2025 Term 2 - Welcome Back

Principal's Messages

Welcome Back Everyone!

School Resumes Wednesday 30 April

Welcome Back!

Happy and Holy Easter to all our families! I hope the break has provided you with time to rest, recharge, and enjoy special moments with family and friends.

We hope your children have returned feeling refreshed and ready for an exciting term ahead. We’ll begin the week together with a special ANZAC Day liturgy in the playground on Wednesday before lunch at 10:45am, as we pause to commemorate this important occasion as a community.

This term, we are also proud to be celebrating 90 years of Corpus Christi — a significant milestone in our history, we look forward to sharing information about our celebrations soon.  

Please see Compass for information on our Mother's Day Stall and Mother's Day Breakfast and Liturgy.

A term planner will be published next week.

Looking forward to a great term 2!

Katie

Remembering Pope Franics

We were deeply saddened to hear of the death of Pope Francis during the holidays. Below is a letter from Bishop Michael Kennedy that offers words of comfort and reflection.

For me personally, Pope Francis has been a significant part of both my professional journey and spiritual life. He was elected during my first year as Religious Education Coordinator, and from the beginning, he was not only a key figure in my work but also a source of spiritual guidance.

Through Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel), I came to appreciate the everyday wisdom of Pope Francis and his passionate mission to make Jesus real, present, and a guiding compass for all people. In our work with children, we constantly strive to share this joy—to help them find joy in themselves, in their faith, and in their relationship with Jesus. Pope Francis reminded us that Jesus invites us to challenge ourselves: to break down barriers, to love one another deeply, and to serve those around us with compassion and humility.

His teachings in Laudato Si’ have also shaped the way we speak with children about our shared responsibility for the earth. He taught us that caring for creation is not separate from our faith—it is a vital expression of it. At school, we aim to pass on this message of stewardship, encouraging children to notice, cherish, and protect the world around them as part of their discipleship.

In 2016, I had the privilege of attending World Youth Day in Krakow. The energy, hope, and love for Pope Francis among the millions of pilgrims was palpable. At the final Mass—celebrated in an open field called Campus Misericordiae with nearly three million people—the message was clear: a bold call to live out the Gospel with courage, mercy, and joy, with the theme of the event from the Beatitudes -  'Blessed are the merciful'.

One of my fondest memories is from the return journey after the final Mass—on a searingly hot summer’s day, following a 14km trek to the site and a night sleeping under the stars. Despite the exhaustion, spirits were high. As we made our way back, Pope Francis passed by in the back of a small hatchback, joyfully waving to the pilgrims. His presence in that moment was humble, joyful, and deeply moving—a true shepherd among his people.

Our Week

Staffing - Term 2

English as an Additional Language/Dialect (EAL/D)
Mrs Tracey Pois will increase her allocation as our EAL/D Teacher to 0.4 FTE (2 days per week). She will continue in her role as Learning Support Teacher from Monday to Wednesday, and will now support students in the EAL/D role on Thursdays and Fridays.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) Education
Mrs Karina O'Connor will now work an additional day per fortnight (Tuesdays) in her role as ATSI Teacher, working 0.3 FTE (3 days per fortnight). We thank Mrs Tracey Pois for her valuable contribution to this role in Term 1.

Canteen

We’re pleased to share that we have been fortunate to secure a new canteen manager, who will be joining us from the beginning of Term 2. We’re excited to welcome them into our school community and look forward to the energy and ideas they will bring to the role. I’ll be sharing more details about this appointment with you next week. While there may be some changes to the canteen’s days of operation as we settle in. The canteen will reopen in Week 2, Fridays will continue to be a regular canteen day.

Celebrating 90 Years of Corpus Christi

This year marks 90 years since the opening of the downstairs section of our red brick building — the foundation of what we now proudly know as Corpus Christi. As we journey through this milestone term, we’re excited to learn more about our rich history and celebrate with our students and wider community.

We are fortunate to have deep connections to our past, including staff who were parents in the school (and students), with many current families including parents who were once students. To help us bring our history to life, we are on the lookout for photos and memorabilia that might be tucked away in family homes — items that tell the story of Corpus Christi over the decades.

While we’ve gathered many photos from our archives, if you have any photographs or memorabilia to share, we would love to see them! You can upload items directly via the dedicated section on our school website, or feel free to bring them in — we’re happy to scan and return them to you.

