Just a fortnight ago I was enjoying a week’s leave with my grand daughter in Melbourne when news started to arrive that there had been another COVID-19 outbreak and that New Zealand was closing it’s borders to Victoria. I could see that S.A. could well follow and therefore booked an early flight home.  This was a  great pity as I was enjoying so much the precious time with family, but recognizing the disaster that shut down and quarantine would have back here both at home and at school. I was still required to undertake COVID testing on arrival and follow up tests but thankfully all was clear.

I am mentioning this because it is so clear how easy it is for this virus to enter into our community, how lucky we have been but let us not let our guards down. This should not prevent us from undertaking all the hopes and dreams as a community, but let us do so cautiously and carefully. It has been wonderful to see our mums enjoying a night out, the Mother’s Day Stalls and the Quiz Night going ahead. Our school continues to operate ‘near normal’ excepting QR code when entering buildings, restrictions on classroom numbers if parents are in attendance, practicing safe hygiene and social distancing. We are planning for Sports Day, Graduation Dinner, Fathers Day celebrations and a couple of community events. More on this early next term.

Year Book
On Monday we distributed the 2020 Yearbook and whilst it looked great we are aware of at least one copy that did not have all the pages. Could you check that your copy commenced at page 1 and let us know if you need a replacement if this is not the case.  May you and your children enjoy the Year Book in the years ahead. I know in my family, a wet day in the holidays was always ‘Year Book Day’ where we would sit around and reminisce on each of the books and the highlights of the Year.

Permanency
In our Primary Schools, it is typical to have a number of Permanent Teachers and when one or more of these takes extended leave (eg Parenting Leave), they are replaced by a Contract Teacher. On resignation or retirement or if the school grows enrolments, I am able to advertise for applications for a permanent position. Our own contract teachers are welcome and encouraged to apply, but there is great competition from teachers at other schools. I am pleased to announce that this process was undertaken over the past weeks and despite many applications from across South Australia, our own teachers were a standout. So congratulations to Amy Raymond, Susie Boksem and Rose-Marie Gerardis who are now permanent teachers here at St Pius X.  Each was able to demonstrate not only excellence in teaching but leadership in their work with colleagues. These appointments are great news for St Pius X now and into the years ahead.