June 2019
St. Augustine School
Final Newsletter
Principal's Message
Dear St. Augustine School families,
As we wind down the year with this final month of school, I wish you all a safe and happy summer. I look back on this school year with deep fondness, and I am already looking forward to another successful school year next year. Thank you to Father Andrew, the PEC, all the teachers and staff, and all the students and their families for all your support this year! I am so grateful to be part of this blessed community that I consider home.
As the year comes to a close, I would like to share the following prayer with you:
We praise and thank you, Lord, For the gift of this school year. It has been a time filled with grace and blessings, With challenges and opportunities, joys and sorrows. The days have passed quickly.
The weeks, the months, the seasons, the holidays and holy days, The exams, vacations, breaks, and assemblies, All have come forth from your hand. While we trust that your purposes have always been at work each day, Sometimes it has seemed difficult to understand and appreciate just what you have been up to in our school.
Give us the rest and refreshment we need this summer. Let our efforts of this past year bear fruit. Bring all of our plans to a joyful conclusion, And bless us, according to your will, With the fulfillment of our summer hopes and dreams.
Watch over us in the weeks of rest ahead, And guide each day as you have done this past year. Help us return to school with a new spirit and a new energy. May we continue to grow In age, wisdom, knowledge and grace. Amen.
Take good care over the holidays! Have a wonderful, safe summer, St. Augustine’s! See you in September. God Bless. Mr. Yaptinchay
Staff Changes for 2019-2020
It is with heavy heart that I officially announce that a few of our beloved teachers will be leaving us at the end of this school year. Mr. Arntzen, Mrs. Monteith, Ms. Purgatorio, Ms. Crilly, and Mr. Loquet. will be saying farewell to St. Augustine School at the end of June.
Thank you to Ms. Purgatorio for her dedication to the school this last year as our Grade 2 teacher. We wish her all the best as she continues her career in Catholic education at St. Catherine School, closer to home. Your new schools is lucky to have you.
As Ms. Crilly and Mr. Loquet return home to Ireland and Australia, respectively, to be with family and pursue their studies in education, we wish them both a fond farewell and an immense thank you for taking such good care of our students as our education assistants over the last two years. Thank you for your dedicated service, and we hope to see you both again when you complete your teaching degree!
Mrs. Monteith started her career at St. Augustine School in the early 1990’s and has dedicated the last quarter century to Catholic education in the CISVA. We were privileged to have her bookend her career by returning to St. Augustine two years ago, returning as one of the most highly regarded resource teachers in the Catholic system. She has been instrumental in transitioning and growing our Learning Resource Department over the last two years, and we are ever so grateful for her dedication and love for special education, her students and our school community. As she retires from teaching, we wish Mrs. Monteith all the very best and blessings for a well-deserved retirement.
As announced earlier this year, Mr. Arntzen will be saying farewell to St. Augustine School at the end of June as he retires from teaching. Mr. Arntzen has dedicated the last 12 years of his career to the students and community of St. Augustine, has brought a love of music to our students and community, and developed a music program held in such high regard in the CISVA. He will be incredibly missed, and we wish him all the very best in his retirement. Thank you for everything, Mr. Arntzen!
In gratitude, we thank our five departing staff for being an instrumental part of the high level of Catholic education at the school. Their gifts, talents, and the love they each have for our school and our students across all grades will be greatly missed. We congratulate them on their new endeavours and wish them all the very best in the future! Please, join us the last day of school as we say goodbye to our beloved teachers and staff at the end of mass and recognize them more fully.
Ms. Faherty who was on a one year leave of absence this year will be extending her leave one more year. We are looking forward to welcoming her back in September 2020.
A couple of positions are still open as we continue our search for the right teachers for our second Grade 4 class and our Learning Resource Coordinator’s position. Interviews are on-going, and we will keep you updated when we fill these teaching roles.
Furthermore, we are fortunate and blessed to welcome new staff:
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Ms. Andrea Riley will be our new Grade 2 Teacher next year. Ms. Riley is currently teaching Grade 2 at St. Joseph School.
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We welcome Ms. Ali Smith, who will be starting her teaching career in Kindergarten as Ms. Siy takes her maternity leave next year.
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Mrs. Bethany Rowe will be our new Music teacher. With over 15 years of experience as a Music teacher in Australia, we are privileged to have her continue and grow the fine music program we have at our school.
Finally, our staff continues to grow as we also welcome to our Learning Resource Team, a new Education Assistant: Ms. Enakshi Patro. We will be hiring another EA for the new year, and we are excited to continue to build our team in special education and learning support at our school.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the entire staff of St. Augustine School for their continued dedication and undying commitment to the community and the children in their care!