Dear Parents & Carers,

As our region begins to recover from the devastating impact of the recent storms and flooding, we want to first acknowledge the significant hardship many families in our school community are facing. We know that many of you are working through the difficult process of inspecting homes and properties, restoring essential services, and beginning to recover emotionally and practically from this traumatic event. 

Please know that our thoughts and prayers are with every family affected. As a Catholic School community, our first priority is supporting one another with compassion, understanding and practical care. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to the school if your family requires support at this time. Recognising the emotional impact of the recent events, our school counsellor, Sascha Isaacs, will be onsite on Thursday for students who may need them. Please contact the school if you would like access to these services. 

We pray particularly for our neighbours in the Wingham and Taree communities who have also been significantly impacted. Our hearts and prayers are with every one of you.

As a result of the weather, we have had a number of activities or events postponed. We will be rescheduling Healthy Harold, RYSTEM (Year 4/5/6) and 2/3 Assembly to a later date and will update you as we confirm these dates. 

Please also keep in your thoughts and prayers our students who will be receiving the sacraments of First Holy Communion and Confirmation on Sunday 8th June. We hope many of our families will be able to join us at this special sacrament and occasion.

Warm regards,

Amy Maslen

Principal

We will be celebrating Grandparents Day on Friday June 6th, 10am. Following the liturgy at 10am, visitors will have the opportunity to have a look open through classrooms and to bring along a picnic lunch or order from the school canteen. All Grandparents, or parents, are invited to this special celebration.

On Sunday 8th June, a number of our students will celebrate the sacrament of First Holy Communion and Confirmation. Like the disciples they are learning about the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and how these can help them to live their best life, sharing the faith by word and action. Please keep these students in your prayers as they continue their preparation.  It would be wonderful if families are able to join us for this celebration. The Mass will be at 9am on Sunday at St. Joseph's Catholic Church. There will be a morning tea following and if families would like to bring a plate and drop into the hall kitchen that would be much appreciated. Bishop Michael Kennedy will be the presider on this occasion.  

We have now been using Spriggy for several weeks for canteen orders. Spriggy has had some positive feedback in terms of convenience. We have been able to make some changes to setting up options so if you have any feedback please contact or email the office. Please download the Spriggy App or visit Spriggy online for canteen orders.

Communities and families around Australia have been touched by the recent floods. Many are still coming to terms with the loss of human life, damage to property, destruction of crops and loss of pets and livestock. Others are rallying together to provide much needed moral and financial support. As the clean-up continues, families are faced with the real presence of the disaster: repairing property, negotiating insurance claims and juggling financial problems.

Being exposed to a natural disaster, either directly through lived experience or indirectly through the media, stirs up various feelings of sadness, depression, anxiety and frustration. Learning to recognise these reactions and emotions as normal will help families better understand these feelings and become more comfortable and effective in coping with them. Supporting your child or teenager during this time is especially vital. Talking and listening to them about the event can help them process their feelings. How well they will cope, or manage any trauma, will depend on specific risk factors in existence before, during and after the event.

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