Principal's Report

Dear St Cecilia's Community,

A Heartfelt Thank You to Mrs. Sharon Simpson

We recently marked a significant moment in the life of our school, as we said farewell to a much-loved member of our staff. After 22 years of outstanding service, Mrs. Sharon Simpson has retired from her role in the St. Cecilia’s front office.

Sharon has been a constant, calming presence in our school community—always ready with a warm welcome, a reassuring word, and an incredible ability to keep everything running smoothly. From her beginnings as a school parent, through her time in the parish office, and then into her pivotal role in our school administration, Sharon has served our community with dedication, kindness, and grace.

We enjoyed two wonderful send offs. A beautiful dinner with the staff, a special assembly with the kids and families and even managed to sneak the entire school into the front office as a surprise visit on her last day!

We’re also pleased to share that Mrs. Teresa Burdeu has already commenced in the school office and will continue Sharon’s Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday schedule. Teresa is settling in beautifully, and we’re grateful for the smooth transition.

Please join us in offering our sincere thanks to Sharon for her years of tireless service and in wishing her every happiness in her well-earned retirement.

 Classes 2026

We have had a number of enquiries for places at St Cecilia’s in 2026 in grade levels other than Foundation. We are also aware that some of our Year 4 families may be making decisions regarding 2026. 

To assist with our future planning,  we request that you complete the form below to indicate whether your child/children is/are returning to St Cecilia’s next year, as far as you know.

 Can all families please complete the following Google Form form by Friday May 30th, 2025.

https://forms.gle/Rt52n6BmME5RX8f57  

Parents Association Meeting

Our next Parents Association meeting is on Tuesday the 3rd of June at 7:30pm. in the school staffroom.

Where: School Staffroom

How: In person or online.

To attend online, click here: meet.google.com/npo-dxen-idb  

All welcome: particularly new parents and carers to St Cecilia's, class reps, or any parent that would simply like to see what happens at a PA meeting.

The meeting will be an opportunity to look ahead to what is coming up next in 2025 and plan for the myriad ways the PA enriches the life of our school community.

Second Hand Uniform Sale

The Term 2 Second-hand Uniform sale will be held on:

Friday 30 May 2025   -   3.15 – 4.00 pm

$1.00 per item (cash only)

All proceeds go back to the school through the Parents Association.

Please drop any donations into the dedicated collection tubs at Reception from Tuesday 27 May, so we can sort through prior to the sale on Friday.  For details of items accepted and organiser contact details please see the Parents Association page.

Important Child Safety Reminder – School Drop-Off and Pick-Up Zones

At St Cecilia’s, the safety and wellbeing of every child is our highest priority. We are writing to remind all members of our school community about the compulsory procedures and expectations in place to ensure that our students arrive and depart safely each day.

Last week, we experienced a very concerning near-miss incident where a vehicle entered the Church driveway at speed, narrowly missing students who were walking into school. Thankfully no one was hurt, but this serves as a timely and serious reminder of the importance of adhering to our designated drop-off and pick-up protocols.

For the safety of all students, families, and staff, the following areas must NOT be used for parking, stopping, or drop-off/pick-up during school hours — particularly before and after school:

• The driveway outside the school front office on Van Ness Avenue
• The driveway into the Church grounds (used by some staff and Father)
• The driveway off Malvern Avenue leading to Father’s garage

Each of these areas has been the site of previous near-miss incidents, and continued misuse creates unacceptable risks for our students and school community.

We ask all families to please share this important information with any other family members or carers who may be involved in school drop-offs or pick-ups.

Attached are three photos showing the areas where vehicles must not enter during critical school times. Please take a moment to review them and help ensure that all drivers understand these clear boundaries.

We thank you for your ongoing support and cooperation in maintaining a safe environment for every student at St Cecilia’s. Let’s continue to work together in keeping our community safe.

Have a great weekend!

Marty McKenna

Principal

St Cecilia’s Primary School