10th March 2025

Term 1 - Week 6

• Monday 10th March 2025
  

  • School Liturgy & Assembly let by Y6 @ 9.00am - Family & Friends welcome

  • School Choir @ 8.35am in the Library
  • Agriculture Club @ Recess
• Tuesday 11th  March 2025
  • Mini Vinnies @ Recess
  • Diocesan Swimming Carnival - Dubbo
• Wednesday 12th March 2025
  • NAPLAN Begins for Yr3 & Yr5
  • Guitar Group @ 11.00-11.40am (Early recess in classroom at 10.50am)
  • Year 2 Ukulele Group @ 1.10pm
  • Didgeridoo Group @ 1.40pm
    
• Thursday 13th March 2025
  • NAPLAN for Yr3
  • Band @ 7.50-8.50am 
  • Junior Band @ 11.00-11.40am (Early recess in classroom at 10.50am)
  • School Chaplain Visit - Year Four @ 10.15am
    
• Friday 14th March 2025
  
  • NAPLAN for Yr5
    

Term 1 - Week 7

• Monday 17th March 2025
  
  • NAPLAN Continues for Yr3 & Yr5
  • Liturgy & Assembly led by 5C @ 9.00am - Family & Friends welcome
  • School Choir @ 8.35am
  • Agriculture Club @ Recess
    
• Tuesday 18th March 2025
  
  • Mini Vinnies @ Recess 
• Wednesday 19th March 2025
  
  • Guitar Group @ 11.00-11.40am (Early recess in classroom at 10.50am)
  • Year 2 Ukulele Group @ 1.10pm
  • Didgeridoo Group @ 1.40pm
    
  • Catch up NAPLAN for absent students
• Thursday 20th March 2025
  • Senior Band @ 7.50-8.50am 
  • Junior Band @ 11.00-11.40am (Early recess in classroom at 10.50am)
    
  • School Chaplain Visit - Year 5 @ 10.15am
  • Catch up NAPLAN for absent students
• Friday 21st March 2025
  • 
    

Important Dates

From the Principal

On Sunday, 2nd March our parish celebrated our Multicultural Mass and celebration. This was such a wonderful occasion celebrating the diversity of our community and I was so proud to see so many of our students (past and present) and families attend this special day. Fr Thao gave a fitting homily during the Mass which I have permission to publish and have included below. At Cathedral we celebrate our diversity and Fr Thao reminds us to always, no matter our own cultural background, approach others with humility. As we approach Harmony Day and begin the liturgical season of Lent we pray that in our school we may recognise and celebrate our differences while humbly seeking to bring about peace and love in our community. 

We Are Many, but We Are One

It can be quite unsettling to realise that something considered respectful in one culture is seen as rude in another. Trust me, I learned this the hard way.

When I first arrived in Australia, I was in for a cultural shock. People came to Mass in thongs, joyfully singing Come as You Are, while even communion ministers wore shorts.

In Vietnam, if you showed up in jeans and thongs, you wouldn’t even make it past the church doors. The priest would kindly ask you to go home and change or not so kindly, depending on his mood.

Then, I found out that priests here can bet on the races. Where I come from, that would be a major scandal there would be an emergency parish meeting about it before the next Sunday Mass.

Another surprise? The quietness of Mass and adoration. In Vietnam, worship is filled with music and singing. Here, sometimes you can hear a pin drop… or someone snoring.

I also learned that gestures have different meanings. Back home, putting my hands together at the altar is a sign of respect. Here, people called me The Pious One.

And folding your arms across your chest.

In Vietnam, that’s a sign of self-discipline. But in Western culture, it can mean, “I’m not interested” or worse, “I’m plotting something”.

Table manners can be completely different. In Vietnam, making a little noise while eating - like slurping noodles - is a way to show appreciation for the food and the cook. But in Western culture, slurping is seen as rude, and people might give you the look if you do it too loudly.

