It was fantastic to see so many Year 7 families at the Welcome BBQ yesterday evening enjoying a sausage, a chat and meeting some of the Year 7 teachers. In speaking to all families, I highlighted the significance of commencing Secondary School:
“Entering secondary school marks a pivotal moment in your lives. It symbolizes the transition from childhood to adolescence, from dependency to independence and from familiarity to exploration. It is a time when you step out of the cocoon of primary education and spread your wings to soar into the vast expanse of knowledge and experiences that await you”.
Additionally, the importance of partnering with families in the education of young people should be fostered and maintained:
“Partnering with families in a child's education fosters a strong support system that enhances the child's learning, emotional wellbeing and overall development. It's a collaborative effort that benefits everyone involved”.
This Sunday is St Patrick’s Day; a day within the Catholic tradition full of fun, friendship and lots of Irish music, dance, literature, drama, food and more.
The following little Irish blessing marks the day and celebrates the humble gratitude of the Irish this St. Patrick’s Day.
May there always be work for your hands to do, May your purse always hold a coin or two. May the sun always shine warm on your windowpane, May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain. May the hand of a friend always be near you, And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.
Next Tuesday, we will move to the Llanberris Reserve for our annual House Athletics Carnival. The Athletics Carnival is a great opportunity for our young people to team together in their Houses to compete. As with any school day, this is a compulsory school day for all students. There are a broad range of events to engage students of different abilities. We look forward to welcoming our families to the carnival as spectators and please ask that you sign in and out at the entrance gate. Similar to the Swimming Carnival, students will not be permitted to arrive at the athletics track, or depart from there at the end of the day – all students will be bussed from and to school, and the track.
We remind families that the College encourages students to be SunSmart for this event, in that they wear a hat and use and reapply sunscreen throughout the day. We would encourage families to reiterate the message with their students on the day.
It is not uncommon for students to pressure parents and guardians not to attend school on sports days, but it is imperative that parents stand firm and point out that community events are an important opportunity to learn and build both team and school spirit. Our focus throughout our sports program across the College is on participation. The team with the greatest level of participation has invariably been recognised as the overall winner at the carnival. Students who do not attend school on Tuesday without a legitimate reason will not be eligible to attend College formals or extracurricular activities.
Following the conclusion of the Athletics Carnival, announcements will be made back at school of the age group champions and the winning House.
We pray for all those who need our prayer at this time.
Chris