Newsletter 25 September 2025

Principal's Message

Thursday 25 September - Term 3 Week 10 

Dear Parents and Carers,

As we reach the end of another busy and fulfilling term, I would like to sincerely thank you all for your continued support, encouragement, and partnership. Term 3 has been filled with rich learning experiences, joyful celebrations, and community connection. I am proud of the hard work our students have put into their learning and the commitment of our staff in nurturing the growth and development of every child in our care.

Thank you to the many families who attended our recent School Community Forum. It was a very productive and positive meeting, and your contributions are greatly valued. A number of key topics were discussed:

• Hall Refurbishment: An update was provided on the ongoing refurbishment of the school hall, which is progressing well. OSHC is set to resume operations these holidays from this area.
  
• Flag Area Improvements: Quotes for the new flag area have been accepted, with work set to commence shortly.
  
• Year 6 Transition Program: We discussed how we support Year 6 students in preparing for high school. Our transition program continues to evolve to ensure it meets students' needs.
  
• Small Business Sponsor Pack: A decision was made to develop a sponsorship pack to make it easier for local businesses to support school events. This will help foster stronger ties with our community
  
• Shade sails in the ‘boat’ area: these have been put out for quotes and will be installed in January.
  
• Event Length and Feedback: The duration of some school events, such as our recent Father’s Day celebration, was discussed. There were varying views, and we will continue to listen to feedback to ensure events remain meaningful and inclusive.
  
• ICAS Competitions: These were reviewed, and it was noted by Michelle Scott that due to the cost for families, participation in ICAS will continue to be optional.
  
• Teacher Appreciation: We explored ways to express gratitude to our dedicated staff. It was agreed that a special morning tea will be held next term as a small gesture of thanks.
  
• Language Learning: A query was raised regarding the inclusion of language learning in the curriculum. We reaffirmed that while it is valued, it is not currently mandated and does not fit within our already full school timetable.
  
• Guest Speaker – Gary Murray: We were privileged to hear from Gary Murray of RedBelly Consulting, who spoke about improving pedestrian, cycle, and bus access to the school. This was an informative and timely presentation as we continue to explore ways to ensure safe and efficient travel for our school community.
  

Thank you once again for a wonderful term. I wish you all a safe and happy holiday.

Grace and peace,

Peter Watts

Faith and Mission News

Youth Group for Years 6 -12

Next term, our Year 6 students are invited to attend the St Augustine’s Parish Youth group. Click HERE for more details.

Spotlight on Religious Education

Year 6 students learnt that the psalms in the Bible are a form of poetry to express gratitude, praise, sorrow and petitions to God. Below are some poems of their own. 

A Prayer for Peace in our World

May your kingdom come

God of peace, may your kingdom come.
May fear strike no longer,
let pain fade away,
may earthly power be challenged,
when it plunders the poor,
and tramples on hope.

God of peace, may your kingdom come.
Help us put away the weapons of war,
help us destroy the tools of destruction,
let earthly power be challenged,
when it plunders the poor,
and tramples on hope.

God of peace, may your kingdom come.
Teach us to follow the ways of justice,
teach us to walk the paths of truth,
let integrity challenge the power that plunders,
when it tramples the poor
and pours scorn on our hope.

God of peace, may your kingdom come.
Bring peace sweet as honey,
bring peace like a shield,
and may we be the challenge
to earthly power that plunders
and tramples on hope.

God of peace, may your kingdom come.

Amen.

St.AY n Glow

St.AY n Glow is a lunch club for Year 6 students where they develop youth ministry skills and their faith. Run by Christa Morrow, the Youth Coordinator in our parish, the students are working on making videos. We are excited to see what they create!

Family Matters

Lavish Love at Home

‘Pilgrims of Hope’

Many classes have begun their ‘pilgrimage’, working through the activities on the poster below. This pilgrimage will take almost all year to complete and we look forward to sharing some of the experiences that bring us closer to God.

Naomi Loader - Assistant Principal Mission
Maria Woods - Leader of School Evangelisation

GRANDPARENT'S DAY

Grandparents' Day Invitation

Dear Parents and Carers,

We are delighted to invite all grandparents to join us for our Grandparents’ Day Liturgy and Open Classrooms on Friday, 17 October.

This special occasion is an opportunity to celebrate and honour the important role grandparents play in the lives of our students.

Please see the attached flyer for further details.

We look forward to welcoming our wonderful grandparents on the day.

Catholic Schools Regional Speech Competition

A huge congratulations to our wonderful student representatives who competed in the Catholic Schools Regional Speech Competition at St John Paul College on Monday.
We are incredibly proud of the dedication and hard work each student put into preparing their speeches. They presented with confidence and poise in what was a very tough competition. The standard was exceptionally high, with talented speakers from across the region making the judges' decisions incredibly difficult. While we did not place, our students were wonderful ambassadors for our school, and we commend them on the outstanding quality of their work.
A very special thank you must go to Mrs Orton for her efforts in mentoring, preparing, and supporting our students throughout this process. Your guidance was invaluable!
Well done to all involved. You have made our school community very proud!

Year 6 explore energy transfers in Science

RUBE RULES!

Year 6 has been learning about energy transfers in science. Last week the students are worked their way through the challenges of designing and testing some very complicated Rube Goldberg inspired contraptions.

Prev

Showing images 1 - 8 of 36

Next

Pastoral Care

K-2 Parent Storytelling 2025

News from the LARC

Snap a ‘shelfie’ with your bookshelf, a photo reading in your favourite place or sharing a book with someone special these holidays, to go in the draw to win a book pack. Photos will be displayed in the LARC. Send all photos to chantal.warnes@lism.catholic.edu.au with your name and class by Monday, 13 October. 

