What a year! For so many reasons, I could be writing about the challenges we have experienced this year and the impact of the global pandemic on students learning and wellbeing across our community. Instead, as I contemplate 2020, acknowledging the times of sadness, sudden obstacles and changes that were part of our journey, I have an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the spirit within our staff, students and families that allowed Holy Name to continue to grow and flourish as a vibrant school community. When things got tough, we drew back to what was important. For our community, it seemed easy to describe as we wrote a new vision for the school - ‘Belonging, Learning & Serving, in His Holy Name’. During this year, and for the next chapter for Holy Name, these words will guide our journey.

Having worked through the fires and all that came with experience at the end of 2019, the changes due to the pendemic began toward the end of Term 1 and by Term 2 we had commenced a period of home learning. This became an opportunity for staff to learn new ways of connecting with and supporting students online. It also revealed the strength that exists within our Catholic community. Our school made sure that all families had access to technology and the training to help them access the learning from home. Our Diocese supported families financially and our school physically, by ensuring the COVID-Safe Guidelines were clear and in place to keep us all safe.

The love, support and resilience of our community was vital as we worked through the sudden and tragic loss of Mary Therese Micua, one of our cherished Yr 3 students at the end of Term 2. Our Parish, Catholic Schools Office and Catholic Care supported our school staff and families during this time and our students demonstrated their capacity to work through the grief and loss of a friend, peer and fellow student. Our teachers were courageous in their leadership of students through this process, often grieving alongside their students. Our school community will always hold a special place for Mary in our hearts and hope to continue to connect with Mary Jane and Jose Micua along the way.

We farewelled Miss Teasey and Mrs Power, two longstanding and faithful employees within the Maitland-Newcastle Diocese, who both retired during 2020. Miss Teasey held the roles of Religious Education Coordinator, Assistant Principal and Principal during her career as an educator and Mrs Power taught across many grades throughout her career. Their dedication and commitment to students and their generosity of spirit in working alongside their colleagues will be missed.

Our Early Learning team engaged with the Successful Foundations project and made slight changes to the process of transition for our new Kinder students. We held a Pop-up Stall and Open Day, commenced a playgroup in Term 3 that was very well received by families and continued to build relationships with local Early Learning Centres. Next year, our Yr 1 teachers will begin to embed the philosophy of Successful Foundations into their classrooms and learning.

In 2020, the role of the Pedagogical Mentor commenced as part of the Leading Learning Collaborative initiative at Holy Name. We worked alongside other schools in our Diocese under the guidance of Dr Lyn Sharratt to utilise the parameters of her research into effective school improvement. With a focus on reading and problem solving in maths, our teachers developed agreements about pedagogy and collaborated to ensure the learning growth of all students. We learned to use data more effectively, created a literacy resource room, and mentored teachers to develop consistency of practice in teaching reading. We set, achieved, and celebrated the achievement of school goals in reading and in problem solving.

The formation of our new vision, ‘Belonging, Learning & Serving, in His Holy Name’, was evident across many areas of our school but especially through the work of our Mini Vinnies group. Under the guidance of our Pastoral Care Worker, the work of this group was outstanding. They took ownership of their good works and fundraising, utilising their gifts and creativity to positively impact on the lives of others all around the world. They created experiences for students to make them smile, sent ‘Word Birds’ and ‘Word Rainbows’ to doctors and nurses in hospitals, money to charities that touched their heart, and shopped for gifts for those in need at Christmas. As leaders within our student body, we are very proud of the developing awareness of global issues this group has demonstrated and their willingness and capacity to make a difference that we have witnessed through their words and actions.

Changes to the physical aspects of our school this year included the construction of a single net cricket training facility, supported by the Federal Government, the development of a K-2 play space, the demolition of the kitchen space in the garden, and glass doors were added to the Kinder rooms to provide access to the outdoor space of the Infants playground. Our K-6 students engaged with the garden in a new way as our school commenced a partnership with Catholic Care and the Parish of Forster-Tuncurry that saw the Forster-Tuncurry Community Kitchen come to life. We have plans for our Yr 5 & 6 students to volunteer to prepare food in the kitchen for community members who appreciate these lunch opportunities.

Overall this year, I believe that when Holy Name had every reason to have a less than productive year, that we rose above expectations, and with the support of our parents, teachers and students, have commenced a journey in a direction of positive learning growth and new beginnings. I am looking forward to what the future holds for the students, families, and staff of Holy Name.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our Parents and Friends Association, led by Mr David Isbel, who continued to meet twice each term and quietly raised funds through raffles and stalls to support the purchase of award prizes for students and equipment such as the new shade for sporting events. I am very grateful for their continued support.

Wishing you all a safe, happy and holy Christmas,