19th May 2025

Term 2 - Week 4

• Monday 19th May 2025
  • Gospel Reflection & Assembly 4RS @ 9.10am (Friends and Family Welcome)
• Tuesday 20th May 2025
  
  • Rugby Union 7's Regional Finals (Selected Students)
  • Mini Vinnies @ Recess 
• Wednesday 21st May 2025
  
  • National Simultaneous StoryTime: 10.30-11.00am
  • Guitar Group @ 11.00-11.40am (Early recess in classroom at 10.50am)
  • Year 2 Ukulele Group @ 1.10pm
  • Voiceology @ 1.30pm
  • Didgeridoo Group @ 1.40pm
    
• Thursday 22nd May 2025
  • Year 1 & 2 Mass @ 10am 
  • Year 5 Pre-Confirmation Day ( St Stanislaus' College)
  • Senior Band @ 7.50-8.50am 
  • Junior Band @ 11.00-11.40am (Early recess in classroom at 10.50am)
    
• Friday 23rd May 2025
  
  • Year 5 Experience Day - MacKillop & St Stanislaus' Colleges
    

Term 2 - Week 5

• Monday 26th May 2025
  
  • Year 3 Cathedral Representative CWA Public Speaking Competition - Orange
  • School Choir @ 8.35am in the Library
  • Agriculture Club @ Recess
    
  • Our Lady Help of Christians Mass @ 12pm
• Tuesday  27th May 2025
  
  • Year 4 Cathedral Representative CWA Public Speaking Competition - Orange
  • Mini Vinnies @ Recess
    
• Wednesday 28th May 2025
  
  • Diocesan Spelling Bee - Wellington (Selected Students)
  • Year 5 Cathedral Representative CWA Public Speaking Competition - Orange
  • Group @ 11.00-11.40am (Early recess in classroom at 10.50am)
  • Year 2 Ukulele Group @ 1.10pm
  • Voiceology Group @ 1.30pm
  • Didgeridoo Group @ 1.40pm
    
• Thursday 29th May 2025
  • Year 6 Cathedral Representative CWA Public Speaking Competition - Orange
  • Junior Band @ 11.00-11.40am (Early recess in classroom at 10.50am)
    
• Friday 30th May 2025
  

Important Dates

From the Principal

Catholic Schools Week 2025 

Guided by Faith. Inspired by Hope. Committed to Learning.

We thank our Cathedral community for a joyful and faith-filled Catholic Schools Week!

The week highlighted the many opportunities available to our students and showcased their many talents.
Our Parish Mass celebrated in the Cathedral was a beautiful example of the community within our diocesan schools with the music ministry comprising of students from all of our Bathurst Catholic schools. 

Bishop Michael spoke in our Mass yesterday about our mandate to love one another. The past week has been a small sample of the love that abounds at Cathedral. From the lovingly prepared Mothers’ Day feast prepared by our P&F and volunteers  to the beautiful acts of sportsmanship at the Athletics Carnival; the love of Jesus is visible in the actions of those within our school community. 

Here are some snaps of the week that was; a collection of photos that illustrate what it is to be part of this special school.

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

Together for Humanity

Partnering with Together for Humanity

Last week, our school was privileged to partner with Together for Humanity, a not-for-profit educational organisation committed to promoting inclusion, belonging, and intercultural understanding in school communities.

The collaboration began on Monday evening, with our staff participating in a twilight professional learning session led by Kate Xavier. This insightful session focused on deepening intercultural understanding and exploring meaningful strategies to enhance family engagement within our school.

On Tuesday, our Primary students took part in a series of engaging and thought-provoking workshops. These sessions focused on:

• Understanding the importance of belonging and inclusion;
• Identifying ways to build respect and connection within our school;
• Challenging stereotypes and common assumptions;
• Exploring the causes of prejudice and racism, and how to foster a more inclusive community.

We were incredibly proud of how our students conducted themselves—displaying empathy, compassion, and a thoughtful awareness of the importance of diversity and inclusion.

We look forward to continuing our partnership with Together for Humanity as we strengthen our commitment to building a safe, welcoming, and inclusive school environment for all.

Charlotte Whitmore | EALD Teacher

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. 

Awards

Religious Education & Catholic Life

Catholic Schools’ Week

On Sunday, May 19th, we came together as a parish community to celebrate Catholic Schools Week at Sunday Mass, marking the conclusion of this special week across the Diocese of Bathurst. The Mass highlighted all that is wonderful about our Catholic Schools' system and faith community. It celebrated this year’s theme: “Guided by Faith. Inspired by Hope. Committed to Learning”, offering a chance to reflect on the diversity, opportunity, and belonging that Catholic education, our diocese, parish and school communities  provide.

A particular highlight was the music ministry provided by the Voices of Grace Choir. This remarkable choir is made up of representatives from our six Bathurst Catholic Schools, including the Cathedral School Elective Choir and members of the Liturgy & Worship Committee. It was also inspiring to see former Cathedral School students among its members, continuing to share their gifts with the faith community.

