Mrs Emma South, Principal
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son…
John 3:16
Dear San Clemente Families,
As the end of Term 1 approaches and the celebrations of Easter are just around the corner, I take the time to share a reflection about the importance of the Holy days of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday with our community.
In the spirit of Easter, let us remember that these days symbolise hope, renewal, and the triumph of love over adversity. May this season inspire us to rise above our challenges, just as Easter signifies a new beginning and the promise of brighter days ahead.
I hope that the Easter season continues to inspire all to be kind, compassionate, and caring, and to be people who see the needs of others as at least as important as their own needs and wants.
‘Veritas’ Newsletter Distribution
With the regular use of Compass to share news with our community, and the popularity and engagement with social media platforms like our College Facebook and Instagram pages, we have carried out a review of our newsletter production timelines. Following this review, I can confirm that Veritas will continue to be provided to our broader community three times each term, in Weeks 3, 6, and 9. We hope that our readership will continue to engage with these mediums, as a picture of San Clemente life, highlighting many of the special elements of our community.
Year 11 2026 Events
Our Year 11 2026 Information Evening was held on Tuesday 1st April and we thank all students, parents and carers who attended. The evening included details of our commitment to a Partnership for HSC Success, updates about our Stage 6 planning, and presentations from Ian Woodley from the University of Newcastle and Geraldine Blake, head of VET in our Diocese.
Those students who attended received the Stage 6 2026 Course Handbook and all other Year 10 students received this on Wednesday. The distribution of these Handbooks marks an important part of the school year, and our college history, as our student begin considering their Stage 6 courses. We request that all Year 10 students and their parents and carers attend the Stage 6 Course Information Evening on 7th May from 6.00-7.30pm. On this evening you will hear all about our course offerings for Stage 6 and learn from the expert teachers and Leaders of Learning about what will best help our young people achieve their dreams.
Canteen News
Term 2 will see some changes to Our Canteen. Toni Vial, one of our long-standing Canteen supervisors, will be leaving us at the end of this term, joining Gillian Burgess in retired life after many years of service to our community. Recruitment to replace both of these experienced staff has been a challenge, but we've been working closely with the diocese to explore alternative models that might better suit our needs.
I am delighted to confirm that we have adopted a new model for our Canteen, successfully joining with “The Heights Catering Company” who will be managing and running our Canteen from the beginning of Term 2.
The team from “The Heights” have already been working at Trinity Catholic College, and the staff and students at Trinity can attest to its success. Feedback about the menu, the coffee available for staff and senior students, and the service has been overwhelmingly positive.
The Canteen will still open as per the regular hours, and families will still be able to place orders through the QKR app. I have attached a copy of a sample menu, provided by The Heights, for your review.
We are endlessly thankful to Toni and Gillian for their commitment to the canteen over many years and, of course, to those additional team members who have supported them, most recently recognising the contribution of Tonee, Maria and Carmel. Along with parent volunteers, these staff have been a special part of our community.
Staffing updates to start Term 2
Michael Fuller, our Ministry Coordinator is taking leave for a period of three weeks and Meredith MacDonald will be stepping into this role. Desley Sharman will be supporting our Year 8 students and families in the role of Leader of Wellbeing and Engagement for this period. Both positions are significant in our school, and we are grateful to these staff for taking on this extra responsibility and wish them well in their respective roles.
Much-loved Learning Support Teacher, Heidi Wilkinson, has taken the opportunity to return to her passion of supporting primary-aged students and will begin work in a role at St Columban’s Primary School from the beginning of Term 2. We are sad to see Heidi leave us at San Clemente, but are thankful that she will remain part of our Mayfield Dominican family and are sure that she will still be part of our lives. We wish Ms. Wilkinson all the best in this new role.
These appointments will necessitate some minor changes to student timetables with some classes needing to have a change of teacher for this period. The changes will be kept to a minimum and students will be aware of any that may impact them through Compass and through conversations with their current teachers.
Parent - Student - Teacher Conferences
The first round of Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences for 2025 will take place on Thursday, 10th April, in the Veritas Centre. The first bookings through Compass are from 8.30am, and the final bookings for the day are at 5.50pm. All families are encouraged to take up this opportunity to meet with teachers, discuss learning and progress, and seek feedback on areas for improvement. The most productive meetings on these days involve parents and carers with their child. Therefore, students should attend with their parents and carers to make the most of the opportunity.
As the end of Term 1 draws near, I take this opportunity to thank our families for their commitment to working in partnership with the school through the things that we celebrate together but also the more challenging parts of school life for our students. When we work together, as a school and family community, we achieve the best outcomes for our young people.
With prayers and blessings,
Mrs Emma South, Principal