ST BRIGID'S END OF YEAR ASSEMBLY DETAILS

Students are to meet their classroom teacher no later than 4:20 pm in the hall. Parents, please find a seat in the designated playground area. If you are bringing a chair, kindly sit towards the back of the parent seating area to ensure everyone has a clear view of the performance.

Costume Guidelines - Each class has selected a unique song to celebrate a character in the Christmas story, and we want the students’ costumes to reflect their specific performance. Instead of commercial Christmas-themed outfits, we encourage simple costumes that capture the theme or character of their song. Please ensure the costumes are comfortable and easy for the students to move in.

Footwear - For safety, all students should wear closed-in shoes or sandals (no thongs or slides) for the concert. This will help them move comfortably and safely.

Accessories - Simple accessories that complement the theme of each song are encouraged.

Dismissal - At the conclusion of the assembly, teachers will officially hand over duty of care to parents for the remainder of the evening as we come together to celebrate at the family BBQ. For the safety and enjoyment of all, students are kindly asked to remain in the main playground area with their families and refrain from going to Chrysalis Park during this time. 

We look forward to a fun and safe evening as we celebrate together as a community!

STAFFING FOR 2025

As we approach the close of another remarkable year, I would like to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude to all our staff members for their incredible hard work, dedication, and unwavering commitment to the students and families of St Brigid’s. It has been a year of growth, collaboration, and care, and none of it would have been possible without the passion and professionalism of our amazing team.

First and foremost, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all our teachers who have shown such dedication in creating a nurturing, supportive, and inspiring learning environment for our students. Their passion for education and their genuine care for each child is what makes St Brigid’s a special place. I am so grateful to work alongside such talented and compassionate educators.

As we move into 2025, we also have some important staffing changes to share with you.

We say a heartfelt farewell to Mr Cervonaro, who joined us this year as a tempooary classroom teacher job-sharing with Mrs Arthur-Worsop. His contributions have been greatly appreciated, and he has become a valued member of our community. We wish Mr Cervonaro all the very best in his future endeavours and thank him for the positive impact he has had on our school.

In 2025, Mrs Arthur-Worsop will be returning to her classroom teacher role after spending 2023-2024 in the role of Instructional Coach. Mrs Arthur-Worsop’s work as a coach has been invaluable, and we are thrilled to welcome her back to the classroom, where her energy and passion for teaching will continue to make a difference in the lives of our students. She will also continue to serve as a Middle Leader, supporting our school in a broader capacity.

Ms Sparks, who has served as our appointed, identified casual teacher for the past two years, will continue to contribute to St Brigid’s in 2025 on a casual basis. We are so grateful for her ongoing support and dedication to our school community.

Mrs Arjona will be taking a well-deserved leave during 2025, spending quality time with her family. We deeply appreciate her unwavering dedication and the significant contributions she has made to our school community. Her commitment to our students, staff, and the wider school family has been truly inspiring, and we wish her all the best as she enjoys this time for rest and personal reflection. We look forward to welcoming her back when she returns.

I would like to acknowledge Mrs Alana Sullivan, our Pastoral Support Worker, who has been an invaluable part of our school community since the successful receipt of the Federal Government grant. Mrs Sullivan’s compassionate support for our students’ social and emotional wellbeing has been very valuable.

It is with mixed emotions that we announce the departure of Mrs Benoit, our Assistant Principal, who will be leaving us at the end of 2024 to take on the role of Assistant Principal at St Paul’s Catholic Primary School in Albion Park. Mrs Benoit has been a dedicated leader at St Brigid’s, and her tireless work has had a lasting impact on both our students and staff. We are so thankful for all she has contributed to our school, and while we will miss her dearly, we wish her every success in her new role.

I am excited to announce that Mrs Sarah Williams will be joining the St Brigid’s teaching team in 2025. Mrs Williams brings a wealth of experience from her current role as a teacher at Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School, a large three-stream school serving the Carnes Hill Catholic Parish. With over 10 years of teaching experience in Sydney Catholic Schools, Mrs Williams is passionate about contemporary pedagogy and is dedicated to fostering a positive and engaging learning environment for her students. We look forward to the energy and expertise she will bring to our community.

As we look ahead to 2025, I want to express my deepest appreciation to all our staff members for their dedication and contributions to St Brigid’s. We are incredibly fortunate to have such a talented and compassionate team, and I look forward to continuing our work together in the year ahead.

