20th October 2025

Term 4 - Week 2

• Monday 20th October 2025
  
  • Kindergarten Orientation #1
  • Choir with Mrs Sadler @ 8.35am
    
  • Assembly led by 5C @ 9.10am
  • Yera 5 Leadership Workshop
  • Agriculture Club @ Recess
• Tuesday 21st October 2025
  
  • Mini Vinnies @ Recess 
    
• Wednesday 22nd October 2025
  • Guitar Group @ 11.00- 11.40am
  • Year 2 Ukulele Group @ 1.10pm
  • Voiceology @ 1.30pm
  • Didgeridoo Group @ 1.40pm
    
• Thursday 23rd October 2025
  • Senior Band @ 7.50 - 8.50am
  • Year 5 Bible Activity Day
  • Year 6 Orientation Days @ MacKillop & Stannies
  • Junior Band @ 11.00-11.40am 
    
• Friday 24th October 2025
  
  • Year 4 Sydney Excursion

Term 4 - Week 3

• Monday 27th October 2025
  
  • Kindergarten Orientation #2
    
  • NAIDOC March 
  • Choir with Mrs Sadler @ 8.35am
  • Gospel Reflection & Assembly @ 9.10am (Friends and Family Welcome)
    
• Tuesday 28th October 2025
  
  • NAIDOC Activity Day
  • Mini Vinnies @ Recess
    
• Wednesday 29th October 2025
  
  • Guitar Group @ 11.00-11.40am 
  • Leadership Photos
  • Year 2 Ukulele Group @ 1.10pm
  • Voiceology Group @ 1.30pm
  • Didgeridoo Group @ 1.40pm
    
• Thursday 30th October 2025
  
  • Year 6 Canberra Excursion
  • Senior Band @ 7.50-8.50am
    
  • Junior Band @ 11.00-11.40am
    
• Friday 31st October 2025
  • Year 6 Canberra Excursion
    
  • All Saints' School Mass @ 10.00am

Important Dates

Awards

Teaching & Learning

I warmly welcome all students and families back to Cathedral for Term 4. I hope the holiday break offered a chance to rest, recharge and enjoy time together. We begin this final term with a strong focus on learning, engagement and partnership between home and school.

Welcoming Our 2026 Kindergarten Students and Families
On the first day of the term we were pleased to host our Parent Information Evening for Kindergarten 2026 — a wonderful way to welcome next year’s students and their families into our school community. This evening marked the start of our transition work, and today we begin the first of five Orientation Sessions for 2026 Kindergarten students. These sessions are designed to help children become comfortable with our school environment, routines and expectations — and equally to support parents to feel confident and connected with our community. Both students and parents benefit greatly from this early introduction: the children settle more quickly and feel part of something from day one, while parents gain insights, build relationships and engage with our school.

Welcoming Our Future Educators and Trainees
This term we welcomed two final-placement teacher candidates from Charles Sturt University (CSU), who will be joining our staff and students as part of our ongoing partnership with the University. Please join us in welcoming Madelene Coombes (1M) and Amelie Martensz (1W). Partnering with CSU allows our school to support the next generation of teachers while benefiting from fresh perspectives and the latest educational research.

We also extend a warm welcome to Chloe Sherlock, our new School-Based Trainee from MacKillop College. Chloe will be based in KA under the guidance of Mrs Avinash and Mrs Naylor. A School-Based Traineeship (SBAT) is an excellent pathway for senior students to combine part-time work, formal vocational training and completion of their HSC. Chloe’s presence enriches our school community and illustrates our commitment to providing real learning opportunities beyond the classroom.

We look forward to supporting Madelene, Amelie and Chloe in their roles and congratulate them on embarking on this important step in their professional journeys.

