Dear parents, students and families,

I hope many of you enjoyed some rest and relaxation with the long weekend provided to families through the school closure day on Monday for staff to write reports and Tuesday for Melbourne Cup Day. It is a nice time of the year for the students to have a short break as we quickly head towards the end of the year!

I have returned from a not so short break. The Camino experience, as we trekked from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela in the Galician region of Northern Spain, was a very thought provoking and sacred experience for our group of local principals. Opportunities for reflection on our faith, and discernment of leadership opportuities were contemplated both individually and as a group with guidance from our spiritual counsellor. A very thought-provoking opportunity to strengthen our understanding of, and actions in, faith leadership. This learning program was then followed by a period of travel with my wife while enjoying some Long Service Leave with almost daily check-ins on the events of our great school. Congratulations to the leadership team and staff as the school was an absolute pleasure to return to on Wednesday. The welcome was warm and it was nice to have been missed....even just a little!

Last week I know the students celebrated All Saints' and All Souls' days. I was regularly in cathedrals and churches during my travel, whether for masses or just to visit these beautiful, sacred spaces. On All Saints Day we attended a mass at the Basilica of the Twelve Holy Apostles in Rome. I was quite intrigued by the many monstrances at the front of the altar containing sacred relics. On journeying through Rome we stopped in at the Basilica of St Bartholomew which is on the island in the middle of the Tiber between Trastavere and the centre of Rome. It too had a display of sacred relics displayed representing the continents and Saints from those areas. Obviously part of the Catholic traditions in Rome on All Saints' Day is to celebrate the lives of these great people and to connect these with our own lives. It was amazing to look at the stories of the Saints, so many of them relatively modern, compared to those usually selected by the students as part of their confirmation. In reflecting on this, all of these Saints- modern or not- were once children like yours at home who went on to be inspired by their faith to lead wonderful lives and now be remembered as sacred members of our faith. If at home and at school we can continue to set a great faith example to our students/children who knows what life they will go onto lead? I was reminded again that our roles as teachers and parents is to give them the chance to grow to be the best people they can be!

It has been a very short week but a pleasure to be a part of again as our students are so focused on their learning.

Next week we begin our Orientation sessions for the 2024 Foundation students with the first one on Tuesday. The years pass so quickly that sometimes it is hard to believe our existing Foundation students are nearly ready for Year 1!

Next Sunday 19th November is our eagerly awaited Market Day- I thank everyone for your efforts so far. Funds gained will be put toward the cost of the artificial turf that has recently been laid at the front of the school.

God bless and have a great weekend

Rod Shaw

Principal

School Attendance and Unexplained Absence

Please contact the school if your child is going to be absent by leaving a message on 9786 4736 and press 1. Please give details of your child’s name and class with a reason for their absence such as: unwell, appointment, holiday or family reasons. Alternatively an email can be sent to office@saseaford.catholic.edu.au with cc to the child’s teacher.

If you are running late, (after 9:00 am) please attend the office to sign your child into school and collect a late pass.

If you are picking up your child early you will need to collect them and sign them out from the office.

As per our policy this will be our morning routine for absences:

Parents will be contacted as soon as practicable on the morning a student is absent via a text message.

If parent does not contact the school after receiving the text message, the school will contact the parent by phone. If the parent is unreachable the emergency contacts will be contacted by the school.

If there is still no response, and the school feels that the child is in danger, the police will be contacted.

Ongoing unexplained absences or lack of cooperation regarding student attendance will result in a formal conference being organized. Unresolved attendance issues will be referred to D.H.H.S.

This is a legal requirement.

Democratic Principles

The six (6) principles of Australian democracy include:

(a) elected government; and

(b) the rule of law; and

(c) equal rights for all before the law; and

(d) freedom of religion; and

(e) freedom of speech and association; and

(f) the values of openness and tolerance

Wellbeing