Dear Parents, Caregivers and Friends of St Clare’s

I hope our Week 8 newsletter finds you and your loved ones safe and well.

Last newsletter I wrote about the joy of being able to welcome visitors and guests to important events and celebrations at the school following the lifting of COVID-19 lockdowns.  The mingling of parents, friends, students and staff created great energy and helps re-establish relationships that make St Clare’s a vibrant welcoming community.  Gatherings to celebrate the contribution of the HSC cohort, the artistic talent of students across the school and the NAIDOC assembly drew people together and reinforces the idea that learning and teaching is most effective when parents, students and teachers are working together to ensure the best outcomes for the young people in their care.

This past week Year 7 students had the opportunity to work in small groups and produce a Claymation Animation.  The DigiEd unit is a feature of the school year and I thank the English staff and students for their work and attention to detail while producing some very interesting short Claymation stories.  My thanks to Leader of Learning English, Kerrie Davy and her team for their work with our Year 7 students.

Senior students studying Advanced English had the opportunity to hone their writing skills with author Ryan O’Neill.  Students were very enthusiastic and appreciative of the opportunity that comes with working with a successfully published author.

Reflection days offer the young people in our care the opportunity to pause and reflect on what is important to them, how they would like to be known.  Such reflection leads people to recognise the importance of having core values and their impact on a person’s ability to live a good, happy and productive life.  My thanks to Ministry Coordinator, Jason Koenig, Wellbeing Mentor Marian Parvin, Year 8 Leader of Wellbeing & Engagement Jamaya Pearse, Year 10 Leader of Wellbeing & Engagement Nicole Lovern, Year 11 Leader of Wellbeing & Engagement Bronwen Davidson and their teams for their excellent work in this space.

Year 8 Reflection Day - Saltwater

The new school year, 2023, is not so far away.  With this in mind, St Clare’s Year 10 students, as part of the orientation process, have spent time with the Year 7 cohort of 2023 in some school visits where problem solving and working in teams was the order of the day.  My thanks to Nicole Lovern and Year 10 students for their work in welcoming the newest students to our school community.

In closing, I would like to thank the Diocesan Administrator, Fr Greg Barker, Head of Religious Education Bernadette Gibson and Religious Education Anne Henry for taking the time to visit St Clare’s and support the school’s Religious Education Program.  The cultivation of a sense of God’s presence in the world and in each other is central to a Catholic Education and to the development and growth of all people in our care.

God Bless

Peter Nicholls
Principal