LEADERSHIP TEAM

CLASSROOM TEACHERS

SPECIALIST STAFF

SCHOOL SUPPORT OFFICERS - OFFICE

SCHOOL SUPPORT OFFICERS – LEARNING AND WELLBEING

ADVENT FOR FAMILIES

Advent is a time of great joy and expectation. Throughout December, students at St Brigid's are learning what Christmas truly means and how we can prepare our hearts for the birth of Jesus. If you’re looking for ways to engage with your son or daughter during this special time, we’ve put together a few ideas. 

Link to the article: 
https://www.dow.catholic.edu.au/news/celebrating-advent

VOLUNTEERS - TAKE A BOW

I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to all the parent volunteers who have contributed so generously to the life of St. Brigid’s this year. Your support has been invaluable, and it is thanks to you that we are able to offer such a rich and dynamic educational experience for our students.

As volunteers, you’ve played a vital role in supporting classroom activities, assisting with excursions, helping organise school events, maintaining  the school grounds and providing much-needed assistance with our fundraising initiatives. Your involvement extends far beyond the classroom, enriching the life of our school in countless ways. Whether you’ve supported our liturgies, helped with reading programs, or offered your time at community events, your presence has made a meaningful impact on both the academic and spiritual growth of the students.

In a Catholic school, volunteers like you help to strengthen our sense of community, supporting our shared values of service, kindness, and faith. Through your actions, you model the very principles we aim to instill in our students, demonstrating the power of giving and the importance of coming together as one.

On behalf of all the staff and students at St. Brigid’s, I want to offer my heartfelt thanks for your dedication, your time, and your unwavering support. You make a difference every day, and for that, we are truly grateful.

BACK TO SCHOOL

We look forward to welcoming our students back to St. Brigid’s for the 2025 school year!

Students in Years 1-6 will return to school on Monday 3 February 2025, and our new Kindergarten class will begin on Tuesday 4 February 2025. We kindly ask that all students return in full summer uniform as per our school dress code.

Students are reminded that sports uniform will be worn on Fridays.

We appreciate your support in ensuring that students are dressed in accordance with our school’s uniform policy, which helps foster pride, unity, and a sense of belonging in our school community.

YEAR 5 LEADERSHIP DAY

What a memorable day we had last Friday! A huge congratulations to Mrs Mewett and the Year 5 students for hosting an outstanding Leadership Day. The presentations were absolutely impressive, highlighting the enthusiasm and potential of our future leaders.

A special shout-out to Daniel D and Brad D for cooking up a delicious BBQ breakfast – it was truly scrumptious and enjoyed by all!

It was wonderful to see so many parents join us to witness learning in action. Your support means the world to us and helps foster a strong, connected school community.

The excitement continues as we eagerly await the announcement of the 2025 student leaders, which will be made on Monday 16 December 2024. 

Thank you again to everyone who contributed to making the day a huge success. Here’s to more moments of learning, leadership, and community spirit!

More photos in the photo section of the newsletter

CAR PARKING VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR NYE & AUSTRALIA DAY

We are seeking volunteers to assist with car parking on New Year’s Eve and Australia Day to help raise funds for exciting projects in 2025. The funds raised will go towards the makeover of the Chrysalis Park Playground and brain break areas for our students.

If you are able to volunteer, please add your name using the link below. Your support will make a real difference to our school community, and we greatly appreciate your time and assistance!

SCHOOL UNIFORM

We would like to remind all families of the importance of following our school uniform policy. The uniform plays a vital role in fostering a sense of belonging and pride within our school community.

Your support in ensuring that students are dressed in the correct uniform each day is greatly appreciated. This helps us maintain a positive and respectful learning environment, allowing all students to feel confident and focused.

Thank you for your cooperation in upholding the high standards we value at St Brigid's. If you have any questions or need assistance with uniform requirements, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

CHRISTMAS APPEAL

St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal Fundraiser

Our recent St Vincent de Paul fundraiser was an outstanding success, bringing our school community together in the spirit of generosity and giving. The initiative involved food donations and Christmas-themed events, aimed at supporting local families in need during the festive season.

The response from students, families, and staff is truly inspiring. Together, we collected an impressive number of non-perishable food items, which will be distributed to local families by the St Vincent de Paul society. The Christmas events that included, a lolly-jar guessing competition, festive bake and ice-cream sales, lunch-box decoration competition, a disco and even a special visit from Mrs Claus, not only raised additional funds but also spread Christmas cheer throughout the school.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed to making this fundraiser such a meaningful and successful event. A special thank you especially to Neave (our Justice Leader), Kindergarten and Year 6 staff, students and families who contributed so much of their time and effort. Mrs Claus, the day was made all the better by your presence (and presents). Your support has made a real difference in our community!

