Principal
Dear Parents and Friends
We are now near the end of Term Three and teachers, students and parents see the end in sight.
Remote Learning has and continues to be a big undertaking by all stakeholders. Snap lockdowns and subsequent extensions to these lockdowns have tried the best of us. Challenges continue for parents who endeavour to juggle their own work and the supervision of learning.
Teachers continue to try and engage students in learning tasks applying the Goldilocks principle of not too easy, not too hard - but just right! Students are increasingly more confident in the use of their respective platforms: Prep-Year 4 via SeeSaw and Year 5 & 6 via Google Classrooms.
The school is conscious of the disconnect for many of our students and has worked hard over the last two weeks to promote connectedness and bring a bit of fun into the learning. The VRQA has given permission to CECV schools to prioritise only the Victorian Curriculum’s English, Maths, and PE (and RE) in Term Three, which provided time and or flexibility to build relationships even in the remote space in the other parts of the day.
The Connectedness Initiative whilst an enormous amount of work has been a resounding success. Teachers, Education Support Officers, and the School Leadership Team have crafted a range of different opportunities designed to engage and promote connectedness. We have loved seeing the faces of so many, the smiles, the bed hair, and the pyjamas. It has been a wonderful opportunity for children and adults alike. The Zoom space has been a buzz and a joy.
Looking forward
With the continued lockdown comes many disappointments - the cancellation or postponement of events and programs. Even the delivery of furniture for the new Administration Area of the new build has been impacted by the lockdown.
As we approach the end of the year, postponements will cease to be possible with limited calendar options and with third-party calendars full. Some hard decisions may well need to be made - but we remain hopeful and wait.
Term Four is a big term and in this time of uncertainty and significant personnel change, it may well be bigger.
Change challenges many and whilst there will be no change for change's sake, things can’t always be as they have been or were.
We will work hard in Term 4 and respond and adapt as COVID curveballs are thrown our way.
We learned from last year that sometimes necessary new can be better than old. Current events and restrictions challenge us to find different ways and discover new possibilities.
Loss and Grief
During this challenging time, many families in our community are doing it tough. Families are separated. Loved ones live far away in other countries, services that keep many buoyant are not available or able to support them as they need. We have families who have loved ones who are terminally ill and in the late stages of palliative care and there are others amongst us who are experiencing grief due to the loss of loved ones.
To those in our community who are suffering, our prayers are with you at this difficult time.
We wish everyone a safe and happy holiday period.
Andrea Kershaw
Acting Principal
2022 Classes - The process of class lists for the forthcoming school year is soon to commence. If your child has a particular educational need please submit via email to principal@stcberwick.catholic.edu.au - Subject: 2022 Class Placement
Requests for consideration are made on a year-by-year basis - correspondence from previous years will not be referred to. Requests for particular teachers will not be accommodated.
- Requests for consideration must be received by the end of this term.
- As in previous years, once classes are established. no alterations to allocations will be made.
2022 Enrolments - As the school undertakes the enormous process of preparations for the upcoming school year. it is important that we are aware of possible movements both in and out of the school community. With position vacancies basically unavailable across most areas of the school and with waiting lists in place, we ask that you advise the school if your family is planning to transfer or relocate.
St Catherine’s School Advisory Committee
If you possess an enthusiasm for and willingness to promote the mission of Catholic Schools, desire to give service to the school community and believe you have gifts and skills to contribute, then we ask that you consider placing a nomination for a position on our School Advisory Committee. We have three positions that will be becoming vacant as Jeremy Shu and Melissa Musgrove complete their current 2-year term and Anthony Taranto his second 2-year term.
The primary function of the Advisory Committee is to improve the capacity of St Catherine’s as a Catholic school in order to deliver quality educational outcomes for its students. As an advisory forum to the Principal, it provides input on matters around educational, pastoral and financial matters as well as project development and facility management.
School Advisory Committee Members generally meet once a month of a Thursday evening, but may also be called together at other times when specific projects or issues are being discerned.
The role of the School Advisory Committee is very much one of support, stewardship and collective representation in working for the best interests of the school and its student body.
Anyone interested in knowing more about the School Advisory Committee and its role is certainly welcome to speak with any of our current members.
A Nomination Form linked here needs to be returned to the School Office by Friday 17 September 4:00 pm.
If more than two nominations are received, then an election will take place as per the guidelines of the Constitution.
The AGM of the School Advisory Committee is Thursday, 14 October 2021, time 5:30 pm.
School Photos
We understand that parents are eagerly awaiting the delivery of school photos. We have been in contact with the School Photographer and share with you the response to our inquiry on your behalf.
Thanks for reaching out and I hope this finds you and the school community safe & well.
With most of NSW & Victoria in some form of lockdown for most of Term 3, we’ve pivoted to a majority of our staff working from home.
Thankfully, our laboratory, is based in NSW, is still able to operate and function: following NSW Govt. rules regarding density quotients and only by a skeleton staff of essential employees issued with workers permits. School photos are continuing to be processed, however in a very reduced capacity
Ordinarily (in a non-pandemic affected year), we’d be delivering photos within 4 weeks of proofs being approved. That final approval for St Catherine’s school photos landed on2ndAugust 2021. Which would equate to photos landing with you today.
At this stage, I anticipate your photos delivered in the last week of Term 3 or during the holidays.