A Prayer for the Winter Season

Lord of the changing seasons,

As the days grow shorter and the air turns cold,

I pause to welcome this winter season.

Just as nature rests and draws its energy inward,

help me to embrace this time of stillness, reflection, and renewal.

In the midst of the cold and the dark days,

remind me of the warmth of Your presence.

Grant me patience when the winter feels long,

and provide a spirit of gratitude for the cozy shelter and blessings I enjoy.

Please protect those who face the elements without a warm place to stay,

and keep all travelers safe through the storms.

As the frost covers the ground,

work beneath the surface of my own life to prepare me for growth and flourishing when the spring returns.

Amen.

Mrs Parsell

Last Thursday, Carolyn Parsell was at the school with our Director of School Support, Damien Kerr to announce her retirement. Carolyn looked very relaxed and refreshed following her time off and the children and staff were very excited to see her. Sge spent time catching up with staff, visiting classes and helping muster Cookie for our school photos!

We will have an opportunity later in the year to farewell and thank Carolyn, not only for her time as Principal at St. Martha's, but her contribution to Catholic education across Sydney.

An announcement regarding the immediate leadership of the school will be sent out shortly and the process for recruiting a permanent Principal for St. Martha's for 2027 will commence in the coming weeks.

Baby News

Congratulations to Mrs Samia who had a baby girl yesterday morning. Both Mum and bub are doing well. We look forward to meeting baby Mary soon!

Reports

It has been a pleasure to spend time reading the students' reports as we prepare to share with parents the progress made in Semester One. The teachers spend many hours assessing the students and constructing the report comments. I hope that you will spend time reading the reports and discussing them with your children when they are released via Compass at the end of the term.

School Winter Uniforms

Thank you for ensuring students looked amazing in their winter uniform for school photos last week. Wouldn't it be amazing if this pride was displayed every day!

My concern is the state of our uniforms and the manner in which some students are arriving at school in the morning on a day to day basis. In particular, it is some of our boys who are demonstrating a lack of respect for their school in the manner in which their uniform is worn (although there are also many girls who are not wearing their tie as well).

I'm regularly disappointed in the number of students with shirts hanging out, ties not on, incorrect shoes, wrong trousers. This is not just an issue for the child - as parents, we have a responsibility to ensure that students arrive at school READY TO LEARN. Parents, please ensure the following steps are taken each morning:

a healthy packed lunch is provided
a friendly reminder is given about behaviour and learning expectations
correct wearing of school uniform that is complete and worn with pride (before entering our gates)

We appreciate your support in this matter.

Tell Them From Me Survey

A huge thank you to the 90 parents who have filled out the survey. If you have not had the opportunity to answer the survey, it closes at 4:00pm tomorrow.

Steven Belcastro

Acting Principal

K-2 Parent Reading Workshop

Mrs Adriana Cordi - Instructional Specialist