Please feel free to continue to donate food items for our Christmas Appeal, as we still have a week before our wonderful St Vincent de Paul representatives come to collect these items.

We warmly invite you to join us at the 5:30pm Mass on Saturday 14 December 2024 as we present our generous Christmas Appeal donations to the St. Vincent de Paul Conference. Your support has made a meaningful difference, and we look forward to coming together to celebrate the spirit of giving this holiday season.

REC REFLECTION

As I reflect on my first year as the Religious Education Coordinator of St Brigid’s, I am filled with gratitude and a deeper sense of purpose. This role has been both a privilege and a learning journey, providing opportunities to foster faith development within our school community.

Key highlights include collaborating with staff to imbed ‘storytelling’ into the Religious Education curriculum, leading liturgical celebrations, the creation of a school-based First Reconciliation and First Eucharist program and working closely with our students as part of the Sacramental programs. 

I am grateful for the support of my colleagues, the trust of families, and the guidance of our parish community. This first year has laid a solid foundation, and I look forward to continuing this meaningful work in fostering faith, justice, and learning within our school.

ALTAR SERVER ROSTER TERM 4

PARISH WEEKDAY MASSES

CONFIRMATION PROGRAM 2025

ST VINCENT DE PAUL CHRISTMAS APPEAL

A wonderful day was had by all, with overwhelming support from our families for those in need in our local community. We are deeply grateful for the generosity shown, particularly in supporting the vital work of St. Vincent de Paul. Thanks to the kindness of our community, we received numerous food donations and a generous monetary contribution of over $900.00.

Congratulations to everyone involved, and a special thank you to the St. Vincent de Paul Conference for their tireless efforts in making a positive impact in the lives of others. Your important work continues to inspire us all.

SEMESTER 2 REPORTS

Semester 2 student reports will be available via the COMPASS Parent Portal on Friday 13 December (Week 9).

Teachers write the reports and award grades in line with the NSW K-10 Syllabus outcomes and the Diocese of Wollongong Religious Education Curriculum. In NSW, schools are required to report to parents using a 5 point achievement A-E grading scale for each Key Learning Area (KLA)

The A-E grading scale is for use within each stage of learning;

• Stage 1- Years 1 and 2

• Stage 2- Years 3 and 4

• Stage 3- Years 5 and 6

How do teachers make judgements about grades?

Teachers award grades by making ‘on-balance judgements’ about a student's work. This means that assessment data is gathered across numerous work and assessment samples built up over time.  

Grades are not based on 'one-off' tests that may not fully reflect what the student actually knows and is able to do. This is why it is so important for students to be ready to learn each and every day. 

The Common Grade Scale

What does it mean if my child receives a ‘C’ grade?

Celebrate because your child is at the expected level of achievement for the content they have been exposed to over the semester.  

A ‘C’ grade is considered sound and the student has demonstrated that they have gained the knowledge, skills and understandings expected of them at that point in time.

KINDERGARTEN REPORTS

The Kindergarten report will be written using a three-point scale which describes performance at each of three grade levels for each Key Learning Area (KLA).

ST BRIGID'S LEARNING MERIT AWARDS

Congratulations to the following students on receiving their awards during Weeks 6,7 & 8 of Term 4

Week 6 - Term 4

CLASS	CATHOLIC VALUES  AWARD - COURAGE	LEADER OF THE WEEK
Kinder	Emily J	Nixon G
Kinder Learning Award	Gracie B
Year 1	Rhea E	Ellen O
Year 2	Jayden M	Ayesha O
Year 3	Gisele M	Gabby L
Year 4	Veronica A	Grace H
Year 5	Raphael I	Arielle N
Year 6	Briella I	Bethany M

Week 7 - Term 4

Students from Kinder to Year 6 received the Strong Foundations Award.  This award recognises those students who create a safe, supportive and friendly environment.  They are active participants in their faith, learning and outreach.

CLASS	STRONG FOUNDATIONS ACHIEVEMENT AWARD	LEADER OF THE WEEK
Kinder	Charlotte T	Lucy G
Year 1	Kane Y	Ella F
Year 2	Annabelle G	Evelyn T
Year 3	Amelia P	Aarav J
Year 4	Maya I	Hayde R
Year 5	Kip M	Ella D
Year 6	Zlata K	Simon C

     

Week 8 - Term 4

Students from Kinder to Year 6 received the Building Partnerships Award.  This award recognises students from Kinder to Year 6 who work collaboratively with other students and their teachers to enhance their learning.

