Dear Parents and Carers

Siblings (and friends who are as close to us as a brother or a sister) are a blessing. Pope Francis has described the beauty of sibling relationships, and observed that siblings teach us how to coexist and how to live in society. “Having a brother or a sister who loves us,” the Pope said, “is a deep, precious, irreplaceable experience.”

You may recall earlier this year, I posted a photo of a display in our hallway. It depicted, very clearly, the multicultural nature of our school - something about which we should all be proud. This week, our Nepalese community celebrates Bhai Tika,  and our Indian community celebrates Bhai Dhooj, or Bhau Beej,  one of the most important Hindu festivals for brothers and sisters. On this day, sisters apply “tilaka” on their brothers’ foreheads to thank them and ensure that they will have a long and prosperous life.  And brothers give gifts to their sisters.  We pray for all our brothers and sisters, near and far, that they will flourish in all they do, and live with us in love and peace.

Semester 2 Reports
Catholic Education Canberra and Goulburn (CECG) has communicated to schools informing them that general comments will not be required on the Semester 2, 2022 reports. This is in line with other educational jurisdictions and systems. Given teacher workload at present, including staffing pressures across the profession, CECG’s position is to prioritise parent/teacher conferences occurring during Term 4. These meetings provide an opportunity to discuss your child’s progress, their strengths, challenges, and future areas of focus. A Semester Report will be sent home as in previous semesters providing A-E grading and attendance information. We will provide further communication about parent/teacher conferences in coming weeks.

Triple P Positive Parenting Program
Teachers and staff at our schools do an amazing job. But they are under pressure, and modern life is bringing new and complex behavioural issues for schools and parents to manage. Research shows that anxiety is increasing amongst primary school aged children and principals say that approximately 85% of parents with children experiencing anxiety do not feel confident helping their child manage that anxiety.

To help with these challenges, the Australian Government has funded Triple P – the Positive Parenting Program to roll out the Parenting Education and Support Program. Triple P is an Australian, evidence-based parenting program. Developed at the University of Queensland, Triple P gives practical evidence-based strategies to help families approach the challenges of parenthood in a positive way. Triple P online is now available free, 24/7 to all families in Australia with children under 12; meaning parents can do the program when and where it suits them. I encourage you to access the program if you require this parenting support. More information can be found in the flyer below.

Inquiry Exhibition 4 November
A reminder that we warmly invite parents, carers and families to our Inquiry Exhibition on Friday 4 November. Our Exhibition is a celebration of our learning and teaching in Humanities and Social Sciences. Students will present their inquiry journey and speak to visitors about their learning. Classrooms will be open from 2.00pm to 2.45pm and entry is through the Front Office. You are encouraged to maintain social distance wherever possible, and to stay home if you’re not feeling well. Parents are welcome to take their children home after their visit.

Day for Daniel 28 October
Day for Daniel is a National Day of Action hosted by the Daniel Morcombe Foundation to raise awareness of child safety, protection and harm prevention. Held on the last Friday of October each year, it is about educating children and adults about keeping safe through child safety and protection initiatives. The key objective of the day is to educate children about their personal safety, and empower them to 'Recognise, React and Report' when they feel something is not right. This Friday, we ask that students wear something red in recognition of the day.

May God bless you and your families this week. 

Petra Cole
Principal (Acting)