Delagram 21st June 2024

From the Principal

With only two weeks remaining of this term, I have used my report to update our families on a couple of key issues.  

Social Behaviours

At a recent assembly, I challenged students for their use of terminology like alpha and sigma.  Many students are using these types of terms without understanding their origins and how it is being used as social slang in our community.  Worryingly, now that our community has been educated, we still find that these terms are being used by some students.  Additionally, we find that this ideology is demonstrated in the actions and comments of some students, and this must stop.  In a recent publication from the Independent teachers union, Lucy Meyer writes about the influence of one such social media influencer, Andrew Tate. 

Tate is a British-American former professional kickboxer and reality contestant known for his violent rhetoric against women. He preaches a particular brand of ‘masculinity’ centred on wealth, fast cars, cigar smoking, physical strength, male supremacy, and the denigration of women. At one point, he was the eighth most-googled person in the world.

An alarming number of Australian schoolboys are being radicalised by misogynistic online content, like that of Andrew Tate.  Boys as young as Year 5 are being exposed to clips of Andrew Tate saying derogatory things about women with photos they had taken of their female classmates to body-shame the girls.

His influence is now permeating Australian classrooms. The Man Cave, a mental health charity, surveyed 1300 Australian schoolboys and found that a quarter look up to Tate as a role model. And that’s having a devastating impact on many of the women who teach them.

They describe schoolboys undergoing a process of radicalisation. Their findings point to a pattern of behaviour that includes physical intimidation, gaslighting, belittling, and an attitude of entitlement.

Tate’s messaging has disrupted learning classes. It can be hard for women teachers to combat, she says. “Even if you’re a strong female teacher, that just plays into what Tate says about women.” If a female teacher responds assertively, she can be disparaged for not behaving in the docile way Tate says women should.

In our current environment, we must work together to challenge these behaviours of both boys and girls who use this language and behave inappropriately so that we can protect our staff and students and influence a community that promotes respect for all.  Whilst it may be often used, this is a prime example of our collective and shared responsibility as a school and as parents/guardians to influence the social fabric of our community positively. 

Staffing Message

Recently, I sent a message home to all families highlighting the difficulties we have been facing at school to have a teacher in front of every class.  As suggested in my correspondence, we are not different to any other employer in our region that have a number of staff unwell.  We will continue to work towards putting a teacher in front of every class, and focusing on continuing the learning in each of our classrooms.  Your understanding and patience during this time is greatly appreciated. 

At the end of this term, we will sadly be farewelling two staff members, Mr Steven Carroll (PDHPE Teacher & Pastoral/Wellbeing Coordinator 10-12) and Dr. Donna Mitchell (Leader of Teaching and Learning/Careers Advisor).  I would like to use this time to thank both Steve and Donna for their valuable contribution to our school community.  They have both engage positively with our staff, students and wider communities and have been integral in providing the structures and support that the school needed to elicit the best outcomes from our students.  We wish them both the very best on their next endeavours. 

Emails / Technology

One of our most recent concerns at the school has been the lack of student engagement with their emails/compass notifications.  As this is our major form of communication to our student body, we are concerned that some students are missing out on different opportunities and important message. 

We have changed our Admin class structures in the morning (first class of the day).  We are now asking our students to open up their laptops during this class and read their emails.  This has alerted us to further issues, in that many students are not satisfactorily charging their computers the evening before. 

I am hoping that parents/guardians can assist us in ensuring that all students develop a habit of charging their computer overnight in preparation for the next school day.  Also we would request that students check their email each evening to check for any important messages. 

Shoes

In Term One, I provided our families with notification that from Semester Two, the correct shoes must be worn with the formal uniform otherwise your child risks being excluded from practical activities in a range of classes.  There are only one type of shoe that should be purchased with the formal uniform – no variations.  These pictures are clearly communicated in our school diary.  The purpose of waiting for Semester Two was to give families advanced warning of our stricter adherence to this rule.  I ask for your cooperation in ensuring that we meet our Workplace health and safety requirements. 

