Principals Message

Dear Parents

What great success we’ve had whilst competing at the Eisteddfod this year! From the very serious, polished performances of choir and verse speaking to the  informal, sometimes funny, musical entertainment and poems for two, our students have competed with pride and energy.

Watching our children in the Eisteddfod is one of my  more memorable experiences each year and I have been moved to tears more than once, watching our choirs perform. The students seem to understand the wonderful opportunity it is to perform as a group and feel the success of being part of the group.

Participation and teamwork happens not only on the cultural field. We have been busy competing at a number of sporting events this term. We took a large number of teams to Inverell for the Gala day recently and I’ve decided to include in this newsletter a note  we received from one of our parents who travelled to Inverell to help.

“I would like to thank you for giving me the chance to coach a football team. The boys were very well mannered and respectful towards me even though I’m not a teacher. The way the boys behaved and conducted themselves is a credit to your school and their parents.  Even though we did not win a game it had no bearing on the effort and commitment they showed during the games we played and the pride shown in their school.

I would like to thank Mr Thurbon and Mr McEvoy for making me feel welcome and included all day.

All of the boys deserve to be congratulated on their behaviour, they have done the school proud.”

We are in the business of working with our parents to help produce children who have good values and treat others well. When students leave St Xavier’s to go to secondary school these are the things I am most proud of in a child. It goes without saying, academic growth and development is vital but children learn best when they are happy, somewhat resilient, supported and feel loved and appreciated. The work you as parents put into teaching your children these values is evident at school and we appreciate it.

On a personal note, the cycle of life continues, I lost my mother on 1 May and just last week we welcomed our first grandchild into the world. Sid Etheridge Honner was born healthy and already so loved. I would like to thank everyone for their wishes and prayers during this time. Thanks also for your patience when meetings and interviews had to be rescheduled. It’s been a bittersweet month for our family but with many moments of celebration of life.

Kind regards,

Jen