Wellbeing
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Re: ANZAC Day Dawn Service Invitation
I hope this letter finds you well. We are writing to inform you of an important event in our community, the ANZAC Day Dawn Service, and to extend an invitation to you and your child to attend.
The Executive and Members of the Riverstone-Schofields RSL sub-Branch have graciously invited our school community to participate in their 2025 ANZAC Day Dawn Service. This solemn event is scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 25th, 2026. The march to the memorial will commence promptly at 5:45 am, with assembly at the RSL sub-Branch Hall, located at 18 Market Street, Riverstone NSW, beginning at 5:30 am. The service itself will commence at 6:00 am.
We encourage our students to participate in this significant event as an opportunity to honour and remember the sacrifices made by our servicemen and women. It is a chance for our school community to show respect and gratitude for their bravery and dedication to our country.
Furthermore, we kindly request that you indicate whether your child will be attending the service by emailing cbettiol2@parra.catholic.edu.au
This will allow us to add your child's name and details to the list of participants. Following the service, there will be a community BBQ held in the park next to the sub-Branch Hall on Market Street, Riverstone.
If you have any questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to contact me on the schools number or by email cbettiol2@parra.catholic.edu.au
Thank you for your attention to this matter, and we hope to see you and your child at the ANZAC Day Dawn Service.
Yours sincerely,
Mr Chris Bettiol
Leader of Wellbeing, Growth and Development
House Trivia Brings School Spirit to Life
At lunchtime, students came together for a fun and engaging House Trivia competition, proudly representing their school houses and working as teams to answer 20 questions based on our house patrons: Einstein, MacKillop, Curie, Da Vinci, Teresa and King.
It was wonderful to see students collaborating, sharing their knowledge and showing such strong house pride as they competed to score the most points. The event was a fantastic way to build school spirit and strengthen connections across the houses.
A big thank you to our House Leaders for organising such a successful and enjoyable event for everyone involved.
Year 7 Check in Crew
We have established a Year 7 Check-in Crew to assist students with preparation and to inform improvements to our transition program for future Year 7 cohorts. This week’s session, focused on assessment task preparation, was led by our student leaders Kuldeep and Joshita.
Peer Companions
This week students explore the idea that how they view themselves and their challenges, can affect the outcomes of these situations. Students discuss helpful ways to view challenges.They consider keeping things in perspective, separating emotions and ascertaining facts to accurately identify the problem to be addressed.
Your child may, at times, feel overwhelmed by the expectations of Year 6l. Encourage them to make a list or write a plan to help identify smaller tasks to make a large workload more manageable. It is important they feel supported while being encouraged to independently prioritise their responsibilities.
In Week 9, Peer Companions looked at responding to challengesUnderstanding how influential our thoughts are in responding to challenges is crucial.This week students recognise the choice to respond with open or limiting thoughts. A difficult or new situation may require hard work, perseverance, courage or support from others. Open thoughts allow us to make the most of any situation feeling optimistic about the possible outcomes. Limiting thoughts still allows us to work through challenges. However, they prevent us from stretching our abilities and exploring positive outcomes to bring about change. Visit www.mindsetonline.com for examples of praise that will encourage your child to adopt open thoughts in all areas of their life
House Assemblies: Building Information and House Spirit
House assemblies have always been an important part of school life. They are not only a place where students come together as a house, but also a valuable source of information and encouragement. In particular, they played a big role in preparing students for the upcoming Athletics Carnival.
During these assemblies, students were given important details about carnival events, expectations, and how they could participate. This helped everyone stay informed and excited about what was ahead. From announcements about schedules to reminders about house involvement, the assemblies ensured that all students knew what to expect and how they could contribute to the success of the day.
However, house assemblies were about much more than just sharing information. They were also a time for students to build and strengthen their house spirit. By learning about their house patron, students gained a deeper understanding of the person their house represents and the values connected to it. This helped create a stronger sense of identity, pride, and belonging within each house.
Another exciting part of the assemblies was the chance to practise house chants. These chants brought energy and enthusiasm, allowing students to come together, support one another, and show pride in their house. Practising them before the carnival helped build confidence and unity, creating an atmosphere of excitement for the competition ahead.
Overall, house assemblies were a meaningful experience for students. They served as both an informative session for the Athletics Carnival and an opportunity to celebrate house culture. Through learning about their patron and practising their chants, students were able to develop stronger house spirit and feel more connected to their school community.
Chris Bettiol
Leader of Wellbeing, Growth and Development