What an amazing amount of rain we've  experienced.

We're keeping our neighbours in NSW in our prayers as they navigate the impact yet again of another natural disaster. Some people and communities have been hit hard with fires, COVID-19 and now floods on top of any other personal crises that may have occurred.

I am always in awe of the resilience displayed by any people who have been so consistently battered by crisis after crisis. It would take an enormous amount of psychological stamina and hard work to stay positive, optimistic and focused. It would be made easier in communities who respond with generosity and support for each other.

I'm a very faith filled person. I know that some other faith filled people would respond to a crisis with "I know that God has a plan" or "God only gives these trials to those who can handle it". I can see how this might give strength to some people at times, for a brief time. I stopped thinking this a long time ago, in the first few years after my daughter with significant disabilities was born.

God is not somewhere beyond us watching everything unfold with some kind of plan that we just can't understand. God is present with us. Our Catholic faith reminds us that every thing in our world finds its source in God. All Creation, the very Creation that we either connect deeply with or grind against, is the beautiful physical manifestation of our good, life-giving God. It has been for billions of years. We are part of that, 'made in the image and likeness of God'. 

Knowing this, I don't need to know that God is 'out there with a plan'. I know that God is here, with us in the midst of all that is happening. God is present in Creation and all the people around me. They are the plan. I am the plan. We are the plan. That's why communities that support each other in crises have the greatest positive impact, because they are living the plan. The plan to be God's love for each other, to make present, here and now, God's love for the world.

Working Bee?

One minor impact for us as a result of all the rain was our inability to hold our Kitchen Garden Working Bee last weekend. We are going to hold it again this weekend for anyone that can attend. Please do come along and help us on Sunday 28 March from 9.00am to 11.00 am. Children are welcome.

Attendance and absences

Next term our school, along with other schools, is moving  to a new system for recording attendance. As we come to the end of the term teachers will be chasing up 'reasons for absences' for children if they haven't received an explanation for absences earlier in the term. This is a compliance requirement. Teachers must record a reason for absence.

Rebekah Brown has written more about school attendance below and the positive impact regular attendance has on student learning. I highly encourage you to read it.

At the end of this term I will go through the attendance records and be in touch with families if there are any patterns of excessive unexplained absences. I do this firstly to see if something is happening in a family that is making attendance or getting to school on time a challenge and some support is needed. Secondly, because absences, including lateness, has a cumulative effect on a student's learning at school.

Schools and families work in partnership. We put a great deal of time and effort into developing effective and impactful learning opportunities for students, starting at 8.50am. We really appreciate the ways that parents organise their family lives to ensure children are at school on time to make the most of that.

Pupil Free Day - Monday 19 April

Every Catholic School in the ACT is having a Pupil Free Day on Monday 19 April. This is to enable staff to continue undertaking the system wide professional learning program Catalyst.

No student is to come to school that day. Please make sure that you have arranged supervision for your child on Monday 19 April. OSHClub are open for bookings for the day and there are currently still places available.

Principal