Dear Parents/Carers,

This will be the final newsletter of the year. On behalf of the staff, I would like to wish all families a very Merry Christmas and fun filled Summer holiday period after a big 2021. The challenges have been significant but there have been a number of highlights to celebrate along the way too. In the last few weeks in particular we’ve had events and activities for the children which has seen our school come back to life; Sacraments, Prep 100 Days celebrations, Beach Program, Italian Day, Prep Orientation, the Walkathon and Swimming to name a few. The pandemic is certainly by no means over and we will no doubt have some ‘curveballs’ to deal with in 2022, but I firmly believe it has been a catalyst for connecting students, teachers and parents around the education of St Agnes’ children. This is a great thing. Never before have our parents had such an insight into the learning and connection that goes on in school. While I’m sure there might be a few who would say they were okay without the insights that remote learning provided, it can only be a positive thing for the children in the long term. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our families for their commitment and support during this year. Congratulations to our Prep children and families who survived their first remote learning journey and to those who are ‘old hats’ after 2020, thank you for your continued feedback and support as we have strived to improve. I would also like to thank our very committed, creative and supportive staff for their efforts during this year. It has been a very tiring year for school staff as there has been constant change and uncertainty, which is unsettling. I have been particularly proud of the way our staff adjusted each time we went from onsite to remote learning. Not one day of learning was lost which is a credit to the flexibility of our staff. As the Principal, I am very grateful to have such a great bunch of people working together in our school. At every turn, they have prioritised the children, which is why we are here.

Over the past couple of days, we have been busily rehearsing for the school production and we have our fingers and toes crossed for a rain-free evening, which I think we are going to get. The children have worked very hard and I am proud of them for their efforts to this point. Our Year 5/6 students were today still making improvements to the way they portray their characters. I know they will put on a great show. To my knowledge, this is the first musical/production the students at St Agnes’ have done for quite some time. It is our intention to make this part of our school cycle and culture, with a Performing Arts showcase every two years. You will be able to purchase a program and video recording of the show at the gate on Thursday, but tickets must be pre-purchased. Tickets are still available via TryBooking. https://www.trybooking.com/book/sessions?eid=838936. All of the important information for the production is located on the next page of this newsletter.

School Advisory Council in 2022

At the School Advisory Council AGM on Tuesday 30th November, we had a report from the Chair Anton Duddy, a Principal’s Report, Office Bearers were re-elected and we also extended our thanks to outgoing council member Carly Crough. Anton Duddy has been reappointed as the Chair of the SAC and Charlene Vien as the Secretary. Please see attached the Chair's report to the school community. In 2022, the SAC will consist of the following parent representatives:

Chair - Anton Duddy (current Y2 and Y3 parent)
Secretary - Charlene Vien (current Y3 and Y6 parent)
Carly Monahon (current Prep and Y2 parent)
Rob Stewart (current Y5 parent)
Luci Churchill (current Prep parent)
Martin Cox (current Prep parent)

Walkathon

Thank you to the parents who attended and assisted at the Walkathon on Friday morning. It was a great morning to be out and about. The children did a fantastic job running laps, with some students completing north of 30 laps of Peterson Reserve. All sponsorship forms for the Walkathon need to be returned by this Friday 10th December.

Year Six Final Assembly

On Wednesday 8th December, we will celebrate the Year Six children at their final assembly in the hall. Year Six parents are welcome to attend this event, however all attendees must be fully vaccinated. Please come through the office to check in and show your vaccination certificate. Masks are also required.

2022 Orientation Morning

Students will spend the morning with the 2022 Class Teacher on Friday 10th December, from 9-11am.

End of Year/Graduation Liturgy - Tuesday 14th December

On Tuesday 14th December we have our End of Year/Graduation Liturgy at 6pm. It will be held in the church and it is expected that all students are in attendance, wearing their correct summer school uniform. During this liturgy, we will celebrate the end of the school year and our Year Six Class of 2021. All parents, extended family members and eligible teenagers attending the End of Year/Graduation Liturgy are required to be fully vaccinated and evidence is required on arrival. Following the liturgy, Year Six students and their parents will move over to the hall for dinner, speeches and further celebrations.

Year Six Excursion to Luna Park - Monday 13th December

The Year Six students go to Luna Park for their end-of-year celebration with their peers and teachers. This will include a special lunch and is a great tradition of our school. More information will be sent via Operoo.

Conclusion to 2021 School Year

The 2021 school year will conclude on Tuesday 14th December at 3:25pm for the Year 6 children and on Wednesday 15th December at 1:30pm for the Prep-Year 5 children.

Commencement of 2022 School Year

The school year for students in Year 1 to 6 commences on Monday 31st January at 8:45am and for Prep on Tuesday 1st February at 8:45am

Important Dates for 2022

Term Dates for 2022

Term One: Monday 31st January- Friday 8th April

Term Two: Tuesday 26th April- Friday 24th June

Term Three: Monday 11th July- Friday 16th September

Term Four: Monday 3rd October - Thursday 15th December

Important Dates for Term One

Parent Information Night: Tuesday 8th February

Parent Teacher Exchange Sessions: Tuesday 15th February

School Closure Day: Thursday 10th and Friday 11th March

Future Dates 2021

St Agnes’ Visual Arts Show: Thursday 24th November

Graduation for Year 6 2021- Wednesday 14th December

Camp Dates

Year 3 Zoo Snooze - Monday 21st - Tuesday 22nd November

Year 4 Zoo Snooze - Tuesday 22nd - Wednesday 23rd November

Year 5/6 Arrabri Camp - Monday 5th - Wednesday 7th September

Sick Children

To keep our school community safe, we must make sure that children who are unwell do not attend school under any circumstances. Those children who become unwell during school time will be sent home as per our normal practice. It is advisable that if any student presents with any symptoms of Covid-19 they are tested immediately. Should a member of your family test positive I would ask you to contact me as soon as possible.

Kind regards,

Lachie Foott

COMMUNITY NEWS 2