Term 3 Week 4 2024

Principal's Message

‘We do whatever it takes to lead the way in Love, Learning, Faith, School Spirit, Sport & Community’

Dear families and friends,

Legends of our Faith - Carlos Acutis
Carlos was devoted to the Eucharist and set up webpages about Eucharistic Miracles. He would retrieve rubbish from the beaches and oceans and volunteer to help the homeless, giving his pocket money and encouraging others to do likewise.  He learned the foreign family names on the way to school and would communicate with these people each day. He loved Nutella, computer games, and movies. He invited kids whose parents were having issues back to his home, supporting them through this.

To be a saint, not only do you need to live a life of devotion, but you must also be attributed to 2 miracles. 1st Miracle:  Luciana had taken her son, Mattheus, who was born with a pancreatic defect that made eating difficult, to a prayer service.  Beforehand, she had prayed a novena asking for the teenager Acutis's intercession.  During the service, Mattheus had asked that he should not "throw up as much". Immediately following the service, he told his mother that he felt healed and asked for solid food when he came home.  Until then, he had been on an all-liquid diet.  2nd Miracle: A  young woman named Valeria fell off her bike and had a bad brain hemorrhage. She was not expected to live. Valeria's mother, Lilliana, prayed for the intercession of Acutis and visited his tomb. The same day, Valeria began to breathe independently again and was able to walk the next day with all evidence of the hemorrhage having disappeared.  His body is on display in Assisi, a small town in Italy, where he had a great devotion to St Francis of Assisi.

Congratulations Mason, Chase, Tom, Axel, Gus, Chase, Tyla, Jaxon, Toby, Harry, Eddy, Rowdy and Isaac on winning the Chris Gangemi Cup, the State Catholic School Rugby Championships in Sydney earlier this week. The young men all played exceptional Rugby.  Thank you to their parents for the time and financial sacrifice you made for your son to be there.  What an awesome result, one in which we can all be proud of!

Congratulations to all students who received the Sacrament of Confirmation on Tuesday evening. It was a great night with our Bishop.

Take care
John O’Brien

Assistant Principal's News - Mission

Feast of the Assumption 

Yesterday we celebrated The Feast of the Assumption with a Whole School Mass. This is a significant event in the Catholic Church that commemorates that the Virgin Mary, at the end of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heaven. This feast honors Mary's role as the mother of Jesus and her special place in salvation history. The Assumption reflects the Church's teaching on the resurrection of the body and the hope of eternal life.

Free Parent Webinar 
The Council of Catholic School Parents is hosting a FREE parenting webinar with parenting speaker and author, Justin Coulson. This webinar will unpack:

• The root causes behind the deteriorating state of mental health, and who (or what) is responsible.
• The tools you need to reverse this trend for your children.
• Realistic approaches for managing screen time in a way that protects your child's wellbeing.
• Creating margin in your home and family life to protect and promote mental wellness.

Please see flyer attached for more information.

Kristie Irvine
Acting AP - Mission

Assistant Principal's News Teaching & Learning

Book Week 2024
Children's Book Week is just around the corner and this year's theme is "Reading is Magic"! 

From Saturday, August 17 to Friday, August 23, schools and communities across Australia come together to celebrate the joys and benefits of reading for pleasure.  Books are more than just stories on a page; they are gateways to imagination, empathy and knowledge. During Children's Book Week, educators and families are encouraged to immerse children in the magic of reading, nurturing their curiosity and creativity.

One of the key outcomes of academic success is for children to become confident and involved learners. Reading plays a crucial role in this, offering children opportunities to explore new worlds, understand different perspectives, and develop critical thinking skills.  This is one of the reasons we have introduced a Direct Instruction approach to how we teach reading at SMP. Direct Instruction in Reading is an evidenced-based approach that is already showing great rewards for our students. 

Encouraging your child to read for pleasure is encouraging them to open up a whole new world of relaxation, entertainment and learning. 

Happy Book Week! We look forward to seeing some amazing book characters at school on Friday!

