Delagram 2nd September 2024

From the Principal

Last week, I had the privilege of attending the Catholic Education, Diocese of Bathurst’s Principal Retreat.  Among the many messages that were communicated about our faith including prophetic leadership, I was drawn to the concept of hope.  I have always tried to remain optimistic and look towards the future with the knowledge that good things can and will happen.  Honestly, during this retreat, I was slightly challenged by the two terms, optimism and hope.  Optimism is a positive thought pattern, whilst hope is a sense that things can be made better through action.  Whilst this is quite simplistic in explanation, I have come to an understanding that through our actions, plans, organisation, engagement and encounter, I am hopeful that we can enact positive change in our community.  Pope Francis has put hope on the agenda for 2025.  “Spes Non Confudit,” meaning “Hope Does Not Disappoint” is the title given by Pope Francis for 2025, a Year of Jubilee. 

Everyone knows what it is to hope.  In the heart of each person, hope dwells as the desire and expectation of good things to come, despite our not knowing what the future may bring. Even so, uncertainty about the future may at times give rise to conflicting feelings, ranging from confident trust to apprehensiveness, from serenity to anxiety, from firm conviction to hesitation and doubt. Often we come across people who are discouraged, pessimistic and cynical about the future, as if nothing could possibly bring them happiness.

Pope Francis, Nashville Catholic

Whilst our optimism, and trying to maintain a positive thought process can be challenged at times, hope does not disappoint.  It exist, it will continue to exist and we can keep working towards the fulfilment of hope.  And that is what I believe we are doing at La Salle Academy. 

Last week, six confident young leaders stood up in front our assembly and declared their interest in leading our school into 2025.  Their applications and speech were exceptional and really reflected the directions that will support the school environment, ambitions and goals of our students and our school community.  This process will conclude with interviews this week, prior to an announcement at assembly in Week eight.  I would like to wish all six candidates every success as they continue through the student leadership process. 

Over the last two weeks, we have successfully concluded 46 interviews between our Senior and Middle leadership teams and families or our Year 10 students.  Introduced in 2023, the successful pathways planning for Year 10 students assists students and their families with understanding the process and legislation surrounding the conclusion of Year 10.  These students and their families have a decision to make in relation to returning to school for Stage 6 or sourcing further education, work or apprenticeships/traineeships.  These meetings provided information, reinforced various positions and allowed the school to help ensure that all decisions that were made were informed, well considered and appropriate to the individual needs of each student.  We thank all our staff for hosting these interviews and our families for the positive engagement. 

The reason why the term ‘hope’ and its definition resonated with me, was because it understood that goals needed to be set, and that sometimes, we needed to work towards achieving our hopes. This is what we are trying to do at La Salle Academy.  We are looking at different ways of working, engaging beyond our school community, and creating new opportunities so that we can maximising our outcomes and work towards the hopes and goals of so many in our community.  One such method of achieving this is our Homework and Tutorial Centre.  Having started two weeks ago, we have seen a steady increase in the number of students using the centre, but not nearly enough as I had envisaged.  We are providing a quiet, purposeful independent learning space for students that is supervised on Monday and Wednesday’s from 3.30pm-6.00pm.  In the first hour, a number of teachers from different subjects have made themselves available to assist in tutoring students that might need additional assistance in their schoolwork.  I would hope over the coming weeks, our numbers will increase. 

As we look towards the end of term, there is a lot of hard work and focus required of our students as they complete assessment tasks and exams.  We also look forward to our Graduation celebration week of our Year 12 students in Week 10.  Whilst this is early, I am hopeful that our school community will turn out in force on Thursday 26^th September at 5.00pm at St Patrick’s Church, Lithgow to celebrate our Graduation Mass.  Everyone is welcome. 

Have a great fortnight. 

