Delagram 13th September 2024

From the Principal

This is both a joyous and stressful time at the school.  Over the next two weeks:

• Year 12 will be completing their formal schooling; yet
• Year 12 will continue to prepare for their HSC exams;
• Year 11 are undertaking their Prelim exams; and
• Year 11 will be looking to assume the student leadership reigns at the school;
• Junior school will be completing assessment tasks.

This is a time when we will see an array of emotions from joy, happiness, tiredness, anxiety and stress.  These are not uncommon within a school environment and we have the qualified staff at the school to support your child throughout their entire school journey, regardless of the emotion.  It is important your child attends school every day so that they have confidence in ensuring that are up to date with their school work, organise additional support from classroom teachers if it is needed, and access our pastoral services like the pastoral/wellbeing coordinators and our counsellor.  Increased absences only increase the negative emotions and place more pressure on students to catch up. 

Overcoming adversity is one of the hardest challenges for young people.  Yet, being able to overcome adversity allows the development of important skills and supports like resilience and confidence.  The development of these skillsets is an important part of schooling and essential for the development of all children.  Solving the problems for our children does not promote these skillsets.  That is why we think it is important that we work with our students to ensure that they are supported in having the confidence to resolve conflicts, voice concerns and to communicate effectively. 

At La Salle Academy, our aim to provide an education for our young people where they can develop their knowledge, think creatively and critically, engage in socially just practices, be conscious and aware of those around them and contribute to the common good of all in our community.  The development of problem-solving skills, confidence and resilience will help achieve these goals, and allow for greater transition beyond school.  As our Year 12 students graduate in the next two weeks, we hope that this is something that they have developed.  Just as they are excited about the post-schooling journey, we are excited about the contribution that they will make to our community. I would like to invite our extended community to join us in celebrating this momentous occasion by attending one of our most important calendar events, the graduation mass. 

You are invited to:

Year 12 Graduation Mass

Thursday 26^th September

St Patrick’s Church, Lithgow

Commencing at 5pm

As we look to start our last two weeks of Term Three, I wish all of our students every success in their school work and assessments. 

God Bless.
Mr Glenn Carpenter

Assistant Principal

Year 11 Exams
Our Year 11 students commenced their End of Preliminary Exams today on Friday 13th September with VET Construction and Community and Family Studies in the afternoon. This marks the completion of the Preliminary course for our students and talk has already turned to the dropping of subjects in Term 4 to begin the HSC Course. At this stage I discourage haste in making this decision. The subject that you think you might drop may not be the lowest mark or result so at this stage I will not be allowing students to drop subjects until they receive all of their exam results back early next term. There is also a formal process that needs to be followed to ensure student are staying within the rules outlined by NESA which
means a meeting with me first to discuss you pattern of study followed by the completion of a change of subject form.
For the remaining days of the exams, just a reminder that 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!
Subject Selection
Students in Year 8, 9 and 10 have recently gone through the process of selecting their electives for 2025. Mr Carpenter, the KLA Middle Leaders and I are currently going through each year groups selections and students will be notified before the end of term of the outcome of these subject selection choices. This is a lengthy process and needs careful consideration with a number of factors to be considered.

At our assembly yesterday we announced our  leadership team for 2025.

Congratulations to the following students:

School Captains - Emma Rushworth & Noah Green

Vice Captains - Jarah Cafe & Emily Dean

Mission Captains - Amira Kathir & Ally Crane

Have a great week!
Mrs Jenny Holgate
Assistant Principal

From the Religious Education Coordinator

Pope Francis addressed 20,000 Catholic youths in PNG at Port Moresby only last week. He urged everyone to be "Wantoks of Love," promoting unity and compassion, through lifting each other up, saying, “When someone falls, you must help to lift him or her up.” This message resonated deeply with the young people in PNG, leaving them with a renewed sense of hope and joy. As a small Catholic school, we can embrace this message by continuing to foster a community where we support and uplift one another. Whether it’s through our studies, friendships, or daily interactions, we are called to be "Wantoks of Love," showing compassion, kindness, and unity in all we do.

Year 9 & 10 CSYMI Students
I would like to offer my thanks and congratulations to the following Year 9 and 10 CSYMI students who have stepped up to facilitate the Year 4, 5, and 6 retreat days over the last month. Your leadership, enthusiasm, and care for our younger students have been truly inspiring. 

Year 9 Students: Rebecca Martignago, Deborah Hague, Charlotte Joyce, Connor Byrne, Natalie Swan, Lauren Tackle, Ava Millar, Macy Hutchison, Roger Lord, Jasmin Cole, Addisen Welch, Kaedynce Boyd, Lucia De Losa, Lily Wallace, Emily Commins and Claire Taylor.

