Thank You For Your Help

Halfway through the last Term of 2019 is a wonderful opportunity to pause to take stock before the run home to the end of the school year. Why pause one might wonder? By pausing we take stock, it gives us a chance to recognise effort, reflect on what is important and re-set on priorities to ensure we are all doing our best for each other.

From my perspective, I would especially like to thank students, staff and families for your support and focus. In this note, I am focusing on families. Every time our school has sought parent support to help learning everyone has “jumped on board” enthusiastically. Examples I can think of go across our school; including help with the swimming programs, attending as “helpers” in the school camping program, supporting our staff with learning by supporting school closure days, help with transport in sporting programs, supervising and helping with home tasks, packing healthy lunches, walking to school; your support, commitment and help allow all to be engaged, supported and cared for.

Our school leadership staff spent two hours examining our specific student progress this year. We have looked at Naplan results, testing data, progress on pre/post-test, reports and seen wonderful student growth; especially in mathematics and spelling.

Other stunning areas of success your children have demonstrated is on the sporting fields, committing to mathematics competitions and having a go at community speech programs and district spelling events. Individual examples include Ava McKenzie (Senior School) being awarded the “Best Debater” of the 132 entrants in the 2019 Warrnambool Eisteddfod Debate program. Further, the 21 students entering the Australian Mathematics Competition achieved 2 distinctions, 13 credits, 5 proficiency and 1 participation certificate. Theses efforts are great to celebrate.

Above and beyond many individual and team achievements are your children’s amazing commitment to their classrooms, each other, our families, their faith and the wider community. To me, this is awe-inspiring and important to recognise and celebrate. We see this come to the fore in events like assemblies and classroom activity. Each student is learning about right from wrong, meeting individual challenges, building their social skills and striving to do their best. Examples of this work have been on display over the assemblies this year. The last two assemblies were lead by our Foundation classes. They have been supported by their Senior School buddies, families attending and our staff’s ability to lead growth in a supported challenging environment. This work has been stunning, brave, determined and enjoyable.

Thanks all; lets now stay focused as we head to the end of the year knowing that more invitations to be involved will come and that this support is what makes young people strive to grow, learn and be involved.

Invitation to Open Space

St. Joseph’s Parish is supporting, and invite our community to a gathering where you can talk about issues and solutions around healing. The event title is ‘Healing and Health in Our Community.’ The theme of the gathering will focus on time to Listen. To Share and Act. It will be held at Emmanuel College Centre Foyer, Botanic Road, from 10am to 2 pm on 23 November 2019. The session will have open activity hubs focusing on dialogue, healing and information. All welcome.

Regards,

Michael Gray. Principal.