Newsletter No.9 - 24th September 2025

Message from the Principal

Celebrating a Magical Musical Moment

Last week, our school community was treated to an unforgettable performance of The Case of the Missing Teacher — a vibrant, imaginative musical created and performed by our very own students. It was a joyful celebration of creativity, collaboration, and courage, and I couldn’t be prouder of everyone involved.

The energy on stage was electric, and the story — entirely imagined and developed by our students — was full of laughter, mystery, and heart. Their talent and teamwork shone through in every scene, and it was truly inspiring to witness their hard work come to life.

Productions like this don’t happen without the support of many dedicated individuals. On behalf of our school, I extend my deepest thanks to:

• Lisa Pockran (SJKB Music Teacher)
• Anna Kerrigan, Lauren Harvey & Jessica Lopez from Aspire
• Cassie Burt, Creative Arts and Languages Leader of Learning & Drama Teacher, and Alicia Paterson Teacher from St Paul’s Catholic College, Booragul
• Class teachers at SJKB
• Sophie Fuller, Emily O’Grady,  Ruby Fitzpatrick, Genevieve Walz Backstage Support
• Paulla Walz, Courtney Albury & Stuart Pockran Props, backstage
• Nicholas Wickham, Principal of St Paul’s Catholic College
• St Paul’s staff and Year Nine Creative Industries students (Backstage Support)

Your generosity, expertise, and behind-the-scenes magic made this production possible, and we are so grateful for your contributions.

To our incredible students — thank you for your enthusiasm, imagination, and commitment. You are the heart of this school, and your performance reminded us all of the power of storytelling and the joy of shared creativity.

Thank you to everyone who attended and supported the show. Your applause and encouragement meant the world to our young performers.

We look forward to welcoming everyone back to a refreshed school after the break.

Warm regards,

Nikki Norley

(Principal)

School Musical

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Building Works Update – School Holiday Improvements

During the upcoming school break, we’re excited to continue enhancing our learning environment with a number of important upgrades across the school. These works include:

• The addition of breakout spaces in all classrooms to support flexible learning.
• Replacement of the Kindergarten toilets and art space sink areas.
• Garden restorations to revitalise our outdoor spaces.
• Upgraded lighting in the school carpark to improve safety and visibility.
• Window repairs and restorations throughout the school.
• A new pathway to the bus bay for safer and easier access.
• New roofs for all school buildings

These improvements reflect our ongoing commitment to providing a safe, engaging, and inspiring environment for our students and staff.

Message from the Assistant Principal

PB4L Update

Our Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) program continues to thrive as we focus on building a safe, respectful and supportive school community. Students have been working hard to demonstrate our core school values of Respect, Service and Resilience.

When students are seen living out these values in their learning and play, they are rewarded with Joeys, which contribute towards their house totals. It’s wonderful to see so many students proudly earning Joeys each week and celebrating positive behaviour across the school.

This term students collected the most Joeys, earning a special reward for their house. Congratulations to all the McAuley House students for showing outstanding Respect, Service, and Resilience. Your consistent efforts have paid off — keep up the great work!

Let’s see which house will take the lead next term. Keep earning those Joeys and showing our school values every day!

Rock and Water

This term, selected students are participating in the Rock and Water program, a social and emotional learning program designed to build confidence, self-awareness, and resilience.

Through fun and practical activities, students are learning how to:

• Recognise and manage their emotions
• Develop self-control and confidence
• Build respectful relationships
• Use positive strategies to deal with challenges and conflict

We are already seeing students demonstrate increased confidence and positive interactions with their peers.

Student use of Mobile Phones and Wearable Technologies

At SJKB we understand that mobile phones are an important part of family communication and student safety. To ensure a positive and focused learning environment, we have established the following procedures regarding mobile phone use during the school day:

• Mobile phones must be kept in a secure tub in the child’s classroom. Mobile phones can not be kept in students’ bags
• Students and parents must have signed the student use of mobile phones and wearable technologies in schools’ agreement
• Phones are not to be used during breaks or lunch
• Students can not use their mobile phone whilst travelling on the bus
• Phones must be turned to silent during the day

• Parents should contact the school office to relay messages to students rather than calling them directly.

We appreciate your support in helping us maintain a respectful and productive learning environment.

To view the specific school statement entirely, please visit the link below.

ASPIRE: WOW Gallery 

Submissions still open! This year's theme is

 ‘Finding WOW in the everyday- how ordinary moments can be extraordinary’

Submissions can be made via the link below:

Volunteering at SJKB

We regularly need volunteers for various roles within our school. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer at our school, please follow the instructions on the link below:

If you have been a volunteer in the past and your WWCC has expired, you can renew it for free at Service NSW.

