From the Principal

Dear Parents/Carers, Students and Friends of St Virgil’s,

Easter Liturgy – Stations of the Cross

Today we celebrated an Easter Liturgy for the whole school, recognising that for many of our students this will be the only opportunity they have to experience the real meaning of Easter in terms of the betrayal and death of Jesus, preceding his resurrection to new life on Easter Sunday.

Lent and Easter are not merely religious festivals; they help us make sense of the sacred and profane realities of our own lives and are the well‐spring of our faith. As humans and as Christians, we have high hopes, they can be lost, but God gives us some kind of capacity, some innate faith and hope, so that we pass through our disappointments and emerge more alive than ever.

I thank Mrs Kim Mooney – Assistant Principal, Religious Identity & Mission and Miss Amelia Daun – Assistant Head of the Junior School for preparing the respective Holy Week liturgies at both the Senior and Junior School campuses.   

Staffing Update 

As a staff we took time to farewell and thank Mr Eammon Vines who will return to his hometown of Geelong at the end of this term. Mr Vines has made a significant impact on the students and broader St Virgil’s College community in his short time with us and we wish him all the very best in the future. 

We also wish Mrs Nadia Jones all the very best as she takes parental leave next term. Mrs Jones will commence leave from Week 2 Term 2 and we wish her and her family all the very best and for the safe arrival of her second child.

Mrs Jo Messer – Head of the Junior School will be taking leave for the first three weeks of Term 2 and Mrs Sandra Mazengarb will be taking on the role of Acting Head of the Junior School during this time. I thank Mrs Mazengarb for taking on this important role during Mrs. Messer’s absence. Mrs Lindy Lack will be looking after our Kindergarten class during this time. 

Staff appointments are close to being finalised and once replacement staff have been confirmed I will communicate these changes accordingly. 

COVID-19 Update 

With winter and the flu season fast approaching families will be provided with three Rapid Antigen Tests which will be sent home with your son this afternoon. We encourage you to use these should your son become symptomatic. This is particularly important when students return next term. A few reminders with regards to COVID-19 protocols: 

It is a requirement that staff or students who test positive and who display acute COVID-19 related symptoms are not to enter a school until their symptoms have gone or have significantly resolved, e.g. they have not had a fever (or signs of fever such as chills or night sweats) for at least 24 hours.

Staff or students with cold or flu symptoms should stay home and test using a rapid antigen test for two consecutive days. If the person tests negative on successive days for COVID-19 and their symptoms are mild, e.g. a runny nose but no coughing or sneezing, then it is OK for the person to be at school.

Registration of positive tests, whilst no longer required, is recommended particularly for those persons who may wish to access health services such as COVID anti-viral treatments and COVID @ home.

The Rapid Antigen Tests will be distributed to Kindergarten families next term.

Student Free Day 

A reminder that Parent/Teacher conferences will take place on Monday 24 of April, with students returning to scheduled classes on Wednesday April 26 following the ANZAC public holiday on Tuesday April 25. 

I wish all a Blessed and Holy Easter and safe travels to those heading away this break. 

Jon Franzin 

PRINCIPAL