Good Luck

Our Year 10 students will be commencing Work Experience this week.  I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Mitchell, Ms Bressington and Ms Hicks who have worked behind the scenes to ensure that we have completed all the necessary paperwork.  For those businesses and employers in the community who are accepting one of our students over the next two week, thank you!  This is a valuable experience for these students and will go a long way towards formulating their decisions for post schooling options.  I am confident that all of our Year 10 students will do the school proud, engage professionally and enjoy the next two weeks of learning in the field. 

Good Luck to 20 current Year 10-12 students, and five past students who will be featuring at the 2024 Catholic Debutante Ball on Friday 5^th July.  12 of the 18 debutantes are or have been La Salle Academy students, and I know this is a significant event for them, their families and the Lithgow community.  The Lithgow Catholic ball is 90 years old this year, and we wish all the organisers and all 18 debutantes and their partners a fantastic evening. 

Looking forward to….

There are a few things happening over the coming weeks.  We look forward to the commencement of a the new walkway that will be built outside the Music room.  I am currently preparing a new calendar for parents that will highlight major events and assessment tasks for students – this was an initiative raised at the recent Parent Engagement evening.  Reports for junior school will be released shortly, and Parent/Teacher Interviews will be in Week Two next term. 

State of Origin on Wednesday night……………., enjoy! 

God Bless
Mr Glenn Carpenter

Assistant Principal

Reports and Parent Teacher Interviews 
Year 11 Reports have been released on 11 th June on Compass. If you are having difficulties viewing the reports please call the office and they can assist you. If you are accessing Compass on your phone via the app, you will need to click the ‘view on web browser’ link.
From here simply navigate to your child’s report for Year 11 Mid-Course Report, 2024. 
Parent Teacher Interviews will be held again in Week 2 of Term 3. The bookings will open first for Year 11 students in Week 9 and for the rest of the years 7-10 at the end of Week 10.
Please keep an eye out on Compass for these notifications. 

Students in Years 7 – 10 will also be receiving their reports in Week 10 of this term.
Assessment is still on-going that will form part of these reports so it is important to complete
your best work in all assessment tasks and follow the correct procedures when it comes to
absences when tasks are being conducted. A Show Cause form will be required for missed
tasks and these can be collected from the school’s reception.
Mobile Phone Use
Although this article has appeared in previous editions of the Delagram, it is worth reminding
students about our school’s mobile phone policy as there are still issues arising each day with
their improper use.
Students are reminded that phones are not to be used at school after the first bell of the day
until the end of the day. This is to ensure that student’s concentration and focus is on their
learning in the classroom and not the distraction of social media and messaging. Recently, we
have had a number of incidents where students have not been following the schools mobile
phone policy and a great deal of time is then spent investigating the breach of our ICT policy.
Please review our rules regarding the use of mobile phones at school to ensure that your focus
is on learning in the classroom and actually talking to each other at break times.

Have a great 2 weeks.

Mrs Jenny Holgate
Assistant Principal

From the Religious Education Coordinator

This week, our school community came together to observe World Refugee Day (Thursday 20th June 2024), a day dedicated to raising awareness about the struggles and resilience of refugees worldwide. In recognition of this important day, we offered a special lunch for students and staff. These meals consisted of ingredients similar to those found in refugee ration packs, providing us with a small glimpse into the daily lives of millions who rely on these rations for survival. As Bishop McKenna reminds us, "Our call to solidarity with refugees is a call to recognise Christ in the stranger and to extend our hands and hearts to those in need."

Special thank you to Imogen Della Bosca, Harry Pottinger, and Maree Wilsmore (B.U.S.S) for their invaluable assistance on World Refugee Day, particularly with our Year 9 CSYMI students. Additionally, we extend our gratitude to Laura Scott from Act for Peace, who joined us via Zoom to discuss the vital work of Act for Peace and share insights from her recent travels to Jordan.

