Principal's Report

Dear Parents and Carers

Welcome back to Term 2!

I trust everyone had a refreshing and enjoyable break with the public holidays for Easter and ANZAC Day adding a special touch to our time off. For those who managed to get away, I hope it was a nice change of pace. For those who stayed and worked, I hope the shorter weeks brought a welcomed change to your regular routines.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time away in Tasmania and although I didn’t quite make it to the summit of Cradle Mountain I enjoyed the less challenging walk around Dove Lake. We visited Strahan on the west coast and travelled to Hobart for a few days before making our way up the east coast to rejoin the Spirit of Tasmania in Devonport. In ten days we really covered some ground, we saw wildlife including wombats, seals, Tasmanian devils, quolls, we ate loads of lobster, chocolate, ice cream and cheese, sampled local wines and beers, visited heritage listed national parks, deserted beaches and penitentiaries from our past. We hiked, drove, sailed and even found some time for retail therapy in Hobart. In true travel guides style I give my Tassie adventure four and a half stars out of five!   

This past month has been significant, particularly in terms of leadership. The recent passing of Pope Francis has deeply touched so many, highlighting his remarkable humanity, and compassion for those often overlooked. His legacy of generosity, love and hope resonated with people from all walks of life, including many who were not religious but were moved by his actions and spirit. This week I share with you a reflection I shared with the teachers last week by an unknown author whose life was undoubtedly touched by Pope Francis - It’s almost as if he waited 

In other leadership news, I'm sure you've heard the speculation about what a second term of the Australian Labor Party will mean for our nation following last Saturday's election. Regardless of your political stance, it was heartening to see Mr. Albanese acknowledge the hard work and dedication of Mr. Dutton during his victory speech to the party faithful late on Saturday evening.

ANZAC Day Dawn Service 

This year I attended the ANZAC Dawn Service at Coogee with two of our school Captains, Havier Alarcon and Lucas Otarola Rodriguez. The boys and their families had to rise well before the sun and we were seated in darkness with rain threatening. The service was a fitting way to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve our way of life and I thank Havier and Lucas for laying a wreath on behalf of our school community. After the formalities we ran into some other early risers - Phil and Alfie Reichelt who also attended the Coogee Dawn Service.  

Election BBQ

A huge thank you to the new Parent Group Executive who, with very little notice, organised a very successful election BBQ. Peter and I arrived early to volunteer for a couple of hours and the feeling of welcome and community was alive and well. For further details on the Election BBQ please see the P & F report  

Change into winter uniform

Please be advised that the official day to change to the winter uniform is next Monday, following Mother's Day. Next week, you may still exercise discretion regarding which uniform is most suitable. However, it is important to ensure that children are dressed in either full winter uniform or full summer uniform, mixing items from both is not acceptable. Please label all uniform items clearly with your child’s name and remind them hats are a compulsory part of their uniform. If your child is out of school uniform for any reason other than their birthday, please provide a note to their teacher.

Article in the Catholic weekly

This month St Margaret Mary’s featured in an article in the Catholic Weekly. Mrs Gravina supplied the article showcasing Anthony Salame’s visit to school last term. The Catholic weekly was distributed to the students earlier in the week so please take the time to read the article. A big thank you to Mrs Gravina and the parents who attended this event.