St Augustine's Parish School eNewsletter

Principals 2024 End of Year Message

Good morning everyone.

Thank you to Fr Shibu, Grace and the entire parish team. We appreciate your ongoing support and the relationship with have. Fr Shibu, thank you for your kind words. Our students feel and appreciate your genuine kindness, your passion for learning and your leadership in Faith.

Giving this speech today is one of my favourite times of the year. We move through the school year quickly. We move from one task to the next. But we don’t often get to stop and smell the roses. I am a fast walker, and at times I seem to be forever walking quickly from one thing to the next. This is a time to stop. Reflect and celebrate.

I have been in school leadership as a deputy or principal for over 17 years now. Without a doubt – this year has been the most exhilarating. Everything I love about our school, and my role in leading it, has been encapsulated in our shared work this year.

I would like to thank our School Board for their ongoing work. Today we have Kim Moffatt, our School Board Chair and Theophile Mugabonejo, the Chair of our School Finance Committee with us. This year and into next, we will have spent $19 million on capital projects in our school. This doesn’t happen without careful planning and financial stewardship.

As a catholic school, we continually reflect on who we are and our relationship with God. With Jesus at the centre of all we do, we continually explore what it means to live our lives as Jesus would have – in our own context. We draw upon the understandings of others and the shared vision and history of our church, our parish and our school. During this year, we have continued to examine our school’s Dominican history and will continue to do so as we celebrate our 70^th year next year.

We have also continued to highlight our school values and in using the phrase RISE in Truth – we live out our values of RESPECT – INTEGRITY – SERVICE – EXCELLENCE underpinned by the Dominican value of VERTIAS or TRUTH which we can all see on our school logo. To our students – if you can walk through life being respectful of yourself, others and the environment, Act with integrity – being true to your word and to what you know to be right – If you can in some way serve others and put their needs ahead of yours – and if you can continually strive to grow, improve and excel – you will be walking in the footsteps of Jesus and you will make the world a better place.

As a learning community we continue to grow and improve. Our enormous focus on literacy and numeracy sets our children up for success in learning across all subject areas. We are developing whole school approaches to teaching English and Mathematics that are consistent, and evidence based.

In a broader sense, we have deepened our understanding of what we think a successful learner looks like here at St Augustine’s. Through this shared endeavour, we have developed our 5 Learner Qualities – Curiosity, Collaboration, Resilience, Courageous and Thoughtful.

Next year we will continue to embed the learner qualities into our learning. It is so exciting to have a shared language to talk about what we think a good learner is and the qualities we need to be successful here and into the future.

I am proud that St Augustine’s continues to be a place of inclusion for all children and families. As a staff, I love environment we are creating here together. We are continually growing, changing and getting better together. We challenge each other. We learn together and we have a lot of fun in the process. You all play a vital part in how you make our children and families feel. You are welcoming, supportive and kind. I see your commitment. I hear your passion. And I feel the genuine care you have for each child.

On Friday night I had the privilege of sitting up here for our Christmas Carols. It was an incredible night and I loved being able to see everyone from where I was. What you all wouldn’t have seen though, is when each teacher and ESO came out the front and faced their class who was singing – the genuine joy and love they feel for their students was absolutely remarkable. You could see it in their eyes, on their faces and it was the same for every single class. This is unlike anything I have every seen as a principal and to our teachers and ESOs – thank you. You are extraordinary. You are enough. And you are making an incredible impact on the lives of many.

To our families, thank you. We feel your trust in us. I appreciate your ability to discern between a big issue versus a small one. Our staff take enormous pride in the work they do for you and your children. They thrive on your support and on your gratitude. Don’t ever underestimate the power your kind words and gratitude has on our school staff.

This is always a time of year where we farewell some staff who are leaving us. This year, we have some teachers and ESOs moving on to other settings, and also some who are retiring after many years of service.

We are also saying goodbye to Mrs Jayne Brown for 2 years. Mrs Brown will be working with Catholic Education supporting a number of schools – including ours.

Kelly Dodman, Lenae Lennox, Ebony Yard, Jana Ivancic, Michelle Robinson, Courtnie Caldinez (not returning), Jennifer Edwards, Kathryn Martin, Karin Norrie, Anthea Dobbin, Colleen Ferguson and Veronica Cox.

To our graduating Year 6s and leaders – thank you. We have all been inspired by your leadership this year. You have lead with dignity and integrity. You are respectful of yourselves and others. So many of you have offered your service to our school in many ways. And having personally read each and every one of your reports – I can see you are all aspiring for excellence.

You are well prepared for what is to come. You have our Values – you understand yourselves as learners and you go with the love and support of this kind and generous community behind you. We all can’t wait to see what each of you do to make the world a better place.

