Dear SCA Families,

I remember when my dad turned 40 and I thought he was an old man! Now as a father myself (certainly past 40, and a grandfather to boot!), I have reassessed many of the things I used to think about my father. With Fathers’ Day this weekend I take the opportunity to thank all of the dads and father-figures in our SCA family. The school appreciates the many ways in which you support and assist us for the good of your children. Best wishes for a great day on Sunday.

A Father’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven

I am a father on earth.

You have given me this gift and responsibility.

Grant me the wisdom to carry it out.

Let my fatherhood be one of encouragement and support,
not of expectations and control.

Let me respect them as individuals, not as extensions of myself.

Let me be honest about my feelings toward them –
including my anger, disappointment, hurt, excitement, joy and love.

Let me be firm without dominating them.

Let me be sensitive to their feelings without trying to change them.

Let me be there for them when they need me and get out of their
way when they don’t.

Let me offer them the roots of belonging and the wings of freedom.

Help me, Father in heaven, to be a father on earth.

Amen

Happy Father’s Day (this Sunday) to all the dads, grand-dads, uncles and father-figures of our children. Congratulations on the love you put into being a father. Though they may not often say it, the children appreciate you for the love you put into their lives.

Father’s Day Breakfast – This Friday

All fathers, grandfathers and father-figures are warmly invited to our annual Father’s Day Breakfast, this Friday in the school Hall.  Please see elsewhere in this newsletter for further details.

Trailer Repairs

Help please. Do you have a welder and some time to help? Our school trailer is needing some repairs, reattaching the mesh panels to the frame. If you think you could help, please contact the front office, or speak directly with our Janitor/Groundsman, Wayne Dunn.

2025 School Term Dates

Catholic Education Canberra Goulburn (CECG) has informed us of the school dates for next year. For planning those holiday trips:

Book Week Thanks

It was great to see the buzz about books so evident at SCA last week. Thanks to all the students, staff and families who got into the spirt of things, especially through our Book Fair and dress up day. I extend a special thanks to Mrs Katherine Austin, our wonderful Teacher Librarian, for all of her planning and organisation.

Extravaganza – Three Weeks to Go

Excitement is well and truly building with our Extravaganza just weeks away. The children and staff are rehearsing and working hard. The show promises to be spectacular.

Everyone in our community is invited to attend; you don’t need to have a child involved. Please see details later in the newsletter on how to book a ticket.

Trans-Tasman Principals’ Conference

Along with more than a dozen principals from our Archdiocese, I will be attending the Trans-Tasman Principals’ Conference, in Christchurch, New Zealand, in Week 9 of this term. Part of the experience includes some school visits, which I am looking forward to.

I am also taking the opportunity to have an extra break; taking some long-service-leave to tour the South Island, in Week 10. I will leave knowing that the school is in excellent hands, with Jo Reed stepping up as Acting Principal during my leave.

Learning Journeys

In Week 8, on the afternoon of Tuesday 10^th September, our classrooms will be open for all family members to visit and see what has been happening in your child’s classroom this term.

Your child will take you on a journey, sharing their learnings so far, as well as some of their challenges. Class teachers will be present to say hello. If you think you might need a one-on-one conversation with your child’s teacher, please speak with them to arrange a mutually convenient time.

We hope to see many families visiting us next Tuesday from 3.00pm – 4.30pm.

It was once said…

“Nothing is funnier than people without kids telling me how tired they are.” – unknown, but certainly a parent.

Blessings to you and your family.

Matt Egan-Richards

Principal

matt.egan-richards@cg.catholic.edu.au

Congratulations to the children who will be awarded white cards at the 8.45 am Friday Morning Assembly.

Year 6 Community Leaders and 2 Blue Get Their Hands Dirty with Native Planting

As the weather warms up, our Year 6 Community Leaders have been hard at work, transforming the greenhouse with a variety of native plants. They've been busy planting an array of species, including Dichopogon, Bulbine Bulbosa, Dianella Caerulea, Pycnosorus Globosus, and vibrant Strawflowers, just to name a few.

But the excitement didn’t stop there! 2 Blue joined in on the gardening fun and proudly planted their own Carex Appressa. The students had a blast getting their hands dirty while learning about the importance of these native plants.

Our greenhouse is starting to look more vibrant thanks to the efforts of our enthusiastic students. We can’t wait to see how it continues to flourish!

2 Blue and Kinder Bluey Explore Bush Tucker and Native Plants

2 Blue and Kinder Bluey have been diving into the fascinating world of Bush Tucker and Native plants! Last Friday, they had the exciting opportunity to plant the very first seedlings in our brand-new SCA garden. Although a sudden rain shower interrupted our planting session, the students are eager to get back out there and continue bringing the garden to life.

In addition to their hands-on gardening experience, 2 Blue and Kinder Bluey have been learning about a variety of Native plants. They were thrilled to watch Mr Dunn as he planted Native Rosemary, Grevillea, and a special Callistemon – the St Mary MacKillop.

