Dear Parents & Friends of St Clare’s

Welcome to the first newsletter for the 2021 school year.

I hope you and your family and friends had a restful and enjoyable holiday period and all your family are fit and well.

It has been wonderful to welcome our students to the school and a real joy to hear them reconnecting with friends and staff.

Our new Year 7 students have made a great start and are settling in really well, thanks to some excellent preparation by the Year 7 teachers and the leadership of Year 7 Student Coordinator, Marian Parvin.

I wrote earlier in the week regarding the processes we have in place to ensure that we are operating within COVID safe guidelines.  This week’s Opening Mass and Dux Assembly had a very small live audience limited to Year 12 and the parents of the seven award winners.  The rest of the school population watched the Ceremony as a live stream which will be edited and uploaded for wider community access early next week.

My thanks to Fr George (Taree), Fr Terry (Krambach) and Fr Anthony (Forster on behalf of Fr Greg) for their presence and leadership at our Opening Mass.  The Parish Priests are important partners and contributors to the wellbeing of families and life of the school.  It was wonderful to have a Priest from each of the Parishes that St Clare’s serves across our region.  A special thanks also to Assistant Director of Catholic Schools Office, Mr Steve Lemos for attending and assisting in the Awards Ceremony.

Congratulations to our award winners:

Award Course Name

Diocesan First in Course – Drama:  Clare Chapman
Diocesan First in Course – German Continuers:  Angeline Jordan
Diocesan First in Course - English Extension I:   Elise Rourke
ATAR 90+ Higher School Certificate 2020 & Dux of Year 12 2020 - Lyall Last 94.2
ATAR 90+ Higher School Certificate 2020 - Elise Rourke 93.4
ATAR 90+ Higher School Certificate 2020 - Clare Chapman 90.75

Clare Chapman & Elise Rourke 

Academic Achievement Year 10 - Yolanta Gutheridge
Academic Achievement Year 10 - Seren Everingham
Academic Achievement Year 10 - Bradley Brincat

Seren Everingham, Bradley Brincat & Yolanta Guthridge 

The effort in maintaining a constant vigilance towards the pandemic can be very wearing but is necessary to ensure the health and wellbeing of all in our community and I thank all students, staff and visitors to the school for their support and willing compliance with the government’s COVID-19 guidelines.

A few reminders from the school calendar:

Friday, 12 February:  St Clare’s Swimming Carnival.  A reminder to all for the need for sun smart dress, hat and block out.  Special COVID-19 guidelines will be given to the students in Year Level meetings next week.

Monday, 15 February is a pupil free day as staff continue their professional development around the influence trauma and anxiety has on learning. 

Wednesday, 17 February:  School photos will be taken.  All students are expected to be in full school uniform for the photos.

Compass Logins have been mailed to all new parents to the school.  We expect that all should arrive by the end of the week.

Thank you to all in our community for your continued support of students and staff.

God bless

Peter Nicholls
Principal