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BEGINNING OF TERM THREE

It has been a fantastic start to Term Three! I extend a big thank you to our staff for helping our students have a smooth start to the new school term. We welcome Anabel and Charlie in Year 5/6, Brody in Year 4, Violet in Year 3, Hunter, Parker, Riley, Charlotte, Georgia, Luca, Pia, all in Pre-Kindy, and their families, to our school community. 

Families would have received my beginning of term message, sent via Seesaw. If you haven’t read this already, I encourage you to do so.  

STAFFING NEWS 

We recently advertised for an additional teacher to join our staff next year. I am delighted to advise our community that Mr David Colace has been appointed to this position. David has been a teacher within CEWA for over ten years and is currently working at Holy Spirit School in City Beach. David has been interested in working in Esperance for some time and is excited to join our school community next year. David looks forward to meeting staff and students later in the year. 

PARENT WORKSHOPS 

As part of our ongoing commitment to strengthening our partnership with families, we are considering the introduction of parent workshops facilitated by members of our Extended Leadership Team. 

To guide our planning, we would first like to gauge the level of interest among our parent community. These workshops, held outside of school hours, will run for approximately one hour and focus on topics such as literacy practices and/or student wellbeing. 

We invite you to complete a short survey to register your interest by Friday, 22 August. 

GRANDPARENTS’ MASS 

A big thank you to our Year Two/Three students, who led our Grandparents’ Mass on Thursday 24 July. It was great to see some of our parents and grandparents in attendance. Thank you to our Making Jesus Real (MJR) Ministry for assisting with the serving of morning tea after Mass, and to our Pre-Primary class for assisting with making special gifts for our grandparents. The fifth World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly, initiated by Pope Francis in 2021, took place on Sunday 27 July.  

URSTRONG SPIRIT OF FRIENDSHIP DAY 

Wow! We had a fantastic day on Wednesday 30 July for our second annual Spirit of Friendship Day. A big thank you to Mrs Erin Tyrrell, our Leader of Wellbeing, for organising a great day. It is fitting that we had this important event on International Friendship Day. 

ASSUMPTION MASS 

On August 15, we celebrate a very special feast in the Catholic Church – the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This solemnity honours our belief that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was taken body and soul into heaven at the end of her earthly life. 

It’s a joyful reminder of the special place Mary holds in God’s plan and in our hearts as Catholics. Just as she said “yes” to God with great faith, we are encouraged to trust in God and say “yes” to Him in our own lives too. 

For children, this day is a chance to reflect on Mary as a loving mother, a strong woman of faith, and a model of how to live with kindness, courage and trust in God. It’s also a celebration of hope – reminding us of the beautiful promise of eternal life with God. 

At school, we will mark this important day with prayer and reflection as we honour Mary and ask for her guidance in our lives with a special Mass, led by our Year Four class. Families are invited to join us in the Church at 9:00am. 

BOOK FAIR & BOOK WEEK PARADE 

A big thank you to Miss Rosey Ryan and Mrs Cat Moir for preparing our annual Book Fair. The library has been open this week for families to purchase books, with every purchase made directly assisting our school. Thank you to all who have supported the Book Fair this year. The excitement continues, with our Book Week parade, taking place on Friday 22 August. Students are invited to come to school dressed as their favourite book character, or in line with the 2025 theme – Book an Adventure. We will showcase our costumes with a parade in the hall, beginning at 9:00am. See you there! 

FATHER’S DAY BREAKFAST 

Our annual Father’s Day Breakfast will take place on Friday 5 September. Fathers and father-figures are welcome to join us for croissants from 7:30-8:30am. A coffee van will also be on site, for those who wish to purchase a coffee. Please register your attendance by Tuesday 2 September via Father’s Day Breakfast Form

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY 

Parents are reminded that school will be closed for students on Monday 25 and Tuesday 26 August. Our Catholic Day, a day awarded to all CEWA staff recognising the additional commitments staff undertake as Catholic school staff, will be followed by a Professional Development Day, focusing on Numeracy. 

2025 SACRAMENTAL DATES

• Tuesday 16 September – Sacramental Workshop with Mildred Rego 
• Saturday 20 September at 2pm – Sacrament of Reconciliation 
• Sunday 26 October – First Holy Communion at 9am 
• Sunday 23 November – Confirmation at 9am 

The sacramental workshop for First Holy Communion and Confirmation will be held on Tuesday 16 September in the Parish overflow area. These workshops must be attended by the children and families of the children receiving one of these Sacraments this year. Please talk to your class teacher if you have any questions regarding these workshops.  

Holy Communion & Confirmation Family Workshops – (Mildred Rego CEWA Catechist Service) 

Holy Communion 2:30 -3:30pm 

Confirmation workshop 3:45-4:30pm 

THE FEAST OF SAINT MARY OF THE CROSS (MACKILLOP) – 8 AUGUST

Today, we celebrate the Feast of Saint Mary of the Cross (MacKillop), Australia’s first canonised saint and a remarkable woman whose legacy continues to shape education and care across the country. 