Special recognition goes to Lily for her role as a lector, as she proclaimed the Second Reading so beautifully, leaving a lasting impression on all present. The Mass was a further wonderful reminder of the strength and beauty of Catholic education and its role in shaping lives.

Thank you to all who joined us for this meaningful celebration, along with the many other opportunities to celebrate our shared mission and values.

Stage Masses

Recently, our school community has had the wonderful opportunity to come together for our Stage Masses. Year 3 and Year 4, along with Year 5 and Year 6, gathered in the Cathedral for weekday Masses over the past two weeks, creating a powerful expression of our shared faith and serving as an important reminder of how the Gospel impacts our daily lives, offering wisdom and guidance.

The weekday readings often challenge us to think differently, inviting us to explore new perspectives from the Gospel. These Masses have been a meaningful way for students to deepen their understanding of faith and its relevance in their everyday lives. Thank you to our School Chaplain, Father Karl, for dedicating his time to support our students during these special occasions.

We warmly invite Kindergarten, Year 1, and Year 2 parents to join us in the Cathedral on Thursday, May 21st, at 9:10 AM for our Early Stage 1 and Stage 1 Mass. We look forward to celebrating together!

Pope Leo XIV

Our school community is excited to celebrate the election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church! Born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Pope Leo XIV brings an inspiring story of faith, leadership, and service that we hope connects with us all.

Pope Leo XIV, whose name honours Pope Leo XIII (a strong supporter of Catholic education), has had an extraordinary journey. As a young man, he studied mathematics at Villanova University, showing how faith and learning go hand in hand. Later, he became a missionary in Peru, where he spent 20 years serving as a priest and eventually as Archbishop of Chiclayo. During that time, he even became a Peruvian citizen!

In 2023, Pope Francis brought Cardinal Leo to the Vatican, where he led the important office that helps choose bishops worldwide. He also worked on reforms, including adding women to the group that helps select bishops for the Church. His leadership and humility made him a standout choice to become our new Holy Father.

Known for his warm, joyful personality, Pope Leo XIV is relatable to everyone. He enjoys playing tennis, solving Wordle puzzles, and sharing meals with his fellow priests. He reminds us that faith can guide every part of our lives, from learning and friendships to service and leadership.

As a school community, we can take inspiration from Pope Leo’s example of living the Gospel with joy and dedication. Let us pray for him as he begins his mission to lead the global Church and inspire Catholics everywhere, including here in Bathurst!

Year 5 Pre-Confirmation Retreat Day

As part of their upcoming preparations for the Sacrament of Confirmation, all Year 5 students from Cathedral School have been invited to attend a special gathering at St. Stanislaus College on Thursday, 22nd May 2025.

This meaningful day will be facilitated by staff and students from our Catholic Colleges who have completed Youth Ministry Training through the CSYMA (Catholic Schools Youth Ministry Australia) program. It will provide our students with a wonderful opportunity to reflect on their journey toward this important sacrament and to celebrate alongside other local students from our parish.

A reminder to all Year 5 parents and carers to check Compass for further information and to provide permission for your child to attend.

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

Class in Focus 1W

1W have been very busy.  In Week One our students worked with their Year 6 buddies to create their hats for the Easter Hat Parade. In Week Two they worked hard to create beautiful Mother's Day cards to say "thank you" to the special women in their lives.  1W love sport with Miss Ryan and this term they have been honing their skills for the Athletics Carnival by learning skills such as jumping, running and skipping.  Also in Mathematics we have been sorting objects and numbers into groups with the same attributes.

Class in Focus 1M

We’ve had a wonderful and positive start to our learning this term in Year 1!  

Students have been full of enthusiasm as they’ve settled back into classroom routines and embraced new learning opportunities. One of the highlights has been our special Buddy Time, where we teamed up with our older buddies to design and create colourful Easter hats.  The excitement continued with our Easter Hat Parade, where students proudly showcased their creative designs to the school community. 

In Mathematics, we’ve been classifying shapes and objects by sorting them using different attributes such as size, colour, and number of sides. 

In Science, we’ve started exploring the properties of different materials in our “Bend, Stretch, and Mix” unit, sparking lots of curiosity and hands-on investigations.

 We’re looking forward to many more fun and engaging learning experiences in the weeks ahead! 

Mrs Mitchell | 1M Teacher

Class In Focus 2IC

To start our term in 2IC, we’ve been busy exploring a variety of exciting learning experiences across all subjects. In English and Drama, we’ve been diving into the story Nian, the Chinese New Year Dragon, using drama to act out scenes and deepen our understanding of cultural representation. In Mathematics, we’ve been learning about position and direction — a highlight was using Chromebooks to explore Google Maps and put our skills into practice! This week in Religious Education, students explored the idea of how Jesus is like the sun—bringing light, warmth, and life to the world. To deepen their understanding, they had the chance to head outside and enjoy the beautiful sunshine, reflecting on how Jesus shines in our lives every day. Our HSIE lessons have focused on the responsible use of water, with students creating thoughtful and creative posters to share important conservation messages. In Science, we’ve started learning the basics of coding and are looking forward to using iPads soon to create a digital code that shows the stages of the water cycle. It's been a fantastic start to the term with hands-on learning and growing curiosity in 2IC!