NAPLAN Results
There has been a lot of coverage this week in the media regarding a drop in results nationally for our kids in their NAPLAN testing in Reading, Writing and Numeracy.  I am very happy to report that SMP is bucking the trend with both Year 3 and Year 5 showing an upward trend in all of these areas. Keep up the hard work kids, it's paying off!

Celebrating Learning
I wanted to share with you my favourite quote from one of our students this week.  In discussing the academic extension opportunities offered to our students, one girl stated "This is my favourite time of the year. This is where I shine. These are my Olympics!"
In Australia we are very good at celebrating our sporting heroes, it is wonderful to know that our academic superstars are now also feeling valued and celebrated as well!

Felicity Wilde
AP Teaching & Learning

Leader of Faith

Year 6 Mini Vinnies in Action
Our Mini Vinnies group provided the cooking and ran the Social Justice Stall on the first weekend in August at the weekend parish Masses. The array of delicious goodies was amazing! We raised $964.10 which we have donated to pay for the yearly schooling of a number of students in a poor country. 

These students also supported our fundraiser at the Truck Show, assisting with the BBQ and also collecting the money in the car park. This money, over $2 000 will be donated to the Casino Soup Kitchen.

On Thursday 29 August these students will be participating in a School Sleepout. The students will return to school at 5.00pm and then spend 20 minutes sleeping on a piece of cardboard, in a box or covered with a newspaper to experience the plight of the homeless. They will watch a few short clips about inspirational young Australians who have changed the world for others and then enjoy a good night’s sleep in the warmth of The Catherine Centre.

Confirmation at SMP
Our Confirmation candidates were confirmed this week by Bishop Greg. The week prior, they were part of a Reflection Night of Prayer with their families where they presented the ‘gifts’ and ‘fruits’ of the Holy Spirit. 

Formation Day
The day prior to Confirmation, the students participated in a Formation Day at school. This included singing, prayer, craft, food - Holy Spirit Sundaes, a Prayer Service and a few games. The students dressed in ‘Holy Spirit’ colours and thoroughly enjoyed their day.

Sacrament of Confirmation
Last Tuesday night the church was filled with excited and beautifully attired students and very proud families and friends. Bishop Greg led the ceremony, supported by Fr Peter and Fr Wilbur.  Many beautiful family photos and memories were created. 

Thank you to Fr Peter who provided spiritual support to the students meeting with them in the chapel each week this term and to all who provided music and singing for our Reflection Night and Sacrament of Confirmation.

Living Out Our Faith
One or twice each term, our Year 6 students participate in ‘Acts of Mercy’ on a Friday afternoon. These ‘Acts of Mercy’ include; cleaning shop windows, cleaning up a local park, cleaning headstones at the cemetery and reading with students at a preschool. Prior to leaving school, the students gather with the teachers involved and pray to St Joseph, the worker. He is our patron for this, as he, the carpenter, used his hands to provide for his family and help those in need.

 Window washers in action!!!!

First Communion
Our students who made their Reconciliation earlier in the year, will begin their preparation for First Communion in the coming weeks. Our Reflection night for this sacrament will be on Wednesday 18 September at 6.00pm and the Sacrament of First Eucharist will take place on Sunday 22 September at 9.00am Mass in the church.  A Compass note will come out in the near future.

Karen McDonald
Leader of Faith

Sport News

On Monday, Chase Anderson, Thomas McCormack, Isaac McInnes, Toby Makejev, Eddie Shields, Gus Morgan, Harry Wilson, Mason Benn, Axel Smith, Rowdy Townsend, Chase Roberts, Jaxon Williams and Tyla Sivewright travelled to Hunters Hill, Sydney, to represent the diocese at the Chris Gangemi Cup. Displaying true Casino spirit, the boys remained undefeated throughout the day and secured a decisive victory in the Grand Final, winning 33-5. Returning as state champions, this incredible achievement is a testament to their hard work and dedication during training over the past few months under the expert guidance of Supercoaches Mr O’Brien and Will Campbell.

