The following excerpt from the Catholic Education Office, Lighting The Way Strategy document is certainly apt for our local context:

“As Catholics, community is in our DNA. Through connections within parishes and our vibrant school communities, we can ensure students and families feel more included, welcome and safe in our schools and anywhere else.”

Belonging to a connected community is at the core of our work and our staff strive to be inclusive and welcoming of all. Our beginning of the year barbecue, with over 200 people in attendance, certainly demonstrated the sense of community we have at St Pius X. I was humbled to receive such beautiful feedback, in particular a new family who wrote:

"Just a quick note to say thanks for the wonderful welcome party you organised. The warmth and hospitality the delicious food, drinks, and activities was fantastic big shout out to Jas and his team from Outback Steakhouse. Special appreciation goes to the teachers whose dedication ensured the event's success.  We felt genuinely welcomed and embraced, and we're thrilled to be part of the school family."

A big thank you to Jaspreet (Jas) Sidhu (Father of Ryan Year 1) and the team at Outback Steakhouse who so generously are supporting community throughout the Illawarra. Also, to Ms Louise Sartor who so capably organised the event.

Next week, our students in Year 3 and 5 will commence “NAPLAN” testing. The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is an annual national assessment for all students in Years 3 and 5 and is the only nationwide assessment that all Australian children undertake. It is a measure to see how children  are developing the literacy and numeracy skills that provide the critical foundation for other learning. NAPLAN results are one tool teachers uses to inform the learning. I look forward to analysing the results of these assessments collaboratively with our staff and sharing them with you.