Dear Parents, Friends, Staff and Students

Our Making Jesus Real value for this week continues to be the value of “compassion.”  On a local level we find ourselves called to feel compassion for our friends at school, who have been caught up with Covid-19 related illnesses, and the need to isolate for a period of time.  We are called to compassion as we see our fellow Australians suffering amidst the floods in Queensland and NSW.  Most sadly of all, we are drawn to feel compassion for the people of Ukraine, especially the children and the vulnerable, who have such an uncertain future as they live with the fear and destruction of war. As we move into the second week of Lent our prayer life calls us to reach out to those who are suffering in our world.

COVID Information

Thank you to our staff and parents for their flexibility in managing the COVID situation as it has been presented to us at school last week.  I am grateful that our students could continue to engage with their learning at home and thank our parents for their support with the home learning.  We are not sure what the coming weeks have in store for us. However, if we get further COVID positive tests, the definition of close contacts will change for our Year 3-6 students, as they are now wearing masks while indoors. I applaud our students for their resiliency and diligence with wearing their masks. They have taken to mask wearing with no complaints. Commencing this week siblings and parents of children who are isolating as close contacts, no longer need to stay at home and can attend work and school.  Details about this change were sent home last week.

The most important thing you can do to assist us in keeping our community safe is to keep your children home from school if they are sick, and continue to remind them about good hand washing hygiene. 

Event Date Changes

We have been holding off making changes for events that are scheduled later in the term.  The situation with COVID changes regularly and we did not want to make changes unnecessarily.  However, the time has come, with phase 2 restrictions, that some event adjustments need to be made.

The following event adjustments have been made for the reasons outlined:

1. Easter Play – will be re-scheduled for Term Two at a date to be confirmed. The students have not been able to rehearse in mixed groups and the play requires an audience.  We look forward to both happening in Term Two.
2. Sacramental Masses Commitment Weekend – there are capacity limits in place in the Church. Therefore, the Commitment Masses have been tentatively postponed to the weekend of 30th April and 1st May.
3. Cool Pool Day: postponed to a suitable date in Term Four. The day has been postponed because we need to work with the pool staff and their venue restrictions, including, mask wearing, limit on capacity numbers and restricting the mixing of students across year levels.

Merit Awards

I was delighted to attend the classes to see the students receive their Merit Awards last Friday.  The students receive their awards with such pride, and they are always well deserved. Congratulations to:

• Pre-Primary: Ameenah and Matthew
• Year 1: Zayn and Aria
• Year 2: Hudson and Gemma
• Year 4: Christian
• Yr 5: Ciara and Levi

School Photos

Don’t forget school photos next week. Kindy to Year 6 photos are on Monday 14th March and Pre-Kindy on Tuesday 15th March.  Please make sure the children come to school looking well presented with shiny shoes and neat hair and neat uniform.

Italian Day

Thank you for your support of the Italian Day last week.  Signora Davey did an excellent job preparing the children to order their gelato in Italian.  It was a fun and enjoyable day for all.

It was with great excitement that we welcomed the Year 3 class back to school this week after their week of isolation.  School is a much better place when all our students are here.

Enjoy the week ahead.

Warmest regards

Therese Hussey
Principal