Principal

Karen Jagers

This week, as Australians, we celebrate National Reconciliation Week (NRW). The 2017 theme is  ‘Let’s Take the Next Steps’. NRW celebrates and builds on the respectful relationships shared by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other Australians.The dates that bookend the week, the 1967 Referendum and the 1992 Mabo Decision, are significant milestones in the reconciliation journey. Our school acknowledged the importance of NRW during our Monday morning assembly.

 Over the last two weeks, I have had the opportunity to attend professional learning opportunities at two conferences, both of which had international speakers. Messages were clear:

Learning is for everyone.

The world has entered a new educational era and schools must move to collaboration, co learning and feedback. Teachers’ work can no longer be seen as a solo privatised matter.  

The teacher and the quality of the teaching, along with student prior achievement, have the largest effect sizes onstudent learning.

 As a school, and as a system of diocesan schools, we have these core matters as part of our strategic plan and improvement focus.

Chris Smyth, the Director for Catholic Schools Armidale, has written a further document around the new ten year funding plan. 2018-2020 will enable us to say to parents that our current processes for setting school fees will remain unchanged and that any adjustments to school fees will be modest.  The full article is attached.

At this point in time, teachers have commenced the process of writing individual student reports. These will be distributed prior to the end of the term, with an opportunity for  parent/teacher conversation to follow.

June 18 is an important weekend in our school and parish. Many of the students in Year 6 will receive the sacrament  of Confirmation, which will be conferred by Bishop Michael Kennedy. Please keep these young people in your prayers.