I want to finish by sharing an experience I recently had with our school board. We were out having our annual dinner following our last meeting of the year. At the end of the night, one of our board members. He is from Rwanda and speaks about 6 languages. He was thanking us all for including him on the school board and making him feel so welcome. He talked about community and his deep gratitude for our school. In doing so, he gave a remarkable description of how he feels in our school – warm and cozy. If every there was something we should be aspiring to it is this.

So, with a grateful heart, I hope each and every one of you feel that St Augustine’s is the place where you feel warm and cozy.

I thank you all for everything you do and I wish you a safe, happy and holy Christmas. Enjoy the break and I can’t wait to do it all again next year.

Dan Cowan,
Principal

Catholic Identity Updates

VINNIES
A very big ‘Thank you’ to our very generous school community for all your support for our Vinnies’ Christmas Appeal. On Monday morning, 77 hampers were distributed to families in need. The families are very appreciative of the love and care from our school community for them. Once again, thank you!

END OF YEAR MASS
Our school community came together for the end of year Mass with a lovely surprise visit from St Augustine, St Monica and St Dominic de Guzman. The children who dressed up as our favourite saints are: Kalyana, Vincent and Jax and they did a splendid job of it!

FR SHIBU JACOBS
Our heartfelt thanks go to Fr Shibu, our Parish Priest, whose care for his Parish School is extraordinary and heartfelt. Fr Shibu celebrates 25 years of Priesthood on the 28 December and we thank God for his ministry as a Priest. Fr Shibu’s care for all is exemplary and we wish him much happiness and many Blessings for the future.

ADVENT
We celebrate the second week of Advent as we prepare for the birth of Our Lord. There are four candles that are lit in every church during Advent. The first two candles are purple and recall Hope and Peace. The third candle is pink followed by a fourth candle which is purple.

What do we do during Advent? We look into our hearts and identify what needs to be cleared out in preparation for a new baby. We assess how we have been travelling spiritually and try harder to be the best version of our selves. This is all to prepare our hearts and minds for the birth of Baby Jesus. We prepare our hearts with love to welcome the Lord into our world.

REFLECTION
Sometimes the Lord takes away to teach us to surrender. Sometimes Jesus allows heartbreak so that he can heal us. Sometimes, he doesn’t give the answer right away so that we learn to trust him. Sometimes Jesus reminds us how weak we are so that we remember how strong he is. There is a loving purpose in everything the Lord does. Take a moment to thank him this Advent.

PRAYER
Lord, when we are dazzled by the tinsel and overcome by the cries of ‘Ho! Ho! Ho!’, set aside for us a quiet time to just rest and breathe. In this time of quiet, may we remember the silence and awe of your birth. You are the promise of everlasting life. Amen.

SCHEDULE OF MASSES CHRISTMAS 2024
All are welcome to join in the following Masses:

St. Augustine’s Church:
24 Dec, Tuesday - Christmas Vigil Masses: 6pm, 8pm and 12 Midnight

25 Dec, Wednesday - Christmas Mass: 9am (English), 10.30am (Italian),12Noon (Polish)

After Christmas, all weekday and Saturday Masses at St. Augustine’s Church will be at 9:00am until the 28 January 2025. Thank you.

Dr Rachele Tullio,
Assistant Principal Religious Identity and Mission

"Veritas" Award

This year we have introduced the "Veritas" award. Veritas is the Latin word for truth and stems from the Dominican Traditions of our school which is reflected in our school logo. The Veritas award is for a student who has consistently demonstrated our school values of respect, integrity, service and excellence.

Congratulations to the following students who were nominated for this award:

- - Wedenshe A
  - Dipson D
  - Rory O
  - Savannah O
  - Emily T
  - Mary M
  - Ivy G
  - Xian D
  - Aluel Y

The winner of the inaugural Veritas award is a student who is kind and respectful, demonstrates community spirit is welcoming and helpful and shows incredible resilience. This student is an outstanding example of respect, integrity, service and excellence. Congratulations to the winner of the 2024 Veritas award, Rory O.

Michelle Thomas,
Deputy Principal

Zoe Bettison Award

Ms Zoe Bettison is an Australian politician representing the South Australian House of Assembly seat of Ramsay for the Australian Labor Party. Zoe has worked hard to progress the South Australian Government's reform agenda on ageing, on multicultural affairs, on social housing and is very focussed in setting youth up for success. Zoe has a strong connection with St Augustine’s not only because she is a local but she chose this school for her son’s education. Zoe has continued to support St Augustine’s and has sponsored the Most Improved Student award for nearly 10 years.

