We respectfully acknowledge the Ngunnawal people, the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work and learn, and pay respect to the First Nations Peoples and their elders, past, present and emerging.
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Dear Families,
In 18 years as a principal, never have I found it so difficult to find the words for what needs to be said. Quite frankly, today, I’m not sure I have them.
As I write this, our fantastic teachers are feverishly planning together to operate completely differently than they ever have. They are doing this while catering for students who are here, mindful of those who are not, worrying about their own families, and desperately hoping that their efforts will be enough for our students and families. Our staff really and deeply care about this.
As I write this I know that each one of our families is challenged in some significant way by this pandemic. Not only are there serious health and safety worries and concerns about every day necessities (loo paper), but many in our school will suddenly have lost much, if not all, of their income. I know that many of our families are also torn over and struggling with the prospect of children being at home for a lengthy period of time.
As I write this, in the ACT students are still encouraged to stay at home, unless there is no supervision available there.
As I write this, no one in our community really knows what will happen next.
As you read this, though, please know:
- By the end of this week, we will send home details regarding our remote learning approach for the rest of this term.
- We will trial this approach, and adjust it as appropriate, so that our delivery of the learning program is even better to begin Term 2.
- We will stay connected. Your child’s teacher will have daily contact with your child.
- The Newsletter will be published each week.
- Updates will be shared via SZapp.
- Your Community Council is exploring ways in which we can maintain and support our community.
- I will be available to all parents regarding any matter, every day.
- We will guide you fully through our remote learning process.
and most importantly:
- You do not have to be your child’s teacher.
Love them, read to and with them, involve them in domestic duties, exercise with them, sing with them, learn a new skill with them, play with them, have fun with them, assure them, and yes, support them with their school directed learning.
COVID-19 Information and Updates
Catholic Education Canberra and Goulburn has prepared a web page regarding COVID-19. It can be found at https://cg.catholic.edu.au/covid-19-information-and-updates/ .
School Fees
I am aware that many families in our school community have sustained a sudden and severe change in financial circumstances due to closure of business and loss of jobs. I am also aware that many of the measures of the Australian Government to support people in this situation may take a few weeks to be available. Given that this is a fee-paying school, I am looking at ways in which we can lessen the burden for families in this situation. Please be patient as I work though this issue with Catholic Education.
In the meantime, all families at this school are welcome to apply for a fee remission and a number of families do this from time to time. The Archdiocesan guidelines govern this process. Families are welcome to access this immediately. Application forms are available from jo.mccarthy@cg.catholic.edu.au.
School levies provide the school with the means of offering professional learning to staff, the purchase and maintenance of resources and the use of utilities that help us run the school. Should you be able to continue to pay these levies, I respectfully request that you continue to do so in the knowledge that some families will be unable to. For those families who are unable to, please email me your circumstances as soon as they are known and trust that they will be treated in confidence between myself and Catholic Education.
Obviously there is an element of trust in this gesture, which is designed to support families who find themselves in significant financial distress through no fault of their own.
Communication
It is VITAL that we maintain accurate and current contact information for all families. If you change a phone number, email address, postal address or emergency contact, you must inform us immediately.
Our primary and most effective form of communication is via the SchoolZine App. (SZapp). Emergency announcements, including information about possible school closures, will be communicated via the app.
Please ensure you have installed the app on your devices, enabled notifications, and checked the settings for the correct year levels.
If you would like help accessing or installing this, please contact the Front Office.
Where?
Today (25 March) is nine months until Christmas. Not surprisingly then, today is also the feast of the Annunciation; celebrating the day Mary came to be pregnant with Jesus. On this day we are grateful to Mary for saying yes. Because God always gives us a choice.
God calls us to choose love, to choose to share and choose to do all we can to make the world a better place.
Maybe something we can all do with our kids today is to write a list of all the good things that people in their lives do, and write a list of good things that they will do for others in the coming week.
