Delagram 7th June 2024

From the Principal

On Thursday 30th May, I held the Parent Engagement Evening at the Workies Club in Lithgow.
Initially, I wanted to thank those parents who did attend the event and listened to the presentation,asked some great questions and give some  thoughts as to the future directions of the school.
Unfortunately, the event was not well attended, and I acknowledge that there may be many reasons for this. I am determined to maintain positive communication with parents/guardians with transparency on school operations, practices and plans. I am happy to take feedback on how we can increase parent/guardian participation and give our families a voice into how we can best deliver the educational outcomes for your child.
 One method that we have used historically is the school satisfaction survey. Thank you to the 44
families who responded to this survey and gave us valuable insight into a number of critical aspects
of our school. This survey was returned to me last week. Some positive reflections from this survey
include:
 15% increase in agreement that the faith element of the school has improved over the last
three years (91%);
 100% of respondents agreeing that we have a clear connection with our parish;
 97% believing we have a clear catholic identity in our community;
 20% increase in agreement that our school has meaningful celebrations of prayer and
liturgy;
 26% increase in agreement that the learning is a focus of the school over a three-year
period;
 39% increase in agreement that our stewardship of the school has improved and that we
have a plan for continual improvement.
 A sharp and significant increase in families that are now promoting the school positively.
These were all wonderful insights into family beliefs regarding the progress of La Salle Academy and
re-affirming that many of our practices and policies are positively impacting our community. It is
extremely important to me that all families know that we value this parent voice and that we listen
to you. That is why I made a presentation at the Parent Engagement Evening addressing some of the
issues that some families have, and the actions that we as a school intend to take to address these
issues. Some of the concerns mentioned related to:
 Communication;
 Attendance;
 Wellbeing (more activities);
 Uniform;
 Infrastructure.
I did address these items at our meeting, and I hope over the next 6 months-1 year you will see
some positive changes and developments to address these concerns and improve the learning
environments for your child.

Success Stories

Congratulations to Annika Taylor (Year 12) who was nominated and selected as one of three
finalists in the School Based Trainee of the year for the Western Region NSW. Annika is completing
her Certificate III in School Based Education support through Karbon Training Solutions. Annika’s
employer has been the Catholic Education, Diocese of Bathurst and has been working at St Joseph’s
Portland. Annika has been very passionate about her traineeship and has engaged fully with the
staff and students at St Joseph’s, and is very deserving of her nomination. Well done Annika.

Congratulations to our 6 Year 10 girls who have been completing an amazing ‘Girls Can Too! Try a
Trade’ program. They have participated in a number of different trades experiences including tiling, carpentry and the use of machinery. It has given them a great insight into the different trades and
how they can work towards becoming an apprentice. A huge thank you to our RIEP officer, Jacquie
Smith for organising the program, to TAFE for hosting it, to all the teachers and to the local employers who sponsored the program and invited us into their workplaces. Also, thank you to Mrs Mitchell who coordinated our students and assisted them from week to week.

Our school future is looking bright. We have interviewed over 50 Year 6 students who have
expressed their desire to attend La Salle Academy in 2025 over the last two weeks. Thank you to the
staff who assisted with these interviews and all the families who attended with such positivity and
engagement.

Staffing News

It is with mixed emotions, that I would like to inform our community of Mr Steve Carroll’s recent
resignation. Mr Carroll is taking up an amazing opportunity to be a regional leader of wellbeing in
the Central West. He is well suited to this role and confident that he will be a great asset to his new
employer. Unfortunately, this does mean we will have staffing changes for the commencement of
Semester Two, and hence this may explain the recent advertisements that we have been promoting.
We wish Mr Carroll the very best on his next journey. Stay tuned for more information.

