Dear members of the St Raphaels school community,

What a year!

This year we have faced incredible challenges and I am immensely proud of the way that the children, staff and parents have worked together to support the children's learning.

The adversity that we have faced this year shows what a fabulous community we belong to and how we all rose to the unexpected and unprecedented challenges that we faced.

They say that out of adversity comes opportunity, and I firmly believe that this year has given us all an opportunity to stop and reflect on what is really important in life.

This pandemic reminds us of the importance of our health. Without our health, we have nothing. It has also been a reminder to slow down, reconnect and re-think what our future holds.

As a school, we have learnt an incredible amount around effective communication using digital technologies, how to provide professional feedback with our colleagues, improve our teaching practice and how to prioritise what is important for the children.

Throughout this year they've been many times where I've reflected on the prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi. It is this prayer that has sustained me during many times of doubt and uncertainty and it has given me great strength when big decisions had to be made.

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

where there is sadness, joy.

O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;

to be understood as to understand;

to be loved as to love;

For it is in giving that we receive;

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.

There are many people that I would like to thank for their contributions throughout this year.

To all of the children, congratulations on your adaptability and resilience during the lockdown periods. You should be proud of what you have achieved this year - being online every day, uploading work, being away from your friends and school, and all of the difficult challenges that you faced. Well done! You did it and you will never, ever forget the 2020 school year!

Congratulations to our graduating Year 6 students. You have missed out on many of the rites of passage of previous Year 6 children. We look forward to celebrating your Confirmation and Graduation next Monday. This year has been extremely difficult for you all but you have shown great leadership and character.

We wish you all the very best for the years ahead and hope that you pursue with vigour your dreams. Remember, take every chance, every opportunity and above all, be courageous. We will be watching from a distance with pride in the knowledge that we have been given a special, privileged opportunity to play a small part in your lives and in shaping the person that you have become.

"Watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places." (Roald Dahl, The Minpins)

To all of our parents, thank you. Your support and encouragement throughout this difficult and trying year has made our job so much easier and has enabled us to focus on your children's learning. I appreciate the difficulties of working from home and trying to provide the support that your children required during this time. You did it, we did it!

To the wonderful staff of St Raphael’s - you have done an amazing job throughout this year and have been so flexible and agile. With every challenge you rose to the occasion with professionalism, dedication and commitment to the children and your profession. I'm so proud of you all and I am grateful and humbled to have the opportunity to be your leader.

A special thanks to Rosalba Squarci and Shane Giese for your tireless work, dedication and commitment throughout this year in your role as Deputy Principals. Also, to the school leadership team for your ongoing contributions, advice and support when those big decisions had to be made. To Lynette Gamble in the front office - you are such a valued member of our school community. Lynette does so much behind the scenes, quietly and competently.

Thank you to our School Advisory Board members - Roan Poltz, Pauline O'Connor, Tracey Pace, Lisa Mancini, Cara Fonua and all the members of our school leadership team - who met regularly via Zoom throughout the school year and provided much needed advice, feedback, support and encouragement on school improvement and other matters. I look forward to continuing this partnership as we move into uncharted territory with the new governance changes in 2021.

Special thanks to our volunteer Uniform Shop mums - Melissa McCarthy, Michelle Rosa, Sue-Ann Perri and Emma Licastro. Throughout this year, you have continued to provide this valuable service for our parents and children. Also, thanks to Adela Moreno and all of the parents who have recently volunteered to assist with sorting and coordinating secondhand uniforms.

Thank you to Rose Drazic and Maria Mennillo for coordinating the school kitchen. We missed not being able to enjoy many of your beautiful treats this year but we look forward to seeing you cook up a storm in 2021 with our beautiful new kitchen oven!

To all of the parents who have assisted earlier this year with any excursions or helped in the learning spaces. We look forward to this continuing in 2021 when we can welcome more parents back into the school.

To Paula Moussa for her artwork and coordination of signage boards for Open Days and community events, Liliana Varvarigos and Sally Di Martino for their planning of community events that were subsequently shut down, Gab Wood for her role as the Treasurer of community events, Joe Horton for assisting with marketing and promotion, Flora Antonelli for assisting with the Year 6 Graduation festivities and to all of the parents who have assisted the school in many different ways, thank you.

