Principal's Report
Dear Parents and Carers,
Yesterday was Ash Wednesday and we celebrated a beautiful Mass together with Father Praveen for the beginning of the Lenten journey to Easter. During the Mass we considered how Lent is a time of reflection and challenge, where we look at how we live our lives and decide to make a change, a change that will bring us into a closer relationship with God but also with our family, our friends and our community. We often think about giving up something during Lent, but maybe actually taking up something will have a positive impact on other people as well as ourselves. Here are some examples to consider:
- Each day tell your child something that makes them unique
- Volunteer at a charity or help someone you know could do with a hand up
- Go to a weekday Mass
- Say three nice things to your husband or wife, siblings, parents, colleagues and kids daily
- Be kind
- Donate things you don’t need to charity
- Replace 30 minutes of TV/computer/phone time with 30 minutes of prayer, mediation or just peaceful quiet time
- Don’t complain
- Don’t buy anything that you don’t need
- At the dinner table each night, ask all present to share something good that happened to them during the day.
Canteen Manager
I am sad to say that our wonderful Canteen Manager, Mrs Paula Papandrea, will be leaving us at the end of next week. Paula has decided that a change in career is next for her. We greatly appreciate the role she has played over the past 6 years, not only managing an exceptional canteen but in running the clothing pool as well. Paula will be sorely missed and we wish her all the best for the future.
The position has been advertised on the CE website. If you or anyone you know may be interested in this position, please let them know that applications can be made through the following web address https://careers.cg.catholic.edu.au/cw/en/listing/
The canteen will be temporarily closed from Week 5 until we get a new manager sorted.
School Community Council
Next Monday will be the first meeting of the SCC for 2021. The current members of the Council are Carl Jenkins, Katherine Hellwig, Mike Giacomin, Jacinta Bryce, Corinne Smith, Liz Grellman and Anne Barbic (staff representative). I am also pleased to announce that we have two new parents joining the SCC, Aleks Kalinowski and Virginia Wilson. The SCC looks forward to welcoming these two new members to the team.
Whilst being on the SCC is not everyone’s cup of tea, there are so many ways that people can be engaged and support their children's school.
- Volunteering to help in the Canteen or the Clothing Pool at various times through the year is always welcome.
- Assisting at any one of the three sport carnivals is also a great help. We can't provide these opportunities for students without parent assistance. Just keep an eye out for when notes come out from Mr Lowe about these events and you'll be able to volunteer.
- Once or twice a year we will have a short Working Bee on a weekend. It's a fantastic one off way to help with improving our school and getting to know other families. We'll send out SZapp messages when we are going to hold these. Our groundsman, Mr Cousins has some great ideas about how we can improve the playground and gardens so you help with these will be much appreciated in the coming months.
Smart Watches
Parents are reminded that smart watches are treated the same as phones or BYO iPads at school if used inappropriately. Smart watches, fitbits and similar devices with cellular, photographic and film capabilities pose a risk to student wellbeing and safety. When these technologies are misused by students, they can be very disruptive to students’ welfare, socialisation and in some cases cause various levels of harm. If text messages are sent to smart watches, then children are required to leave their smart watch in their school bag. Any messages for students can be received via the Front Office. We want to ensure that students are not being distracted from their learning. As a school, we also want to be able to guide and support students in being able to solve problems with the support of peers and school staff whilst at school. As with phones and BYO iPads, these devices will be confiscated and parents contacted if used inappropriately.
Student health
As we are now well into Term 1, we are experiencing an increase in the number of children being sick with colds and flu. The position is still the same as it was last year, in that children with cold and flu symptoms cannot be at school (unless they have a COVID negative test result). Whilst we have no community transmission of COVID it is still extremely important that we maintain hygiene practices to protect our community. Please, if your child is suffering the effects of a cold, do not send them to school.
May God bless you and your families as we begin the Lenten journey together.
Ursula Jamieson
Principal