Developing Leadership Skills
Yesterday our Year 5 cohort participated in a Leadership Workshop led by students from St Stanislaus’ College. This begins their journey as student leaders for 2026, broadening their understanding of the key role and responsibilities of leadership in our school. Over the coming weeks we will work in partnership with these young leaders as they prepare for a range of roles — including School Captains, House Captains and Leaders of Music — and we look forward to their contributions and growth.

High School Transition Day
This Thursday, our Year 6 students will participate in their final transition visits to MacKillop College and St Stanislaus’ College. These visits provide valuable opportunities for students to experience life at their future high schools, meet staff, and begin building connections that will help ensure a confident and successful start to Year 7.

Information regarding these visits has already been shared directly with parents by the respective colleges. Students not attending these particular high schools will have their usual school day at Cathedral.

Learning Beyond the Classroom
This week also marks the start of our Extracurricular Activities. Our Year 4 students will attend an excursion to Sydney on Friday, visiting the Australian National Maritime  Museum and the Hyde Park Barracks to learn about early navigation to Australia, including the chance to step aboard the replica of HMB Endeavour. 

At the end of Week 3, our Year 6 students will travel to Canberra to explore the links between Federal Parliament and Australian democracy, deepening their understanding of civics and citizenship.

Preparing for our School Fete
Finally, preparations are already under way for our School Fête held on Friday 14th November. We invite all parents and carers to keep an eye on the newsletter every fortnight for ways to be involved, contribute or support this major community event.

Thank you for your ongoing support. We look forward to a wonderful term of learning and engagement for all our students

Mrs Catherine O'Neill | Assistant Principal

Religious Education & Catholic Life

Leading like Jesus 
Yesterday, our Year 5 students took part in a Leadership Workshop as part of their formation in faith and service. Guided by the Year 5 teachers, Ms Holly Farrugia from St Stanislaus’ College and representatives from the College’s Youth Ministry Team, students reflected on leading as disciples of Jesus and serving others within our school community.

We thank Ms Farrugia, the Stannies students and our teachers for sharing their time and faith. The workshop formed part of our ongoing commitment to nurturing servant leadership in our students at Cathedral School.

Solemnity of All Saints’
You are warmly invited to join us for the Solemnity of All Saints’ Mass at the Cathedral Church on November 1st at 10:00am. All Saints’ Day is a special feast where we honour all saints—those holy men and women who lived lives of faith and virtue, inspiring us to follow Christ more closely. This day reminds us of God’s call to holiness and the example set by the saints, both well-known and ordinary believers, who now share eternal life with God. It’s a time for reflection, celebration, and prayer.

Halloween, often called All Hallows’ Eve, originally marked the vigil of this solemn feast, connecting it deeply to our Catholic tradition—though today it is widely misunderstood and celebrated in very different ways.

While many families participate in Halloween celebrations at home, our school chooses not to observe its popular secular forms, which often focus on costumes and spooky themes. Instead, we centre our activities on the reverence of All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days (November 1st and 2nd), reflecting our Catholic values of faith, hope, and love.

Thank you for supporting our mission to nurture faith in our students. We encourage you to share any ideas for faith-filled celebrations or resources for this season.

Year 5 Bible Activity Day 
This Thursday 23 October, our Year 5 students will participate in a special Bible Activity Day focused on faith, leadership, and community. Beginning with Mass at 10:00 am in the Cathedral Church, this celebration invites all families from Years K–6 to join us in prayer and support.

The day will be led by our teachers, Parish Team, Parish Priests, and members of the Catholic Education Diocese of Bathurst (Faith & Mission), who will guide students through inspiring, faith-filled activities. Each Year 5 student will also receive a Bible as a symbol of their continuing faith journey.

We thank our school and parish community for supporting this important occasion of faith and connection.

Sacramental Program
Pencance & First Holy Communion: Parents of students in Years 2–4 may now contact the Parish Office to register for the relevant Sacrament, as all school preparation requirements have been completed:

• Year 2 – First Penance
• Year 3– First Holy Communion
• Year 4 - First Holy Communion (for students in Year 3 last year yet to receive the sacrament).

