Term 1, Week 8

Important Dates

Principal's Message: Mrs Angela Muller

Focus on Attendance: EVERY DAY COUNTS!

Supporting student attendance at school is a key priority. Attendance does matter. Good attendance at school is linked to academic success, we are therefore asking for all parents/carers support in ensuring that pupils achieve the highest possible attendance. 

I thank all of our parents for continuing to inform the school of absences through the Compass App. 

What you can do to support positive attendance:

• Go to your child’s Compass Profile and view the Attendance % for school this year. This number should be above 90%.
• Add all absence notes through the Compass Portal. 
• Arrive on time.

Every minute counts when it comes to attendance. As part of our support for student attendance all attendance notes are reviewed by our Office Staff and School Leadership. When submitting a note please ensure you provide a detailed absent note. Some examples are below. 

Stats on arriving late:

I thank you for working in partnership to support each child have success at school through positive attendance. 

Yours in Education
Angela

Leadership Insights: Mr Matthew Gibson

Parent Teacher Interviews - Week 9

Next week we will hold our Parent Teacher Interviews which have been booked through the Compass portal. These meetings are designed as a check-in on how your child is going this year at school. Meetings will take place in your child’s classroom. We ask that all parents attending these meetings are: 

• On time 
• Respectful 
• Focused on working in partnership with the teacher for 2025 

We look forward to meeting with you all next week. 

Diocesan Spelling Bee 

Our 3-6 students have all received their spelling lists for the Diocesan Spelling Bee over the past couple of weeks. This week we will hold our class competitions, with the finals being held next week. Two students from each stage will represent Assumption next term at the Diocesan finals. This is a great opportunity for our spelling stars to shine.

School Uniform  

At Assumption, we encourage all students to take pride in their appearance, instilling habits that will last them a lifetime. Please ensure that your children have the correct uniform every day, including socks.

We ask that no additional jewellery is worn at any time by students. This includes loom bands, extra earrings or necklaces. This is for children’s safety as they can be lost or catch on things, causing injury. 

Students are allowed to wear a watch to school, however, if it is a smart watch with messaging or phone capabilities it must be signed into the office each morning. This is in line with our Child Protection measures to keep all of our children and staff safe. 

REC News: Mrs Catherine Connor

Sunday, 23 March 2025: Third Sunday of Lent - Year C

Lk 15:1-3, 11-32 Your brother here was dead and has come to life.

Gospel Reflection

If we could ever really believe and accept God's absolute love for us, it might not be so difficult for us to love others as we love ourselves. In this week Gospel the story of the prodigal son, Jesus shows us that God's love never lets go of us; God waits for us, forgives us, and runs to meet us when we decide to return to him. This story is simultaneously challenging and encouraging. It is a story that speaks to every person in every era and is another good ‘checkpoint’ for us in our preparation for Easter

Gospel Challenge

The story of the prodigal son is about forgiveness and we see the example of the father's unconditional forgiveness in the story. Take time this week to talk with your children about forgiveness.

Parish Mass

Thank you to Mrs Powell and Mr Gibson for your wonderful work with the Voices of Hope students. They sang so beautifully on Sunday Evening at the 6 PM Mass at the Cathedral. 

Easter Prayer Room

Easter is a very significant time in the Catholic Church. Palm Sunday (13th April) starts Holy Week which is the week leading up to the Easter Season where the significant events of the Last Supper, the praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus dying on the Cross on Good Friday and his rising on Easter Sunday occur. The focus for Easter this year will be in the form of a prayer room where each class will have the opportunity to focus on the Passion of Christ, his death and Resurrection in a very spiritual and reflective way by walking and praying on the journey with him. 

The Easter Prayer Room Experience will take place in the Hall on Tuesday 8th April and Wednesday 9th April throughout the day. Each class will have a 40 min time slot for this reflection.

Parents, Grandparents and friends are very welcome to join their child/children on this interactive prayerful faith journey through Holy Week. A schedule of times for  the classes will be sent out next week. This will be helpful for you to know when to join your child/children.

