Principal's Report
Dear St A’s Community,
Well, it's been a short week at St A's after a long weekend! It has been great to experience some warmer weather and be able to enjoy our beautiful outdoor surroundings!
Please make sure on these warmer days that the students are well prepared with their hats and with sun cream applied!
Last week we commemorated two significant days in the Catholic calendar where we remember those who have gone before us: All Saints Day on 1 November and All Souls Day on 2 November. Nowadays, the celebration of Halloween (the Feast of All Hallows), which has its origins in the Feast of All Saints, is rapidly eroding the significance of All Saints Day. Christians have been honouring Saints and Martyrs since at least the second century AD. We know of hundreds of saints and we honour them on their specific feast days throughout the year. However, the Feast of All Saints is traditionally a day offered up in prayer and dedication to all saints, those we know of and also those we are not aware of. All Saints Day is also tied to the concept of the ‘communion of saints’: The belief that all of God’s people, in heaven and on earth, are connected.
All Saints Day is followed on 2 November by All Souls Day. All Souls Day celebrates all the faithful departed, we remember, pray for, and offer up our masses for those who have departed from this life; that their sins will be forgiven and they will enjoy eternal life. Significantly, the month of November provides us the opportunity to pause and reflect on the members of our family and friends who have gone before us.
Transition
This week we held 2 Prep 2024 transition sessions and what a success they were! It was great to see the new faces of the St A's community be onsite and join in their first session! I was very impressed with our newbies and I tried really hard to find 'The Green Sheep"! Well done to these new superstars on their first go at 'big school'. I look forward to welcoming all the new 2024 Prep students back again next week, where they will engage in a Maths and Libray session.
We also held our 1st of 4, transition sessions for the students in Prep to Grade 5. All of the students moved up to their new level and had a taste of what it would be like in their new setting. We use this as an opportunity to see how the students work together and where their best fit will be. All students have given their teachers a list of friends that they would like to be with and this also gives us a helping hand when placing the students into their new classes. A lot of work behind the scenes goes into making sure that the mix of students in each class is 'just right'.
Gardening - Any Green Thumbs about??
For the next 2 Thursdays, November 16th and 23rd, we are inviting our community members to help put in the Kids Kitchen Garden from 9-11. We would love to have some helping hands, work alongside Sandy, and attend to some pruning, planting, and general jobs in this space. It was evident on Grandparents days that there is a keen interest in our garden - so we warmly invite you all to come and help out.
Upcoming Events
Over the next 5 weeks of school, we have a lot of events and things to remember! Please keep a look out for our weekly social media updates to keep on top of these events.
Students are beginning to learn Christmas Carols in preparation for our evening performance Please make sure you keep the 7th of December free, this will be a great community event!
I would also like to let the community know that Mr Ben Louis is moving with his family to sunny Queensland and as a result will be finishing up his time here at St Augustine's at the end of next week. Unfortunately, the commute for Ben will be too much!! Ben has been a valued staff member at our school for many years, and he will be missed by his colleagues, students, and the wider community. His many contributions to the school are endless and his skills and expertise will be hard to replace. Ben has accepted a position at an independent school on the Sunshine Coast. We will farewell Ben at our next assembly – so please come along and help us say goodbye.
Have a good weekend!
Show Grace, Be the Joy for others, and God Bless.
Carrie Rodda
Principal