Term 3, Week 10 2025

FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK

Dear Families,

At the risk of stating the obvious, we are at the end of the term. I am sure you would agree that it was a busy one, full of events and opportunities for students and families. Your participation and support have been very much appreciated, and we enjoyed having you on site for the various events this term. I trust that you will have a safe and happy student vacation, and I hope that this beautiful spring weather is with us for the break. The children are certainly ready for a rest and I am sure you are too.

The last few weeks have seen the students increase their gymnastics skills with our whole school gymnastics program. As the program has drawn to an end for this year, we would appreciate any feedback you may have so that we can evaluate the benefits for future bookings. Please fill out the attached form in this week’s Newsletter. Year 5 went on camp to Great Aussie Bush Camp and from all accounts had a wonderful time. Thank you to the teachers and support staff who made this possible by giving of their time so generously.

We had our Annual School Visit from the Diocese and whilst the official report has not been released we were commended on all the areas that were reviewed. The student voice that was sought from a range of students was highly praised. Students spoke well of the school environment, their friends and the work they do, the opportunities they have and the challenges they face and how we work as a team to solve issues. Our previous principal Mrs Wilkinson, now Director of Catholic Schools was here and enjoyed catching up with students and staff.

Our Aboriginal Education students have been busy with projects and have been doing some wonderful cultural work with Mr D and Miss O’ Neill. Years 3 and 4 joined the parish for Mass last week and we look forward to finishing the rotation next term so that all classes can experience a second Mass for the year.

We hosted the Diocesan Final of Public Speaking on Monday and although we didn’t have any of our students participate, it was wonderful to see the high standard of public speaking across the Diocese, from Merriwa to Taree and down to Lake Macquarie, many schools were represented.

On Wednesday evening we held our last P&F meeting. It is the end of an era, and I would like to sincerely thank all parents for their involvement with the P&F over the years and in particular, this year, as you have made my transition to Lochinvar a smooth one with your support. Thank you to our President Toya, VP Daisy, Treasurer Alison, Secretaries, Jess and Claire and Federation Rep Kristy for your generosity, hard work and dedication to the betterment of our school. The P&F executive committee gave their final reports, and Toya moved the motion to dissolve the P&F. Whilst this is not a decision that we would have made had the Diocese not mandated that all P&Fs move to a new FACE model we resolved to agree to the dissolution reluctantly. I will endeavour to run FACE in

Congratulations to Murray house for their win in the shamrock challenge. I hope they enjoyed the extra play yesterday after recess. Year 3 had their excursion to the Reptile Park today, where I am sure they learned lots of new information and had a wonderful time with their friends. Thank you to the teachers and staff who made this possible.

The newsletter is full of other information that I commend to you. Please read at your leisure. Important to note that the first day back next term is a Pupil Free Day. Staff will be onsite learning about the new syllabi that we will be implementing in 2026.

I would like to thank my staff for their wonderful work this term and for the care and dedication they show to our students. We live our Vision and Mission Statements by striving to create an environment and curriculum permeated with the Gospel values of love, justice and acceptance.

Have a happy and safe holiday,

God Bless,
Niamh

CALENDAR EVENTS 

IMPORTANT DATES FOR 2025

COMPASS

Please remember that compass is the source for all information that is communicated to parents and the compass calendar has all future dates listed. If you would like to know any activities that are on within the school if you go to that date in the calendar you can see the date/time and all information with regards to the activity being held. Dates are now in the calendar for the rest of this year for special events and the return to school for 2026. If you have any questions please contact our admin staff by email admin@lochinvarsp.catholic.edu.au or phone 49307270.

ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT

CLASS ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE COMING YEAR 

Planning for the coming school year will commence early Term 4 and involve considerations for student class placement. Many factors need to be taken into consideration including: 

• the student’s intellectual, social, emotional, and behavioural developmental levels & needs
• the student’s physical and social maturity
• the student’s interactions with other students
• the “social dynamics” factors within the class
• learning support needs
• the male/female balance in each class
• student friendships

If there are any special considerations or concerns that parents/carers feel the school should take into consideration, please put them in writing and send them to school no later than Monday 27th October. Email/Letters should be addressed ‘Attention: Niamh Marzol and marked ‘Confidential’ and sent to admin@lochinvarsp.catholic.edu.au.

Please note, this is not the opportunity to request friendship groupings or specific teachers for your child. While all requests will be noted and discussed, final decisions on placements will be made following careful consultation with teachers. Information provided after 27th October will not be considered and parents should not assume that previous requests or communication will suffice, as situations do change over time. 

STUDENT BYOD DEVICE IMPORTANT MESSAGE

 Student BYOD Devices important message: Windows 10 is reaching end of life

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.

• We ask that all families with Student Windows 10 computers complete this process before 15 October 2025 so that students do not experience disruptions to their learning.
• Most newer devices will support Windows 11.
• If the device is too old, you may need to consider an alternative supported device (where possible).
• If you need assistance or have questions about upgrading, please reach out to the IT support team in our school.

Why this matters:

• Microsoft will stop supporting Windows 10 from 15 October 2025.
• Upgrading to Windows 11 ensures your child’s device remains secure and supported.
• 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

Read our FAQs for more 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.

