From the Principal

National Reconciliation Week 

Last week we recognised Reconciliation Week. We are very fortunate to have Aunty Wanda Smith on staff to speak to our students and staff at our school assemblies and help us learn about the culture and history of Aboriginal people and how each of us can help contribute to achieving reconciliation.

Thank you to Aunty Wanda for her very moving and passionate presentation. She put a lot of time and effort into ensuring that our students were aware of the formal apology delivered by Prime Minster Kevin Rudd to Australia’s Indigenous peoples acknowledging the suffering of the Stolen Generations. 

Catholic Schools Week

Last week was Catholic Schools Week. As part of the celebration each cohort was challenged to create a video to unpack a section of either our School Motto or Vision or Mission Statements. Year 12 launched the challenge, Year 7 explained our Vision Statement, Year 11 demonstrated the School Motto in action, Year 10 explained the Integrity section of the Mission Statement, Year 9 put together a series of photos depicting students as living examples of Service and Year 8 demonstrated Growth within our school.  The videos were uploaded to the School's Facebook page. If you have not yet looked please do so. The Year 9 video was also featured on the  Catholic Schools Maitland- Newcastle Facebook page.

Pupil Free Day – Friday 7 June

On Friday all staff will participate in compulsory Advanced Safeguarding Professional Development. This course is designed to assist staff in understanding their obligations regarding Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Persons and their ability to apply it in ‘real world scenarios’.

Diocesan safeguarding structures, policies and processes the module encompasses:

•    the Diocesan Safeguarding Framework Policy

•    the Diocese’s Safeguarding Commitment Statement and Code of Conduct

•    the role of the Office of Safeguarding

•  indicators of abuse and neglect and how to support a child or vulnerable person to disclose abuse

•    reporting obligations

•    safeguarding risk management including eSafety

•    complaints handling policy and procedures.

Veronica Rolfe

Principal