St Paul's Bulletin Term 2 Week 3 2024

Principal's Message

‘When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.'                                                                                                        Acts 2: 1-4 

Dear Parents and Carers, 

This weekend, we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost. This is the day the Holy Spirit came upon the Apostles after Jesus had gone back to Heaven. The Apostles had been too afraid to leave their houses to share the Good News of Jesus’ resurrection. The Holy Spirit gave them that strength. Many of us received the Holy Spirit in the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation as infants or children. As adults, do we share our faith in our actions? Do we look to the Holy Spirit to fan the flame of our faith? May we continue to discover the unique way that the Holy Spirit is moving in each of us. 

Many of our Year 4-6 children will make their Sacrament of Confirmation at the end of this month. This sacrament of initiation, conferred by the bishop, is when the Holy Spirit comes down on the children in a special way. At Confirmation, the children confirm the baptismal promises their parents and godparents made for them when they were babies. If you would like more information about our sacramental program, please contact Mrs Mary Davison, our Religious Education Coordinator. 

It has been distressing over the past month to see the rise of knife crime and violence against women, especially by male partners. As Christian people, this is abhorrent and encourages us even more to teach our children that conflict, a normal part of life, can’t be solved with physical fighting, punching, or violence. Sadly, these behaviours start at a young age and are often a result of children copying those around them. Every day at St Paul’s we share our message of ‘love one another’ and our school rule of ‘be respectful’ with ‘safe and caring hands.’ Thank you to you, as parents, for doing the same! 

Many thanks to Mrs Jacobson and Mrs Edwards and their team of helpers who organised the Athletics Carnival last Friday. The weather was fantastic, making the whole day a great success! The day could not have gone forward without parent helpers, so a big thank you to all who could help on the day. Congratulations to the winning house, who will be announced at tomorrow's ribbon ceremony at 11.30am in the hall. 

Many thanks to the P&F team who organised the wonderful Mother's Day breakfast last Friday! It was so lovely to see so many mums, grandmothers and special mother figures at school for the celebration. Thank you, P&F team! 

Next week we mark Catholic Schools Week. It is a time when we celebrate the remarkable work, passion, and enthusiasm our Catholic schools exhibit daily. We recognise these places as learning communities who are committed to excellence through the education of the ‘whole child,’ providing an all-round education that nurtures each student spiritually, intellectually, socially, and physically. It is this education that enables all students to flourish and become the best versions of themselves. This year our Catholic Schools Week theme is “Follow Me” which reminds us that we are all invited to follow Jesus. Let’s be open to hearing God’s call and do what he is asking us to do. What a challenge, but something we can all strive for! Next Wednesday we will celebrate Catholic Schools Week with a Liturgy and Open Day, starting at 8.45am in the school hall. All welcome! 

We have nearly completed all enrolment interviews for families enrolling at St Paul’s for 2025. On May 22 we will be holding an OPEN DAY, so all parents, including prospective families, can see the school in action. Everyone is welcome! Parents should note that the enrolment period for 2025 closes on May 24. If you know of any families interested in enrolling next year, please let them know about this Open Day!  Please also note that enrolments at St Mary’s Catholic College close on the same day. Children enrolling after this date will be put on a waitlist. 

 With every blessing, 

Greg Cumming 

Principal 

Important Dates

Assistant Principal's Message

Tell It From Me Survey (TTFM)

In the coming weeks, we will be inviting students, teachers and parents to provide feedback on their experience of our school using an online survey. The surveys are an important part of our whole school evaluation and planning process.

We would like to invite you to complete the Tell Them From Me (TTFM) Partners in Learning survey. As we value the role of parents and carers within our school community, we would greatly appreciate your feedback. The information you provide will be used to maintain our commitment to working together in partnership to further improve student learning and well-being at St Paul's.

The survey is anonymous and will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. A compass notification with the URL will be posted early next week to mark the start of the survey window.

Jessica Moulder

Assistant Principal

Catholic Culture at St Paul's

Mother's Day Liturgy

St Paul's Mother's Day celebration wasn't just about honoring mums; it was a heartfelt celebration that filled our hall with love, joy, and gratitude. Our Mother's Day liturgy with prayers and blessings for the amazing women in our lives. From the adorable performances by kindergarten dancers to the beautiful portraits made by students, every moment was a tribute to the love and support of mothers and mother figures. The atmosphere was filled with laughter, applause, and a deep sense of gratitude for the selfless love and sacrifices of moms every day, reminding us all to cherish and celebrate the gift of motherhood every day.

Follow Me - Catholic Schools Week

FOLLOW ME! CELEBRATING CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK MONDAY 20TH TO SATURDAY 25TH MAY 2024 

Next week, we celebrate the contribution that Catholic schools make to the lives of students and families around Australia. Catholic schools educate over 805,000 students (one in five Australian students) and employ over 109,000 staff. For over 200 years, Catholic schools in Australia have provided a choice to Australian families for the education of their children, that reflects their own beliefs and values. 

Our Diocesan theme for Catholic Schools Week this year is “Follow me” (Matthew 4:19). In this story from the Gospel of Mathew, Jesus invites Simon, Peter and Andrew to place their trust and confidence in Him and to follow Him on a journey as His disciples (followers or students). For disciples, to ‘follow-me’ meant that they became like an apprentice to Jesus, to learn His ways, to love like He does, and to serve the poor and outsider like He does. To ‘be’ Good news to all the earth! 

