Principal's Report

Dear Parents and Carers,

Yesterday, at 11am on 11th November, our school community celebrated Remembrance Day. This very significant day involved remembering, reflecting and honouring fallen soldiers and military service.

What was evident and obvious during this solemn occassion, was the manner in which all of our students conducted themselves. Our school leaders presented some information and prayers and then paused for a recital of The Ode followed by The Last Post and a minute silence. Special thanks to Jacqui Chalkley for preparing this content and working with the student leadership.

It is so important for our young people to recognise and honour these significant moments with knowledge, understanding, empathy and hope. We can best honor those that have served by using this day as a way to teach our students about both the honour and courage these people displayed in the course of performing their duties, as well as the valuable lessons they have taught us (namely, that the fighting of any war comes at too high a cost). In the end, Remembrance Day provides an excellent way to instill our children with an understanding of the ramifications of war and gives them a reason to work towards a more peaceful world.

It was an incredibly poignant, peaceful and unforgettably special time in our our week.

Lest we forget.

ST CECILIA’S ATHLETICS CARNIVAL 

Monday, 28th November 2022

Attached below is all of the important information you need for our upcoming 

ATHLETICS CARNIVAL.

Please note that this year we have moved from a twilight event to a day event.

We are looking forward to a fantastic day!

Thank you to Mr Johnson for all of his organisation!

2023 Foundation Students

This week we enjoyed two significant occassions for our new 2023 Foundation Students and their families. On Thursday we ran a very successful Foundation Information Night facilitated by our 2023 Foundation Teachers, Mrs Annmaree Hoy and Mrs Marnie Chapman. It was an excellent evening combining a time to mix and socialise followed by the necessary information and details our parents needed. 

The following morning our new students had their first transition morning in their new classrooms. Our wonderful year 5 students (next years Grade 6 Buddies) arrived early to create name drawings on the ashphalt to welcome their new Foundation friends.

Little Feet Big Footprints

Senior Students working with the Community

  “If you think you are too small to be effective, 

then you’ve never been in the dark with a mosquito”

We have a special event at St Cecilia's on

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 16TH

The Senior students present…

‘LITTLE FEET, BIG FOOTPRINTS

WELLBEING DAY’

Please click on this link below for all details!

Tech Con

This Thursday we have selected four Year 6 students to represent St Cecilia’s at the Tech Con Conference.

TechCon will be held next Thursday, 17th November at Our Lady of the Pines in Donvale

The idea of the tech conference is for students to present tech workshops to their peers and teachers and to participate in other student run workshops.

The St Cecilia’s team will present a workshop on podcasting, which they have worked very hard on preparing.

It will be a great day of learning, fun, swag and games.

.

Students from 70 primary schools in the Catholic Eastern Region have been invited to participate.  

We would like to wish Hugh, Leo, Sarah and Lilly all the best on Thursday!

School Fees

Just a reminder that Term 4 School Fees are now overdue. Please contact me directly if you would like to discuss this further.

Landscape Masterplan

We are extremely pleased to announce that our Landscape Masterplan will commence very shortly on December 5th. 

Please come and view the plans on the window just outside the library. We are commencing Stage One which is circled in red and essentially the entrance area as you walk in the main gate off Van Ness Ave. 

In regard to the entire project, which will be staged over the following 2 or 3 years, the emphasis is to be placed on the incorporation of the landscape to sit in harmony with the architecture and the sites environment. ie. topography, trees, views, aspect, student movement, existing areas such as the produce gardens and chicken coop. 

Including features such:

• Outdoor classrooms
• Boardwalk
• Opening up a new nature play trail behind the existing basketball courts giving students a good connection to natural materials, plants, sensory gardens etc. 
• More seating 
• Access around the chicken run area and into produce gardens.
• Improving the produce gardens with storage, access, water management, vertical gardens, workstations, and overall aesthetics.
• The inclusion of Sculptures
• Student voice, students to contribute ideas, incorporation of outdoor spaces in curriculum, be involved in the planting etc.
• Outdoor games such as chess tables
• School History, local and indigenous history and stories.
• Peace gardens.
• Gardens to have a strong link to the schools Education for Sustainability Vision.
• Improve overall areas throughout the school; such as existing playgrounds and sandpit area as discussed on site.

We are extemely excited for this next chapter to begin.

1500 bronze medal!

We are so proud of Lucy Reed who recently won the bronze medal at the SSV State Track and Field event! Lucy ran the 1500m in an incredible 5 mins and 18 seconds and loved the experience. Congratulation Lucy from all of us!

We look forward to welcoming staff who have been away this week, including Matthew Mooney  and Carmel Brownhill.  

Have a fantastic weekend everyone,

Marty McKenna

Principal