Since the 13th century, the Catholic Church has dedicated the month of May to Mary, the mother of God. Such devotion has been an important part of our Catholic identity as we strive to follow her example of saying “Yes” to God, just as she did at the time of the Annunciation. 

Pope Francis encourages us to regularly pray the Hail Mary, not just as a sign of our devotion to her, but to seek her intercession in all the things that trouble us in our lives. “To this invocation, the Mother of God always responds,” he says. “She hears our petitions, holding her Son in her arms, she blesses us and brings us the tender love of God made flesh.”  

At this particular time of year, I also take the opportunity to wish the mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and all other mother figures, a happy Mother's day for this coming Sunday.

Student Attendance

A significant part of success at the College is being at the College! As we get into the routine of the term, there are times when we become unwell or start to feel a little stressed. This may result in not coming to school. It is important to remind everyone that if a student is not present at the beginning of the day, when the Pastoral Advisor marks the roll, the student needs to report to Student Services in the front office to be signed in. If they do not sign in, it can impact the data that we will use to provide you with information about your child’s attendance, and more importantly, it can cause unnecessary confusion and concern for yourselves and the administration staff.  

Why is attendance important? 

Absenteeism can increase social isolation, including alienation and lack of engagement with the school community and peers, leading to emotional and behavioural difficulties. Although authorised absences and smaller amounts of absence were associated with only small declines in achievement, all absences count, and the impact of absence increases with the number of absences.

Are there exemptions?

If a child is participating in elite sport, extracurricular activities, or other events that would require your child to be absent from the College then you can apply for an exemption. A judgment will then be made by the Principal to determine if the absence will not be counted against your child’s attendance data - this will be on a case-to-case basis.

How can the family help prevent the child from missing school? 

• Having a routine and sticking it to it.
• Make sure your child understands the importance of good attendance and punctuality.
• Making sure they understand the possible implications for themselves and you as a parent if they don't go to school.
• taking an interest in their education - ask about school work and encourage them to get involved in school activities.
• discussing any problems they may have at school and letting the College know about anything that is causing concern.
• not letting them take time off school for minor ailments or holidays during term time.

To avoid disrupting your child's education, you should arrange (as far as possible), appointments and outings:

• after school hours;
• at weekends;
• during school holidays.

As always, we are here to help. If your child is struggling to attend or you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s Pastoral Advisor, Year Coordinator or the Pastoral Care Coordinators.

Just being a little bit late for school each day does not seem like much. It is!