Junior Joeys 2025

With the support of Mrs Lisa Lynch and myself the Assumption School is working with students from Years 5 and 6  to support Project Compassion - They have run a very successful Pancake Tuesday to start their Social Justice Fundraing for Caritas. Their other proposed fundraising events are -  Week 9: “Walk for Water”. 

To find out more about Project Compassion go to:  https://www.caritas.org.au/ 

To keep connected to the Cathedral Parish please follow the link to the Cathedral Parish Bulletin.

The Sports Arena: Mrs Alison Hanley

Assumption School Cross Country Carnival 

Well done to the Assumption School for another successful cross country carnival. We had perfect weather conditions yesterday for our races at St Stanislaus College. Thank you to all the teachers who supervised and helped with the running of the carnival. We also thank our wonderful parents and grandparents who support our school at every event. The first four placegetters will now attend the Diocesan Cross Country Carnival in Coolah which will be held on Tuesday May 6th. Please keep an eye out for the note through Compass. Please do not forget the two step process to register your child - our Compass School permission and then their registration on the CSNSW Website. 

Diocesan Winter Sports Trials this Friday

The Winter Sports Trials will be held on Friday March 28th. Our school is sending 26 Year 5 and Year 6 students to perform their very best in Hockey, Football, Rugby League and Netball. These talented athletes are attempting to win a place in the Diocesan teams for these sports. We wish them all the best in their efforts. Stay tuned for results in the next newsletter.

Please note: The boys football (soccer) has a changed venue and has moved to Proctor Park. The girls will remain at Police Paddock.

Rugby 7s Gala Day

11 students from Yr 5 and Yr 6 competed at a Rugby 7s Gala Day Monday March 26th at Bathurst. The students had a wonderful day coming home with 2 wins from 4 games. Thank you to NSW Rugby for organising such a successful event.

Paul Kelly Cup

The Paul Kelly Cup will be held on Thursday April 3rd at Learmonth Park. 43 students from Years 5 and 6 will be attending the competition. The Compass event is active for parent permissions to be completed.

CPS Swimming Carnival - Homebush

We wish our Diocesan representatives Amelia, Leo, Isabella, Lexie, Willow and Addison all the very best for their competition next Wednesday at Homebush. Congratulations to all these accomplished swimmers for making it to this advanced level.

Student Wellbeing: Mrs Sonia Peck

Healthy Lunchbox Choices for Growing Minds

Providing our children with nutritious lunchbox options is essential for their energy levels, concentration, and overall well-being. A balanced lunch fuels their learning and helps them stay focused throughout the school day. Studies show that children who eat a healthy lunch perform better academically and are more engaged in class activities.

The Benefits of a Nutritious Lunch

A well-packed lunchbox supports brain function, sustained energy, and strong immunity. Fresh fruits and vegetables provide essential vitamins and minerals, whole grains offer long-lasting energy, and protein sources such as lean meats, dairy, or legumes aid in growth and development.

Quick Tips for Parents

• Plan ahead – Preparing lunches the night before can help us avoid rushed mornings.
• Add variety – Including a mix of colors and textures makes meals more appealing.
• Keep it fresh – Using ice packs or insulated containers helps keep food safe and fresh.
• Encourage involvement – Letting our children help choose and prepare their lunch increases their interest in healthy eating.

Sonia Peck
Leader of Student Wellbeing

Family Fun Day - this Friday 28th March

Join Us for Family Fun Day  5 PM - 7 PM

We’re looking forward to seeing you all at our Family Fun Day this Friday, 28th March! It’s going to be a fantastic day filled with delicious food, exciting games, great entertainment, and plenty of fun activities for the whole family.

To make the day run smoothly, here’s how you can help:

• Purchase your tokens beforehand to avoid queues on the day.
  
• We still need chocolate donations for our popular Chocolate Toss game – any contributions would be greatly appreciated!

Volunteers needed! If you can spare some time to help on the day, we’d love to have you on board. Please register here to volunteer! 

Thank you for your support! We can’t wait to celebrate with you!

Kindy 2026 - Enrolments Closing Soon!