It was once said…
“As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same." – Nelson Mandela
Blessings to you and your family.
Matt Egan-Richards
Principal
Be the Light
'Let Your Light Shine Before Others'
Project Compassion
We are still going ahead with a modified coin line competition tomorrow for students who are at school. Remember to bring in your coins to help support Project Compassion during Lent.
The Annunciation
Today the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of the Annunciation. On the feast of the Annunciation, we remember when the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and asked her to become the Mother of God. We know that despite all of the difficulties that would mean for Mary, she said “yes”, without hesitation. Her determination and resolution should be inspiration for us to persist and be faithful with our Lenten resolutions.
Please find the following link - A Faith Reponse to Covid 19, offering us all hope and comfort at this uncertain time.
https://mailchi.mp/gpbs/faith-response-to-covid-19-for-catholic-schools?e=a42d02582d
A message from Fr James
Peace be with you all!
May the king of peace, Lord Jesus bring comfort and peace to us at this trying times. As I mentioned to you we are walking through unknown paths but with hope. Sadly we won’t be able to celebrate mass as a parish family for an unknown time. I want to assure you all I will keep each one of you and the entire world in my daily masses. I will walk with you in prayers.
Let us unite in prayer and keep everyone connected. Please be connected to each other through phone calls, emails, social media platforms and in whatever way you can.
The more we come close to God the more we come close to each other. The more we love God the more we love our brothers and sisters. Continue to make our homes truly a ‘Domestic Church’ let parents lead the family in prayers taking the role of Catechist.
Churches will be open for visits and personal prayers
God bless you all
Your Pastor
Fr James T Antony CMI
A Prayer from Archbishop Christopher
Heavenly Father,
We praise and thank you for your loving presence, especially in the Lent/Easter season.
We offer heartfelt thanks, dear Lord, particularly for our recent rains.
Once again, we come to you in our need. As your children we are in need of your healing and protection. Just as we have been recovering from our dangerous bushfire summer, we have now been thrown into a fearful coronavirus (COVID 19) autumn. We are tired and frightened. We feel a sense of panic and future uncertainty on a global scale.
Be with us now, Loving Master. Without you all is nothin - only empty hearts and a total reliance on our own feeble resources. But with you “there is mercy and fullness of Redemption” (Psalm 130/7). With you there is “the loving mercy of the heart of our God (who) will give light to those who sit in darkness, those who dwell in the shadow of death, and guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1/79).
It seems that so many public gatherings are now postponed or cancelled. There is virus death, the sick, and the anxious. We are spending more time on our own, or with family or friends.
We pray for the sick and those looking after them. Help us to offer practical help to those who struggle. Let us use these times, O Lord, for your greater glory, especially during Lent and Easter.
Let us pray more, and truly listen to you more in loving silence, stillness and simplicity.
Almighty Father, you always journey with us in life’s challenges.Help us to meet you often in the scriptures and our sacraments. Increase in us faith, hope and trust. Protect us from this coronavirus. Remove it from our common home.
Heal those who are sick and dying. Mary, Help of Christians, as always we fly to you in our need. Be close to us and point out your Son, Jesus, to us in this pandemic.
St Therese of Lisieux and her parents, Saints Louis and Zelie Martin, pray for us.
We make this and all our prayers through Jesus, Our Lord and Saviour, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever,
AMEN
Congratulations to the children who will be awarded white cards on Friday.
White cards will be distributed in classrooms during the day each Friday until further notice.
| Year 2 | Sam Abell, Amelia Alles |
| Year 3 | Noah McCarroll |
| Year 4 | Ruby O'Callaghan |
| Year 5 | Aiden Shea, Hannah Robinson |
With the current environment we find ourselves in, at this stage a new date cannot be decided on.
We have spoken to MSP Photography and online orders that have been already placed will remain in their system. In the event that 2020 photos do not proceed MSP will organise refunds.
Thank you for your understanding.
