Dear Parents, Carers, Students and Staff,

I was away from school Wednesday and Thursday this week as I participated in annual meetings for Catholic school Principals in our system. I missed being here with everyone yet it was a great opportunity to share ideas with others and hear about the future direction of our schools. It was a good reminder that we are together on the same journey.

I ask you please to keep Mrs Lyn Griffiths and her family in your thoughts and prayers this week. As many of you are aware, Mrs Griffiths grandaughter Annabelle was diagnosed with DIPG (a very aggressive brain tumour) early last year and Annabelle's family have been on a very long and very challenging journey of travel and treatments to bring healing to Annabelle. While we all experience challenging, life-threatening illnesses with our loved ones, we very rarely expect to experience it with our children and grandchildren. It is particularly challenging at the moment for them all. Thank you for your kindness and consideration for Mrs Griffiths.

Congratulations to our teams who played at the Catholic Schools Netball Carnival last Saturday. While it was rained out halfway through the day, the teams all played with great enthusiasm in quite a number of games during the morning. Thank you to the parents who managed and coached the teams.

Today we have approximately 120 students at the Boorowa Netball & Touch Football Carnival who left at 6.45am and will arrive home later today at around 5.00pm (keep an eye on Skoolbag for a more exact arrival time). It is a fabulous day loved by everyone involved. Thank you to our teachers and parents for supporting this great opportunity to play together in friendly competition.

You are Mission

On Wednesday I sat with our Year 6 students who attended the Archdiocesan Mission Mass for schools, where we prayed for and celebrated the work of Catholic Mission over the past year. This term our Year 6 students are learning about many organisations that have a 'mission' focus and the excellent work they do.

At the Mission Mass, the Youth Mission Team presented a role play reminding the students that we are all mission. We are all called to give and share the best of who we are with others and when we do that we grow as well and so do those we offer ourselves to. What we each have to offer may be different: our love, our time or our resources. Regardless of what, our selflessness and generosity benefit more people than we often intend.

Have a say in our future playground spaces

Thank you to the parents who have taken the time to complete the five-minute survey to provide input to Jenni and Phil from Wellspring Environmental Arts & Design who are developing our school's Outdoor Learning Environment Masterplan. Please follow this link below to share your issues and ideas that will help shape the future opportunities our school will provide to our students. The survey closes this Monday afternoon. You are also welcome to attend the Community Council Open Forum next Wednesday, 31 October, 7.00pm to 8.00pm where Jenni and Phil will listen to the ideas of our parent community. Please follow this link to participate in the survey.

Apology for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse

On Monday Prime Minister Scott Morrison apologised to survivors of, and those impacted by, institutionalised child sexual abuse; a simply terrible and shameful time in the history of our church and many other institutions that have worked with children.

Thankfully today there are so many more measures in place to ensure that this cannot happen again and our schools and parishes are the safe and caring places they have been for many and continue to be in the future.

Fr Chris McPhee, Provincial of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart Australia and former Parish Priest here in Kippax, wrote an Open Letter to the MSC communities here in Australia in support of the apology. As the local school for St John the Apostle Parish, pastored by MSC priests, I would like the opportunity to share it with you.

Go in peace, with the love of your family, into your weekend.

Matthew Garton (Principal)