Dear Parents and Carers,

2020 has been a challenging year to say the least, however amongst the constant change and adjustments there has still been some very bright moments for the school.  Last weekend I witnessed a Year 5/6 group mature before my very eyes.  The dedication and commitment that was displayed during the confirmation Mass was a proud moment for the school.  18 of our senior students were confirmed into the church and the school congratulates them on this important milestone on their Catholic journey.  Sitting in the crowd I was amazed to see the leadership role each student took with their families and sponsors.

Tuesday this week, the school held a modified sports carnival at McAlister Oval.  It was just wonderful to see our students participate in a sports event again.  The day ran extremely smoothly and a huge thank you must go to Mrs Cuthberton for putting it together.  Without the wonerful parental support we usually have, it was up to our teachers to fill the void.  With limited breaks and warm conditions, our staff did an amazing job of time keeping, measuring and recording for the 5 events on the day.

I believe whole school events such as an athletics carnival are a good opportunity to gauge where the culture of the school is sitting.  I could not be prouder of the way our students participated, supported and encouraged each other.  The St Mary’s spirit was alive and strong.  The behaviour and decision making of our students during the carnival was excellent.  I have declared the carnival the best behaved carnival I have ever attended.

Wednesday this week, we had a visit from Archbishop Christopher.  He was on a tight schedule to fit in a visit with Lake Cargelligo and West Wylaong on one day. He arrived at St Mary’s in the afternoon and the whole school was lucky enough to spend some time with him.  After a few jokes, Archbishop Christopher maneuvered into the serious work he does in his role.  He is one of 7 Archbishop’s in Australia and was appointed directly by the Pope.  He leads a vast area covering from Bombala in the south, to Lake Cargelligo in the north and west, and to Batemans Bay in the East. He spent the last 20 minutes of the day with our Year 5 and 6 students and he gave a wonderful insight into the Sacrament of Confirmation that our students had just completed.

After the bell went, I had an opportunity to talk to Archbishop Christopher and the first thing he said was how beautiful our students were. He said they looked smart, were engaged and genuinely interested in what he had to say.  He has visited many schools recently and was very impressed with St Mary’s.

I was recently asked about the culture of our school.  Recent events would suggest that the culture of St Mary's is in a healthy space.

Phil Nielsen

Principal