Dear Parents,

Over the last few months, one of our students, Anthony Pasquariello from 2 Jade, has been battling ill health. He was first admitted to Canberra Hospital with fluid on his lungs and suffered problems with his heart and was flown to Sydney. His condition deteriorated in Sydney and he was then flown to Melbourne to be cared for by a team of specialists.

This week he underwent a lengthy and complex operation to install an internal mechanical pump to keep his heart operating. This will keep his heart beating until he can have a transplant. He is now in an induced coma while his body recovers.

I know his classmates and staff have been praying for Anthony and his family but they now ask all members of our community to pray for his recovery. We also pray for his parents Carlo and Alisa, his sister Nadia and his extended family who have been supporting Anthony through his struggles.

It certainly puts many of our daily struggles in to perspective and makes us give thanks for the healthy families many of us are blessed with.

Pick Up Arrangements

As a school, we are concerned with the pick-up arrangements as they currently operate. We have three main pick up points. The first is car lines at the front of the school where some parents also collect children. The second is the pick up from the courtyard near the Kindergarten rooms and this is working well. There will be no changes to either of these. The area of concern is at the rear of the school where parents park on the black top.

Currently we have many children running around with some re-entering the building while waiting for parents. We also have children walking through the carpark on their own and this area has high traffic movement. We have a duty of care for all students and we are currently not meeting this for all children at the back of the school.

Once the new shade structure is open, all children collected by parents that park on the black top will be directed to the shade structure from where parents will have to collect them. This will also apply to girls waiting for netball training and they will need to be collected by their coach.

If any student is not collected by 3.15pm from the shade structure or the courtyard they will be taken to car lines where parents can collect them.

Students will be reminded that they need to wait in one of the three pick up areas or to ride or walk home at the conclusion of the school day.

Maths Problem

Sorry to all of my regular problem solvers. I do not know why I forgot to leave a problem to go in the newsletter. That means the prize for this week has doubled to a four-dollar canteen voucher and a handball.

One quarter of the world’s 440 species of sharks are endangered or vulnerable (that means close to being endangered). Shark’s teeth are in rows, when a tooth breaks off, the one behind it moves to take its place. Sharks may have as many as 3000 teeth in their mouths at once. To have as many teeth as a shark, how many more teeth would you need?

Sporting Representatives

Mother Teresa School celebrates the achievements of our students when selected to represent the ACT in any ACT School Sport representative sport. The school recognises the costs incurred by families in sending children to represent the ACT at any venue especially those that require substantial travel. I know of a student travelling to Perth this year.

The school will provide $300 for any child representing the ACT at an ACT School Sport event. It is given to a child only once for each sport per year. If your child qualifies, please send a letter to either Mr Hart or Mr Hughes.

God Bless,

Peter Hughes