General News

Dhulu - Message Stick

Yaama!

Significant Dates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people - Term 1

15th March - National Close the Gap Day

5th April - Bringing them home

Cultural Immersion Groups

At St Edward's School, we provide weekly Cultural Immersion lessons for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. The lessons are programmed and taught by our Aboriginal Education Assistants. Each grade will have one lesson a week focusing on a significant part of Aboriginal Education and Culture.

Kindergarten - The Dreamtime

Year 1 - Aboriginal Art & Gamilaraay Language

Year 2 - Cultural practices & Gamilaraay Language

Year 3 - Identity, Family/Kinship & Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Role Models

Year 4 - Gamilaraay Language

Year 5 - Connections to Country

Year 6 - Indigenous History, Storytelling & Songlines and Men's & Women's business

Gamilaraay Word of the Week

Term 1 - Greetings/Dhiiyaan (Family)

Week 3 - Yaama - Hello

Week 4 - Yaluu - Bye

Week 5 - Buliyaagu - Morning

Week 6 - Gaba Nginda? - How are you?

Week 7 - Dhiiyaan - Family &Maliyaa - Friend

Week 8 - Bubaa - Dad & Gunii - Mum

Week 9 - Dhagaan - Brother & Baawaa - Sister

Week 10 - Badhii - Nan & Dhaadhaa - Pop

Week 11 - Gawu - Egg

What are we learning next term?

Maabu - Numbers

AEA team

Brittany Cloake - bcloake2@arm.catholic.edu.au

Primary AEA

Jarrod Peachey - jpeachey@arm.catholic.edu.au

Primary AEA

Amanda Gwalter - agwalter@arm.catholic.edu.au

Infants AEA

Sally-Anne Clarke - sclarke@arm.catholic.edu.au

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Focus Teacher

Word of the Week

Our Word of the Week is back and we are excited to kick off another year of expanding our K-6 students' oral language skills, one word at a time! Each time a student uses our 'Word of the Week' in the classroom, they will earn a point. The student with the most points at the end of the term will receive a book prize to further expand their vocabulary.

We will publish our Word of the Week on Facebook and in the newsletter. Please encourage your child to use this word at home.

Term 1 Week 11 Word of the Week "KILLJOY"

School Holidays

Term 1 finishes this Friday afternoon, 11th April. We would like to wish all our students, parents, carers and staff a happy and holy Easter season and a safe, enjoyable school holiday break.

We look forward to welcoming back all students for the commencement of Term 2 on Tuesday 29th April.

Pupil Free Day - Monday 28th April

Easter Hat Parade - Infants students only

Families are welcome to join us for our Infants Easter Hat Parade on Friday 11th April (last day of term) at 8.45am under our Infants COLA. All Infants children have made their hats at school and our parade will start straight after the drawing of our Easter raffle. We hope you can join us to see all of the children's wonderful creations on display!

P & F Easter Raffle

A HUGE thank you to our fabulous P & F committee and their helpers for all their hard work organising our annual Easter Raffle. Special thanks also to our wonderful St Ed's families and friends for your support in purchasing tickets and to families who donated raffle prizes!! We hope all our lucky winners will enjoy their treats.

The Easter raffle will be drawn this Friday 11th April at 8.45am at both Campuses. Winners will be contacted by phone and asked to collect their prizes from the relevant school office.

ANZAC Day March - Friday 25th April

St Edward’s students will once again join the Tamworth community in the ANZAC Day March on Friday 25th April (last Friday of school holidays). If families are in town, we encourage as many K-6 students to join staff and represent our school in this march. Children are asked to wear full summer uniform and meet the teachers at 9.30am in Bourke Street. Please ensure boys' shirts are tucked in and all uniforms are neat and tidy (including hats). At the conclusion of the march, all students can be collected from Number 1 Oval in Kable Avenue. Thank you for your support of this important community event.

If your child/ren will be attending the march, please 'confirm' their attendance via the Compass Event on the parent portal.

Return to Term 2 - Uniform

All students may continue to wear their summer school uniform in Term 2. The official date for the changeover from summer to winter uniform is after the June long weekend. However, if the weather turns chilly before this time, students are allowed to wear their full school winter uniform. This includes a long sleeve shirt and tie. We ask that whichever uniform your child elects to wear, that they wear the full uniform correctly - please do not mix summer and winter uniform items. Thank you for your support with this. Lowes stock all our new St Edward's uniforms, or we have good quality second hand uniforms in our clothing pool at either school campus.

Mother's Day Celebrations - Friday 9th May

Our school will be celebrating the important role Mothers have in our lives on Friday 9th May, with a Mother's Day Breakfast at the Primary Campus from 7.30-9.00am. Please complete this google form for catering purposes and add this date in your calendar!

Compass Events

Please ensure you regularly log into your Compass parent portal and approve or decline any events shown for your child/children. Thank you to the families who have already attended to this.

2026 Kindergarten Enrolments - Closing 11/4/25

The application date for Kindergarten 2026 enrolments is closing on FRIDAY 11TH APRIL. Please ensure your application is submitted prior to this date.

Application forms can be found on our school's website (online form) or obtained from our Infants Campus Office.

Please ensure your application has the following supporting documents attached, as we cannot process your application without these documents.

Birth Certificate;
Immunisation Certificate;
Baptism Certificate (only required if your child is baptised Catholic);
Proof of residential address.

Applications can be emailed to setadmin@arm.catholic.edu.au or can be handed into the Infants Office in Robert Street.

Student Absences

All student absences need to be lodged on the Compass Parent Portal. Due to government legislation, notification of your child's absence must be received no later than 7 days after your child's last day of absence.

Esteem Kids

Before school care is available in the Infants Hall for both Primary and Infants students. It operates from 7:00am to 8:30am, Monday to Friday during the term, and includes breakfast.

After school care is available in the Infants Hall for Infants students only from 3:00pm to 6:00pm Monday through Friday. Our Primary after school care operates from the Art Room for primary students only from 3:00pm to 6:00pm Monday through Friday. Afternoon tea is also provided.

Families are encouraged to make enquiries or express interest by contacting William Wong on 0410 841 628 or email: info@esteemkidsgroup.com.au or visit the website at www.esteemkidsgroup.com.au

ABSENCES - Please remember to contact (telephone or text) Esteem Kids St Edward's directly if your child is going to be absent on 0481 373 883. Thank you.

McCarthy Catholic College

SWAP IT

SWAP IT is a free, evidence-based school lunchbox program. The program supports parents and carers to SWAP what is packed in their child’s lunchbox from sometimes foods to everyday foods. Visit their Website here.