Principal's Report 

Dear Parents,

This week was certainly a week of celebrations. On Monday our grade prep, one and two students went to Crocs for what was by all accounts a very exciting, if somewhat tiring, day for all.  This was followed by the grades 3, 4 and 5 students attending on Tuesday for an equally tiring but fun day. This was a great initiative of the staff and supported by school council and parents.  It saw our community come together in a COVID safe way to celebrate the end of a very challenging year.  

Not to forget our departing grade 6 students, they celebrated a very nice day on Wednesday followed by a well presented ceremony to their family as they depart primary school for an adventure in secondary college. We wish them, and all students leaving Mackellar, all the best at their new school for 2022 and beyond. 

Of course the end of the year is also when we say goodbye to some much loved staff of Mackellar as they head off to other schools to continue their great work, or into similar industries to support in a different way.  

To this end I would like to extend a very big thank you to Janelle Fry for her work here over many years.  Janelle is moving to Rockbank Primary School where no doubt she will continue her great work and build positive relationships with everyone she meets. We say farewell and a big thank you to TJ Loyal who embarks on a similar but slightly different career caring for children beyond the school gate which is a passion of hers, and something she will excel in. Our final Education Support employee to take on a new adventure is Kerrie Coletta. Kerrie has secured an administration role at Springside College which she will no doubt do just as an amazing job there in that role as she did here for many years in her current role.  On behalf of the school community we would like to thank these staff and wish them all the very best in their upcoming role. 

We are also bidding farewell to two well respected and much loved teachers.  We thank Yurani Perera for her time in grade 4 this year as she and Rebecca West steered the students through another period of remote learning.  Yurani did a wonderful job getting to know the students and working with the team for terms three and four.  

Finally, but by no means least, we say a fond farewell to Gemma Matias as she continues her teaching and leadership journey at  a new school for 2022 - Strathtulloh Primary School. Opening a new school is both hugely rewarding and extremely challenging.  No doubt with Gemma's bubbly personality, excellent curriculum knowledge and well developed leadership skills, she will no doubt take the school by storm and be a leader of the future there by building on the skills she crafted here. We wish Gemma and Yurani every success in their teaching journey beyond Mackellar. 

And as I sign off for another school year, it would be remiss of me not to thank you all for your wonderful support this year. It has certainly been very much appreciated by all of the staff, and by extension the students. 

If you celebrate Christmas, I hope that is a very special time for you and your family.  Otherwise, I hope the holiday period is full of lovely weather, nice company and that it is wonderfully relaxing as we make our way into an exciting and hopefully much improved 2022.

Finally and on a more sombre note, it is with a very heavy heart that our thoughts turn to Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport. If you are so inclined, you may like to say a prayer for the families in that community.  They must be going through unimaginable hurt at the moment. If your child is distressed in any way please consult your family doctor. In the new school year, if this concern remains please feel free to contact Joanne Wood, our Wellbeing Coordinator, Anthony Michielin or myself.

Merry Christmas and kind regards, 

Simon McGlade

Principal