CLASS	BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS AWARD	LEADER OF THE WEEK
Kinder	Jacob G	Angus B
Kinder Learning Award	Kim M T
Year 1	Xander L	Bohdyn L
Year 2	Ben F	Pio
Year 3	Levi C	Sofia H
Year 4	Vita K	Hannah J
Year 5	Hunter M	Alice M
Year 6	Himandi N	Molly S

 

  

    

SILVER MILESTONE AWARDS - ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Congratulations to the following students who have received an Assistant Principal's Award. Well done! 

YEAR	STUDENT
Week 6 - Year 1	Korban H
Week 6 - Year 4	Hkum Seng D
Week 6 - Year 6	Emma L
Week 7 - Year 2	Ishaan C
Week 7 - Year 3	Ivy F
Week 7 - Year 4	Veronica A
Week 8 - Year 5	Kip M
Week 8 - Year 5	Arielle N

    

  

          

GOLD MILESTONE AWARDS - PRINCIPAL

The Principal's Award celebrates outstanding achievement by a student in Faith, Justice and Learning including other contributions to school life. Congratulations to:

CLASS	STUDENT
Week  - Year 6	Briella I

PREMIER'S   READING CHALLENGE

The Premier's Reading Challenge aims to encourage a love of reading for leisure and pleasure in students, and enable them to experience quality literature. It is not a competition but a challenge to each student to read, to read more and to read more widely.

We had 88 students undertake the challenge this year including all  of the students from K-2, supported by their classroom teachers. In addition, we are also extremely proud of the following children who completed the challenge independently: David M, Charlie E, Hudson I, Remi D and Elliott G. Hudson, Remi and Elliott received their Gold Certificate this year.

We look forward to seeing many more students rise to the Challenge in 2025

  

SCHOOL MERIT AWARD POLICY

The purpose of our weekly school-based merit award system is to recognise and celebrate student achievement and success in a variety of learning and leadership areas.  As the title suggests, it is based on merit for achievement and is not designed as an encouragement award or given out so everyone in the class will receive an equal amount of awards each term or year. The classroom teachers have a myriad of ways of encouraging and recognising the growth of the students at a class level. 

THE STRUCTURE OF MERIT AWARDS K-6

• Step 1 - 5 Merit awards = First Assistant Principal Award+
• Step 2 - 5 Merit awards = Second Assistant Principal Award+
• Step 3 - 2 Merit awards = First Principal Award
• Step 4 - 5 Merit awards = Third Assistant Principal Award+
• Step 5 - 5 Merit awards = Fourth Assistant Principal Award+
• Step 6 - 2 Merit awards = Second Principal Award+
• Final Step -  2 Merit Awards = St Brigid Medal

THE PROCEDURE

1. When students achieve a milestone they are required to submit the actual relevant merit awards to the school office for validation
2. The awards are verified by the Assistant Principal and /or Principal and signed, stamped and dated 
3. The next milestone award is presented at the assembly on the Friday after all the documentation is presented. 
4. The Assistant Principal and Principal will sign and date the back of the awards when they are presented.
5.  The final awards of the year are presented at the final assembly in Week 9 (if it is a 10 week term) and Week 10 (if it is an 11 week term). No awards will be presented after this assembly.

        

        

Happy Birthday to the following students who celebrated a birthday Weeks 6,7 and 8, 9 and 10 of Term 4.  We also wish our December school holidays birthday students a wonderful birthday!

Kinder	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Year 4	Year 5	Year 6
Emily J	Milani S	Leo G	Ivy F	Hkum S D	Pedro F	Rhiley A
Gracie B		Freya D	Boone L		Aaroz P	Ned L
Stella B		Evelyn T	Gabby L		Allaria D
Pia R					Kip M
					Joshua M

    

NEWS FROM THE SCHOOL OFFICE 

               

UpdatingQkr!

Please make sure that you have updated all relevant information on your child's profile on Qkr!  Just a reminder that your child's class needs to be updated annually.

Qkr_Getting_started_canteen_2_2_1_.pdf

Compass Insights    

The safety and well-being of our students is always our first priority. This includes safeguarding their privacy and respecting the wishes of parents and carers regarding the use of student photos, images, and works at all times.

At the beginning of each school year, we ask parents and carers to complete a form to provide consent for images of their child to be used in various contexts (e.g., school newsletters, social media, and promotional materials).

Consent is provided via the Compass Insights feature in the Compass app. The Insights module is a tool used to gather information from staff, students, and parents for a variety of purposes.

---

What do you need to do?

During the Christmas holiday period, you will receive a new Image Consent Insight in the Compass app. Please click the link provided, read the details carefully, discuss it with your child, and once you have made your decision, answer the question to either provide or decline consent.

