Dear Parents & Friends of St Clare’s

I hope you and your loved ones are safe, fit and well.  This newsletter celebrates the success of students as they strove to do their best during a period of challenge and uncertainty.

At our academic assemblies this week, I reminded all students that success is based on hard work and that to perform consistently at ones best, requires concentration and commitment to personal goals and a willingness to seek assistance when it is needed.

I congratulated all our award winners and noted with pride the wide range of external and internal awards that your sons and daughters have achieved over the past year.

Congratulations to Morgan Gao who has been selected for OnSTAGE 2022 and Isabella Hayes and Rickardd Weiley for selection in the First Class 21 Exhibition.

I would like to thank all Leaders of Learning, Leaders of Wellbeing & Engagement, teachers and support staff for their input into the award ceremonies which ran this week.  Particular mention to Assistant Principals Theresa Avery and Phil Gibney, our 2022 Senior Student Leaders and Mr Jeremy Hobbes for their help in ensuring that all events ran smoothly throughout the week.  We were particularly pleased to be able to welcome back our Senior Leaders of 2021, Patrick Guthridge, Lachlan Oliver & Hannah Van Arendonk who took part in the “badging” of the 2022 Leadership Team in a very significant and symbolic gesture of “handing on” the legacy of student leadership at St Clare’s High School.

Over the past few weeks, Leaders of Wellbeing & Engagement and Ministry Coordinator Denise Ryan have organised a series of reflection days that have allowed students some significant rites of passage as the school year drew to a close.  Staff put a lot of energy into these events to ensure a happy and collaborative end to a difficult year.  My thanks to all the pastoral teams across all year levels for their care and energy over the last month of the year.

Staff Farewells - Rhonda Stitt, Gabrielle McFarlane, Karen Kelly, Penny Wood & Simon Little

The St Clare’s toy drive for Vinnies was an outstanding success and is a wonderful expression of the real heart of the community which is willing to dig deep and help others at a time of great trauma for all in our area.  Thanks to the School Vinnies group, Deacon Vince Ryan, Denise Ryan, Laura Boere, Bernadette Boere and all the students and families who supported this worthy cause.

As I close, I wish to acknowledge the wonderful support that the St Clare’s community has shown for staff and students during a very “topsy turvy” year.  Parents, caregivers, staff and students have worked with diligence and sustained effort to ensure that learning remained the focus of our efforts while we did our best to keep all safe and well.

I wish all a healthy, safe and happy Christmas.  I hope you experience peace of our Lord over the break and that the spirit of hope that the birth of Jesus generates a peaceful and predictable New Year for all in the St Clare’s community.

Thank you for all that you have brought to our school this year.

God bless

Peter Nicholls
Principal