Dear Families,

Yesterday we celebrated the start of Lent with Ash Wednesday. Ashes are left behind after a fire. They are a symbol of loss and darkness, of a world gone cold. This is where we start the Lenten journey towards the light and warmth of Easter.

Ash Wednesday calls us to turn our hearts back to God and to renew our lives in love and service. When we receive ashes on our foreheads, we are called to live more simply and lovingly. Lent is a time when we stop, think, and turn our hearts back to God. It is a time for prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

Prayer helps us talk and listen to God.
Fasting means giving something up to remind us of what’s really important.
Almsgiving is about sharing what we have with others who are in need.

As we begin this Lenten journey together, let us open our hearts to God. May this be a time of kindness, reflection, and hope as we walk with Jesus towards Easter, the most important celebration in our faith.

An Ash Wednesday prayer

Merciful God of infinite compassion,

your creating power called us forth

from the dust of the earth,

and your redeeming love fashioned us anew

in your image.

In this, the acceptable time,

lead us inward to be at peace with you,

and outward to be reconciled with our neighbour.

May we embrace the sacred discipline of Lent

with broken, humbled hearts,

and so come to the blessed joy of Easter

cleansed and renewed.

We ask this through Jesus, the Christ,

who lives forever and ever.

Amen

Adapted: Peter J Scagnelli, Prayers for Sundays and Seasons – Year A Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1998.

New Interschool Sports Uniforms

A huge thank you to the Parents Association for organising and purchasing our new uniforms for interschool sports. We have soccer, netball, athletics and basketball uniforms that will help us stand out as a school and show everyone we are a team.

The FETE is coming - November 20th 2026!

We’re excited to share that it’s officially a Fete year, and planning is already underway!

Making this year’s fete a true success will take a whole-community effort, so we’re inviting all families to get involved in any way they can. Whether you have lots of time or just a little, every contribution will make a difference.

Our first fete planning meeting will be held online on Monday 16th March at 7:00pm: https://meet.google.com/ssn-sqhs-hqe

We would love to see as many families as possible join us to share ideas and be part of creating a fantastic event for our community.

Bike and Scooter Safety

All students and adults riding bikes or scooters must have a suitable helmet on. This is a Victorian rule not just a school rule.

Choosing a bicycle helmet

When choosing a bicycle helmet for you or your child, make sure:

it is not damaged

it fits firmly and comfortably on your head – the gap between your eyebrows and helmet should be no more than two fingers wide
the helmet doesn’t tilt too far forwards, backwards or sideways – the rim of the helmet should sit just above your eyebrows
the straps around your chin are firm, not slack, and the straps make a ‘v’ just under your ears
it has a label showing it meets any of the approved safety standards.

For children’s helmets, measure the size of your child’s head just above your child’s eyes and ears. Select a helmet to fit a head of that size. Helmets should usually be replaced every 5 years because the protective foam can wear out over time. If a helmet is involved in an accident or dropped on a hard surface, it should be replaced immediately.

You can read more about helmet requirements here:

https://transport.vic.gov.au/road-and-active-transport/active-transport/bicycles/bicycle-helmets

Sewers Needed

If you are able to make some basic curtains on a string, could you please see Sue Tobin. Thank you

Lemons required

If you have any lemons that you can spare for us to use in our Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program, we would really appreciate them.

Reminders

Don't forget our Welcome BBQ tomorrow from 4pm-6pm on the oval. It is predicted to be 32 degrees so please remember to bring a hat and sunscreen. Read more on the Parent Association page of this newsletter and come along straight after school if you are able to help out.
Reconciliation Commitment Masses are on this Saturday 21st Feb at 5:30pm (Sacred Heart Church) and 7pm (COHR Church).
A reminder that we have the Labour Day public holiday coming up on Monday March 9th and a closure day on Tuesday March 10th. The school will be closed on both these days.

Have a great week ahead,

Aimee Gale

Principal

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