Week 9 Term 4 2022

Dear Families and Friends,

Reflections on the Year

With this last newsletter for the school year, I reflect with great pride on the many achievements made throughout the year. Even with COVID disruptions, 2022 has been a brilliant year at IHM - a year of true hope, rich learning and joy.

Of course, the children are our greatest source of achievement and watching each of them learn and grow this year has been the greatest delight of my job. As a community, we have had some terrific achievements this year, which have all contributed to each child’s flourishing.

In this newsletter I take the opportunity to thank and congratulate all those who’ve made it a great year.

Thank you Parents

To all parents, thank you for your continued support of our school by respecting our school values, showing interest in your child’s learning and supporting our teachers. Thanks especially to those of you who have volunteered to help on excursions, events, in class activities, LAP, attending meetings, being at school events such as concerts, Masses etc and for supporting our fund-raising. You all contribute to our great community.

It is the strong partnership and support of the School Board, the Parents and Friends and families that makes our community so great. 

Thank you Parents and Friends

A very special and heartfelt thanks goes to The Parents and Friends Committee who have had another successful year. Huge thanks to Nadia Rowe and Kate Henderson who have cochaired for the past 4 years and whose work and contributions have been wonderful in community building and fundraising events.  I also thank Michelle Chaplin who has been part of the P&F since her children began here in 2018 and whose involvement and support has been very much appreciated.  

Thank you School Board

I also thank the School Board for their support and commitment.
Much gratitude and special thanks to Tim Mullin who has been a member of the School Board since 2015 and taken on the leadership in Chairing since 2017. Thank you for sharing your skills, talents and wisdom with us Tim, it has been deeply appreciated.

Thanks to our exceptional staff

The staff at IHM often go above and beyond the call of duty, and it is their dedication and unity that strongly characterizes our community.

I take this opportunity to thank all the IHM team for their constant care and concern for the students, parents and broader community.

In particular, upon their leaving, I thank Ryan Campbell and Che Murray. It’s been a delight to have you at IHM and your commitment to our children has been appreciated. We will miss you and we wish you every blessing for the future.

Thanks to the all Students

Thank you for all your hard work throughout the school year.  I am so honored to be your principal; you make me proud, you keep me laughing and young at heart.  I am grateful for your joy, astute insights and amazing talents.  Enjoy your holidays! I will miss you next year.

Farewell Graduates and Families

Last night’s End of Year Mass and Graduation was a wonderful community celebration. Congratulations to our graduating Year 6 students and their parents on this important milestone. May you have every success and much happiness in the future. Take with you great memories of your time here at IHM, knowing that this was a place you were known and loved. Our blessings and best wishes go with you and your families. I wish you all every success and happiness in the future and I hope that the values taught at IHM - hope, love, justice, connectedness and inclusivity, will be at the centre of your actions and words everyday into the future.

Blessings to you all

As I move onto my 12 month secondment Position in the Catholic Education Office, I go with every child and family in my heart. I will miss the school and the community greatly but I’m also very excited by this opportunity, the learning and new connections involved in being Manager of Leadership and Workforce Development.

I have a deep confidence and trust that Annette Diassinas will be wonderful as the Principal. I know that she, with the leadership team and wonderful staff will ensure the high quality learning, well being and flourishing of each child in 2023.

Lastly, I wish you all a wonderful Christmas season.

May you be blessed 
With the spirit of the season, 
which is peace,
The gladness of the season,
which is hope,
And the heart of the season,
which is love.

Warmest wishes,

Pauline Kinsman
PRINCIPAL

Thank You to the IHM Community

Thank you to our wonderful community for a great year.  Despite some of the challenges we faced as a school community with restrictions and high COVID absenteeism in the first half of the year, the students found ways to find hope and joy in our community and continue to grow as learners. As the year has progressed it has been wonderful to be restriction free and have families back attending our assemblies, masses, excursions and school concert.  We love having our families be present at these events for the students and it brings our community together in such a positive way.   

In 2023, I will be Acting Principal while Pauline is seconded to the Catholic Education Office and I feel very blessed to take on this role in such a special school community.  I always speak so proudly of our school and the amazing students, staff and families we have here. I look forward to continuing to work in partnership with you all and for the great things planned in 2023.  I wish Pauline every success in her new role, she will be an amazing asset as Manager of Leadership and Workforce Development with her wealth of experience, ideas, tenacity and creative thinking. 

I wish you all a safe holidays, a Merry Christmas and I will see you in 2023.  

Vinnies Christmas Appeal

Thank you to all our families who supported the Vinnies Christmas Appeal.  St Vincent de Paul were extremely grateful with the generosity of our students and their families in giving to those less fortunate than ourselves.  Thank you so much for making the Christmas of others brighter. 

The First Christmas

Last fortnight I shared with you about Advent.  Following Advent we enter the season of Christmas, the shortest of all church seasons.  Christmas is a time of God showing God’s great love for us. It can be a time of healing and renewed strength. Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of the Christ child. God sent Jesus into the world to be born. His birth brought great joy to the world. Shepherds, wise men, and angels all shared in the excitement of knowing about this great event. They knew this was no ordinary baby.

During the Christmas season we can all take some time to reflect on the messages of the Christmas story.  It’s a time of joyful celebration, a time to reflect on the importance of family, of sharing peace and love.  

Have a Happy and Safe Holidays,

Annette Diassinas
APRIM

As we come to the end of 2022, 1/2H have had the opportunity to reflect upon our learning in the area of Social Justice and Catholic Social Teaching, focusing on the Dignity of the Human Person.  “Every human being is created in the image and likeness of God and therefore has inherent dignity.  No human being should have their dignity or freedom compromised.”

Throughout the year 1/2H has organised three fundraising events to raise money for Hutt Street Centre.  Hutt Street Centre is a place of hope and opportunity, helping people facing homelessness to rebuild their lives without judgement.

This year we raised $325 and have been officially named a ‘Hutt Street Hero’.  With our fundraising cheque we sent messages of hope to all the people at Hutt Street.

Thank you to everyone who supported our fundraisers by wearing crazy hats, collecting 5 cent pieces and wearing Christmas hats!

Miss Hulley and 1/2H