Year 10 Students: Glen Okon, Lachlan Cole, Isabella Faunce, Layla Roberts, Savannah Green, Fletcher Impey, Emma Durnford, Alicia Turner, Caitlin Swart, Lorissa Collins, Isabelle Youman and Molly Lambert.

Year 12 Graduation Mass
I would like to take this opportunity to warmly invite you all to our Year 12 Graduation Mass on Thursday, 26th September, at 5pm at St. Patrick’s Church. This is a significant moment for our Year 12 students as they prepare to conclude their journey at La Salle Academy. Let’s come together as a community to celebrate their achievements and support them during this special milestone. A big thank you in advance to our Choir, Year 11 students, and Altar Servers, who are working hard to make this Mass a memorable occasion. 

Keeping Year 11 & Year 12 in Our Prayers
As we look ahead, I ask that you keep our Year 11 students in your prayers as they begin their Preliminary exams this Friday. Please also remember our Year 12 students in your thoughts, as they complete their coursework and begin the intense preparation for the HSC exams, which start in less than a month. This is a time of both anticipation and pressure, so let’s offer them all our support and encouragement.

St. Vinnies Winter Appeal
I’d like to take a moment to thank all the students who participated in the St. Vinnies Winter Sleepout and Appeal. Together, we raised $468, which will go a long way to help those in need during these colder months. Your generosity is what makes La Salle Academy such a special community.

10kg Chocolate Raffle
Lastly, we have some exciting news, our 10kg chocolate raffle is coming up soon! All proceeds from this fundraiser will go towards Lithgow Community Projects. It’s a great way for us to give back to our community, so please grab your raffle tickets during recess or lunch over the next two weeks. Tickets are $2.

Upcoming events and activities:

17/9 Sacramental Program (Theory Component 2 of 4)

19/9 Year 9 Lasallian Mission Retreat Day

20/9 Year 10 Lasallian Mission Retreat Day

Have an amazing fortnight.

Mrs Wilsmore-Smith
Religious Education Coordinator

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Youth Minister

CSYMI Retreat Days
It has been an extremely busy few weeks in terms of retreat days here at La Salle. Over the past 4 weeks our year 9 and 10 CSYMI students have run retreat days for year 4, year 5 and year 6 students from St Patrick's Lithgow, St Joseph's Oberon and St Joseph's Portland. I am pleased to say that our CSYMI leaders excelled in their work in leading these days.

Vinnies Winter Sleepout
We also had a very successful Vinnies Winter sleepout a few weeks ago, with around 30 students and teachers coming together to raise awareness for homelessness within our community. I would like to thank all those who attended the night and for everyone who helped to make it such a good night for all!

Coming up over the next few weeks
We have many exciting things coming up for our students as we come towards the end of the term. Next week we have our Year 9 and 10 Lasallian Retreat days which will be run on Thursday and Friday. We are also having a movie and pizza night on Friday the 20th of September for our Youth Group Gathering for this term. The movie chosen for this gathering is Inside Out 2. I hope to see you there!

Imogen Della Bosca
La Salle Youth Minister

Pastoral and Wellbeing Co-ordinator's

Welcome to week 8 of a busy term. This is the pointy end of the term where assessments are being given and there will be lots of different due dates. While this can be a stressful time for students, having a strong relationship and communication with their teachers about assessments can help ease some of this stress. Our tutorial centre is open on Monday and Wednesday afternoons for students to come and engage with their teachers and get extra help they need for assessment tasks and school work. This is held in the library at school and is a great opportunity to complete school work, with the assistance of our amazing staff. 

Thomas McWilliam Information Session
We had Hannah and Jane from Thomas McWilliam, a recruitment agency based in Bathurst, come out last Monday to talk about some exciting apprenticeship opportunities, as well as give some helpful tips for applying for jobs. They discussed the importance of getting involved to maximise employability. This could be getting involved in extracurricular activities at school, or getting a casual or part time job to build basic working skills. I have attached a copy of the flyer with contact information and more information on what they do. 

Year 5 Taster Day
We had over 70 students from our local primary schools come out for our year 5 Taster Day, last Tuesday. A massive thank you to Ms Plumb and Ms Isedale for facilitating the day, and all the teachers involved in making the day super engaging and exciting for these prospective students. The students got to experience a range of subjects including PDHPE, Japanese, and STEM. We had amazing feedback from the schools involved and the kids had an amazing time. 

