Our Heartfelt Gratitude
In summarizing the 2020 academic year we are deeply grateful for the incredible efforts of our staff for their flexibility, creativity and dedication to our school community. Likewise, we acknowledge our families for their trust in our processes and for complying with government expectations that have been placed upon us. A special mention is made of our children who have responded remarkably to a changing world but more importantly, to a changing school with numerous alterations and modifications which they have absorbed and continued to achieve wonderful outcomes during 2020.
At the start of the year we had planned numerous activities to celebrate our 50th birthday. Unfortunately, circumstances have prevented us from being able to undertake the majority of these. As Government regulations have restricted the ability of our school family to gather in large numbers, we have admired the resilience of our children to enter the school grounds with minimal family support. We have valued the trust that our parent community have placed in our staff who have been incredibly understanding and devoted to the children in their care.
Fortunately, whilst our Parent Team were restricted in coordinating community events, they still were able to be involved in enabling a range of activities for our school family including our Annual Mother’s Day & Father’s Day Stall. It was deeply satisfying to be able to invite our families back into our school grounds towards the end of Term Three. Furthermore, as we entered Term 4 it was encouraging that we were able to have our school community together at Gawler South to view our 2020 Sports day. This started the reintroduction of families attending assemblies and our Ceili. Through all of the challenges of 2020 our children were still able to be engaged in our Yr 6 Community Service program, Catholic Schools Music Festival, SACPSSA Sports Tournaments and the Children’s University.
We are grateful for the willingness of staff, children and families to work together to maintain a strong commitment to student growth and wellbeing. There have been numerous examples of our community displaying wonderful empathy in caring for each other as families have experienced loss of employment, bereavements and extreme illnesses. The ability of every member of St Brigid’s Catholic School to be mindful of the needs of another and to be conscious of their own presence in our busy world is a core trait that we aim to consolidate in 2021.
May the Christmas season enable you to experience a deep peace and to enjoy the beauty of your children and the importance of family.
Farewell
As we conclude another year we express our appreciation to the following staff as they conclude their association with St Brigid’s Catholic School:
Heather Malone: Heather has provided tremendous support as an Education Support Officer – Curriculum. She has been incredibly patient in assisting children with literacy support and working with teachers to enable children to successfully access the curriculum. Her high expectations and high levels of support have enabled her to establish wonderful connections with children and to make a significant difference in the lives of many students. We wish her every success in her move to Xavier College – Two Wells.
Victoria Xerri: Victoria is an educator who has the wonderful ability to make learning relevant, meaningful and engaging for the children in her class. She is extremely gifted in making each child feel that they are able to achieve success as a learner and that their social and emotional competencies are an integral aspect of their formation. We have appreciated her leadership in coordinating our Sports Program and for her commitment to nurturing a sense of community at our school. May she continue to enjoy her vocation as an educator at St Columba College.
James Sutton: James has been a wonderful asset at St Brigid’s as a member of our OSHC Leadership Team and as an Education Support Officer – Curriculum. James connects quickly with children and they trust him to support them with their learning. His patience and ability to assist young people to achieve success has been greatly valued and he generously shared his skills and knowledge with classes from Reception to Year 6. We thank James for his willingness to continually immerse himself in the life of our school for the benefit of our young people and wish him every blessing as he undertakes his final year of study and works at the OSHC Xavier College – Two Wells.
Mary-Anne Hayward: As a former parent at St Brigid’s, Mary-Anne’s ongoing commitment to our school as an Education Support Officer – Curriculum has been significant. Her patient and caring approach has enabled her to work closely with many children who have required assistance with their learning. Mary-Anne is already working at Catherine McAuley School and will now work in a fulltime capacity at this school.
May Heather, Victoria, James and Mary-Anne be blessed in their new roles and know that their contribution to our school has been greatly valued.