Confirmation: Year 5 students have commenced  their school-based preparation for Confirmation. Please note that registrations for the Sacrament of Confirmation will open in 2026, once the Bishop confirms the 2026 Confirmation Mass dates. No registrations are available at this time.  Families are warmly invited to email cathedral@bth.catholic.edu.au with a photo of their child’s sacrament celebration for inclusion in the newsletter.  Photos from First Penance or showing student names cannot be published

Please contact your child’s teacher or myself if you have any further questions about the parish coordinated  and school supported sacramental program.

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

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.

Mr Ashley Boylan | Religious Education Coordinator

Sports News

Physical Culture 
Congratulations to Everly from 4RS who has progressed through to Junior Nationals for Physical Culture. Everly will now compete in Sydney next month, we wish the best of luck Everly!

Equestrian
Over the school holidays Harrison from 6B competed at the Interschool National Championships and achieved some amazing results. In the Dressage section, Harrison and his team were awarded Champions. Harrison was one of the high scoring riders and made up the championship winning team to take the team's title. Harrison and his team were also awarded Reserve Champion Team for combined training. 

Congratulations Harrison on these wonderful achievements!

Karate
Over the weekend, Kral from 4RS competed at the Karate World Cup Championships in Brisbane. Kral placed first in all of the categories that he competed in which were Traditional Weapons, Traditional Forms, Synchronize Forms and Koshiki. Congratulations Kral!

Rugby League
Starting next week, the NRL will be running a League Stars introductory program on the Cathedral School grounds. This program is an introduction to rugby league and is all play, no contact, appealing to the true nature of kids, in all their messy, high energy, love of fun and play. The program is suitable for all abilities with the focus on practicing fundamental movement skills and having a blast with friends. Please see more information and the registration link below:

REGO LINK:
https://profile.mysideline.com.au/register/entity?data=eyJlbnRpdHlJZCI6NjQ4NTg0NTUsImVudGl0eVR5cGUiOiJwcm9ncmFtIn0%3D&source=rugby-league

Miss Cassie Toole | Sports Coordinator

Class In Focus 2MG

It has been wonderful to see all our Year 2 students return refreshed, ready to learn, and looking so smart in their summer uniforms. Everyone has settled back into school routines beautifully, showing great focus and enthusiasm for learning as we begin our final term together.

Our reading groups are off to a fantastic start, with students building fluency, comprehension, and confidence each day. It’s lovely to see how much progress everyone has made and how eager they are to share their favourite stories with their classmates. In phonics lessons, we are continuing to strengthen our spelling and decoding skills, helping students to become more independent and capable readers and writers.

We’ve also been enjoying the beautiful spring sunshine, taking learning breaks outdoors and incorporating fun dance brain breaks to keep our bodies active and our minds energised.

In Religious Education, we have been learning about The Good Samaritan and exploring what it means to show kindness and compassion towards others. The children have shared thoughtful ideas about how they can be ‘good neighbours’ in their daily lives, both at school and at home.

It’s shaping up to be a wonderful term filled with learning, laughter, and kindness. We look forward to continuing to see our Year 2 students shine as the term unfolds.

Mrs Deidre McGregor & Mrs Alice Gallagher | 2MG Teachers

PDHPE in Focus

Since beginning at Cathedral in early Term 3, I have been overwhelmed by the warm welcome and support from staff, students, and the wider school community. It has been a pleasure to work with students across all year levels, engaging in learning that promotes health, safety, wellbeing, and positive movement experiences—core pillars of PDHPE. 

Our PDHPE lessons have explored safe health practices, healthy eating, interpreting media messages, and understanding the traditional practices of our First Nations people. A strong emphasis has been placed on developing students’ Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS) through active and inclusive participation in games such as Aboriginal Cultural Games, Net and Court games, and now Target games.

