Principal's Message
Dear parents, students and families,
I trust you all had a holy and joyous Christmas and New Year. Pope Francis has announced the start of a Year of Prayer in preparation for the Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee Year. The Pope said that 2024 will be 'a year dedicated to rediscovering the great value and absolute need for prayer in one’s personal life, in the life of the Church, and in the world'. May prayer enrich your life in 2024.
On Tuesday we welcomed back our Year 1-6 students and they have settled very well, with plenty of smiles as they build connection and friendships with their new teacher and classmates. Our 39 Foundation students commenced today and what a great day for the school it was. We not only welcome all of these wonderful new students for the next 7 years (we all hope) but also their parents and extended families. May it be a wonderful journey for our newcomers.
Next week we have our first assembly at 2.45pm and our Opening School Mass on Friday at 9.15am. Our student leaders will be awarded their leadership badges as the Mass. Parents are always warmly invited to our assemblies and masses. The following week Shrove Tuesday is the 13th February and we begin Lent with Ash Wednesday on 14th February.
We have begun to look at our enrolments for 2025. Currently we have just under 30 siblings, that we are aware of, or expressions of interest from new families. Some have actually completed their applications! If you have a younger sibling at home who will commence Foundation in 2025 can you please check that Mrs Trower in our office is aware of this. She will be able to provide you with the paperwork to complete your application. You may have friends or neighbours that are thinking of a St Anne's education for their child/ren. Please let them know we have opened up expressions of interest for 2025. They can ring the office and book into one of our tours at our Open Mornings on Monday 26th February or Monday 25th March.
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 areason 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