SHROVE TUESDAY

This Tuesday (4th March), we celebrated Shrove Tuesday. There is no question the most excitement and energy for our students in the lead up to Lent, is on the promise of pancakes for this celebration! Thank you so much to our amazing parent volunteers from our Parents & Friends Association who generously gave their time to plan, cook, and serve the pancakes. They were delicious and very well received!

I spent time in each of the classrooms that morning, and when quizzing the students on their preference of pancake toppings, their responses ranged from the downright delicious to overly outrageous. The day was topped off (pun intended) with the three Grade 1/2 classes participating in the annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Race! And as always, the guiding principle of the race was... to the winners go the spoils!

Our School Captains also had a special task on Shrove Tuesday as they boarded the Maxi Taxi with Mrs Belinda Taylor to Church of the Apostles for Caritas’s Project Compassion Launch, which began with a prayer service where each school received a Caritas candle and donation box. They then joined a lively Q&A session with Richard Landels from Caritas Australia, brainstorming creative ideas for one of our biggest fundraisers, and returned inspired to share ways we can all support Caritas’s vital work during Lent.

ASH WEDNESDAY

This Wednesday (5th March) our Catholic school community gathered once more to mark the beginning of Lent with the ancient and evocative ritual of Ash Wednesday. A hush of reverence fell across our halls as staff and students stepped forward to receive the ashen cross upon their foreheads. Even before they returned to their seats, curious hands twitched toward pockets and bags in search of mirrors; reflective windows and the smallest puddles on the playground became magnetic. Yet teachers reminded everyone that this delicate smudge of ash was a visible sign of something far more profound than dust and charcoal could ever convey.

This cross reminded us of Christ’s sacrifice—an echo of Good Friday that resonates throughout the Lenten season. As always, the Church invites us to offer a personal sacrifice for these forty days. Some people chose to step back from chocolate, others from scrolling mindlessly on their phones, or from shopping impulses and late-night streaming. But we were reminded that Lent is not about absence for its own sake; rather, it is about creating space. Where we relinquish one thing, we allow more room for God, for community, for loved ones, for the quiet stirrings of faith that so often go unnoticed in the busyness of everyday life. Thus, our sacrifice becomes less a burden and more a sacred invitation—a clearing of the heart for that which truly matters.

We extend our deep gratitude to Mrs. Belinda Taylor, our Religious Education Coordinator, whose thoughtful organisation of the liturgy brought fresh meaning and unity to our community this year. We are equally thankful to our dedicated teachers for guiding their classes through the rich symbols and teachings behind the ashes. In that gentle cross traced upon our foreheads, on that bright Wednesday morning, our school community once again embraced the mystery and promise of Lent—together, renewed, and ready for the journey ahead.

NAPLAN 2025

This time every year, as the chatter of so-called ‘experts’ fills our airwaves to debate the purpose and relevance of national literacy and numeracy testing, I find myself drawn back to what truly matters: our students. In 2025, I will again speak directly to our Grade 3 and Grade 5 cohorts, for whom these tests loom largest, to remind them of a simple yet profound truth: NAPLAN testing is significant—but it cannot, and must not, define your worth as human beings.

Yes, these assessments hold importance. They provide valuable data to government agencies and can serve as a diagnostic beacon for schools and parents alike—if the results reach us in a timely manner. Yet no set of marks can measure the curiosity in your hearts, the resilience in your spirits, or the kindness you bring to our school community every day. That is why, above all else, the wellbeing of our students takes precedence.

I extend my deepest gratitude to Deputy Principal, Ms Allison Cornish, and our dedicated Grade 3 and Grade 5 teachers. Their unwavering commitment to organizing these online NAPLAN tests and ensuring the welfare of each child underpins the success of this yearly endeavor. And now, as the 2025 testing commences next week, let us face it with calm confidence, remembering that while these assessments can guide our steps, it is you—our bright young learners—who ultimately shape the path ahead.