God Bless.
Mr Glenn Carpenter

Assistant Principal

Attendance Matters
As we approach the final weeks of Term 3 and emerge from the cold and challenging time of winter illness, getting up and getting to school each day becomes a little easier. I cannot emphasise enough the importance of making that effort. At the beginning of each year, we challenge our students to do one thing for themselves and that was to simply to show up, each day. Sadly, the attendance rates of many of our students has declined in recent months and we need to do better.  We all know that attending school consistently lays the foundation for
academic success and personal growth. Students with excellent attendance records are 30% more likely to achieve higher grades compared to those with sporadic attendance and consistent school attendance is strongly linked to improved social skills, enhanced problem- solving abilities, and increased participation in extracurricular activities.
At La Salle Academy, we are committed to fostering an engaging and safe learning environment. Regular attendance not only ensures that students do not miss out on vital lessons but also helps them build crucial time management skills and a sense of responsibility. Our committed teaching staff work to deliver quality education, and your support in ensuring your child's punctuality and attendance will help us in our aims to
improve student success for our young people.
We encourage you to please use Compass to update student attendance records. Keep up your
communication with staff and Pastoral Care Coordinators so that we can work hand in hand
to provide our students with the best opportunities for growth and success.  Together, we can
empower our students to achieve their full potential.  
HSC Practical Marking begins!
Congratulations to our Year 12 students who in the next few weeks will be submitting for
marking their practical HSC Major works.  Our Industrial Technology - Graphics & Timber
students have already submitted their projects and marking will be conducted this week. For
our Music 1 students they are in the final stages of rehearsal for their Final HSC
performances next week which will be marked in Week 9.
We congratulate all our students on their creative efforts and wish them all the best for the
marking process. We also need to acknowledge all of the additional support and guidance
provided by their teachers especially Mr Pearce for Music and Mr Leighton & Mr Prineas for
Timber. Well done to all!
Year 11 Exams
Our Year 11 students will commence their end of preliminary course exams, beginning on
Friday September 13th and concluding on Monday, September 23 rd , (Weeks 9 & 10). The
students must be present for all exams and have been given a timetable for date and times for
each subject. The Year 11 students are only required to attend school for their specific exams;
however, students will not be allowed to leave the school in a vehicle driven by another
student unless they have confirmed parental permission on the student driver contract. If a
student is unable to attend an exam due to illness a parent/guardian needs to ring the school
office and inform us of the absence. We encourage our Year 11 cohort to use the last weeks of
the course ahead to seek any additional guidance from their teachers and ensure they have
committed themselves to adequate preparation for this important final task of their Year 11
course. We wish them the best of luck for the exam period!

Have a great week!

Mrs Jenny Holgate
Assistant Principal

Wellbeing Coordinators

Week 6 already. Wow, this term is flying by! I know the warmer weather is certainly brightening the faces of both students and staff! There has been a lot happening in the wellbeing space this term and I am delighted to share some highlights with you.

Parent information evenings
Thank you to our year 7 and 9 parents for your attendance at the recent parent information evenings. A strong home-school partnership is imperative in the holistic development of our young people. These information sessions have provided parents with a bit of insight to what we are seeing at school in regards to social media, which I believe is very helpful in addressing these concerns at home. Year 8 parents have the opportunity to attend this informative session next week, I look forward to seeing you there.

Year 10 subject selections
Congratulations to our year 10 cohort who have engaged in the process of selecting a pathway for their HSC. Attending the subject information evening, followed by a family interview with Middle Leadership ensures students select the pathway that is right for them, so we thank students and families for engaging so positively in this process. As a school, we are delighted with the number of students returning for year 11 with the aim of achieving their HSC. 

PCYC Programs
This term we have engaged with the local PCYC and Youth Liaison Officer, Jacob Hammonds, who have been delivering two programs for selected students. 

Fit for Change, aimed at students in years 10 and 11, has been running each Thursday for three weeks now. Students involved in the Fit for Change program have been participating in a range of educational activities developed around prevalent issues in our society, and by all reports are thoroughly enjoying their time each Thursday.

We also have a group of year 7 students involved in the Fit for Life Program which started in week 5. This is an educational program aimed at developing social connections and positively navigating risk situations. 

Thank you to Harry and Mikalya who have been attending with the students each week. 

Homework and Tutorial Centre
Each Monday and Wednesday the homework and tutorial centre is open in the library for student use from 3.30pm-6pm. It is a great space to get some extra help for subjects that students may be struggling with, to complete homework and as a space for exam study/revision. I strongly encourage all students to make use of this fully supervised space, particularly with Year 11 Yearly exams coming up at the end of week 8, and our HSC starting next term. 