Today on the 20th June a group of our lovely Year 9 peers had an informal day with Mrs Wilsmore-Smith, Mrs Maree Wilsmore and Imogen Della Bosca for World Refugee Day. To start off the day we started with an assembly where some of our very brave CSYMI members got up in front of the entire school and talked about the significance of World Refugee Day. We then had a Zoom meeting with Laura Scott (Acts of Peace) who has recently returned from Jordan, in the Middle East. She told us about how the people in Jordan are living in fear and with little food. During periods 3 and 4 we cooked over 200 servings of food for staff and students using ingredients from our Ration Challenge packs. We cooked Hummus and Flatbread, Lentil Soup, Special Fried Rice and Rice Pudding. Students were very surprised with how little refugees are given to feed their families. Interestingly enough we found out that we (Lithgow) are a ‘Welcome Zone’ for Refugees and have been since 2017. We really enjoyed the day. - Lucia DeLosa

For World Refugee Day, we began with an assembly explaining what World Refugee Day is and what we would be doing. We then returned and had a zoom call with Laura, who had travelled to Jordan to see some refugees and what they were going through with how they became refugees. We then had a presentation by Imogen Della Bosca before heading to the kitchen where we split into groups and made the following meals: red lentil soup, rice pudding, fried rice and hummus and flatbread. During lunch we went around and offered people the food, handing out a pretty decent amount, two of the meals being ‘sold’ out. We also made posters which will be laminated and put up around the school. It was an extremely successful and rewarding day. - Rebecca Martignago

We are also excited to announce the upcoming Sacramental Program that will start early next term. This program is open to students wishing to start or continue their sacramental journey. All theoretical components will be conducted during school hours, making it convenient for our students to participate. A few spots are still available, so please consider signing up if you are interested.

Our second Youth Group Gathering is scheduled for Friday, 28th June, from 4:30 to 7:00 pm in the Hall. This time, we will be hosting a movie night screening of 'Wonka'. It promises to be an evening of fun and fellowship, and we look forward to seeing many of you there.

Reflecting on the past term, we are proud to share the success of our Mother's Day Raffle. Through your generosity, we raised $214, which was to be equally divided between Bathurst Uniting Support Services (BUSS) and Lithgow Community Projects (LCP). On Thursday we were honoured to have Maree Wilsmore here to accept their donation of food and supplies on behalf of B.U.S.S. 

I will leave you with an inspiring poem by William Ward that I stumbled upon last week. 

Do more than belong: participate.
Do more than care: help.
Do more than believe: practice.
Do more than be fair: be kind.
Do more than forgive: forget.
Do more than dream: work.
Do more than teach: inspire.
Do more than earn: enrich.
Do more than give: serve.
Do more than live: grow.
Do more than suffer:triumph

Let us all come together to be the change we wish to see in the world.

Mrs Wilsmore-Smith
Religious Education Coordinator

Youth Minister

Coming up very soon we have the Rise Youth Festival, which will be held on the 11th and 12th of June and will take place at the Bathurst Goldfields. RISE is the Bathurst Diocese Catholic Youth event, filled with an inspiring journey of faith, friendship and fun! It is an opportunity to connect with peers, deepen your relationship with God,

and discover the joy of being part of a vibrant Catholic community. All costs for RISE will be covered by the school and it is a great experience for some of our students to attend. I hope to see you there!

We also have Ignite coming up later this year which is another great opportunity for the students to deepen their faith outside of the school. This gives students the experience to come amongst thousands of like minded Christians and celebrate their Faith with music, prayer, reflection and connection. If anyone is interested, feel free to come have a chat with myself or Mrs Wilsmore-Smith for more information. 

Have a great fortnight

Imogen Della Bosca
La Salle Youth Minister

Year 7-9 Pastoral Care Co-ordinator

Each Thursday, students engage in a 30 minute Pastoral Care lesson. This lesson has a different focus theme each week, with this week being kindness. In our fast-paced world, filled with schedules, assignments, and countless activities, it's easy to lose sight of the simple act of kindness. Students had the opportunity to reflect on times in their lives where they have been shown kindness, and look for opportunities to demonstrate kindness to others. 

