Dear Parents and Carers

Welcome to Term 2. I hope that all families enjoyed a good break over the holiday period, and that Easter, in particular, was restorative, and afforded some good family time. It has been excellent to see the children back today.

COVID Protocols

Last week, I wrote to the parent community (via Compass) and outlined, in a letter, some changes around the school’s COVID safe practices. These include the following:

• The school can now have outdoor and indoor assemblies. Unfortunately, parents are still unable to attend assemblies.
• Adults on the school grounds are no longer required to wear masks, indoors or outdoors.
• Parents can join school functions, if they are outdoors and off site. For example, the Cross Country Carnival on Friday April 29^th is a very good example of an occasion at which parents can join us.

Grade cohorting arrangements at recess and lunch, and the end-of-day carline pickup arrangements, are still in place, for the time being.

Yesterday, A.C.T. Catholic Principals met online with Catholic Education personnel to discuss further arrangements and changes. These will be outlined in the future, after the school has worked through what any further changes might mean for current school operations, and how to best effect a smooth transition from current arrangements to an easing of COVID related school practices. I will be writing to parents in coming weeks about any further changes to school routine. In the meantime, please inform the school, via the front office or me directly, if your son or daughter, or anyone in your family, has contracted COVID. Please contact me directly if you have any questions. Thank you for your support.

Cross Country

This Friday, we are holding our annual Cross Country Carnival at Edison Park. We are all looking forward to the day and it will be very good to be able to run a carnival, outside, under relatively normal conditions. Parents are very welcome to attend the carnival, as spectators or as volunteers to assist with the running of the event. If you are able to assist, please contact Sarah Kennelly sarah.kennelly@cg.catholic.edu.au . A letter detailing the carnival will be sent home to parents shortly.

Federal Election

As all parents would be aware, we are in the midst of a Federal election campaign. As it does for both Federal and A.C.T. government elections, Catholic Education is making overtures to candidates for all parties, including independents not aligned to any party. The overtures are of course concerned with funding for Catholic schools. In the A.C.T., funding for Catholic schools comes mostly from the Federal government. Today, Philippa Brierley (Principal at Holy Trinity, Curtin) and I were asked by the Catholic Education office to meet with candidates from the Greens Party, with Ross Fox (Director of Catholic Education), to discuss with them their funding position on Catholic education. Other principals will be having similar meetings with Independents, as well as candidates from the Liberal and Labor parties. Meetings such as the one that took place today provide a valuable opportunity for representatives from Catholic Education to press the claims for better funding for Catholic Education.

Enrolment Period

Next week, the enrolment period for all Catholic schools begins. The official enrolment period is from May 2 - May 19. Sts Peter and Paul are holding Open Mornings on Tuesday May 3, Monday May 9 and Wednesday May 18. The times for the Open Mornings are all 9.30 – 11. There is also an Information Evening on Monday, May 9, from 6pm – 7pm, on the school grounds. I look forward to welcoming new and prospective parents to Sts Peter and Paul. Current parents who enrolling a sibling into Kindergarten for 2023 are encouraged to do so within the enrolment period.

Thank You

I would like to thank Steve Watts, father of Charlie Watts in 5W for coaching the Grade 5 boys’ Futsal team. Last term, the boys participated in the South Coast Illawarra Championships, and performed very well. My thanks to Stephen and all parents for their great support of the boys. I would also like to thank Evie Crocker’s grandparents, Margaret and Kevin, for their recent kind donation to the Kitchen Garden. Their gift will go a long way in adding value to the garden.

Have a wonderful week with your families.

 Best wishes

Cameron Johns

Principal