From the Principal
The 36 strong contingent of Blackfriars musicians who participated at Generations in Jazz 2019 at Mt Gambier.
From the Principal
Generations in Jazz
Congratulations to our boys from Stage Band 1 and 2 and the Vocal Ensemble who travelled to Mt Gambier for the festival of Music, Generations in Jazz. Stage Band 1 was placed third in division three, the best result ever to date of our participation in the festival of jazz. Congratulations to Miss Lucy Pope and Mrs Libby Hunter who prepared the ensembles and to Mr Kelly and Mrs Liew who accompanied the touring party. Stage Band 1 played at our assembly on Wednesday and were sensational, receiving a well-deserved ovation from students and staff.
Influenza-Important Health Notice
This year has seen an early start to the influenza season described by Health SA officials as “unprecedented” with over 10,000 confirmed cases of influenza (The Advertiser: 8th May 2019). Some families and students of Blackfriars have been seriously impacted by the early seasonal outbreak of influenza.
A question often asked by parents of the school is; “when should my son return to school after recovery from the notifiable diseases, Influenza A or B?”
The most comprehensive response to this question and health advice for parents regarding influenza is found on the SA Health Website; link: https://www.sahealth.sa.gov.au
People infected with influenza are considered infectious from 1 day before onset of symptoms up to 7 days from onset of symptoms. Viral shedding is greatest in the first 3 to 5 days of illness. Young children may shed virus for longer, up to 7 to 10 days. Viral shedding may continue for longer in severely immune-compromised persons.
I request that parents ensure that boys who have Influenza A or B (not the common cold) remain home until all symptoms have fully cleared and the infectious period is complete. Keeping your son at home will protect him from the potential complications of relapse and also help protect the Blackfriars community through-out the Influenza season.
I fully understand that parents and boys are very concerned about missing valuable lessons. However, individual and community health concerns must take priority. Students have access to their learning on SEQTA from home and are able to contact teachers through SEQTA email especially during the final days of recovery when they are well enough to engage with learning but not quite well enough to return to the rigours and demands of school life.
Federal Election Update - Catholic Education’s key election objectives
Catholic schools are a vital part of Australia’s education landscape; from humble beginnings almost 200 years ago, Catholic Education is now the nation’s largest provider of education outside of the government.
The key national issues for Catholic Education at the upcoming federal election are:
- increased capital funding
- more resources for early childhood education
- religious freedom in schools
To find out more go to: http://www.cesa.catholic.edu.au/news/federal-election-2019
I would encourage parents and caregivers to also read further information for your reflective consideration on the Catholic Education South Australia website http://www.cesa.catholic.edu.au
The first document is the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference statement: Politics in Service of Peace: Link:
The statement draws attention to the needs of those who are poor or vulnerable such as those who are homeless or are survivors of child sexual abuse, people with disability, asylum seekers and refugees, and those requiring aged or palliative care. It calls for a renewed commitment to closing the gap between Indigenous Australians and the rest of the population, and for “an integrated approach to combatting poverty, restoring dignity to the excluded and at the same time protecting nature.” The statement presents key principles of Catholic Social teaching to be considered and offers a prayer for the election.
Further documents from the National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) on the website provide responses from the major political parties to specific questions regarding Catholic education put to them by the NCEC.
Mother's Day
On behalf of the Blackfriars staff community, I wish all Mothers a wonderful Mother's Day on Sunday.
Yours sincerely,
Mr Simon Cobiac
PRINCIPAL