In my pastoral care lesson, it was wonderful to hear so many stories of students demonstrating kindness to both their peers and complete strangers. A story that stuck in my mind was one from a year 9 boy, who paid for an elderly couple’s fish and chips when their card declined. I challenged my pastoral care group to write a note to another student or teacher, who had recently shown them kindness, to express their gratitude. I was incredibly proud of the reflective and mature manner in which year 9 took on this challenge. 

Due to the busy nature of the school week, so often we don’t get to hear these stories about our students and children. I encourage parents to have dinner table conversations this week about kindness - who their children were kind to, who had shown kindness to them, what opportunities can I look out for to demonstrate kindness? Together, we can create a community where kindness thrives—where every child feels safe, supported, and inspired to make a difference. By doing so, we are not only preparing our children for academic success but also equipping them with the essential skills to become strong and compassionate adults.

Ms Tahni Isedale
Year 7-9 Pastoral Wellbeing

Pastoral Welfare Co-ordinator Years 10 - 12

Getting our seniors ready for the outside world is a task! When I say seniors, I mean all students from year 10-12. Be it students in year 10 that are readying themselves for year 11 to our students in year 12 that have 13 school weeks of classes left! 

Last Friday I sent out an invitation via email and compass to all students in years 10-12. Some students read the note but most didn’t. It was an invitation to attend a meeting and listen to what university life is like and how to apply for early entry. There was also information about scholarships and how to live on campus as well as a host of booklets and instructions how to find out more information online. In the end, it was pleasingly supported with a good cohort of young people listening to what was on offer but it took myself and Mr Carpenter to physically run about and remind students of the invitation. 

Year 10 are completing work experience next week and at the time of writing this article (it is now Monday afternoon and a week out) there are still a number of students that have not submitted their paper work. There are even some that have not organised their placement!!!!!! What ever excuse you could come up with is really not good enough but it does highlight a real point that some students need to work on. 

Finally, year 10 have an excursion for this coming Thursday. They are travelling to Bathurst to spend a day on Mount Panorama where they will be given first hand information, resources and live demonstrations about the importance of driving safely on our roads. This is a great program and fantastic opportunity for our students to gain further knowledge about road safety. But as I write this there are only a little over 40% of completed permission granted. 

To go back to how can we ready our students for the outside world, one would be to ensure that they are organised. That they read their emails and adhere to deadlines. Being able to stay on top of information and being able to take action on emails is imperative to be somewhat successful in this world. 

A quick reminder of uniform. As the cold is well and truly here I am reminding you that we have a uniform. On cold days other jackets and or hooded jumpers will not be tolerated and students are being asked to remove them. As I have previously said, students can wear a thermal undershirt and layers so that they can remain warm throughout the day. 

 Mr Stephen Carroll
Year 10-12 Coordinator.

Charles Sturt University

2024 Open Days - Charles Sturt University

Open Day is a great opportunity to discover what life at Charles Sturt is all about. Be inspired by academic staff, explore facilities and accommodation on guided tours, and chat to current students about what studying at Charles Sturt is really like.

From information sessions and campus tours to free food, entertainment, and giveaways – there’s something for everyone.

All students, carers or teachers planning to attend will need to register individually to attend Open Day to be sure to receive the reminders and key event information in the lead up to the day. 

Be sure to book early to lock in your spot! 

Wagga Wagga                   Sunday 28^th July 10am – 2:30pm  

Port Macquarie                Sunday 4^th August 10am – 2:30pm  

Albury-Wodonga              Sunday 11^th August 10am – 1:30pm  

Bathurst                             Sunday 18^th August 10am – 2:30pm  

Orange                               Sunday 25^th August 10am – 12:30pm  

Book your spot below

https://study.csu.edu.au/why-charles-sturt/events/open-day?_

Library News

Student Showcase
A new section of the library has been created to showcase the wonderful work of our talented students. The Student Showcase is open to all Key Learning Areas who wish to showcase the work of their students. Our current display was provided by Mrs Wilsmore-Smith and it shows the beautiful artwork created by Year 10 students, Isabelle. Y and Zoe. G. These students participated in the 2024 Easter Art Exhibition and Isabelle was awarded 1st place in the Year 10 Category. We certainly have many talented students at La Salle and it is wonderful to be able to present their talents and maybe even inspire others in the process as well!

