Student Representative Council 

The Student Representative Council met during the week. The meeting was an opportunity to discuss ideas students have included in their class suggestion boxes. As a result of the meeting the school bell music has been changed, potato gems will shortly be available to order in the canteen, the basketball backboard will be replaced, and students shared their evaluation of Book Week. Thank you to all students for a productive meeting! 

Positive Behaviours for Learning (PB4L) 

Congratulations to the Blue Sports Colour House for achieving the most tokens in the first half of Term 3! Today they were able to celebrate with an out-of-uniform day! We will continue to give tokens out for this second half of the term to support our focus on our four PB4L expectations 

• Act Safely 

• Be Respectful 

• Care for All  

• Do Your Best 

This last fortnight our focus has been Care for All: Care for yourself and others. Students have used this time to consider how they can care for themselves and others physically, emotionally and spiritually. 

Safeguarding - ‘Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility’ 

National Child Protection Week (7th - 13th September)

Child Protection Week 2025: Every Conversation Matters 

This year’s theme, “Every Conversation Matters: Shifting Conversation to Action,” reminds us that protecting children starts with open, honest dialogue. At our school, we are committed to creating a safe and supportive environment where every child feels heard, valued, and protected. Throughout the week, in class, students will explore how to speak up, seek help, and support one another. We encourage families to continue these important conversations at home. Together, through small but meaningful actions, we can build a culture of safety and care—because every child deserves to feel safe, every day. 

For further information please see https://www.napcan.org.au/ncpw-theme/ 

Important Security Update for student BYOD Devices (Years 4-6) 

Action is required for students with BYOD Windows 10 devices as Windows 10 will soon no longer be supported by Microsoft. 

To ensure your student device security you should upgrade to Windows 11 as soon as possible. 

Microsoft has announced that support for Windows 10 will end on 14 October 2025, meaning it will no longer receive critical security updates. 

To stay protected and ensure optimal performance, it is strongly recommended that all students with BYOD Windows 10 devices follow Microsoft’s instructions and upgrade to Windows 11 as soon as possible. There is no charge for this upgrade. 

Why this matters: 

• Windows 10 will no longer receive Microsoft updates after 14 October 2025, leaving devices exposed to threats. 

• Upgrading to Windows 11 helps reduce security risks. 

• Student Work Protection: Staying current helps safeguard assignments, projects, and personal data. 

Ways to install Windows 11 - Microsoft Support 

Upgrade to Windows 11: FAQ - Microsoft Support 

How do I check what version of Windows am I running? 

Select Start > Settings > System, then select About. You then see Edition, Version, and OS Build information. 

We encourage all families with Student Windows 10 computers to begin the upgrade process now to avoid last-minute disruptions. If you need assistance or have questions about upgrading, please reach out to the IT support team in our school. 

Aspire Wow! Gallery Competition – Check last week’s Connect 

This event returns after the success in 2024, where the special program had 354 artworks submitted from students from Year 1 up to students in Year 12 from around the diocese. Entries are currently open if students are interested. This year’s theme is ‘FINDING WOW IN THE EVERYDAY - How ordinary moments can be extraordinary.’ 

Submissions can be made via: ASPIRE WOW Gallery 2025 Submissions 

Tickets for the exhibition are also on sale now via: ASPIRE Catholic Schools Diocese Maitland Newcastle | Humanitix 

Exhibition will run for 2 days only, so get your tickets now! 

For more information or any questions please email lara.crockett@mn.catholic.edu.au 

School Water Safety Education Program 

On Wednesday, our students had the valuable opportunity to participate in a Water Safety presentation delivered by local Lifeguards. This engaging session, offered by Newcastle City Council, aimed to educate children about staying safe in and around water. The interactive program covered key safety messages for the beach, swimming pools, and open water environments such as rivers, lakes, and dams. It was a practical and informative experience that reinforced the importance of water awareness and personal safety. Below are some student reflections. 

“The Water Talk was good and clear. It instructed children on how to be safe around water. My favourite part was when we learnt about Slip, Slop, Slap and Slide.” Harry and Benji - Year 6 

“One thing I liked about the Water Safety Talk is that they shared information that we needed to be safe around water. The show was entertaining.” Joyce - Year 5 

“The Water Safety Talk was good because it taught us how to be safe around water. My favourite part was when you were able to ask questions because it helped us better understand.” Pip - Year 2 

“The presentation helped us learn the safety rules when we are swimming at a pool or beach. It was interesting too to learn about the creatures which are poisonous like the blue ring octopus.” Isla and Amira - Year 2 

Joey’s Got Talent