Dear Parents and Carers,

During the past few months, we have had several students preparing for their First Holy Communion. This is an important sacrament in the Catholic Church and is the final sacrament of initiation for our young people. Father Kevin wrote in his bulletin last Sunday a message for the children in Taree who recently made their Communion. I am sure he will not mind me sharing his words, as they are a special message for our students.

When someone comes and gives us a special gift, we naturally feel very happy and special, and we also feel very loved by that person.

This is one way of understanding Holy Communion at Mass. In Holy Communion it is Jesus coming to us in the form of food, bread which becomes Jesus Himself. In this way Jesus is sharing His own life with us, and this is what people do when they love each other. And they know that it’s good to be together. Here is our Parish Church, some people have been coming to Sunday Mass each Sunday for around 80 years! Wow! Why? Because it is so good to come to know that we continue to be loved by God in this way.

By receiving Jesus Himself in Holy Communion we grow in thanks, and we are strengthened to show and share this love of Jesus in many ways to others. This is why the very old name for the mass is “Eucharist” which means “thanks to God’!

- Fr Kevin 

This Sunday, Eleanor, Susannah, Isaac, Samuel, Ben, Jai, and Max will make their First Holy Communion. All members of our community are welcome to come along to Mass and support them this Sunday at 11.30 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Wingham.

Tell Me A Story

Each year we offer our students the opportunity to enter the Tell Me a Story Writing and Illustration competition.  Successful students have their stories and illustrations published in a book.  Congratulations to Karlina, Willow, Eleanor, Savannah, Susannah, Marley, Christian and Catilyn who participated with great success in the competition.   Thank you for Ms Monkley, for always offering great opportunities for our students.

Father's (DUGS) Day

On the 30^th of August, we welcomed our Dads, Uncles, Grandfathers, and other Significant people to school for our traditional breakfast. It was a wonderful morning of bacon, egg and sausage sandwiches, juice, tea, and coffee. Handball was extremely popular, and it was great to see so many games of incredibly competitive handball going on. Thank you to our teachers who came along to cook early and to our community for their donations and for supporting our raffle. Congratulations to the raffle winners.

1st	Ian Lapi-an
2nd	Josh Marlin
3rd	Adaline Lowe
4th	Charli Eastham

A big warm welcome to new student, Claire Sellers and family to our school community.  Claire started in Kinder last week.  

Cooking With Mrs Hunt

Part of our Positive Behaviour System are rewards that our students get to choose when they reach a certain amount. Cooking with Mrs Hunt is always popular and last week was no exception. Saul, Paul, Alyssandra, Aria O, Charli, Aubrey. Evie and Ben R all enjoyed cooking a special treat for their class, including Fruit Kebabs, Honey Joys, Banana Muffins and Chocolate Crackles.

Understanding the growing challenges related to mental health among young people is an important consideration. Anxiety, depression, and self-harm - are all causes for concern. Factors like academic pressure, social media, family dynamics, and societal expectations, are contributing to these issues. It's therefore crucial for parents and caregivers to take action early, remove the stigma around discussing mental health, and offer accessible support to address these issues and the wellbeing of their children.

R U OK?Day is an initiative that focuses on preventing suicide by encouraging meaningful personal connections and helping informal support networks to help recognise the signs of distress. We urge all families to take part, emphasising the value of genuine human relationships and reminding everyone to ask the important question, "Are you OK?"

Engaging in R U OK?Day activities goes beyond the classroom; it's a commitment to our students' overall development. By talking openly about mental health, schools create safe spaces where students feel understood, valued, and supported. As parents and caregivers, you can contribute by fostering open conversations, normalising feelings, and breaking down mental health stigmas. Participating in R U OK?Day promotes compassion and shows our dedication to the wellbeing of the entire school community, reaffirming that together, we can truly make a difference.

This Special Report provides guidance on how to talk to your child about mental health and engage in meaningful discussions.

Here is the link to your Special Report https://wingham.catholic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-r-u-ok-day

Please join me in a prayer for our students who are preparing for their First Holy Communion.

Lord, Bless the children preparing to receive Holy Communion for the first time. May their special day be an initial step into a life-long love of the Eucharist. Give them a hunger for this sacred food so that they turn to You for comfort, guidance, and wisdom as they grow into full discipleship. Allow them to feel the Grace of God and the love of the community that surrounds them.  Amen

God Bless

Prime Minister Award

‘Being a steward of creation’, ‘Trying your best’, ‘Speaking with kindness’ and ‘Being a responsible learner’ are some of the qualities that teachers consider when awarding ‘Prime Minister’ at our weekly assembly. It is an acknowledgement of the student’s efforts and they have the privilege of wearing the badge with honour, of suggesting a focus the school can work on, award Gotchas to other students at lunch time as well as earning Gotchas for themselves. Congratulations goes to Juniper Ryan (Week 7) and Ryan Borserio (Week 8). 

MJR Awards

As part of our MJR system ,we acknowledge that the following students; Charli Eastham and Aria Horsburgh have reached 100 Gotchas; Marley Dick, Ben Raison and Oliver Shelton have reached 200 Gotchas. Well Done!

Father's Day Thank you 

Thank you for supporting our fundraising raffle and stall. We raised $1350 which will go towards updating the computers students use. Special thanks to our helpers who ran the stall: Teagan Eggins, Jodie Raison, Anna Macmillan, Jade Badger, Sheree Ungaro, Cliff and Leonie Fitness, Mikaylah O'Toole, Alissa Healy and Carolyn Lowe. Thank you to Mary for ordering supplies and setting up for the Father's Day Breakfast. 

Fundraising Update: 

We have three fundraisers left for the year. 

1. Election Day BBQ and Raffle. Date: 14th September. Please drop in for a sausage       sizzle when you vote! 

2.  Paint and Sip Fundraising Evening. 26th October 6pm. Tickets are $34 and this is      an 18+ event.  Keep an eye out for the ticket link in the coming weeks.

3. School Stall at the Christmas Carnival Thursday 12th December. Helpers will be         required. More details to come. 

Thank you for your ongoing support of our school fundraising!

Shae Lapi-an