St Paul's Bulletin Term 1 Week 10 2025
Principal's Message
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matt 4:1-4)
Dear Parents and Carers,
We continue our Lenten journey, getting closer to Easter. We are over halfway through the forty days of Lent. We are called to pray, fast and give to the poor. This tradition goes back many centuries as a time of reflection to strive to be better people. Next Friday we will be celebrating the Easter story with Stations of the Cross being held in the Josephite Centre at 8.45 am. Everyone is welcome!
The key to success in any large organisation involving people is communication, with 300 children, 30 staff members and over 500 parents at St Paul’s. At St Paul’s, we communicate with parents through the bulletin, notes, Compass, Facebook, Instagram, email messages, meetings and announcements at assemblies. Parents communicate back through meetings, notes and emails. Most afternoons, I am at the gate to answer questions. Sometimes we hear about issues that are only shared in the ‘carpark’, but never to us. If you are concerned about anything at St Paul’s, please come to see us. We can only act upon things we know about. We love to hear positive stories too! Let’s keep the communication lines open!
We have had a report of a possible ‘stranger’ in the area. Please have a ‘stranger danger’ talk with your children. For more information, go to https://safety4kids.com.au/safety-zone/stranger-danger
Last night we held a special Parent and Friends (P&F) Meeting. This meeting was the formal process to dissolve the P&F to create a FACE (Family and Community Engagement forum). It was also an opportunity to celebrate the wonderful work of the P&F over the past 60 years! Many thanks to all the amazing people who have given tirelessly for the children and families of St Paul's! Our first FACE forum will be held next term.
At the end of this term, Mrs Lauren Ross will be taking maternity leave as she awaits the birth of her first child. I am pleased to announce that Mrs Louise Lonsdale has been appointed Primary Coordinator and Pedagogical Mentor for the rest of the year. Louise will continue to job-share in 3B with Mrs Kate Smolen. Mrs Deb Edwards will take over 1G full time for the rest of the year while Mrs Jodie Maxwell will move to Year 1/2 to job-share with Mrs Karly Castellas. Mrs Tess Jacobson returns in Term 2 from maternity leave on 4B, job-sharing with Ms Elise Kellaway. Many thanks to Mrs Jane Butler for teaching 4B for Term 1!
We will officially change to the winter uniform at the beginning of Term 2. But if the weather stays unseasonably warm, children may stay in their summer uniform for a short while. Please choose one uniform or the other; do not mix and match summer and winter uniforms. Children K-6 should continue to wear their sports uniform on Thursday and Friday in Term 2. The children look so smart in their correct uniforms, showing pride in themselves, their families and their school. Thank you for your support in this regard.
ANZAC Day is on the last Friday of the holidays. All children are encouraged to represent St Paul’s at the ANZAC Day service at Charlestown Lions Park (near Charlestown Bowling Club) on that day, 25th April. The service begins at 11am. Students should meet Mrs Davison at 10.30 am and are asked to wear the full summer school uniform.
Please note that the first day back next term is Monday, April 28. Public schools will be having a pupil free day on this day, but we will not. Our next pupil free day is Friday, June 6. This is the Friday of the June long weekend. Please put this in your diary now.
We will soon commence enrolment interviews for families enrolling at St Paul’s for 2026. On June 2nd we will be holding an OPEN DAY, so all parents, including prospective families, can see the school in action. Everyone is welcome! Parents should note that the enrolment period for 2026 closes on May 23. If you know of any families interested in enrolling next year, please let them know about this Open Day!
With every blessing,
Greg Cumming
Principal
Important Dates
April 8: U12's Rugby League Gala Day - Windale
April 9: Easter Raffle and Kinder Easter Hat Parade 8:45 am
April 10: ASPIRE Workshops Years 4-6
April 11: Stations of the Cross 8:45 am
April 11: Last day of Term 1
April 17: Holy Thursday
April 18: Good Friday
April 20: Easter Sunday
April 25: ANZAC Day
April 28: 1st Day of Term 2 (All students)
April 28: Sacrament of Confirmation Formation Session 1 6:30 pm
April 29: Athletics Carnival Glendale (8 years to 13 years)
May 5: Sacrament of Confirmation Formation and Rehearsal 6:30 pm
May 8: Mother's Day Stall
May 9: Mother's Day Breakfast and Liturgy
May 9: Sacrament of Confirmation 6 pm
May 12-15: Cogat Testing Years 2 & 4
May 15: AFL Paul Kelly Cup
May 23: Enrolment Period Closes
June 2: Catholic Schools Week Liturgy and Open Morning 9 am
June 6: Pupil Free Day
For more details and dates, check the Compass Calendar.