Holiday Reading
As we are very quickly reaching the end of the term, it is time for our students to make plans for their holiday reading. Maintaining regular reading practice during this time is vital and students don’t have to rely on accessing a physical library collection. La Salle Academy is a member of the Australian Catholic Education Network, which enables our students to access the amazing digital library provided through the SORA platform. This online library provides access to a range of fiction and non-fiction ebooks and audio books as well as a range of magazines. This is a great option for students travelling these holidays. Access to SORA can be found through https://soraapp.com/ and logging on using the CENET account. More information on SORA can be accessed in the library or through the La Salle Library Google Classroom page. 

New Books
Each month we receive a delivery of new fiction titles for our collection. Some of the wonderful texts on offer this month are:

I Fight, You Fight by Alex Noble
This is the inspiring story of a young man whose wisdom and strength can teach us all how to live life to the fullest, no matter what it throws at us. Sixteen-year-old Alex Noble was a high school rugby star with a promising sporting career ahead of him when an on-field injury left him fighting for his life in the ICU. Following a four-day coma and a diagnosis of C4 quadriplegia, Alex’s first words to his brother Zac were, ‘If I fight, you fight.’ This is an inspiring memoir – it presents a philosophy for finding happiness and reaching your true potential.

What’s Murder Between Friends by Meg Gatland-Veness
'I think it was one of us,' Walter says - 'We had the perfect opportunity. Everyone's thinking it, I'm just saying it.' 
The last thing Hallie and her drama classmates expect to find on a high school scavenger hunt is a dead body. In a town with a population of about thirty-six, no one has experience with murder investigations, but now everyone's asking who killed Ms Lovelace. Full of twists and turns, a hot love interest, the musical that must go on, and the realisation that one of them could be a murderer, this is a great murder mystery that will have you guessing until the end. And I guarantee that your guesses will have been wrong!

Happy Reading,
Mrs Devine

Finance

SCHOOL FEES REMINDER
A quick reminder that our year is rolling on through and we are almost at the end of Term 2.
Due to our fee structure being set up as three payments over three terms, Instalments 1 and 2
should now be paid.

2024 Billing Dates:
Term 1 Billing date: 01/03/2024 and Instalment Due date: 15/03/2024
Term 2 Billing date: 10/05/2024 and Instalment Due date: 24/05/2024
Term 3 Billing date: 02/08/2024 and Instalment Due date: 16/08/2024
If you have not received your School Fee Statement via email, please contact the school
office to ensure that we have the correct email address on our system.

Just a reminder that payments can be made by the following payment options:
 Account balances can be accessed via Compass and payments can be made on the App.
 BPay Payment References are readily available on the Fee Statements.
 Direct Debit Forms are available at the school – just call or email to enquire.
 EFTPOS is available in person at the office or you are welcome to make payment over the phone.
 Centrepay Forms are available from ServiceNSW or call / email and we can arrange one to be sent.

Please don’t hesitate to contact the office by calling (02) 6354 5100 or by emailing the
school on lasallelithgow@bth.catholic.edu.au if you have any questions relating to your
account or if experiencing any difficulty so we can do our best to find a suitable solution.

Warm regards,
Narelle Lee

Re: 'Jesus Revolution' Movie Screening, Sunday 28th July 2024, 3pm - 6pm, Union Theatre, Lithgow

We are excited to announce a series of inspirational events coming to Lithgow, 'The Lithgow Event Series', aimed at fostering hope and connection within our community. The Event Co, Lithgow, and Hope Bathurst* are teaming up with local churches to bring you a series of free movie screenings and musical events, starting with the inaugural event on Sunday, July 28th, 2024. 

