“O Lord, make this Lenten season different from the other ones. Let me find you again. Amen.” Henri Nouwen

Walking out of the gymnasium after our Year 12 Beginning of Year Mass, one of our mum’s expressed to me her gratitude for the chance Mass had given her just to stop, rest and reflect in the middle of her busy life. What a gift such moments offer for each of us.

Lent provides us with a similar opportunity to take control of the busy distractions in our lives in the forty days leading to Easter. Turning away from or toning down the forces of over-consumption and over-busyness in the next few weeks offers us the chance to be a little more mindful and a little more grateful.

It can certainly feel more difficult to connect with our Creator when we are flat out with life. Just like the mum at our Year 12 Mass, how wonderful would it be if people in our Nazareth community felt more rested and a little more grounded this Easter thanks to a few weeks of doing a few things differently. The ancient wisdom of Lent is that small changes to our routine create a little space for us to contemplate the deeper questions of life and to be nourished by new insights into the infinite love that is God in our lives, whether we’re aware of it or not.

Lastly, some practical wisdom from Pope Leo in his 2026 Lenten message that really could make a difference if we take it up.

“Let us begin by disarming our language, avoiding harsh words and rash judgement, refraining from slander and speaking ill of those who are not present and cannot defend themselves. Instead, let us strive to measure our words and cultivate kindness and respect in our families, among our friends, at work and on social media, in political debates, in the media and in Christian communities.”

We will be doing something different in RE classes from Reception to Year 12 next week as part of Dialogue Week. Click on the link below for Archbishop Pat’s introduction.

Dialogue Week School Message_Archbishop.mp4

Best wishes for the week ahead – a week for dialogue.

Brian Schumacher
College Principal

Our Open Day showcases the start of your child's secondary schooling journey at Nazareth.

At Nazareth, we believe in thinking big…
…not because we are big in numbers, but because we are proud of what our size creates: A Big Welcome. Big Opportunities. Big Futures. Big Hearts.

Being part of something bigger means belonging to a vibrant and inclusive community - where every student finds their place, and every family is connected.

Big means offering diverse choices, because each young person is unique and has the right to create their own pathway to success.

Big means our students always have the support and opportunities to challenge themselves, try new things, and inspire their own growth as they shape their futures.

Big means a call to lead with compassion, grounded in our Catholic faith, and to make a lasting impact on the world around them.

We invite our current families to experience Open Day alongside new families, as we showcase the dynamic learning environment and opportunities that make Nazareth special.

Wednesday 18 March | 5pm – 7pm | Flinders Park Campus
Principal’s Address at 5:45pm

Explore our state-of-the-art facilities, see learning in action, and connect with our passionate educators. Be part of something big - join us for Open Day!

Parents and caregivers are invited to attend the online event Called to Lead: Transforming Communities through Catholic Education, hosted by the South Australian Commission for Catholic Schools for its State-wide school network on Wednesday 25 February 2026, 6pm - 8.30pm.

This event will include a presentation on Catholic Education's recent growth and its progress aligned to its strategy "Towards 2027: Expanding Horizons and Deepening Practices", which commenced in 2022. Additionally, South Australia's political leaders will be joining and will present on the respective party positions on education, Catholic Education, and the State generally, as we head into the March 2026 State election.

Please click here to access the invitation link.

Please be advised that Friday 6 March (Week 6) is a Pupil Free Day for all students from Reception to Year 12. OSHC services will be available for R-6 students - please contact OSHC directly to book.

Thank you for your understanding.

If your child is participating in sport, music or any other co-curricular activity in 2026, Clipboard will be your go-to platform.

R-12 Co-curricular departments will begin using Clipboard at different times throughout the term. We will continue to communicate with families as to when specific groups, year levels and programs will commence using Clipboard.

Every family has received login information via email for the Clipboard portal even if your child is not currently involved in a co-curricular activity.

7-12 Co-curricular sport will use Clipboard immediately. It is therefore imperative that once received, families log in and set up a profile on Clipboard. Families who have nominated students in Years 7-12 summer sport should be able to view the summer sports grading trials scheduled for the remainder of this week.

As mentioned, as other year levels (e.g. R-6) and programs (e.g. music, dance etc) move to Clipboard you will be notified. 

For families not currently participating, the platform may initially appear blank. As departments progressively set up their activities and teams, available opportunities will begin to appear.

A Clipboard Guide 2026 can be found here.

A Link to the Portal is now available here. 