Prelims 
The Preliminary exams start on Friday the 13th of September. We wish the best of luck to our year 11 students. It can be easy to get stressed and overwhelmed during this time. It is important to remember that this is a time for the students to identify what study habits truly work for them, including how they write their study notes to best suit their learning needs. It is okay to not have this perfected just yet, but it is a great time to learn. It is important to get plenty of sleep during this time, and engage in some exercise during study breaks. Good luck year 11!

A reminder that you can speak to either myself or Tahni Isedale about any wellbeing concerns that you have for your children. Please email or give the school a call as we are here to help. 

Ms Kerry Hogan
Pastoral Wellbeing

Upcoming Visual Arts Opportunities

Library News

Writing Competition
Little Stories. Big Ideas. This writing competition for secondary school students is open four times a year to coincide with the school terms. Students can either write a story or poem in 100 words or less. This may seem like an easy task, but it is quite deceptive as composing an effective piece of writing within the word count is definitely challenging. Students will certainly need to employ their drafting and editing skills to refine their response. Each competition has a theme which students must address in their writing. This term the theme is: APPROVAL. 

It is free to enter and there are prizes to be won. Entries will close on 20th September, 2024. See the website for more details or come to the library to find out more.

 https://littlestoriesbigideas.com.au/

Myths and Legends Library Display
This term, our Year 7 students have been studying an English unit titled Myths and Legends: Stories from Around the World. This unit has enabled them to explore a wide range of narratives which examine the beliefs of diverse cultures from across the globe. To coincide with their study, we have created a library display showcasing the fiction and non-fiction resources the library has on the topic. The students have engaged well with the display and used the resources to support their research for the narrative monologue assessment task.

Homework Club
Mondays and Wednesdays have become a busy time in the library this term with the La Salle Academy Homework Club operating until 6pm. It is wonderful to see so many students taking the opportunity to work on assessments and homework as well as study for upcoming exams under the guidance of dedicated staff who are on hand to provide assistance. The library provides a quiet learning space for students to focus on their tasks and utilise the resources available to support their learning. All year groups are welcome to attend the homework club. For further information come to the library or speak to Mr Carpenter. 

Genrefication of the Library Collection
Our library fiction collection is currently undergoing a refresh and one of the newest features we have created is a system of organisation known as ‘genrefication’. Previously, all of the fiction books were organised using alphabetical order of the author’s surname. However, when searching for a novel, students sometimes felt overwhelmed for choice when trying to find the right type of book. Therefore, by categorising texts into genres, it enables students to clearly identify the type of book they are after and reduces the frustration of not being able to select a text they would enjoy. Our genre categories include: Australian Literature, Autobiography/Biography, Classics, Historical Fiction, First Nations Stories, Mystery/Thriller, Fantasy, Speculative Fiction, Humour, Romance, Short Stories and General Fiction. We look forward to seeing students engage with this new system and will continue to evolve the categories as necessary.

Overdue Notices
All students have now received their overdue library notices. Thank you to those students who have returned their resources. If you could discuss this issue with your child and encourage them to return any overdue items they may still have, that would be greatly appreciated. Please contact the library if there are any questions about overdue items. 

Happy Reading,
Mrs Devine

Literacy at La Salle

In 2018, the New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA) conducted a review of how teachers teach writing in schools. The findings presented in the 

Teaching Writing: Report of the Thematic Review of Writing (NESA 2018) indicated that the ability to write ‘clearly and purposefully’ continues to be a crucial component of  educational success. Between 2018 and 2020, NESA completed a comprehensive review of the NSW curriculum and the key recommendations relating to strengthening writing included:

• clarify and strengthen writing content in syllabus documents
• provide coherent direction for teaching writing in English and other subjects

As a response to this review, NESA has embarked on a reform of the Kindergarten to Year 12 NSW curriculum, which is something that has not been done for thirty years. The new syllabus documents for each stage address writing skills through the inclusion of:

• explicit writing content to support students to become fluent creators of texts and to deepen their understanding of learning areas
• opportunities to practise the process of creating written texts to develop and communicate knowledge, understanding and ideas
• a focus on vocabulary and sentence construction (primary)

• a focus on development of word consciousness and precise use of subject specific terminology (secondary)

The syllabus development process is divided into four phases:

1. Writing
2. Consultation
3. Approval
4. Preparation and implementation.

The only syllabuses to have been implemented this year are the English (K-10) and Mathematics (K-10). All other subject areas will be in the consultation or planning/preparation phases with the remaining syllabuses being implemented between 2025-2028.

The syllabus documents are available for public viewing through the NESA website. 