To ensure no child misses out on having their photo taken as part of school life, we will occasionally send reminders to parents and carers who have not yet completed the Insight.

If you have any questions about this change or the image consent form in general, please do not hesitate to contact the school. We are happy to assist further.

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Medication Collection

If your child will be leaving St. Brigid’s at the end of this year, please collect all medications from the office on the last day of school. Please note that medication cannot be handed to students to take home. All other medications will roll over to the next school year. If you have any questions regarding medications, please feel free to contact the school office.

      

 

SPARKING LIFE - BLOOD AND PLASMA DONATIONS 2024

 

Sparking Life is non-profit organisation aimed at creating awareness and encouraging important conversations around organ and tissue donation and blood and plasma donation.

St Brigid’s staff and parents joined the Sparking Life Team and during the year they have been busy rolling up their sleeves to donate blood, plasma or platelets. The donations have been tallied and the results are in for the first year of the Blood and Plasma Donation Competition with other schools in the Wollongong Diocese.

It is with great pleasure that I’m very happy to inform you that St Brigid’s staff and parents have taken out the Small Schools Award. CONGRATULATIONS to all our donors. What a wonderful way to give hope and life to others in their time of need.

To date, our school team has made 36 donations since the beginning of the year. This translates to helping 108 people in need. These people have been able to be assisted with blood and blood products given by the St Brigid’s team in several ways including being able to continue cancer treatments, undergoing pre-planned or emergency operations, supplying products to new mums and babies and assisting those involved in road accidents and other traumas

Well done to everyone who has donated under Sparking Life. This is a wonderful achievement for our small school. What an amazing number of people we’ve given hope to.

To continue this work we need more donors to jump on board. We’d love to welcome more parents to our team. It’s very easy to do. Search Lifeblood. Register and make an appointment online and go along to donate at the Lifeblood Donor Centre in Kembla Street Wollongong. You can always ring 131495 to get someone to help you get organised.

All you need to say on arrival at the Donor Centre is:

Can I join the:

SPARKING LIFE

ST BRIGID’S GWYNNEVILLE TEAM

and your donation will count towards our team total. By working together, we can continue to make a real difference in the community.

Sparking Life is so grateful to all our donors for their support. Thank you so very much for your time and effort in making this happen for our school. Impressive work St Brigid’s. You are all wonderful.

"Scan the Qr code to start your registration with Lifeblood" 

  

NEWS FROM OUR SCHOOL COUNCILLOR

A message from our school councillor...

      

CATHEDRAL CAR PARKING - CAN YOU HELP?

    

 

If you can assist at some of the upcoming events, please add your nametothegoogleeee spreadsheet.

CAR PARKING https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1EBIW341QkaOagyL2XSjXPhSfNCCAl5jJYMG7hyKcdwg/edit#gid=889858501

        

   PARENTS & FRIENDS 

NEED TO CONTACT US?

Follow us on Facebook @ St Brigid’s Gwynneville P&F Association

Email: pandf@sbgdow.catholic.edu.au

  

Lawn Mowing

Thank you to all the parents on the mowing register, the lawns and hedges continue to look fantastic!

       

Weekend	Mower #1	Mower #2
14/12/24	Darrell M	Mark H
04/01/2025	Simon Y	Ben Y

 

If there are any concerns with your allocated date to mow, please feel free to swap with someone you know on the list alternatively contact Simon Young on 0422 240 833.

      

   

  

  

    PARISH NEWS

St Brigid's Parish Mass Times

Saturday	5:30pm Vigil
Sunday	9:00am
Thursday	9:30am

   

        

Lumen Christi Parish Bulletin

241117_THIRTY_THIRD_SUNDAY_IN_ORDINARY_TIME_YEAR_B.pdf

241117_THIRTY_THIRD_SUNDAY_IN_ORDINARY_TIME_YEAR_B _pdf 1.13 MB

         

Lumen Christi Website

PARISH WEBSITE https://www.lumenchristi.org.au/

  

  

  

COMMUNITY NEWS

Choose water as a drink. Try these tips to help your child to drink more water:  

• Take a refillable bottle of water when you go out. 
• Put a bottle of water in with your child’s lunch. 
• Keep cold water in the fridge at home. 
• Give your child a water bottle when they play sport. 
• Serve water for everyone with the family meal. 
• Show your child that you enjoy drinking water.

Spanish_Classes_Hola_Nanu.pdf

SCHOOL UNIFORM

VINNIES APPEAL DAY

YEAR 5 LEADERSHIP DAY