Mini Vinnies WACKY WEDNESDAY

Mini Vinnies WACKY WEDNESDAY - Wednesday 22 October 2025

On Wednesday, 22 October, Mini Vinnies will be holding Wacky Wednesday to raise funds for our Christmas Appeal. Students are encouraged to come dressed in a wacky outfit. Ideas include 'crazy' socks, 'insane' hair, 'mad' accessories.

Please ensure that all outfits are sun-smart and that enclosed shoes are worn (no Crocs).

To participate, students are asked to bring a gold coin donation. An additional gold coin may be brought to enter the Wacky Wednesday Fashion Contest.

Unfortunately, Wacky Wednesday falls on the same day as Kindergarten’s excursion. As a result, Kindergarten students will be off-site and unable to participate this time.

Happy Families

Sport News

NOTE:  Clarence Zone Summer Sports Trials dates are to be advised (Years 4 & 5 ONLY). These could take place in Week 3, 4 or 5 and are held after school.

Polding Athletics

On Friday 12th September, 10 of our athletes competed at the Polding Athletics Championships held in Newcastle. All of our athletes posted some incredible results, including our Junior Boys relay team. We would like to especially congratulate Angus Morgan who received a silver medal for his outstanding performance in the Senior Boy 1500m! Angus will now travel to Sydney next term to compete at the NSWPSSA Athletics Championships at Homebush!!!

Results: 

Lily Orton - 9 Year Girls 100m , (7th in heat)

Pippa Rowbotham - 11 Year Girls 100m (6th in final) and 200m (5th in final)

Emma Sandes - 11 Year Girls 1500m, (14th)

Angus Morgan - Snr Boys 800m (5th) and 1500m (2nd) !!!!!!

Hugh Morgan - Snr Boys 800m (6th) and 1500m (6th)

Riley O’Brien - Snr Boys High Jump (5th)

Jnr Boys Relay Team - Hudson Cohran, Arlo Tuala, Hamish Loy, Beau McMillan (8th in final) 

Diocesan Netball

On Wednesday our talented team of Netballers competed at the Diocesan Primary Knockout Finals held in Grafton. In a very competitive competition the girls won 2 and drew 1 of their pool games, progressing to the final. In the final they came up against a well-oiled team from St James, Banora Point, going down 15-21. We are very proud of the girls, for making the top two sides across the Diocese! Thank you to Mrs Warren for expertly leading the girls not just in this competition but throughout the year. 

Elective Sports Wrap Up

Last Friday was our final week of our six week Elective Sports Program for Years 3-6. Across the six weeks our students explored many of the wonderful opportunities our amazing Coffs Coast has to offer in the way of recreational activities. Many new friends were made and we hope that the students have developed confidence and learnt new skills along the way. This year our Multisports and Martial Arts students also wrapped up the program with an excursion to Brelsford Park. 

2025 Elective Sports gallery

Prev

Showing images 1 - 8 of 11

Next

CANTEEN NEWS

Canteen Roster  

Week beginning 13 October

• Monday - Staff development day  
• Tuesday -   K Hunn   
• Wednesday - S Rowan  
• Thursday - V Paul, A O'Brien 
• Friday -  W McLean, C Rose, Dinah  

Week beginning 20 October     

• Monday - Help Needed 
• Tuesday -   Help Needed 
• Wednesday - S Rowan 
• Thursday -  B Symons  
• Friday - W McLean, R Felton    

Notices

Join us for this free community event for all families, offering hands-on activities, creative experiences, and plenty of fun for all ages!

Explore Yarrila Arts and Museum, visit Harry Bailey Memorial Library, grab a free bell for your bike, and venture out with the Coffs City Centre art trail on the Coffs Coast Explorer App.

FREE, accessible and open to all ages!

Amazing new art exhibitions | Art making activities | DJ Salty spinning tracks & taking requests | Bells for bikes | Games galore | STEAM activities | Giveaways | Citizen Science Corner activities | Student animation showcase | Peach & Wolf open | Coffs City Centre art trail | and so much more!

Date: Saturday 11 October
When: 10am-1pm
Where: Yarrila Place, 27 Gordon Street, Coffs Harbour 

These school holidays, the City of Coffs Harbour is bursting with activities that spark imagination and growth - there’s something for every young mind to enjoy!

With a mix of free and low-cost options, families can choose the perfect way to explore, create, and connect throughout the holiday program series.

When: Monday 29 September - Saturday 11 October
Where: At a range of wonderful venues, follow the link to book your place!

Family Games Days | Wildlife Recording Workshop | Bird Buddies Workshops | Sailfish Swim School 5-day program | STEAM in a Snap | Drop-in creative fun at YAM | The Farmy Farm Performance | Video Wizards & Visual Effects Workshop| Wearable Tech Workshop | Awesome Animations Workshop| Cinderella Spinderella Performance| Beanstalk Performance | Beanstalk Puppet Making Workshop| Story & Create with children's author Annika Johansson | STILL Life Artwork & STEAM Workshop with artist Emma Davies | Still Life Painting Workshop with artist Flossy-P

NRL School Holiday clinic

We’re excited to announce that during the Term 3 School Holidays, the NRL Game Development Team will be running a fun-filled School Holiday Clinic in Coffs Harbour!  

When: Wednesday 8th October

 Time: 10am – 12.30pm

 Ages: 5–12 years

 Cost: $59

 Where: Geoff King Motors Oval, Coffs Harbour

It’s a fantastic opportunity for kids to learn new skills, make friends, and have an awesome day playing footy! 

Register now to secure your spot: https://profile.mysideline.com.au/register/entity?data=eyJlbnRpdHlJZCI6NjQwMTgxMzYsImVudGl0eVR5cGUiOiJwcm9ncmFtIn0%3D&source=rugby-league