Delagram 15th August 2025

From the Principal

Exciting Announcement!

I am delighted to announce that we have just received funding for a $1.5million renovated performing arts precinct that we will be opening in early 2026.  This is in conjunction with a number of other projects currently being undertaken throughout the school, including:

• Recent installation of outdoor heating in the canteen area;
• Continuing construction of two new accessibility ramps;
• The start of a new mural depicting St John Baptist de La Salle;
• The upgrade (painting, carpets and window furnishings) to the old technology rooms;
• The upgrade (painting, carpets and window furnishings) and ‘renaming’ of our chapel;
• The introduction of wayfaring signage reflecting on the rich history of Catholic education in Lithgow and local Indigenous stories and information.

The remainder of the year proves to be an exciting time for our community as we demonstrate our commitment, ambition and aspiration for the students who attend La Salle Academy.  In relation to the Performing Arts Precinct, I look forward to showing our community that plans which will include:

• Dedicated Music Classroom;
• Two soundproofed Music Practice rooms for individuals or pairs;
• One soundproofed Music Practice room for bands;
• A sound recording studio;
• Large fully sprung non slip surface Dance/Drama classroom and presentation space;
• Outdoor entertaining space for before and after hosted events;
• Essential facilities including toilets, kitchenette and changing rooms.

As depicted in our recent social media release, we are creating a space for performers, storytellers, artists, dreamers and audiences.  We will be able to host small concerts and performances showcasing the drama, dance and music talents of our students.  We anticipate with enough student interest in Stage 5, of introducing Dance and Drama into our elective offerings for 2026. 

I am delighted to be making this announcement and look forward to further announcements in the coming weeks that I know will please our families.  Watch out for my next VLOG early next week. 

God Bless
Mr Glenn Carpenter

Assistant Principal

Year 11 End of Preliminary Examinations
Year 11 students will be commencing their End of Preliminary exams in week 8 and 9. A timetable will be distributed to students soon. This means that students should be completing final assessment tasks and preparing for the exams by revising course content and reviewing past papers to get used to the style of questions that will be used.

A reminder about the processes for these exams. They are assessment tasks for all subjects so if you are absent from the exam you will need to provide a medical certificate and submit a show cause form. An alternative and equal task will be provided. The procedures for this assessment period is outlined in our Assessment Guides.
Have a great fortnight
Mrs Holgate

Religious Education Coordinator

Today, our school joined with St Patrick’s Primary School to celebrate the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This special day reminds us that Mary, the Mother of Jesus, trusted completely in God’s plan. Because of her deep faith, she was taken into heaven, body and soul, to be with God forever.

The Assumption is a sign of hope for all of us. It shows that because Jesus rose from the dead, we too will share in that new life one day. Mary has already received this promise, and it serves as a reminder of what God has in store for everyone who follows Him. This celebration invites us to live like Mary, with faith, love, and trust in God, and to bring kindness, hope, and joy to others.

Thank you to our talented choir, vocalists, readers, and leaders who gave so generously of their time and gifts to make this liturgy so uplifting. Your contribution helped us to pray and celebrate as one faith family.

Last week, we gathered for a beautiful St Mary MacKillop Liturgy Reflection on Friday, the 8th, during Period 5. Thank you to our Year 11 students for organising and leading this special occasion. Your preparation, leadership, and reverence made it a truly meaningful experience for our whole school community. We were also blessed to have parents and siblings join us for the liturgy, and we hope to see even more of our extended community at future events. Your presence truly enriches our celebrations.

Looking ahead, next week we welcome Year 5 students for a Leadership Retreat Day led by our Year 10 CSYMI ministry team. This will be a wonderful opportunity for our senior students to share their faith and leadership skills with the younger students in our diocese.

Then on Friday, 22nd August, both our CSYMI Year 9 and 10 students will travel to Blayney to join other CSYMI students from across the diocese for the RISE Conference, a day filled with faith, music, and inspiration.

A friendly reminder that our Winter Appeal Sleep Out is fast approaching. Permission forms need to be returned to Mrs Wilsmore-Smith as soon as possible so that we can finalise numbers. This important event not only raises awareness about homelessness but also gives our students a practical way to live out our Lasallian and Josephite charisms. 

Thank you for your ongoing support of our faith and community initiatives, it is together that we live our mission.