2025 School Dates
Term | Start Date | End Date |
Term 1 | 31/01/2025 | 11/04/2025 |
Term 2 | 28/04/2025 | 4/07/2025 |
Term 3 | 21/07/2025 | 26/09/2025 |
Term 4 | 13/10/2025 | 19/12/2025 |
Assistant Principal's Message
Mother's Day Stall
Due to the change to a Family and Community Engagement Forum (FACE) many processes will need to be updated for things like our Mother's Day Stall. Part of these updates will be the use of the Spriggy School App and many events will need to be pre-ordered/RSVP'd in advance.
As such, due to the closeness of Mother's Day to the beginning of Term 2, Mother's Day gifts will need to be pre-ordered this week. Families will have until next Thursday, 10th April, 3 pm to order their gifts on the Events Tab of Spriggy School App. No late orders or IOUs wll be accepted.
This month on SchoolTV - Cybersafety
Young people today are growing up in an increasingly connected world where technology is part of their everyday lives –– for learning, socialising, and entertainment. While the digital world offers enormous benefits, it also comes with serious risks. From cyberbullying and online predators to inappropriate content and screen time concerns, navigating the online environment can be challenging for young people and their families.
Cybersafety is not just about blocking access –– it's about empowering young people with the knowledge and skills they need to use technology responsibly and safely. This includes understanding privacy settings, recognising scams, and developing healthy digital habits. At the same time, it's important for parents and caregivers to stay informed, have open and judgement-free conversations with their children, and lead by example through positive online behaviour.
In today's digital age, safeguarding a child's wellbeing must also include protecting their online life. This edition of SchoolTV will help you better understand the digital landscape your child is navigating and offer practical strategies to help them stay safe, confident and in control online.
Here is the link to your Edition https://gatesheadsp.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/cybersafety-au
Jessica Moulder
Assistant Principal
Catholic Culture at St Paul's
Project Compassion - Caritas Lenten Appeal
Lent is a special time of year – a time for prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, and a time to live out the good news for those in need. Caritas Australia invites you to put your compassion into action this Lent.
As individuals, we can make a difference, but when we come together through Project Compassion, our efforts become even more impactful. Our collective kindness has the power to grow, and by uniting with each other and with those living in poverty, we can create BIG, lasting change.
Let’s all Unite Against Poverty! Together, we can make 2025 a year of hope and transformation.
It's not to late to donate via this link: St Paul's Primary School - Gateshead • Project Compassion 2025
Stations of the Cross – All Are Welcome
We warmly invite our school community to join us for the Stations of the Cross on Friday, 11 April, at 9am in the Josephite Centre. This prayerful reflection will guide us through Jesus’ journey to the cross, offering a moment of contemplation and faith as we prepare for Easter. Our students will lead us in this solemn and meaningful tradition, bringing the story of Christ’s sacrifice to life. We hope you can join us in prayer as we reflect on the love and hope of the Easter season.
Koori News
Sports News
School Cross Country Results
Congratulations to all students who ran our school cross-country and 'fun run' last Thursday. The teachers were very proud of the participation by all students and their determination to run longer distances!
Congratulations to the following students who were placed in the top 3 in their age-groups:
8/9 yrs boys- Myles Willis, Oliver Cook, Cash Phillips; 8/9 yrs girls Abby Rice, Alexis Mansfield, Aisha Trevor
10 yrs boys- Lucah Diaz, Blaise Woolley, Huxley Stuart; 10 yrs girls- Eve Carter, Hannah Ryan, Harper Degan
11 yrs boys- Halen Hackney, Fletcher Catterson, Kai Rice; 11 yrs girls- Mabel Coyte, Eden Watts, Asha Sutherland
12 yrs boys- Jacob Fitzgerald, Roman Duenzl, Alfie Robertson; 12 yrs girls- Maeva Clifford; Minnie Cooper-Stone; Daisy Lofberg
Those students above who met the qualifying time for their age group will proceed to the Diocesan Cross Country at Maitland- event to come on Compass soon.
