Dear Parents and Carers,

Last Friday, our school came together to honour the Feast Day of St Mary MacKillop of the Cross. The celebration was made especially meaningful by our Year 3 students, who led a beautiful and thoughtful liturgy. Their reflections invited us to pause and consider the remarkable legacy Mary MacKillop left behind.

Born in Victoria in 1842, Mary was the eldest of eight children and felt a strong calling to religious life from an early age. She is remembered not only for her deep faith but also for her unwavering commitment to helping others. One of her most well-known sayings, “Never see a need without doing something about it,” perfectly captures the spirit of her mission. Mary lived this message through her tireless work supporting the poor and vulnerable.

Mary MacKillop founded the Sisters of St Joseph—affectionately known as the Josephites—a religious order dedicated to serving the poor and educating Catholic children, particularly in regional communities.

We are proud to share a special connection to Mary’s legacy. St Joseph’s Wingham was established in 1935 by the Josephite sisters, whose dedication and vision laid the foundation for the school we know and love today.

Mobile Technology Procedure and Agreement.

Students from Years 3 – 6 recently took home the student agreement for parents and students to sign and return. If you have not returned this document yet, can you please return it at your earliest convenience.

UNE Discovery

Recently we were lucky enough to welcome some scientists from UNE to come and work with our students. Our students were busy in their lab coats learning about chemistry and biology through some very exciting experiments.

Congratulations to Mason and Sesi who chose cooking with Mrs Hunt for their PB4L reward. They enjoyed making some fruit skewers to share with their class.

Student Led Conferences

We are excited to invite you to our Term 3 Student Led Conferences for Years 1 to 6.

This year we have worked towards transforming teacher-led parent-teacher conferences to student-led conference formats that engage students in the process. Our feedback from students, parents and staff indicated that student-led conferences can provide powerful opportunities for students to advocate for their own learning.

We have taken on feedback from our survey to increase each timeslot to 20 minutes. Parents wishing to discuss questions or concerns without their child present are encouraged to do so at any other time throughout the school year either via phone or appointment.

What is a student-led conference? A student-led conference is a preplanned meeting with the student, parent, and teacher present, in which students demonstrate responsibility for their academic performance by providing a review of their work for parents and teachers.

How Do Student-Led Conferences Work? These conferences differ from traditional parent-teacher interviews in that they place students at the helm of teacher-supported discussions with parents about student progress and learning. Student-led conferences also present opportunities for students to prepare, reflect on, and discuss evidence of their learning and growth by way of student work samples.

Schools that implement student-led conferences report that they:

• Encourage students to take responsibility and ownership for their learning by involving them

in the goal setting and assessment process.

• Engage families in richer, more transparent conversations about student progress.

Bookings for the student led conferences are no open on Compass and will close on Friday 22nd August at 3.00pm.

We look forward to meeting with you and your child in week 6.

Upcoming information sessions and webinars for parents and carers

Parents and carers are the most important educators in their child’s life. To assist you in this important role, a list of upcoming webinars provided by reputable providers, free of charge, has been compiled and is available on the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle’s Catholic Schools webpage.

A snapshot of Term 3 webinars is included below. More information about these webinars, including links to register, can be found on the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle’s Catholic Schools webpage https://www.mn.catholic.edu.au/our-community/supporting-parents-and-carers/upcoming-parent-and-carer-information-sessions/

School Funding Information

Recently there has been much public discussion around the Australian Government's model of funding schools. Catholic Schools NSW have put together some data to explain how government funding for non-government schools—such as Catholic and Independent schools— supports your right to choose the best educational environment for your child while also reducing costs for Australian taxpayers.

Using the most recent data, the report outlines how funding these schools through a mixed education model reduces pressure on public education resources, with savings of up to $6.88 billion annually. The report highlights how school choice benefits families and the broader community alike.

Sibling relationships are often a child's first and longest-lasting social connection. These bonds can offer companionship, support and opportunities to develop important life skills such as empathy, negotiation and conflict resolution. However, like all close relationships, sibling dynamics can be complex. Differences in temperament, age, needs and parental attention can all contribute to tension or rivalry. It's not uncommon for children to compete for attention, especially during times of change or stress.

As a parent or caregiver, your role in shaping the tone of sibling relationships is vital. Creating a home environment that celebrates each child's unique strengths and avoids direct comparisons helps reduce rivalry and fosters mutual respect.

By listening without judgement, teaching emotional regulation, and supporting each child's individuality, you can create a family culture where siblings feel secure and valued. This edition of SchoolTV offers insights to support young people in developing positive, lasting sibling bonds that can remain strong well into adulthood.

Here is the link to your Edition https://wingham.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/sibling-relationships-au

God of compassion, God of all people, we praise you for your servant, Mary MacKillop, who gave her life to serve you in the poor and oppressed.

As she is honoured in our world, may we continue to learn to share her vision.

Help us to recognise, as she did, that the poor of our time will hear the gospel in the way we serve them. Be with us as we strive to follow her and carry out our mission of service and care.

Amen.

God Bless