This invitation continues to this day as Catholic schools help fulfill the mission given by Jesus, to “Follow me!” Working alongside our parishes and other agencies to love and serve those in our communities. This attitude of service and caring for the whole person, flavours our Catholic schools’ approach to everything! From striving for excellence in learning, to dedicated pastoral care and wellbeing, to faith formation opportunities for every child, we work hard to help each child to flourish in life. 

Thank you for trusting our Catholic school with the care and education of your child. 

Religious Education - Spotlight on Year 4

Confirmation holds a special place in the hearts of many young Catholics as it marks a significant milestone in their journey of faith. Our Year 4 students have been exploring the importance of Confirmation as one of the Sacraments of Initiation, alongside Baptism and Eucharist, in deepening their relationship with God and the Church.

Throughout this unit, students have had the opportunity to delve into the symbols, words, and rituals associated with Confirmation. From the anointing with chrism oil to the laying on of hands, each element holds profound significance, reflecting the spiritual journey of the individual and their commitment to their faith.

This exploration will not only provide our students with a deeper understanding of Confirmation but will also nurture their spiritual growth and connection to their faith community. It is our hope that through this journey, they will develop a greater appreciation for the sacramental life of the Church and the importance of living out their faith in their daily lives.

We look forward to witnessing the growth and transformation that will undoubtedly occur as our Year 4 students journey through this exploration of Confirmation and wish those students well who are participating in the sacramental program this year. 

Mission News!

St Vincent de Paul's Winter Appeal

Vinnies NSW supports tens of thousands of individuals and families each year who are experiencing financial and housing insecurity. This year, their Winter Appeal focuses on the Working Homeless, an emerging group of people who are experiencing housing hardship and disadvantage despite being in employment.

St Paul's is preparing to support the work of Vinnies to help rebuild lives by hosting Milo Mornings, every Friday during winter. Bring your own (travel type) mug and $2 and our Mini Vinnies Crew will fill your cup with warm milo, starting Friday 7th June.

If you, or someone you love, is struggling right now, please call the helpline on 13 18 12. Vinnies is there to help.

Mary Davison

Religious Education Coordinator

Sports News

St. Paul's Athletics Carnival

Well done to all students who participated and competed at our St. Paul's Athletics Carnival last Wednesday. It was a fantastic day and students showed great sportsmanship and teamwork. Thank you again to our parent helpers on the day, as well as the St. Paul's staff for ensuring a smooth, fun day for the students. We greatly appreciate parents giving up their time to assist and attend sporting carnivals and events.

We will have the Athletics Carnival presentation tomorrow - Friday 17th May at 11:30am in our St. Paul's hall. We will present ribbons to overall first, second and third place for each event, as well as present our champions with their medals and house trophy. Students who have made it to the Regional Athletics Carnival will also be notified tomorrow. Parents are welcome to attend! 

Diocesan Cross Country

Congratulations to all the students who competed at the Diocesan Cross Country yesterday at Maitland Park:

Myles Willis, Blaise Woolley, Lucah Diaz, Eve Carter, Olive Clifford, Rose Bergin, Eden Watts, Asha Sutherland, Jacob Fitzgerald, Hudson Jones, Maeva Clifford, Ethan Burrows, Chase Carter, Lola Whitter, Isla Gibson and Lexie Watts.

Well done to Eve Carter, who came 5th in the Under 8/9 Years Girls race, and Maeva Clifford, who came 1st in the Under 11 Years Girls race. These girls now progress to the Polding Cross Country Championships in Sydney on Wednesday 5th June. 

Paul Kelly AFL Gala Day

This gala day has been postponed from last Thursday 9th May to Thursday 30th May. Please see the Compass event for details.

Diocesan Touch Football Trials

These trials were also postponed last week due to the weather. The new date for these trials is next Wednesday 22nd May. Goodluck to Sophie Fox, Tilly Rose and Asher Dries who are competing at these trials.

Diocesan Rugby Union Trials

Goodluck to Xavier Catterson, Lachlan Roberts and Jacob Fitzgerald who are competing at the Diocesan Rugby Union trials on Wednesday 29th May. 

AFL Representative

We wish Sophie Fox the very best of luck as she represents the Mid North Coast and Inland All schools AFL team next Monday and Tuesday in Albury. What a great experience, Sophie!

Abbey Edwards and Tess Jacobson

P&F News

Parish News

Children’s Liturgy is held every Sunday at 9:30am during Holy Mass. We have a beautiful, dedicated room at St Paul’s Gateshead where we hear and discuss the Gospel each week, working our way through the Liturgical Calendar.

There’s always lots of friendship and fun activities.

Safeguarding is our highest priority. Children’s Liturgy will only go ahead if there are two volunteers with current Working With Children Checks.

All are welcome, we look forward to meeting some new friends!

Jacqui Wilson (school mum at St Paul’s Primary) and the Children’s Liturgy Team. 

Please note, while St Paul’s Gateshead Catholic Church is undergoing renovations Children’s Liturgy is at St Mary Immaculate Charlestown 9:30am.

Office Messages

IMPORTANT - School Fees

Anyone wishing to continue with a special Fee Agreement in 2024, please contact the office 4943 6369 to make an appointment with the Principal to discuss. It is necessary to reapply for an extension of the agreements into 2024

Complaints, Resolution and Feedback

St Paul’s Primary School, The Catholic Schools Office (CSO) and Schools in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle are committed to providing a positive, safe environment for all staff and students. There are occasions, however, when members of our schools and wider community are concerned about something happening at a school that appears to be unsatisfactory or unreasonable.

If you have a complaint, please follow this procedure. 

Community Notices