We will present the above students with their placing ribbons at our Athletics Carnival presentation early in Term 2 Date TBC. We will notify parents of this date early next term.
School Athletics Carnival
A reminder that our school athletics carnival will be held Term 2 Week 1 (Tuesday 29th April). This athletics carnival is for students in Year 2-6. Students will be asked this week if they intend on entering the 200m, 800m and 1500m events. Please chat to your child about which races they are suited to. All students participate in the 100m, shot put, long jump and novelty events. Details can be found on the Compass Event- please give consent via this event for your child.
URGENT CALL OUT- School Athletics Carnival- Parent volunteers
We are looking for parent volunteers to assist us at our school athletics carnival next term Tuesday 29th April (Term 2 Week 1). If you are available to assist on the day, we would greatly appreciate if you could fill in the following form to register your interest. Please note that only students in Year 2 to 6 will be attending the Athletics carnival- the infants will hold a separate school carnival at a later date to be confirmed.
https://forms.office.com/r/mEHpJrJwMz
Soccer Gala Day
Miss S and Miss Kellaway attended the Newcastle Permanent Soccer Gala day this week. Congratulations to all students who attended and represented St Paul's so amazingly. It was so wonderful to hear that other schools commented on the wonderful behaviour and sportmanship of our students. An extra special thank you to the parents who assisted with teams on the day- without parent help, we would not be able to take our students to these days- thank you! And thank you to Miss S for organising our students for this event.
Polding Sports
Congratulations to Maeva Clifford who has been selected to trial at the Polding Football (Soccer) trials, and to Archie Cummings who was selected to attend the Rugby League Under 11s trials next term in Bathurst. We are very proud of you both!
Abbey Edwards
Harmony Day
We are excited to share the wonderful activities we enjoyed during Harmony Day! Our students created beautiful orange hearts, each one showing how they can contribute to creating harmony in our school, at home, and in the community. These hearts are now proudly displayed, reminding us of all of the importance of kindness and teamwork.
Thank you to everyone who participated in our Harmony Day activities. From our survey, we identified at least 44 different countries within our school community! We are quite a diverse community for a small school! During class discussions, the students were keen to share their family cultural backgrounds, even if they were born in Australia. They embraced aspects of their peers' cultural differences, such as the variety of international foods, festivals, and languages. This generated wonderful discussions on diversity, tolerance, and acceptance.
It was also fantastic to see so many students wear cultural dress or dress up in orange, the colour associated with Harmony Day!
Thank you for your support in making Harmony Day a success!
Warm regards,
Mrs Dionne Mitchell
EAL/D Teacher
(English as an Additional Language)
Parent News
Calling 4 Volunteers
We are seeking Parent Volunteers on Tuesday, April 8th, at 1:45 p.m. to sort, wrap, and organise the gifts for the raffle on Wednesday, April 9th. If you would like to lend a hand for an hour, don't hesitate to get in touch with the office to put your name down.
Volunteering at St Paul's
Please see the below link if you would like to register to volunteer at St Paul’s. Our school is always in need of volunteers for many school activities. We will let you know once we receive your clearance from your registration; this must be received before you volunteer.
Upcoming information sessions and webinars for parents and carers
Parents and carers are the most important educators in their child’s life. As well as partnering directly with our school to support your child’s learning and wellbeing, there are a range of webinars and information sessions provided each month by reputable providers specifically for parents and carers- free of charge. To view a list of upcoming webinars and information sessions that may be of interest to you, click the link below at any time. The list will be updated weekly throughout the school term, so be sure to check the page regularly.
