On Friday last week it was fantastic to welcome parents and grandparents back to school for our first Parliament for 2021.

With so many events and regular opportunities for parents to visit the school cancelled last year, I believe this is the beginning of the return to having parents involved at school again.

This is something that we are all looking forward to.

Congratulations to our Year 6 leaders for leading the first Parliament for 2021.

They were very nervous as they had not seen one for a while, but they came through with flying colours.

The leaders presented their reports with some of the highlights being the handing our of Western Region Swimming ribbons and the Handicap Trophy, the environment ministers have created signage for the bins so students can put the correct rubbish in the recycling, rubbish and food scraps bins, class masses have begun and all classes diving into ICT already this year.

The leaders presented their awards to students who they have seen being responsible and respectful in their ministry activities already this term.

We also handed out our Silver and Gold awards for students who have achieved these in the first five weeks of the new year.

Last Wednesday I was joined by Poppy and Alice, our school captains, to attend a celebration of thanksgiving for 200 years of Catholic Education in Australia.

We joined representatives from many Archdioceses schools, religious orders who set up most of our schools and staff from CE to recognise and appreciate the contribution that Catholic schools have made and continue to make in Australia.

From the first school in the Parramatta area in Sydney to the opening of our school here in Boorowa in 1882 by the Sisters of Mercy (the first school opened outside their Goulburn house) to our current school, Catholic Education has been part of the fabric of our town, our state and country.

On Saturday morning at the regular Rotary Markets, St Joseph's were officially handed our new barbecue trailer that was proudly donated by the Bango Wind Farm.

Brendan McAvoy, Head of Construction for CWP Renewables, officially handed the trailer over to St Joseph's Principal, Mark Birks.

The St Joseph's Community Council were attending the markets on the day to provide catering for the markets with the new barbecue trailer.

The St Joseph's community would like to thank CWP Renewables for their generous donation through their Community Grants Program.

A big thank you to all the parents and students who were able to help with the Rotary barbecue on Saturday morning.

Thanks to Tash Graham, Richard Dowling, Tom Corkhill, Sam Burton-Taylor, Tim Corcoran and Kirsty Miller who spent time cooking and serving on the morning.

A special thanks to Finn Corkhill, Annabelle and Charlotte Corcoran who helped out with the serving as well, they did a great job.