“Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me, can not be my disciple”

Luke 14: 27

(from the Gospel for the twenty third  Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C)

Dear Parents and Carers,

STEM success

Last weekend, our STEM robotics team competed at an inter-school VEX scrimmage hosted by St Paul’s International College. Competing against schools from the local area, Kiama and Canberra, our St Paul’s Primary team won the design award. This is a wonderful achievement given this our first year working with STEM and robotics. STEM is one of the Interest Group co-curricular offerings we have at St Paul’s.

A big congratulations to our team Jessica Wray, Shan Cecilio and Caspian Adams and to Mrs Smith our STEM and Year 6 teacher. You can read the article that appeared in the local media by following the link below.

P&F meeting Tuesday 10 September at 7pm

Our next P&F meeting will be held on Tuesday evening in the school staff room. Everyone is welcome to join us. Every parent in the school is already a member of the the P&F. If you would like to attend or participate in the P&F, you simply need to turn up!

Basketball Gala Days Thursday 19 September (junior) and Friday 20 September (senior)

We will be participating in the diocesan basketball gala day at Minto during week 9. The diocesan gala days are non-competitive, aiming to give children an experience of playing a particular team sport. We have been conducting a basketball program on Fridays at the Moss Vale Basketball Stadium for our Year 3 to 6 children to ensure that all the children learn some skills and participate. 

We have had a strong expression of interest from the children to attend the gala day. We are only permitted to enter one junior team of boys and one junior team of girls. Similarly, we can enter one senior team of boys and one senior team of girls. A team is comprised of five players and three reserves or eight children in total. In order to manage the interest, we have taken the decision to commit to the basketball gala day as an annual fixture for the school. Historically, the school participated only every second year. We will enter a junior team comprised of Year 4 children and senior team of Year 6 children. If we need to make up numbers, we will draw names from a hat from the Year 3 and Year 5 children who have expressed an interest. This is the fairest way to manage. In taking these decisions, we can ensure that children who wish to participate will have an opportunity to do so at junior level and subsequently at senior level two years later.

We will be travelling to Minto by train departing from Moss Vale station. The combined train fare and entry fee is $15 per child. The school enter teams and provide Opal cards for the train trip using this money. Mr Boyd will accompany the junior team and Mrs Browne will accompany the senior team. Permission notes for the participants will go home on Monday.

Chess Tournament Monday 23 September at Tudor House

We will be participating in the NSW Junior Chess League tournament hosted by Tudor House on Monday 23 September. The tournament commences at 9:15am until 2:30pm. Our chess team has been consistently practicing at lunch times throughout the year under the guidance and instruction of Mrs Iliani. Permission notes will go home next week. We ask that these notes be returned by no later than Friday 13 September in order to finalise our team numbers and entry to the event.

Book week parade and celebrations

We will be celebrating book week in the last week of the term culminating in a dress up book parade on Friday 27 September. This year’s book week theme is “Reading is my secret power”. We received feedback last year regarding the community’s desire to have a book week parade. We will send further details for the week’s celebration and events in coming weeks. The week culminates with the parade. For now, start thinking about your child’s theme related costume.

Confirmation: Our Year 6 students will re-commence their preparation to receive the sacrament of Confirmation this weekend. The fourth class in the sacramental program will be held on Sunday 8 September August after the 10 am Mass. Please keep our Year 6 Confirmation candidates in your prayers . Confirmation will be held on Saturday 21 September with Bishop Brian.

Date claimers for Term 3:

Confirmation Program

Confirmation classes will recommence this Sunday. Families are required to attend the 10:00 am Mass followed by class in the School Hall.

Session 1: Sunday 11^th August

Session 2: Sunday 18^th August 

Session 3: Sunday 25^th August

Session 4: Sunday 8^th September

Session 5: Sunday 15^th September 

Confirmation: Saturday 21^st September

Thank you

Catherine du Bois

Religious Education Coordinator

Sound Scouts is a FREE Hearing Health Check for Students K - 12.

Sound Scouts hearing check APP is now available for FREE for all school-aged children thanks to funding from the Department of Health.

The App provides an indication of a child's hearing health and generates an automated report that can be shared with parents. This report details the child's listening abilities, in quiet and in noise. It's game based so it's fun and easy to use. The App is endorsed by Hearing Australia. 

Fruit & veg superpower your snacks!

Did you know only about 5% of NSW children eat enough vegetables? And the statistics are similar for adults. Our school has registered for Fruit & Veg Month – a fun and educational health promotion event that puts a positive focus on fruit and vegetables.

To encourage our school families to eat more fruit and vegetables we will be sending home hints and tips over the month.

Superpower your family snacks by including more fruit and veg:

• Put out of plate of chopped fruit and/or vegetables with every snack. You’ll be amazed at how much more fruit and veg your kids will eat if it is accessible and ready to eat…now!
• Hot day? Freeze up some pineapple slices or grapes to cool the kids down. Cold day? Make up some tomato and cheese or mushroom and baked bean toasties to warm them up!
• Cook up some heavy-on-the-fruit-or-veg muffins and fritters for lunchbox snacks. Most recipes can be prepared in bulk and frozen until needed.

For more ideas check out the recipes on the webpage: