Dear Parents and Carers,

Tomorrow school concludes for Term 1. Congratulations everyone on the spirit and goodwill that has continued to be shown each and every day. The first term has been challenging due to the ongoing disruption from COVID19 and the staff and student absences experienced. Numerous families have now experienced COVID19 either directly or indirectly through being a close contact. Despite the current teacher shortage across NSW, particularly the South Coast in our case, the school has faced the daily challenge of having enough teachers  in front of students. I appreciate your understanding in cases where classes have needed to be split. 

In Term 2 there will be a couple of staff changes:

• Mrs Maree McGrath, who has taught music at our school for 14 years, will be travelling to Western Australia to teach in a remote Aboriginal community. This is an extraordinary decision for Mrs McGrath and her husband Richard. Mrs McGrath is very excited to have the opportunity to teach in this Aboriginal community and looks forward to sharing her learning when she returns for the 2023 school year. The school has been fortunate to employ Mr Cain Holgate who will teach Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) each week. SEL has been identified as one of the key needs of students as they manoeuvre their way through COVID19 and other issues faced during this period of challenge. 
• Mrs Sarah Sansom has commenced her maternity leave and eagerly awaits the birth of her child. Mrs Carly Butler has been teaching this Year 2 class since last week and final decisions are being made for the Year 2 cohort for the rest of the year. On behalf of our school community, I wish Sarah God’s blessing for the safe arrival of her child. 
• Mrs Michelle Warner applied for Long Service Leave towards the end of last year and will commence that leave in Term 2. Mrs Michelle Heffernan and Mrs Barbara McKenna will work within the Year 4W class for Term 2 and 3. My thoughts and prayers are with Michelle Warner and her family as they commence a long awaited opportunity to travel around Australia.
• In Term 2 we will welcome our new Senior School Support Officer (SSSO), Mrs Julie Vella. Julie has previously worked as a SSSO at St John’s Nowra (2012-2015) as well as School Support Officer at St John’s and St Michael’s. Julie has worked in a similar capacity in some other organisations. Mrs Tanya Goodwin has been acting in the SSSO role this term and has done a wonderful job. I would like to formally thank Tanya for accepting this role for Term 1 and working so diligently supporting all of our staff and families. Tanya has been ably assisted by Jessica Webster. Thank you to Tanya and Jessica for being such a welcoming and professional team for our school. Julie Vella will formally commence on Tuesday 3 May, 2022. 

In Term 2 we will formally welcome parents back into the school community. We have missed the presence of parents within the school but have been hampered by the ongoing waves of COVID19 running rampant amongst students, staff and families. Hopefully the two week vacation will flatten the curve of COVID19 and allow things to become ‘more normal’. It was great to see a group of parents wrapping up the Easter eggs for the raffle prizes. A special thank you is extended to our Parents and Friends group for battling through the pandemic and still providing a service for our school community. The ordering of tickets online for the Easter raffle has been very successful. Formal Parents and Friends Association meetings will commence again next term. 

The season of Easter is the most significant time for our Catholic Church and it commences with the celebration of Palm Sunday this weekend.  Palm Sunday is the start of Holy Week and is an occasion to recognize Jesus as King of the Jews. But it is also the beginning of one of the saddest true stories of all time. 

Following Jesus’ triumphant arrival into Jerusalem, he gathered the Apostles together on the evening of Holy Thursday and shared the “Last Supper” with them. At this stage, Jesus was aware that he was soon to be ridiculed, taunted and hung on a cross to die. At this “Last Supper” Jesus actually led the apostles in the first mass where he used the symbols of bread and wine to signify his own body and blood. Every mass that occurs around the world has a Priest present to lead the gathered people to remember the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus. 

On Good Friday, we have a clear reminder that God loved us so much that he allowed his son Jesus to die on the cross so that we all could be saved. On Easter Sunday the Catholic Church celebrates the risen Jesus. Amidst the arrival of Easter eggs and chocolate, we celebrate the commencement of our new lives. For our first Pope, St Peter and the apostles, Easter Sunday was the beginning of their journey in establishing a church of followers, to be known centuries later as the Roman Catholic church. 

Please feel welcome to attend any of these important celebrations in the Church during Holy week and Easter. The school hall will continue to be the mass setting for all Easter liturgies. A schedule of the liturgies can be viewed on the Parish website. 

This week all students have been scheduled to visit the school hall foyer to pray the ‘Stations of the Cross’. The traditional ‘Stations of the Cross’ have been enriched by an Aboriginal perspective resulting in a very spiritual setting. Thank you to Mrs Mathieson and Mrs Royston for arranging the ‘Stations of the Cross’ in the hall foyer. 

The first day for Term 2 is Wednesday 27 April 2022. All staff will attend a ‘Spirituality’ day offsite on Tuesday 26 April 2022. As the weather is unpredictable, students can transition into their winter uniform. Summer uniform can still be worn for the first three weeks of term.

On Wednesday 27 April 2022 our school will celebrate ANZAC day with a service in the school playground. Parents will be able to attend. Thank you to our Defence Mentor, Mrs Natalie Hayes who has organised the service which will commence at 9.15am. 

As we conclude the term, I would like to thank all of our staff and parents at St Michael’s Nowra for their amazing commitment to our students. Education during these ‘Covid19’ times continues to be a challenge and our staff has supported students and families with conviction and purpose. Have a well earned holiday everyone. 

 Yours in Faith and Virtue,

Christopher Paton

Principal