Good Samaritan Catholic Primary School Fairy Meadow acknowledges and pays respect to the Dharawal and Gweagal people past and present, the traditional custodians of the lands on which our school is built.

Dear Parents and Carers,

As we close out a fantastic Term 3, I want to share some exciting news and reflect on the incredible progress we've made as a community. Our commitment to our school values - Community, Love of Christ and Neighbour, Hospitality, and Stewardship has never been more evident.

Community

Term 3 has been a true celebration of our school community. The installation of our new playground is underway and will be ready for its grand opening on Friday, October 17. A huge thank you to the staff and P&F for their hard work on the upcoming disco. It is shaping up to be a wonderful night. We also had a successful STEM Mad day and Science Fair, where students showcased their creativity and innovation.

Love of Christ and Neighbour

This term, our students have demonstrated a powerful commitment to loving their neighbour. Our Peer Support leaders have done an outstanding job on the playground, and we have seen a noticeable reduction in negative behaviours. It is wonderful to see students playing together respectfully and supporting one another. We are also excited to begin our Sacramental Program with our Year 3 students, a beautiful step in their faith journey.

Hospitality

We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of our community. This week we are proud to be hosting Bandana Day and Hoops for Hope Day. These events not only raise essential funds but also teach our students about opening their hearts and showing compassion to others in need. Thank you for your support of these important initiatives.

Stewardship

Our students have shown great strides in their personal development, demonstrating a wonderful sense of stewardship over their own learning. I am particularly proud of the progress our students have made in their reading fluency and our Year 4 students for their excellent results on the Religious Literacy Assessment.

As the school holidays begin, please take this time to rest and recharge. A reminder that summer uniforms will begin in Term 4. I look forward to welcoming everyone back to school on Tuesday, October 14, ready for a fantastic term ahead.

Mrs Catherine Hailstone

Acting Principal

I warmly invite you to share with your school communities a special opportunity taking place at St John Vianney Co-Cathedral, Fairy Meadow, on Tuesday 14 October at 9:30am. This Mass will be offered for all mothers, especially those preparing to give birth.

At this Mass, the Blessing for Expectant Mothers will be prayed. This is a simple but deeply moving way for our parish community to show our prayerful affection, encouragement, and solidarity with mothers and families during these sacred and often challenging moments of life.

The blessing is connected with St Gerard Majella, who is honoured throughout the Church as “The Mothers’ Saint.” St Gerard was born on 6 April 1726 in Muro, Italy. Though his father died when Gerard was only 12, leaving the family in poverty, Gerard sought to serve God faithfully. After being denied entry to the Capuchins due to poor health, he was accepted as a Redemptorist brother and served humbly as a gardener, tailor, fundraiser, peacemaker, and spiritual adviser.

Despite frail health throughout his short life, Gerard became known for his deep prayer, patience, kindness, and prophetic insight. He bore false accusations with humility and continued to seek only the will of God. He died of tuberculosis on 16 October 1755 at the age of 29. His feast day is kept on that date.

The devotion to St Gerard as patron of mothers comes from a remarkable incident in the last months of his life. After leaving the home of the Pirofalo family, one of the daughters called out that he had forgotten his handkerchief. Gerard replied, in a moment of prophetic foresight: “Keep it. It will be useful to you someday.” Years later, when the young woman was in danger of death during childbirth, she remembered Gerard’s words, called for the handkerchief, and immediately the danger passed. She gave birth to a healthy child. From this miracle, devotion to St Gerard spread rapidly, especially among Italian mothers, and later throughout the world with the help of Italian immigrant women.

Today, countless mothers, especially those expecting children or experiencing difficult pregnancies, continue to call upon St Gerard’s intercession with confidence and trust. His prayer is sought for unborn children, for safe delivery, and for mothers in every stage of family life.

At this special Mass on 14 October, mothers who are expecting will be invited to receive the Blessing for Expectant Mothers. Families are warmly encouraged to come and surround these mothers with their love and support. It is a tangible way for us to say together: “You are not alone, and we walk with you in faith and hope.”

Thank you the Fairy Meadow Catholic Women’s League for initiating this beautiful devotion in our parish. Their care and commitment to prayerful support of mothers and families is an inspiring witness.

Please extend this invitation to all parents in your school communities. We would love to see families from across our parish and schools gather for this grace-filled occasion.

St Gerard Majella, pray for us!

OPENING OF THE NEW PLAYGROUND, OPEN CLASSROOMS & BAKE SALE FRIDAY 17 OCTOBER

Open classrooms from 10:00 to 10:45 am showcasing reading fluency and writing in action. At 10:45 a.m, a bake sale will offer treats to enjoy on-site or to take away.

A coffee van will be available for those wishing to purchase coffee. Opening of the adventure playground and cutting of the ribbon.

The Golden Ticket winner will be announced-the first student to try the new playground slide!

