This Sunday 9 June, 9 of our students will be receiving the Sacrament of Eucharist for the very first time. This is a very special time in the lives of these students, as they continue their spiritual journey and marking a significant milestone in their faith formation. These children, with the help and support of their parents and teachers, have been preparing for some time now to make this commitment to Jesus and deepen their relationship and connection to Him.

A massive thank you to all the parents who came along and helped out last Sunday at our Busy Bee. They did an amazing job of netting the Market garden, moving garden beds, removing rubbish and cleaning out the garden/storage shed. Your help is truly appreciated!!

Last Friday, the P&F hosted a wonderful event fostering a sense of community among women and provide support for their wellbeing. The event, held at Riversmith cafe, was attended by over 90 guests, where they were able to listen to guest speakers, including our own Kellie Tannock and Mel Howard. A massive congratulations and well done to our amazing P&F for organising such a wonderful community event, showcasing the inclusivity of our school and the support we can offer to others. I was very proud to be associated with this!

On Wednesday, the Kindergarten Mothers and Grandmothers were given a special treat by the Kindy children, with nail painting, special crowns and a fabulous performance. It wrapped up with the students presenting their Mums/Grandmums with a special card and some home-baked banana and choc-chip muffins!

Welcome back to Term 2! I hope you all had a wonderful break, filled with many special moments enjoying the great weather, resting and relaxing. I also hope all families had a fantastic Easter period and were able to spend some time together and reflect on the true meaning of Easter. It was really wonderful to see the children arrive at school yesterday morning with smiles on their faces and lots of stories to share.

This afternoon, our students from Year 1 to 5 formed groups to participate in the Peer Support program. Our Year 6 students did an amazing job leading these groups, allowing the children to think positively and develop resilience. I was fortunate enough to be part of the Year 6 debrief following this session and they all spoke so positively about the way the students engaged and participated in the sessions. Peer Support sessions will run each fortnight after lunch on a Thursday.

This morning, the Year 5 students led us through a very reverent Mass celebrating the Last Supper and when Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. Fr Mat re-enacted this by washing 12 of the students’ and teachers’ feet. The children were asked to remember the importance of the upcoming Easter celebrations and the sacrifice Jesus made for us.

Last Friday was our Faction Athletics Carnival. I was informed that the sportsmanship, friendly competition and determination demonstrated by the students was something to be very proud of. I would like to offer a HUGE thank you to all the parents, grandparents and family members who came along and helped with the judging, marshalling, scoring, cooking sausages and cheering on the students. I think that without the help and support of our parents, days like this couldn’t happen.

A huge thank you for hosting a great Sundowner last Friday afternoon. This was a great opportunity for families to come together and join as one community. A massive thank you to the P&F who put on the Sausage Sizzle and Pulled Pork rolls. They were delish!

I hope all families had a wonderful Long Weekend and were able to enjoy some time together as a family. On Tuesday, the staff gathered together to participate in some Wellness activities, which allowed time for our staff to connect more closely with one another, to learn more about our local region and take some time to self-reflect. We believe providing time for staff to develop their own wellbeing assists them in becoming even better educators for your children.