Who Was Mary MacKillop? 

Mary MacKillop was born in 1842 in Fitzroy, Melbourne. At the age of 25, inspired by her meeting with Father Julian Tenison-Woods, she took her religious vows and adopted the name “Mary of the Cross.” This marked the beginning of her lifelong mission to serve the poor and educate children in need. 

Mary founded the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, and within just five years, she had established over 30 schools across South Australia. More than 100 women had joined her in the mission, becoming Sisters of Saint Joseph. 

Her Legacy 

Mary MacKillop was deeply aware of the struggles faced by families living in remote and disadvantaged areas. She pioneered a new form of religious life in Australia and developed a network of “Josephite” schools, dedicated to providing education to children who might otherwise go without. 

In 1873, Pope Pius IX gave Papal approval to the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph. Today, many Australians continue to benefit from the work she began, whether through education or care provided by the Josephite Sisters. 

Mary MacKillop was known for her unwavering trust in God’s providence. Many miracles of healing have been attributed to her, and she was canonised as a saint by Pope Benedict XVI on 17 October 2010. 

A Prayer  

On this special day, we reflect on the prayer offered in the Roman Missal for the Feast of Saint Mary of the Cross (MacKillop): 

Ever generous God, 

You inspired Saint Mary MacKillop 

to live her life faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ 

and constant in bringing hope and encouragement 

to those who were disheartened, lonely or needy. 

With confidence in your generous providence 

and through the intercession of Saint Mary MacKillop 

we ask that you grant our request. 

We ask this through Jesus Christ. 

 Amen.  

OLSOTS Book Fair 2025 

Calling all kids… Bring along your Parents, Aunties, Uncles and Grandparents to come and see ALL the amazing authors and illustrators that are being showcased in our Library! Grab yourself one… two or even three books to buy and take home and let the adventures and your imagination run wild! This is your last chance, we have extended it for one more day so come grab a book and see our book goal reached!  

Dates: 

Monday 11 August  

Open hours: 

2:30 – 3:30pm 

Book Week Parade

Reminder our book week parade will be on Friday 22 August at 9am.

The theme of this year’s book week is:

“Book an Adventure”

We look forward to seeing all our students dress in their favourite book character.

In Year One, we have been learning about turn-taking, listening to our peers, and how to be respectful whether we win or lose. Through games and group activities, students are practising patience, sharing, and good sportsmanship. We’ve focused on using kind words, encouraging others, and staying calm when things don’t go our way. These important social skills help us build stronger friendships and a positive classroom environment.

In Year Two/Three, we are beginning to explore digital systems and use data in creative and practical ways. To support this learning, the Year Four students joined us as buddies to assist with navigating Minecraft Education. This provided a wonderful opportunity for peer learning, as our students worked alongside their buddies to explore the platform and learn new things together. The experience encouraged collaboration, creativity, and curiosity, making technology an exciting and engaging part of our learning journey.

This term in Year Four, students have been exploring First Nations perspectives, building on our previous learning about Australia’s history, colonisation and early contact. Last term’s study of ‘My Place’ deepened our understanding of personal and cultural identity, leading into important discussions around National Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week. Beginning after NAIDOC Week, this unit has focused on Dreamtime stories, native title and the local Kepa Kurl Wudjari community. Students have also used Digital Technologies to engage with Nyungar language and storytelling, deepening their empathy, cultural understanding, and sense of responsibility in working towards reconciliation.

This month, we’re exploring the importance of RESPECT in friendships, which we define as: “Honouring and accepting your friend for who they are – their thoughts, feelings, and opinions.”

Friendship Fact #3 reminds us that trust & respect are the two most important qualities in a friendship. They are the foundation of a healthy, feel-good friendship that sits in the Green-Zone of the Friend-o-Meter. When disrespect enters a friendship, a Friendship Fire® ignites and the friendship feels in the Red-Zone.

Whether you are a teacher or a parent, enjoy our RESPECT Freebie – a fun colouring-in sheet that features the quote: “The only way to have a friend is to be one.” This invites a powerful conversation with children on the reciprocal nature of respect in a friendship; the idea that we give respect to get respect. Explore some examples of respect in-action, such as:

• You listen when your friend is talking (and they do the same for you).
• You don’t make fun of your friend if they like something different (and they do the same for you).
• If they don’t like hugs, you give them a high-five instead (and they do the same for you).
• When doing a group project, you consider your friend’s ideas (and they do the same for you).

Last Wednesday students enjoyed a fun, collaborative day where they celebrated their healthy relationships during our Spirit of Friendship Day. All classes participated in a range of activities including a workshop led by Tyson at URSTRONG, opportunities to be kind-on-purpose by creating kindness rocks, a focus on their own personal character strengths and of course, a ninja headband parade!   

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