If you have any questions or concerns related to your child’s wellbeing, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Regards
Ms Tahni Isedale

Library News

Celebrating Book Week 2024
Our Book Week celebrations have now concluded for 2024 and what a wonderful time we have had! A huge thank you to all of the students who participated in the events held in the library. Your energy and enthusiasm helped to make it a fabulous celebration. Thank you also to the staff who supported Book Week by contributing to our challenges. Your efforts were greatly appreciated. 

Congratulations to the following students who were successful in winning a challenge:

Design Your Ideal Library: Kaya.W. (Year 7)

Guess The Teacher’s Pet: Maddi.F. (Year 12)

Book Week Kahoot!: Joe.G. (Year 7)

These students have won their choice of a movie, canteen or book voucher. 

Book/Magazine Donations
A huge thank you to one of our wonderful teachers, Mrs Griffiths and her family for donating some fantastic fiction and non-fiction resources to our library. We are very grateful that there is such generosity in the community and that it provides fantastic benefits for our students. Thank you!

Premier’s Reading Challenge
The PRC has now closed for the year and I would like to extend a big thank you to all students who entered this year. It was fantastic to see so many students across Years 7- 10 making an effort to increase the volume of their reading and maintain consistent practice for the duration of the challenge. I hope this has created a strong foundation for your reading habits to continue. 

Congratulations to the following students who completed the enormous challenge of reading 20 books between February and August:

Emily.H. (Year 7)
Ashwika.M. (Year 7)

Well done to you both. Certificates from the Department of Education will be issued in Term 4.

New Books
Each month we receive a delivery of new fiction and non-fiction titles for our collection. Some of the wonderful texts on offer this month are:

The Girl With No Reflection by Keshe Chow
A young woman chosen as the crown prince's bride must travel to the royal palace to meet her new husband-but her world is shaken when she discovers the dark truth the royal family has been hiding for centuries. 

This is a wonderful fantasy story of courage, love, friendship all entwined with Chinese mythology. It is fast-paced and full of mystery, murder and palace intrigue.

Castle of the Cursed by Romina Garber
After a mysterious attack kills both of her parents, Estela Bralaga is forced to accept an invitation to live with her estranged aunt at their ancestral Spanish castle, La Sombra. Beneath its gothic facade, La Sombra harbours family secrets, and Estela begins to suspect that the answer to her parents' deaths may be found in the twisting corridors of the castle.

This is a dark, mysterious gothic romance. It is full of twists and turns and has many dark surprises littered through the book to keep you in suspense until the end.

Happy Reading,
Mrs Devine

UNSW Team Inspires La Salle Academy Students with Game Programming Workshop

We recently had the privilege of hosting a team from the University of New South Wales (UNSW), who conducted an Introduction to Game Programming Workshop for our students. This exciting event provided a unique opportunity for students to delve into the world of coding and game development, igniting their interest in a rapidly growing field.
The workshop was designed to introduce the fundamentals of game programming in a hands-on and interactive manner. Under the guidance of the UNSW team, our students explored the basic concepts of coding, learned about the structure of games, and even had the chance to create their own simple game. The room buzzed with creativity and enthusiasm as students applied their newfound knowledge to bring their ideas to life on the screen.
This initiative not only enriched our students' understanding of technology but also opened their eyes to potential career paths in the gaming and tech industries. The UNSW team’s expertise and passion for education were evident throughout the workshop, making the learning experience both informative and inspiring.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to the UNSW team for their generosity in sharing their knowledge and for fostering a spirit of innovation among our students. The skills and insights gained during this workshop will undoubtedly contribute to our students' future academic and professional pursuits.

Kind regards,
Helen Johnston

Father's Day

To celebrate Father's Day, students from our school had the privilege of visiting the residents at Three Tree Lodge nursing home, bringing a day of joy, connection, and celebration to the men who reside there. The visit was an opportunity for our students to give back to the community and make this special day even more memorable for the fathers and grandfathers at the Lodge.

During the visit, the students engaged in meaningful conversations with the male residents, listening to their stories, and sharing in the wisdom that comes with experience. These interactions not only brightened the day for the residents but also provided our students with valuable insights into the lives of the older generation.