What if my device can’t upgrade?

If a Student’s BYOD laptop is running Windows 10 and can’t be upgraded to Windows 11 (usually due to older hardware), Microsoft is offering a free security update program to help keep the device safe for one more year.

The Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESU) program is designed to keep your current Windows 10 PC protected after support ends, helping you stay secure during the transition.

How to Join Microsoft’s ESU Program

Microsoft has made it easy to enrol directly from the laptop:

• On eligible computers, a setup wizard will appear in Settings > Windows Update.
• There are three ways to enrol:
• Free – Sync your settings to the cloud using Windows Backup. You must be logged in as administrator and with a Microsoft account.
• Free – Use 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points.
• Paid – Buy a one-year license for $30 USD (families cover this cost).

Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for Windows 10 | Microsoft Learn

KINDERGARTEN ORIENTATION FOR 2026 

 SCHOOL ATTENDANCE 

Supporting positive school attendance is a shared responsibility - everyone has a role to play in promoting the regular attendance of students. 

All children should be at school on time each day and remain until the conclusion of lessons in the afternoon. This ensures a consistent routine for students which helps children feel secure, as well as allowing children to learn and grow. Days off school not only contribute to significant gaps and lost opportunities in learning, it is also hard for children to establish, develop and maintain social connections. 

We ask that you try to limit appointments through the school day where possible.   

Frequent lateness should also be avoided, as children need to get into a good routine each morning. 

If you are having difficulty getting your child to school on time, please talk to their class teacher. 

RE NEWS

SOCKTOBER LAUNCH

Last week, Mrs Marzol and some of our school leaders attended the Diocesan launch of Socktober for World Mission Month at St Joseph’s Church, East Maitland.

The event brought together more than 250 students from 38 schools, who joined in prayer, reflection, and solidarity with the people of Zambia.

They were blessed by the presence of Bishop Michael Kennedy, who presided over the Mass and encouraged students to show benevolent love to those around them, particularly to our brothers and sisters in Zambia.

Thank you to Ned, Amelia, Divya and Josie for representing St Patrick’s at this event.

We look forward to sharing more information about the ways our school will support Catholic Mission’s Socktober appeal next term.

OUR CATHOLIC FAITH – AN INTRODUCTION TO CATHOLICISM

The Catholic Council of Schools Parents NSW/ACT has developed a guide, ‘Our Catholic Faith’.

This guide explains some Catholic beliefs and traditions parents and families might hear their child talk about when they’re discussing their religious education and Catholic events parents and carers may be invited to attend during the school year.

With sections about liturgy and Mass, faith formation, the Catholic calendar, prayers and a Catholic A-Z glossary, you’ll find this the perfect guide to ‘Our Catholic Faith’ and what makes a school Catholic.

We invite you to use it to understand the basics of our Catholic beliefs, celebrations, symbols and prayers.

ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER NEWS

CURRICULIUM NEWS

REGIONAL PUBLIC SPEAKING

Congratulations to our regional public speaking finalists Zane and Rose who represented our school at the regional public speaking competition on Monday.

YEAR 1 HISTORY DAY

On Tuesday the 16th of September, our Year 1 students stepped back in time for a delightful History Day celebration! Dressed in charming olden-day outfits—complete with bonnets, waistcoats, and suspenders—they brought history to life with their enthusiasm and creativity.

The day was filled with traditional games and activities from the past including hopscotch, elastics, marbles and many more.

It was explained that taking photographs in the olden days took a long time about ten minutes for each photograph. It was a serious business and people did not smile. The students tried to pose without smiling.

It was a wonderful opportunity for our young historians to explore life in the past, sparking curiosity and appreciation for how times have changed.

ADDITIONAL TEACHING RESOURCE

THANK YOU FOR THIS SPECIAL ADDITION

YEAR 5 CAMP

SHAMROCK UPDATE

WEEK 7 

Congratulations to Tenison for taking out this week’s Shamrock competition.

WEEK 8

I'm delighted to report that 346 positive behaviours were recorded today.

Congratulations to Tenison for just pipping the post to come in first this week.

WEEK 9

What a wonderfully positive week with 503 Shamrocks recorded 

There was a clear winner this week.

Congratulations to MacKillop!

SPORTS NEWS

POLDING ATHLETICS

Congratulations to our athletes who represented the Maitland-Newcastle Diocese at the Polding Athletics Diocese at Polding Athletics yesterday. Myah, Finn, Laine, Chelsea and Hughston represent in various sports and showed great dedication and sportsmanship in a highly skilled competition. Hughston came home with a 1st in Junior Boys Long Jump and 3rd in Junior Boys High Jump and has been selected for the Polding Athletics Team who will travel to Sydney in October for the NSWPSSA Athletics Championships.

CONGRAUTLATIONS ON OUTSIDE SCHOOL SPORTING ACHEIVEMENT

Max Crowther has been selected in the u/13s Jets Academy Team for the 2026 season. The academy is part of NSW Football Division 1 competition. Excitedly he will be joining past students Tori Riley and Phoebe Harrison as they continue with the Jets in the u/16s team and Eli in the u/14s.

PARENTING PAGE

ST NICHOLAS OOSH VACATION CARE

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