We will be sharing information about our celebration events next week.

Morning and Afternoon Routines

Before school 

Morning Drop off:  Parents are welcome to enter the school grounds with their children and depart prior to the 8:50 am bell. 

If you are entering the school, please avoid parking in the Platt Street 5-minute zone (where possible). We aim to improve road safety in our school zone area to help protect children on their way to and from school. If parents use this space as a drop-off (kiss and ride), we can move more cars through. 

Late arrivals after 8:50am: Any arrival after 8:50am is considered late for the legal purposes of our attendance rolls. While sometimes we may be at assembly or classes or not yet in the classroom, we are required to account for any amount of time students are not on site in the school day. Rolls are also marked at any morning assembly or change in routine. All parents and carers are required to attend the school office and sign their child in on the Compass Kiosk when arriving after 8:50am.  

Supervision commences at 8:20am. Students should not be on site prior to this time. Teachers are not required on site before 8.20am (30 minutes before the commencement of school). 

Afternoons: We ask that parents wait outside the school gate as we call students to cars and parents/carers for collection. The students and staff are familiar with this routine, which ensures safe exits from the school for students accessing buses, OOSH, parents in cars, and walking/cycling home.   

Information for students who walk/ travel on buses from Station Street or High Street (outside of St Phillip's Christian College or Waratah Public School)

Corpus Christi staff supervise students who access buses away from the school as well as students who walk in the direction of St Phillip's/Waratah Public Schools. Supervision ceases at the pedestrian crossing of Station and Bridge Street.

Students who walk or take the bus are expected to do so independently. There is no Corpus Christi staff supervision at the bus stops or while boarding buses in this area.

School Uniform

Winter Uniform – Official Change over Monday 26 May 

Our official transition to Winter Uniform is Monday 26 May (Week 5) 

Please note that our School Photo Day is Tuesday 27 May 

 For Weeks 1-4 (30 April-23 May) we will still operate on summer uniform with school jacket with the flexible option to move to full winter uniform on cooler days.  

Please note in choosing to wear summer or winter uniform, we ask there is no mixing of uniforms (eg Stockings should only be worn with winter uniform, long sleeve shirts are to be worn with long pants and the tunic). 

As a result of last year’s uniform consultation, the school tie is now optional. Ties are for sale through the uniform shop with an updated zipper design. Going forward all long sleeve shirts sold by the uniform shop will have the school emblem with the preference that if students are not wearing the school tie they will have the school emblem on their shirt. 

During term 1, we have noticed a few issues with uniform that do not meet school expectations. I realise this does not apply to all students. However, we advocate that all students wear school uniform with pride at all times. Students have been reminded of uniform expectations and we look forward to acknowledging appropriate uniform choices in Term 2.

• Earrings – Studs or sleepers only (no dangling earrings)
• Hair - Students with long hair should have their hair tied back. (Hair falling below the collar

  is deemed long.)

• Hair Accessories – Must be in the school colours of green, white or black.
• Shoes  (Academic Uniform) Black leather (or leather-like) shoes—must be able to be able to be polished.
  • Not permitted: boots, canvas shoes (including sports joggers).

Volunteering

Register here: https://mn.catholic.org.au/about/working-in-the-diocese/volunteer/

Volunteering at school is a valuable way for parents and carers to contribute to the life of our school community. We fully understand that many families have work commitments or find it difficult to attend events during school hours — and that’s okay. Even being able to help out once during the year makes a real difference.

By registering as a volunteer and completing the necessary diocesan requirements, you give us the opportunity to reach out when support is needed. Whether it's just one thing — like helping on a sports day, joining a committee, or listening to children read in the classroom — your involvement helps us immensely.

Throughout the year, we seek assistance in a variety of ways, including:

• Listening to students read

• Volunteering on sports days

• Helping supervise excursions

• Supporting fundraising events

• Participating in school committees

To ensure we uphold our safeguarding responsibilities, all volunteers must complete the Volunteer Application process and meet diocesan requirements (such as a National Police Check and, in some cases, a Working With Children Check).

We kindly encourage all interested parents and carers to complete the application in advance, so when opportunities arise, we can call on a pool of cleared and ready volunteers.

Thank you for considering how you might support our school community — every bit of help counts!

Term Dates