God Bless
Mr Glenn Carpenter

Assistant Principal

Reports and Mid-Year Assessment Tasks
As the semester progresses, students in all years are working hard to complete assessment tasks and exams in preparation for the end of semester student reports. Year 11 will be receiving their reports in the coming days via Compass. Students are encouraged to review the advice provided by their teachers and make any adjustments required to ensure that they are meeting their current learning goals.
Assessment tasks are meant to challenge us, and preparation and planning is the key to success. If you don’t understand what is required or you are having difficulties meeting task due dates, it is important that you communicate this to your teachers as soon as you can so that questions can be answered and amendments, where appropriate, can be made to ensure
that everyone can reach their full potential.
Mobile Phone Use
Students are reminded that phones are not to be used at school after the first bell of the day
until the end of the day. This is to ensure that student’s concentration and focus is on their learning in the classroom and not the distraction of social media and messaging. Recently, we have had a number of incidents where students have not been following the schools mobile phone policy and a great deal of time is then spent investigating the breach of our ICT policy. Please review our rules regarding the use of mobile phones at school to ensure that your focus is on learning in the classroom and actually talking to each other at break times.
VET Construction Work Placement
Our VET Construction students have their first Work Placement coming up in Week 9 and I would like to acknowledge the many local employers who have volunteered to host our students. Often, our students gain work and apprenticeships post school from these work placements and without these fantastic employers, this could not be possible.

Mrs Jenny Holgate
Assistant Principal

From the Religious Education Coordinator

As we reflect on our responsibilities as stewards of God's creation, we are reminded of the importance of caring for our common land, remembering our planet is a gift from God, entrusted to us to protect and cherish. Pope Francis, in his encyclical Laudato Si', calls us all to be mindful of our impact on the environment and to take action to preserve it for future generations. 

We celebrated World Environment Day with a special mass, facilitated by Father Reynold and run by our dedicated Youth Minister, Imogen Della Bosca. This mass was a time for us to come together in prayer and reflection, giving thanks for the beauty of creation and committing ourselves to its care. A special congratulations to our Youth Minister for her exceptional efforts in organising this celebration. 
In addition to our spiritual commitment, we are taking practical steps to make a difference.  We are launching a 10-cent can and bottle recycling challenge that will span till the end of Term 2. The money raised from All the cans and bottles students buy at the canteen will go to support B.U.S.S. (Bathurst Uniting Support Services) and LCP's (Lithgow Community Projects). Our students' contributions will not only help reduce waste but also support valuable local community services. Students are asked to bring their cans/bottles to their religion classrooms and place them in their designated class bin. Every small effort helps, and together we can make a significant impact.

World Refugee Day falls on Thursday 20th June and is an important opportunity for us to raise awareness and show solidarity with refugees around the world. Our Year 9 CSYMI students are taking the lead by organising a series of meaningful activities to educate and engage our students. Our CSYMI students will prepare lunch for staff and peers using only the limited ingredients from our 'refugee ration packs,' providing a glimpse into the challenges faced by refugees. Donations raised from this initiative will be directed to Acting for Peace, supporting their commendable efforts to promote peace and combat injustice. Let's come together to make a difference and stand with refugees on this significant day.

Remember that our second Youth Group Gathering will be a Movie night on Friday 28th June from 4:30-7:00pm. This gathering is from our Year 7-12 students of La Salle. We will be watching ‘Wonka’. 

Students Years 6-12 are invited to join us for RISE, our Diocesan Catholic youth event is tailored specifically for Youth to embark on an inspiring journey filled with faith, friendship, and fun? RISE isn't just another event; it's an opportunity to connect with peers, deepen your relationship with God, and discover the joy of being part of a vibrant Catholic community. RISE promises two days packed with engaging activities, thought-provoking discussions, and moments of spiritual growth at Mt Panorama. RISE will take place on Thursday 11th and Friday 12th of July (during the School Holidays). To register for RISE and secure your spot, simply visit and complete the online registration form. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfHNv-42N5f75quNrpzZ7pjDYfCK_jhkWaiAQB2uYKinXix3g/viewform

Past RISE Video https://youtu.be/8ySg1sS27e8

Students are invited to join over 2000 high schoolers, young adults, leaders and teachers as they attend the Ignite Conference on 26-29th September in Sydney. 

