Principal
The End of a Very Busy Term!
As I sit here writing this week’s column, I am feeling poorly after being struck down by COVID-19 late last week. I have been in isolation since Thursday morning and look forward to being back later this week. Even after being triple vaccinated, my symptoms have been quite significant and for someone who leads a busy and active life, I have had to take my own advice to rest and recuperate.
I am very appreciative of Mr Adrian Byrne for being the Acting Principal in my absence. Most staff have experienced COVID-19 this year and thankfully our full vaccination status has minimised the impact of this disease on teachers.
Although COVID-19 numbers have dropped, the College is still experiencing relatively high absenteeism with both boys and staff reporting cold and flu symptoms but testing negative on rapid antigen tests. I appreciate that parents/carers are keeping boys who have cold and flu symptoms at home as this will be for the common good of all our community.
We now have three full weeks to rest up, visit family and prepare for Term 3. This is especially so for Year 11 and Year 12 students who will move quickly to Trial HSC and End of Preliminary Year examinations before they know it. It’s a good time to clean up the desk, school bag and invest in folders and resources from Officeworks. Key summaries should be made and gaps in learning identified so that teachers can be approached early on in Term 3.
Staff Changes
As previously noted in the Especean of 1 June 2022, Mr Steven Roberts (TAS Faculty) will be finishing up at the end of this week and beginning his days of retirement. Mr Roberts first joined the St Patrick’s community in 2002 as a TAS teacher, Cricket, Rugby and Football coach. He has taught hundreds of boys over the years. He left the College to re-locate to Queensland and was there for Terms 2, 3 and 4 of 2020. He then returned to us at the start of 2021. In all, he has spent 20 years of his life dedicated to the learning of students.
The knowledge that he has shared with his students over the years is priceless. It was not all about passing exams but acquiring life skills and developing good manual dexterity. The boys will remember your valuable lessons forever. Congratulations on your retirement!
We welcome Miss Katherine Tripodi to the TAS Faculty this week. She will be replacing Mr Roberts and in 2023, will be assisting us to introduce Food Technology and Hospitality into Years 9 and 11 respectively. She is a very talented and expertly trained educator, and we are lucky to have her join our brilliant TAS staff.
In Memoriam
We extend our prayers to Gabriel Mazzotta (Year 12), Julian Mazzotta (Year 10) and Old Boys Michael Mazzotta (’16) and Matthew Mazzotta (’13) on the loss of their grandfather, Mr Vincenzo Nadile last weekend.
Eternal rest grant onto him O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon him.
May he rest in peace.
Amen.
Dr Vittoria Lavorato
Principal
SPC boys can do anything!
**except divide by zero