Once you have been cleared, you will need to come in for a site induction (approx. 20mins). We appreciate you all so much!

Our planned site induction dates for Term 4 are below, please email me with your attendance.

• Thursday 6^th November 8.30am
• Monday 24^th November 3.10pm

Message from the REC

Celebrating Catherine McAuley - A Woman of Mercy

Today we celebrated Mercy Week and the life of Venerable Catherine McAuley, founder of the Sisters of Mercy.

Catherine was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1778. At a time when many people were poor and homeless, she opened the House of Mercy to care for women and children, nurse the sick, and provide education for poor girls. Her compassion inspired others, and the Sisters of Mercy were formed, carrying her mission across the world, including to Australia.

Our school has a unique history. We were founded by the Sisters of St Joseph but were also run by the Sisters of Mercy for 17 years, from 1956 - 1973, when our school and church were first located in Carey Street, Toronto.

The Church calls Catherine Venerable because she lived a very holy and faithful life. This is an important step on her journey to becoming a saint. She is remembered as a model of compassion, generosity, and love.

As we celebrate Mercy Week, we give thanks for Catherine’s example and for the Sisters of Mercy who played a role in shaping the history of our school. May her life inspire us to live with kindness and mercy each day.

St Joseph's Church, Carey St, Toronto (1924)

St Joseph's Primary School, Carey St, Toronto (date unknown)

An Introduction to Catholicism – a guide for parents

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

This guide is intended for parents and carers and is an introduction to Catholicism, with easy-to-understand explanations of Catholic beliefs and traditions.

Celebrating First Holy Communion

On Sunday, 12th October at 9:00am at our St Joseph’s Church, a number of our students will take a very special step in their faith journey as they receive their First Holy Communion.

First Holy Communion is a joyful and sacred occasion where our young people receive the Eucharist for the very first time, drawing them closer to Jesus and the life of the Church. It is a moment filled with faith, hope, and love; one that will stay with them for many years to come.

We congratulate all the students who have been preparing so carefully through prayer, reflection, and learning. We also thank their families, teachers, and our parish community for guiding and supporting them along the way.

Please keep these students in your prayers as they celebrate this important milestone. May receiving Jesus in the Eucharist strengthen their faith and inspire them to continue living with kindness, love, and mercy.

Socktober - Kicking Goals for Mission

A big thank you to all our students and families who supported our recent Pyjama Day fundraiser for Socktober by donating a gold coin. Your generosity has helped us raise important funds for Catholic Mission, which works to support children and communities in need around the world.

This year, our school is joining schools across Australia to raise money for projects in Zambia, where Catholic Mission supports vulnerable children and families with food, education, healthcare, and safe places to live.

Next term, we are excited to hold our annual Socktober Fun Day, where students will take part in fun activities and continue raising funds to make a real difference for children in Zambia. More details will be shared soon, but it promises to be a day full of joy, teamwork, and community spirit.

For more information on Catholic Mission’s Socktober, click the link: 

Library News

Kinder Story Backpack

Class News - 4M

4M look forward to and enjoy their daily fitness activities with 4Blue. Tuesdays we do music based fitness activities such as The Nutbush, Cotton Eye Jo, and Tabata. Wednesday morning we rotate through a fitness circuit and Thursday we do cardio boxing with gloves and pads. Friday has been our sport day this term rounding out our movement and PE for the week.

In Science we have been investigating changes in the Earth's surface through movement of tectonic plates, volcanic eruptions and the forces of weathering and erosion. The children created a PowerPoint presentation about one of the unique landforms in Australia to showcase their learning. 

Fitness

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Science

Kinder excursion - Hunter Valley Zoo

Kinder 2026 - Orientation #1

Student BYOD Devices important message

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

Action is required for students with BYOD Windows 10 devices as Windows 10 will soon no longer be supported by Microsoft.

To ensure your student device security you should upgrade to Windows 11 as soon as possible.

Microsoft has announced that support for Windows 10 will end on 14 October 2025, meaning it will no longer receive critical security updates.

To stay protected and ensure optimal performance, it is strongly recommended that all students with BYOD Windows 10 devices follow Microsoft’s instructions and upgrade to Windows 11 as soon as possible. There is no charge for this upgrade.

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

Why this matters:

• Microsoft will stop supporting Windows 10 from 15 October 2025.
• Upgrading to Windows 11 ensures your child’s device remains secure and supported.
• Student Work Protection: Staying current helps safeguard assignments, projects, and personal data.

