Courage

“Jesus said, “Take courage, I am here”    Matthew 14:27

Our Term 4 School Value is Courage, and students across our community have been showing great courage every day as they embrace opportunities to learn, grow, and stretch themselves to try new things. We can see our students persist by not giving up or having another go at something they have not been able to do before and then celebrate their efforts as they use a growth mindset and make progress with small steps.

"It is true I am not always faithful, but I never lose courage. I leave myself in the Arms of Our Lord"

- St Therese of Lisieux

Yr 6 Reflection Day

Our Year Six students gathered together for their Reflection Day at Sophia Conference Centre. The theme for the Reflection Day was – Community - “All for one and one for all” and reflected upon 1 Corinthians 12: 12-27 ‘One body, many parts’ through the day. The day was filled with a wide range of activities which included team building activities and at Cabra with a Yr 7 Class. The day was an opportunity for our students to reflect on their journey through the school years and celebrate their personal strengths, diversity, relationships and each other.

Little Way Day

We began Week 2 with Little Way Day to celebrate the feast day of St Therese, our patron saint. This was a very special day for our community to come together and enjoy the festivities and fundraising activities that had been prepared by our students. We are so proud of the tremendous efforts made by our community to raise funds for Caritas Australia. Thank you to all of our families for their generous donations and support which helped us to prepare for Little Way Day. We would also like to thank the families and caregivers who were able to join us for Whole School Prayer in the morning and our market stalls afterwards. We are so glad that you were able to be a part of Little Way Day this year.

Sacramental program

Please keep our sacramental candidates and their families in your prayers as they continue their faith journey. Students from our school will celebrate their Confirmation and First Communion on Saturday 16th November at 6pm in St Therese Church.

Enrolments are now open for the Emmaus Parish 2025 Sacramental Program for young people aged 7 years or older. If you are interested, please come to the Sacramental Program Information Night for 2025, which will be held on Thursday 21st November at 6 pm, in the Mercy Hall at St Thomas School, Goodwood. Please let me know if you have any questions or contact the Emmaus Parish office.

Calling All Families:

Please Donate Children’s Books and Clothes to Support Our School Community and Those in Need!

We are excited to announce two wonderful initiatives coming up that offer our students a chance to practice generosity and service: our Student-Run Book Stall and a Clothing Drive for Vinnies. These projects are a perfect way to help others while engaging our students in the spirit of compassion and community.

Secondhand Book Stall: Donate Your Pre-Loved Children's Books

We’re inviting families to donate gently used children’s books for our upcoming book stall, which will be fully organised and run by our students. This book stall will not only help us promote a love for reading but also foster a sense of responsibility as students handle the planning, sales, and setup themselves.

If you have any books that your children have outgrown or are ready to pass along, please bring them to school before the end of Week 5 and place in the collection area located in the Dominican Room.

Clothing Drive for Vinnies Christmas Appeal

One of our Students is also running a Vinnies’ Clothing Drive. As we move towards summer, it’s a wonderful time to clear out those wardrobes and give new life to clothes that may no longer be needed. Vinnies do an incredible job to support families and individuals who may be struggling at Christmas, and your donation of gently worn clothes will make a real difference in their lives.

How to Donate:

1. Books - Drop off gently used children’s books at the designated boxes located in The Dominican Room
2. Clothing - A collection bin for the Vinnies Clothing Drive will also be in The Dominican Room

Both donation bins will be open until the end of Week 5 (Friday 15 November)

By contributing to these drives, you’re supporting our students’ initiatives, helping others in need, and contributing to a culture of kindness and compassion in our community. Together, we can make a difference! Thank you for your generosity and support.

Carols and Christmas Markets

On Monday 9 December we will be hosting our annual Carols Evening. We have decided to add Christmas Markets and a Sausage Sizzle to the evening for our community to enjoy. Each class will have a market stall to sell crafts they have made to raise funds for Vinnies Christmas Appeal. Wait till you see the beautiful Christmas crafts and treasures our students have made with their teachers, they are delightful!

If any of our families would like to have a stall to sell handmade gifts or crafts, please contact Carol Jarell to provide an expression of interest and details for what you would like to do. We have already received interest from several parents who would like to contribute to a Bake Stall which will be wonderful. Further information will be provided soon.

Carol Jarell
APRIM and Wellbeing Coordinator