Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Last week I returned to St Michael’s Nowra, following a period of Long Service Leave which included attending a wedding 120 miles north of London. I am pleased to be back in Nowra and would like to extend my gratitude to Mrs Carolyn Rutkowski, the school leadership team and all staff for their exceptional efforts in managing the school during my extended period of leave. Their dedication and commitment to maintaining the school's operations and fostering a positive learning environment have been truly commendable. I am grateful for their hard work, which allowed me to take this time for personal rejuvenation, knowing that the school was in capable hands. Their support reflects the strong sense of teamwork and unity that defines our school. Thank you once again for your invaluable contributions.

Schools are busy places and numerous events and activities occurred during my absence. Term 3 is usually highly productive, with an emphasis on strong consolidation of what has been learnt in the preceding two terms. Aided by data from Naplan and numerous other sources including the ‘Writing Assessment Tool’, teachers work diligently to help students reach their potential. The students have a productive further six weeks of learning ahead of them this term. This learning will include some excursions, including the Year 6 overnight educational tour to Canberra. 

I would like to offer my congratulations to Martine Mathieson, our REC, Mrs Bern Royston, our dedicated staff, and the wonderful students for orchestrating a truly heartwarming grandparents' liturgy last Friday. The event was a testament to their collective hard work, creativity, and commitment to fostering a sense of community within our school. The touching and memorable liturgy showcased the students' talents and conveyed a beautiful message of love and respect for our elders. The efforts of our staff and students not only brought joy to the grandparents but also strengthened the bonds that make our school special. Well done and thank you for a truly remarkable event.

Such a memorable day was capped off with the Parents and Friends (P&F) Disco in the hall on Friday night. The P&F Committee and numerous parent helpers provided an exciting night of dancing and fun. The majority of students in the school attended and it was a great success. A special thank you to Stella Studioz for providing the music, dancing and fun activities. All students that I have spoken with during the week loved the Disco. Thanks to everyone who assisted. 

Last week, the Year 4 students participated in the Religious Literacy tests conducted by the Catholic Education Office, Wollongong. This week, all students attended the School Photos and next week is the annual Book Week parade. Representative sport opportunities are presently being contested by a number of our students, please read Mr Allmark's section for a full summary. Congratulations to all of these students. 

In Term 4, the students in Year 3 will commence learning about the Sacrament of Eucharist during their daily religion lessons. The Year 3 teachers love teaching the students about this important Sacrament which Catholic students receive during their ‘First Holy Communion’. To be able to receive their ‘First Holy Communion’, students in St Michael’s school and other schools in the local area, enrol in the Parish Sacramental program in one of the local churches within the Parish. Enrolment can occur by attending one of the local weekend masses and/or contacting the Catechist Coordinator – Madira Arnold 0473 360 183 or madira.arnold@dow.org.au  

The timeline for the First Holy Communion program will be distributed in the various Parish churches on the weekend of 9/10 September. The program will include an evening of Prayer Assessment on 13/14 September in which the children will be asked to recite the Our Father, Hail Mary and Act of Contrition. There will be a support session on every Sunday just before the 10.45am Mass for the children and parents who need further help with the Holy Communion Program. This year the Parish will be introducing a new component within the program. It will be called ‘Rosary Night’ which will provide an opportunity to have a special devotion to Mother Mary. First Holy Communion Masses will occur on the weekend of 25/26 November.

Finally, we wish Father Joseph a safe trip to India to visit his mother. Father Joseph will leave Nowra on 15 August 2023 and return on 2 September 2023. 

Yours in Faith and Virtue,