Dear Parents and Caregivers,

The last week and a half has been a challenging time for families and staff battling COVID19 and the extreme weather conditions. I do believe we are possibly on the tail end of the COVID19 wave and there has been a gradual increase in student attendance during the last week. Our thoughts and prayers go out to any families affected by the weather conditions of the last few days. I have been in regular contact with one of my sons who lives in Lismore. His house was fortunately above the flood zone, but as a journalist with the Koori Mail, he has witnessed first hand the devastating impact on this beautiful country town. This coming Friday 11 March 2022, our newly elected Student Representative Council are coordinating a crazy sock day to raise funds to send to our Catholic schools in Lismore. The children may wear crazy socks and donate a gold coin or two to a great cause. 

Thank you to all families who supported the closure of the school on Tuesday due to local flooding and treacherous weather conditions. Coupled with staff shortages due to sickness, the students have once again encountered a time of angst, anxiety and uncertainty. Due to not having enough teaching staff, some classes have been required to be split amongst other classes in the school. The goodwill of teachers to accept additional students into their classrooms has been exceptional. Splitting a class group is the absolute last resort when all other options have been explored and exhausted. Thank you to students and parents for your understanding. 

 Over the last two weeks, the school has been sharing through Compass each grade’s introductory newsletter. This is in place of the annual ‘Meet and greet’ evening, unable to be held due to COVID19 restrictions. Yesterday all families will have received a one page hard copy of a letter acknowledging that the grade newsletter has been received and the hyperlinks explored. Please read, sign and return to school. 

Next week is a special one for Saints in the Catholic Church. On Thursday 17 March 2022 we will celebrate St Patrick’s Day and on Saturday 19 March 2022 we will celebrate St Joseph’s Day. 

St. Patrick was a 5th-century missionary to Ireland and later served as Bishop there. He is credited with bringing Christianity to parts of Ireland and was probably partly responsible for the Christianization of the Picts and Anglo-Saxons. He is one of the patron saints of Ireland. He often used shamrocks to explain the Holy Trinity and entire kingdoms were eventually converted to Christianity after hearing Patrick's message. Patrick preached and converted all of Ireland for 40 years. He worked many miracles and wrote of his love for God in Confessions. After years of living in poverty, traveling and enduring much suffering he died March 17, 461. He died at Saul, where he had built the first Irish church. He is believed to be buried in Down Cathedral, Downpatrick. His grave was marked in 1990 with a granite stone.

St Joseph was the husband of Mary and the foster father of Jesus. We know he was a carpenter and a working man. He wasn't rich but despite his humble work and means, Joseph came from a royal lineage. St Luke and St Matthew in their Gospels both mark his descent from David, the greatest king of Israel (Matthew 1:1-16 and Luke 3:23-38). The angel who first tells Joseph about Jesus greets him as "son of David," a royal title used also for Jesus. We know Joseph was a compassionate, caring man and we know Joseph loved Jesus. His one concern was for the safety of this child entrusted to him. Not only did he leave his home to protect Jesus, but upon his return settled in the obscure town of Nazareth out of fear for his life.To all of the Patricks and Josephs in our school, enjoy these feast days. 

Rapid Antigen Test kits (RATs)

Our final shipment of RAT kits have arrived and will be available to families on Friday 11 March 2022 and Monday 14 March 2022 from  8.15am - 9.00am and 2.30pm - 3.00pm. From Tuesday they can be collected from the school office. On Friday and Monday the RAT kits can be collected from the foyer of the School Hall. 

Yours in Faith and Virtue,

Christopher Paton

Principal