Arriving on time is important because it:

Lateness is recorded as a partial absence and must be explained by parents or carers.

Absences

Sometimes your child may need to be absent from school.

Justified reasons for student absences may include:

Following an absence, you must provide an explanation of the absence within seven school days. Principals may not accept an explanation that you have provided if they do not believe the absence is in the best interest of your child. In these circumstances your child’s absence would be recorded as unjustified.

You will receive a notification from the school if your child’s absence exceeds 10%. The school will work collaboratively and in partnership with parents and families to support regular attendance.

School Procedures

Absence

Parents are sent an SMS on the day of their child’s absence. A parent should click the link and respond with a reason for their absence. The absence will be marked as unexplained if a response isn’t received within 7 days.

Late arrivals

You can use the Compass app to lodge an attendance note or respond to the late arrival SMS. All students must sign in at the office if they are arriving late.

This would be 8.20am for Secondary students and 8.40am for Junior School students.

Early Departure

All Junior School students need to be signed out at the office by a parent.
All Secondary School students must sign out at the office or a parent can sign the student out.

Compass Attendance Notes

You can lodge attendance notes to give a reason for your child’s absence, late arrival or early departure using the Compass app in advance or as required.

Exemption for Leave Application

As part of our ongoing process of reviewing school protocols and compliance requirements it has become clear that the NSW Educational Act requires a stricter interpretation around family vacations and trips in non term time.

An Exemption from Attendance may be considered in exceptional circumstances such as ill health; student employment in the entertainment industry; student participation in elite arts or sport. Parents must download and complete the relevant ‘Application for Exemption From Attendance at School’ in the school documents tab in Compass or from the school website. The completed form should be returned to the school as directed on the form. Families are encouraged to holiday or travel during school vacations, as under NSW government attendance regulations, holidays taken by students during term time are generally considered unjustified/unexplained absences.

Mr Paul Carter
Deputy Principal

Drawing on Philippians 2:1–11 and our Student Code of Conduct, students have reflected on Jesus as our ultimate example of respect—one who put others first with humility and love. These discussions have guided students in considering how we respect ourselves, others, and our wider school community, including demonstrating kindness, patience, and forgiveness, as outlined in our Rainbow Reminders.

We have also emphasised respect for property, recognising that caring for belongings—our own, others’, and the school’s—is an important expression of faithful stewardship of what God has entrusted to us. This learning is especially timely as we approach Safer Internet Day next Tuesday 10 February, reminding students that respect also extends to how we use technology and interact with others online. Through these conversations, we continue to encourage our students to “love your neighbour as yourself” (Matthew 22:39) and to serve one another with Christ-like humility in all areas of school life.

Building on this focus, we have also refined the language we use when correcting and restoring behavioural incidents. Rather than using the term detention, we now refer to these times as Reflection. As has been our practice, when students experience more serious consequences—such as time off the playground—the emphasis remains on reflecting on the impact of their choices, restoring any relationships or harm that may have occurred, and setting goals to support wiser decisions in the future. Reflection sessions will be communicated to parents via Compass and will be completed with a Stage Coordinator in the IRC. Compass will also continue to be used to communicate reminders, concerns, or uniform corrections as needed.

Mrs Ruth Cooper
Head of Junior School

Her artwork stood out for its strong composition and technical skill. It’s a fantastic achievement in a competition known for showcasing exceptional young talent from across the region.

Well done, Gabby – we’re incredibly proud of you and can’t wait to see what you create next.

Congratulations to Eva Posthumus for breaking the 11 Year Girls 50m Freestyle and 50m Breaststroke records, two remarkable long-standing records that had stood since 1997 and 1993 respectively, an outstanding achievement.

Results from the carnival will be announced hopefully next week, and Zone lists will be emailed out to those parents shortly after. We look forward to celebrating our swimmers’ achievements and wish those progressing to the next level the very best of luck.

