From our Principal 

Dear Parents, Students and Friends,

I came across this prayer recently which has as its foundations the Stations of the Cross. Traditionally during Lent in the Catholic Church families are invited to reflect on the 14 stations which commemorate Christ’s last day on earth. This particular depiction weaves the trials and tribulations of our modern world where war, displacement of peoples and climate change are constant reminders that we continue to fail. Christ’s teachings though provide us all with the opportunity to embrace the teachings of Christ that speak at their very core of Faith, Hope and Love, with the most important one being love. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be held for the people of Ukraine

Prayer

Lord Jesus, today we join you in your Passion, accompanying you through your greatest trial. Grant us the courage to keep our eyes open, our ears listening, and our senses aware of what you experience. May we recognize how your Passion continues in the plight of our sisters and brothers who seek refuge during these unsettling times, fleeing violence, conflict, persecution, and environmental destruction. May we stay by your side, even if we fall with you. Animate our steps with your love and hope, although we may not be certain where the journey will end. Remove all fear and help us to become aware of your presence in all things. Amen

On Easter morning we will rejoice in the knowledge that Christ is risen….he is risen indeed. It will remind us once again that Jesus is alive and in our midst. Importantly it is an opportunity to pause and reflect on the fact that he welcomes us into a new life with him, and be inspired by the resurrection and his invitation to reset our life for the year ahead.

Click here to access and Easter message from Bishop Greg Bennet.

Harmony Day

Was held on 28 March 2023 and the activities and events were guided and inspired by it’s theme – “Everyone Belongs”. We were privileged to have two Aboriginal men from the Bunurong Land Council come and share with us the close connection between ritual and land. The welcome to country and the smoking ceremony of welcome were deeply moving. The Hon Andrew Giles MP Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs recently had this to say in regards to this land we share, he said, “We're privileged to share this beautiful country with the world's oldest continuing culture. This is a fundamental part of who we are. For more than 60,000 years First Nations peoples cared for country. Appreciating and understanding this truth is a vital part of what it means to be Australian”. We are always better people for having spent time hearing the stories of others. We certainly are better for hearing the journey of the Bunerong people and understanding more fully their love of country. My thanks in particular to the VCE VM students and staff for adding great colour, not to mention flavour to the day.

Attendance and Punctuality

It has been noticeable post COVID that attendance and punctuality has declined. It is time for this to be addressed. Recent studies suggest that poor attendance can lead to a variety of effects on students, both academically and socially. This can include: increased social isolation, alienation, lack of engagement with the school community and peers, emotional and behavioural difficulties. Hancock et al., 2013 suggests that: “Attendance is also an important contributor to a student’s academic achievement – all school days matter. The correlation between absence and achievement is consistently negative and declines in achievement are evident with any level of absence”.

So what should families do?

The Department of Education has some helpful resources for parents, you can access the link here 

Some strategies and suggestions to consider include:

• Set positive attendance habits and expectations early in the year or term
• Reward good behaviour and not bad behaviour. For example, if your young person refuses to go to school, do not let them have access to their phones or the internet.
• Set a good example. Show them how you keep to your own commitments.
• Encourage your young person to take on hobbies that they enjoy such as sports and clubs. This will help them develop positive relationships outside of the classroom.
• Have a set, structured time period to do homework.
• Leave all technology out of their bedroom.

A final note on punctuality. Question: Would a young person be late to a part-time job? The answer is inevitably, No. School expectations are the same. An organised approach to begin the day sets the tone for the rest of the day.

At SPC we have committed to ensuring attendance rates and punctuality improve. Students who have transgressed will already be aware that consequences are being meted out for regular lateness. I ask parents to support us in raising our standards of attendance and punctuality.

Reminders:

Uniform – Winter uniform is to be worn from the beginning of term two. Please click here for further information. Please note: the school blazer is a compulsory uniform piece and must be worn at all times both within the college boundaries and beyond.

The uniform shop will be open at the following times in the lead-up to the commencement of Term 2 classes.

Thursday, 20 April 2023 from 9am – 5pm and Monday, 24 April 2023 from 9am – 1pm before resuming normal trade days and hours for Term 2.

Return date for students: the return date for students to commence term two is Wednesday, 26 April 2023.

Finally, may all experience joy in the knowledge that Christ is Risen…he is risen indeed and may all have a restful, restorative and safe Easter break.

Mr Chris Black

Principal