CYCLONE ALFRED

KEEPING EVERYONE SAFE

As we go into this weekend, we are aware of so many people who will be potentially affected in a widespread area from South-East Queensland into Northern and Mid NSW. Like many of you, I have family and friends across these areas who I am praying will be safe and not receive the worst of what could be expected.

You will now have received a Compass notification from DLCS (Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools) communications team that schools in our areas have been directed to continue school closure on Monday 10th March. We are very aware of the anxiousness that exists around these events and have you all in our thoughts and prayers to remain safe over the coming days as Cyclone Alfred makes its way through our state. We will be ready to support our community when the time comes to recover and return.

All communication about returning to school will be sent out through Compass and emails, as directed by DLCS. Please remember that these are the sources of truth for information about schools and the only way this will be disrupted is if power and connectivity become a problem. Our website will also be updated as more information is available.

May I ask that you keep in your thoughts and prayers, members of our school community and all communities affected by this disaster. We also thank those who form the emergency support for these situations in our towns, that they also remain safe and return to their families.

SCHOOL DANCE CONCERT AND DANCE EISTEDDFOD 2025

Following amazing results at the Port Macquarie Dance Eisteddfod and a wonderful school concert in 2024 (possibly the best ever!), we have some updates on how this will look in 2025. We have been fortunate that Julie-Anne Thompson has been our dance teacher extraordinaire for 12 years. Unfortunately for us, Julie-Anne can no longer commit to all that she has this year, as she takes her business to exciting new places. We are so grateful for all she has done for us. We also have been given the direction from The Glasshouse that there are changes to the numbers of people in the back areas of The Glasshouse for WHS reasons, and our concert will not be able to look as it has previously.

DANCE CONCERT:

With all this in mind, we will be pausing our concert for 2025 only, as we seek clarity on how we come back in 2026 with the best concert ever again. We will have a team of staff and seek input from parents about how we might seek solutions to the venue challenges and running of the concert and the dance program. You have not been billed in your resources part of school fees for a concert this year.

DANCE EISTEDDFOD:

We will be submitting applications for a number of Dance Eisteddfod groups this
year. Mrs Olivia Gibb, supported by Miss Natalie McKenzie, will coordinate and support the preparation and a number of other staff members ensuring all groups are ready for this later in the year. We are currently in discussions with a number of people about who will support this program as dance instructor/s. Once we have more information, we will let you know how many groups, timetable and instructor. This is an extracurricular activity with a cost attached upfront, as well as a commitment to be at every practice for students involved.

OPENING MASS, BADGING CEREMONY AND KINDER CELEBRATION OF THE WORD

POSTPONED

Due to the school closures this week, our Opening Mass, Badging Ceremony and Kinder Celebration of the Word will be rescheduled.

ASH WEDNESDAY

On Wednesday this week, our St Peter’s community came together in grade-based Ash Wednesday liturgies. Each person received a cross made with ashes on their forehead, marking the beginning of our Lenten journey. Lent invites us to follow the example of Jesus, contemplating his life, teachings, and ultimate sacrifice.

The season of Lent is a time for us to reflect on our faith and relationship with God. Through prayer, fasting, and giving, we seek to grow closer to God and prepare ourselves for the joyous celebration of Easter.

Pray

You may like to use the following guide to create a simple Lenten-themed prayer space at home with your family:  Lenten Family Prayer Space

Fast

Fasting doesn’t just have to be about giving up a favourite food, such as chocolate or lollies for Lent. Perhaps during Lent, the focus could be on giving up negative emotions and actions that prevent us from growing closer to God and others, such as anger, judgement or envy.

Give

Our giving doesn’t always need to be material or monetary. During Lent you might like to find creative ways to give, such as giving time, love and care to others or striving to give someone a random act of kindness every day! Of course, St Peter’s always supports Project Compassion, where we invite our staff and students to donate coins to each class’s project compassion box, raising money to support our brothers and sisters in developing countries in accessing basic human rights.

OPEN CLASSROOMS + PARENT INFORMATION SESSION

As partners in learning please take the time to read through the parent information notes sent home this week. The open classroom afternoon on Wednesday 12th March will provide an opportunity for you to ask any question to your child’s teacher regarding this information as you walk through their classroom. You will also have the opportunity to view some of their work and listen to the band playing under the basketball court. There will be a treasure hunt families can opt into (look for the QR codes) and the library will be open for a walk through as well. A pre-purchased sausage sizzle will be available to pick up near the canteen from 3:30pm. Please email amanda.thomas@lism.catholic.edu.au if you are able to assist serving the sausages between 3:30-4:30pm.

COLOURS FOR CARITAS - DONATIONS NEEDED !! 

This year the Year 6 mission fundraiser ‘Colours for Caritas’ is seeking donations of the following items, please:

• Bags of wrapped lollies
• Colourful hair spray
• Pre-loved books in good condition, suitable for ages 5-12.
• Nail polishes
• Hand-made jewellery (eg. loom bracelets, beaded necklaces) or beads/loom bands for our jewellery girls to make things out of
• Recycled material to make scrunchies

Donations are to be put in a collection box in each classroom by 4th April, Thank you.

ST PETER'S ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES

At St Peters, we are committed to fostering a love of learning and challenging our students to reach their full potential. We are excited to offer a vast range of enrichment opportunities designed to extend and engage students in critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity.

This year, students will have the chance to participate in Maths Olympiad, Maths Explorer, ICAS, Write On, Write a Book in a Day, Spelling Bee and da Vinci Decathlon. These programs provide a platform for students to develop their analytical and creative thinking skills, collaborate with peers and embrace new challenges beyond the classroom curriculum.

On Thursday, our Year 5 and 6 students had the opportunity to sign up for the da Vinci Decathlon. Those who have expressed interest will meet weekly to tackle engaging challenges, sharpening their problem-solving and teamwork skills in preparation for this prestigious competition in Term 2. We encourage all students to embrace this enriching experience and make the most of the opportunity to extend their thinking and creativity.

Every second Friday, selected students from Years 3-6 will also have the opportunity to work on Maths challenges in preparation for the Maths Olympiad Competition, commencing in Term 2. They will work in Stage Groups to learn a variety of problem-solving strategies and then apply them to real-life Maths problems. Parents will be notified in the coming weeks if their child has been selected to be a part of these teams. Here are two Year 3 and 4 Sample Questions:

We look forward to seeing our students grow and shine through these wonderful opportunities!