The sporting accomplishments have continued this fortnight with a number of students participating in a Brumbies Rugby Champs carnival, AFL Hannah Dunn Cup, Mackillop Football (Soccer), CSNSW girls touch football and NSW Schools ALF. I congratulate all these students; they should be proud of their sporting accomplishments as well as being good sports when playing. I thank all the parents who have supported these events by taking on a coach and manager role. Without this support, the students would not be able to participate.

This past week we have been engaged in activities around National Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week. The students at Macquoid Street campus participated in a National Sorry Day Walk around the oval last Tuesday. Thanks to Mrs Sharon Jolley and Miss Riley MacDonald for bringing this event to fruition and for supporting the students learning by sharing wonderful learning experiences. Tomorrow our Macquoid Street Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students will join in with the annual Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council Reconciliation Walk which will be a great community event.

On Thursday we will be holding our Athletics Carnival at Wright Park. Although we originally tried to involve the Lowe Street students in the event, the logistics and available space at the oval became problematic with bringing an additional 365 students (as Year 2 are attending this year for the first time as well). We will be looking at this closely on Thursday to see if there is a way to include the Kinder and Year 1 students next year so we can gather as a whole school. I would like to thank the school community council who are putting on a sausage sizzle at the carnival for the students.

In support of our local Vinnies conference, we are holding a ‘Soup-a-Hero’ Vinnies Winter Appeal Day next week. Please support this appeal by sending in a can of soup if you are able to. All students can dress up as a ‘Soup-a-hero’ on the day.

As we enter Winter the mornings are certainly very cold, far too cold to be sitting around waiting for supervision to commence! No students should be at school before 8:30am unless they are at TeamKids. The number of students arriving well-before 8:30am is significant and as these students are not supervised they are required to sit or stand in very cold weather for a long time, which is not acceptable. Please support your child/ren and the school by making other care arrangements if you need them at school before 8:30am. Before school care is not overly expensive and the students will be warm and able to have breakfast with friends.

As we come to the end of Reconciliation Week please join me in praying for reconciliation and a future of greater equity.

Almighty and loving God,

You who created ALL people in your image,

lead us to seek your compassion as we listen to the stories of the violence in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories.

You gave your only Son, Jesus, who died and rose again so that sin is forgiven.

We place before you the pain and anguish of dispossession

of land, language, lore, culture and family kinship that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have experienced.

We live in faith that all people will rise from the depths of despair and hopelessness,

and in particular Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families

who have endured the pain and loss of loved ones, through the separation of children and their families.

Touch the hearts of the broken, homeless and inflicted and heal their spirits.

In your mercy and compassion walk with us as we continue our journey of healing

to create a future that is just and equitable.

Lord you are our hope.

Amen

ojep@catholic.org.au.

Have a blessed fortnight.