Ignite Conference is a gathering of Catholics for four days of real-world formation, renewal of faith, great people and powerful worship. The cost is currently $305/person early bird prices till 30th June 2024. After the early-bird tickets are roughly $330/ person. We ask for students to see Mrs Wilsmore-Smith or Imogen Della Bosca if they are interested. 

With warm regards,
Mrs Wilsmore-Smith
Religious Education Coordinator

Careers

Girls Can Too! Try a Trade
Today was the final day for our ‘Girls Can Too! Try a Trade’ program, an awesome experience for our Year 10 girls to try a range of trades and to connect with local employers. The day featured an industry tour, visiting JR Mining Services, Hunter Mining Methods & Reliable Conveyor Belts . Each employer opened our eyes to industry opportunities & skills for the workplace. 

The day finished with a graduation acknowledging the commitment of all.

A huge thank you to our RIEP officer, Jacquie Smith for organising the program, to TAFE for hosting it, to all the teachers and to the local employers who sponsored the program and invited us into their workplaces.

Dr Donna Mitchell
Careers Advisor

Year 7-9 Pastoral Care Co-ordinator

I am once again seeing our students’ social media use as the biggest issue we are facing here at school. Our mobile phone policy gives students a much needed break from their socials, however their social media issues from outside of school are currently coming with them to school and causing issues in peer relationships. Below, I have reinforced tips for parents monitoring student’s social media use:

• Majority of social media issues, such as bullying and exposure to inappropriate material, occur when young people are unsupervised, often in their bedroom with their door closed.

• Young people should share their passwords with their parents so parents can monitor their safety and interactions online.

• Young people should not accept people as friends or followers online who they do not know face to face, even if they have mutual friends.

• Young people should only have ONE account on social media sites. 

• Parents should set clear boundaries for their children about social media and use of technology that promote online safety and healthy screen time habits. 

I have been listening to a podcast by Collett Smart called “Raising Teens”, which I can highly recommend to parents. She is a psychologist, qualified teacher, speaker and internationally published author, who discusses navigating topics such as relationships, mental health, technology, alcohol and vaping. She also has a range of other information on her website  https://www.raisingteenagers.com.au/ 

Have a safe and enjoyable June long weekend!

7-9 Pastoral Care Co-ordinator
Ms Tahni Isedale

Pastoral Welfare Co-ordinator Years 10 - 12

We are fast approaching the end of the term. Assessments are being collected and reports are starting to be written. Interesting that our year 11 course is ⅔ complete and they will be fast approaching their end of year exams. One thing to keep in mind is that these reports are used for early entry applications to universities. Advice here is to make sure that course notes are complete and extra study is being completed. 

Year 12 students are almost completing their courses. Trial HSC exams are coming up in week 3 of next term and again students must be completing at least an hour or more of study per subject per week. Last week, our leaders made their way to Mount Panorama, Bathurst to take part in a youth forum as a part of the 200 year anniversary of the Legislative Council. Paul Toole MP hosted the event and our students got a taste of the many talented students and young minds across the Central West.  

Year 10 students also should have their work experience forms completed and handed in for the 2 weeks experience coming up in weeks 9 and 10. Many students are yet to have these forms handed in. Every student has access to google classrooms where all the forms can be found. This is an experience for students to have a taste of various occupations and careers that they may be interested in. 

Earlier in the week, I also sent out an invitation for our year 10 students to attend an excursion in Bathurst. This is a compulsory excursion where students will hopefully gain further exposure to the dangers of driving and the potential consequences of making erratic decisions behind the wheel. If you could please complete the permission slips online in compass asap that would be greatly appreciated.

 Mr Stephen Carroll
Year 10-12 Coordinator.

