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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,
It was wonderful to witness the strong sense of community at Good Samaritan last Friday during our Grandparents’ and Great People Day. The morning began with a beautiful liturgy led so confidently by our Kindergarten students, an inspiring celebration that honoured the cherished role of grandparents and special loved ones in our children’s lives. As we celebrated this occasion so close to the Feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, the grandparents of Jesus, we were reminded of the vital intergenerational bonds that shape faith, wisdom, and love across generations.
Our open classrooms were filled with joy and curiosity as visitors engaged in student learning, followed by a wonderful morning tea in the hall, shared by over 350 guests. The warmth, connection and sense of belonging were felt throughout the day.
In this Jubilee Year of Hope, we were also blessed to welcome Bishop Brian Mascord and Father Bernard Gordon for a pastoral visit. They spent meaningful time with our school community, sharing lunch with student, staff, and parent representatives. A highlight was a spontaneous performance by our school choir, which greatly impressed our guests. Father Bernard remarked on the strength of our Catholic identity and the rich partnership between parish and school, something we deeply value at Good Samaritan.
To conclude this special day, it was lovely to see both parents and staff come together at the Lumen Christi Pastoral Dinner, an evening celebrating our Parish and the vital role the Good Samaritan plays in Catholic education.
This week, we have also welcomed members of an external panel as part of our Cyclic Inquiry, a reflective and strategic process that celebrates our strengths in Faith, Learning, and Wellbeing while guiding our future priorities. It has been a privilege to share our story and highlight the impact of our shared commitment in Faith, Learning and Wellbeing.
There is much to celebrate at Good Samaritan. Guided by our Catholic values, I remain dedicated to fostering growth, ensuring every student is known, nurtured, and inspired to flourish. I look forward to celebrating the Cyclic Inquiry report with you, along with our areas of celebration and identified future priorities.
Sincerely
Pauline Chrostowski
Principal
PARISH CONTACT DETAILS:
General enquiries
Lumen Christi Catholic Parish, Wollongong
Diocese of Wollongong
PO Box 874 (36 Harbour Street)
Wollongong NSW 2500 AustraliaPh: (02) 42 110500
Email: wollongong@dow.org.au Web: www.lumenchristi.org.auOffice hours: Monday to Friday (9:00am–1:00pm)
Enrolments have now opened for Reconciliation and Eucharist 2025 and will close on Friday 31st August 2025.
Students wishing to receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist are invited to enrol in the Sacramental Program through the Lumen Christi Parish Online Portal at: lumenchristi.org.au/sacramental (Enrolments close on 31 August 2025).Values Awards for Weeks 1 and 2- Love of Christ and Neighbour
We will encourage students to develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ through prayer, sacraments and reflection. They will be taught to demonstrate love, kindness and compassion towards others, treating everyone with respect and dignity.
Did you know?
Relationships thrive on good communication. To grow in love and friendship we need to communicate honestly and often. When we pray, we express our desire to grow closer to God. When we pray, we become closer to Jesus who gives us the graces to be good, holy people.
Natalie Shelley
REC
Important: Term 3 PDHPE - Respectful Relationships and Child Safety Education
This Term 3, all students will participate in our mandatory Respectful Relationships and Child Safety Education unit during Personal Development and Health (PDHPE). This vital program teaches age-appropriate skills and knowledge about safe and respectful interactions, body safety, and how to identify and respond to unsafe situations. We believe in working closely with you, as parents and carers, to provide a consistent message and empower our students to be safe, confident, and resilient.
We're here to support you and your child through this important learning. If you have any questions or would like to discuss this further, please don't hesitate to reach out to the school office.
NAPLAN
NAPLAN results were delivered to students in Years 3 and 5 during this week.
NAPLAN is a national literacy and numeracy assessment that students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 sit each year. It is the only national assessment all Australian students undertake.
As students progress through their school years, it’s important to check how well they are learning the essential skills of reading, writing and numeracy.
NAPLAN assesses the literacy and numeracy skills that students are learning through the school curriculum and allows parents/carers to see how their child is progressing against national standards.
NAPLAN is just one aspect of a school’s assessment and reporting process. It doesn’t replace ongoing assessments made by teachers about student performance, but it can provide teachers with additional information about students’ educational progress.
Promoting a Safe and Supportive Playground Environment: Exciting New Lunchtime Clubs!
We're committed to fostering a safe and supportive environment for all our students, and that extends to playtime! This term, we're thrilled to introduce a variety of lunchtime and recess clubs designed to offer engaging activities, help students explore new interests, and build stronger connections within our school community.
These clubs are a fantastic opportunity for students to participate in activities they enjoy, learn new skills, and meet new people. Our goal is to cater to diverse needs and interests, creating a greater sense of belonging for everyone.
