Yesterday was Ash Wednesday and we started the season of Lent as part of our Catholic traditions. It started with us receiving a cross of ashes on our forehead, reminding us that we are trying hard to be more like Jesus through prayer, doing extra or going without something we enjoy and giving to the poor. The ashes were cold and came from the burning of palms from Palm Sunday. Your child may have come home with a cross on their forehead. Please ask them about the meaning of the cross and Lent. I would like to thank Mrs Collins for her organisation of the Mass and to all our wonderful student readers. Additionally, well done to all our students for being so reverent in the Mass.

I attended the Archdiocesan Secondary Swimming Carnival in Goulburn on Tuesday this week. Well done to Olivia, Guinevere, Evie and Myra for representing St Anne's with great spirit. 

Well done to all our Primary Students for their efforts at the Western Region Swimming Carnival last week. Good luck to Lani, William and Chelsea. They will travel to Narooma on the 2^nd March to compete in the Archdiocesan Primary Swimming Carnival. We look forward to hearing of their results.

Thank you to all the Kindergarten parents for your attendance at last Friday night's welcome evening at the Temora Hotel, it was nice meeting you all in a less formal setting. Well done and thank you to Miss Simone Pope for her organisation of the night.

Last week our staff renewed their First Aid certificates, including CPR and anaphylaxis.

We are very lucky to have our school counselor Danielle Hudson with us again this year. Danielle will be with us every Monday as Catholic Care have increased her hours this year. Please contact the school for further information.

Teachers are busy this term with a number of professional development opportunities. We have staff attending an Autism course, staff collaboration days, middle years numeracy development, first aid and network days. 

Renovations- It is slow and steady at the moment. The scaffolding is now up and the builders have started the demolition process of removing the internal brick walls. They  have put in place the new steel support beams for the roof on the second floor above the library. 

Take care,

Grant Haigh