We would love to invite the students, staff and community of La Salle Academy Lithgow to attend this event. Please find further information below and a poster attached to this email.
This free event will be held at the historic Union Theatre in Lithgow and feature a live band, warm drinks and the screening of 'Jesus Revolution' (2023), a powerful film depicting the historical spiritual revival of the 1970s. Based on true events, the movie centres around the character of young Greg Laurie (Joel Courtney), who is searching for all the right things in all the wrong places: until he meets Lonnie Frisbee (Jonathan Roumie), a charismatic hippie-street-preacher. Together with Pastor Chuck Smith (Kelsey Grammer), they open the doors of Smith’s languishing church to an unexpected revival of radical and newfound love, leading to what TIME Magazine dubbed a JESUS REVOLUTION.

Date: Sunday 28th July 2024 Time: 3pm (doors open), 4pm - 6pm (movie screening)

Address: Union Theatre, 65 Bridge Street, Lithgow 

Entry: Free entry, no bookings required. 

Food/Drink: Light refreshments and warm drinks will be available free of chargeAge: Open to all ages, however the 'Jesus Revolution' film is classified M for mature audiences, and contains mature themes and drug references. Parents and guardians may need to find out more about the content in a film or computer game before deciding whether it is suitable for a child in their care.

CONTACT: For further inquiries  please contact, Lani Johnson, Coordinator - ‘The Lithgow Event Series’
Email: theeventcolithgow@gmail.com    Phone: 0410 560 898

PCYC Safe Drivers course

This course counts towards 20 hours towards the participants log book, and they learn with professional driving instructors.
The Safer Drivers Course aims to provide learner drivers with the knowledge they need to reduce road risks and prevent accidents by becoming a safe driver. As an Accredited Provider of the transport for NSW Safer Drivers Course, PCYC NSW know that our students will complete the course with a greater of understanding of how to be a safe P-plate driver.Statistically, the first six months after receiving your provisional license are the most dangerous. New P-plate drivers can find it challenging on the roads without the support of an experienced instructor by their side. Our course equips young drivers with the tools they need to manage the transition to a full license.I have attached two tiles which can be used, or alternatively, if you can advertise hyperlinks, you can use this as well. PCYC Safer Drivers Course
I really appreciate any support in advertising this to our local kids and can be contacted on the below details if you need any further information. 

Art Classes

A workshop especially for teens aged 15 to 18 years with Dobell Drawing Prize #23 finalist Luke Thurgate.

 Luke Thurgate is a fantastic artist who teaches the Dobell Drawing School classes for year 11 students at the National Art School. He is exhibiting in our current exhibition Dobell Drawing Prize #23 and is teaching this teens only class at the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre in the upcoming school holidays:

Teens only Charcoal Drawing Class with Luke Thurgate

Sunday 14 July                12:30 pm – 3.30 pm

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/teens-only-charcoal-drawing-class-with-luke-thurgate-tickets-922011971627?aff=oddtdtcreator

 Sarah Emerson  l Blue Mountains Cultural Centre -  Public Programs Coordinator

Blue Mountains City Council l 02 4780 5675 l Locked Bag 1005 Katoomba NSW 2780 

www.bmcc.nsw.gov.au l www.bluemountainsculturalcentre.com.au

Karate Classes

We are a local karate school who have been operating for over 25 years with experienced, qualified instructors.
We provide fun, affordable karate classes for kids, teens and adults to develop fitness, determination, focus and self defence in a safe, welcoming environment.
Our karate school is a traditional school that follows the virtues of respect, peace and perseverance and helps to develop students in the dojo as well as in their daily lives.
We are offering a FREE trial lesson to all new students.

Kind regards,
Tamara Snow
Blue Mountains Karate Admin and Instructor

Phone: 0425 370 859
Email: info@karatensw.com.au
Website: karatensw.com.au
Facebook: chito ryu karate blue mountains

Attendance

Basic Student Stationary Pack

Canteen- Flexischools App

We have the flexischools app for your convenience order online - See the flyers below with instructions on how to order

School Zones Reminder

A reminder to all our parents that school zones remain in place for the safety of our children and families. School zones operate on all gazetted school days, which are all the days the school is open, even pupil free days.