Miss Inwood & Mrs Cashen | 2IC Teachers

Class In Focus 5A

A Joyful Start to the Term for 5A!
In English, we have reviewed texts and experimented with different writing styles. Students have been exploring the use of figurative language and rich vocabulary, bringing creativity and flair to their own writing.

In Science, our focus has been on understanding the properties of solids, liquids, and gases. Students enthusiastically investigated and classified different materials, developing their scientific observation and reasoning skills.

Mathematics has seen our students apply their knowledge of place value in a fun and challenging way—by creating and solving Place Value Riddles. Their creativity was on display, and they took great pride in sharing their puzzles with classmates.

During Religious Education, we have been reflecting on the Easter season. Through discussions on Jesus’ life, death, and Resurrection, students have deepened their understanding of the message of hope and new life that Easter brings.
Beyond the curriculum, friendships in Year 5A continue to grow. The students support one another,
displaying teamwork, increasing confidence, and a strong sense of community in our classroom.

Mrs Angelucci   | 5A Teacher

SPB4L-School Wide Positive Behaviours for Learning

Mr Ashley Boylan   | On behalf of the SPB4L Committee

Sports

Well done to all of our students who participated in the Diocesan Cross Country last week in Coolah. A big congratulations to Porsha in 4W who placed 2nd in her age division! This is a wonderful accomplishment with Porsha having competed against more than seventy other competitors. Porsha will now compete at the CPS Cross Country event in Eastern Creek on Wednesday 11th June, we wish her the best of luck!

Last Tuesday, the National Rugby League hosted a Rugby League Gala Day in Bathurst. Congratulations to our Stage 3 Team who went through the day undefeated. Congratulations also to our Stage 2 Team who played really well against some tough competition. Both teams demonstrated excellent sportsmanship. Well done to Harryson from 6LB and Franklin from 4RS who were named Players for the Day for their teams. A big thank you to Barry and Kelehoma for training and coaching both teams. Thank you also to the parents who supported the students on the day.

We wish the following boys the best of luck as they travel to Molong tomorrow to compete in the Rugby Union Regional finals: 

Solomon 4W, Wyatt 5C, Oisin 5C, Patrick 6LB, Harryson 6LB, George 6LB, Braith 6B, Harrison 6B, Samson 6B 

Congratulations to Harryson from 6LB who was selected into the Bathurst Diocesan Team for Rugby Union last Friday. Harryson will now participate in the Polding trials, aiming to be selected for the Polding Team, we wish you the best of luck Harryson!

Cassie Toole   | Sports Coordinator

Library

Kids’ Lit Quiz 2025

Last week I had the pleasure of taking seven Year 5 students to James Sheahan Catholic High School in Orange for the Kids’ Lit Quiz. The Kids' Lit Quiz is an annual literature quiz for students aged 10 - 13 years. The students answered 100 questions on children’s literature divided into ten categories. Some of the category themes were pirates, Roals Dahl, queens, sea animals and prisons and prisoners.

An example of one of the questions they were asked was:

On the first page the reader is shown a blue sheep but the title of the book by Mem Fox is Where is the what sheep? Answer - green!

Merryn Sadler   | Teacher Librarian

Wellbeing

Classes are completing Resilience Project lessons each week and discussing the four key ideas of Gratitude, Empathy, Mindfulness and Emotional Literacy. 

Merryn Sadler   | Wellbeing Coordinator

Mr Bradbury and the Men in Black: Driving Change with Variety

Our school was delighted to welcome Mr Mark Bradbury (our school groundsman), who generously took the time to speak with our students about his involvement in the Variety NSW Bash. Mr Bradbury shared the inspiring mission of Variety – the Children’s Charity, which supports children who are sick, disadvantaged or living with disability. He also spoke about the Bash, a unique and colourful charity road trip that raises vital funds while bringing joy and support to communities across NSW.

Mr Bradbury’s visit reminded us of the importance of compassion and service — core values we strive to live each day as followers of Jesus. His commitment to helping others through Variety reflects the Gospel message to care for those in need and to act with generosity and kindness. We thank Mr Bradbury for sharing his time and experiences with us, and for being a role model of what it means to live out our faith in action.

We wish Mr Bradbury, the Men in Black team, and all participants in the Bash a safe and fun journey as they leave Bathurst on Sunday 18th May, travelling all over the state — including as far west as Broken Hill — before arriving in Newcastle on Saturday 24th May.

You can support the Men in Black team via:

 https://fundraise.varietynswact.org.au/fundraisers/car73meninblack1740

You can follow their adventure here: 

https://www.facebook.com/varietymotoringnswact
Good luck, Mr Bradbury — or should we say Agent M — and may your mission be filled with joy, generosity, and zero alien encounters!

Mrs Baird & P R Committee

Parents and Friends

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 2 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