With warm regards,
Mrs Wilsmore-Smith
Religious Education Coordinator

Leader of Teaching and Learning

Welcome to our new Literacy Coach!
It is my great pleasure to welcome Ms. Jenna Fletcher into the role of Literacy Coach at La Salle Academy.  The CEDB is committed to improving the academic outcomes of students in the diocese and has identified literacy development as a key factor in the achievement of these outcomes. We know that literacy is vital to the success of our students at school and beyond and to aid the growth of these skills within our students, the role of Literacy Coach was established in every secondary school within the diocese in 2024. 

The aim of this role is to work closely with the School Leadership Team, KLA Coordinators and Teaching Staff to develop teaching and learning strategies which support the unique literacy needs found within each subject area. The success of this role has been evident throughout the diocese and as a result,  funding has been extended which means the Literacy Coach role will continue until 2027. This is fantastic news and will certainly be beneficial for our staff and students. 

Ms Fletcher is keen to begin working with our staff to further develop the literacy work completed by our previous Literacy Coaches. With extensive teaching experience in both the English and HSIE KLAs, Ms. Fletcher possesses a deep understanding of our students’ literacy needs and a clear vision for implementing effective strategies to address them within the classroom. We look forward to continued student improvement and growth in this area and wish Ms Fletcher all the best as she embarks on her new role.

Yr 11, 2026 Subject Selections
After attending Subject Selection Night and engaging with staff about subject choices and learning pathway options, our Year 10 students are now ready to choose the subjects they wish to study in Stage 6.  Choosing  subjects is an exciting step for our students in their educational journey. The subjects they select will help prepare students for the Higher School Certificate (HSC) and shape their learning pathway to support future career goals.

Key Points to Remember

• Know the requirements – In Year 11 (Preliminary) you must study at least 12 units of Board Developed or Board Endorsed courses.
  
  
• English and Religion are compulsory subjects.
  
  
• Balance your choices – Choose a mix of subjects that you are interested in, that you can perform well in, and that suit your future study or career plans.
  
  
• Consider pathways – Think about whether you are aiming for an ATAR (university entry) or a non-ATAR pathway (vocational, trade, or direct-to-work).
  
  

Steps to Take

1. Talk to your teachers – They can help you understand the content, workload, and assessment style of each subject.
   
   
2. Discuss your options at home – Your parents/carers can help you think through your strengths, interests, and future plans.
   
   
3. Use online resources – Explore websites connected to your future plans, eg university websites, industry websites, NESA and UAC.  These websites can help you explore career pathways linked to specific subjects and indicate if there are pre-requisites that are necessary for your future pathways.

       Advice for Students

• Choose subjects you enjoy – you are more likely to stay motivated and achieve better results.
• Don’t choose a subject just because your friends are doing it.
• Be realistic about your abilities and the commitment each subject requires.
  
  Advice for Parents
  

• Support your child in researching all of their options.
• Encourage them to keep future goals in mind, but also to choose subjects they find engaging.
• Help them create a balanced study load that avoids unnecessary stress.
  

Important Dates

• Subject Selection Interviews: Occurring now
• Subject Choice Form Due: 29th August, 2025

Yours in learning, 
Mrs Devine

Pastoral and Wellbeing Co-ordinator Year 7,9 and 11

GratitudeOver the past two weeks in our Resilience Project lessons, we’ve been exploring the theme of gratitude—the simple yet powerful habit of noticing and appreciating the good things in our lives. While it sounds straightforward, gratitude is a skill that needs to be practised to have a lasting impact.
The Resilience Project reminds us that in just 21 days of practising gratitude, you can start rewiring your brain to scan the world for the positives. This means you become three times more likely to notice the good around you, rather than focusing on what’s missing or going wrong.
And the benefits don’t stop there. After 42 days of consistent gratitude practice, research shows you are:

• Less likely to get sick
• Higher in energy and motivation
• Happier and more enthusiastic
• More focused and determined
• More optimistic about the future
• Sleeping better
• Experiencing lower levels of depression and anxiety

The Social Media Challenge
In our lessons, we’ve also been discussing how social media can influence gratitude. Platforms are often filled with curated highlights from others’ lives, which can create unrealistic comparisons. When we’re constantly scrolling through “perfect” moments, it can be easy to feel like what we have isn’t enough. Practising gratitude helps to break this cycle—reminding us to focus on our own daily wins and meaningful moments, however small they might seem.

Easy Ways Families Can Practise Gratitude Together
Gratitude is most powerful when it becomes part of our everyday conversations. Here are some simple ideas you can try at home:

• Gratitude Dinner – Each family member shares one thing they’re grateful for from the day during a meal.
• Gratitude Jar – Keep a jar in the kitchen for everyone to drop in short notes about things they appreciate. Read them together at the end of the month.
• Bedtime Reflections – Before bed, share with your child one positive thing you noticed about them that day, and ask them to do the same for you.
• Gratitude Swap – Send a quick thank-you message to a friend, relative, or teacher to acknowledge something they’ve done.

