Dear Parents and Carers,

The Year of Walking Together

Last week, I was fortunate enough to participate in Mass, led by Archbishop Christopher Prowse. During this Mass, he communicated Pope Francis’ vision of ‘walking together’, sharing that The Risen Lord walked together with the disciples on the road to Emmaus, drawing them from anxiety to hope, from confusion to joy. For us, ‘walking or journeying together’ can take a number of different forms. Whether it be walking together in reconciliation, connecting with school, parish and/or wider community. The opportunities to act on this vision are ever present and I am really appreciative of the families and community members who have reached out to those impacted by recent flooding at Adelong. These acts of kindness are the glue that keeps a community together and I am really grateful to those who have supported others in a time of need.

First Eucharist

I would like to wish Primrose, Ollie, James, Billy and Henry all the best as they participate in their First Holy Communion this Sunday at St James’ Parish. Thank all of the people who have played a special part in their preparation and celebration of this Sacrament. Mrs Braun and Mrs Murray, Father George and Father Namora for their guidance and important role in the faith formation of these students and also the parish community for their warm welcome at last week's Liturgy, along with their prayers and support of the students.

Mowing

With the wet weather over the past month, it has been difficult for families to find the time and conditions to mow the school lawns. A huge thank you to Sam and Tim Howell for taking the time to mow both sides of the school grounds on Friday evening.

ICT Form

On Monday, I shared via Compass a Google Form about IT information. As mentioned in previous correspondence, this form has been shared with parents, with the intention of finding out information to better understand the wants and needs of our school community in the area of technology, both in regards to devices at school and information for parents. If parents could take the time to fill this out, this will support future decisions and information shared. The link is attached (click this link)

Ronald McDonald House - McHappy Day Fundraiser

On Friday 18th November, we will be holding our final Year Six fundraiser for the year. Beau, Mason and Riley will be organising a fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House. Ronald McDonald House’s Mission and Vision is to support the ever-changing needs of seriously ill children and their families and to achieve the best outcome for families by reducing the impact of their child’s serious illness.

I acknowledge the significant fundraising efforts over the past two terms and will certainly endeavour to spread these out over the 2023 calendar. I really appreciate the community engagement with these events and look forward to seeing Beau, Mason and Riley showcase their leadership skills and information about the amazing work of the Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Unexplained Absences

It is a legal requirement of the school to account for all students and understand the reason for their absence  when students are away from school. In these situations, it is really important that parents are logging into Compass and giving reasons for student absences. Not only will this allow the school to fulfil this legal obligation, it also saves staff a significant amount of time in their busy roles. If parents/carers receive a Compass notification regarding an unexplained absence, could they please log into Compass and share the absence information. If there are any concerns about this, parents need more clarity or if the app isn’t working on the day, please contact myself, Michelle or Marg at school.

Enjoy the remainder of your week,

Ryan Forsyth

Acting Principal