A very happy Easter to everyone. May the hope and promise of this joyous season be with you. I trust that you had a good break and enjoyed the time together as family and with friends. 

Yesterday we celebrated Anzac Day which marks the day that Australian and New Zealand soldiers landed at Gallipoli during the First World War. The theme of Anzac Day is ‘Lest we forget’. On this day we remember not only those who gave their lives in this war but also all who have sacrificed their lives in the conflicts that have followed and continue today. We should not remember only the heroism of our service personnel but also the horror of war itself. War can bring out the worst in people – on both sides. This is what violence does. The damage to individuals and communities, on all sides of the conflict, lasts for generations.

This year we mark Anzac Day in the shadow of the senseless killing of innocent people in Christchurch, in Sri Lanka and in the many unnamed places throughout the world.

Anzac Day always falls within a week or two of Easter, and occasionally even at Easter. It shares with Easter a hope for a world that lives in peace. One of the recurring themes in the Resurrection stories is peace. As Jesus catches up with his disciples he often greets them with ‘Shalom! Peace be with you’. However, the peace Jesus wishes his friends is not a passive thing or just an absence of conflict and irritation, it is the peace that comes from creating God’s world; a world that focuses on our shared humanity, a world that is just and inclusive; a world where there is a place for everyone; a world where we live in right relationship with each other and our earth.

Both Easter and the Anzac tradition call us to be people who do everything we can to make sure God’s world happens.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

Enhancing Catholic School Identity (ECSI) surveys

Thank you to all families who completed the ECSI survey late last term. Your time and input is very much appreciated. I recognise that it was no simple task to complete the four surveys. Responses from students, families and staff are now being processed by KU Leuven and a report will be forwarded to the school in early October. The information will be important for our school review in 2020.

Congratulations to Madyan Tamoz (7 Wimmera) and his family on winning the raffle draw for all families who completed the survey.

Thank You

Thank you to all families for your participation of the Student / Parent / Teacher interviews at the end of Term 1. Your interest is very much appreciated and is of great support to your son / daughter. I hope that you and your child found the time spent at the College to be valuable.

The mid-term reports and interviews provide students with the opportunity to celebrate what they’ve achieved, to reflect on their learning and to set goals for the rest of the semester.

Newsletter

The newsletter is published fortnightly and distributed on Day 10 (Friday Week 2). Students will have a chance to read it before placing it in their diary to be taken home to parents that evening.

Newsletter Days for Term 2 2019:             

Fridays:                 10 May,     24 May,     7 June,     21 June

The newsletter can also be accessed on Friday morning (Day 10) on the College website at http://www.crcstalbans.catholic.edu.au

Since our last newsletter…..

Over and above the day to day activities of the school since our last newsletter students, families and staff have participated in the following:

• ANZAC Day schools commemorative ceremony.
• Parent / Teacher / Student interviews
• Year 7 Premier League Training
• Year 7 Visual Arts National Gallery of Victoria visit.
• Volleyball Club
• Health and Fitness Club
• Girls Futsal Tryouts
• STEM Club Launch!!!

I am sure that students and their families are very appreciative of all these opportunities and the time and energy that staff put into organising and offering these experiences.