Dear Parents,

This week sees us celebrate Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Holy Season of Lent and fasting for 40 days. As Father Darien spoke about in his homily yesterday, Lent is a time when we are called to “turn around” with prayer, reflection, charity and review of our personal life. We make a concerted effort to be more positive in our words and actions to ourselves, others and our world. He referred to Fr Andrew Hamilton who says, “ From the ash of bushfires, grass and plants spring green. When we attend to the ashes of our lives and our world, we can recognise their causes and change our way of life.”

Ash Wednesday reminds us that when all seems lost, there is hope and that is the message leading up to Easter and the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday. Take the time to reflect and pray and be thankful for what we have, understanding that while life can be a struggle there is always hope.

As a school community, the students from Years 3 - 6 will attend the 12 noon Mass on Ash Wednesday at Star of the Sea Church with the Parish community. Prep-Year 2 will have a paraliturgy at school and will be provided with ashes. Please take the time to discuss with your children the meaning of Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday and their personal pledge or pledges during Lent, to be more positive in their words and actions and how we are responding to God’s call in our daily lives.

Thank you for working with us and your children in adhering to the uniform policy. It has been very pleasing to see the students, respectfully and responsibly, following uniform expectations. A reminder that all hair needs to be tied back if reaching shoulder length.

We had a wonderful morning with our Cross Country event and a big thankyou to Miss Lisa and teachers for their organisation. As parents, you are to be very proud of the excellent behaviour and sportsmanship your children showed. There was great team and individual spirit, cheering all on and as a staff we were certainly proud of the students.

The positive feedback from our new newsletter has been greatly appreciated. We are glad you are enjoying the ease of the new format. We also have a new website and the address is the same,  www.staroceangrove.catholic.edu.au .

Please take the time to read the 2019 Parent Letter from Catholic Education which is more than just a welcome to the school year but an important statement of the values, ethos and achievements of Catholic schools and our commitment to work with parents, along with a brief outline of some key issues confronting Catholic education, particularly in an election year.  

Best wishes for the week ahead

Kerryn Sells