President's Welcome
I can hardly believe our children only have a week left of this very different school year. Although it has been a trying year, we have all learned a lot, not the least of which is how important our families and Catholic school communities are in our lives!
In this final Newsletter of 2020, I would firstly like to wish all those who are leaving Catholic education all the very best in the next part of your journey. Whether you are a student getting ready to move into the next phase of learning or work, or a family coming to the end of your child’s journey through school, it is an emotional time. I would like to wish you all the best wherever life takes you from here and I hope that when you walk past your child’s school in the future that it will evoke happy memories of good times.
To those families joining Catholic education next year, welcome, and we hope your child/ren thrive no matter what year they commence in. We look forward to our paths crossing somewhere along your journey.
With Term 4 and in fact the whole school year coming to an end, many parent groups are in the midst of, or have recently held AGMs. This provides a great opportunity for members of the school community to hear about the successes of the year and to talk a little about the year to come. Following the AGM or perhaps at the first meeting of the new year it is a good idea for the parent group, school leadership team and members of the school advisory council to get together to plan for the year ahead. This will ensure that everyone is on the same page moving ahead in terms of goals and objectives.
In the office, planning for next year is well under way. The 18th February has been diarised for the annual parent induction evening. This event provides an introduction to CSPWA and the support it lends to parent groups including information about the various roles within parent groups. If you are new to an executive role or would just like to find out more about the role of the parent group in the school, please come along, you will find all the relevant information later in the newsletter. The evening provides a great opportunity to network with parents from other schools and to share ideas and knowledge.
The 2021 CSPWA State conference has been rescheduled for May/June 2021, having had to be cancelled this year due to Covid-19. Watch this space for information regarding this event.
As touched upon in almost every newsletter this year it has been an extraordinary one. However, with state borders opening there is at last the opportunity for families and friends to reconnect after many many months of not being able to see each other. We pray that it is a smooth transition and that everyone remains safe.
In the busyness and excitement of the Christmas season and particularly this year with the prospect of seeing family again, it is important that we keep in our thoughts those who have suffered or have gone through tough times this year. Charities like Vinnies as always do great work at this time of the year to ensure that families who are doing it tough do not miss out. Many of our schools help with the collection of foodstuffs and toys for Vinnies and if at all possible, we ask that you think about contributing in some way. It is so important that our children are part of this and understand the importance of physically helping others who are not so fortunate.
Finally, it just remains for me, on behalf of the council and staff of Catholic School Parents, to wish each and every member of our Catholic school communities a very happy and blessed Christmas. We remember the true meaning of Christmas and welcome the infant Jesus into our homes and hearts.
Catherine Howarth
President CSPWA 2020