Youth Minister

World Environment Day
On Thursday the 6th of June we had a full school Mass to celebrate ‘World Environment Day’ which is dedicated to appreciating and protecting our planet. This Mass was run by our year 9 and 10 CSYMI students who are doing an amazing job. We  also be implemented a recycling initiative to try and encourage students to recycle their cans and bottles to help reduce the pollution and waste in our environment.
World Refugee Day 2024
On Thursday the 20th of May we will be celebrating ‘World Refugee Day’ here at La Salle Academy. On this day will be spending the day with the year 9 CSYMI students to raise awareness for refugees living around the world and the harsh living conditions that they have endured. They will be participating in a variety of activities to better understand the hardship of living as a refugee, including cooking meals for the staff and students using only the ingredients from a ration pack.
Rise Youth Festival
Rise Youth Festival is a two day religious camp for year 6 to year 9 students, that is held at the Bathurst Goldfields on Thursday the 11th of July to Friday the 12th of July. It is a fun few days filled with games, building connections, music, good food, prayer, reflection and faith. I would really love to see some of our students attend as it is a great opportunity to represent our school and come together with other students in our diocese. 
RISE Rego

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfHNv-42N5f75quNrpzZ7pjDYfCK_jhkWaiAQB2uYKinXix3g/viewform

Have a great fortnight
Imogen Della Bosca
La Salle Youth Minister

Library News

Reconciliation Week Display 
As Reconciliation Week is “ a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia” (Reconciliation Australia, 2024), it is vital that students are provided the opportunity to explore these themes through the written word. Our newest library display showcases some of the many texts on offer which address Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, history and the fight for reconciliation in Australia. Our Word of the Week this week has also been chosen in recognition of Reconciliation Week. The definition, word usage and synonyms of the word ‘reconciliation’ have been provided for students to further enhance their understanding of this word.

Premier’s Reading Challenge Continues
The Premier’s Reading Challenge continues this term and our students are working well to achieve their goal of reading twenty books by Friday, 23rd August. A reminder to all students to ensure that all completed novels are added to their online reading logs. Students who have continued to add to their reading logs have been issued with a library certificate acknowledging their efforts. Special mention goes to Emily H. in Year 7 who has been working very hard and is close to completing the challenge, well ahead of schedule. Well done, Emily!

Student Showcase
A new section of the library has been created to showcase the wonderful work of our talented students. The Student Showcase is open to all Key Learning Areas who wish to showcase the work of their students. Our current display was provided by Mrs Wilsmore-Smith and it shows the beautiful artwork created by Year 10 students, Isabelle. Y and Zoe. G. These students participated in the 2024 Easter Art Exhibition and Isabelle was awarded 1st place in the Year 10 Category. Dr Mitchell has also included a range of artworks in the library space from her Year 8 Art class. The students were given the task of creating self portraits which communicate something about themselves. The drawings are colourful and engaging and certainly enhance our learning space.

Dorothea MacKellar Poetry Awards
This year celebrates 40 years of the national poetry competition. The Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards seek to capture the imaginations of school students across Australia, inspiring them to express their thoughts and feelings through the medium of poetry in their pursuit of literary excellence. Students are invited to take inspiration from wherever they may find it, however if they are looking for some direction, they are invited to use this year’s optional theme to inspire their entries.The optional theme for 2024 is “Listen, I have an Idea”. Students are encouraged to write about topics and experiences that spark their poetic genius (in whatever form they choose.) The rules of the competition are:

• Only students enrolled in an Australian education facility (Kindergarten to Year 12) are eligible to enter.
• Poems must be no more than 80 lines with no illustrations, graphics or decorations included.
• Poems on any subject are accepted, the annual theme is optional.
• Poems that have been previously entered in the Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards are NOT ELIGIBLE to be entered.
• Poems entered in other competitions are eligible to be entered.

The competition closes on 30th June and winners are announced on 6th September.

Any questions regarding submission, please contact the library.

Activity Hub
In the cooler weather, the library is a welcoming space to enjoy a range of fun activities. Many students have taken advantage of the opportunity to enjoy time with friends whilst participating in activities such as playing chess and colouring in. Special mention must go to Patrick M. in Year 9 who graciously gives of his time to tutor students in the art of Chess. The La Salle Chess Team is growing thanks to his wonderful efforts!

