“It is good to have an end to journey towards, but it is the journey that matters, in the end."

(Ursula Le Guin)

Dear Friends,

Welcome to 2019 where we begin another year of our journey together in Catholic education at Holy Trinity School and ELC. Our students have settled in extremely well and I am also very proud of the committed staff who have been working hard to prepare your child/ren for another successful and rewarding year of learning. During the last week of January, all staff participated in professional development and planning for 2019. Our major focus for learning this year will be shared at the parent information night next week.

 Our school theme for this year is based on the following Psalm:

“Teach me your way O Lord, and I will walk in Your truth.

Grant me an undivided heart to revere Your name.”

(Psalm 86:11 )

Let us pray and strive for a year where, as a Christian community together, we walk in truth, guided by our Lord who teaches us in so many ways the power of faith, hope and love.

We welcome on our staff this year our new Religious Education Coordinator and Kinder White teacher, Emily Capper, Mary-Anne Winchester, also in Kinder White,  Caitlin Meany, Kinder Green teacher, Tracey Hanlon, Year 1 Red teacher, Meg Millband Year 2 Red teacher, Catherine Joy, Year 3 /4 Green teacher  and Tiffany Fletcher our new new music teacher.   We also welcome back Stephanie Leehmuis and Rose Lee who will be working a few days a fortnight in some classes.  At our ELC we welcome a new teacher Jarrah Chapman (Black Cockatoos)  and Educator, Sarah James (Rock Wallabies). We also have  a Youth Worker, Sarah Person, who will be working with the Parish and both Parish schools throughout the year.  At Holy Trinity Sarah will join us each Monday, and on the 18th of February will be facilitating a Retreat for our Year 6 students/leaders. 

We also welcome new and returned families to our school and we look forward to welcoming everyone together next Friday 15th February at the Parent Information Night and Welcome BBQ. 

• Kinder Parents will meet in the Kinder classrooms at 5:00 pm, then join us in the hall at 5:45pm.
• ELC parents will meet in Year 1 Green classroom at 5:45pm.
• All Families of Year 1-6 will begin this night in the hall at 5:45pm.  

At 5:45pm Parents of Kinder to Year 6 will be introduced to staff, P and F and School Board and be presented with important information about the school year. Parents will then collect information sheets around the hall from their child/ren class teacher/s.  We will finish with a Sausage Sizzle together, organised by the P and F. 

Baby-sitting will be available for children in Year K-2 in the 5/6 White (Mr Pye) classroom, whilst parents are in the hall.  Year 3 -6 children will be invited to sit with their parents during the hall presentation.  ELC children will be supervised in the ELC building, whilst ELC families meet in the Year 1 Green (Mrs Swan) classroom.  I strongly encourage you to attend this informative and social evening together with your families.

This year we will again be having Parent Partnership Meetings in Weeks 3-5.  As I have talked about before, schools are all about relationships. These Parent Partnership meetings are a great opportunity to firstly begin forming a trusting and respectful relationship between parents and teachers.  They also provide opportunity for parents to share unique aspects about their child, their likes, strengths etc.  At the information night next Friday, each parent will be given a survey with the other handouts from teachers to fill in for the Parent Partnership meeting.  Next week you will be given opportunity to nominate a time to meet with the teachers. 

I look forward to seeing you all next Friday night and thank the staff and P and F for all their input into this evening.  I also look forward to a wonderful year together of learning, collaborating and celebrating.

"Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mine worker can become the head of the mine, that a child of farm workers can become the president of a great nation. It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.” (Nelson Mandela)

With every best wish for a holy and peace-filled week ahead with your beautiful families,

Philippa