When we practise gratitude, we train our minds to notice the joy in the everyday. It’s a small shift that can make a huge difference—to our health, happiness, and how we connect with others.

Warm regards,
Mrs Tahni Hotham
Wellbeing Coordinator (Years 7, 9 & 11)

Pastoral and Wellbeing Co-ordinator Year 8,10 and 12

We have had a busy and engaging start to the term.
This term will be an important one, with a strong focus on setting clear learning goals, maintaining consistent study habits, and embracing the challenges that come with new content and assessments. For our students, I encourage you to approach each day with a positive attitude, a willingness to participate fully, and the resilience to push through challenges.
Year 8
Year 8 have begun working on their assessment tasks for the term. This is a valuable
opportunity for them to demonstrate their learning and develop effective study habits. I encourage students to create a clear study plan, break tasks into manageable steps, and seek help from teachers early if they are unsure about any content. Equally important is looking after their mental health during this busy time, balancing study with rest, exercise, and being social helps maintain focus and wellbeing. Parents can support their child by
encouraging healthy routines, open conversations, and celebrating effort as well as achievement.
Year 10
Year 10 have been very busy this term getting involved in opportunities offered by the school
such as the YES Program with Bathurst TAFE, University of Notre Dame Rural week and
other opportunities based around post High School plans. The YES Program at Bathurst
TAFE offers students an opportunity to get a ‘taste’ of what TAFE life looks like. Every
Friday, the group will engage in a range of TAFE courses such as Beauty, Welding, Auto
Electrics and many others. Year 10 are encouraged to take these opportunities on board and
to get involved in as many activities as possible.
Year 12
Trials! Year 12 have done an excellent job at settling in and doing their best. I encourage
students to approach this period with focus, organisation, and a balanced routine that
includes rest, healthy eating, and time for exercise. While it is natural to feel some pressure,
maintaining perspective and seeking support when needed will help build confidence.
Parents and carers can play a key role by offering encouragement, providing a calm home
environment, and reminding students that consistent effort and a positive mindset are just as
important as the results themselves. At the end of the Trials, the year group will be taken on
a ‘Mental Health Day’ to Penrith, where they will engage in activities that will hopefully make
them feel more relaxed and proud of their efforts in the last couple of weeks.
As always, our pastoral care team is here to assist with both academic and wellbeing needs.
If you have any concerns or require support, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Mrs Soliette Markovic
Pastoral/Wellbeing Coordinator for Year 8, 10 and 12

Library News

Accelerated Reader Word Count Challenge
Renaissance are once again running their Word Count Challenge Competition. This is a nationwide challenge to see which class can read the most words using Accelerated Reader. Running from 1st August to 1st September, this competition is a great way to motivate our students to build strong reading habits and also engage in a little healthy competition. To participate, students just need to keep reading texts and completing the online quizzes. Once each quiz has been completed, the word count of the corresponding text is added to the class tally.  The nationwide wide prizes for the winning class/school include: A 3D printer, A pizza party and $2000 worth of Renaissance credits. So keep reading, you never know your class may be in the running for these great prizes!

Heywire Storytelling Competition
ABC Heywire are once again running their fantastic lived experience storytelling competition. It is a competition for young people aged 16-22 who are living in regional/rural/remote areas. To enter, participants are required to share a true story about an aspect of their lives. The story can be composed through written, visual or audio format.

The competition closes: 1st September. More details can be found on their website: https://www.abc.net.au/heywire/competition

Book Week 2025
We are days away from celebrating Book Week and it is exciting to be able to share with you the finalised timeline of the activities that will be held in the library at recess during Week 5:

Monday 18/8: Guess the Staff Shelfie: In this guessing competition, students will see a range of photographs of book shelves with various titles stored in them. Students will need to use the clues provided by the types of books on the shelf  to try and guess which teacher is the owner.

Tuesday 19/8:  Emoji Competition: Students can join in a fun quiz that will challenge their knowledge of films, Tv Shows and Books. The titles of each will be outlined in emojis and students will need to decipher them.

Wednesday 20/8: Create Your Own Book Nook: Students will explore their creative sides by getting crafty with book titles and themes and building their very own book nook!