To reform the K-12 curriculum is an enormous task and our dedicated staff have been working to ensure they are prepared to adapt seamlessly to the changes being implemented. This year, staff professional development has focused on ways to improve the writing skills of our students, specifically through:

• establishing clear writing structures specific to each subject area
•  providing regular writing opportunities within the classroom
• developing the subject specific language (tier 2 and 3 words)
• providing effective feedback 

Writing will continue to be a literacy focus for La Salle Academy in 2025.

Mrs Melissa Devine
Literacy Coach

Basketball News

On Monday of Week 5, three teams travelled to Bathurst to represent La Salle at the Diocesan Gala Day.

Our Junior Boys team fought hard throughout the day, starting off with a relatively easy win over St Marys Wellington, before losing close games to much bigger teams from St Johns Dubbo and St Matthews Mudgee before beating Red Bend Forbes in our final game of the day. Toby Robinson and Blake Griffiths were the stand out performers on the day, while Kristian Scarlett and Junior Tamanitoakula provided great support throughout the day.

The Inters Boys team started with a sound victories over James Sheehan Orange and Red Bend Forbes, before they too came up against bigger teams from St Johns Dubbo and St Matthews Mudgee. They also won their final game, this one against St Marys, finishing third overall. Archie Morris led the team strongly with great support from Kyan Campbell, Aidan Bayer Barrow and Lincoln Hutchison.

Our Junior Girls team started the day with a resounding win over James Sheehan and relatively close wins over Dubbo and Mackillop Bathurst before sealing their Grand Final berth with an easy win over Red Bend. In the rematch with Mackillop in the Grand Final, the girls played outstanding basketball, running out winners and ending the day as undefeated champions. Indiana Lee and Chloe De Losa played fantastic on offence and defence all day, supported by Emerson Crowe while  Layla Oliver, Lila Moloney, Ruby Moss and Arden Cutler played great defence and filled their roles superbly all day. The girls will now go to the State titles early in November. Thanks to Mrs Narelle Lee and Imogen Della Bosca for coaching and training the team on the day and in the lead up to the tournament.

Congratulations to all the players on their efforts in training and on the day as well their exemplary behaviour and the manner in which they represented La Salle throughout the tournament.

Junior Boys Team

Toby Robinson                       Blake Griffiths                       Kristian Scarlett

Junior Tamanitoakula         Isaac Beckett                         Angus Green

Mason Evans

Inter Boys Team

Archie Morris                    Kyan Campbell                        Aydin Bayer Barrow

Lincoln Hutchison          Mitchell Lane                          Joshua McManus

Zach Fitzpatrick              Levi Taylor                                Kooper Handley

Junior Girls Team

Indiana Lee                  Chloe De Losa                         Emerson Crowe

Layla Oliver                 Lila Moloney                           Ruby Moss

Arden Cutler

ALL THINGS ATTENDANCE

It is law in NSW that all school age children must attend school every day that the school is open.
There is a direct relationship between learning success and excellent attendance

WHY IS SCHOOL ATTENDANCE SO IMPORTANT
Regular school attendance is not just about meeting a requirement; it is a fundamental
building block that sets the stage for academic growth, personal development and the
pursuit of life’s opportunities.
Consistent school attendance is a key factor in preparing students for success beyond school
and in their future careers. Employers and higher education institutions value dedication
and commitment demonstrated through regular attendance.
Attending school everyday helps children establish routine and develop habits of punctuality
and responsibility and helps set our children up to embrace the future, valuing commitment,
reliability and community.
La Salle recognises and values the benefits of a positive home/school relationship and seeks
to involve parents in developing and maintaining the strategies that support the
development of positive patterns of attendance for all students. We ask parents to help us
make school attendance a priority.

Finance

SCHOOL FEES REMINDER
A quick reminder that we have only 14 weeks until the end of the school year to ensure that the School Fee Accounts are fully paid up for 2024. Due to our fee structure being set up as three payments over three terms, Instalments 1, 2 and 3 should now be paid and if not, are now overdue. Now is a good time to 'check in' with your fee balance to work out your plan of action before the end of year is reached. We will be sending out Statements shortly to provide you with the latest up-to-date balance on your account.
3rd Installment Billing and Due Date:
Term 3 Billing date: 02/08/2024 and Installment Due date: 16/08/2024If 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.


Kind regards,
Narelle Lee
Office Manager

Statement by the Bishop of Bathurst

Atomi Resources for Parents and Carers

Community News and Events

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. 

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

Student stationery pack

Becoming a foster carer

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. 

CEBD Community Charter