Autumn Fete 

I would like to thank everyone who attended, donated or helped on Saturday for our Autumn Fete. As discussed last year, this Fete was the first for recent years as being at this time of year, during the day and as a bi-annual event. I am pleased to let the school community know that this fete was a successful event.

We raised $11 000, which did not include a raffle which has been traditionally done for the fete (we held a raffle last year at the movie night instead), and did not include the plant store, which was a stall organised and run by Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, which means they keep the money raised on that stall as a donation for the Parish.

When compared with recent fetes held and take out the raffle takings and plant stall takings, we raised approximately $1000 more than the fete in 2016 and $3000 more than the fete in 2017. This is a huge effort and has ensured our trial of a day-time fete, at this time of year, was a complete success. 

Feedback from many people attending was the positive, calm and friendly vibe of the fete. Obviously our fete is about raising funds for our school, but just as important is the community building aspect of the event. Bringing our school community together, their friends, their family and those unknown to us in the community. We are a school that 'live in harmony' and Saturday was a perfect example of that. 

I would like to say a big thank you to the fete committee of Anna Lutz, Lisa Monro, Damien Webb, Caterina Puren, Serae Love, Claire Carton, Fiona Scherl, Fiona Scadden, Fiona Morris, Chantel Pollock, Gabriel Walsh, Jeanette Ryan, Diana Di Franco, Natalie Ryall, Michelle Dalziel, Emma Bickley, Esther Coghlan and Lea Gocentas. Thank you for time given to organise behind the scene and on the day coordinating and running various stalls. Thank you also to the stall coordinators, many named above as well as Andrew Daly, Shane Love, Jeremy Lane, YMCA, our Year 6 Leaders, and St Michael's staff.

Whilst it takes a team approach to pull off any successful event, it also takes a leader who can oversee, coordinate, motivate and make the tough decisions at times. A massive thank you to Anna Lutz, who has dedicated many many hours towards the fete. It was a difficult fete to coordinate as it was the first time for a while that it was at this time of year and during the day. Anna did an amazing job of working with myself and the school executive, the fete team, stall coordinators and the many organisations and businesses to ensure we had a successful fete. 

Thank you to everyone. As mentioned at the start of last year, the decision was made in 2017 to move the school fete to a bi-annual event. This is a decision that current leadership supports also. Although, a great event, it involves an enourmous amount of preparation and planning and for a small school, is something that is difficult to run each and every year. By moving bi-annually, we hope we can capture more parental and family volunteer support and help for the fete.

Harmony Day

Tomorrow we celebrate Harmony Day. This is such an important day, especially this year in light of recent events in New Zealand. Harmony Day is a time to celebrate Australian multiculturalism. Australia is one of the most successful multicultural countries in the world and we should celebrate this and work to maintain it. Harmony Week is about inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all Australians, regardless of cultural or linguistic background, united in a common love and compassion for all. 

At St Michael's we are a school who 'Live in Harmony' everyday. Tomorrow, Harmony Day, is a day for us to celebrate this and enjoy and have fun with each other reflecting on all the wonderful cultures we have in Australia. 

It is a Uniform Free Day where we are encouraging all students to come to school dressed in colours inspired from a country of the world. 

Students will participate in various activities and experiences from these countries including Origami, Yoga, Auslan, Balloon Tennis, Bocce, Unklungs, Spheros and Tangrams. 

Enjoy the week ahead.

Be Kind.

Pat Ellis

Principal