Best wishes, 
Mrs Devine

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Sporting News

Celebrating Sporting Success at La Salle Academy
It brings me great joy to share the remarkable sporting achievements of our students over the past 2 terms. From spirited competitions to outstanding individual performances, our students have exemplified dedication, sportsmanship, and talent.
The recent Athletics Carnival was a great success, showcasing not only our student's talent on the track but also their vibrant house spirit. It was a sight to behold as students adorned themselves in their house colours, adding an extra layer of excitement to the event. A special shoutout to Tenison House for their stellar performance on the track and field, claiming victory with 753 house points.
Our athletes have also been making LSA proud beyond the confines of our school grounds.
At the NSWCCC Hockey Championship, North West Equestrian Expo Interschools and Diocesan Cross Country, students showcased their skills and sportsmanship, representing La Salle Academy with pride and determination.
Congratulations to Jacob Wilson who recently competed in the NSW All Schools Swimming Championship in Homebush. Jacob swam well in both the 50m and 100m Backstroke.
Away from the school grounds we have had outstanding athletic achievements with Alexis Reid competing in the Spanish Open, Serbia Cup and Sydney Taekwondo Festival. Jai Simco competing and placing third in the 3x3 Basketball Hustle National Championships in Perth, Samara Kirkland dancing in the Highland Dancing Championships in Melbourne, Holly Collins being accepted into the Western Football/Soccer NSW Girls Development Program, Lachlan Cole competing in the CrossFit World Wide Opens and Blake Griffits travelling to Carins with the Western Region Academy of Sport for Basketball to celebrate the end of their 6 month training season.
I can't wait to see what the rest of the year holds for our students in the sporting realm.
Upcoming events to look out for this term:
Diocesan Soccer Gala Day
Diocesan Netball Gala Day
U’18 Dio Diocesan Netball Trial

Warm regards,
Keely Millar
Sports Coordinator

North West Equestrian Expo

We are proud to announce that on Friday  31st May to Tuesday 4th  June  four of our students  Gabrielle Dray, Jarah Cafe, Macy Brown and Isabelle Youman showcased their equestrian skills over five days at North West Equestrian Expo "Coona". This is Australia's largest high school Interschools equestrian event where over 500 riders and horses are seen competing in a wide range of disiplines such as combined training (dressage and showjumping)  Team Penning, Team Barrels and Polocross to name a few. Isabelle came 5th overall  in combined training with a good score in dressage and a clear round in show jumping. Jarah came 5th in bending and got some really good times in the other sporting events. Macy got in the top 10 in the first round of Working horse challenge, then had to complete 3 workout tests in the finals where she finished 6th. Gabby had her first go at 3 day eventing where she competed in dressage, cross country and showjumping. Macy, Jarah and Isabelle played their first Polo cross tournament. Winning the first round 3-0 and had a 1-1 draw in the second.
The girls represented La Salle with Pride and came away with some great results.

Well Done girls for your efforts LSA Proud!

Have a great weekend
Kim Dixon

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Karate Classes

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We provide fun, affordable karate classes for kids, teens and adults to develop fitness, determination, focus and self defence in a safe, welcoming environment.
Our karate school is a traditional school that follows the virtues of respect, peace and perseverance and helps to develop students in the dojo as well as in their daily lives.
We are offering a FREE trial lesson to all new students.

Kind regards,
Tamara Snow
Blue Mountains Karate Admin and Instructor

Phone: 0425 370 859
Email: info@karatensw.com.au
Website: karatensw.com.au
Facebook: chito ryu karate blue mountains

Basic Student Stationary Pack

Canteen- Flexischools App

We have the flexischools app for your convenience order online - See the flyers below with instructions on how to order

School Zones Reminder

A reminder to all our parents that school zones remain in place for the safety of our children and families. School zones operate on all gazetted school days, which are all the days the school is open, even pupil free days.