In the meantime, please continue to visit the Hub Pages for Key information 

• R-6 Sport 
• 7-12 Sport - Girls 
• 7-12 Sport - Boys  

The R-12 Music Information page online continues to be updated with important information.

This week’s updates include important information about: 

• 7-12 Fobs 
• 2026 Music Camp
• Generations in Jazz
• Co-Curricular Ensembles

...and more.

Please visit the link and take the time to read this information: R-12 Music Information.

If you are having trouble accessing SEQTA please contact our SEQTA support via [email protected].

Each year, schools in Australia are required to participate in the National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) testing, which assesses students’ literacy and numeracy skills in years 3, 5, 7, and 9. NAPLAN testing aims to provide valuable information to students, parents, carers, and teachers about each student’s strengths and areas of improvement. It also allows parents, carers, and teachers to see how students are progressing in literacy and numeracy over time.

For further information, including key dates for this year's assessment period, please view the Information for Schools and Privacy Collection Notice.

To ensure consistency across all campuses, we are confirming the following two clarifications on school requirements and policies.

Firstly, our College’s Personal Presentation and Uniform Requirements states the following:

Personal Presentation and Uniform Requirements

Hair & Grooming

Students must at all times have neat and tidy hairstyles. Hairstyles are not to be extreme, as deemed by the College. These include but are not limited to; lines or symbols shaved into the hair or facial hair (e.g. eyebrows), extreme shaved sections shorter than a number 2, rattails, dreadlocks and mohawks. Students must be clean shaven at all times. All students with hair below collar length or which falls across the eyes must be tied back. Hair ties, thin hair bands and plain clips/clasps are to be in school colours. Coloured hair, other than in natural hair colours is not permitted; this includes brightly coloured streaks or highlights and obvious variations in colour.  

On the basis of this agreed practice across all campuses, we will allow a week’s grace on coloured novelty braids before they are required to be removed.

Secondly, our College policy on Mobile Phones and Electronic Devices states the following:

Policy: Mobile Phones and Electronic Devices

Findon Campus  

Year 5 and Year 6 students will place their mobile phone or electronic device into the lockable cases provided for the duration of the day. When students are at OSHC or Vacation Care, students will once again hand in their device to be placed in the lockable case. A lockable case is available at Student Services for students from R – 4 to secure their device. 

On the basis of this policy and agreed practice across all campuses, should a student not place their electronic device in the lockable case on a daily basis, the device will be removed from students and handed to Student Services, where they can be collected at the end of the school day.

If there any questions about any of the above, please contact us at [email protected]

Training has now commenced for Semester 1 teams, with games beginning next week (Week 5).

Please check this page regularly for updated R-6 Co-curricular Sports information.

Students are welcome to write an original book and enter the challenge. 

The criteria for your book entry can be:

• a story, graphic novel, informational, poetry. . . and on any topic
• created by yourself, with friends or even your whole class
• up to 1000 words in length.

Prize vouchers are awarded to the most outstanding entries. Certificates will be given to students who participate.

Judges look for:

• original ideas and themes, creative use of language, sound spelling and grammar (drafting and proofreading are important!)
• a balance between beginning, middle and end
• appealing design, layout and format; illustrations that complement the text (if applicable)
• presentation and neatness

* Binding style is not judged but make sure your book is strong enough to be handled.

How to enter

It is a requirement of entry to complete and sign the Mayoral Make-A-Book entry form which can be found in the Primary Library.

All entries need to be handed into the Library by Friday 26 June 2026.

Each year our R- 6 students participate in the Premier’s Reading Challenge (PRC). The challenge is to read 12 books.

8 books from the PRC list (books in the Library have coloured stickers on the spines)

4 books of your own choosing (which may or may not be on the PRC booklist)

• Red Stickers: Reception to Year 2
• Green Stickers: Year 3 to 5.
• Yellow Stickers: Year 6 to 9.

The class teachers from Reception to Year 2 complete the challenge with their students.

Year 3 and 4 classes complete their reading record sheet in hard copy.

Year 5 and 6 classes complete their reading record on the desktop of their school laptop and then print into hard copy.

All completed reading records will need to be returned to the class teacher by Friday 28 August.

Congratulations to our Reception students on completing their first Independence Days!

We are so proud of how brave and confident you have been.

From now on, all Tuesdays and Thursdays will be Independence Days. Families, please say goodbye at the door and watch your child walk in and shine!

