Dear Parent’s and Carers

In the Catholic tradition, the month of November is a time for remembrance of the dead. We begin the month with the Solemnity of All Saints on November 1, followed by the Commemoration of All Souls on November 2. While many saints have their own specific feast days throughout the year, on November 1, the Catholic Church honours all saints, both known and unknown. Last Friday, we celebrated this important feast day for our local parish with a beautiful Mass, which included representatives from Stella Maris and Corpus Christi. A special thank you to Mrs. Mammone for her time and effort in organising the All Saints’ Feast Day Mass.

Earlier this week, you would have received a notification via Compass about the upcoming P & F Colour Run, scheduled for Friday, November 15. The Colour Run is a fun twist on the traditional fun run, where children are encouraged to wear a white T-shirt, old pants and old closed-in shoes, which will be covered in non-toxic colour powder by the time they reach the finish line. All students are encouraged to bring a towel and a change of clothes, particularly for those who need to catch a bus home afterward. The first Colour Run will begin at 1:00pm with Year 3. For further details, please refer to the Compass event. If you wish for your child not to participate, please notify your child’s class teacher by emailing the front office at info@nscdow.catholic.edu.au.

The P & F are also seeking parent helpers to assist with the distribution of the colour powder. If you are available to help, please complete the following Google form: Nazareth P & F Colour Run - Parent Helpers.

The process for student class placements for 2025 has commenced. At Nazareth, we consider a range of factors to create balanced classes, including the spiritual, academic, and emotional well-being of each child, as well as their social interactions. If you have any special considerations or concerns that the school should take into account, please submit them in writing via email to downesm01@dow.catholic.edu.au no later than Friday, November 15. Please note that this is not an opportunity to request specific teachers or friendship groups for your child. While all requests will be reviewed and discussed, final decisions on placements will be made after careful consultation with teachers. Requests submitted after November 15 will not be considered.

Next Wednesday and Thursday, I will be offsite. On Wednesday, we welcome back Mr. Sykes as acting principal, and on Thursday Mr. Edwards will return from Year 5 Camp to take on the role of acting principal.

Wishing all families a wonderful week ahead.

Kind regards,

Mr Matt Downes