Welcome back to Term 2. I hope that everyone enjoyed a Holy and relaxing Easter break. I also hope that each of our young men had the opportunity to refresh over their holiday period and have returned ready to start this term with renewed energy and enthusiasm. This year, the beginning of the second term is punctuated with many public holidays and school events. In the first four weeks, we have four-day weeks due to public holidays and Parent Teacher Interviews. We also miss another day of classes because of our Anzac Liturgy and Cross Country Carnival. The teaching staff...
Welcome back to Term 2. I hope that everyone enjoyed a Holy and relaxing Easter break. I also hope that each of our young men had the opportunity to refresh over their holiday period and have returned ready to start this term with renewed energy and enthusiasm. This year, the beginning of the second term is punctuated with many public holidays and school events. In the first four weeks, we have four-day weeks due to public holidays and Parent Teacher Interviews. We also miss another day of classes because of our Anzac Liturgy and Cross Country Carnival. The teaching staff have planned and prepared around these disruptions to the normal classroom routines and it is important that we all work together to make sure that our young men also understand the need to start an immediate routine.
The program for booking Parent Teacher Interviews was opened this morning. This is now done via the Parent Lounge in the REALM portal. Instructions on how to do this were communicated to all parents via REALM on the College App and email. It is really important that each young man attends the interviews with his parent(s). Students are required to wear their formal school uniform to the interviews. Given that all parents and students have been able to see the student work and teacher marks and comments as they have been marked, I would expect that much of the interview time will centre on what learning issues have surfaced from the assessment and how we work together to improve in these areas moving forward. All parents and students also have record of the target results that the young men set for their subjects for their semester results. These interviews after the first term can also serve as a time to review whether each student is on track to achieve the target or whether a new target needs to be set for the semester. Please bring the list of subject targets to the interviews.
Over the holiday period, many of our staff and students participated in tours, tournaments, rehearsals, camps and clinics for various co-curricular pursuits. Once again, I would particularly like to thank the many staff members who made themselves available during this time to enable so many young men have the opportunity to be involved in activities that they enjoy. I would also like to thank the many students who also participated. I hope that they have an enjoyable experience throughout the term (or year) within the co-curricular activity.
I forwarded a communication to all families over the holiday period outlining some of the staff changes and significant events for this term. I also reminded families about our uniform and hair expectations. It is not unusual for some young men to adjust their hairstyles for the holiday period. However, if they choose to do so, they must also accept that our standards remain when they return. We ask for your support in this area. The old College spray jacket has now been phased out of the formal uniform. Students are all expected to wear the formal grey jumper or blazer (Years 10-12) with their ties as a part of their daily formal uniform for Terms 2 and 3. Hoodies and spray jackets can only be worn at sport on Saturdays.
Next Wednesday morning, we will hold our usual Anzac commemorative service. Since 2016, we moved the ceremony to the beach area in front of the school. We invite all our neighbours and parents to join us for this occasion. Once again, this year I extend the invitation to all parents. If you have not had the opportunity to attend in the past it is well worth the effort to attend. We also hope to have a large contingent of students march in the local Sandgate RSL march and ceremony on Wednesday morning. All students are invited to join this march and following commemorative service.
On our student-free day on Monday, all College staff members participated in a Child Protection In-service. St Patrick’s College, like all schools, takes matters of child protection extremely seriously and our students are constantly reminded through word and signage what they can do to report or seek assistance for such protection. The Child Protection contacts at St Patrick’s include Mr Frank Torrisi, Mrs Janet Garside, Mr Darren Kearney, Mrs Amira Bosnjak, Mr John Zappala and me. EREA are very much committed to the protection and welfare of all children within their schools and provide each of these contacts annual training programs.
Congratulations to our Year 5 Football team who won the EREA Cup over the holiday break. The team competed against teams from fellow EREA schools within Brisbane during the holidays. They presented the trophy to the school during our Tuesday assembly. It is a great start to their season. This weekend we play Villanova College in several trial matches in Football and Rugby. This will be the last weekend of trials before the first round of fixtures next weekend.
Next Thursday and Saturday evenings, some of our young men will perform music and songs from the Lion King musical. I am aware that they have been practicing very hard over the last term and I look forward to attending one of the performances.
Live Jesus in our Hearts!
60 Park Parade Shorncliffe QLD 4017