All staff members, including teachers, ESOs, OSCH workers, canteen staff, Mr Mardy and Mr Nick have nominated students who they have seen improve in all areas of schooling both in class and in the yard throughout the whole year.

Many students were nominated and it is important we acknowledge their improvement:

- - Chase D
  - Brodie P
  - Alex H
  - Denver H
  - Joshua M
  - Theo M
  - Arlo L
  - Mataya Z
  - Shanai T
  - Melvin T
  - Ethan W
  - Chase S
  - Par S

Can we please show these people how proud we are.

Of course there can only be one winner. I have the privilege of gathering all the nominations. I have to let you all know I have never had so many nominations for one child before. The winner of this award demonstrates kindness, fairness, is a great team player, shows respect and is what I affectionately refer to as a “cracker of a kid”.

As a staff we could not be more proud and I know how proud your family is of you too – so well done…
Chase S.

Mel Stockdale,
School Counsellor.

Year 6 Camino Walk

As part of our Unit of Work on St Dominic, the Year 6 cohort recently participated in a Camino Walk along the Little Para Trail to Carisbrooke Reserve. This walk took place on Monday 11 November.

The Camino Walk was a reflective journey inspired by the values of St Dominic. This walk to Carisbrooke Reserve went beyond a physical journey; it offered students an opportunity to deepen their connection with faith, appreciate the beauty of nature, and foster a sense of community and personal growth. A portion of the walk was conducted in silence, allowing students to fully engage with the natural surroundings and connect with the attributes that St Dominic embraced on his own Camino journey.

SACPSSA/ACHPER SA 'Come & Try Day' - Sports Captains

Huge congratulations to our incredible Sport Captains for their outstanding efforts at the SACPSSA/ACHPER SA ‘Come and Try Day’, where they successfully led an activity station for Year 2 students.

On the day, they took on a leadership role, guiding students through various activities with energy and enthusiasm. Each Captain did an outstanding job at explaining activities, assisting students with their learning, and showcasing what it means to be a great leader.

We would also like to say a big thank you for their continuous support during our PE lessons throughout this year. Their contributions have made a positive impact on our younger students through their demonstration of teamwork, responsibility, resilience, and positivity.

We are incredibly proud of their achievements and look forward to seeing them continue to inspire others in the future!

Bo Roper & Dylan Baker
Health & PE Teachers

Tennis SA Tennis Hotshots Carnival

On Thursday 14 November, our Year 3 students attended the Tennis SA Tennis Hotshots Carnival at the Playford Tennis Centre. The event was a great experience for our Year 3 students as it gave them an opportunity to explore and enjoy the game of Tennis regardless of their skill level.

On the day, the students rotated through a series of matches against other Catholic Schools. The energy and enthusiasm were fantastic, it was great to see students step out of their comfort zone and give Tennis a good go!

A big thank you to our staff and parent volunteers that helped make this carnival a huge success. We’re looking forward to the next one!

Bo Roper & Dylan Baker
Health & PE Teachers.

Receptions Adelaide Zoo Excursion

On Friday 15 December, the Reception students enjoyed a day at the Adelaide Zoo. They enjoyed meeting animals up close, learning fun facts and sharing plenty of smiles along the way. A day filled with wonder and adventure.

Thank you to all our parent volunteers, your help is greatly appreciated.

Year 6 Wellbeing Day

In week 6, our Year 6 boys came together for a special Wellbeing Day designed to build stronger connections, foster teamwork, and encourage self-reflection. The day was packed with exciting team-building challenges and group activities that tested problem-solving, communication, and collaboration skills.
From navigating obstacle courses to solving creative puzzles, the boys demonstrated resilience, mutual support, and a fantastic sense of camaraderie. The day concluded with a reflective session where the students shared their experiences and discussed strategies for maintaining positive mental health and building stronger friendships.
It was wonderful to see the boys embracing the spirit of teamwork and self-awareness. We are proud of their efforts and look forward to seeing how these skills grow in the future!

The Wellbeing Programme helped transform our Year 6 girls into thoughtful, confident young people, covering positive body image, gratitude, staying safe, resilience and self esteem.

The girls engaged in mini-workshops that built a sense of belonging and connection and provided tools and resources for navigating their future journey into secondary schooling whilst encouraging thinking to lift self-esteem.

The workshops provided a positive range of experiences that ignited long lasting learning and provided great memories.

Christmas Carols 2024

On Tuesday morning 10 December, we farewelled our Year 6 students as a school community. They also celebrated with a graduation dinner at The Grand Ballroom later that evening.

We are so proud of the young people they are and wish them all the very best for the future.