Principal Message

Be Kind, Be safe, Be respectful, Be responsible, Be resilient, Be ready

Dear Families,

As we move into the final learning days of the term, there is certainly plenty happening across our school community.

This Sunday marks a very special milestone for ten of our students as they celebrate their First Holy Communion at St Mary's Church, Cowes, at 9:00am. Over recent weeks, the children have been preparing thoughtfully for this important sacrament. Earlier this week, they participated in the Sacrament of Reconciliation with Fr Siju and spent time practising how to receive Holy Communion reverently and respectfully. We keep these students and their families in our prayers and wish them every blessing as they take this significant step in their faith journey.

This week, our students have also been immersed in a rich learning experience through the Yarning Sticks Incursion. We have been privileged to welcome local Aboriginal Elders, Sonya and Khiara, who have been sharing their knowledge, stories and culture with our children. The final session will take place this coming Monday, and we thank Sonya and Khiara for the generosity with which they have shared their wisdom and experiences.

Today, we were delighted to welcome students from St Agatha's Primary School, Cranbourne, who stopped by our school on their way to camp. Prior to the visit, St Agatha's students wrote letters to our senior students, introducing themselves and sharing what they were interested in learning about our school. Our senior students thoroughly enjoyed writing thoughtful responses and were excited to meet their pen pals in person. The visit provided a wonderful opportunity to connect, play together and showcase what makes our school community so special. Thank you to Mrs OC, who kindly led our visitors on a tour of our beautiful school grounds, explaining our approach to sustainability and highlighting the many unique features of our learning environment.

We are also looking forward to our final day of term next week as we celebrate Be Kinder Day. Students are invited to come to school wearing their pyjamas and will enjoy a hot dog lunch provided for them. Throughout the day, children will participate in activities focused on kindness, empathy and building positive relationships. As there will be no assembly on the final day, our weekly awards will instead be presented during our Be Kinder Day gathering, which will include a pyjama parade and prayer service.

Thank you to all families who have already contributed to our Vinnies Winter Appeal. Your generosity is greatly appreciated and will make a meaningful difference to those experiencing hardship during the colder months. Donations of non-perishable food items will continue to be accepted right up until the final day of term.

As the end of term approaches, it is fair to say that many of our little people are beginning to tire, and perhaps a few of the big people too! This is often the case at this point in the term. By continuing to support one another, maintaining our routines, and encouraging our children to finish strongly, we can ensure that the final seven learning days are both productive and positive.

Thank you for your ongoing support of our wonderful school community.

Warm regards,

Pamela McKillop