Term 2, Week 8

What's On This Fortnight

Principal's Message: Mrs Angela Muller

Working Together 

At our school, we believe that a strong partnership between families, staff and the wider community is essential for students to thrive. The Catholic Education Diocese of Bathurst Community Charter outlines the shared responsibilities we all hold in fostering a safe, respectful and faith-filled environment.

We thank you in your role as parents and carers for your support, through positive communication, upholding school expectations and modeling respectful behaviour. This helps our school community flourish. Together we create a welcoming environment where everyone can feel respected and heard.

This Charter is not just a document - it reflects our shared commitment to walk together, guided by Gospel values, so that every child can grow in learning, faith, and character. See the Charter here.

Thank You to Our Amazing Staff

I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to all our dedicated staff who give so generously of their time and energy to organise and run extra-curricular activities across our school. This term has been packed with Sporting Gala Days, Spelling Bee, Athletics Carnival, Cross Country, Aspire Gymnastics, Kids Lit and so much more. These opportunities go far beyond the classroom.

Through these experiences, our students develop lifelong skills such as teamwork, leadership, resilience and confidence. They learn to challenge themselves, discover new passions and form strong connections with peers and mentors alike.

I thank our incredible staff for their care and commitment that they show every day. Their efforts make a lasting impact in the lives of our young people, and we are truly grateful.

Message from The Assistant Principal: Mr Matthew Gibson

Behaviour

Here at the Assumption School we set and explicitly teach to a high standard of behaviour. This is done in a child friendly manner using our behaviour framework Be Safe, Be Respectful and Be Responsible. We model and expect students to: 

• Use kind words only. No offensive language to or about another person 
• Respect others and never comment or treat someone differently based on their differences
• Always listen to and follow instructions the first time. Both inside and outside of the classroom
• Assumption is a hands off school always. We encourage students to seek adult assistance rather than retaliate

As the first educators, behaviour is first taught and modelled at home. We appreciate the support as we teach our students to navigate their childhood and demonstrate positive behaviours always at school. 

REC News: Mrs Catherine Connor

Sunday, 22 Jun 2025 - The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ – Year C

Luke 9:11 - 17.  They all ate and were filled.

Gospel Reflection

The gospel next Sunday reminds us that our work as Christians is to become the Body of Christ on earth, and that we do this by being formed, through the sacrament of Christ's Body and Blood, into people who see, think and love as Jesus does. Just as Jesus feeds both the spiritual and physical hunger of those who followed him, we are to do the same in his name. This gospel shows us that the focus of the Eucharist is not just adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament but carrying on the works of Jesus in the world today. We are fed with the body and blood of Jesus so that we can ‘become Jesus’ in our world today. We are to become what we eat.

Gospel Challenge

In next week’s gospel the disciples wanted to send the people away to find their own food, but Jesus told them to feed the people. In what ways does Jesus want us to ‘feed’ people? In our world there are many hungers to be satisfied – physical, emotional, spiritual.

Prayer

Jesus who lives within each one of us and we are baptised into His Body help us to proclaim that you, the Lord, continue to come into the world, through us. We carry Him into the real world. Help me to live my life for God and others.

Parish Mass on Sunday, 22 June at 6 PM at The Assumption Church

The children from The Assumption School choir along with Mrs Kathy Powell will be helping with the Music at the Parish Mass on Sunday, 22 June at 6pm at Assumption Church. Please keep this Mass in mind and join the children with the parish to celebrate it.

Feast of the Sacred Heart Mass - Friday, 27 June, 2025 

The Feast of the Sacred Heart is on Friday 27th June. A Mass will be celebrated on Friday 27th June to commemorate this Feast Day. This Mass will have a special focus on the help we can give to the St Vincent de Paul Society Winter appeal. As a school our focus of support will be donating warm items such as hats/beanies, scarves, gloves and socks to support those who are not as fortunate as us. Could you please donate one of these items to help support others and keep the cold out this Winter.

To keep connected to the Cathedral Parish please follow the link to the Cathedral Parish Bulletin.

Junior Joeys

Every year our school participates in the St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal as a way to help us prepare for our mass celebrating the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus - which will be next Friday, 27th June at 10 AM.

We are asking, once again, for donations of blankets, beanies, scarves, gloves, jumpers and jackets (anything warm) to help those people in our community who may be less fortunate than ourselves. These donations do not need to be brand new - used items are very welcome as long as they are in good condition.

All donations can be taken to your child's classroom and they will be collected from there.

We thank you in advance for your kind generosity.

Sacraments of Penance, Eucharist & Confirmation 2025

Congratulations to Mia for making her Confirmation recently.

Students in Year 2, Year 3 and Year 6 are prepared and ready to receive the Sacraments of Penance, Eucharist (First Communion) and Confirmation.

Now your child/children have completed the Preparation Program for their Sacrament the parents/carers can contact Cathy Brien at the Parish Office on 6331 3066 or cathy.brien@cdob.org.au for coordination of dates and times to make the Sacraments..

Please inform the school office, class teacher or myself when your child is making a Sacrament. It is also very important to have the student who is receiving a Sacrament in the Parish Mass to be at the Church at least 20 minutes before the Mass and let the priest know you are there. 

The place for children to receive the Sacrament of Penance will be organised by Cathy O’Brien.

Both the school and the Parish office can supply you with the robes for Communion and Confirmation and medal and sash for Penance. We would also love to receive photos so we can publish them in the newsletter.