And greetings? A friendly hug here is normal. In Vietnam, hug the wrong person, and you might be chased by a very angry husband or wife.

Even homilies are different! Here, if a priest speaks for five minutes, people think it’s too long. In Vietnam, if the homily is less than twenty minutes, people will say, “Wait, was that just the introduction?”

So yes, cultural differences can be confusing - even frustrating. But over time, I learned to adapt. That’s when I truly understood the saying, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”

In a diverse community, misunderstandings are inevitable. We often judge others through our own limited perspective.

But Jesus warns us about this in today’s Gospel.
He humorously says, “Why do you observe the splinter in your brother’s eye and never notice the plank in your own?”.

He reminds us to approach others with humility because no single culture, no single tradition, has the full understanding of God’s greatness. Yet, each culture brings a unique gift to the Church.

The first Reading from the Book of Ecclesiasticus tells us that our actions reveal the truth of our hearts.  It’s not about what we wear, what language we speak, or what food we eat - it’s about the values we live by.

We come from different backgrounds, but we share the same faith.
We hear the same Gospel.
We receive the same Eucharist.
We are called to the same love.

Instead of assuming our way is the right way, let’s ask ourselves:
What can I learn from the traditions of others?
How does their way of worship reveal a different aspect of God’s love?

Instead of focusing on what separates us, let’s celebrate what unites us.When we come to Communion, we don’t come as individuals - we form a single line to Christ.

So, before we judge another tradition, let’s pause and ask:
Can I open my heart to understand and appreciate the fullness of God’s family?
And let us always remember: We Are Many, but We Are One.

Amen.

Fr Thao Nguyen - Sunday 2nd March 2025

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

Awards

Staffing

We welcome Mrs Jane Hands for the remainder of the term. Jane will team with Mrs Danielle Rice teaching 4RS. 

We are grateful to have had Mr Theodore Sadler assisting in the Year 6 classrooms. Thedore is looking forward to studying teaching at Charles Sturt University and we are so grateful for his support over the past weeks.

We are blessed to have Duc, from our Church Parish, volunteering in the Year 6 classrooms this term. Duc, originally from Vietnam, is currently residing in the Parish Presbytery as he reflects on his journey toward becoming a Seminarian.  We are grateful for his willingness to contribute to our school community, and we look forward to the positive impact he will have.  Please join us in welcoming Duc and offering him your support during his time with us.

Teaching and Learning

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) 

This week, students in Year 3, 5, 7 and 9 will commence NAPLAN. NAPLAN is a literacy and numeracy assessment that students in the above years sit each year. It is the only national assessment all Australian students have the opportunity to undertake. 

All tests, apart from Year 3 Writing are completed online. Research into online assessment indicates that students engage well with online tests as the questions are tailored to their achievement levels. Tailored testing provides a more precise assessment of a student’s performance. Students at each year level start the tests with a similar set of questions. Depending on the number of questions they answer correctly, the next set of questions may be more, or less, difficult. 

Students are not expected to study for NAPLAN. You can support your child by reassuring them that NAPLAN is a part of their school program and reminding them to simply do their best. Some explanation of NAPLAN is useful to help students understand and be comfortable with the format of the tests; however, it is not necessary for parents/carers to do this. All Year 3 and Year 5 classes have been engaging with the testing platform to ensure that students are familiar with this as well as being familiar with the types of questions in the tests. This will continue across next week.

The timetable for NAPLAN is detailed below. If for some reason your child is going to be away, please contact the school so that alternate arrangements can be made. Structures are already in place for missed tests to be caught up in the period Wednesday 19th March through to Friday 21st March. 

Upcoming Three-Way Conferences – Week 8

This week we begin planning for our Term One Three-Way Conferences. These conferences are a valuable opportunity for parents, students, and teachers to come together to discuss and support student growth.

This term, our focus is on enhancing Writing skills as part of our whole-school initiative. Last week, teachers analysed writing samples collected from students across Kindergarten to Year 6. This analysis has informed our planning to support writing development within each class, grade, and across the school.

