Message from the Director

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to the 2025 school year! A very special welcome to all new staff joining our Catholic professional learning community,  I wish you all the very best for the year ahead. 

Please click here to view my welcome message.

Pope Francis has proclaimed 2025 as a Jubilee Year with hope as the overarching theme. This year continues our focus on hope and, in particular supporting our young people to realise a hope-filled future.  The theme for the Jubilee Year is Pilgrims of Hope, a theme Armidale Catholic Schools has embraced. Our theme resonates with our Vision: A Christ-centred inclusive learning community that supports young people to realise a hope-filled future.

Our focus as articulated in our mission, is on improving the faith, learning and wellbeing outcomes. The work that is done in the classroom is the most important work in this mission. We use a coherent instructional framework so everyone feels safe, valued, respected and are learners. As we centre our work on supporting our students to become literate and numerate, our work in strong teams is vital. Working together to ensure we know every young person and what their next steps are with their learning shows our commitment to improving the faith, learning and wellbeing outcomes. As members of Armidale Catholic Schools Professional Learning Community, we need to focus on what we know works.This is clearly articulated in our Non-Negotiables 

Our key documents are under a tile on the My Apps Dashboard.  ACS website -> Staff Portal ->ACS  Key Documents. The Foundations document is a great source of information. 

I would like to welcome our new Principals: Peter Flynn, St Nicholas’s, Tamworth, Michelle O’Connor, St Francis Xavier, Narrabri, Casey Chard, St Joseph’s, Glen Innes and Eli Simpson, St Joseph’s, Wee Waa. We wish them all the best as they take on these significant leadership roles. 

It was wonderful to start the school year joining staff from across our Tamworth schools for the celebration of Mass. Thank you to Fr Chris, Fr Roel, Fr Ross, Deacon Paul and our Principals and REC’s for a faith-filled celebration. 

I enjoyed visiting schools very briefly after Mass (had to get some selfies!)

I wish you all the best for 2025 as we work together to ensure literate and numerate students for a hope-filled future. 

Regina

Vale Susan Bell 

It is with deep sadness I share the news of the passing of our colleague and friend, Sue Bell. Sue Bell devoted 21 years to St Joseph's Warialda School, beginning in 1984 as a part-time school secretary. She quickly became an integral part of the school community. Her role extended beyond administrative duties as an education assistant, library assistant, and first aid officer.

Sue had a brief break from the school community from 1987 to 2000. Upon her return, she commenced her role as the school administrator, serving as the face of the school until her resignation in 2018. 

Sue’s loss is deeply felt by the entire community, and our thoughts and prayers go out to her family during this difficult time. 

Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord.

And let perpetual light shine upon her.

May she rest in peace.

Amen.

May the souls of all the faithful departed,

through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Amen