Sacraments of Penance, Eucharist and Confirmation and The Confirmation Process 2025

The process of booking in for the Sacraments.

1. Completed Sacraments preparation course. 
2. Obtain a Request form from Cathy Brien at the Cathedral Parish Office cathy.brien@cdob.org.au or phone 6331 3066.
3. Return the completed Request form to Cathy Brien, ensuring that all the relevant supporting documents have been attached. 
4. Cathy will then coordinate the requests with the available dates - remembering that the Bishop will only be available for Confirmation on the following dates:
   
   This weekend is an important one for our students choosing to be Confirmed as Bishop Michael McKenna will be Confirming students from across our four Catholic Schools. 
   

• • 7th and 8th June
  • 29th June
  • 9th and 10th August

If none of the above dates suit a family for Confirmation, contact the Cathedral Parish Office on 6331 3066 and alternative arrangements will be organised for the child's reception of the Sacrament.

The Sports Arena: Mrs Alison Hanley

CPS Cross Country 

Last week, four of our best runners travelled down to Eastern Creek to compete in the CPS Cross Country. These students have advanced from our school carnival last Term and Coolah earlier this term. It is a huge achievement to have advanced this far against some of the best runners across the state. 

Results:

Sebastian 7th 
Maycee 22nd
Myles 26th 
Harper 33rd

Soccer Gala Day 

Our Soccer Gala Day is this Friday at Proctor Park and Police Paddock. All students who are participating in the Gala Day went home yesterday with a copy of the teams they are in and the draw for the day. All students are to attend school as normal at the beginning of the day and will travel by bus to the day with staff supervision. Parents are welcome to watch throughout the day. Please ensure that great sportsmanship is encouraged from all within our community throughout the fun day. 

Eastern Region Athletics

The Eastern Region Athletics Carnival will be held at MacKillop College on Thursday August 7th, (Week 3), of Term 3. All of the students who have made it to the next level have received their events today and a permission event has been sent out on Compass. Please ensure that all permissions are completed and the $10 levy is paid as soon as possible so we can finalise our team. 

If your child is not going to attend, please decline in the event so that staff are aware. More information regarding the running of the day will be sent out in Week 1 of Term 3. 

Student Wellbeing: Mrs Sonia Peck

Helping Children Manage Big Feelings Without Wrapping them in Cotton Wool

Worry - Nervousness - Uneasy feeling -  Feeling unsure - Jitters - Tension - Butterflies in the stomach -  Apprehension - Concern

These are all words that can be used instead of the clinical word “anxiety”. They describe the very normal feelings children experience in response to challenges, change, or the unknown. As parents and educators, it's important that we acknowledge these feelings while also equipping children with tools to manage them—without overprotecting them from every discomfort.

At school, students face many everyday situations that can cause them to feel emotionally unsettled—like giving a speech, navigating friendships, trying something new, or even returning to class after a pull-out session. At home, this might look like hesitation to go to a party, trouble falling asleep, or reluctance to try a new sport. While our instinct might be to shield children from these uncomfortable feelings, we actually build resilience by guiding them through it.

Here are a few strategies we encourage both at school and at home:

Normalize the Feeling
Let children know that feeling nervous or unsure is a part of life and can even help us grow. Use examples from your own life to show how you manage similar emotions.

Name It to Tame It
Help children label what they are feeling. “It sounds like you're feeling a bit tense before your maths test.” Naming the feeling can reduce its intensity.

Breathing and Grounding Techniques
Teach simple deep breathing exercises or grounding strategies, such as the “5-4-3-2-1” method (name 5 things you can see, 4 you can touch, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell, 1 you can taste). These help calm the nervous system.

Positive Self-Talk
Help your child reframe their thoughts. Instead of “I can’t do this,” try “I can give it a go” or “I’ve done hard things before.”

Prepare, Don’t Avoid
Avoidance reinforces fear. Instead, prepare your child for what’s ahead. Practice the speech at home, visit the new place beforehand, or role-play social situations. Exposure builds confidence.

Develop a ‘Toolbox’ of Strategies
This might include a calming corner at home, a stress ball in their pocket, or a card with visual reminders of what to do when they're feeling overwhelmed.

Empower Independence
Encourage problem-solving rather than solving problems for them. Ask, “What do you think you could try?” or “What has helped you before?”

We want our children to learn that worry or nervousness is not a sign that something is wrong—but a sign that something is important. Our goal is to help them lean into life’s challenges, knowing they have the tools to manage what they feel and move forward with courage and confidence.

Together, we can foster capable, confident learners. 

Sonia Peck
Leader of Student Wellbeing

Library

Kids Lit Quiz

Earlier this term 12 of our Year 6 students represented Assumption school in the annual Kids Lit Quiz held this year at James Sheahan Catholic High School, Orange. Assumption has attended this day for curious and clever readers since the inception of KLQ Australia in 2012: the International Year of Reading. The Quiz is ultimately an international competition.

Our 3 teams of 4 worked very competently in a very challenging quiz of 100 questions and we thank them for representing us with pride and co-operation.

Book Week 2025

The theme for Book Week this year is “Book an Adventure!”. As usual we invite our students to dress up, ( a favourite dress up, a fabulous hat to go adventuring in, or as a favourite character from a book, TV show or movie.) Please DO NOT bring the book to carry.

Our Celebration Dress up day with Book Fair is Wednesday 20 Aug 2025

Year 6 love borrowing books at library lessons!

Hot Dog Day - Thursday 3 July

Term 2 & 3: Important Dates