It was also a joy to see our Infants students delighting in laughter, bubbles, water relays and splashing during the K–2 Water Fun Day at school. Thank you to Mrs Lothian and Mrs Jovanov for coordinating this special event. I’d also like to thank our Year 9 and 10 PASS students, along with Mr Rafferty and Mr Dixon who were instrumental in making both these events a huge success. What a blessing to be part of a Prep to Year 12 school!

Mrs Ruth Cooper and Miss Ashleigh Hackfath

Photos from Junior School swimming carnival and water fun day

We meet on the front oval near the school entrance at 7:20am and return by 8:10am. Each week we head off-site, running or walking through the surrounding streets and bush tracks. Our school is set in a beautiful part of the world, and this is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy God’s creation together.

Students may wear their own running clothes and will have time to change into their school uniform at 8:10am. Shire Runners shirts are available for purchase — please email me if you’re interested. A shirt order will be placed towards the end of Term 1.

Showers are available in the PE change rooms for Secondary School students who wish to use them.

Mr Steve Moore
Head of PDHPE

The words of this song are simple, but very profound.  Even the famous German theologian, Karl Barth, when asked how he would summarise the millions of words he had published, is purported to have replied: “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so”.  Although I find myself at odds with a lot of what Barth wrote, I could at least say “Amen” to that!

But many years ago there was an interesting story in the ‘Our Daily Bread’ devotional notes on John 10.  The author, Bill Crowder, reported that a friend had given his wife a wall plaque that displayed the words: “Jesus knows me, this I love.”  That thought really touched me.  In these difficult, confusing and challenging days, my confidence and hope are not in my love for Jesus, but in his love for me; not in my knowledge of him, but in his knowledge of me.

This is expressed by Jesus so clearly in John 10:26-30- “you do not believe because you are not my sheep.  My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no-one can snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no-one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.  I and the Father are one.”  It is hard to find anything more comforting than this.  Notice that Jesus did not say to his accusing Pharisees, “You are not my sheep because you do not believe”, as if the initiative rests with us, but rather, “You do not believe because you are not my sheep”, because the initiative for our salvation always is with him - the One who ‘knows’ his sheep by name!  As he said to his disciples in John 15:16, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last.”

All that we are, and all that we are called to do for him, are the outworking through us of his sovereign grace alone .  My ability to persevere in serving him is in his powerful hands, not in my often weak, variable and unreliable efforts.  He did everything necessary for my salvation, and even my coming to faith in him was because of his initiative in my heart; my faith in him was only ever a response to his work in me - the only thing I had to offer him was a grateful heart.  I understand what Paul meant when he wrote: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8), and why he didn’t write: ”For it is by faith you have been saved” as if somehow my ‘faith’ was something I could offer to him. Yes, “Jesus knows me, this I love”!

First published in 2018.

Rev Bruce Christian

Families can set up an account online or via the app using the instructions provided . Please set up a profile for each child to help us distribute the food.

Orders can be placed up until 8am on the day of delivery, an added convenience for families, now able to decide at the last minute to order lunch for their children. This time will be reviewed and adjusted if demand requires, and parents will be notified in advance by email.

While limited snacks are available on the School Fuel menu, parents should be aware that with delivery later in the day to keep the food fresh, snacks should still be provided for Break 1.

Junior School students will have their orders brought to their classroom. Secondary School students can collect their order during Break 2 (12:27pm) in the Year 12 area outside Student Services. Secondary students are responsible for collecting their orders from this location.

We hope this arrangement will provide a healthy convenient option for our families.

Positions available:

Visit our website for more information.

Free Legal Advice (Family Law)

When: First Tuesday of every month, 1pm–4pm

Starting from Feb 12th
Where: Hopefield, 6 Gosport St, Cronulla - Appointments preferred

In partnership with Marrickville Legal Centre, we offer confidential legal advice for issues to do with family law.

Free Financial Counselling

When: First Thursday of every month, 10am–2pm

Starting from Feb 5th
Where: Hopefield, 6 Gosport St, Cronulla - Walk-in only

In partnership with The Salvation Army, these personalised sessions offer practical financial advice on things like bills, budgets, debts and loans. Our goal is to help people find solutions and regain control of their financial future.