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Term 4 commences on Monday 12th October
The planned Pupil Free Day has moved to the 23rd October
REAR GATE USAGE
In recent times there have been some emerging issues with the use of the rear gate that has made us review its usage. We need to use this entrance in conjunction with respect for our neighbours or lose parent/student access to it.
Many parents are stopping in the centre of the road at the gate to let children out. Often then getting things from the boot. This causes traffic delays and is not to continue. The official drop off zone is on Demetrius Road or inside the front carpark at the curb near Gate 3. Some parents enter the rear gate and drop off children safely and without delaying our residents. The rear gate was created to alleviate the dangerous situations that were occurring on Demetrius Road at times. These have been removed in the main. Please, lets work together to keep our students safe and work with our neighbours.
PARENT ZOOM MEETING
A big thank you to the parents who joined the zoom meeting to keep informed of current events within the College. Sadly it was only 16 but as a first attempt I was very pleased.
Feedback about the timing – 5.30pm – was that too many parents would have been travelling home. So we have decided the next zoom parent meeting will commence at 6.30pm and will be held early next Term. I welcome all who are available and would like to listen, or who have a question to ask to please zoom in. The date will be advertised and the link emailed to all parents the day before.
COVID – 19 UPDATE
ANY STUDENT WHO HAS A COVID TEST MUST SHOW A NEGATIVE RESULT UPON RETURN TO SCHOOL OR PRIOR TO RETURN.
The Government has said that it will relax the rules for Year 12 to have a Formal and Graduation in Term 4 after the 12th November. Final details of these changes came out today. Details will be discussed with the Year 12 students on Tuesday.
THE DANGERS OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND RUOK DAY
The sickening situation during the week of the distribution of a graphic suicide hidden within videos that would be attractive to young people, says so much about the lack of control of social media content. The emotional distress of viewing content such as this, has led to some young people exhibiting mental health symptoms. I would urge all parents to discuss with your child the dangers of these platforms. They serve a great purpose in communication and other areas but this has to be weighed against the dangers that are evidently present.
Yesterday we celebrated RUOK Day in Australia. In a year that held terrible bushfires, floods and Covid-19 there has never been a greater need to ask this question. And yet, it has never been more difficult to get together and be present with others who may be in need. Please pick up the phone and be the person who makes a difference.
We can all work, have cars, phones and other material things but none of these accomplishments comes close to altering someone else’s life for the better.
We also provide the following information:
- Kids Helpline. 1800 55 1800. Phone support is there all day, every day.
Online support is open from 8 am-midnight every day (AEST);
- Suicide Callback Service. 1300 659 467. Phone support all day, every day, and follow-up calls;
- 1800 650 890. Open 9am-1am daily (AEST);
- 13 11 14. Phone support all day, every day. Online support 7 pm-4 am daily (AEST);
- 1300 22 4636. Phone support all day, every day. Online support 3 pm-midnight every day; and
- If a life is in danger call Triple Zero (000) immediately.
On Tuesday the 8th of September our Year 12 cohort were present at the blessing ceremony for our college plaque.
Once again the Year 12 students excelled at representing our college to Bishop Brian Mascord and our Director of Education Mr Peter Hill. I was overwhelmed with the reverence and participation of our students and their leaders.
I sincerely wish to thank Tanesha Tobler, Luke Kotsou, Sophia Wolczak, Katherine Denniss, Amith Jacob-Kovoor and Jessica Soh for serving the community through reading in the liturgy and assisting the bishop.
A very big thanks to Mr Michael Griffin for providing the music for the procession and thanks to Mrs Cherylle Nau for once again spoiling us with her floral arrangements. To the talented Mrs Abigail Fenessy for her organisation, Mrs Alison Crawford for organising the plaque, Mrs Sheree Humbles for the catering and our photographer in residence Mrs Ashley Hume we are grateful for the skills you bring to support our community.
As a community, we thank the Bishop and Director for their time and presence during the ceremony and for blessing numerous spaces and people throughout the day.
Due to Covid19 AIME was unable to run their program this year, at John Therry Catholic College we are so blessed to have so many Aboriginal children, so we organised the senior students to work with the Year 7-10 students to give them a day full of culture and fun. They commenced with a smoking ceremony by Jesse, MJ and Braydon, an Acknowlegement from Tanesha and the Anthem by Rainer.
They then Played football and afterwards the boys learnt to circular breathe and play the Didgeridoo while the girls did some weaving. Both Boys and girls did some Art and Dance and we finished at lunchtime with a sausage sizzle and an afternoon back at sport with the rest of the school.
