During the last two weeks a copy of each grade’s information newsletter has been sent home to all families through Compass. If you did not receive the grade newsletter, please contact the office and your email details will be checked and updated if required. If you wish to make an appointment with your child’s teacher, follow the guide in the grade information newsletter. 

Numerous students have participated in sport events and trials in the last two weeks. Mr Allmark has provided an excellent summary in this newsletter. Congratulations to the students named and all those who have participated in the recent Paul Kelly Australian Rules tournaments. There are a number of trials in various sports to be completed early next term. It is refreshing to welcome parents back to outside sporting events. 

A Compass alert was shared with parents regarding our school ‘Cross Country’. This has now been postponed due to bad weather.

Last night a number of Year 6 families attended the first parent evening for students receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation in 2021.  Thank you to Father Leo, Mrs Mathieson, our Year 6 teachers (Mrs Lenihan, Mr Allmark and Mrs Hart) and Mrs Rutkowski for supporting parents/carers at this meeting. Attendance at these meetings provides parents with important information about how the sacrament is taught and how families can be involved in the preparation. 

This week is a special one for Saints in the Catholic Church. On Wednesday we celebrated St Patrick’s Day and tomorrow 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. When Jesus stayed in the Temple we are told Joseph (along with Mary) searched with great anxiety for three days for him (Luke 2:48). We also know that Joseph treated Jesus as his own son evidenced by the people of Nazareth who said of Jesus, "Is this not the son of Joseph?" (Luke 4:22) Since Joseph does not appear in Jesus' public life, at his death, or resurrection, many historians believe Joseph probably had died before Jesus entered public ministry. Pope Francis has decreed 2021 to be the Year of St Joseph. 

Finally,

The safety of our students and families before and after school continues to worry us. The carpark opposite the church continues to be a source of concern due to driving behaviours which include:

• Parents/carers driving too fast into and through the carpark
• Parking in the wrong area or not following the parking map shared through the newsletter
• Remaining in the car and not escorting the children to the pedestrian crossing.

Another concern is the driving behaviour of the general public near the pedestrian crossing in Osborne St. The school is awaiting the appointment of a crossing supervisor which will occur sometime in Term 2, 2021. Staff members have been supervising this crossing for a period of time but have been directed by council that stepping on to the road to stop traffic is too dangerous and not covered by insurance in the event of an injury. A staff member will continue to supervise the crossing on Osborne St, but will no longer be stopping traffic. Parents will be required to walk their child across the road. 

Thank you for your ongoing support and care of our students.