opportunity to deepen our connection to the story of Jesus’ journey, reflect on the mystery of His suffering and prepare ourselves to celebrate Easter Sunday’s triumph with renewed hearts.

We warmly welcome you to join us in the school hall from 1:50pm, as we come together as a Catholic community to journey through this important moment in the liturgical calendar.

We hope to see you there as we prepare to enter fully into this sacred season.

Celebrating the Resurrection and the Easter Season
On the first Wednesday back of Term 2 (30th April), we warmly invite parents, students, families, and staff to join us in a joyful celebration of the Resurrection of Christ and the beginning of the Easter Season.

The morning will begin at 9:00am in the school hall, where our Year 6 student volunteers will lead us in a special reflection and celebration of the Resurrection, focusing on the hope and new life that Easter brings to our faith and lives.

Following this, each class will join with a 'buddy' class to create Easter Hats, symbolising the joy and renewal of the season. Just before Recess, we will come together as a whole school community for an Easter Hat Parade, where students will proudly display their creations and proclaim the start of the Easter Season.

We warmly invite families to join us for one or all aspects of this special morning. To conclude, parents and families are welcome to bring their own morning tea and sit with their children, sharing in fellowship and celebration as a school community.  We look forward to celebrating this joyous season together and hope to see you there!

IN OUR PARISH
We are proud to be an important part of the Cathedral Parish of Ss Michael & John.   For information about our parish please click here. This includes Mass Times, Ministries, Sacraments and current edition and archived stories from the Catholic Observer and Parish Bulletin.

Coming Up
Please always reference the School Community Calendar for the latest event details and changes:

Ashley Boylan | Religious Education Coordinator

SPB4L-School Wide Positive Behaviours for Learning

Mr Ashley Boylan   | On behalf of the SPB4L Committee

Sports

Cross Country
Thank you to all involved in the Cross Country event that took place at St Stanislaus College on Friday.

Congratulations to MacKillop House who were the winning team on the day and to Delany House for taking home the Spirit Cup. Special congratulations to Connor (Year 3) and Lara (Year 6) who were awarded participation medallions for their effort and involvement at the carnival.

Congratulations to all place getters in each age division. These students are now eligible to compete at the Diocesan Cross Country Carnival in Coolah on Tuesday 6th May.

CPS Swimming

Congratulations to Trisha from 4RS who competed at the CPS Swimming Carnival in Homebush on Wednesday 2nd April. Trisha placed 13th in the Junior Girls Breaststroke. Well done Trisha, we are so proud of you making it this far!

Rugby 7s
On Monday 24th April the following students competed in the Rugby 7’s Competition held in Bathurst: Samson 6B, Braith 6B, Harrison 6B, Patrick 6LB, Harryson 6LB, George 6LB, Wyatt 5C, Oisin 5C and Solomon 4W. 

The boys finished second in their pool progressing to the semi-final. The boys won their semi-final and then went on to play Holy Family School in the grand final. Unfortunately the boys were defeated in the grand final but we are so proud of them for getting that far. They are to be congratulated on their efforts and wonderful sportsmanship. A big thank you to Mr Froebel for coaching the boys and to all of the parents who supported on the day.

Bathurst Winter Sport Trials

Well done to the following students who represented our school at the Bathurst Diocesan Winter Sports Trials on Friday 28th March:

Carter 6LB, Liam 6B, Hunter 6B, Zander 5C, Noah 5A, Emilia 6B, Ella D 5A, Savannah 5C, Ella P 5A, Charlotte 5A, Molly 6B, Grace 6B, Matilda 6B, Georgina 6LB, Wyatt 5C, Solomon 4W, Samson 6B and George 6LB.

A big congratulations to Carter who was selected into the soccer team and Solomon who was selected into the rugby league team. Both boys will now compete in the Polding trials to be held in Bathurst in week one of next term.

Cassie Toole   | Sports Coordinator

Library

I wish all Cathedral students and families a very Holy and Happy Easter full of good books!

Merryn Sadler   | Teacher Librarian

Wellbeing

Last week, Year 5 and Year 6 had a very informative session about positive friendships with Jordana (our Cathedral School Centacare Counsellor). The children learnt about what makes a good friend, how to manage conflict respectfully and some emotional regulation strategies like bunny breathing. We are very grateful to have Jordy working with us at school!

Merryn Sadler   | Wellbeing Coordinator

Mini Vinnies

Mini Vinnies Club members have been hard at work this term making Easter crosses and baskets to raise money for those in need. These will be on sale at RECESS on Tuesday 8th April outside the Library. Crosses are $1 each and the baskets with an egg and chick will be sold for $2. We have already raised almost $40 from sales last week and hope to reach $100 to give to the local Vinnies Food Van. Thank you to all Mini Vinnies members who have given up some of their playtime to make these special crosses to sell. It is lovely to see faith in action at our school!