These activities support the development of vital skills including running, dodging, catching, throwing, striking, and spatial awareness. For students in K–2, we are laying strong foundations through structured play, focusing on rule-following, coordination, and movement awareness. Students have played games such as Pac-Man, 3 Ball Dodgeball, relay racing, Secret Agent Tag, sprinting games, and more which has had an impact on their engagement, participation, and the development of their skills. In Years 3–6, students are enhancing their communication, teamwork, and game sense through engaging team-based games. These students have enjoyed playing games such as 3 Ball Dodgeball, Endgame Trappers, T-Ball, Footy Tennis, Netball, Basketball, and more to encourage students to be active and enhance their skills through participating in a variety of sports that encourage an active lifestyle. 

By fostering these essential movement skills, we aim to inspire confidence, enjoyment, and lifelong participation in physical activity—an important goal for every student at Cathedral. 
 
Mr Siakisoni | PDHPE Teacher

Year In Focus Year 3

Last term, Year Three were lucky enough to have David Stanley from the National Bush Poetry Association visit our classes.

David’s visit was a perfect complement to our English writing lessons focused on poetry. The students were highly engaged as they listened to David's expressive recitations, which brought the poems to life through dynamic acting. This immersive experience helped deepen their understanding and appreciation of poetic techniques and rhythms, inspiring them in their own writing. 

David also spoke to the students about the upcoming National Bush Poetry Championship to be held at Charles Sturt University. There are two ways in which a student can enter this competition. Firstly, they can choose a poem to recite or act out. Secondly, they may choose to create and write a poem to submit. Year Three students were provided with an entry form and more information about this competition and are please reminded to return their completed forms.

Miss Cassie Toole, Mrs Jerdin Jenkins, Mrs Catherine O'Neill & Mr Hugh Templeton | Year 3 Teachers

Library

Welcome back! In the Library we are looking forward to another great term of borrowing, reading, learning research skills and sharing fantastic books together! 

The Library is open every day at recess for games, drawing and reading.

Please help your child remember their Library bag and books on their Library day.

Mrs Merryn Sadler   | Teacher Librarian

Wellbeing

Merryn Sadler   | Wellbeing Coordinator

Crazy Hat Day

SPB4L

“We wear our school uniform with pride”   

This week, our SPB4L focus reminds students that wearing our Cathedral Catholic Primary School uniform with pride is one way we show respect for ourselves, our school, and our community. Our uniform represents belonging to a caring, faith-filled community where every student is valued. When students wear their uniform neatly and correctly, they demonstrate responsibility, pride, and readiness for learning.

We encourage families to support this focus by helping children prepare their uniforms each day, ensuring hats, jumpers, and shoes are clearly labelled and worn correctly. Together, we can reinforce the message that taking pride in our appearance reflects the values of Faith, Values, and Excellence that guide all we do at Cathedral.

“We are SunSmart at Cathedral School”

Wearing our school hats each day is also an important part of showing pride in our uniform — it helps keep us sun safe and reminds everyone that at Cathedral, we care for ourselves and others.

At Cathedral, our expectation is “No Hat, Play in the Shade.” This means students must wear their school hat whenever they are outside during break times, sport, and other outdoor activities. If a student forgets their hat, they will be asked to stay in shaded areas during play. At Cathedral School, this means playing under the COLA. We encourage families to support sun safety by reminding children to apply sunscreen before school and to keep their hat packed in their bag each day.

If you need a replacement hat please visit the school office, where you can purchase a new hat for $15.

Mrs Julia Baird | SPB4L Committee

Parents and Friends

Next P&F Meeting: Wednesday 5th November 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 

Date for the Diary:
P&F Meeting: 5th November
Cathedral Fete: 14th November
Family Night: 11th December 

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

Cathedral School Fete - 14 November 2025

Canteen & Breakfast Club

Breakfast Club Roster Term 4

Canteen Roster Term 4

PLEASE 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