Dear Families,
In recent years Halloween has become a popular festival in Australia. The first of November is All Saints’ Day. It is followed on the 2nd by All Souls’ Day, more properly known as The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed. The older form of language for All Saints was All Hallows, the night prior being All Hallows’ Eve. Evening is sometimes abbreviated as E’en, hence: Hallow-e’en, or Halloween. So when people dress in macabre fashion and celebrate this occasion, they are actually marking a very old tradition. In the Church year, November is the special time for remembrance of those who have died. We offer prayers for the souls of the departed, and special mentions are made at Parish Masses.
Last Friday was also the last day of school for the Year 12 class of 2020. They came in their fancy dress costumes, enjoyed a breakfast bbq with their teachers, and had their farewell assembly. We were all pleased to be able to celebrate the end of school with them and to enjoy at least some of our traditional festivities together. The VCE students are now preparing for their final exams, which commence next week. We wish all our graduating students the best of luck for their exams and for their future beyond school.
Walkathon
Our annual Walkathon is an important demonstration of our commitment to social justice. We now need your support to return your child’s walkathon card and sponsorship. So far only 56% of cards have been returned. This year we are supporting charities closer to home, we ask you to please see that your child returns the card, even a small donation will do much good.
Uniform
Thank you to all families who responded to the survey regarding the girls’ uniform. An overwhelming majority are in favour of providing the option of long winter pants for the girls. This option will be provided for winter uniform next year. The Working Group has arranged for samples to be displayed on mannequins within the College, so students and families can consider between dark grey or navy blue. The samples may be viewed in this newsletter and on the College Website. Parents will be able to view and compare at Panther’s Mensland Leongatha from Monday 16 – Friday 20 November. Students and staff will be invited to indicate their preference on Friday 13 November. Families will be invited to do so by Friday 20 November. Details will be emailed.
Uniform Shop
The Parents and Friends Association, after much consideration, has decided to discontinue the second-hand uniform shop from the end of this year. President Donna Muldoon has written a letter to families about this, please see the separate notice in this newsletter.
Next Wednesday is the 11th of November, Remembrance Day. It commemorates that in 1918, 102 years ago, at the 11th hour, of the 11th day of the 11th month, the Armistice took effect and ended the fighting in the Great War. Across all the belligerent nations, over 70 million people were mobilised into armies. Between 9 and 13 million died, with as many as one third having no known grave. It was called “The war to end all wars”, but was in fact only the first modern world conflict. The custom of keeping the minute’s silence can be traced back to the first anniversary commemoration in 1919. Ever since then, people in countries all over the world have marked the occasion by keeping a minute’s silence in honour of those who have given their lives in the many wars that have taken place. In this year of pandemic, we will still mark Remembrance day with the minute’s silence, but it will be held in class just before recess, rather than as an assembly. On such days, my prayer, and the prayers of us all, are that our young people will never have to go through what our forbears did. Lest we forget.
Wishing all our families continued health and happiness,
David Leslie
Principal.