Thank you for your support,
Reception Teachers

Sacraments of Confirmation and First Eucharist (Year 4)

Children who completed their Sacrament of Reconciliation in 2025 and will be continuing their sacramental journey in 2026 to celebrate the Sacraments of Eucharist and Confirmation are required to attend an Information Night on Monday 2 March, at 6:00 pm in the OLM Church.

More information to come.

Week 4 | Friday 20 February
Our Lady of the Manger Church, Findon

Week 5 | Friday 27 February
Our Lady of the Manger Church, Findon

On Monday 23 February we will hold our annual Athletics Carnival at the SA Athletics Stadium. Students will compete in House groups against students in other Houses in a range of formal athletic events. It is an expectation that all students attend. For important information regarding the Athletics Carnival, please click here.

Student Information:

It is important to note: 

• All 7-12 Students will be transported to SA Athletics Stadium via bus from the Flinders Park Campus. NO students are to attend the Kidman Park Campus.
• Information regarding Year 12 transport and student drivers will be outlined in their Consent2Go. 
• The Flinders Park Campus car park will be closed on the day of Monday 23 February to allow for Buses. 

Program 

Click here to view the Athletics Carnival Program and Map for the day.

• Students may dress in House colours for this event
• Sun safety is a priority. Please ensure appropriate clothing is worn, including a suitable hat
• Students should apply sunscreen prior to arrival in the morning. Additional sunscreen will be available throughout the day.

Families are welcome to attend and will be required to sign in at the Stadium and we ask that they are seated in the designated area only.

Please note that the Mile End Precinct is currently undergoing major works. Roadworks are impacting access along James Congdon Drive and Railway Terrace, and construction at the Mile End Sports Complex is well underway. As a result, casual parking within the precinct is significantly limited.

Car park attendants will be onsite on the day to assist with directing traffic and parking; however, this will be a very busy area, and delays should be anticipated.

We look forward to seeing students participate in our upcoming Sports Day!

A friendly reminder that if you need to pick up your child at any point during the school day, to please politely ring Student Services and inform them that the parent/guardian is in the car park. As students services is often an extremely busy part of our College we ask for your patience and courtesy. Students will then be allowed to sign out. Please help us keep everyone safe by following our school procedures.

The 7-12 Girls and Boys Sport pages are regularly updated with weekly fixtures, results, reminders and other important information.

This week’s updates include important information about the Term 1 Summer Sports Season (and more).

Please take a moment to visit the links below and stay up to date:

• 7-12 Girls Sport | Nazareth Catholic Community
• 7-12 Boys Sport | Nazareth Catholic Community

Career & Pathways Information Hub

Whether you’re exploring future study options, looking for work experience, or starting to consider life after school, our Careers & Pathways Hub is the place to start.

This week’s updates, reminders & information includes:

• Year 10 Try a Trade Construction - Term 2 Expression of Interest now open
• AIOH (Adelaide Institute of Hospitality) Holiday Hospitality Short courses
• ADF Information Session
• Work Experience Opportunities
• School Holiday Programs

...and more! 

Visit the online Careers & Pathways Hub to explore what’s on offer, or book in with our Careers Counsellors to chat about your next step.

We are aware that some Metro Adelaide Buses run late, or are scheduled to arrive at our campuses slightly after our school start time.

We continue to work with Metro Adelaide in this space.

If you are aware your child may be utilising a service that arrives late to a campus, please fill in the form below. This will support us in ensuring our staff are aware, along with providing clearer data for our discussions with Metro Adelaide around any possible adjustments.

Bus Timing Form

Please note that some school bus services will be impacted by the school bus detours whilst Lawrie St (St Michael’s Henley Campus) is closed by SA Water for capital works. Works will commence Monday 23 February and may last a few months.

Whilst Lawrie St (school stop) is closed to all traffic, Stop 28 Marlborough St (South side) will be used as the alternative stop. All student transfers from routes 650 & 651 to routes 652 & 653 continuing on to Nazareth College will now occur at Stop 28 Marlborough St. Buses will loop around back streets as part of this detour.

Senior Years Information Hub

This hub page continues to be updated. Please check back regularly, as content may change throughout the year.

The current updates include:

• Year 12 | Future Ready: Navigating Year 12
• Standing Information and Reminders

The link to the page is below. You’ll also be able to access these links anytime via the Quick Links menu on our website.

Senior Years Information Hub

Drop off and pick ups at Kidman Park - Just a reminder that there is no drop off or pick up at the front of Kidman Park to ensure the safety of all students. We have a number of students who enter the building via the carpark so we ask that any parents or caregivers who drop off use the drive through driveway to ensure safety for everyone.