Deputy Principal's Report
Final Wrap-up for Term 3
It’s been a wonderfully busy finish to the term, with a visit from Tim Wilson, Book Fair, R U OK Day, Italian Day, sporting events, aerobics competitions and fundraisers, parent teacher meetings and student conferences, as well as some great excursions to the Zoo and Aquarium to explore animals in their habitats. Next week keeps the momentum going with the 5/6 Cluster Day, a full day dance workshop on Thursday, and finishing it all off with our end of term Mass as we come together to celebrate our patron saint, St Finbar on Friday. A heartfelt thank you to our parents for your ongoing support. We know the children are ready for a well earned break to rest and recoup.
SunSmart Reminder
A friendly reminder that school hats must be worn from now on. As we head into the warmer months, please ensure your child brings their school hat to school each day. Students without a hat will be required to stay on the grassy steps in the designated shaded area during outdoor activities and break times.
Thank you for helping us keep our students safe in the sun!
St. Finbar's Feast Day Celebrations
St Finbar's Feast Day is September 25 and we are celebrating this on our last day next week, Friday September 18. We are starting the celebrations off with Mass at 9:30 in the Church. As always, you are invited to attend. The students will then be completing some St Finbar's Day activities in the classroom. Below is a small snap shot on our amazing Saint and the History of the school. You can also find out more on our school website.
As part of our Feast Day celebrations, our whole school from Prep to Year 6 will be participating in a fun dance incursion! We invite all families to come along and watch our students showcase their dances in the Hall on Thursday 17 September, from 2:30–3:10pm. This will then be followed by our Farewell to Mrs McDonald as we celebrate her time at St. Finbar's.
We look forward to celebrating with you!
Aerobics Fundraiser
The students ran an incredibly popular fundraiser on Wednesday, the excitement was sky‑high and the line‑up stretched for what felt like miles. Their enthusiasm was rewarded by the fantastic amount they managed to raise, all going towards supporting our aerobics girls with their journey to the upcoming aerobics competition in Queenslland. A huge thank you to the wonderful parents for helping organise, support and run the event on the day. Your teamwork made it such a success and we wish the girls all the best next week!
Learning Showcase
We have had the privilege of sitting in on some of the Year 3 to 6 student conferences this week and are blown away by the standard of work and the students' ability to articulate what they have been learning. We hope that our parents feel just as proud of how far they have come and work with us to help them reach their goals over the final term of the year.
Farewell and Thank You from Mrs McDonald
As I prepare to say goodbye to St Finbar’s, I wanted to take a moment to say a very heartfelt thank you to our wonderful parent community.
Over the past nineteen years, I have had the privilege of watching generations of children come through our gates, and alongside them, getting to know and work with so many incredible families. I have seen your children arrive nervous and small, grow in confidence, discover who they are, overcome challenges, make friendships, find their strengths and eventually walk out our gates ready for their next adventure. It's been rewarding to see the return of past students for work experience, as well as joining our team to help future generations. This just reflects the great community we are.
Thank you for trusting us with your children. Thank you for the conversations, the questions, the emails, the support, the laughs and even the occasional difficult conversation, because education is never about everyone agreeing all the time. It is about caring enough to keep talking and working together for what is best for the child.
St Finbar’s has always been more than a school to me. It has been a community, and parents are such an important part of what makes that community special. You have supported our teachers, cheered on our students, volunteered, attended events, celebrated successes and helped us through the tougher moments. You have helped make this place feel like home.
Leaving after nineteen years is incredibly hard. There are so many memories, so many children and families, and so many moments that I will carry with me. I know I will drive past a school gate somewhere in the future and still automatically think, I wonder what's happening at St Finbar’s today? It is also very likely I will drive into the carpark on autopilot!
Thank you for allowing me to be part of your children's learning journey. I leave incredibly grateful for the relationships built and the privilege of being part of such a special community. I’ve already been overwhelmed by the number of parents who have passed on their well wishes. I hope to touch base with all of you before I walk out the gate for the last time, but if I don’t get the opportunity, I hope this message lets you know how grateful I am.
Thank you to our parents and students. It has been an absolute privilege ~ Peggy
Thank you for your ongoing support,
Peggy McDonald & Laura Zeeng