Dear Parents and Carers, 

This weekend marks the commencement of the Season of Advent, a sacred time of prayer and contemplation in which we prepare for the coming of Jesus at Christmas. During this time of waiting and expectation, we are challenged to look for opportunities and practical ways to honour the holiness of the season. Throughout December, students at Nazareth 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, the Catholic Education Office have put together a few ideas to share with families – Celebrating Advent With Your Family.  

Last week the P & F hosted a very successful silent disco. Thank you to the many parent helpers who assisted on the night, especially Nikki and Ryan Aitchison who donated the three hundred headsets that were used on the night.  

Last night, we farewelled Year 6 with a special graduation Mass and ceremony. It was a wonderful time of thanksgiving and celebration and an opportunity to acknowledge the children and their families for all that they have contributed to our school. To the families who are leaving us at the conclusion of 2024, thank you for the time and dedication you have given to our school community. A special mention must go to Emma Till, our current P&F President, who has been an active member on the P&F Committee for the last fifteen years and served nine of these years as P&F President. On behalf of the school community, I would like to acknowledge and thank Emma for her tireless dedication to the Nazareth school community. All students will farewell Year 6 with a special guard of honour at 2:20pm on Wednesday 18 December. 

Over the last week, there has been much discussion in the media about the new social media age restrictions. The new legislation passed by the Australian Parliament will mean children and teenagers under the age of 16 will be banned from social media. If you are looking for support when talking to your child about social media, the Carly Ryan Foundation is a certified online safety program provider and delivers online safety and support resources. Their factsheets provide information and parent advice on the following apps: Calculator; Tik Tok; Fortnite; Roblox; Discord; Snapchat; Instagram; Facebook; and YouTube. Please take the time to read through the fact sheets attached to this newsletter, some of the apps you will be familiar with, however there may be some that you as a parent/carer are unaware of.

As we approach the end of the school year, please make note of the following important dates:

• Friday 6 December – Annual Summer Fun Day. Hosted by Year 6 to fundraise for their end of year graduation gift for the school. For a gold coin donation children are invited to wear mufti and participate in a morning of fun activities.
• Thursday 12 December – 2025 Meet and Greet. At 11:30am children will meet their 2025 class teacher and class. 
•  Friday 13 December - End of Year Awards Assembly. Commencing at 8:45am in the school hall.  
• Saturday 14 December – Combined Schools Parish Christmas Carols. This will commence at 5:00pm on the Nazareth grounds with an outdoor mass. Following mass children from Nazareth, Stella Maris and Corpus Christi will perform Christmas carols. 
• Monday 16 December – Talent Show. Commencing at 11:30am in the school hall. 
• Tuesday 17 December – Nazareth Christmas Celebration. This will commence at 11:30am in the hall. Each grade will share two Christmas songs. Parents, carers and grandparents are warmly invited to attend.
• Wednesday 18 December – Last day of school for all students, Kindergarten to Year 6. Day will include a farewell guard of honour for Year 6 at 2:20pm. 

Wishing you a wonderful week ahead.

Kind regards, 

Mr Matt Downes 

(Principal)

First Holy Communion

Congratulations to the students in Year 3 who have recently celebrated the important sacrament of First Holy Communion. The mass was beautiful and students were so reverent and prayerful during the mass. A post Holy Communion mass was celebrated last Thursday for the students, combining with the Year 3 students from Stella Maris.

Sacrament of Reconciliation (Penance)

If your child will be in Year 3 next year, they will be celebrating the sacrament of Reconciliation.  This is the last weekend to enrol your child for this sacrament.  Father Joe will be taking names and handing out information sheets across all masses this weekend.  If you have any questions, please contact the Parish Office on 4296 3939. Please remember that students cannot make the sacrament of First Holy Communion until they have made their sacrament of Reconciliation.

Mini Vinnies

The school Mini Vinnies team will be holding their Mini Vinnies Christmas Appeal.  Students are able to come in mufti (Christmas) clothes and we will be asking for cash donations this year.  The mufti day will be held on Tuesday, 17 December.  St Vincent de Paul will be purchasing gift cards for children and giving cash donations to those in need this Christmas.  This is our last fundraising event for 2024 and we thank you for your kindness and generosity throughout the year.

Wednesday Mass and Faith & Learning visits

All Wednesday masses, along with Faith and Learning visits to the classroom have now finished for the 2024 school year.  We will resume Wednesday masses in Term 1, 2025.

All mass times can be found in the All Saints Parish Bulletin and all other important information. A link can be found on the Parish Website:  https://www.dow.org.au/parish/all-saints-catholic-parish-shellharbour-city

Religious Education in 5B

5B have been learning about the season of Advent. Advent is a time of great joy and expectation. Students are learning what Christmas truly means and how we can prepare our hearts for the birth of Jesus.

Students began with discussing words that remind them of what Advent is all about.  Words such as preparing, waiting, hope, birth, love were discussed.  Students used the website “wordart.com” to create WordClouds using all of the words that reminded them about Advent.

Of course, we created an Advent Wreath!  A wreath of four candles, three purple and one pink.  The purple candles represent Faith, Hope and Love, while the pink candle represents Joy.  traditionally hold four candles. Three purple and one rose (pink). 

The candles represent Jesus coming as a light in the darkness. One candle is lit each Sunday until all four candles are lit. The rose candle is lit in the third week of Advent. As Christmas draws nearer, each candle brings a little more light into the darkness. Sometimes a white candle is lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day to symbolise that Jesus is with us. This can be referred to as the "Christ candle." Each of the candles lit before Christmas represent an aspect of preparation during the season of Advent.

