Prayer - Holy Week

Lord Jesus,

as we enter this holy week,

help us to remember your love for us.

Guide us,

strengthen our faith,

and lead us from the sadness of the cross to the joy of your resurrection.

Help us to follow you each day.

Amen.

Daily Prayers for Holy Week

Holy Thursday (2 April 2026)

Jesus, you gave us the gift of the Eucharist and showed us how to love others. Help us to serve one another with kindness. Amen.

Good Friday (3 April 2026)

Lord Jesus, you gave your life for us. Help us to remember your sacrifice and to ask for your mercy. Amen.

Holy Saturday (4 April 2026)

Lord, as we wait in hope, bring light to our hearts and prepare us for the joy of Easter. Amen.

Easter Sunday (5 April 2026)

Alleluia! Jesus is risen! Thank you for the gift of new life. Fill our hearts with joy and hope. Amen.

Stage 3 Camp

Last week I accompanied our Stage 3 students to Milson Island for a 3 day camp. Our students were wonderful representatives for our school and for their families. They were set challenges and worked to overcome these challenges both as individuals and as part of a team. They had to use communication skills, cooperation and teamwork in all of the activities in which they participated. Congratulations Stage 3! To say that they made me proud is an understatement. My sincere thanks to Mrs Cremona, Mrs Ronzini, Mrs Cavallaro and Mr Jack for attending the camp and being on duty 24/7. It is because of the willingness and dedication of our teachers that we are still able to offer overnight experiences.

Colour Fun Run

Our Colour Fun Run on Monday was a wonderful event! The students had lots of fun making their way around the course set up on the tennis courts while the teachers enjoyed the opportunity to squirt the students with the colour!

I was overwhelmed to hear that we had raised $18 655! I am extremely grateful for the generousity of our community.

Students can start selecting their prizes from tomorrow 2nd April until 20th April. We hope to have the prizes delivered to school towards the end of May.

Congratulations to the following students who raised the most money in their grade:

Kindy - Daniel Y

Year 1 - Henry T

Year 2 - Jamie Y

Year 3 - Mila Y

Year 4 - Brandon Y

Stage 3 - Zoe Y

Staff Development Days

Tomorrow the staff will be engaging in our Staff Spirituality Day. We will be delving deeper into our newly launched school mission and linking it Sydney Catholic Schools values of Wonder, Wisdom and Witness. As it is Holy Thursday, we will also spend time in the church praying the Stations of the Cross as a staff.

Next term, we have two staff development days Friday 1st May and Friday 3rd July. Both of these days will be led by SCS staff will see our staff working with teachers from other schools to deepen their understanding of the Mathematics and English curriculum.

School Counsellor

Our School Counsellor, Angelica Verin concludes her time at St. Martha's today. We thank her for her work, dedication and support during her time with us and wish her all the best for her upcoming travels. CatholicCare have appointed Patricia Bakri as our new counsellor and she will begin with us next term.

Thank you

I would like to express my gratitude to each and every family in the St Martha's Community. Term One has been a wonderful success with students settling well into the rhythm of learning and each classroom and learning space is a calm but busy cooperative environment. Our Kindergarten class and new students have adjusted well to school life and are such joyful additions to our school community. I extend gratitude to our amazing teachers who have started the year with dedication, hard work and enthusiasm. I am grateful to them every day for the time, effort and expertise they bring to their work and the care they show for your children’s learning and wellbeing.

Finally, I also want to acknowledge the current challenges associated with rising fuel prices and the impact this may be having across our community. We understand that this situation is creating additional pressure for many families, particularly in relation to travel, transport, and daily routines.

Our school is continuing to monitor the situation closely and is working in line with advice from Sydney Catholic Schools and the NSW Government. The current position is that schools will continue to operate as usual.

As we approach the Easter weekend, may the hope and promise of the Resurrection bring peace and renewal to you and your families. We wish you a safe and blessed Easter, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back for Term 2 on Monday 20th April.

Steven Belcastro

Acting Principal

Dates to Remember