Read our FAQs for more support:

How do I check what version of Windows am I running?

• Select Start > Settings > System, then select About. You then see Edition, Version, and OS Build information.

What if my device can’t upgrade?

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

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

How to Join Microsoft’s ESU Program

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

• On eligible computers, a setup wizard will appear in Settings > Windows Update.
• There are three ways to enrol:

1. Free – Sync your settings to the cloud using Windows Backup. You must be logged in as administrator and with a Microsoft account.
2. Free – Use 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points.
3. Paid – Buy a one-year license for $30 USD (families cover this cost).

Diverse Learning Team News

Holiday programs give children valuable opportunities to build social skills in a fun, supportive environment. By taking part in group activities, children can learn how to share, take turns, and cooperate with others while working toward a common goal. Meeting new peers outside their usual school setting encourages children to step out of their comfort zone, make new friends, and practice communication in different situations. These experiences help children develop confidence, resilience, and empathy—skills that not only make the holidays enjoyable but also support positive relationships and success back at school

Here are some great programs and events in and around Lake Macquarie to keep your children active, creative, and enjoying the break.

Library & Creative Workshops

Lake Mac Libraries offers a variety of free and low-cost themed events during the holidays: storytimes, craft sessions, science shows, and special workshops. Some upcoming items include:

• “The Science of Space: Show + Activity Stations” on 29 September 2025 at Sugar Valley Library Museum, Cameron Park.
• “The Pillowcase Program: Preparing Kids for Emergencies” on 30 September (Morisset Library) and 1 October (Sugar Valley Library Museum).
• “Cultural Dance Workshop — India” on 1 October at Windale Hub.

Find details of all these programs on the link below:

Sports & Active Programs

• Intensive Learn to Swim sessions are being held in the Spring school holiday period, from 29 September to 10 October 2025. These are weekly intensive blocks to help improve swimming technique.
• PCYC NSW runs holiday programs at many of its locations, with themes like gymnastics, dodgeball, mini-Olympics, STEM, disco dance etc. There is also a special offer: book 3 full days and get the 4th day free for the 29 September – 13 October period.

Enjoy the break!

The Diverse Learning Team

Pastoral Care

In Week 8 we recognised two very important events in our school community- National Child Protection Week and R U OK? Day.

National Child Protection Week (7-13 September). This year’s theme is: Every Conversation Matters: Shifting Conversation to Action. Talking about safety and wellbeing is important, but action is what truly keeps children safe at school, at home, and in our wider community.

At school, students explored what safety means, who they can talk to if worried, and how to support one another.

The Diocesan school communities were invited to decorate a space that uniquely reflected a commitment to children’s safety and wellbeing in line with this year’s theme.

We turned our school fence into a vibrant racetrack! Each class decorated their own race car for the track, representing how we can all play a part in keeping children safe.

Just like in a race, every lap brings us closer to the finish line and every conversation about safety takes us one step closer to real action. Each pitstop along the way highlights a key idea to help children understand their right to be safe, supported, and cared for.

Start Line: Let’s Talk Safety!

Every race begins with a clear start. Our starting point is opening conversations about safety and understanding that every child has the right to feel safe.

Lap Flag 1: Trust the Crew-Grown-Ups Who Help

Just like a pit crew keeps a driver safe, trusted adults are there to support and protect children.

Lap Flag 2: Fuel Up with Kindness- Respect and Belonging

Kindness is the fuel that keeps us going. Respect and belonging helps everyone feel valued and supported.

Lap Flag 3: Spot the Hazards-Know Your Safety Signs

Every track has hazards. Recognising the signs when something doesn’t feel right helps us to stay safe.

Lap Flag 4: Teamwork Tyres-Helping Friends on the Track

Races are won with teamwork. Helping friends and looking out for each other makes our school community stronger.

Final Lap Flag: Victory Lap-Speaking Up Creates Change

Crossing the finish line shows us that speaking up when something isn’t right creates positive change and helps keep everyone safe.

To take it even further, two of our year 6 students, Audrey and Matilda created a special script to share how young people can shift from conversation to action, and the important ways kids can help keep themselves and others safe. This can be viewed on the St Joseph’s Primary School Facebook page.

Every afternoon last week there was a podium set up, where parents could snap a winning shot of their children, a fun way to capture the moment and continue the conversation at home.

RU OK? Day

Thursday, 12 September is a National Day of Action that encourages us to start meaningful conversations with friends, classmates, and family members. The theme this year is “I’m here to hear”. We want to remind our students that asking a simple question like “Are you OK?” can make a big difference and listening with kindness is just as important.