Thursday 21/8: Dress Up Day: Students are invited to come dressed as their favourite character. This could be from a book, movie or TV show. If students are dressing up, we ask that they bring a gold coin donation as this will help support Reading Out Of Poverty (ROOP). ROOP is an Australian non-profit organisation dedicated to improving literacy skills among disadvantaged children and families, particularly those from low-income, migrant, and refugee backgrounds. ROOP provides free books, early literacy programs, and support to ensure all children have the opportunity to develop strong reading and language skills.

Friday 22/8: Second Hand Book Drive: To conclude our Book Week celebrations, students are invited to bring in any unwanted books from home for our second hand book drive. The library will also be providing a range of fiction and non-fiction books to be included in the book drive. This is a great opportunity for students to find new texts that will engage them and help them to develop and maintain positive reading habits into the future! All books will be sold for $1 each and all money raised will go to ROOP.

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

This Fatal Kiss  by Alicia Jacinska
An immersive fantasy, filled with dark magic, mystery and romance, from the author of The Dark Tide. Cursed to haunt the river running through the magical spa town where she drowned, water nymph Gisela dreams of returning to the living world and the family she left behind. All it takes to regain her humanity is a kiss from a mortal ... if only others didn't see her as a monster. This is a terrific ghostly tale, based on Slavic folklore, that shows that there are many different ways of looking at a situation.

Happy Reading, 
Mrs Devine

National Science Week 2025

National Science Week 2025 (Monday 11.08.20525 - Friday 15.08.2025)

Theme: Decoding the Universe – Exploring the unknown with nature’s hidden language.

This year’s theme will build on the 2025 United Nations International Year of Quantum Science and Technology.
Students undertook three activities over three lessons that related to a basic introduction to quantum computing.

Activity 1: YouTube and Internet Research Activity
Students undertook a research activity on quantum computing by viewing a YouTube video
and reading through a webpage. They completed a cloze passages activity individually. The
students discussed their answers in their allocated groups and combined their answers. The
groups swapped their answer sheets with other groups, peer-marking the answers, with the
class teacher reading out the answers. The groups’ attempts were collected and the results
for Activity 1 were recorded.

Activity 2: Crossword creation
Student groups were provided with a grid and were instructed to prepare a crossword
consisting of a combination of across and down clues with the aid of the questions &
answers from Activity 1. A minimum of fifteen clues and answers were required.
Students had the opportunity to draft their clues and crossword prior to doing a final version.
Groups were provided with the marking guidelines for Activity 3 to act as a guide in
preparing their crossword to a high standard.

Activity 3: Marking of the crossword
Student group crosswords were peer-marked according to the criteria of the marking
guidelines given out at the beginning of Activity 2. The students were assessed on the ability
to provide all fifteen clues with the correct answers and on the presentation of the crossword.
The results were recorded to be combined with those from Activity 1.
Students who participated in the National Science Week activities will receive recognition of
this by the awarding of a certificate through their science teacher during class time. Those
students who excelled in the activities will be commended at a future assembly.

Thank you for your time.
J. MacKinnon
Science/Agriculture/STEM & Languages Coordinator

NSW Merino Wether Challenge

Merino wether competitions were held this year in all six states across the country with their aim to educate high school students about the commercial production of Merino sheep. The initiatives provide the students with a memorable ‘hands on’ experience covering a broad range of sheep and wool production skills.

In NSW, 69 schools from across the state participated in the School Merino Wether Challenge, which was organised in partnership with the NSW Stud Merino Breeders Association, the Dubbo National Ram Sale Association and Bralca. There were more than 700 students from right across NSW and over 400 wethers involved in the program this year. The challenge involved each school being allocated six wethers from the same age drop from Egelabra Merino Stud for approx  six months, with the students forming a close relationship with their wethers. This provides a unique and practical experience for the students, much different from classroom learning. Each school converged on the Dubbo Showground where they presented their wethers for judging on commercial value where they were judged according to their meat and wool quality.

Our Primary Industries & Agriculture students showed a huge commitment to our team of wethers and we are very proud to announce our team placed third in the carcass section in our zone! 

At the event, students also had the opportunity to participate in activities to learn more about sheep handling and working dogs, wool harvesting, fleece typing with AWN, Fletchers International Exports, take part in a young farmers challenge with Bralca, and hear from a careers panel about the wide range of opportunities in the industry. 

By attending the NSW Merino Wether Challenge event  and by looking after their wethers, the students gained:

• practical, hands-on skills in sheep management
• a better understanding of sheep and wool production as a business
• contact with many aspects of the Merino sheep industry
• a chance to network with industry participants and other students
• an enjoyable experience with Merino sheep and the industry
• a positive perspective on a career with sheep and wool.