To Father Simon a special thank you for your wonderful spiritual leadership and guidance throughout this uncertain year. Father Simon's previous professional life, his wealth of experience in major senior management roles combined with his three law degrees greatly assisted, guided and supported me throughout this time. We are indeed very lucky to have such a supportive, humble and dedicated parish priest in our school community and we look forward to working very closely with Father Simon in 2021 as we continue to nurture the spiritual growth of our children.

Lastly, thank you to Aldo Mollinaro for keeping our school grounds and facilities neat, tidy and safe for the children.

To Tina Colosi we say farewell and thank her for her incredible contribution to the transformation of the learning and teaching at St Raphael's during her time at the school. Over the last 18 years Tina has worked tirelessly to implement a vision of learning teaching as innovative, engaging, progressive and comprehensive. In her role as Deputy Principal, Tina has been an incredible support to me over the years and I will miss having her experience and knowledge around the school. We wish Tina every success for the future and we will always remember her significant contributions throughout her time at St Raphael's.

To Annette Marcon, we also say farewell and thank her very much for her dedication and commitment particularly to the students with additional learning needs. Annette has been at St Raphael's for the past 17 years and has fulfilled various roles as Reading Recovery Teacher and recently as the Student Diversity Leading Teacher. Annette has been a member of the school leadership team for many years and her experience and knowledge will be greatly missed. We wish Annette all the very best for the future and hope that she enjoys her retirement and is kept busy looking after her grandchildren!

Farewell to James Downing who is moving to regional Victoria and to Rachel Pearn who is moving to be with family in Darwin. We wish both of these teachers all the very best for the future and thank them for their contributions to our school.

We warmly welcome three new teachers to our school in 2021 - Bella Sullivan-Barry, Emily Jamieson, and Kaitlyn McMillan. We are excited to welcome these three teachers into our school and hope that their time at St Raphael's is professionally and personally rewarding.

Next year we are pleased to advise of the following staffing changes. With the Victorian Government’s new funding support next year we are hoping to provide additional experienced support in each year level. A senior member of school leadership will work with intervention &/or extension children every day in literacy and numeracy. This additional support will ensure greater personalisation and differentiation of the curriuclum at each child’s point of need.

Homerooms

Foundation: Lorraine Uzunovski, Linda Pham. Alfie Colosi & Marcella Verrochi (additional learning support)

Year 1/2: Jackie Moloney/ Melanie Pizzonia, Carmel Pitt, Bella Sullivan-Barry, Paige Frazer. Rosalba Squarci (Senior leader additional learning support), Alfie Colosi (Reading Recovery)

Year 3/4: Lauren Bell/ Annie McNaughton, Kaitlyn McMillan, Belinda Hirschauer. Annie McNaughton (Senior leader additional learning support)

Year 5/6: Emma Sbizzirri/ Matthew Vernal, Emily Jamieson, Martine Kelly. Shane Giese (Senior leader additional learning support)

Physical Education: Matthew Vernal

Science: Patty Luna

Visual Art: Alannah Sarafian

Administration: Lynette Gamble & Christine McNiece (Tuesdays only)

Education Support Officers: Belinda Mercuri (Foundation), Catherine Talarico (Sustainability/ Year 1/2), Aidan Baynes (Year 3/4), Anna Fedele (ALL Language Program/ Italian coordinator/ Year 1/2 & 5/6). Maria De Cata (Resource Manager)

We are so excited with the plans and new initiatives for the 2021 school year. Our school leadership team has met and we are committed to improved student outcomes by embedding good practice and developing fantastic partnerships with many external agencies and organisations who will support and enhance the children’s learning.

After what has been a tumultuous year, may the spirit of Christmas, the arrival of Jesus, the season of Hope and Joy be a time to share and celebrate family, love and peace.

In what has become a well-worn line this year - stay safe!

We look forward to welcoming you all back to school in the new year.

Regards,

Damian