Dear Parents, Caregivers and Friends of St Clare’s

I hope our Week 6 newsletter finds you and your loved ones safe and well.

At our most recent whole school assembly I took some time to talk with the students about the correlation between self-respect and respect for others.  It seems clear to me that a person who does not have a strong sense of self-worth will also discount the worth of those around them.  Such a mindset allows individuals to behave in ways that are disrespectful to those around them and by so doing, make the task of learning and teaching much more difficult for all involved.  The revamp of the St Clare’s timetable at the beginning of the year to incorporate a pastoral program of journaling and year level meetings was designed to give every student the opportunity to goal set and be responsible for their own learning.  School Reflection Days, Gifted Education extension programs, writer and artist in residence programs and programs like Heart to Heart are designed to help the young people in our care to grow in self-understanding and self-discipline.  In this way, we help individuals to be successful learners who support others around them to be the best they can be.

Last Wednesday evening the St Clare’s Art Department held a Showcase Evening of Art, Photography and Music.  The event featured work from across the year levels, highlighted by senior works from the HSC.  A great feature of the evening was the wide range of work exhibited by our students which gave great witness to their talent and the excellent guidance and support our young people receive from their teachers.  My thanks to Creative Arts Leader of Learning Rebecca Huett and the Creative Arts Department members Callam Howard, Lyndall Laurie, Amanda Brooks and Wayne McDougall for their willingness to ‘go the extra yard’ for their students.

St Clare’s annual NAIDOC Assembly was held on Thursday, 10 November.  The gathering featured a panel of local Elders who took part in a Q & A lead by St Clare’s Aboriginal students, a PowerPoint constructed by the Aboriginal Education class that highlighted the struggle of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to be counted and heard as Australians and a wonderful musical offering from the St Clare’s choir.  A further feature of the Assembly was the presence of the Taree High School Aboriginal Dance Group who gave a wonderful performance to open and set the tone of what was to come.

My thanks to the visiting Elders Aunty Denise Russell, Aunty Isabell Bungie, Aunty Beryl Herrmann, Aunty Gail Lean, Uncle Russell Saunders and Uncle Will Paulson, the Taree High School Dancers led by Josh Wood, the St Clare’s Choir and their teacher Amanda Brooks, the Aboriginal Education class and their teacher Sandy Basile, organiser Kathy Kratz, Robyn Davis and Assistant Principal Phillip Gibney, who as MC led the Assembly.  Thank you also to Karen McCann, Laurent Gonfond and our Hospitality students for supplying a very tasty morning tea for all our guests, students and staff.

On Friday morning the school paused to mark Remembrance Day and remember the countless number of Australians who have served to ensure that our freedoms and way of life can be experienced by succeeding generations.  My thanks to Marian Parvin who laid a wreath on behalf of the St Clare’s community at the local RSL Sub-branch service and to students Harry Miller and Luella-Rayne McCormack who led the ceremony at school which was organised by Leader of Learning HSIE Eloise Thomas.

It was wonderful to welcome Catholic Schools Office Director and former Assistant Principal at St Clare’s, Gerard Mowbray on Friday evening as we capped 13 years of schooling for the St Clare’s HSC cohort of 2022.  It was a lovely evening full of memories and possibilities for the future.  My thanks to the many staff, parents and students who contributed to make the evening a memorable event for all involved.  A special mention to Office Manager Anne Havard and support staff member Cecilia Harvey for the enormous amount of work they put into organising the evening and Year 12 Leader of Wellbeing & Engagement Todd Curtis who has shepherded the cohort through the trials and tribulations of floods, COVID and the pressures of the HSC.  Thanks to Assistant Principals Phil Gibney and Theresa Avery, Administration Coordinator, Stacy Posadas, Grounds Staff Daniel Maynard and Mal Cadd, students and teachers who moved furniture and classes to enable the evening to be a success.  My thanks also to Music teacher Amanda Brooks and HSC students Cassidy Donovan and Seren Everingham for their beautiful rendition of ‘Never Hide Your Love’ which closed the formal presentation.

 Seren Everingham & Cassidy Donovan

The Awards Presentation was followed by dinner at the Willing Post Function Centre at Taree Racecourse.  My thanks to the management team at Taree Racecourse and the St Clare’s Hospitality team under the care of staff member Laurent Gonfond for their excellent work to ensure an enjoyable evening was had by all who were able to attend.

I am delighted to announce that St Clare’s has received State Government funding for the provision of a wellbeing dog.  A big thank you to local member Steve Bromhead for his support of the St Clare’s application and to Wellbeing Mentor Marian Parvin who has led the work on this great initiative.

Brady Lambert, Marian Parvin, Peter Nicholls & Karma-Anne Van Der Merwe

In closing, I would like to thank all our parents and caregivers for their support of the school.  It was great to be able to acknowledge the parents of the 2022 cohort, especially those who had their last child graduating and acknowledge and thank them for their commitment to St Clare’s and Catholic Education.

God Bless

Peter Nicholls
Principal