A note from Ms McIntosh

Dear families, friends, students and staff,

This is my last newsletter and I just want to say thank you. The past few weeks have been a giant celebration of my career and you have all made me feel so appreciated. Yesterday’s assembly was amazing! Not good for my makeup (Tanya and Sarah), but I can live with that. Thank you to everyone who was able to come along and help me celebrate and say farewell. I’m so glad you got to see the video of all the things that the classes had created for me. Each day for the past weeks, I have been surprised and treated like a diamond. Thank you, children and teachers, for your special, personal messages and gestures. You showed me how well you know me, and I feel very honoured. You made me laugh and cry all at the same time.

Thank you for making me student of the week over and over, such precious words. Thank you for my beautiful candle preps, it will burn brightly to remind me of you. Thank you for my beautiful gifts which I will treasure, and which will help me think of Rosanna every day. Especially my beautiful picture. Your fingerprints have made marks on the paper, but also on my heart. It will hold pride of place in my home.

Thank you, Jane, for your incredible words. It has been a pleasure to work with all the members of the RPS school council over the past 5 years. Such a strong connection with families is exceptional. Their hard work and thoughtful decision making helps our school to be amazing. Thank you, Leah and Kym, and the FORPS team for your words and beautiful flowers and gift. FORPS is incredible and I appreciate every minute of your time and energy that you gift to the school for the benefit of the children.

Thank you, students and teachers, for that incredible song. Hundreds of voices singing a song for me was incredibly humbling. There must had been a lot of practice – thank you Ms Bright and all the teachers, who did kick me out of a few staff meetings for rehearsal.

Thank you to all family members and friends who have taken the time to say goodbye. Your words, gifts and gestures have been so kind, and I will take them with me as I move forward. Your appreciation has been overwhelming. A special thank you to Amy for my beautiful cake.

Thank you, students, each one of you is special and amazing and together you make a powerful team and community. Thank you for all the times you have given me hugs, high fives and told me how you were feeling. It was very important to me and helped me say goodbye properly. You have taught me so many things and you learn from each other every day, not only academically, but about how to be the best people you can be. Stay connected and positive and look for the best in yourselves and others.

Thank you staff for your dedication, friendship, laughter, growth, support, respect and teamwork. I am privileged to have worked with you and hope to continue our connection beyond today. Thank you for celebrating with me at my function and yesterday.

Most of all, thank you to Jeff, Lynda, Ally and Kim. You have been the architects of these celebrations. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your thoughtfulness and your ability to make my day in every way. It has been a perfect way to say farewell. Thank you so, so much.

This is the first time since I was 5 (that’s 50 years ago!) that I haven’t been officially connected to a school or university. It is a very strange feeling, but my unofficial connection to Rosanna will continue. I am looking forward to visiting, coming to the Fair, celebrating milestones, staying in touch with my friends and, most of all, hearing about the successes and adventures of all the children I have met and shared learning with over the past 5 years. Rosanna primary school has helped make me who I am and will stay in my heart. It is a part of my fabric now. Thank you, with much love.

NEW SCHOOL LEADERSHIP

Congratulations to Mr Jackson who has been appointed acting Principal. Although it has been out of our hands and we have had to wait until the very last minute for this news, I am very excited that Mr Jackson will lead the school as I depart. I feel very confident that Jeff has all the skills and information to take over from me as we have had five years collaborating and leading this school together, I wish him well in this role and into the future. Please support Jeff, Lynda, Shannon and Matt as they lead the school on the strong path that is already established. If they have the kind of community support that I have had, they will be in a perfect position to continue the positive journey of the school.

At next week’s school council meeting, Silvana Sena, our Senior Education Improvement Leader, will speak to the team about the formal process of selecting the ongoing principal for Rosanna. Silvana will work with a team of school councillors and staff to complete this process. Please feel free to speak with Jane Banovac if you would like more information about this process.