Principal's Report
Dear Parents,
A warm welcome to Week 4 and the season of Spring where cool nights mostly turn into beautiful warm days. We also extend a very warm welcome to our new student Rouge Calub. Rouge, who prefers to go by the initials ‘RV’ has joined our Year 1 class. We welcome RV and her mum and dad to our St Patrick’s School community.
St Patrick’s continues to operate under Level 3 restrictions. Thank you to our students who continue to show such resilience in adapting so seamlessly to our new school and playground regulations. Our CE Canberran Archdiocesan schools have begun their staggered return to school this week and are welcoming back students onsite for the first time in 10 weeks. In light of the continuity of Level 3 restrictions, staff made the very difficult decision to cancel our school production ‘Alice, the Musical’. We had been forever hopeful that restrictions would lift and that we would be able to go ahead with our production, however the time frame is now too tight to ensure we could manage to have everything organised before the end of term. The students, although disappointed, have been very accepting of the news and refocused on the school activities we can go ahead with.
This week is Mission Week and our thanks go to Mrs Howe for organising a lovely liturgy for each classroom and some fun activities for students to participate in.
Next Tuesday we are looking forward to celebrating Melbourne Cup Day. All these activities have been adjusted to ensure students participate in their class cohorts and we continue to abide by restrictions.
Mr Jose Matos, our wonderful school grounds and maintenance person has resigned from his position, with his last day to be Friday 5th November. We are extremely grateful to Jose for all his time, effort and energy that he has applied to this position, often going above and beyond for our school. Jose has accepted another fulltime position in Tumut. The Garden and Maintenance position at school has been advertised. If anyone knows anyone who would be interested in this position (3 hours a week or 6 per fortnight), please get them to contact the front office for further information.
Plans are still underway to develop our new school cultural space with the Cultural Committee meeting with local aboriginal painters last week. This is part of the Community Grant funding, that the school received last year. Our new school administration area continues to take shape, with joinery being installed this week and the front entrance and finishing touches to be applied over the next few weeks.
St Patrick’s School community was saddened to hear of the passing of former Principal and school teacher, Miss Carolle Howlett, last week. Miss Howlett spent 8 years teaching at St Stanislaus and was Principal of St Patrick’s from 1979-1980. A Requiem Mass for Miss Howlett will be held at St Patrick’s Church this Saturday 30th October commencing at 2pm. Our thoughts and prayers are with Miss Howlett’s family.
Please come along and join in the Family Fun Day at Carberry Park this Sunday. St Patrick’s Community Council will be holding a cake stall. All donations greatly accepted.
Have a great week,
Christine Baron
Principal