Dear Parents and Carers, 

This week we celebrate Harmony Week, a time in which we acknowledge and celebrate Australian multiculturalism. Australia is one of the most successful multicultural countries in the world, from the oldest continuous culture of our first Australians to the cultures of our newest arrivals from around the world. Our cultural diversity is one of our greatest strengths and is at the heart of who we are. All people who migrate to Australia bring with them some of their own cultural and religious traditions, as well as taking on many new traditions. Collectively, these traditions have enriched our nation. In celebrating, we strengthen our resolve to foster a nation founded on inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all Australians, regardless of cultural or linguistic background, united by a set of core Australian values.

Loving God,
you created humanity in your image and likeness. We pray that we may open our eyes to see your face in our brothers and sisters of different cultures, races and religions. May we focus on what binds us as a people rather than what separates us. We pray that we may follow your example and embrace the unique qualities that each of us possess, so that we may bring about harmony on this earth.
Amen.

(Developed from Caritas Australia)

This Friday we host our first whole school carnival for the year, the Nazareth Cross Country Carnival. Many of you may be aware of your child’s house colour but not the house name. Many years ago, the sports house groups were named after significant locations within Jesus’ life. These groups are:

• Bethlehem (Red)
• Galilee (Green)
• Jerusalem (Blue)
• Emmaus (Yellow)

This Friday, the children are encouraged to come to school in their house colours. Alternatively, students may choose to wear their school sports uniform.  Parents, carers and grandparents are warmly invited to attend. Please remember that if your child is going home following their race with anyone other than a parent you must provide prior written approval. 

This year Nazareth will engage in a system level School Cyclic Inquiry. The inquiry will take place over two days during Term 2 and involve a panel of external experts engaging with the school community. The aim of the inquiry is to identify and inform the Director of Schools of key successes, challenges and areas for future development for our school community. In preparation for the School Cyclic Inquiry the leadership team is currently preparing a Self-Review Report to present to the external panel. As we value the role of parents and carers within our school community, we would greatly appreciate your feedback via the 2025 Parent Feedback Survey. The information you provide will be used to maintain our commitment to working together in partnership to further improve student learning and well-being. The survey should only take a minute to complete.

On Tuesday 25 March, we will celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation. Commemorating the time when God entered into our world and chose Mary to be the mother of his son, Jesus. This important feast is also the feast day for our school. To celebrate this day, parents and carers are most welcome to join us for our whole school mass at 9:00am. The students will be participating in feast day activities throughout the day and will be provided with a free sausage sizzle lunch.

During Week 10 and 11, Monday 31 April to Thursday 10 April, Learning Conversations (previously known as parent teacher interviews) will be held for all students in Years 1 to 6. Both parents and teachers play an essential role in educating a child. When teachers and parents work together, students are more likely to succeed and have a positive school experience. Children in Years 3 to 6 are strongly encouraged to attend the Learning Conversation and be active participants in sharing their learning goals and achievements. Bookings for Learning Conversations are currently open and can be made via the ‘Conference’ tab on Compass.

Wishing all families a wonderful week ahead, 

Mr Matt Downes 

(Principal)

Reconciliation

Thank you to all of the parents who have been bringing their child to Reconciliation workshops.  We have just completed Week 2 of workshops, with two more weeks remaining.  

Please remember to only complete the Home Activity with your child and the worksheets for that week’s workshops will be completed together at the workshop.  be on time to the workshops. This is your time to have a conversation with your child and to share your memories to help them make connections to their initiation into God’s family.

Workshops are held in the Year 6 classrooms.

Feast of the Annunciation

Next Tuesday is the Feast of the Annunciation, which is the time that Mary was visited by the Angel Gabriel and she said Yes to God. This is also our school’s feast day as the Annunciation took place in Nazareth. 

We will begin our feast day celebrations with a whole school mass at 9am and all families are warmly welcomed to join us. We will have classroom learning and activities that day around the meaning of the feast day and the day will conclude with a sausage sizzle cooked by Mr Downes and Mr Edwards.

Students are able to come in mufti on that day and, for the privilege, are asked to bring a donation to be placed into their Project Compassion boxes on their prayer table in their classrooms. Please remember we will be attending mass and students’ dress needs to reflect the respectful space we are in.

Mass with the Bishop

Next Friday our Bishop Brian Mascord will be saying mass for students in Years 3-6 from Nazareth, Stella Maris and Corpus Christi. Mass begins at 11am and it will be a completely full church. Bishop Brian will celebrate afternoon tea with the teachers after school on Friday.

Wednesday Faith & Learning 

This week students from Year 3 celebrated their Faith and Learning visits and it is so wonderful to see how many parents attend mass and then come back to the classroom. On Wednesday in Week 9, Year 2 students will have their Faith and Learning visit at 9am and all parents are invited back to the classroom to have the opportunity to see what their child is learning in their classroom.

Lent

As we enter into the season of Lent, Year 5 students have been reminded to grow closer to God and prepare their hearts for Easter. This week, students have been building on their knowledge of Lent and have deepened their understanding of scripture. Students explored how Jesus was tempted in the desert (Mt 4:1-11) through storytelling and drama. Students explored the concept of temptation and assessed ways we have been tempted in our lives to build on ways to overcome negative temptation.

Caritas

Students in Year 5 have researched Caritas stories to understand why we support Caritas as a charitable organisation and as Catholic adherents. Students tuned in to the story of Irene who lived a life of poverty. Caritas trained and donated sewing machines to Irene to make an income in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Like Irene, students were invited to design an item of clothing to learn about day to day life of Irene. Here are some of their creations come to life:

This term, in 6R students have been diving deep into the world of descriptive language, bringing their writing to life with vivid imagery, powerful adjectives, and engaging storytelling techniques.

Through a variety of creative exercises, students have explored how to paint pictures with words, using the five senses to enhance their descriptions. They’ve written captivating setting descriptions, crafted character profiles bursting with personality, and experimented with figurative language such as similes, metaphors, and personification.

Mark Taylor Shield

Congratulations to the Nazareth Cricket Team for their win against St John's Dapto. We can't wait until the next round! More information to come via Compass.

Upcoming Events:

Catholic Wollongong Legends Gala Day- Thursday 10 April. This event is for boys Years 3-6 and girls in Years 5 & 6. Boys in Years 3-6 will play tackle Rugby League with girls in Year 5 & 6 playing League Tag. This event has been published on Compass. Please ensure your child has consent by the due date if they wish to attend. 

Cross Country Championships- May 6 (Term 2). This event is for the Nazareth Cross Country team. These students will attend the Willandra cross country course in Nowra. Please check Compass after the Nazareth Cross Country Carnival for details and if your child is part of the Nazareth team. 

Rugby 7s Gala Day- May 7 (Term 2). This event is for the Nazareth Rugby Union Team (11 and 12 Years). We will take expressions of interest next week (week 9) for this team who will also take part in the Rugby Knockout in late June. 

2025 Representative Trial Nominations

All representative trial nominations have been received and events have been created on Compass. Please ensure you are up to date with the trials your child is attending and continue to check Compass for relevant updates. 

PRINCIPAL AWARDS

Alexander Z

Everlyn B

Scarlett M

Bianca P

MERIT AWARDS

Bella M, Brody J, April B, Marlow Q, Mason W, Aiden W, Isabelle S, Lily R, Ayla E, Clayton M, Hugo P, Kalahni D, Sonny D, Lennox W, Finn O, Mason H, Kyas G.

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.

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/