From the Principal

Dear Families and Friends of SJC

It was with a sense of joy and relief that the College staff were able to welcome back the overwhelming majority of our students last Monday (May 25). The attendance figure registered in the high 90% indicated that our students were ready to return to school and reconnect with their peers and the staff who care for them. I have to thank the staff for the way they expressed their happiness at getting back to what they love doing; educating and caring for students in a face-to-face setting. 

Whilst the community had been warned that the blended learning environment could continue for all of Term 2, the fact this did not come to pass was a real testament to our nation and what people took responsibility for at the local level. This must continue as we move away from the crisis and our students have been fantastic at ensuring they adhere to the requirements that still exist at school. We still have no contact sports, there is regular hand sanitising (last week the school used 15L worth) and all cleaning and sanitation procedures remain in place. 

Please enjoy the photos below highlighting 'Day 1' of the new normal. 

Pentecost Sunday

Last Sunday saw the celebration of a very important feast in the Catholic Church, that of Pentecost. This day is recognised as the moment the Church was born and given the confidence, through Christ's gift of the Holy Spirit to truly 'go forth and make disciples of all nations' (Mt 28:19). The disciples at that point were living in fear of what life without Christ presented. It was His gift that provided them with confidence to go out and spread His message. It is important that in times of despair, discomfort or challenge that we all call upon the Holy Spirit to give us strength. Pope Francis' words from 2018 resonate here. He stated that the "Spirit enters into situations and transforms them. He changes hearts and he changes situations." I encourage all in our community to allow the Spirit to transform us when change is needed. 

Staffing News

It is with great sadness I announce that foundational staff member, Mrs Colleen Waide, has decided that she will not be returning to SJC. The COVID-19 crisis and imminent knee surgery have contributed to Coll’s decision. She is looking forward to spending more time with her grandkids who have recently moved to the area. 

On behalf of staff and students, both past and present, I would like to thank Colleen for the immense contribution she has made to the College across nearly 28 years. I am sure that all the SJC community would like to join me in wishing Colleen all the best.

No Bubblers at the College

As per the notifications that were sent last week, there will be no bubblers in the school for the foreseeable future. This is a required hygiene practice to ensure a lack of transmission of any infections between students. Please ensure that your child is bringing a water bottle to school each day and they can fill these up in the converted taps that are found around the College. 

Roadmap Post-COVID

A version of this document was recently shared with the staff. It is important as we move to a time after the crisis that we are realistic regarding the validity and possibility of certain things occurring. Of the greatest importance is trying to ensure that our Year 12 students experience all of the wonderful encounters that our previous twenty-four cohorts of Year 12 students have shared. This includes the retreat, the graduation and the formal. There have already been slight amendments to the HSC schedule (trials, HSC exams and publication of results). Given the rapid rate of restriction easing that is being seen, by the end of Term 3, all should be in order. Please take some time to read through the document found here. 

SEAAR Delayed Until Week 10

It has been decided that with the complexity of having students working partly in the blended learning environment and face-to-face during this SEAAR cycle, we would hold over the next report until the end of the term. I would like to thank all of the families who took on board the feedback from the previous cycle to further support their child whose SEAAR grade may have slipped slightly as they adapted to the blended learning environment. If you have any concerns about how your child is progressing, please be sure to contact specific teachers.

Uniform Reminders

I would like to thank all families for responding so positively to the letter sent on Friday regarding uniforms at the College. The students on Monday were highly compliant with only a number of small matters arising in each grade. There will be a focus on the uniform each Monday morning during homeroom to ensure that the expectations that are clearly articulated are met. Thanks in advance for your continued support. 

Kind regards

Mr Scott Thomson
Principal