Dear Families,
We are coming close to the end of Term 2 and are therefore half way through the school year. The past six months have gone extremely quickly and reminds me that schools are busy places. There is always something happening each and every day for our young people, our parents and our staff. Thank you for the contribution you and your family have made to our school community so far this year.
While we often focus on the learning or academics in a school, the Covid-19 pandemic has reminded us of the importance of wellbeing in our lives. This applies to all age groups and all cultures. Jesus calls us to care for ourselves, each other and all of God’s creation. In our catholic schools we place a strong emphasis on wellbeing. Each term our students undertake the Classroom Pulse Check-In Survey where they are asked how they are travelling at that particular time. The teachers are then able to access that information in order to support the children in their class, especially if there are similar issues amongst a number of students.
Likewise, we have a survey on the Living, Learning, Leading Framework which operates across all catholic schools in South Australia. I am sure that you have heard about this Framework over the past few years. There are some good videos that explain what it is all about here and I encourage you to have a look at them. Each year there is a Living, Learning, Leading survey for students, another for staff and one for parents. We will conduct these surveys early in Term 3. Again, I encourage you to complete the 2022 Parent survey as it provides us with feedback about how we are meeting expectations. A link to the survey will be sent to you early next term.
Our teachers have been working hard on the Semester 1 Reports over the past few weeks and these will be sent home on Wednesday of next week. I wish to say ‘thank you’ to our teachers for their commitment and their extra work in compiling and preparing these reports. We have been using Microsoft Word to complete these reports and have encountered a few technical issues along the way and are therefore looking at moving across to the reporting system in SEQTA, the software we use for recording absentees, pastoral care notes and other data. We are hopeful of making this move either in Semester 2 this year or Semester 1 next year. This change will be an opportune time to make some changes to the format and content of our Reports.
While we are excited to welcome our new Reception children next term, we are sad to see the Majok family leave due to relocation. We thank Aguer, Aluel, Apajok, Aleer and their family for the contribution they have made to our school community and wish them all the best for the future. We have appointed Miss Tara McAnulty (a former student) and Miss Jasmine Fischer as joint teachers for our new Reception class. Jasmine will work Monday and Tuesday, Tara Thursday and Friday and they will alternate Wednesdays. We welcome both Tara and Jasmine to our school community as they begin their teaching careers together.
Next week is NAIDOC Week, which is a time to celebrate the histories, cultures and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It is held each year during the first week of July and is an important annual event where everyone’s invited to join in the celebrations. You can find further information and resources here. Mrs Tullio and Mrs Musolino have organised a Wellbeing Day on Monday, which will include a Welcome, Smoking Ceremony and Prayer. The children will participate in a variety of activities, organised by the teachers, throughout the day on a rotational basis.
I will be taking a week of Long Service Leave next week to travel interstate for a family celebration. Mr Platten will spend the majority of his time at St Mary Magdalene’s next week in my absence. I look forward to working with you again in Term 3. Have a fantastic holiday break with your children. Remember school returns on Monday 25 July.
Working in Partnership
Peter Mercer
Head of Campus
‘Let us take one day only in hands at a time. Resolve to do good today and better tomorrow.’ ~ Catherine McAuley
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