Another useful resource for parents and carers to access timely information on a range of topics including cyber safety, mental health, positive parenting, school survival, diversity and inclusion and healthy bodies is via School TV. Our school invested in this online platform so that our parents and carers can conveniently access reliable information from credible sources all in one place - when you need it most - not just at a specified webinar time. It includes videos, fact sheets and podcasts all delivered by leading psychologists and experts.
To access our school’s SchoolTV site visit https://gatesheadsp.catholic.schooltv.me/
Gifted Education News
2025 Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards
Key dates
• Entries opened on Saturday 1 March 2025.
• Submissions close Monday 30 June 2025.
• Winners announced at 10 am on Friday 5 September 2025.
For more information on the competition and how to enter CLICK HERE.
The optional theme for 2025 is “All the Beautiful Things”.
WriteOn Competition
The annual WriteOn Competition is an exciting opportunity for schools, teachers and students to focus on writing. Through the competition, students develop skills in writing to express their ideas and may become published authors.
The competition is for students in Years 1 to 6 who are accessing NSW syllabuses, including students registered for home schooling. Students create an imaginative text of up to 500 words, using a provided stimulus.
Each year, winners are celebrated at an award ceremony and their entries are published in ‘The Best of WriteOn' anthology.
WriteOn 2025 opens Monday 24 March 2025. This year the competition is held in association with the State Library of NSW. For WriteOn 2025, students use a stimulus quote to explore their voices as authors when creating an imaginative text.
The new stimulus for WriteOn 2025 is the quote:
“Could they be changing?”
Entries close on Friday 20 June 2025.
For further information about the WriteOn Competiiton please see the following
website: https://www.nsw.gov.au/education-and-training/nesa/awards-and-events/writeon-competition
Any interested students are encouraged to have a conversation with Mr Yarnold (Gifted Education Mentor).
Gifted Education Mentor
Creative Arts News
Office Messages
IMPORTANT - School Fees
As we are fast approaching the end of Term 1, we would like to kindly remind all families that fee payments should now have started, as per the school’s payment schedule. For families who have already started making payments, we sincerely thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. Your continued support is deeply appreciated.
For those who have not yet started payments, we kindly ask that you start making regular payments moving forward. The Catholic Schools Office requires a steady payment schedule, and timely payments are essential for maintaining the smooth running of the school.
If you have any questions or need assistance with the payment process, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.
Thank you once again for your support.
Complaints, Resolution and Feedback
St Paul’s Primary School, The Catholic Schools Office (CSO) and Schools in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle are committed to providing a positive, safe environment for all staff and students. There are occasions, however, when members of our schools and wider community are concerned about something happening at a school that appears to be unsatisfactory or unreasonable.
If you have a complaint, please follow this procedure.
Volunteering
Throughout the year, we invite parents/carers to volunteer at the school. To volunteer, you must complete the volunteer's induction.
Car Park Rules
All parents are required to follow the car park rules:
- No Parking in the Kiss’n’drop zone
- “Kiss‘n’drop” only operates in the morning, NOT in the afternoon
- Children should get out on the left side of the car. Parents should stay in the car.
- In the afternoon parents must park and walk to the gate to collect their children
- No parking in the OOSH Staff parking area
- No parking adjacent to the church, which is a walkway
- Avoid reversing when possible
- Drive at a walking pace only
- Do not enter the staff parking section unless you have a ‘disabled’ sticker
- School zones remain in place for the safety of our children and families. School zones operate on all gazetted school days, Which are all days the school is open, even pupil-free days.
- Give way to all traffic as you exit the car park.
Please keep our car park safe for the sake of all our children.
Parish News
Children’s Liturgy is held every Sunday at 9:30am during Holy Mass. WE ARE NOW BACK IN ST PAUL'S CHURCH! We have a beautiful, dedicated room at St Paul’s Gateshead where we hear and discuss the Gospel each week, working our way through the Liturgical Calendar.
There’s always lots of friendship and fun activities.
Safeguarding is our highest priority. Children’s Liturgy will only go ahead if there are two volunteers with current Working With Children Checks.
All are welcome! We look forward to meeting some new friends!
Jacqui Wilson (school mum at St Paul’s Primary) and the Children’s Liturgy Team.