Easter is a special time of the year. Today (Holy Thursday) is a day on the calendar I personally find very special. Jesus washes the feet of his disciples and serves others. At The Last Supper he joins again with the 12 and shares a meal and moves to the garden of Gethsemane in the evening to pray.

Jesus knows what is in front of him, but still at the very final moment is serving and teaching others. What an amazing example of servant leadership.

Last week I was fortunate to attend the Victorian Association Catholic Primary School Principals (VACPSP) conference. 'Think, Engage, Lead' was the theme. The following people shared with us some amazing experiences and gave all in attendance plenty to think about as we continue to lead our communities.

Adam Spencer was our host/MC and was excellent. Speakers included: Ashley Fell (Social Researcher), Craig Foster AM( Former socceroo, broadcaster author, human activist), Theresea Ardler (Director of Gweagal Culrural Connections, Indigenous & Spiritual leader), Mitch Tambo (Gamilaraay man, musician, actor, presenter, performer), Saroo Brierley (Best Selling Author, subject of Academy Award nominated film 'Lion'), Jelena Dockic (Tennis Former World Number 4, TEDx speaker, commentator and Best Selling Author), Deborah Patterson (former principal, coach and mentor, author).

No disrespect by not commentating on all the speakers, but being in the presence of Saroo, watching snippets of the movie and listening to him tell us what was going through his mind was something I will never forget.

One word I will take away from this conference is 'KINDNESS' through ongoing communication. A simple message we can all reflect on.

Cross Country

It was a beautiful day for a cross-country events. Thanks Mr Watts for coordinating this. We welcomed many parents and families Monday morning. St Joseph's Nagambie joined us and we hope to continue our relationship with them. As a small school they really appreciate and enjoy days with others schools.

What does the first three weeks of Term 2 look like?

We start back on Monday 15th April, with our first Open Day on Thursday 18th April at 9:45am. On Tuesday and Wednesday this week we are filming and taking photos for a promotional video and marketing use.

We begin the 2nd week with the first of our Parent & Teacher meetings, 1/2 Monday & Foundation Wednesday. This is a short week due to ANZAC Day on Thursday 25th April and a Pupil Free Day on Friday 26th April. Week 3 sees the continuation of Parent/Teacher meetings for 3/4 Monday and 5/6 Wednesday. Our 2nd Open Day is on Thursday 2nd May at 9:45am. Sunday 5th May is our Parish, St Brendan's Feast Day. Mass at 11:00am followed by food options and an expo of all the different groups/ministries our parish offers.

OPEN DAYS

We will have two opportunities for new families looking at St Luke's for the remainder of 2024 or 2025. Please pass on the dates and direct any new families to our Facebook page or webpage for more details.

School Supervision from 8:15am

In the previous newsletter I mentioned that the leadership team were discussing an earlier supervision. We will trial from 8:15am for Term 2.

I will be out on duty so I apologise if parents wish to see me before 9:00am. Children will place their bags near the new school building under cover. They will have a choice of playing on the playground closest to the admin building or sitting on the chairs (weather permitting). At this stage there will be no ball games and the grass will be off limits due to the grass being wet during autumn and winter. At times if it is dry I may permit children to run around.

Community Group

Thank you to our parent helpers for coordinating the packaging of our Easter Raffle prizes. They looked superb!

We have installed a defibrillator thanks to funds from the Community Group account. This is for school use as it will be kept inside the staff room. It will also be available during winter sport training and after school events.

Parent & Teacher Meetings

I communicated in the previous newsletter that these will be held early in Term 2. See the following dates below. The online booking form via PAM is active now. We will communicate during the first week that these are still open and when they close. Bookings will be available between 8:40am and 5:40pm.

Monday 22nd April- Grades 1/2

Wednesday 24th April- Foundation

Monday 29th April- Grades 3/4

Wednesday 1st May- Grades 5/6

Meetings will be in the Library and treated as a shared space.

After School Care

Like many businesses Uniting need more employees. Please contact them if you are interested. If you would like to enquire for care after 3:25pm for your child see the details below.

UNIFORM

When we return in Term 2, we are never sure what the weather may be. It could be quite warm or cold. Children may wear either summer or winter uniform. We will communicate as required.

20 years

In 2025, it will mark 20 years for St Luke's. I will be sharing photos of our past in the remaining newsletters this year leading into 2025.

David Keenan

What's Happening in Our Learning Communities

Library News