AN INVITATION

On Thursday 8th August the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast Day of St. Mary MacKillop - Australia's First Saint.

To celebrate this day and to recognise the contribution of the Sisters of St. Joseph to Catholic Education in Morwell, Fr. James and Morwell Catholic Parish have invited our school to join in with a special Mass to be held at Sacred Heart Church.  This invitation extends to all parents, grandparents and friends of the school.  We would love to see you there.

Sacred Heart Church

Thursday 8th August 11.30am

Dear Families,

A wise person once told me 'the older you get the faster the years go' - I must be really old!!

I hope your family has settled back into the routine of school after the holidays.  My schedule is as busy as ever with plenty of different meetings and administration tasks.  As much as I adore paperwork, it is always a highlight when I get to share in the joy and excitement of school events.  Last week was one particular week that left me full of enthusiasm due to our Grandparents Day.  Can I share with everyone who contributed to the day my sincere appreciation.  The event was highly successful for so many reasons and for so many people.  Thank you to those that prepared Mass, the generous parents who coordinated morning tea, the students who had a role at Mass (how good were those young children that read) and especially everyone who attended.  It was a privilege to be a part of the day.  I thoroughly enjoy the role of Principal and even though I'd rather be beside a pool in Bali, it is a great job to have as each day offers new stories and successes.  I thank everyone who adds joy into each day at St.Vincent's, but also acknowledge the trust and faith families place in us in both the good and bad days.

Next week we have another key event in the life of the school when we celebrate Mary MacKillop.  This year we have the extra-special experience of attending a Mass in Sacred Heart Church with parish members as well as the children of Sacred Heart Primary and Lumen Christi Primary School.  The invitation is also extended to parents and families to join us.  There is a Permission Note on PAM that needs to be completed by parents - thanks to those who have already completed this.

Last week we had our first Transition 'Come & Try' Days for our 2025 Foundation Class.  We have had strong interest this year and encourage all existing families and other prospective families to complete their enrolment applications.  Thanks to those families who have already completed their applications.  If you need support please contact the office staff who are more than happy to assist.  We offer a strong transition experience for our new students and we encourage families to take advantage of this critically important opportunity.

Behind the scenes we have plenty happening so as always we encourage you to read through our newsletters and PAM to keep on top of events this term.  Please reach out if you need to clarify anything.

As I finalise this newsletter we have the school Basketball teams in action at the Morwell District Carnival so I look forward to hearing the results. 

Have a great finish to your week, Dave

Last week St. Vincent's celebrated our Grandparent's Day by linking it to the Church's Feast Day of St. Joachim and St. Anne.  These two lesser known Saints were the parents of Mary, and therefore the Grandparents of Jesus.  What a title to have!

We honour these two important Saints in the faith story but more importantly acknowledge, praise, and give thanks to the living-saints of today, all the grandparents, great-grandparents and special people who nurture, support and love the children of St. Vincent's.  May God's blessings be upon you all in the good times and in the struggles.

As we hit some cooler weather we will likely find an increase in illnesses in the community.  Some common ones to be aware of are influenza, gastroenteritis, slap cheek and head lice.  

The Department of Health has issued a health alert of increasing cases of Whooping Cough (Pertussis) in Victoria.

Please find attached a link to the Department of Health website that provides parents with useful information about different infectious diseases and school exclusion.  We ask for your support in keeping children home that are unwell.  Apart from reducing the risks of spreading germs, it is sad to see little bodies trying to cope with school when they are not feeling 100%.