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In Week 3, Thomas McCormack travelled to Canberra to represent our state in Rugby League.  Throughout the week, Tom competed against the best players from each state. His NSW team reached the grand final against strong rivals Queensland. In a hard-fought match, the game ended in a draw at the final buzzer with NSW and QLD being named joint champions.  Congratulations to Thomas on this incredible achievement—representing your state is something he’ll remember forever. 6 East loved cheering on their classmate while watching the live stream.

Sporting Scholarships 

Four exceptionally talented athletes from SMP have recently been awarded Sporting Scholarships valued at $500 each, generously donated by the Casino RSM Club. Thomas McCormack (Swimming), Edward Shields (Softball), Jaxon Williams (Rugby Union), and Marcos Barber (Athletics) are the deserving recipients of this year’s scholarships.

All students from Years 3 to 6 were given the opportunity to submit an application form along with a coach/trainer reference to the selection panel, which had the challenging task of selecting only four recipients. The primary goal of these scholarships is to provide naturally gifted athletes with financial support for additional coaching, as well as assistance with equipment and transport costs. We aim to see these students excel in their sports, and this financial support will enable them to maximize their potential in their respective fields. We are so blessed to have the RSM Club supporting our SMP students offering them such great opportunities. Congratulations Edward, Jaxon, Marcos and Thomas.

Fun Run
Please remember to register for the Casino Fun Run!  We’d love to see a strong turnout of students representing SMP as we aim to bring home the trophy for the school with the most participants. You don’t have to be a runner—just come along and enjoy a brisk walk! Mr Hannigan has also started a running club on Tuesday mornings for anyone keen on building their fitness in preparation for the Fun Run.

Netball NSW Schools Cup
We had two Stage 3 teams and one Stage 2 team scheduled to compete in the Netball NSW Cup in Lismore on Wednesday. Unfortunately, due to poor weather conditions, the carnival had to be postponed. It has been rescheduled for Wednesday, 28 August. On the bright side, this gives us some extra time to train and prepare for the event. The girls are eager to get on the court and represent SMP.

Diocesan Athletics Carnival
Unfortunately, due to poor weather conditions, today’s Dio Athletics Carnival has been postponed. The event has been rescheduled for Tuesday, 20 August, at Coffs International Stadium.  We wish all our SMP athletes the best of luck in their events next week.

Nikki Hammond
Sports Co-ordinator

Student of the Month ~ 16 August 2024

Father's Day Stall ~ 30 August 2024

The Father’s Day stall will be held on FRIDAY 30 August.  The stall is where students can purchase a gift for $5.00 each for their father/guardian.  Please return slip by Thursday, 29 August in an envelope marked with child/ren’s name + class/es and with correct money enclosed.  Place envelope in the office door.  Limit of 3 gifts per student.

Year 6 students will be able to purchase their gift on Thursday 29 August as they are involved in a regional Sports Gala Day on Friday 30 August.

No orders will be accepted after Thursday 29 August- if an order arrives at the office on the Friday morning, it will be returned.

HELPERS NEEDED      Help is always needed on the day.  Please let the school know if you can help any time between 9.00am – 11.00am.  Phone the school office on 6662.2566 and advise of available time.  Thank you.

Birthdays

Happy birthday t0 Taya Morrow Braxten Wallis Annabelle Trustum Harrison Loy Ellie McKenzie Toby Flynn Matari Blair-Irving Dean Priestley Vincent McSweeney Savannah Whitney Tyson Francis Addison Stuart Caysen Lambeth Mathew Gilmore Sonny McInnes and  Kahlarni Irving who have recently celebrated their birthday, and to Thea Clark Harper Pratt Austin Bird and Arrabella Johnson who celebrate tomorrow.

Message from the office

With so many different bugs circulating at the moment, this is just a reminder that you do not need to phone the school office to inform that your child/ren will not be attending school.  Parents are able to enter whole school day absences choosing the reason for the absence via the Compass App.  Parents can also respond to the SMS message explaining the absence.