Genevieve Avinash | Mini Vinnies Coordinator

Celebrating Birthdays Safely in the Classroom

We love Birthdays at Cathedral and we know that this is a very special time for our students. Over the years, families have often asked to celebrate birthdays in the classroom, often sending in baked treats or packaged items from home. This has become challenging in classrooms with many students having allergies and it being difficult for the teacher to manage the incoming treats. 

To avoid this situation, we now ask that if you would like your child to celebrate their Birthday at school that you purchase a Birthday Bucket from the canteen via Flexischools. This will ensure that we are able to manage food allergies and intolerances safely (information below).  

If you would like your child to opt out of receiving an ice block with their class or if your child is unable to consume an ice block then please contact your child’s classroom teacher.

Birthday Buckets are now available to order through the flexischools App, we have 2 varieties of Ice block available 

Zooper doopers Class set $20
Juices Class set $30

If you would like your child to opt out of receiving an ice block with their class or you have any dietary requirements please email the school and let us know.
Many Thanks,

Mrs Alana Watson | Canteen Manager

Lost Property

We have a large amount of Lost Property in the School Office.  If your child is missing any items, please come and have a look through our lost property.  Any items not collected by the end of the term will be donated.

Parents and Friends

Next P&F Meeting: Wednesday 7th May 5:30pm - School Library
Everyone is invited to attend our monthly P&F meetings, which are held on the first Wednesday of each school month at 5:30pm in the Library. For those who cannot attend in person, we have a zoom link, if you would like to join from home!

 https://bthcatholic.zoom.us/j62675200979?pwd=duYyV3M2MvdoTVVjclRKZE5jdnlMdzo9
ID:62675200979@zmau.us  Password: 106688

THANK YOU
We would like to thank everyone that put in an order for the Bulb fundraiser. 

MOTHER’S DAY 
Friday 9th May - Gift Stall
Ordering for Mother’s Day Gifts will be available on Flexischools under the “Event” section.

Monday 12th May 7.30am-9am- Mother’s day Breakfast
Please come and enjoy breakfast with your child from 7.30am.

Volunteers
If your available to help with the Mother’s Day stall or the breakfast please email cathedralpandf@gmail.com Any help would be greatly appreciated

OPTIONAL SCHOOL JACKETS
The Cathedral School logo is embroidered on the chest, the jackets are lightweight, windproof and water-resistant, perfect for the cold weather.  These optional school jackets are available to try on at the school office and ready to order via Flexischools under shop. 

Please note: The optional jacket is NOT compulsory - All maroon/navy/black school jackets are also acceptable.

If you have any enquiries about our projects or would like to get involved, please email us at cathedralpandf@gmail.com

SCHOOL BACKPACKS

The school backpacks can be ordered on FlexiSchools for $65 – click on shop, then your child’s name, then uniform shop. The back pack will be delivered to your child’s classroom along with the lunch orders so you can select a Wednesday, Thursday or Friday for delivery, then select backpack and finalise your order. 

THE BACKPACK CAN ALSO BE PURCHASED AT THE FRONT OFFICE.

We have attached the flyer about the backpack here for your reference.

If you have any enquiries about our projects or would like to get involved, please email us at cathedralpandf@gmail.com

Melissa Bray   | P & F Publicity

Canteen

Canteen Roster Term 1  2025

CAN YOU HELP?

The Canteen is open on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

We are in need of helpers in the Canteen on Wednesday, Thursday & Friday. 
For the canteen to run smoothly 3 volunteers are essential.

Please contact Alana Watson on 0417 044 116 if you would like to be included in the canteen roster,
any time offered is welcomed.

Thank you to all our friends and family for all your ongoing support of the Cathedral Canteen.

School Calendar Handy Hints

Google Calendar is an easy way to keep up to date with the school events.  This can be found on our school website under the Parents and Families tab. Below is the link that will take you straight to the Calendar section of the site, where the calendar can be displayed by month. If you click on the event, more details (if confirmed) will be available for the event. 

Most end of year events and special celebrations have already been added to the calendar and all other events appear as soon as we can confirm the details.  Website Calendar Link

For those with a Google Account the calendar can be added to your Google calendars for easy access
on your phone or device. Google School Calendar Link

Update your Details

Update your email, phone number, address, your child’s medical details or emergency contacts by emailing the information to cathedral@bth.catholic.edu.au

Community Notices