All the competitions are supported by AWI, as well as individual studs, schools, teachers and students.

We are very proud of our students commitment,achievements and representation at the NSW Merino Challenge! 

Regards
Kim Dixon
Primary Industries Trainer/Assessor

Prev

Showing images 1 - 8 of 16

Next

Finance

SCHOOL FEES FOR 2025

Term 3 is rolling on by as we approach the end of Week 4. Account Statements were issued on Monday the 4th of August via email. The final instalment is due Friday 15th August for those paying by instalments. If you have a Payment Plan, please make sure your payments clear the account by Friday, December 12th. I strongly encourage those who have not yet set up a Payment Plan to do so, as there are only 18 weeks left in the payment plan timeline.

For anyone who may be experiencing difficulty or needing to have a discussion regarding account payments, I do encourage you to reach out so we can discuss options that may be available.

Your account is also accessible 24 hours via Compass to make payments. If you have any questions relating to your account, please let us know by contacting the school office. If you have not received your School Fee Statement via email at all, please contact the school office to ensure that we have the correct email address on our system.

Fee Billing Dates for 2025 are listed below:
Fees are generated at the beginning of the year and split into 3 instalments. Instalment due dates are as follows:* Term 1 Statement Date 28/02/2025 and instalment due date 14/03/2025* Term 2 Statement Date 9/05/2025 and instalment due date 23/05/2025* Term 3 Statement Date 1/08/2025 and instalment due date 15/08/2025.

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 arrange a suitable solution.

Thank you.

Kind regards,
Narelle Lee
Office Manager

All Things Attendance

It is law in NSW that all school age children must attend school every day that the school is open.
There is a direct relationship between learning success and excellent attendance.

Did you know? Research shows that higher student attendance at school is associated, on average with higher student achievement.
When you look at the chart below and see how the days add up when your child is notattending school it can be quite surprising. You may think that when your child is having a day off here or there doesn’t make a difference but really – it does!
Why is regular attendance at school important?
Attendance at school has so many benefits that being here everyday does count. When your child attends school they:-
 Have fun
 Spend time with their peers
 Develop new skills
 Gain the necessary qualifications to finish school and go onto further education or employment
 Experience new things
 Build confidence
 Have the best possible start in life

So as parents what can you do-
 Promote the importance of school
 Go to school events- Mass, Award presentations
 Get to know the teachers – Parent Teacher Interviews
 Read the school Delagram and know what’s happening at school
 Volunteer to help at school – maybe the canteen or sports events
 Ask about your child’s day
 Get involved in your child’s school – Parent Engagement Evenings, Information Evenings
 Be firm, send your child to school every school day including their birthday and
the last day of term – They can celebrate their birthday at school with their friends
and the last day can be quite fun too

When it comes to attendance at school sometimes children need to stay at home.
OK reasons to stay at home-
 Sickness
 Specialist appointments out of town
 Natural disasters – when the school is closed – for us snow, fires and flooding
It’s NOT OK to skip school to-
 Shop
 Sleep in
 Finish an assignment
 Go on holidays
 Get a haircut/colour or nails
 Or because it’s your birthday
La Salle recognises and values the benefits of a positive home/school relationship and seeks to involve parents in developing positive patterns of attendance for all students. We hope you can support La Salle as we move forward and encourage regular school attendance for your child.

Mrs Kath Staines
Attendance Wellbeing Officer

Activities at Headspace

Youth in Aviation

Catholic Faith handbook for 2026

CCSP have recently updated the Our Catholic Faith handbook for 2026 – it’s a very popular guide to Catholicism because it’s easy to read. Resources and Links for Families: https://www.ccsp.catholic.edu.au/faith-formation

Important Information

Catholic Education Benefits All Australians

Catholic schools are Australia's largest non-government education provider, delivering choice, affordability and value for all. With the election coming up,parents might be interested in finding out more information by going to https://ncec.catholic.edu.au/2025-federal-election/ There is a great short video explaining how school funding works.

CEBD Community Charter

Announcement

Centacare programs

Parenting after separation

NSW Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy

NSW Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy | Have Your Say

Becoming a foster carer

Parenting Program Information

Canteen- Flexischools App

Canteen cut off times for order are as follows:

Recess: 10am

Lunch time : 12pm 

If you are interested in helping in the canteen please call our office 6354 5100

Thank You

Regards
Leanne
Canteen Manager

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.