Dear McAuley Families

RAIN! It certainly is a wet start to autumn and adds to the feelings of busyness and makes us all feel unsettled.  I learnt today that there is a name for a person who loves the sound of rain and feels joy and peace on rainy days… a “pluviophile!”

Perhaps having 400 odd students milling around may change the feelings of a pluviophile somewhat! But there is a certain joy in wet, rainy days and nights.

We wish Liz Place all the best as she embarks on a well-earned time of long service leave.  Liz is looking forward to a European adventure and some time with her new baby grandson.  Year 1PB will be well looked after by our relief staff, and of course Ms Baldry on her usual days.

This week we welcomed Year 8 and 9 students from Temora and Cootamundra who joined our McAuley students for the Western Region Retreats.  The Retreats were facilitated by the CE Catholic Youth Ministry International (CYSMI) team who always reach out to connect young people with their growing faith.  This is an excellent opportunity for our young people to meet others and explore their faith.

Our Year 10 and 11 students attended the “Try a Trade Day” in Tumbarumba on Wednesday and found excellent resources and ideas presented to them about future pathways.  We are so excited as a school to be able to support student choice and offer a variety of options for your young people to plan a future career. Early next term we will be speaking with Year 10 parents and students about their future directions as we plan for the Year 12 Graduating Class of 2025, subject offerings, staffing and facilities.

In line with that we will open an enrolment period next term for 2024.  We will be closing enrolments especially in Kindergarten, Year 7, and Year 11 to get firm indications of classroom numbers as we will need to work to staff and service those (and other) year levels. More detail will come next term.

As our school expands, we have appointed more office staff and clarified roles.  I am pleased to welcome (and welcome back) …

Secondary office:

Trish Taylor – Finance (Monday – Friday)

Larissa Buckley – Student support services & Compass support (Monday – Wednesday)

Narissa Mildren – Student support services & Compass support (some Wednesdays, Thursday, Friday)

Primary office:

Trish Marsh – Enrolments officer, Student support services & Compass support (Monday – Friday)

Narissa Mildren – Student support services & Compass support (some Wednesdays)

Karen Lindley will join us on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, in the upcoming weeks. 

Our office staff perform a vital role in connecting families with teachers, looking after communication, finances, enrolments, excursions, trips, events, forgotten lunches, first aid and medications and the many ebbs and flows of a school day.  Thank you all for your immense work and support of us.

Please take care over the Easter and holiday break.  I trust all families can find some time to recognise the solemnity of Easter and reflect on the meaning of sacrifice and commitment that the Easter story brings us.  Also, importantly the joy and celebration of life that the resurrection reminds us of.

Term 2 will commence on Monday 24 April with Staff Professional Learning (no students).  Following the Anzac Day Public Holiday on Tuesday 25 April, classes for all students Kindergarten to Year 11 will commence on Wednesday 26 April.

Mary our Mother, Look after us.

Eamonn Moore

Principal