Year 4 has been a great year!

• We can list more than 100 fun things that we have done and that we will miss. For example;
• we went to Hyde Park Barracks and Sydney Museum for History
• made and tested solar ovens in Science
• made chocolate crackles to test out our procedure writing
• composed and performed our own music on garage band
• created a poetry anthology of lots of our different poems
• sang the winning song for Wave Fm winning $10,000 for the school,
• conducted celebrity interviews,
• took part in the Premier’s Reading Challenge,
• won the school reading challenge,
• learnt different dances from the 1950’s through to the 2000’s,
• improved our times tables and participated in the Rock Star Times Tables Challenge,
• earned our pen licences,
• took part in the Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee,
• read fantastic novels with Miss Wright doing amazing voices for the characters.

We will miss our class and all the fun things that we have done as well as our enthusiastic teacher Miss Wright. We are very grateful for the fun, interesting and creative year we have had and we are looking forward to entering a new stage of our learning in Year 5 next year.

Raven, Anthony and 4A students

2025 Sports Nominations

Please note that all nominations are now closed. When trial convenors communicate the lists of students who are invited to trial for the remaining sports, Compass events will be created and sent out. Please continue to check Compass for the most up to date details. Alternatively continue to check the CEDoW Sports Web page for the 2025 calendar of events

https://www.dow.catholic.edu.au/student-experience/sport/primary-sport-events

Congratulations to the following students who have already trialled for 2025 Representative teams and have been selected:

• Jack K- Cricket
• Raven N- Basketball
• Kayden M- Basketball
• Jaxon T- Tennis

Uniform Returns

If your child has any Nazareth sport uniforms such as jerseys, singlets, shorts or socks can they please be returned as soon as possible. We have a large number of children attending and we would appreciate having all of the uniforms returned. 

Upcoming Events (2025)

Tuesday February 11, 2025- Representative Girls Touch Football Trial. Students who are invited to trial at this event will be added into a Compass event as soon as this information has been received by the sport coordinator. 

Friday February 14, 2025- Nazareth Swimming Carnival. Please note that this will be a compulsory event for students in Year 3-6 to attend with competitive 8 year swimmers in Year 2 also attending. Please check Compass in early 2025 for further details and event entry. This carnival will include competitive and novelty events for non-competitive swimmers to enjoy.

Thursday February 13, 2025- Representative Boys Touch Football Trial. Students who are invited to trial at this event will be added into a Compass event as soon as this information has been received by the sport coordinator.  

IGNATION MEDAL

Cadence Little

PRINCIPAL AWARDS

Chelsea Betz

Fenix McGoldrick

Archie Wigmore

Saxon Hatcliffe

Cohen Garbayo Vergan

Tatyana Haralampopoulos

Zayn Esteves

Azariah Ionnou

Sofia Rivera Marin

NAZARETH AWARDS

Christian Ioannou

Ruby Evans

Van Smith

MERIT AWARDS

Makenna Lawson, Everlyn Butler, Cooper Menadue-Clayton, Luca Wray, Isaac Ballinger, Summer Redfern, Liam Kotevski, Elina Jovanovska, Maddison Bright, Aditya Panda, Rosie Maguire, Brianna Bryce, Christian Barrass, Xavier Mangion, Alexios Brangovits, Matthew Bell, Darcy Wigmore, Mia Amac, Aveena Amoroso, Blake Workman, Lucas Bryce, George Cuneo, Betty Bates, Grace Mamo, James Wheeler, Isaac Ezquerro, Oliver Carters Hali Phillip, Julian Indrele, Violet Ferns, Kayley Gibson, Mason Till, Eli Fernandes, Hudson Ryan.

In Week 8, the PB4L focus is ‘No hat, play in the shade’. During break times, children will be reminded of the importance of wearing their hats while playing in the sun. If a child does not have a hat, they are encouraged to self-regulate by seeking out designated shaded areas to protect themselves from the harmful effects of the sun.

EXISTING FAMILIES IN OUR SCHOOL WITH INSTALMENTS
If you are currently paying by instalments there is no need to complete another Request to Pay by Instalment as your
request carries over from year to year unless you wish to amend the frequency of your payments eg Weekly to FortnightlyEXISTING FAMILIES IN

OUR SCHOOL WITHOUT INSTALMENTS
If you would like to pay school fees by instalments in 2025 and have previously not taken up this option for payment, please
complete a Request to Pay by Instalment Form which is available on the school’s website or from the school’s
administration office. On completion of the request either email it to instalments@dow.catholic.edu.au or submit at the
school office. Following receipt of the request, instalments will be generated on your school fee account during the process
of invoicing 2025 school fees. Your school fee statement will provide a list of scheduled payments and their due date
depending on the frequency you have chosen eg Fortnightly, Monthly, etc.

IMPORTANT: Please note that if you currently have a child or children at another school in the Diocese and you are paying
by instalments at this location, you will not need to complete another Request to Pay by Instalment. The instalment
request carries over from school to school with the same frequency of payment eg Weekly, fortnightly, etc.

NAZARETH PROMOTIONAL FILM

The film captures a day in the life of a Nazareth student.
Click https://youtu.be/olug9FWvZQI to view the film

FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM PAGE FOR NAZARETH

If you haven't already please follow our school pages to keep up to date with events at school and for photos and updates from across the school. 

Please click on the direct links to follow our pages:

www.facebook.com/nazareth.shellhabour

www.instagram.com/nazareth.shellharbour

SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY 

Please click on the below link for a direct link to the social media policy.

https://www.dow.catholic.edu.au/about-us/policies/social-media-policy/