At the conferences, students will share a piece of their writing, highlighting its strengths and areas for improvement. Over the next two weeks, teachers will work closely with students to prepare for this. During the conferences, we will discuss and plan how teachers and parents, along with the student, can collaborate to help achieve a targeted writing goal. Strategies may include increasing reading to develop vocabulary and understanding author techniques, as well as engaging in oral activities to build complex sentence structures.

Further information, including how to register for these meetings through the Compass communication portal, will be provided to parents this week. We look forward to your participation and support.

Catherine O'Neill   | Assistant Principal

Class In Focus - KA

Kindergarten have had a wonderful start to their schooling and have been enjoying lots of art, group work and early literacy tasks. They have been learning about repeating patterns in Maths and the fact that Lent starts on Ash Wednesday in Religion. They have also enjoyed spending time with their Year 5 Buddies and look forward to attending the Weekly school assemblies in a few more weeks. 

Class In Focus - 1W

1W has been busy exploring numbers and number patterns, using unifix blocks to create and extend patterns in fun and hands-on ways!

We also had a special visit from Father Carl, where we shared what we’ve been learning in Religion. It was wonderful to tell him all about the signs, symbols, and traditions of Baptism in our Church. ✝️ 

What a fantastic few weeks of learning, sharing, and growing together! We can't wait for more exciting moments ahead.

Class in Focus - 4RS

During the past few weeks, our young mathematicians in Year Four have been delving into the realm of numbers, honing their skills in place value. We have been applying our newfound knowledge of decimal numbers to situations involving money and measurement of length.

Last week our classroom was buzzing with excitement as we were sent on a mission to measure and record the length of classroom objects and work with a partner to record decimal numbers, including tenths and hundredths. We’ve also encountered decimal numbers when measuring and recording our heights, and then when converting between centimetres and metres.

Our Maths tasks involved working collaboratively to place decimals in both ascending and descending order and also recording in expanded notation. We certainly have enjoyed showcasing our skills in practical situations… ‘measuring’ our success, one lesson at a time!

Class In Focus - 6B

Buddies: Growing Together in Faith & Friendship

Our Year 6 students have embraced their role as buddies to our Year 1 children, fostering a spirit of care, leadership, and friendship. Through shared activities, storytelling, and teamwork, our older students are guiding and supporting their younger peers while developing their own sense of responsibility. Buddies is a special time for learning, laughter, and growing together in our Catholic community.

6B & 1M cannot wait to spend more time together over the year

Morning Drop Off

School supervision begins at 8:30am.

We ask that students are not dropped off at or around the school before this time as adequate supervision can not be provided. 

Afternoon Pick Up

Below are our afternoon procedures that we ask students and families to follow. 

Walkers - Only students walking to a workplace or home should join the walkers. If you are picking your child up and you are parked across any nearby road, then you need to walk over to school to collect your child from the William St or George St collection point.

Teachers only escort students across the crossings on William, Keppel and George Sts. Students are then left to make their way home. Please ensure that your child has the knowledge of and ability to walk the safest route home before allowing them to cross busy streets. Please note that not all streets around the school have pedestrian crossings.

George St - If collecting students on the George St exit, please walk to students who will be seated on the pavers for collection. Students are not allowed to meet you on the street. If parked on the opposite side of the road, please use the pedestrian crossing and do not cross in front of or behind buses.

William St - If collecting students on the William St exit, please collect students from the gate. If parked on the opposite side of the road please use the pedestrian crossing on William St.

Please hold your child’s hand when exiting the school grounds.

We thank you for supporting these procedures and for modelling safe and calm behaviours at pick up time.