The visit was a touching reminder of the importance of community and the impact that simple acts of kindness can have on others. Our students left Three Tree Lodge with a deeper appreciation for the role of fathers and grandfathers in our society and a sense of fulfilment from having made a positive difference in the lives of these remarkable men.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the staff at Three Tree Lodge for their hospitality and for allowing our students to be part of such a meaningful day.

Kind regards,Helen Johnston

ALL THINGS ATTENDANCE

When you see the table below it may seem trivial that we would also put importance on
arriving late or departing early from school but when all the minutes lost are added up it can
make a huge difference to your child’s education. When your child arrives late and leaves
early from school these partial absences count towards non-attendance at school.
Late arrivals are very disruptive to our teachers and our classrooms. We value punctuality and
believe that if we are to build a respectful and orderly learning environment that promotes
academic achievement and skills for success in life then we need to address students who arrive
late and also leave early.
We understand that there are occasionally situations and emergencies that arise with students
and their families. We feel that often, unexcused late arrivals are most often unnecessary and
are unacceptable. Our main concern is that when a student is persistently late this results in loss
of learning and disruption to the learning of others.
So, what can we do to promote punctuality at school. I have provided a list of things that may
help as we move forward to promote good attendance at school. This will then lead into the real
world once school has finished. Some things may work better than others but if we can take the
time to be organised and ready to go in the morning it should work in improving students being
on time.
UNEXPLAINED ABSENCES
A reminder that when your child is off school it is the parents’ responsibility to make sure that all
absences are explained. Parents should be entering absences through the Compass Portal app,
calling the school to notify of the absence, emailing the school or sending in a note with the child
and they can hand the note to their admin teacher or the front office.
If you are planning to take your child out of school for any reason during term time prior
notification is needed as this leave needs to be approved by the Principal and students need to
touch base with their teachers beforehand if there is work that needs to be submitted. If parents
do not follow this procedure the leave can be unapproved and students may be penalised marks
as per the Assessment guidelines.
Mrs Kath Staines
Attendance Wellbeing Officer

Mrs Kath Staines
Attendance Wellbeing Officer

School Counselling Corner

Hello Students, Parents and Carers,

September is the Butterfly Foundations Body Kind awareness month!
Our body image is formed by the thoughts, feelings, attitudes and beliefs we have about our
bodies and how we look. This includes our shape, size, weight, gender identity, and the way
our body functions for us.
We may feel many different things about our body and appearance: sometimes
satisfied/positive, sometimes dissatisfied/negative, sometimes a bit of both, or even
neutral. Either way, our body image can influence how we engage with the world.
A positive body image is possible, essential to physical and mental wellbeing, and is known
to protect against eating disorders. We also know that along with a balanced approach to
nutrition and exercise, the most effective prevention programs for eating disorders focus on
building a positive body image.
Please see the attached boosting body image tips sheet. For more information, please go to
https://butterfly.org.au/

Take care of yourselves and each other,
Tegan Kiely
La Salle Academy School Counsellor.

Boosting Body Image

Creating more body satisfaction, acceptance, self-confidence, self-love, or even body neutrality will look and feel different for everyone. Moving to a place where you can appreciate your body is an individual journey, but there is support for you along the way.

Helpful tips to creating healthy body image

What works for one person, may not work as well for someone else. Keeping an open mind, experimenting, and finding what works for you will help you improve your relationship with your body and appearance.

Some simple things you can try include:

