NICS News Week 10 Term 4

From the Principal’s Desk

Please be aware, our 40-week academic school year finishes on Friday, 6 December; however, our school gates are open until Friday, 13 December. Week 11 will be a week of supervision, with alternative and flexible activities from Prep – Year 9. I understand that some Norfolk Island families may need to travel for Christmas, therefore any students needing to travel with families in Week 11 would not be missing any academic work. If you have any questions, please contact the school.

This will be my final article for the Norfolk Islander and Newsletter. I would like to take this opportunity to publicly acknowledge the wonderful staff at NICS. I would like to express my gratitude to all of our staff; teacher aides, office staff, groundskeepers and of course, our teachers. I recognise the challenge that change brings, and I deeply appreciate your professionalism and dedication in supporting our students. A school thrives through the collective effort of its community, and I want to thank our support staff for their unwavering contributions. A special thank you to Ernie and Hen for keeping our grounds in top condition; to Meg, Sue, Coral, Kym, and Sharon in the office; and to all the teacher aides who support students in the classroom. It is great news that non-teaching staff will be permanently employed with the QLD Department of Education from January, 2025. This is a positive for the staff and community, with certainty of employment and tenure into the future.

As we bid farewell to several staff members at the end of this year, I extend my heartfelt best wishes for success in their new roles. I hope they look back on their time at NICS with fond memories and pride. This year, we say goodbye to six wonderful colleagues; Roz Tierney, Tony Wilkinson, Mick Skehan, Ailsa Bernard, Elizabeth Moore and Deb Sheridan. Four of them are retiring after a combined total of 147 years of service in education. I am grateful to each of them for their dedication and outstanding contributions to teaching. Their legacy will continue to impact the school for many years to come.

I feel a deep sense of pride and gratitude for having had the privilege of serving as Principal of Norfolk Island Central School. Reflecting on my time here, I have been reminded of the power of resilience. I’ve faced many challenges, both professional and personal, that have shaped me into a stronger leader, and more importantly, a better person. I could not have done this work without the support of my family. Thank you to Elizabeth and the kids for their patience, love and encouragement. We came to Norfolk for a six-month contract, and we’ve been blessed to spend nearly six years with this incredible community.

I now proudly hand the baton to Mr Thomas Black, Principal at NICS from 2025, to continue the positive work into the future.

I wish all families a happy and restful holiday break, and I look forward to all that 2025 has to offer.

School resumes for all students on Tuesday, 28 January 2025.

Kind regards,

Russell Moore

Principal

Norfolk Island Central School