Religious Education & Catholic Life

Ash Wednesday Mass
We gathered as a faith community for our Ash Wednesday Mass. Fr. Karl reminded us of the importance of coming together as a team, as children of God, to strengthen one another and make Lent a meaningful experience for all. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this special celebration. A special thank you is extended to our Year 6 Liturgy & Worship Committee who assisted in preparing Project Compassion resources and setting up the church for Mass. They also joined our choir and Mrs Sadler to serve in the music ministry.  Please see our school Facebook page for pictures from our Mass.

Project Compassion
Today, all students received Project Compassion resources (money box & information leaflet) to support their fundraising at home. We ask you to consider how your family can support this Lenten project. In the coming weeks we look forward to hearing how families and classes can come together in the spirit of the season (and healthy competition) to raise important funds for this year’s focus projects.  Thank you to the Year 6 students for their work this morning at our Assembly in launching Project Compassion fundraising efforts at our school.

Multicultural Celebration
Thank you to everyone who was able to be a part of this wonderful celebration. Thank you to the Cathedral School staff who were involved in the planning and coordination of such a special parish celebration. A big thank you to our Parish Team for all of their work!  Please see our school and parish Facebook pages for pictures from the special Mass and celebrations afterwards in our hall.

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.

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.

“I hope that during this Jubilee, we practice kindness as a form of love to connect with others” Pope Francis

Ashley Boylan | Religious Education Coordinator

SPB4L-School Wide Positive Behaviours for Learning

Julia Baird   | On behalf of the SPB4L Committee

Wellbeing

We are so grateful and lucky to have support from the community for our Breakfast Club. The Lions Club of Mt Panorama have made a donation to help us keep providing yummy food for our students. Every week Woolworths also donate fruit to our school.

A big thank you to our volunteers for Breakfast Club and Canteen - we couldn’t do it without you! If you would like to volunteer see Mrs Watson in the Canteen.

Don’t forget to check out the Parent & Carer Hub for the Resilience Project too!

Merryn Sadler   | Wellbeing Coordinator

Library

March 2nd was the birthday of Dr Seuss! In the Library we looked at some of the books written by Dr Seuss and learning more about this creative writer.

Library reminders:

1. Bring your Library bag and books on your Library day
2. Check out World Book online (password/username - cathedralcps)

Merryn Sadler   | Teacher Librarian

Sports

Well done to the students who represented our school at the Eastern Region Swimming Carnival on Monday. They represented the school with pride and competed exceptionally. Their effort, determination and sportsmanship was wonderful. A big congratulations to Trisha who was awarded joint age champion, this is a massive accomplishment, well done Trisha. 

Congratulations also to our Junior Girls Relay Team, consisting of Lilly 4W, Primrose 4RS, Luca 3MO and Trisha 4RS that were awarded first place and will now compete at the Diocesan Swimming Carnival next Tuesday 11th March in Dubbo. 

Congratulations also to the following students that have made it on to compete in Dubbo next week:

Emilia 6B

Sophie 5A

Lucy 6LB

Cassie Toole   | Sports Coordinator

Lost Property

We have a few lost property items in the office, which we would like to return to their owners.  The picture shows  our smaller items, but we also have some clothing items too. 

Mini Vinnies

The Mini Vinnies Club has been off to a great start this year making special crosses with beads. These will be sold in the weeks leading up to Easter, so please keep a lookout for more details soon. Money raised will go towards supporting the local Vinnies Food Van we will be working with this year. The club meets in the Kinder A classroom each Tuesday at recess for anyone looking for a way  to help others.

Genevieve Avinash   | Mini Vinnies Coordinator

Parents and Friends

Next P&F Meeting: Wednesday 2nd April 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 Thank all the parents that volunteered their time to come and help cook and serve pancakes for all the children. This day couldn’t go ahead without you.

Our school community came together on Friday night to welcome in the school year. Thank you to all the families that took the time to come out on the night.

BULB FUNDRAISER
It’s almost that time of year to start thinking about autumn planting for a spectacular spring. Bulbs are supplied by Tesselaa and shipped directly to your door. Please use the QR link to order.

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

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.

Canteen Roster Term 1  2025

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