A big thank you to Cathy for joining us, sharing her knowledge, and helping the students learn about planting and caring for the plants. Her guidance was invaluable, and we’re grateful for her support.

The students are buzzing with excitement about these activities, and they can't wait to see the garden grow and thrive!

Year 4 Students Participate in Waste Education Program

Last week, a group of Year 4 students had the valuable opportunity to engage with the Sustainable School Program. Gabi, the program facilitator, led a comprehensive waste audit of our school bins. Through this hands-on activity, the students learned about proper waste disposal and which items belong in specific bins.

The students were particularly surprised by the significant amount of incorrect waste found in the yellow recycling bins. This discovery highlighted the importance of proper waste sorting.

This semester, a dedicated group of Year 4 students, known as the Waste Warriors, will take the lead in educating the entire school community on proper waste disposal practices. Their efforts will aim to ensure that everyone is correctly disposing of rubbish.

We also encourage parents to continue these important conversations at home by discussing proper waste disposal and recycling practices with their children. Together, we can make a positive impact on our environment.

SCA Community,

I’m thrilled to highlight this week's "Grade Spotlight," featuring:

Year 5

Brooke Coles

Year 1 Classroom Teacher

Congratulations to all the children who competed at the Tuggeranong Region Athletics Carnival at the Woden Track on Monday.

The children represented SCA beautifully and we are so proud of your results.

70 metre - 8 years

16th - Parker

30th - Sophia

4th – Billy

7th – Levi

70 metre - 9 years

9th  - Shiloh

13th - Grace R

12th – Matthew

22nd - Joshua

100 metre - 12 years

5th – Gemma

5th - Noah

100 metre - 11 years

6th - Amaya

19th – Abigail

17th – Luka

32nd - Leroy

100 metre - 10 years

3rd - Lily B

6th – Jade

18th - Patrick

100 metre - 9 years

4th - Shiloh

11th - Grace R

3rd – Matthew

20th - Logan

100 metre - 8 years

16th - Parker

29th - Grace B

3rd - Zayne

4th – Billy

200 metre - 12 years

9th - Gemma

15th - Ally

6th – Noah

200 metre - 11 years

5th - Amaya

12th – Abigail

9th - Luka

200 metre - 10 years

2nd - Lily B

12th – Jade

15th – Alex

24th - Patrick

800 metre - 10 years

4th - Lily B

21st - Lilli L

2nd – Alex

10th - Patrick

800 metre - 11 years

17th – Ava

17th - Luka

800 metre - 12 years

5th - Mia 

12th – Charlie

11th - James

Discus - 12 years

4th - Jasmine

22nd – Charlie

4th – Joseph

12th - Noah

Discus - 11 years

31st – Amaya

12th – Zane Dickson

34th – Sampras Daradong

Discus - 10 years

17th – Lily B

9th – Hayden S

17th - Patrick

Shot put - 12 years

5th – Jasmine

7th – Noah

23rd - Joseph

Shot put - 11 years

25th – Maddison

Shot put - 10 years

7th – Tahlia

22nd – Hayden S

Long jump – 12 years

3rd – Gemma

12th – Cooper R

21st - Noah

Long jump – 11 years

23rd – Amaya

7th – Leroy

25th – Adam G

Long jump – 10 years

6th – Jade

18th – Alex and Patrick

Katherine Austin

Sports Coordinator

Building on the success of the regional carnival, congratulations to the following children for qualifying for the ACT Athletics Carnival!

Billy M - 2 events, Lily B - 4 events, Shiloh, Matthew, Zayne, Alex, Jasmine, Joseph and Gemma. Well done.

Katherine Austin

Sports Coordinator

Yesterday, 76 boys from Years 3-6 took part in the Oztag gala day. They played exceptionally well and demonstrated great sportsmanship throughout the event. A big thank you to our coaches and all the parents for their support on the day.

Today, is the girls' turn to shine at the Oztag gala day. They are playing some outstanding games, displayed fantastic skills, and had a lot of fun. Well done, girls! A big thank you to our coaches and parents for all their support!

The Boorowa Touch and Netball carnival is being held on Friday 25^th of October in Boorowa.

The day is open to all children in Years 2-6 who are interested in playing netball or touch football.

Please go on to Compass to register for the event and find more information.

Player of the Week 

Speckles – the whole team

Smiggles – Aaliyah

Squiggles – the whole team

Swifts – Ruby and Caitlyn

Skittles – the whole team

Sparkles – April

Smurfs – Jayda

Sunshines – the whole team

Stars – Amaya

Smarties – the whole team

Speckles Match Report

On Saturday, we had a surprisingly warm winter’s day, and the girls were fired up for the game. We faced off against the Trinity Fireworks, a formidable team. The girls showcased the skills and teamwork we’ve been honing during training. In the end, they secured a 16-8 victory, displaying incredible determination. We couldn’t be prouder of how much the girls have grown this season, both individually and as a team. Well done, girls—we are immensely proud of you!