Welcome from our CSPWA President
Term 1 is underway, welcome back to all parents and students returning to our Catholic schools and a very special welcome to those who are joining our Catholic School communities for the first time. It is an exciting time, as the year ahead offers promise and challenges, a chance to grow, improve and embrace the precious gift of education. As parents we have a huge role to play on this journey, we provide books and uniforms, pack lunches, drive for the Mum and Dad taxi service and play the role of the annoying alarm clock when they find getting up in the morning is just too hard!! We share in the joys, the great grades, the sporting wins, the magnificent art piece or dramatic performance. We cushion the lows, the struggles with subjects that are often beyond our understanding, the difficulties of fitting in, of finding their place in the herd. Parents might not wear brightly coloured capes but you are superheros none the less… take a moment and allow yourself to bask in the glow of the wonderful job you are doing.
If you are looking for a way to connect with and get involved in your school community, the school P&F might be the group you are looking for. It’s a great way to meet other parents and to gain a real understanding of, as well as impact what’s happening in your school community. Parents often feel that they have no relevant experience and this often prevents them from getting involved. If you have a passion for your child’s education and want to give them every opportunity to succeed, you are exactly the sort of person the P&F is looking for and you will be surprised how many people just like you are already members. Your school can provide you with details of meeting dates and the current members will be delighted to welcome you.
With the state election campaign now underway our current elected representatives and those seeking to replace them will be knocking on our doors to seek our support on March 8th. Please ensure that you take the opportunity to inform them that you are a parent of a child in Catholic Education and that capital funding for our schools is an issue that will impact on how you vote. CEWA are advocating for 3 key funding priorities for our system, which will benefit you and your children. In summary, these are:
- $25m in ongoing State Government Capital Funding to ensure students in WA Catholic Schools have parity with other students across Australia.
- An additional one-off $100m over five years to address the legacy of capital underfunding for Catholic schools in the Kimberley.
- The State Government meets $2m cost for insurance and risk management in the Kimberley and collaborates with CEWA in cases of uninsured losses.
With over 80,000 student enrolled in WA Catholic schools our parents voice is a strong one, especially if we all put this issue front and centre. As always if you need any more information on school funding the team at the CSPWA office will be glad to assist you.
Lent begins this year on March 5th, as always the season of Lent is a chance for self-reflection and sacrifice as we journey towards Easter. As a Catholic community we are encouraged to go without so that those in need can be supported. The wonderful work that Caritas is doing in so many corners of the world is deserving of our support and we can all make a real difference to so many people in need. Let’s make an effort to spend some time discussing the Caritas “Project Compassion” program with our kids over the Lenten season, there are fantastic resources available on the Caritas website. Take some time to talk about the abundant blessings in our lives and our duty to support those who are less well off. Finally let’s encourage them to get involved in the schools Lenten fundraising efforts, teach them that they have the ability to give somebody else opportunities that we all take for granted.
On behalf of all at CSPWA I wish you all the best for the year ahead.
Alan Buckley – CSPWA President