• Understanding and challenging society’s manufactured and constantly changing ideals of beauty: Our bodies are vessels for us to function, enjoy, and do amazing things.
• Limit your exposure to highly stylised and flawless images of fitness, beauty and appearance: These can increase feelings of body inadequacy and dissatisfaction.
• Diversify what you see: You can control and curate what appears in your social media feeds. Follow people and pages that make you feel good about yourself and your body.
• Resist the temptation to engage or buy from the diet industry: The diet industry’s business model is based on manipulating your body image concerns.
• See and value yourself as a whole person: Your qualities, talents, strengths and attributes (and yes, you have lots of these) make you who you are. Celebrate and nurture the things that make you, you.
• Create strong and affirming positive statements: These can be powerful weapons to combat unhelpful body comparisons. Some you might like to try include, “I am enough”, “My body is great”, “I am more than my body”, “I am worthy as I am” and “I don’t need to change a thing about myself”.
• Focus on your body function: You’re more than your shape or form.
• Practice body gratitude: What you’re grateful for that your body can do.
• Be media savvy: Practice critical thinking of media and social media messages. Remember, what you see might not even be real. Images are often digitally enhanced with editing and filters, which can trigger body insecurities. This is used by advertisers to sell us stuff.
• Combat unhelpful and toxic negative body and appearance talk: Toxic body/diet/appearance talk and dialogue destroy body confidence. Shut it down by using strong words or statements; “Stop”, “That’s enough” or even “Can we talk about something else?”
• Reduce unhelpful and unnecessary body comparisons: It’s unfair and unhelpful to body compare.
• Move and nourish your body in ways that make you feel good: Move and eat for health gains, enjoyment and to improve mental health (instead of for weight or muscularity change).
• Nurture your whole self: Practice body kindness, mindfulness, and self-care. What works for you?
• Be realistic: No one feels great about their body all of the time. Poor body image moments happen; it’s only important we don’t respond to negative feelings with unhelpful behaviours.
• Allow time to heal: Learning to respect and appreciate your body for what it is/ isn’t, how it looks, what it can and cannot do, takes time. Do your best to be kind to your body in its moments of discomfort and dissatisfaction. Your body is not a problem to fix.

For more information, visit The Butterfly Foundation Website: www.butterfly.org.au

Finance

SCHOOL FEES REMINDER
A quick reminder that our year is rolling on through and we are more than halfway through  Term 3.
Due to our fee structure being set up as three payments over three terms, Instalments 1 and 2
should now be paid.

2024 Billing Dates:
Term 1 Billing date: 01/03/2024 and Instalment Due date: 15/03/2024
Term 2 Billing date: 10/05/2024 and Instalment Due date: 24/05/2024
Term 3 Billing date: 02/08/2024 and Instalment Due date: 16/08/2024
If you have not received your School Fee Statement via email, please contact the school
office to ensure that we have the correct email address on our system.

Just a reminder that payments can be made by the following payment options:
 Account balances can be accessed via Compass and payments can be made on the App.
 BPay Payment References are readily available on the Fee Statements.
 Direct Debit Forms are available at the school – just call or email to enquire.
 EFTPOS is available in person at the office or you are welcome to make payment over the phone.
 Centrepay Forms are available from ServiceNSW or call / email and we can arrange one to be sent.

Please don’t hesitate to contact the office by calling (02) 6354 5100 or by emailing the
school on lasallelithgow@bth.catholic.edu.au if you have any questions relating to your
account or if experiencing any difficulty so we can do our best to find a suitable solution.

Warm regards,
Narelle Lee

PCYC Safe Drivers course

This course counts towards 20 hours towards the participants log book, and they learn with professional driving instructors.
The Safer Drivers Course aims to provide learner drivers with the knowledge they need to reduce road risks and prevent accidents by becoming a safe driver. As an Accredited Provider of the transport for NSW Safer Drivers Course, PCYC NSW know that our students will complete the course with a greater of understanding of how to be a safe P-plate driver.Statistically, the first six months after receiving your provisional license are the most dangerous. New P-plate drivers can find it challenging on the roads without the support of an experienced instructor by their side. Our course equips young drivers with the tools they need to manage the transition to a full license.I have attached two tiles which can be used, or alternatively, if you can advertise hyperlinks, you can use this as well. PCYC Safer Drivers Course
I really appreciate any support in advertising this to our local kids and can be contacted on the below details if you need any further information. 

Year 5 Taster Day

Sydney ADF Careers Expo

Leura Public School P&C Fundraiser

Leura Public School P&C are running their outdoor movie night again. After such a successful event last year we are hoping to make this year's event bigger.

 This is the link below to our ticket site 

https://www.trybooking.com/CQSMB

Karate Classes

We are a local karate school who have been operating for over 25 years with experienced, qualified instructors.
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

Canteen- Flexischools App

Canteen cut off times for order are as follows:

Recess:10am

Lunch time : 12pm 

If you are interested in helping in the canteen please call our office 6354 5100

Thank You

Regards
Leanne
Canteen Manager

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.