From the Principal

 Do all that you do with love ~

Dear Families,

As we near the end of term, we certainly don't get less busy. The school is a hive of activity at the moment, year levels are preparing their liturgies for Advent (the first is on Friday, please read the Religious Education page), Grade 6 staff and students are preparing for Graduation and the whole school is rehearsing for our end of year concert. As with last year, families are invited to join us for a picnic before the concert and we are looking forward to showcasing the students' learning from Performing Arts and celebrating the end of the school year with you.

Staff have been busy working on class lists for 2024 and they are looking forward to our whole school transition session next week. This provides an opportunity for staff and students to get to know each other a little better and for the students to become familiar with the learning space that will be their classroom for the next year as well. Some of the children will be excited about the change, others do get nervous. Please take the time to reassure your child prior to transition morning that the change will be ok, lots of time and thought has gone into the process for creating class lists and staff are carefully allocated to grades.

Our class structure will be a little different next year. We will have the following grades:

• 2 x Foundation
• 2 x Grade 1
• 2 x Grade 2
• 3 x Grade 3/4
• 3 x Grade 5/6

The end of the school year always brings mixed emotions. We will be farewelling staff, welcoming new staff and saying 'goodbye for now' to others.

Jacqueline Bishop and Jane Heard have been offered the opportunity to transfer to St Thomas the Apostle. These are temporary transfers to provide opportunties for them both to experience teaching in another school. I wish both Jacqueline and Jane all the very best in their transfer, they have both been on staff for a number of years and will certainly be missed. As a result of this, we will be joined by Mrs Rebecca Jeffrey who will be moving from St Thomas the Apostle. This does mean we are still in the process of appointing a new specialist teacher to replace Jacqueline and the wonderful work she has done in Performing Arts this year - once recruiting is finalised, I will share the news with you. Linda Carter has chosen to take long service leave for 2024, she will spend time with her family and hopes that she will do some travelling as well. We look forward to her return in 2025.

Ashleigh Olive, Patrick Pawlukowski and Liz Yandell will also be leaving us at the end of the year. Ashleigh has worked in Grade 2, Patrick in Grade 4 and Liz has been our tutor. I wish to thank Ashleigh, Patrick and Liz for all that they have brought to our school during their short time with us. They will be missed and I wish them all the very best.

I am excited to share that, as well as Rebecca, we will be joined on our teaching staff by Mr Sam Sempio and Mr Andrew Orchard and rejoined by Mrs Liz Szabo. Our Education Support staff team will also be growing next year - Ms Georgia Hura and Mrs Coreen Grimwood will be joining the team. I am sure as you begin to meet our new staff you will show the same warm welcome that was shown to me last year.

Foundation Teaching Team - Maddie Foster and Malini Tyne

Grade 1 Teaching Team - Danielle Phillips and Sam Sempio

Grade 2 Teaching Team - Rebecca Jeffrey and Colleen Kathard

Grade 3/4 Teaching Team - Meghan Brockman, Liz Szabo, Sharon Evans and Andrew Orchard

Grade 5/6 Teaching Team - Rosina Chandra, Samantha Baillie and Caitlin Hall

A full staff list will be shared with you in the next newsletter.

School Fees

This is just a reminder that if you are not paying school fees via Centrepay or Direct Debit, the fees are due to be finalised by 30th November 2023.  School fee statements are sent home via email at the start of each term, please contact the office if you require another copy to be sent home.

If you are having difficulty paying fees, families can apply for a Special Consideration Fee Concession. Forms need to be sent home and completed, however concessions can be granted and we have helped many families over the years. Remember also that if you hold a Government Health Care Card or Government Pension Card, school fees can also be reduced. Please contact the office if you have any questions.

Canteen News

Please remember, as shared with you previously, that the canteen will be closed for the last 3 weeks of term - all of December. Lyn will be on leave for this time and we hope she has a wonderful break! Please don't place orders for your child's lunch during these weeks.

Felicity Broughton

Principal