Here's what's on offer this term:
- Monday Lunch: Ukulele
- Tuesday Morning: Musical Theatre
- Tuesday Lunch: Lego
- Wednesday Recess: Choir
- Wednesday Lunch: STEM
- Thursday Recess: Christmas Art (Years 5 & 6)
- Thursday Lunch: STEM
- Friday Recess: Christmas Art (Years 5 & 6)
- Friday Lunch: Garden Club
In addition to our new clubs, students can also enjoy our passive play areas, the Wellbeing CAFE, and various shared zones across the school. These options ensure there's a comfortable and enjoyable space for every student during break times.
We encourage your child to speak to their class teacher about joining a club or email the office.
Exciting STEM Opportunity for Our Students!
We’re thrilled to share that our school is participating in the Taronga Zoo STEM Design Challenge this term! This exciting competition invites students to apply their creativity and problem-solving skills to help improve the lives of real zoo animals.
Students will have the choice to focus on one of two engaging design briefs:
- Designing an enrichment toy for the Meerkat enclosure, or
- Creating a 3D-printed feeder for a Yellow-Bellied Glider.
The goal of the challenge is to use STEM thinking to create solutions that support animal wellbeing in fun, practical, and meaningful ways. The winning designs may even be used at Taronga Zoo!
The competition closes in September, so students are encouraged to get started on their designs soon.
To support students, Mrs De Andrade and Mrs Markovic will be running STEM Club sessions during lunchtime on Wednesdays and Thursdays. All interested students are welcome to come along, share ideas, and develop their entries.
We look forward to seeing the amazing ideas our young designers come up with!
The winning student and participants from their school will be invited to Taronga Zoo to see their design in action!
Please use the following link to read about the competition:
Kind Regards,
Catherine Hailstone
Assistant Principal
NSW CPS Cross Country
Congratulations to Evelyn B, Nicholas P and Chase WM on their participation at the NSWCPS Cross Country Championships as members of the MacKillop Team. Evelyn placed 30th out of 80 runners, Nicholas 8th out of 13 and Chase 6th out of 17. We are very proud of your achievements and commitment to representing our school community with pride. Congratulations!
Athletics Awards Assembly
Parents and carers are warmly invited to join us at 2:00 pm on Thursday, 31 July, in the school hall for the presentation of Athletics ribbons and medals.
It is important to note that various heats are held throughout age groups and the Junior category consists of 8, 9 and 10 year olds.
Gala Day Expression of Interest
Some gala days will require travel this year, as they are not located within our local area. Please complete this form as we gather expressions of interest for a number of gala days. It does not guarantee that an event will go ahead. It is important to note, while we aim to get as many students as possible to attend, we are restricted in numbers depending on venues. The form will close Friday at 3pm.
Inclusive Football Opportunity
We’re excited to share a fantastic new opportunity for our school community!
Shellharbour Junior Football Club is proud to be launching its very first Football4All program. This inclusive football initiative is designed specifically for children living with disability, offering a fun, supportive environment to learn and enjoy the game—no matter their experience or ability.
Sessions are set to begin next month, attached is a flyer with more details and a QR code where families can express their interest in joining the program.
AFL
A girls only AFL program is starting at Thomas Dalton Park next Friday for girls in years 3-6. Please see the information in flyer below to register.
Carla Olima
PE Teacher
Get Ready for Book Week 2025: Book an Adventure!
Get ready for an exciting literary adventure as we celebrate Book Week 2025 on Friday, August 22nd! This year's theme, "Book an Adventure," promises a day filled with creativity and a love for reading.
We encourage all students to come dressed as their favourite book character.
Here's a snapshot of what the day will look like:
Morning Session:
The day kicks off with our much-anticipated Book Parade at 9:30am. Parents and family are invited to join us for the parade. Following the parade, students will return to their classrooms for engaging activities. These might include writing a recount of the parade, drawing or painting their character, or sharing a short book review of their favourite book. Some classes will also enjoy reading with their buddies or collaborate to create a class book inspired by the "Book an Adventure" theme.
Middle Session:
Students will participate in rotations, where teachers will share a favourite book and lead a 20-minute activity inspired by it. Activities could range from creative crafts and dramatic retells to designing a new book cover or engaging in a debate based on a book's themes.
Afternoon Session:
We'll gather in the hall for a special teachers' play of "Where the Wild Things Are." We'll also showcase photos of our fantastic classroom door displays, with a student from each class sharing insights into their display. The winning door display, judged during the week, will be announced at our Friday assembly.
Get your costumes and favourite books ready for a memorable Book Week adventure!
News from the P&F
NEWS FROM THE OFFICE
Lost Property is located outside Year 6 classrooms. Please have items labelled this way we can return them to your child.
Please refer to the Good Samaritan Calendar of Events for 2025.
These events are also updated on the Google Parent Calendar.
