St AlipiusParishSchool

Newsletter

29th February, 2008

Dear Families,

In the scriptures the Spirit of God is sometimes described as “a Mighty wind” – I think God’s Spirit was very evident yesterday - in the wind that swirled around the yard, but more so in the joy of children singing; in the reverence for indigenous culture; in the generosity of hospitality; in the welcoming smiles and warm embraces; in the gathering of a community of faith; in breaking open of the Words of Scripture and the celebration of the fruits of hard work.

The blessing of a new school facility is a privileged occasion for any community. For us at St Alipius the blessing and opening of these buildings is a time to celebrate another stage of a rich and rewarding journey. As a faith community we had an opportunity to gather, not just in appreciation of these facilities – fine as they are – but to celebrate that these buildings allow us to grow as a community committed to the Gospel.

In 1853 the Catholic families of Ballarat East gathered in a tent which was both a church and a school to this fledgling community. In the dust and dirt and disorder of the goldfields they established a place to nurture their faith.

Yesterday it was appropriate that we gathered in view of our parish church – because, like our forbears, we are intimately linked to the faith community of Ballarat East and to the Catholic community of the Diocese of Ballarat. We were so pleased to gather with our Bishop Peter Connors –who recognizes and celebrates the important role that our schools play in the life of the Church – and Adrian McInerney our parish priest who takes an active interest in the life of our school and all the individuals who make up our community. We are proud that yesterday we had people with us who, as members of our parish community, feel a deep connection to our school and were here because they see themselves as St Alipius people.

In 1853 the mainly Irish Catholic families came to Ballarat East searching for gold; today our students search for something much more valuable – a purpose, a passion and a positive place in the future they are creating – and a faith to live by. These buildings are home to this search.

Our journey is linked by the threads of a tapestry that has been woven over the years.

Some of the threads to our story are the foundational fibres on which everything else is built – That’s why it was great to have members of the Sisters of Mercy with us – because their commitment has been fundamental to the growth and development of the St Alipius school community – and I know that St Alipius holds a very special place in their hearts. We want always to celebrate our relationship and acknowledge their imprint on the life and learning at St Alipius

In 1853 the families of the Gravel Pits had little help in establishing their church and school - they gathered together the few resources they had around the support of their priest and made do with what they had - Today we are grateful for the support of the Federal Government – a Commonwealth Capital grant of $750,000 has enabled this community to complete the first stage of a four stage building project – the administration wing and student amenities.

When this administration building was designed the focus was on reflecting - within the structure -the sense of welcome that has always been evident within this community. A building that would invite the community in and keep them safe while they are here. A building in which we could celebrate our rich story and through which we could create our future story. I thank Leigh Dicker of Bradbury Dicker Group, who listened to us and designed a building that invited people into the heart of our school and our story and Brice and Colin Nicholson of Colbrico who made it a reality.

Please come and spend some time browsing through the elements of our story that are so beautifully displayed on our walls:

Our story in photos and images was put together by staff-member, Jason Spark.

The original art work of Helen Morris – one of our talented parents and in our courtyard;

The first panel of our story in mosaic – created through the wisdom and talent of parent Bernie Dodd – with contributions from the hands of our students.

We believe that images and ritual help to define who we are and we proudly share or story with all who join us.

At St Alipius students are at the centre of all we do – and, as was witnessed yesterday, we have the finest learners and leaders in this community– young people who lead us to new places and with whom we are proud to learn.

Our students do come first - and so we are really looking forward to the 2nd stage of our building program – the refurbishment of all our classrooms andthe creation of a library resource centre at the heart of our school. This project will commence before the end of the year – and to which the Federal Government has pledged $800,000.

Our greatest resources at St Alipius are our people – our students, our families and our outstanding staff. The relationships that are built here both challenge and support each of us to be the best we can be – our staff team is committed to building a culture of excellence – I applaud them for entering into the challenge with enthusiasm and energy.

Eileen Rice - Principal

106 – 108 Victoria Street Ballarat East 3350 Phone: 03 5331 1816 Fax: 03 5331 7764

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