At school, students had the opportunity to engage in age-appropriate activities and discussions around these important themes. Together, we are building a community where everyone feels safe, supported, and connected.

We encourage families to continue these conversations at home, reminding children that it’s always OK to talk about their feelings and to check in with those around them.

Wishing you a lovely week

Mel Dobosz

Pastoral Care Worker

School Counsellor

Parent Burnout

It is often more wonderful and more terrifying than we have imagined to be a parent, especially in our modern society and we can all face burnout. So, if you are feeling exhausted, disconnected and/or inadequate below are a few strategies that may help:

1. Recognise that it is happening and ask for help. Think about all the people in your life that care about you, write a list of them, and next to each name write down how they may be able to help you, no matter how big or small. It might be just to talk with them or help give you time to yourself (which is necessary for surviving parenting).
2. Take a step back to gain clarity. Write down all the worries and concerns that you have about your child(ren). The list may be long, and that is okay. Next, prioritise one worry on the list and with someone, do some problem-solving together on that first problem. The rest can wait.
3. Check your thought patterns. Burnout often involves having unrealistic expectations. Go easy on yourself, we often wouldn’t talk to a friend the way we talk to ourselves. Remind yourself that you are doing the best that you can.
4. Rethink your daily schedule. It is very common in burnout to neglect your own needs. Think how you can maintain good nutrition, rest, exercise, quality time with a partner or close friend and reconnect with the activities and interests that you enjoy.
5. Stay connected. Keep in contact with friends and family members for social times just to connect and hang out, even when you don’t feel like it. Social connections are necessary for everyone.
6. Access information. Sometimes the reason for feeling overwhelmed is because advice and methods used in the past aren’t working. Knowledge can help to parent your child when things become difficult.
7. Access the best version of yourself and from that point of view, write yourself an incredibly supportive letter. Include any sources of inspiration, images, or quotes that make you feel good. Make an appointment with yourself at the beginning of every day to spend two minutes reading this letter.
8. Breathe. Our breath gives us energy and helps us calm down. Regularly throughout the day, whenever you have a spare moment, even if it is when you are washing up or on the toilet, pay attention to your breath. Notice the natural breath first, and then add an extra second to the in-breath and an extra two seconds to the out-breath. Continue with this new way of breathing for about one minute. You will experience increased energy and if you can do it for two minutes, that is even better.

Don’t forget the school and myself are here to help as well – so please don’t hesitate to reach out to us for help. I am at school every Tuesday and Wednesday and happy to chat.

Best Regards

Khay

Sport News

Netball Gala Day

Todd Woodbridge Cup - Stage 3

Todd Woodbridge Cup - Stage 2

Regional Tennis

Polding Athletics

Sporting Achievement

School Fees Information

The collection of school fees is crucial to our ability to effectively provide quality education for our students. The fees go directly to paying for new technology, resources for the classroom, experiences for students such as excursions, costs of buses etc.

As always, if a family is experiencing financial hardship, it is imperative that you contact the school to make an appointment to meet and discuss school fees, so that a payment plan can be arranged and families are supported.

Thanks

Susie and Gina

Volunteering at SJKB

We regularly need volunteers for various roles within our school. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer at our school, please follow the instructions on the link below:

PLUS

The PLUS Second hand clothing shop has been lucky enough to receive some wonderful offers to fulfill the orders. Thank you to the beautiful ladies who have volunteered and sort out the orders once a week.

If you can send an email to admin@kilabenbay.catholic.edu.au with your request and the office will pass it on to the volunteers. If the item is in stock we will send it home with the details for Qkr payment.

We have wide selection of secondhand uniforms available.  All uniform items are $5 and jackets are available for $10, so please make use of this service. 

New hats can also be ordered through the office and paid on Qkr.

PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR CHILD'S NAME AND CLASS in the message as our volunteers do not have access to the different family surnames to make connections to students - therefore use your child's name first, then your name, especially if different surname. 

Thank you!

THE PLUS TEAM

Canteen News – Including Volunteer Roster

We have a few vacant spots in next term's roster so are seeking new volunteers to help in the canteen.  With our  lunchtime the volunteers are only required to be here between the school drop off time and 11.15am.We ask any new or current Parents or Grandparents if if they could offer a couple of hours once or twice a term in the canteen so that the children can receive this service. They will love you being here too!

Qkr cut off times have been changed recently so please ensure Qkr orders are placed before 8.00 am each day.

If you would like to volunteer please call or email admin@kilabenbay.catholic.edu.au

Term Planner

St Nicholas OOSH

Spring Vacation Care

Good For Kids

Guitar Lessons

Community Notices

School Community Code of Conduct