2024 | ISSUE 5 | SJC Newsletter

Dear Parents / Carers

On 8 May this year, the College will celebrate Edmund Rice Day. This day has a dual focus on celebrating our identity as an Edmund Rice school and supporting those less fortunate in the developing world and in our own community.

Following feedback received last year, a financial contribution to this day has been incorporated into school fees, therefore we will no longer be asking families for a donation on Edmund Rice Day. On behalf of all those who will benefit from this generosity, I would like to thank each and every family for your contribution.

A significant portion of your donations will be directed to St Joseph’s Vocational Secondary School in Kensekka Uganda. This school is a beacon of hope in an incredibly poor region. Your generosity in past years has enabled the purchase of land to grow food for student lunches and to generate income, the construction of classroom blocks and toilet facilities, the employment of teachers, provision of fresh water and electricity along with classroom needs. This year we aim to contribute to the construction of science rooms to enable teaching of agricultural science. A science room(s) also meets requirements of the Ugandan government for providing some funding to the school.

We are also very excited to announce that a small group of staff will be visiting Kensekka in the July holidays to help develop local teachers, many of whom have minimal training. We are also planning for a group of Year 12 students to visit in December as an alternative schoolies experience.

Funds will also be directed to Timor Leste to assist the training of teachers in Viqueque, to Lifeboat (supporting survivors of sexual abuse locally) and to Edmund Rice Camps (providing holiday experiences for children from disadvantaged families).

The celebration element of the day will involve us gathering for liturgy followed by a walk / run which we do in solidarity with our friends in Uganda, many of whom walk or run long distances to get to and from school each day. This also incorporates the Interhouse Cross Country competition. For the latter part of the day, students will be able to participate in a variety of fun activities (some of which will require a small donation) and there will be the opportunity to purchase food.

Edmund Rice Day reminds us who we are and celebrates our identity. In some senses, it is the most important day of the year for staff and students. Sometimes students will try to convince parents that the day is optional and not important. For a student to choose to miss this day is incredibly disappointing and makes a strong statement about that young man’s commitment to his schooling and this community.

I look forward to celebrating the day with all students and staff and I thank all families for your generosity and support of the day.

Happy Edmund Rice Day.

Tony Paatsch
Principal