Feast of all Benedictine Saints 

We are excited to invite you to our special Mass to celebrate the Feast of All Benedictine Saints. This is a significant event in our school calendar, observed on Tuesday 11 November at 9.30am.

Event Schedule:

Feast day mass followed by morning tea with parents and school student leaders (captains and vice captains). 

All parents are welcome.

Full school uniform.

Student Fun Day

On Wednesday 12 November, we will continue our Feast Day celebrations with a Student Fun Day. Various stalls will be held by Year 6, and a sausage sizzle will be provided by the school. Inflatable onsite. Please note that it is a mufti day and for students only.

We look forward to celebrating together as a school community.

Summer Uniform Changeover:

As the weather begins to get warmer the students may wear their Summer uniform from Monday 8 September 2025. It is then at parental discretion as to which uniform is worn given the weather forecast until the end of term. We ask that either FULL Summer or FULL Winter is worn, not a combination of each. 

All students must wear the Summer uniform from the beginning of Term 4, Tuesday 14 October 2025.

Kind Regards,

Natalie Shelley  

Acting Assistant Principal

CSNSW Aquathon

Entries are now open for the Catholic Schools NSW Invitational Aquathon to be held on Wednesday 26 November 2025 at the NEW VENUE of Des Renford Aquatic Centre, Maroubra.

Aquathon is a multi-sport event combining swimming and running (with a transition), with minimal equipment needed and low barriers to entry. Students of all abilities are given the opportunity to challenge themselves in a unique and fun event. Depending on age division, swim legs vary from 100-300m and run legs vary from 1km-1.8km.

See below for everything you will need to know regarding the CSNSW Aquathon:

Date: Wednesday 26 November 2025

Time: First race commences at 8:30am. Last race concludes at approximately 2:30pm

Venue: Des Renford Aquatic Centre, Maroubra

Address: Jersey Rd & Robey Street, Maroubra NSW 2035

Entry: $50.00 per athlete

 

This event is for 8 to 19 year olds, with students competing in combined age groups i.e. 8/9 yrs, 10/11 yrs, 12/13 yrs, 14/15 yrs, 16 - 19 yrs, as well as combined Multi Class age groups, including 8 - 12 years and 13 - 19 years.

 

See here for proposed order of events: 2025 CSNSW Aquathon - Order of Events

 Students may compete in two events on the day - one in the morning for qualifying and one in the afternoon in seeded finals.

 

Catholic School students are invited to attend with the approval of their School. 

To register:

Go to https://csnsw.sport/

Click on "Create an account"

Add your child's profile

Add your child's school

Click on the "Register For A Sport" button

Select "CSNSW Sport Aquathon" under Available Sport Registration

Follow the prompts to complete registration

 

Entries close Wednesday 19 November 2025.

 

For further information, see https://csnsw.sport/sports/csnsw-sport-programmes/aquathon or contact sportresponses@csnsw.catholic.edu.au

Basketball Gala Day

Our students from Years 3 to 6 had a fantastic time at the Catholic Schools Basketball Gala Days held last week at the Snake Pit. The days were filled with exciting games and  teamwork. It was wonderful to see the students showcase not only their basketball skills, but also their sportsmanship and support for one another. Whether they were seasoned players or new to the game, everyone embraced the spirit of the day with enthusiasm and positive energy. 

A big thank you to Mrs Olima for her outstanding effort in organising and coordinating the event, as well as the many parent helpers on the day. A big congratulations to all the participants for their efforts and for making the event such an enjoyable experience!

Congratulations to Maddi T - U11 NSW MVP  

Maddi and her team represented NSW in Oztag against QLD on the weekend and came away as winners. She was also named MVP of the series. Well done Maddi, we are very proud of you.

Carla Olima

PE Teacher

Recently, a number of our students participated in the ICAS Competition for English and Mathematics. ICAS is a globally recognised, independent skills-based assessment program that celebrates and rewards academic excellence, with over one million students participating each year.

We are delighted to acknowledge the outstanding achievements of our highest performers in 2025:

• Liam W (Year 3) – High Distinction in Mathematics

• Henry F (Year 4) – Distinction in Mathematics

• Kaisha B (Year 5) – Distinction in English

We commend these students on their hard work and commitment to excellence.

BOOKS FROM HOLY SPIRIT COLLEGE

We are thrilled to acknowledge the exceptional generosity of Holy Spirit College, Bellambi, who recently loaned entire sets of reading books to our stage three students. This loan is more than just books; it's a gift of knowledge, adventure, and the chance for our students to discover new passions. Having full sets of these texts will allow our teachers to easily incorporate them into our curriculum, ensuring that every student has access to the same high-quality resources. Thank you, Cath White, Librarian at Holy Spirit College, for your commitment to our students' success and for your outstanding community spirit.

Mrs Shirley Jancetic 

Please refer to the Good Samaritan Calendar of Events for 2025.

These events are also updated on the Google Parent Calendar.